₦airaland Forum

Ekasco1986:
just finished three months ago,
can i apply?

Sorry, this is for serving NYSC members.

When exactly are you due Service?

madampresident:
Can awaiting NYSC apply for Lagos?

Deadline for this post is today, 9th February, 2024. You can still send in your interest if you are a servicing Youth Corper.

Female Serving Corps Members(For gender balance) are urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm with Headquaters in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

The available positions are for Admin Assistant(NYSC) and Human Resources Assistant(NYSC).
2 positions are in our Port Harcourt office while 1 position is in our Lagos office.

If interested, please send your CV to: christabel.ajukwu@emval.net or franklin.ogboi@emval.net

9th February, 2024 is the deadline.

Note that this role is for serving NYSC Members still seeking a place of primary Assignment.

Female Serving Corps Members are urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm located in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

The available positions are for Admin Assistant and Human Resources Assistant.

Proximity to Lekki Phase 1 is an added advantage.

If interested, please send your CV to: christabel.ajukwu@emval.net

27th January, 2023 is the deadline.

Female (for gender balance) Serving Corps Members are urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm located in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

The available positions are for Admin Assistant and Human Resources Assistant.

Proximity to Lekki Phase 1 is an added advantage.

If interested, please send your CV to: christabel.ajukwu@emval.net



Deadline is Monday, 6th December, 2022.

A female (for gender balance) NYSC is urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm located in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The available position is for an Admin Assistant.

Proximity to Lekki Phase 1 is an added advantage.

If interested, please send your CV to franklin.ogboi@emval.net



Deadline is Monday, 28th November, 2022.

A male NYSC is urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm with headquarters in Lekki Phase 1 Lagos, is looking for an Admin Assistant at her Delta State office.
The available position is for an Admin Assistant.

Proximity to Ibuzo, Delta State is an added advantage.

If you are still looking for a place of primary Assignment and you are in Delta State, then this is an opportunity for you.

If interested, please send your CV to franklin.ogboi@emval.net

Deadline is Tuesday, 13th September, 2022.

A female (for gender balance) NYSC is urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm located in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The available position is for an HR Assistant.

Proximity to Lekki Phase 1 is an added advantage.
If you are still looking for a place of primary Assignment, then this is an opportunity for you.

If interested, please send your CV to franklin.ogboi@emval.net



Deadline is Friday, 9th September, 2022.

A female (for gender balance) NYSC is urgently needed in an Oil & Gas Servicing firm located in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The available position is for an Admin Assistant.

Proximity to Lekki Phase 1 is an added advantage.

If interested, please send your CV to franklin.ogboi@emval.net



Deadline is Monday, 29th August, 2022.

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has said that he cannot speak on the decision of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to drop the prosecution of Gombe Central senator, Danjuma Goje, because he did not have details of the matter.

Sagay said this during an interview with The PUNCH on Monday.

The senior advocate, however, said he would not be in support of the move if it was done for political reasons.

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), has said that he cannot speak on the decision of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to drop the prosecution of Gombe Central senator, Danjuma Goje, because he did not have details of the matter.

Sagay said this during an interview with The PUNCH on Monday.

The senior advocate, however, said he would not be in support of the move if it was done for political reasons.

READ ALSO: Goje’s probe, prosecution, cost taxpayers over N150m —Investigation

He said he could not speak on the matter because he did not know why the case was dropped.

Sagay said, “I’m not aware of the reason because my answer must depend on the reason. I’m going to find out. Let’s put it this way: if there is a good case against him, then it is withdrawn, it’s not justified.

“One really needs to know the reason; I don’t want to start condemning him without finding out why. But if there’s a good case and that case is withdrawn for political reasons, I cannot support it.

“That’s all I can say, but there may be a justifiable reason which I don’t know yet. So, I’m not going to condemn (the Federal Government) yet without enough knowledge of the circumstances.”

Source: https://punchng.com/why-i-cant-comment-on-fgs-decision-to-drop-gojes-case-sagay/amp/#click=https:///8NeOMnkHJo

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal on Monday reserved judgment in the appeal filed against President Muhammadu Buhari’s academic qualification for the 2019 presidential election.

The three member panel of the appellate court presided over by Justice Atinuke Akomolafe-Wilson, reserved judgment after listening to the argument canvassed by counsel to parties in the suit.

At Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the appellant, Ukpai Ukairo, insisted that President Buhari was not educationally qualified to have stood for the presidential poll on the grounds that the required certificates were not attached to his form CF001, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for clearance to contest the presidential poll.
The counsel denied the claim that the suit of the appellant was statute barred, adding that the case was instituted on November 5, 2018 within the 14 days allowed by law. He said the cause of action started with the announcement and publication by INEC of successful candidates for the 2019 general election on October 25, 2018.

Ukairo therefore urged the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Federal High Court on grounds of miscarriage of justice.
He asked the court to nullify Buhari’s participation in the February 23 presidential election because he was not educational qualified for the poll at the time he did.

However, lawyers to the 1st and 2nd respondents urged the court to dismiss the appeal for being incompetent and lacking merit.

Buhari’s counsel, Abdullahi Abubakar, specifically told the Appeal Court that the case of the appellant was statute barred having not been filed within the mandatory period stipulated by the law.
He urged the court to uphold the decision of the Federal High Court to the effect that the suit was not filed in line with the position of the law.

Counsel to the All Progressives Congress Babatunde Ogala, argued in the same line with Buhari and urged the court to dismiss the appeal, while counsel to INEC, Onyeri Anthony, said the commission was neutral and would abide by the decision of the Court.

Kalu, Ismail and El-Kuris had approached the appellate court to nullify and set aside the Judgment of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court which declined to hear their suit instituted to challenge the educational qualification of President Buhari before the conduct of the 2019 general election.

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3'
Appeal Court Reserves Judgment in Suit Challenging Buhari's Academic Qualification
editorJuly 8, 2019 3:25 Pm
Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal on Monday reserved judgment in the appeal filed against President Muhammadu Buhari’s academic qualification for the 2019 presidential election.

The three member panel of the appellate court presided over by Justice Atinuke Akomolafe-Wilson, reserved judgment after listening to the argument canvassed by counsel to parties in the suit.

At Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the appellant, Ukpai Ukairo, insisted that President Buhari was not educationally qualified to have stood for the presidential poll on the grounds that the required certificates were not attached to his form CF001, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for clearance to contest the presidential poll.


The counsel denied the claim that the suit of the appellant was statute barred, adding that the case was instituted on November 5, 2018 within the 14 days allowed by law. He said the cause of action started with the announcement and publication by INEC of successful candidates for the 2019 general election on October 25, 2018.

Ukairo therefore urged the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Federal High Court on grounds of miscarriage of justice.


He asked the court to nullify Buhari’s participation in the February 23 presidential election because he was not educational qualified for the poll at the time he did.

However, lawyers to the 1st and 2nd respondents urged the court to dismiss the appeal for being incompetent and lacking merit.

Buhari’s counsel, Abdullahi Abubakar, specifically told the Appeal Court that the case of the appellant was statute barred having not been filed within the mandatory period stipulated by the law.


He urged the court to uphold the decision of the Federal High Court to the effect that the suit was not filed in line with the position of the law.

Counsel to the All Progressives Congress Babatunde Ogala, argued in the same line with Buhari and urged the court to dismiss the appeal, while counsel to INEC, Onyeri Anthony, said the commission was neutral and would abide by the decision of the Court.

Kalu, Ismail and El-Kuris had approached the appellate court to nullify and set aside the Judgment of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court which declined to hear their suit instituted to challenge the educational qualification of President Buhari before the conduct of the 2019 general election.


The appellants in their appeal are asking the appellate court to reverse the judgment of Justice Ahmed Mohammed on the grounds that the processes filed by Buhari and used to strike out their suit were not competent.

While faulting the Judgment of the lower court, which was predicated on the grounds that the suit was statute barred, the appellants claimed that the Federal High Court erred in law and in its decison because they did not challenge the primary election that produced Buhari as candidate of the APC.

null
3'
Appeal Court Reserves Judgment in Suit Challenging Buhari's Academic Qualification
editorJuly 8, 2019 3:25 Pm
Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal on Monday reserved judgment in the appeal filed against President Muhammadu Buhari’s academic qualification for the 2019 presidential election.

The three member panel of the appellate court presided over by Justice Atinuke Akomolafe-Wilson, reserved judgment after listening to the argument canvassed by counsel to parties in the suit.

At Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the appellant, Ukpai Ukairo, insisted that President Buhari was not educationally qualified to have stood for the presidential poll on the grounds that the required certificates were not attached to his form CF001, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for clearance to contest the presidential poll.


The counsel denied the claim that the suit of the appellant was statute barred, adding that the case was instituted on November 5, 2018 within the 14 days allowed by law. He said the cause of action started with the announcement and publication by INEC of successful candidates for the 2019 general election on October 25, 2018.

Ukairo therefore urged the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Federal High Court on grounds of miscarriage of justice.


He asked the court to nullify Buhari’s participation in the February 23 presidential election because he was not educational qualified for the poll at the time he did.

However, lawyers to the 1st and 2nd respondents urged the court to dismiss the appeal for being incompetent and lacking merit.

Buhari’s counsel, Abdullahi Abubakar, specifically told the Appeal Court that the case of the appellant was statute barred having not been filed within the mandatory period stipulated by the law.


He urged the court to uphold the decision of the Federal High Court to the effect that the suit was not filed in line with the position of the law.

Counsel to the All Progressives Congress Babatunde Ogala, argued in the same line with Buhari and urged the court to dismiss the appeal, while counsel to INEC, Onyeri Anthony, said the commission was neutral and would abide by the decision of the Court.

Kalu, Ismail and El-Kuris had approached the appellate court to nullify and set aside the Judgment of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court which declined to hear their suit instituted to challenge the educational qualification of President Buhari before the conduct of the 2019 general election.


The appellants in their appeal are asking the appellate court to reverse the judgment of Justice Ahmed Mohammed on the grounds that the processes filed by Buhari and used to strike out their suit were not competent.

While faulting the Judgment of the lower court, which was predicated on the grounds that the suit was statute barred, the appellants claimed that the Federal High Court erred in law and in its decison because they did not challenge the primary election that produced Buhari as candidate of the APC.


They therefore urged the Court of Appeal to assume jurisdiction over the suit and grant all the reliefs sought at the Federal High Court but which were refused.

Among the reliefs were a declaration that Buhari submitted false information regarding his qualification and certifcate to INEC for the purpose of contesting election into the office of the President of Nigeria and that he should be disqualified.

They also prayed for an order of court directing INEC to remove Buhari’s name as a candidate of APC and another order restraining Buhari from parading himself as a candidate in the 2019 presidential election and also APC from recognizing Buhari as a candidate.

The Federal High Court had on May 2 declined to grant the request of the appellants on the grounds that the suit was not filed within the time allowed by law and therefore sustained the preliminary objection raised by Buhari at the hearing.

But not satisfied, the appellants are now asking the Court of Appeal to grant their reliefs because they are not challenging the primary election of APC as erroneously held by the lower court but the qualification of Buhari to stand for the presidential election without demonstrating his educational certificates as required by law.

Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/07/08/appeal-court-reserves-judgment-in-suit-challenging-buharis-academic-qualification/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Some Niger Delta militants under the banner of Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators have issued a stern warning to youths from the Northern part of the country over their recent threat and ultimatum to residents from the Southern region of the country.

The militants warned that the Northern youths were worsening the already-tensed situation in the country.

Buhari had announced suspension of the Federal Government’s earlier plan to establish settlement for Fulani herdsmen across the country.

The militants however advised the Buhari-led government to build the settlement in the large expanse of land at the Sambisa forest instead of siting same elsewhere.

The group spoke against the backdrop of a 30-day ultimatum by the youths to President Muhammadu Buhari and Southern Governors to implement the Ruga settlement policy.

This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday by John Dukku, the leader of the coalition, who said it was unfortunate that the Northern groups would call for the implementation of a policy that had been suspended.

The statement added, “The attention of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has been drawn to the recent second round of 30 days ultimatum issued by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) to the Federal Government to forcefully implement the suspended RUGA settlement for Fulani herdsmen across the country or they will resort to self help and destruction of lives and property of Southerners resident in the North.

“The Coalition of Northern Groups further issued an ultimatum to Southerners living in the North to vacate if their various state governments refused to donate lands to federal government for the implementation of its suspended Ruga settlement within the said 30 days.

“We are surprised that in a time like this when killings of innocent citizens is the order of the day by CNG brothers, we thought CNG and Arewa youths would have risen above ethnic sentiments to condemn the unprovoked killings and the high rate of poverty in the land, rather they are bent on worsening the already tensed situation by issuing unwarranted threat.

“While we see the recent RUGA settlement plan by the Federal Government as its plot to Fulanise and Islamise the entire country by proxy. We also want the CNG to note that there is no settlement in the entire Northern part of Nigeria allocated to any tribe or ethnic group of Southern origin by the federal government under any name or guise.

“Therefore the recent threat by CNG is ill-conceived and foolishly advised by their sponsors/war mongers who feel they are super humans.

"We therefore also want to re-echo that the entire South-South and Niger Delta would never part with any of its land to Fulani terrorists no matter the amount of threat.

“We advise the Northern youths and the Presidency to build their planned Fulani settlements in Sambisa forest and stop chasing shadows as forceful implementation of such ethnic plan would only spell doom for the country.

“The Coalition of Northern Groups, Arewa Youths, MACBAN, Northern Elders, the Security Agencies and the Presidency should note that any Niger Deltan or Southerner killed by Northern youths as a result of this threat shall receive severe and adequate response from us.”




Source: https://dailypost.ng/2019/07/08/ruga-niger-delta-militants-warn-northern-youths-tell-buhari-locate-settlement-herdsmen/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

A coalition of northern groups has issued a 30-day ultimatum to governors who are opposed to the RUGA settlement program to reconsider their decisions.

According to the spokesperson of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the debate to accept or not to accept the program is already causing disaffection for herders who are of Fulani extraction.

“While we warn all state governments that stand against the implementation of the Ruga Initiative to desist and give peace a chance, we place President Buhari and the Federal Government on notice that they must completely stop this raging madness within 30-days beginning from today, Wednesday,” he said.
The group is, however, silent on what its next line of action would be should the states fail to comply with the ultimatum.

It also believes that a referendum is the only rightful way to go for groups who are opposed to the idea of one Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has suspended the planned Programme.

According to the National Executive Committee (NEC), the decision to suspend the plan follows a lack of consistency with the NEC and Federal Government approved National Livestock Transformation Plan.


Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2019/07/04/ruga-group-gives-governors-30-day-ultimatum/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Watch video here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIIG7d8kbVc

Wole Soyinka, foremost playwright, says he will not participate in the celebrations of June 12 as Democracy Day.

In honour of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari had signed into law, the bill to make June 12 replace May 29 as Democracy Day.

In an essay made available to TheCable on Tuesday, Soyinka condemned the conduct of the 2019 elections.

“This year’s recall of an uplifting day in the year 1993 comes up against a background of its most shameful disavowal: the 2019 elections – still under judicial contestation – an event that would be more accurately described as an exercise in body count rather than ballot count,” he said.

“The elections however merely reflected a pattern of savagery and abandonment of human sensibilities that have eaten away the sheerest sense of community in the nation. I have already described it as the final descent into the abyss of human degradation. The recent call – no matter how suspect the motivation –for what amounts to a national discourse on future directions was nothing new.

“A day dedicated to democracy – as a compelling morality of social existence – is merely frivolous unless directed at the recognition of the telling, prevailing features of the last exercise, which throw in question the free, hopefully educated exertion of human choice.”

The Nobel laureate also made it known that his non participation in this year’s Democracy Day was by choice.

“I shall not participate in this year’s June 12 celebrations – from choice. It is part of my training exercises for withdrawing from public space, a resolution that I first half seriously injected into encounters over five years ago. That absence applies, not to the official celebration alone – of which I have never been a part anyway – but to the annual ritual by civic groups, a ritual of both tribute and defiance that has been unflaggingly observed till now,” he said.

Soyinka said Democracy Day deserves truthful confrontation with the socio-political conditions and it should not be celebrated with groundless recriminations.


Source:
https://www.thecable.ng/soyinka-i-wont-participate-in-june-12-celebrations/amp

Her arrest took place on the premises of the Lagos High Court, Lagos, Ikeja shortly after Justice Hakeem Oshodi struck out the corruption charges made against her by the EFCC.

As she attempted to leave the courtroom, EFCC officials moved to surround the dismissed judge.

Upon sighting them, the judge made a hasty retreat and went back upstairs into Justice Oshodi’s courtroom to seek the protection of the court from the EFCC officials.

Justice Oshodi, when notified about the development, said there was nothing he could do, as “the file had been closed.”

Her co-defendant, Mr. Godwin Obla, SAN, was however allowed to leave the court premises.

Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia was standing trial before the court on charges bordering on unlawful enrichment, taking property by a public officer, corruption, forgery and giving false information to an official of the EFCC, while Mr. Obla was Charged with bribing her with N5m.

They had both pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Before her arrest, the trial judge, Justice Oshodi, in a ruling, had struck out the 31 counts filed by the EFCC against Ofili-Ajumogobia and Mr. Obla on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.

The judge ruled that, based on the judicial precedent set by the case of Justice Nganjiwa Vs FRN, the EFCC had “jumped the gun” in filing the first amended charge.

Justice Oshodi also held that the anti-graft commission had not followed the procedures set by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for disciplining erring judicial officers.

Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2019/04/16/breaking-efcc-arrests-justice-ofili-ajumogobia-as-court-strikes-out-corruption-charges/amp/?utm_source=TW&utm_medium=ChannelsTV-%20AutoPoster&utm_campaign=SNAP%20from%20Channels%20Television&__twitter_impression=true

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has in a riposte denied reports making rounds that he hired a United States lobbyist firm for $30,000 to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari who won the February, presidential election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Disclosing this in a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr Paul Ibe, Atiku said the report was fabricated by the All Progressive Congress, APC, noting that it did not come as a surprise to him because lying has become APC’s only bragging rights of competence.

The statement reads thus: “since Atiku resisted pressure not to go to court, the APC has been behaving like a cat on hot bricks because the outcome of the 2019 elections have exposed and shattered the facade of their dubious integrity.

“The APC are behaving nervously like a thief living under the fear of being exposed and shamed; they are now using fake news against Atiku instead of focusing on defending themselves in court.

For a party that has broken the worst record in election rigging, the APC doesn’t have any iota of integrity to be taken serious by anybody.

“Atiku’s court case has become their biggest burden because it exposes their integrity as a sham, and instead of defending their stolen mandate in court, they are now using fake news to divert public attention from the historic electoral heist they have committed against Nigerians.

“No amount of diversionary propaganda and fake news campaign by APC will stop Atiku Abubakar from continuing the court action he started to reclaim the stolen mandate.”

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/04/breaking-atiku-denies-report-fires-back-at-apc/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Ifeayi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, has described the seven-day ultimatum issued him by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to provide information on details of the budgetary allocations and actual spending on primary school education in the oil-rich state as "nonsense and pure blackmail".

On Sunday, while reacting to the video of Success Adegor, a pupil of Okotie-Eboh Primary School 1, Sapele, Delta State, who was dismissed from school for failure to pay her exam levy, SERAP had issued Okowa a seven-day ultimatum to provide information on details of the budgetary allocations and actual spending on primary school education in the oil-rich state.

Reacting on Monday through his Chief Press Secretary, (CPS), Charles Aniagwu, Okowa told SaharaReporters: "There are 36 states of the federation. In these 36 states, the governors of these states and indeed the federal government budget for education of their different states and ministries of education. If SERAP wants to know what anybody is spending with respect to education, why are you going to wait for the story of Success to begin to make such demands? Why don’t you ask every state?

"Let people ask of things for the purpose of developing Nigeria and we will move with them. We encourage anybody who is interested in what we are doing here. We don’t have anything to hide. Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa runs a very transparent government and the businesses we do here is on the basis of the transparency and if SERAP wants to know how transparency exist in the system, let them come to Delta but giving ultimatum as if they are the owners of the government in Delta state is not something that we are going to fall for. Nobody is going to blackmail us for cheap popularity.

"Why didn’t they give ultimatum to many other states where people are learning under the trees? Why don’t they give ultimatum to other places where they are not able to pay their teachers? In Delta, we not only pay our workers we also assist local governments to ensure that the teachers are well paid as at when due. There are states in the federation where teachers are even paid half salaries. In some other states, they are owed more than six months. I expect SERAP to go there and begin to demand for ultimatum so that we know that indeed they are very much interested in the development of this country and not playing to the gallery."

When asked if the state government would respond to SERAP's demands, he responded angrily, asking: "Respond to what?

"Our business is to govern our people in Delta State with the highest sense of accountability. I have not seen anywhere it is written in the oath of office that there must be one body who will come and harass us and make us abandon what we are doing. There is nothing we are hiding; our budget is very clear. We put it on the website. Let them go there; they will see it. We don’t have anything to hide.

"We have a House of Assembly. Those are the ones that should be giving Governor ultimatum in the first place, because the House of Assembly represents the people but when somebody else comes from somewhere, we don’t even know those who constitute them. Have they spoken to anybody? Have they come here to talk to us? Before you give ultimatum, you must first of all show what effort you have made to say I went to this man, he didn’t answer me. How do you just go to the media and give us ultimatum in the media? And you expect us to jump?
We don’t even know who is giving the ultimatum."

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2019/04/09/okowa-tells-serap-your-ultimatum-nonsense-and-pure-blackmail-we-will-not-respond

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, has said corruption in the executive is far more than that of the legislature and judiciary combined.

He said this was because the executive spends a far bigger chunk of the money appropriated.

The anti-corruption agency boss also said that the public perception of the National Assembly members as being corrupt would not go away until the legislature throw open its yearly budget to the public.

The Spokesperson for the Commission, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, quoted Professor Owasanoye as stating this during a lecture at the 9th National Assembly induction programme for new legislators, in Abuja.
In the lecture titled ‘’The Legislature and Fight against Graft and Corruption’’, the ICPC boss who spoke on the alleged huge allowances of the National Assembly members and the controversial issue of constituency projects, said that the public perception of legislators as being corrupt would not go away until the National Assembly throws open its yearly budget to the public.

He stressed that the execution of the National Assembly budget, which has grown exponentially from N6.9 billion in 1999 to about N139 billion in 2018 for the same number of legislators has remained shrouded in secrecy, thereby giving room for allegations of abuse and misappropriation of the funds.

According to him, “It is believed that we have the highest paid legislators representing the poorest people in the world. Since 1999, NASS budget has increased without defensible legal or moral justification. Without increase in membership and addition of only one or two agencies, NASS budget grew from N6.9 billion 1999 to N139 billion in 2018.

"The problem is that it is just a single line item. The public is hardly told the breakdown and how it is used. The criticisms will disappear if we are told how it is spent.”

Source: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/04/08/corruption-in-executive-far-more-than-legislature-judiciary-combined-says-icpc-chairman/%3famp

The governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, sent his list of commissioners to the State assembly on Tuesday, 2nd April, 2019. The list contained fourteen (14) names. The governor also added another five (5) names for the nomination of the chairman and members of the Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission (EKSLGSC).

Meanwhile the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the list as most disappointing. The Islamic human rights organization reacted in a press statement signed by its Founder and Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Thursday, 4th April, 2019.

“This list is heavily lopsided. Fayemi is ill-advised. He has grossly shortchanged Muslims. How can he give us only one commissioner out of fourteen? What parameter did he use? This is most disappointing. Fayemi has blindfolded Muslims in Ekiti state. Muslims are not part of his government. Ekiti State executive is not truly representative. It is undemocratic. It is a sham. The disappointment is even more painful because Governor Fayemi had been touted as a very liberal Christian. But see what he has done to us.


“Even in Ondo state where the percentage of Muslims is lower, they were given four commissioners. That is what Governor Akeredolu did for Muslims in Ondo. He gave them four out of fourteen and that is why the Muslims are not making any noise there. Justice is the soul of peace.

“With Dr. Wahab Adegbenro in the Ministry of Health, Rashid Badmus in Natural Resources, Alhaji Imam Olurimisi in Culture and Tourism and Taofiq Abdul Salaam in Works, Ondo Muslims look at the Muslim commissioners and say, ‘We are well-represented’.

“But see what Fayemi has done to us. Only Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu is a Muslim out of his fourteen commissioners. We reject this in Allah’s Mighty Name. It could have been different if the Muslims had not said anything earlier but they did. They asked for proportionate representation but this is what Fayemi gave them: an empty pot of porridge. Ekiti Muslims do not deserve this humiliation. It is a betrayal in view of the undiluted support they gave Fayemi during the elections.

“If this is a snub, there is always another day. If it is an act of impunity, we all know that power is transient and even the high and mighty will need the poor and weak somewhere along the line. We are used to powerless conscience subjugating conscienceless power. What we are not used to is powerless conscience getting away with it. We will remember this if Fayemi seeks higher office in future. Our message is not for Ekiti alone. Nor is it for the South West. Only the deep can call to the deep. It is a wakeup call to Muslims to restrategize and they will do just that.

“Alhaja Maryam Ogunlade is the only Muslim member on the list of EKSLGSC. Alhaja Ogunlade was once the Ameerah (chairperson) of the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) in Ekiti State. She deserves the position.


“But while we may not object to the EKSLGSC list, we keenly await the list of members and chairmen of other boards and agencies. We are interested in knowing how many of them will be chaired by Muslims. There should be no pretensions about it. Muslims have been marginalized in the appointments made so far by Fayemi. They therefore deserve lofty positions in remaining appointments.


“Fayemi is a Christian, he picked a Christian as deputy governor, a Christian as Chief of Staff, a Christian as Secretary to the State Government, 13 Christians out of 14 commisioners have now been nominated. The body language is very clear. Muslims do not matter to him. Fayemi has wittingly excommunicated participatory democracy from Ekiti State.

“MURIC charges Muslims in Ekiti State to tighten their seat belts. The struggle ahead is not only political but intellectual. They must go into politics in large number and with diversification. Enough is enough. Their continuous marginalization already speaks volumes.


“On a last note, we express the deep disappointment felt by Muslims, not only in Ekiti State but also in the South West and in Nigeria as a whole over Fayemi’s lopsided list. A thick air of betrayal has enveloped Islamdom. We urge Muslims in the state to restrategize. As for Governor Fayemi, we caution him against marring his hitherto good records in Christian-Muslim relations. His latest lopsided list is a potent threat to participatory democracy. He may still have a slim chance to redress the injustice”.

Source: http://newnigeriannewspaper.com/muric-expresses-disappointment-over-fayemis-ministerial-list/

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has nullified the candidature of Great Ogboru as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the primary election conducted by the party in the state.

In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1085/ 2018, Victor Ochei, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, and APC governorship aspirant, had challenged the declaration of Ogboru as the governorship candidate of the party in the September 2018 primary held in the state.

Ochei, through Ahmed Rahi (SAN), his counsel, prayed the court to declare that the APC governorship primary election that held on September 30, 2018, was illegal on the grounds that unknown delegates were used for the exercise.

Ochei urged the court to, among other things, invalidate the results of the APC primaries, arguing that the list of delegates used at the primaries was not that envisaged by the consent judgment. He held that aspirants did not get any advanced list of delegates prior to the APC primaries.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Dimgba ordered the cancellation of the APC governorship primaries that produced Great Ogboru, and granted four of the five reliefs sought by the plaintiff. The Judge, however, refused to grant relief four.

"All the reliefs sought in this suit are similar with those for which Justice Tosin Adegoke pronounced judgement on, so reliefs 1, 2, 3, 5 are granted, but relief 4 is refused, because the governorship election is over and the relief is spent,” the Judge said.

Dimgba said the Federal High Court has one jurisdiction and, as such, cannot be seen giving discordant judgement, adding that "having considered the decisions reached by the Federal High Court in the case of Cyril Ogodo, which has similar reliefs, and the fact that some of the defendants in this suit are the same, the court has decided to follow the decisions arrived at in the Ogodo case”.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2019/04/04/breaking-court-voids-ogboru%E2%80%99s-nomination-delta-apc-governorship-candidate

Leader of a faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor Thursday declared that the Federal High Court in Warri did not affirm the candidature of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in its judgment.

Emerhor made the assertion in reaction to the purported affirmation of Omo-Agege’s candidature in the general elections by the court in a judgement delivered on April 1, 2019.

A statement signed by Mr. Godspower Itietie, Media Assistant to Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said
the judgement did not at any point give such affirmation.

He said the purported affirmation is only in the imagination of Sen. Omo-Agege, stressing that, “it is desperation taken too far in an attempt to hoodwink the general reading public into believing a fictitious affirmation”.

“Justice Emeka Nwite of the Warri FHC gave a judgment on April 2, 2019, on a suit filed by Emerhor & Niboro against APC and INEC for a declaration that they are the valid and authentic candidates of APC for the Delta Central senatorial and Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency Seat.

“The suit had been adjourned for ruling when the Asaba FHC gave its judgement and affirmed Emerhor and all Ogodo Exco candidates as the valid and authentic candidates of APC in the 2019 general elections and having secured their declaration from the Asaba FHC, Emerhor and Niboro voluntarily filed a motion of discontinuance at the Warri FHC, requesting that the suit be struck out as it serves no further legal purpose.
"The Judge in his wisdom dismissed the motion but still proceeded to strike out the suit however on the basis of inability to ensure fair hearing.

“It is in this regard that the Judge stated that the APC as a defendant has shown that the primaries that produce Omo-Agege and others were monitor by INEC and that the assertion was countermanded by Emerhor & Co, the plaintiffs.

“And that primaries that are monitored by INEC have a semblance of credibility for candidates that emerged therefrom and as such to ensure fair hearing, Senator Omo-Agege and Rev Francis Waive who emerged therefrom ought to be joined in the suit, and failure to join them, the suit is therefore struck out.
Emerhor sought for the suit to be struck out and the court indeed struck the suit out. Mission achieved.

“The Judge also made a few more statements: that he is unable to look into the issue of the authenticity of State Excos and candidates for the 2019 elections as the Asaba FHC already dealt on those issues.

“The court also dismissed the issue of Consent judgement stating that it is a different judgement entirely that cannot rob him of jurisdiction in this case. At no time did he affirm Senator Omo-Agege as authentic candidate.

"Even at that, Omo-Agege as a lawyer ought to know that when a suit is struck out, it is as if it never was filed. Any statements by the Judge are OBITER DICTUM , meaning expression of opinion not essential to the decision or accidental remarks that come to no moment.

“So from where did Omo-Agege get the acclaimed affirmation of his Candidacy? What benefits can come from a lie so barren and naked when the clothed truth is just ahead in the corner.

“A few days from now, by Friday March 5th, the CTC of the judgement will be out and Omo-Agege house of cards will come crashing.

"What manner of desperation will justify this height of falsehood? The affirmation is just a figment of of Omo-Agage’s imagination.

“It is an attempt to hoodwink the reading public to believe a fictitious affirmation. It is a sick lie. Indeed, it is desperation taken too far,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Federal High Court, Asaba, had in a judgment on March 18, 2019, sacked the All Progressives Congress, APC, Delta State executive led by Prophet Jones Erue. This is the faction of the APC where Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and other candidates belong.

Source: http://dailypost.ng/2019/04/04/delta-apc-crisis-court-didnt-affirm-omo-ageges-candidacy-emerhor/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a suit filed by the African Action Congress and three of its members seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from concluding and collating the results of the March 9, 2019 governorship and House of Assembly Elections in Rivers State.

Dismissing the suit in a judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo upheld the preliminary objection filed by the Peoples Democratic Party to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

The judge agreed with the PDP that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case adjudge to be seeking post-election prayers which could only be entertained by an election petition tribunal.

He held that the suit was an attempt by the plaintiffs to make the court constitute itself into an election petition tribunal.

The plaintiffs who filed the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/CS/303/2019, were AAC, its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Biokpomabo Awara, and Ben-Gurion John Peter.
The respondents to the suit which was filed on March 18, 2019 were the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party.

The plaintiffs, had in their suit, challenged INEC’s decision to resume the announcement of the results of the election which it had earlier said was marred by violence and irregularities.

The had contended that the credibility of the election had been impugned by violence, disruption and appointment of PDP’s members by INEC in the conduct of the election, therefore, the electoral body ought to conduct a fresh election.

Source: https://punchng.com/breaking-court-dismisses-suit-seeking-to-stop-election-results-collation-in-rivers/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

He disclosed this in a notice of appeal on Friday shortly after the Tribunal held that Justice Onnoghen has a case to answer in his trial over alleged non-declaration of assets.

The CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, had insisted that the judge must enter his defence on Monday next week, despite pleas to adjourn the case.


Dissatisfied with the ruling, Justice Onnoghen resolved to challenge the decision of the Tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

He listed the “Federal Republic of Nigeria” as the sole defendant in the proposed appeal.

The judge stated that the CCT erred in law when it dismissed his no-case submission by its alleged failure to appreciate his submission that the processes that led to the criminal proceeding against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) violated the provision of the law

He added that the CCB, as a creation of the Constitution, was bound by all law made for the due process of the exercise of its powers under the law.

According to Justice Onnoghen, the members of the Tribunal erred in law when they overruled his no-case submission “when there is uncontroverted evidence” before it that there was no lawful investigation into the allegations against him.

He also claimed that the Tribunal erred in law when it dismissed his submission and refused to consider that the elements of the offence he was alleged to have committed were not proved by any legally acceptable evidence.

The suspended CJN insisted that the totality of the evidence was “hearsay”.

Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2019/03/29/no-case-submission-onnoghen-files-notice-of-appeal-against-cct-ruling/amp/?utm_source=TW&utm_medium=ChannelsTV-%20AutoPoster&utm_campaign=SNAP%20from%20Channels%20Television&__twitter_impression=true

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Wednesday granted permission to the Peoples Democratic Party and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to serve their petition challenging the outcome of the February 23, 2019 election, on President Muhammadu Buhari through substituted means.

A three-man bench which sat in a "pre-hearing session" of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, granted the request contained in the petitioners' ex parte application that Buhari, who is the second respondent to the petition, be served through any senior official or an officer of the APC at the party's secretariat in Abuja.

Granting the ex parte application, Justice Abdu Aboki, who led the panel and delivered the lead ruling, said "it is in the interest of justice" to grant the prayers in the petitioners' application.
The petitioners' lead counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), had earlier moved the application.

The petitioners had on March 18, 2019, filed their case to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission's declaration of Buhari and his party, the APC, as the winner of the election.

The INEC, Buhari and the APC are the first to the third respondents respectively.



Source: https://punchng.com/breaking-appeal-court-grants-pdp-atiku-permission-to-serve-petition-on-buhari-through-apc/

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has faulted the President Muhammadu Buhari government’s position on the hijab saga.

The Government was quoted last week as saying that it would not interfere in the hijab imbroglio which has embroiled the South West.

In a press statement issued to DAILY POST on Tuesday by MURIC and signed by Professor Ishaq Akintola, its Director, the group said, “The Federal Government cannot afford to close its eyes to this serious human rights abuse within its domain.

The whole country is FG’s constituency. Isn’t FG concerned that the girl child is being chased out of school on account of her religion?

“Schoolgirls in hijab were locked out of the school gates in the University of Ibadan International School (UIS) and Federal University of Technology Staff School, Ogbomosho. The same has happened in Abeokuta and Lagos. Apart from this, the courts in the South West are saturated with hijab cases.

“The court cases underline the need for FG to direct the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to invite all the commissioners for Justice in the affected states to discuss the issue.
There are serious implications involved in this hijab imbroglio. It is more than just a simple denial of a head cover. Those who deprive female Muslim children of the right to use hijab are engaging in child abuse, stigmatization and profiling. By treating the Muslim girl-child with contempt and derision, they expose her to ridicule, assault the dignity of her human person and rob her of her self-confidence.

“In addition, they promote child depression and education-fatigue in the girl-child because their hostile and illegal action is capable of discouraging the Muslim girl-child from attending school. This is paradoxical because various state governments have criminalized failure to attend school by any child of school age. Failure to indicate interest in the hijab affair in the South West will defeat FG’s campaign for girl-child education.

“It is equally important to add that FG’s lack of interest is already breeding impunity in illegality as other federal agencies have made it their cardinal duty to persecute Muslim women who wear hijab. The excesses manifest in the immigration department where Muslim women in hijab are forced to remove it before ‘capturing’ takes place for processing international passports.

The same is currently happening in the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) where women in hijab are subjected to this humiliating demand before ‘capturing’ for driving licences. The involvement of federal agencies in the victimization of Muslim women makes it more imperative for FG to show interest. It proves that the problem is not limited to the South West. It has a national spread.

“It requires strategic thinking. FG must rise to the occasion before it is too late. The Muslims are complaining now without being violent. We are still fortunate that MURIC, which is spearheading the matter is a non-violent human rights group which employs civilized methods to make its demands. We must not wait until extremist elements hijack the struggle. We remind FG that justice is the soul of peace. Those who deny one cannot enjoy the other.

“We, therefore, advise FG to issue a circular criminalizing the harassment of women in hijab in any government office in Nigeria. Furthermore, FG must educate these government functionaries on the illegality of disallowing hijab-wearing women from performing their civic responsibilities. Government must also go further by ensuring that any civil servant who is caught doing so after the enlightenment is duly punished.

The Nigerian constitution is rich in guidelines but compliance, implementation and enforcement are the problems. Refusal to allow a woman in hijab to perform a civic duty is a breach of Section 42 of the1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which stipulates that:

(1) A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, RELIGION or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-

(a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government (or its agencies-addition ours), to disabilities or RESTRICTIONS to which citizens of Nigeria, of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religion or political opinions are not made subject.

Source:
http://dailypost.ng/2019/03/26/islamic-group-attacks-buhari-govt-position-hijab/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The Electricity Distribution Companies in Nigeria has described as a lie the claim by the Federal Government that it has generated 7,000 Mega Watts of electricity for a while now.

The position of the Discos was made known by the Executive Secretary of the Association of Nigeria Electricity Distributors, Sunday Oduntan, when he spoke with newsmen on Sunday.

Oduntan spoke against the backdrop of the assertion of the Transmission Company of Nigeria that 7,000mw of electricity was being generated but the Discos lack the capacity to distribute it.

He said such quantum of electricity does not enter customers’ homes in Nigeria.

He said: “Today’s TCN has not transported to my members anything near 6,000mw one day.

“Never in the history of Nigeria.

“TCN has not welled power up to 6,000mw for one week from 1960 to 2019.

“Let somebody come out and state otherwise.

“We will asked them which day and when?”

Oduntan also said the non-review of the Multi-Year Tariff Order since February 1, 2016 has put the shortfall of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry beyond the threshold N1.4 trillion.

Explaining the damage caused by the freezing of the review on the industry, he said: “Our records show a figure in excess of N1.4 trillion shortfall of the value chain.”

He noted that the association would been bold to name non-performing DisCos if the companies had a cost reflective tariff.

He said: “If you cannot collect 30 per cent (revenue), no Jupiter should expect you to remit 100 per cent.”

Speaking on how power supply can be improved, Oduntan said the sector must agree on the landing cost and the payment for it.

He said the “other option is to say the price is N100, we subsidise the poor who cannot pay N11,000 for energy every month.

“You now subsidise it.

“If you introduce subsidy, the shortfall, the remaining figure has to be paid for.”

Oduntan listed Kenya, Tunisia, Uganda, South Africa, Ethiopia, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Burkina Faso as countries that subsidise electricity for poor consumers.

He said another is that “if the government is not buoyant enough to subsidise electricity, it should allow the National Electricity Regulatory Commission to make a law that will create an instrument called regulatory asset.”

He said this will cover the shortfall in the industry because the DisCos can use it to borrow money from banks, adding: “In every tariff computation there is an allowance for Capital Expenditure, which the operators’ expenditure must not exceed.

“The current tariff in the industry is a suppressed one as it gives all DisCos N45 billion and each DisCo N5.5 billion annual expenditure.”

Oduntan said the TCN, on the other hand, has a total of N50 billion annual expenditure approved for it, stressing that it was unfair for the TCN to complain about DisCos’ low investment.

With that heavy CAPEX, he said, the TCN cannot solve half of its problems.

Source: https://www.today.ng/business/energy/discos-federal-government-lied-generation-7000mw-electricity-206583/amp?__twitter_impression=true

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress said APC has received with mixed feelings INEC’s timeline for concluding the governorship and state Assembly elections that started on March 9.

The opposition party in a statement signed by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Senibo Chris Finebone, expressed dismay that, “INEC has not shown sufficient good faith in the way it brought the collation to an abrupt stop without cogent, verifiable and convincing reasons."

The party expressed concerns that INEC had  gone ahead to announce that collation for 17 LGAs had been concluded, "as against the records provided by our situation room."

"And to make matters worse, INEC refused, failed or neglected to name the said 17 LGAs where it claimed collation had been concluded,” the party maintained.
Text of the press release reads: “INEC curiously announced that it has dropped four LGA Collation Officers confirmed to be PDP card-carrying members without the umpire clearing the air about the status of the LGA results that the four ad hoc personnel supposedly collated.

“So many questions come to mind. Could the four collation officers be unfit for the job while the collations they conducted are acceptable?
"Of course, that cannot be! Why is INEC jittery or afraid to name the 17 LGAs if not for the simple reason that some underhand dealings might have taken place for which it is covering up?

"Of course, that cannot be! Why is INEC jittery or afraid to name the 17 LGAs if not for the simple reason that some underhand dealings might have taken place for which it is covering up?

"With the violation of the collation process at the Obio/Akpor Collation Centre where government agents shot an Army captain and other soldiers in the process, why does it seem that INEC’s body language is suggesting that Obio/Akpor collation has been completed?

“To the APC, INEC is up to some mischief clearly pointing to a clear determination to rig the overall result of the March 9 elections in favour of Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP.

"The signs are visible enough to the blind and loud enough to the deaf. All the shenanigans so far exhibited by INEC only go to confirm that fear.

“In any case, the APC will subject the recent announcement by INEC to meticulous scrutiny after which the party’s position will further be made public.”

https://punchng.com/apc-rejects-inecs-timeline-for-rivers-gov-polls-conclusion/

Speaking during an extensive inspection tour of ongoing projects across the state, which lasted from morning till late in the night, Ambode said the initiative was basically designed to inject 5,000 buses, modern terminals, facilitate ease of mobility for residents and also rev up the Lagos economy, among others.

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday said plans have been firmed up to roll out the Bus Reform Project of the state government in March with 820 high and medium capacity buses.

According to the Governor, the initiative would “redefine public transportation and make the state globally competitive".

Speaking during an extensive inspection tour of ongoing projects across the state, which lasted from morning till late in the night, Ambode said the initiative was basically designed to inject 5,000 buses, modern terminals, facilitate ease of mobility for residents and also rev up the Lagos economy, among others.

While inspecting the assembling plant at Awoyaya in Ibeju Lekki area of the state, which is also serving as the temporary holding bay for 500 out of the 820 buses, he expressed optimism that the buses would be rolled out after the elections, while the next phase of the project would be to assemble the buses in Lagos.

"This is an assembling plant. The dream is that beyond the procurement of 820 buses by government, the next set of buses in the vision should be assembled in Lagos in this assembling plant and another one in Epe,” he said.

"That is the dream and the whole project is scalable and in this scale right now, we would run with the 820; you have seen the maintenance workshops and all that, and then the next scale, which is the next phase, is for Nigerians to be able to assemble the buses in Lagos and then we create employment opportunities and also allow the GDP of Lagos to grow. The buses are ready and we think with everything we have done, we should be able to roll out these buses maybe immediately after the elections.”

Ambode explained that although the 5,000 buses would not be enough for the state, the government was showing good example and creating the conducive atmosphere to allow the private sector come in and participate in the whole arrangement.

“What has happened is that government has gone ahead to procure these buses using its funds and the buses are being owned by a government company called Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL). So, the LBSL will lease these buses to operators who would use the three depots at Oshodi, Anthony and Yaba to ensure that the buses are sustained and maintained properly so that they don't get wasted before their lifespan expires,” he said.

"The idea is if we are able to show good example — and we have procured these buses with our own money — the private sector can join hands with us and start to procure those additional buses that will take it to 5,000, while government can also procure more and by so doing, we would have had assembling plant in Lagos and create job opportunities for our people.

"By the time you put these buses on the road, it will create jobs for drivers, engineers, technicians, and so on, thereby growing the economy of Lagos coming from the transport sector in addition to 100 bus stops being constructed simultaneously across the State with attendant positive impact on the economy. So, the idea is: create jobs, grow the economy, make the city globally competitive and then make life comfortable for the people."
The 820 buses, which have already been delivered, are equipped with cameras, USB point, internet, television, and special spaces for physically challenged, pregnant women and the aged, among others.

Sources: http://saharareporters.com/2019/01/10/%E2%80%98redefine-public-transportation%E2%80%99-ambode-injects-820-buses-lagos

The Muslim Rights Concern has vowed to “go tough” if the Federal Government fails to recognise the Islamic calendar, stating that it would employ civil actions to press home its demands.

It lambasted the Federal Government for recognising January 1 as New Year Day while allegedly ignoring the Islamic calendar.



MURIC also ordered all Muslims to observe a sit-at-home on 1st Muharram 1441 as the beginning of their actions to ensure that the Federal Government recognises the Islamic calendar and declare the first day of the calendar as a public holiday

MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, in a statement obtained by The PUNCH, said several petitions had been written for the Islamic calendar to be recognised, yet it had been consistently turned down.

He said, “Nigerian Muslims feel marginalised. The reality of the Nigerian situation has subjected Muslims in the country to religious segregation.

“January 1, 2019 was declared by Federal Government in recognition of the Christo-Western Gregorian calendar. This happens every year.

“In essence, the government recognises the Christian calendar but spurns the Islamic calendar despite several petitions and appeals to it dating back to the 1960s demanding recognition for 1st Muharram as the first day of the Islamic calendar.

“In particular, MURIC has consistently made this demand at least for the past 10 years. This is religious apartheid.

“A society which desires peace must embrace justice and fairness. Justice is the soul of peace. Nobody can deny one and enjoy the other.



“It is this socio-economic imbalance that has been responsible for the absence of genuine and enduring peace in Nigeria.”

The Muslim activist said the Nigerian government had subjected Muslims in the country to religious segregation.

He said Muslims had suffered under colonial rule, as every policy of the colonial master was designed to eliminate all vestiges of Islam.

Akintola said it was more worrisome that Nigerian presidents, many of whom were Muslim, have failed to protect the rights of Muslims.

He added, “From Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to Murtala Muhammed, from Ibrahim Babangida to Sani Abacha, Musa Yar’Adua and now Muhammadu Buhari, no Muslim head of state had the political will to bell the cat.

“Though we are not unaware of the strategy of agents of neo-colonialism whose stock in trade is to blackmail Muslim heads of state with the ‘Islamisation’ agenda in order to put them permanently on the defence, we expect that every Nigerian leader must possess the courage to enthrone justice and equity.”

He commended state governments that had recognised the Islamic calendar and declared 1st Muharram as holiday, urging the Federal Government to follow suit.

The statement continued: “To start with, we are instructing our members throughout the federation to sit at home on 1st Muharram 1441 which corresponds to August 31, 2019.

“However, Muslims will observe the sit-at-home on Friday, August 30, 2019 to give more effect to their demand for parity and civil liberty.”



Source: https://punchng.com/well-go-tough-unless-fg-recognises-islamic-calendar-instead-of-jan-1-muric/

A Nigerian and aide to the immediate past Governor of Ekiti state, Lere Olayinka, has written to the Nigerian army, requesting a speedy release of the academic credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr. Olayinka, in the letter addressed to the Chief of Defence Staff, said President Buhari risks his re-election bid if his academic credentials remains not found.

Recall that President Buhari has, in an affidavit sworn to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, explained why he failed to submit his academic credentials as a precondition to being eligible to contest the 2019 election. According to Buhari, “I am the above named person and the deponent of this affidavit herein. All my academic qualification documents as filled in my Presidential form, APC/001/2015 are currently with the Secretary of the Military Board as of the time of this affidavit.”

President Buhari had, during the 2015 election which he eventually won, presented INEC with the same excuse, saying the military is in possession of his academic credentials. But, the army, through the then director of army public relations, Olajide Laleye, had denied that the military was in possession of Buhari’s academic credentials. In a release then, the army had said, “Records available indicate that Major General M Buhari applied to join the military as a Form Six student of the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina on 18 Oct 61. “His application was duly endorsed by the Principal of the school, who also wrote a report on him and recommended him to be suitable for military commission.

“It is a practice in the NA that before candidates are shortlisted for commissioning into the officers’ cadre of the Service, the Selection Board verifies the original copies of credentials that are presented. However, there is no available record to show that this process was followed in the 1960s.” Meanwhile, in the letter to the CDS, Mr. Olayinka asked the military not to take the stress of providing all the credentials but to, at least, provide President Buhari’s Primary Six and Secondary School Certificates as the two will suffice. The letter reads thus: “Dear Chief of Defence Staff, RE: Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s Credentials I write as a concerned citizen of Nigeria to request that you use your good offices to effect the immediate release of academic credentials of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to INEC. Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is the presidential candidate of the APC in the 2019 general election and he is in urgent need of the credentials to support his nomination as provided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

"I wish to remind you that in 2015, the said Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) could not present his credentials because the then PDP government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan allegedly prevented the Military from releasing the credentials. The CDS sir, you should be reminded that the said Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) is the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, and he could have just used his powers to compel the military authority to use a Fighter Jet to fly the credentials to INEC. Kindly treat this request as urgent because the said Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) on whose behalf I make this request risks disqualification by INEC if he fails to submit the credentials as demanded by the law. You may not need to provide all the credentials however, just release the Primary Six and Secondary School Certificates. Thank you in anticipation of your prompt and favourable consideration of this request.
Yours truly,
Lere Olayinka
1, Irunmale Avenue,
Agbonna Hilltop,
Okemesi Ekiti
Ekiti State.”

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/10/drama-as-nigerian-writes-army-requests-speedy-release-of-buharis-certificates/