₦airaland Forum

really? have you any proof?

TheDevilIsALai:
That is absolutely haram and blasphemous.

Tinubu does not smoke.

Are we speaking the same language here?

Elbinawi:
The first thing the genocidal European savages did when they invaded Iraq was to go after Iraq Gold reserve.

One of the biggest blunder some people make is to ascribe morality, honesty and integrity to Genocidal European savages.

Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky of Nigeria taught me:

-If they invade your country, they want your resources.
-If they control your government, they want your resources.
-If they shout about democracy, freedom and human rights, they want your resources.
-If they overthrow your government, they want your resources.
-If they sponsor murderous Wahhabi terrorism (#ISIS, #AlQaeda, #BokoHaram etc), they want your resources.
-If they put you into groups such as "Commonwealth", they want your resources.

Lest I Forget!
The Queen of England should return the stolen Indian and African Diamond and Golds on her crown to the rightful owners.

#FreeZakzaky

#ElbinawiTweets

Stories for the gods!

thunder74:
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday set up a six-man Ad hoc Committee to review the controversial state Land Use Charge Law, 2018.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, announced the committee at plenary.

“As people’s representatives, there is need to address the issues raised by the people,” he said.

The Speaker named Mr Bayo Oshinowo, Chairman, House Committee on Lands, as the Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, which he urged to report back to the House in two weeks.

Other members of the committee include Mr Yinka Ogundimu, Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Mrs Funmilayo Tejuosho, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Petitions.

The rest are Mr Tunde Braimoh, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, Mr Jude Idimogu (APC-Oshodi-Isolo II) and Mr Olusola Sokunle (APC-Oshodi-Isolo I).

Obasa said: “I am of the opinion that there is a need for us to pick up the law and look at those sections that our people perceived to be obnoxious.

“This will make us address the concerns raised by our people in Lagos State.

“We are representatives of the people and are responsible and responsive. We need to address the concerns”.

He said it was with this view that the ad hoc committee was set up to look at the law and ensure its amendment based on opinions and contributions to be received from the people at the second reading stage.

The speaker, who noted that law making is a process, frowned at the attitude of people to public hearings on bills.

“We appeal to our people to participate and contribute in the process of law making during public hearing to make their own contributions.

“This was actually done when this land use charge was in the process before passage and sending to the governor for assent.

“We invited the public but we didn’t hear much from them concerning all these concerned"

“If only they had responded at that time, probably we would have done what would be acceptable to all.

“This (the review) is another opportunity for people to be part of the process.

“The committee has been constituted to listen to them and also consider the position of government as well.

“This is because it will be very difficult to separate government from taxation. Governance has to be run based on taxes collected by the government.

“So, we have to look for ways to agree with one another on this,” he said.

Obasa said that the first and second readings of the amendment would be on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

He said that the public hearing might be Friday or Monday.

Public outcry had followed a hike in the Land Use Charge last week, after an earlier review by the state government based on an amendment by the lawmakers.

The state government responded by lowering the rates and promised to return the law to the lawmakers for another review.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a bill for a law to establish the Lagos State Award Scheme was also read for the second time and committed to its Ad hoc Committee on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations.

what if the lighter is for cigarette have you thought of that Mr assume and conclude?

TheDevilIsALai:
Is that not what the lighter on the table is for?

Or is it for mosquito coil as well?

www.nairaland.com/attachments/1951905_20141217212639_jpeg845c2952f1b2cdfbc0ccf4ec9f44b90a

oh oh! this is loyalty at its peek. even humans loyalty changes directions per nanosecond.

edunwablog:
More than four months after its owner has died, a dog still refuses to leave the entrance of a hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The dog’s owner, a homeless man, was stabbed in a local park and rushed to Santa Casa de Novo Horizonte medical centre where he died from his injuries, according to local media reports.

Following the fatal incident, the dog chased the ambulance carrying his owner and has waited at the doors of the medical centre ever since.

A Hospital staff who have provided food and water for the loyal companion said the dog, whose name is unknown, has never tried to enter the building.

It sits quietly outside waiting for the master.

Local resident Cristine Sardella shared two images of the dog on her Facebook page on February 27, telling the story of his then-four-month wait, with her post going viral.

“We have lots to learn from the animals,” her post read. “He waits for him in vain, but the love he has for his owner is eternal.”

She first noticed the dog when visiting for an appointment.

“He would get up to let people pass by, very politely, and then lay right back down again,” Ms. Sardella, a lawyer, said.

Ms. Sardella said she arranged for the dog to be picked up by a rescue organisation. But it escaped within days and made his way back across the city, walking over three kilometres to get back to the hospital.

The hospital’s director, Osvaldo Sobrinho, said they were arranging for the dog to be seen by a veterinarian and vaccinated, and a staff member was waiting to adopt him if and when it decides to leave its vigil.

It is not the first story of a dog showing unwavering loyalty to its owner.

A Japanese pooch named Hachiko famously waited almost 10 years at a train station for its owner who died after leaving it on the platform in the 1920s.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/loyal-dog-waits-outside-hospital-four.html

passing blames now are you? bros abeg calm down and let us (Naigirians) be the judge. you be lizard wey dey praise imself?

JosEast:
About $3 billion was stolen in the Strategic Alliance Contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Nigerian Production Development Company, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed.

The amount, which represents almost a tenth of the nation’s reserves, was stolen during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, he said.

The Vice President spoke during the 7th Presidential Quarterly Business Forum for Private Sector Stakeholders which held at the Presidential Villa yesterday.

“I’m sure many of us are familiar with the so called strategic alliance contracts with the NNPC and NDPC, the promoters of the companies made away with close to 3billion US dollars, almost a tenth of our reserves at one point!

“There is no way if someone made away with that amount, a tenth of your reserves, that there won’t be a major economic shock! If we don’t deal with it and talk about it, how do we really discuss our economy in any real, honest way with a view to ensuring that these things do not happen again?”

He recalled that despite the record of high levels of oil prices in the last administration, very little was invested in infrastructure due to leakages.

Osinbajo stated: “This is the fundamental issue in our economy. Corruption affects everything. It affects even judgement as to what sort of infrastructure to put in place or whether infrastructure will ever be complete. It is so fundamental that we can’t even think of our economy without thinking of what to do about it.

“Sometimes, when we talk about our economy, we talk about the fact that we’ve relied on single commodity and that’s one of the reasons we’re where we’re. Yes, that’s quite true, but the fact is that proceeds from that single commodity were regularly hijacked consistently by a few. That’s really the problem.

“If we had spent the proceeds from that single commodity the way we ought to, we wouldn’t be where we’re today. Most of the proceeds went to rent seekers in the industry.”

“When you consider that in 2014 as the minister of finance has said that oil price was an average of $110 a barrel and only N99 billion was spent on power, works and housing and when we talk about the economy, we talk as if these are normal by every standard.

“Nobody should talk about the economy when you’ve this kind of huge leakages and huge corruption that completely makes nonsense of even what you’re allocating to capital projects.”

The vice president said the presentation of Minister of Finance showed that N14 billion was spent on agriculture and N15 billion on transportation between 2011 and 2014.

He said while the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan spent a total of N153 billion on infrastructure in those three years, N150 billion was shared in two weeks before the 2015 general elections.

According to the vice president, that kind of thing is completely incredible and does not happen anywhere else in the world.

“And when we’re talking about the economy, we must simply understand that that is the problem. Today, with less revenue, we’ve increased capital funding by 400% as the minister has said, in power, works and housing, in defence, transportation, agriculture.

“If we want to do analysis in Nigeria, it’s either fraudulent or ignorance if we do not bring money that belongs to corruption into the mass. This is what distinguishes, in my own respectful view, this administration from the other. I can say that with what I’ve seen, if you’ve a president who is not corrupt, 50% of your financial problems are over. This is what I’ve seen; I can demonstrate it with facts and figures.

“If the president is corrupt, the entire financial system is compromised and that is what we’ve seen with the figures we have just seen. That is an absolutely important thing that we must take into account,” the vice president said.

He also said “in one single transaction, a few weeks to the 2015 elections, the sum of N100 billion and $289million were just fretted away by a few.”

The vice president said in a situation where corruption fights back both internally and externally, the government has to be steadfast and strategic to win the battle.

He said: “I’m not saying that corruption, under this administration, has been completely dealt with. No, certainly not. Where corruption has become systematic such as we have in our country today, you cannot deal with it in one full fell swoop, it is not possible. In any event, you still have a lot of corruption.

“There’s no way you have a system such as ours that has consistently thrived on corruption and proceeds of corruption and public financing in particular that’ll give up and say guys, the problem has been solved. No. It’s a system that has fed on corruption and it affects all aspects of governance. So, trying to deal with it is certainly not a walk in the park.”

He said corruption is consistently being fought, adding that in the next few years, no matter how the administration is criticized, if it sticks to policies, especially controlling excesses and corruption in public finance, Nigeria would make the progress it deserves to make with all its resources.

The vice president said apart from stopping impunity in public finance, the government also had to hold people to account.

Grand corruption in public finance space is the biggest problem facing the nation’s economy, he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/osinbajo-3bn-stolen-in-nnpc-npdc-contracts-under-jonathan.html

Then defuse/difuse am na.

femoDee:
LOL..........My mind is confused

I see.

siraj1402:
If it's by been a tax payer,them a police should be attached to me.

Abi na. Exam has come, biro come lost.

Gamusgamus:
GAN GAAN

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Naija shi ma san ( meaning naija go still better)

SamoaJoe:
To all these political prostitutes and nut jobs on Nairaland, Please stop attaching Igbos to Atiku. Igbos have clearly made their choice and its either the restructuring of this useless country or its outright dissolution. Enough is enough. All those stupidd Igbo money saboteurs who keep on licking Atiku's balls in a bid to secure appointments are toiling with their destinies and future... Not that of the Igbo nation. The joke is on you guys. Currently, Voter Apathy in the south East is on the increase. Zero votes for APC or PDP because you both are useless especially that APC.

As it stands now, the only person that may make me reconsider not voting in 2019 is Omoyele Sowore. My reason is simple: HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES TO FIGHT THE POLITCAL CLASS AND ELITES! Thats all Nigeria needs now. A revolutionary. Case Closed!

Bros abeg, wetin make you think say na you be the target< you get death wish ni?

360frolic:
Kogi state's embattled senator, Dino Melaye has reacted to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, withdrawal of police officers attached to Very Important Persons, including political and public office holders nationwide.
https://newshelm.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sTqmhMVo_400x400.jpg
He took the issue personal; in his views, he thinks he was one of the reasons for the decision.


In his words:



http://newshelm.ng/dino-melaye-reacts-to-withdrawal-of-policemen-attached-to-vips/


cc lalasticlala mynd44

Make im no run for im life, una want make im die?

nationalbusines:
An accountant in Abia Government House, Akpan Udoh, who is scheduled to testify in the ongoing trial of former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, is now on the run, the prosecution told a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.

Udoh is listed as a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC had on Oct. 31, 2016, slammed a 34-count charge bordering on N3.2 billion fraud against Kalu and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo as well as Kalu’s company — Slok Nigeria Ltd. Readmore http://nationalbusextra.com/2018/03/19/orji-kalus-trial-abia-govt-house-accountant-on-the-run/

Seen, next please?!

campuskit:
Oba of Benin invokes charms last exposed to sunlight 800 years ago

Whoever dares him doesn’t survive— Esogban of Benin warns •We believe in it in spite of ChristianityChief David Edebiri is the Esogban of Benin Kingdom. As the Odionwere of the Kingdom, he is responsible for the security and progress in the Kingdom. In this interview, Esogban who is the second in command in the hierarchy of the first class chiefs of the Oba of Benin after the Iyase of Benin, explained why the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare 11 placed a curse on human traffickers and cultists in the state.

Read more
https://www.cepulse.com/question/oba-of-benin-invokes-charms-last-exposed-to-sunlight-800-years-ago/

wetin you come want make I talk now? if i say give up, you go vex. if i say keep hope you go vex. abeg, follow your mind.

femoDee:
I always feel ashamed of being a citizen of this lost country called Nigeria.(if you are offended by this statement, I am not sorry).

There are lots of thing going wrong with this country but nothing could be done because the wrong is actually the norm( Nigerian Ideology). Many a times I watch wildlife channels, I observe the ways of life of these animals, I couldn't stop myself from thinking that " if these animals could have been the citizen of the country called Nigeria, it would have been one of the great countries in the world.

Where did we missed?
I was coming back from work few days ago then I saw a man driving against the traffic on the wrong lane then I observed he was yelling at the driver of the vehicle he was diving against ( Oga! you no see me dey come, commot joor!).

This morning in the cab's radio was an advert on road that has been repair with all thanks to our governor, then I ask myself(before nko??). Was he elected the governor so that he could only be representing our state at the celebration parties of other political leaders or to just be putting on agbada all around so the the world will know the meaning of democracy? Would an employee be given special award on daily basis for doing his duty?
I read on this platform, some weeks back, about a senator commissioning a well in a state where a borehole was commissioned in the 70's.

The world Knows every thing about Nigeria
I was speaking with brother who just returned from his master studies in one of the European universities. He said he heard his supervisor talking about a proposed world class Research institute on lassa fever to be established in africa by WHO. There was contemplation on which of the African countries would be perfect for the institute but Cameroon was having a edge over others counties. With confidence he approached the supervisor, gave him reasons why Nigeria would be the best place for this project.

Lo and behold the man replied that they were aware of all that he mentioned but they can't waste time on cutting all the corners that needs cutting in Nigerian Government because all the fund assigned for the research must be for researsh purpose only. To top it all, Nigerian research results cannot be trusted. Rather than doing the research, results could be doctored and that would be fatal to the safety of the world.

Then I asked myself can the giant be revived?. Who would do the reviving?
Is it the citizens who received insults on a daily basis from the ruling class or the ruling class whose consciences and intelligence has been buried with the likes of Awolowo, Azikwe, Balewa e.t.c

gbagaun!!!!!!

emmalezy:
https://www.reportnaija.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/5aaf9f5a3537b.jpg
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately recover over N28 billion meant for the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast but allegedly stolen by members of the Presidency cabal and certain Interests in his All Progressives Congress (APC).



The party said the presidency and the APC are not being sincere with the IDPs by providing cover for those who have been frittering away billions of naira donated for the well-being of victims of insurgency.



The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday, said the President cannot in all honesty claim not to be aware of reported sharp practices, involving billions of naira in the management of funds in the Presidential Initiative on the North East, since the issues came into the public domain.

Indeed, the Presidency cannot, in any way imaginable, claim not to be aware of reports that sometime in August 2017, a cabinet minister and a high ranking Presidency official were alleged to have diverted N18 billion from the N48 billion approved by the National Assembly for the rehabilitation of millions of IDPs and rebuilding of six northeast states ravaged by insurgency in the 2017 budget.

The APC and the Buhari Presidency cannot claim to be unaware of the damning report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a public document which detailed how officials were using bulk of the resources meant for the IDPs on contracts that were found to have immensely benefitted officials of the APC Government including the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.

The Buhari Presidency and the APC cannot also claim to be unaware of the motion by Senator Baba Kaka Garba from Borno Central, who exposed how persons known to have connections with the APC, fraudulently cornered N1.2 billion from the Federal Government under the guise of supplying items to IDPs.

Despite the open allegations, the Presidency has not taken any firm step towards an open investigation into the alleged involvement of a cabinet minister and top Presidency in the stealing of N18 billion IDP fund, not to talk about recovering the stolen funds.

The PDP recalled that it took immense pressure from Nigerians before President Buhari could even sack his indicted former SGF, who, hitherto, was enjoying the cover of the Presidency.

All the IDP’s had got from the APC and Buhari-led Presidency are excuses, false assurances, cosmetic condolence messages and crocodile tears, while the cronies and cabal who are frittering away their funds enjoy the protection of the government.

Perhaps, this explains why Mr. President’s handlers, in all his visits to troubled states, has ensured that he had no direct interaction with the IDPs probably to avoid being directly taken to task on the stolen fund.

It is clear to Nigerians that the APC government swims in corruption and concealment of sleazes, but stealing from the IDPs is what they least expected. That, for majority of Nigerians, is the worst form of man’s inhumanity to man.

The PDP therefore stands in solidarity with those deprived victims and we demand an end to this concealment of fraud and cosmetic concern for the victims.

The PDP also challenge Buhari Presidency to live true to its 2015 elections probity campaign by making the report of its administrative investigations on sleaze involving the Cabal and other APC interests public.

The PDP also urge all Nigerians and the international community to join hands and ensure that the funds are recovered from APC interests and immediately released to the IDPs.

source
https://www.reportnaija.ng/2018/03/19/recover-idps-funds-stolen-by-your-cabal-pdp-tells-president-buhari/

cc lalasticlala

na wah o, what is this country turning in to? if it's not boko haram, then its fulani herdsmen. abeg how much be ghana passport and ticket?

eejo:
Heavy fighting ongoing right now in agabifor and agbenema in omala local govt kogi state casuality numbers unknown and the security forces are yet to reach the affected communities

what the!!!!!! Bleep? wey some people dey wish say their mom dey alive. na im one sceince student come kill im mama? e be like say im village people dey follow am o. FTC!

edunwablog:
A 28-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly beating his mother who he said refused to buy him a new mobile phone.

He added that the poor woman also did not cook his favourite delicacy for him.

The Kenyan man, Alphonce Onyango, facing charges of assault in Umoja Estate, was also said to have demanded to be served managu (African nightshade) and beef by his elderly mother, Josphine Okoth, who is now the complainant.

According to police records, the mother to the accused was cooking for her family when the accused arrived while drunk and started to demand to be served his favourite dish, ‘managu,’ with beef and ugali.

Reportedly, his mother told him that they had not prepared what he wanted. In a fit of rage, the man began throwing a tantrum, threatening to blow his nose in the cooking pot to mess whatever she was preparing for super.

Further, the accused was said to have complained that his younger brother has been favoured by the mother and even gifted with a new phone, yet he was the eldest and deserved some respect.

The prosecution states that the mother brushed him off that he was already grown up, a statement that irritated him in front of other siblings.

For this reason, he began roughing up his mother and threatened to clobber her.

Luckily, his sickly father arrived in time and attempted to cool him down. But he turned against his father and beat him up before vanishing.

The parents reported the matter to police who pursued and arrested the culprit.

He, however, denied the charges leveled against him, pleading for leniency.

He was set free on Sh10,000 cash bail. The matter is set for hearing on June 11, 2018.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/03/man-28-beats-up-mum-for-not-cooking-his.html

Big men, big trouble. may God help us o.

emmalezy:
https://www.reportnaija.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Nnamdi-Ezeigbo-e1521469814935.jpg
Managing Director of SLOT Phones, Nnamdi Ezeigbo’s mother has been kidnapped.

She was reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen on Sunday March 18th, 2018 at Ubakala, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.

According to an online news platform Society Reporters, family sources said that she was kidnapped on Sunday morning while on her way to church at Nsukwe Ubakala in Umuahia…

“The kidnappers were waiting patiently for her to come to Assemblies of God Church Nsukwe Ubakala where she worships. They took her away to an unknown place.”

It would be recalled that sometimes in 2016, it was rumoured that same woman was kidnapped until it was later proved to be a rumor but our source insisted that this time it is a known fact.

Report says the kidnappers are yet to reachout to the family or make any demands as at press time.

source
https://www.reportnaija.ng/2018/03/19/just-in-slot-md-nnamdi-ezeigbos-mother-kidnapped/

cc lalasticlala

driver, abeg park i wan stop.

Udunze:
The betterment of Nigeria is the responsibility of the youths. I therefor call on vibrant youths of this great Country to rise and take the bull by the horn. Let's make our country better by getting involve in the political affairs. A time for correction is here again. You and I can make this country better by taking position.

Congrats ma.

emmalezdigital:
https://www.reportnaija.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/DYpz-L-X4AEYQ7b.jpg
The wife of the senate president of Nigeria Mrs Toyin Saraki has just been appointed as Special Advisor to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of WHO AFRO, the World Health Organization's presence in Africa.

source
https://www.reportnaija.ng/2018/03/19/toyin-saraki-appointed-special-advisor-to-independent-advisory-group-of-who/

cc lalasticlala

All will be well.

oviosun:
#PhotoNews

*

The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, paid a condolence visit to relatives of victims of the attack in Ugboha, Esan South East Local Government Area.

Obaseki strongly condemned the actions of the assailants and promised that the state will spare no resources in fishing them out.

He reiterated the earlier directive to security agencies to apprehend the bandits within seven days.

Yes na

Hofbrauhaus:
Na your final answer be that?

who e wan be if no be shekau?

Those who works by the alter, shall eat by the alter. FTC. abegi o pay me my money!!!!!!!!!

lazeal:
https://static.pulse.ng/img/news/origs7686123/2366367769-w644-h960/dfffff263eba2f5ef58657177b5141403de0271d.jpg

Source: http://www.pulse.ng/news/local/2-nigerian-lawyers-to-earn-n6bn-from-321m-abacha-loot-id8135028.html


cc: mynd44 lalasticlala ishilove

All correct, naija ile.

osile2012:
Does this picture tell the true situation of the Nigerian structure.

If you ask me, na who I go ask? the matter wey you see so, e tey wey e start. no be me go talk am, e heavy fro mouth, eh. if you ask me, the matter for ground eh, na who I go ask? Singing...............................

nairavsdollars:
Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia state stirred the hornet’s nest on Tuesday when he threw a big challenge at President Muhammadu Buhari , asking the president to prove he is sincere about waging a total war against corruption by instituting a probe against former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Kalu, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) made the remarks at the quarterly public lecture series of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) held in Abuja.

According to him, President Buhari should be bold enough to prove that he has gotten the guts expected of him to salvage Nigeria from bad governance by arresting Obasanjo for taking away $16 billion fund meant for power under his regime. This he said is the only way the the administration will be considered as fighting corruption.

The former governor who is being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N2.9b fraud described his trial as political, saying it was one of the consequences of his fight against Obasanjo’s third term agenda.

“My prosecution is political. Our accounts in Abia state were transparent under my watch. The US knows, the UK knows. I have been given a red carpet in these two countries. I have been given a red carpet in China. In fact, I am stronger in fighting corruption than President Buhari because he is not fighting it well.

“I have recovered peoples’ money and given them back. I am a creator of wealth at every level. If any court finds me to be corrupt, it should jail me. Corruption is the bane of this country.

“A corrupt judge, corrupt politician are worse than an armed robber.

“Nigerians should start electing presidents that have meaning and gut to take decisions.

“President Buhari has got some guts but he should arrest Obasanjo for us to know that corruption is working. Without arresting Obasanjo, he has not started fighting corruption because Obasanjo took away our $16 billion electricity money. So, unless he arrests Obasanjo, corruption is not being fought in Nigeria.”

While some Nigerians lauded Kalu for the courage he exhibited in speaking out against his party and the president’s lopsided anti-corruption war, others argued that as someone who is also undergoing trial for corruption, he has no moral right calling for the probe of others. Some also alleged that he wants Obasanjo disgraced at all cost for withdrawing the licence of his two companies, Hallmark Bank and Slok airline.

Some Nigerians, however argued that Kalu’s statement is mischievous as the president had said in July 2015 that he will only limit his probe to the administration of his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. They argued that Kalu, in his desperate bid to get at Obasanjo at all cost wants to cause problem for President Buhari, knowing fully well that it is an uphill task for any leader in Nigeria today to institute probe against Obasanjo.

However to some of the president’s loyalists, the timing of Kalu’s call is wrong. To them, instituting a probe against Obasanjo now will be perceived as a political witchhunt, especially coming at a time the former president had written a public letter to Buhari asking to him to resign and perish the thought of seeking reelection in 2019.

Since he left office in 2007, a lot of Nigerians have called on successive governments to probe how Obasanjo administered the affairs of government in his eight years reign but that was not done by the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and his successor, Goodluck Jonathan.

In a recent interview, a former federal legislator, Senator Joseph Waku said that probing the former president was inevitable because most of the corruption cases the country witnessed started when he held forth between 1999 and 2003.

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari should have started probe from Obasanjo. I insist that the Obasanjo should be probed. The entire corruption and privatisation saga we are witnessing today started during his administration.”

The former lawmaker said that Obasanjo’s government privatised majority of the nation’s public outfits to the detriment of the poor masses, thereby enhancing corruption. He urged Buhari to revoke sale of federal government assets sold to individuals and their cronies.

Also, a civil society group, Movement For Nigeria has alleged that Obasanjo converted some national assets into personal use during his time as President. The group said the action of the ex-president amounted to stealing of assets belonging to Nigerians and called for his immediate prosecution by anti graft agencies.

Addressing journalists in Akure, Olaiya Ayomide, National coordinator of the group listed the national assets to include Obasanjo Farms Ota, Bell University, amongst others.

He expressed surprise on the inability of successive administrations to recover such national assets converted to personal properties by Obasanjo. He said in the interest of justice, equity and fairness, consistent with the treatment meted out to other treasury looters, the federal government must immediately take over all the assets that Dr. Obasanjo acquired with Nigeria’s money.

“In fact, it is most worrisome that his days of appropriating our commonwealth date back to his first coming as a military leader when appropriated Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) and converted same into Obasanjo Farms Nigeria (OFN) Limited. This was to later metamorphose into his current Ota Farm. He has therefore converted Federal Government property into his personal asset in what has remained one of the world’s worst case of abuse of office.

“This same farm in Ota has been used as a conduit for siphoning public funds using bogus contract for the supply of livestock at inflated prices to the Presidency during popular festivities and holidays. The practice remained in place until the present government put a stop to it as part of cost saving measures and to judiciously use public funds”.

“ It remains to be seen if this discontinuation of the fraudulent contract is one of the grouses that the former president has against Nigerians and the basis on which he is today doing everything to punish us all by instigating instability”

Though President Buhari has demonstrated a strong will in fighting corruption especially as witnessed in ordering the probe of past military chiefs who allegedly misappropriated funds meant for prosecuting the Boko Haram war under the immediate past administration, something that former leaders in the country shied away from, it remains to be seen if he will accept the challenge by Kalu by instituting a probe against the Owu-born retired General.




Read more https://independent.ng/obj-will-buhari-accept-kalus-challenge/

So, this one too na news? driver! next bus stop please. thank you

shervydman:
The Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) on Thursday disclosed that the African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC ‘77) would henceforth be commemorated annually.

FESTAC 77

The Director-General, CBAAC, Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) had agreed to sponsor the event annually.
NAN reports that FESTAC ’77, also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (the first was in Dakar, 1966), was a major international festival held in Lagos, from Jan. 15 to Feb. 12, 1977.

countries that participated in FESTAC’77 were to draw a timetable so that the historic cultural festival would be celebrated yearly, commencing from 2019.

He said that Cameroon might be the first country to host the festival’s 42nd anniversary, adding that ambassadors of the participating countries were collaborating with the centre to make it a huge success.

“Henceforth, commemoration of FESTAC’77 will be rotational among the countries that participated at inception.

“ UNESCO has given its full consent and we are working on drawing the timetable for countries.

According to Anikwe, this is to encourage Nigerians and Africans generally to embrace culture.

He said that this would also boost the tourism image of the nation before the international community.

“We plan this to further propagate Nigeria’s rich and diverse culture, to make people practise and be proud of their culture.

“We look forward to these programmes, it will be a period of cultural revival for all,’’ Anikwe said. (NAN)

I pray o

nazzyon:
Atiku to speak at Chatham House, centers talks around Nigerian economic posterity

As part of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, effort to prove that he is ready and has whatever it is that would take to lead Nigeria aright, the VP has disclosed that he has decided to speak on how Nigerian could project and get its economy work vibrantly, at London’s Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in April.

He indicated that he would be delivering speech on importance of strengthening state economic management systems’ such that could unveil innovative and tangible solutions that once implemented would help Nigerian states come out from current economic challenges and help get the country working again.



http://www.theguildng.com/atiku-to-speak-at-chatham-house-centers-talks-around-nigerian-economic-posterity/

Great achievement buhari, clap for yourself! what a brilliant boy!

EZENDIZUOGU:
Everest Amaefule, Abuja

Under President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria has grown its debt portfolio by N9.61tn, statistics available from the Debt Management Office have shown.

According to the DMO, Nigeria’s debt stood at N21.73tn as of December 31, 2017, while the figure as of June 30, 2015 was N12.12tn.



This means that within a period of 30 months – July 2015 to December 2017 – the country’s debt rose by N9.61tn, or 79.25 per cent.

In a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday, the DMO said the composition of the debt stock as of the end of 2017 showed that external debt was 26.64 per cent of the portfolio, up from 20.04 per cent in 2016; while the domestic debt was 73.36 per cent, down from 79.96 per cent in 2016.

Further analysis showed that the domestic debt for the Federal Government was N12.59tn, while the domestic debt of the states and the Federal Capital Territory was N3.35tn.

The external debt of the Federal Government, states and the FCT was N5.79tn. This puts the total public debt as of December 31, 2017 at N21.73tn.

According to the DMO, the restructuring of the country’s debt mix has led to an increase in foreign debt in order to minimise the high interest rates of local debts.

The DMO said, “The key benefits of the restructuring of the portfolio are the reduction of the government’s debt service costs, lowering of interest rates in the domestic market and improved availability of credit facilities to the private sector.

“We repaid N198bn Nigerian Treasury Bills in December 2017 with the proceeds of Eurobond issuances and we have continued further implementation of the strategy in 2018, with the issuance of the $2.5bn Eurobonds in February 2018, the proceeds of which is being used to repay maturing domestic debt, starting with N130bn NTBs repaid on March 1, 2018.”

According to the DMO, the borrowings are for financing capital expenditure and stimulating the economy.



The funds injected through the borrowings strongly supported the implementation of the Federal Government’s budget, which helped the country to exit recession in 2017, the agency stated.

It added that the total public debt as of December 31, 2017 represented 18.2 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product for the year.

This shows that Nigeria’s debt continues to be sustainable and is well within the threshold of 56 per cent for countries in her peer group, the DMO said.

Speaking at a press conference to explain the debt status, the Director-General, DMO, Patience Oniha, said the debt grew because the nation went into recession and the government could not abandon the economy but had to spend.

She added that the current government had been spending more on infrastructure than other administrations in the past, adding that any foreign borrowing had to be tied to a project.

Oniha explained that it was necessary for the government to borrow to rebalance its portfolio such that domestic debts that had higher interest rates needed to be reduced with foreign debts at lower interest rates.

She said, “Through the issuance of particularly the FGN Bonds, we were able to transform the domestic debt market. If you look at 15 years ago, who will be talking about FGN Bonds yields? Using government securities to borrow, we have actually transformed the Nigerian market to the extent that there is now a dedicated institution known as the Financial Markets Dealers Quotation.

“We have had the positive sides. What the government is suffering is debt servicing. And that is why we are running a new strategy now. So, what we are saying is, if you look at December 2017, we have improved in terms of the mix of the portfolio.

“As you know, we also issued $2.5bn in February this year to refinance some of the domestic debts. So, give or take, we are at about 30:70 per cent foreign to domestic debt ratio.

“The actual debt service for the year is N1.67tn. Again, there are two issues you should look at there. The external component is only nine per cent, while domestic is 91 per cent. The domestic has grown and the rate has been high.”

Oniha added, “As a government, we have targets. The target is that domestic to foreign should be 60:40 per cent. Are we there yet? No; we are still at 73:27 per cent. We are not there even with the external borrowing we have done.

“The reason for the 60:40 per cent is that you don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket. You don’t want to be dependent on one source for your funding. It is good to have a mix.

“For the domestic component, we said 75 per cent should be long-term, while 25 per cent should be short-term. We defined long-term in terms of FGN Bonds, and short-term in terms of Treasury Bills. Last year, we started by redeeming N198bn of Treasury Bills, but we are still not there yet.”

The DMO boss added that the country’s debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio remained low at less than 19 per cent, but admitted that the debt service to revenue ratio had not been good enough.

She attributed this to the fall in revenue, adding that the Federal Government’s revenue dipped by about 50 per cent.

According to her, the government is addressing the situation by tackling the issues that resulted in low revenue collection by the Nigeria Customs Service.

She added that the problem of tax evasion was being addressed by the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme initiated by the Federal Government.

Oniha said through the programme of diversification, the government was also addressing the problem of low revenue generation as a diversified economy would ensure that the country had several sources of income other than oil.

Responding to a question on the possibility of increased interest rate on commercial foreign loans, the DMO boss stated that though Nigeria’s rates were expected to improve with positive developments in the economy, a fundamental assumption was that advanced nations had better interest rates.

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Nothing new.

wisdomIspeace:
Following the sad abduction of the Dapchi girls on the 19th of February 2018, noises have been raised by Nigerians, stkeholders and the public at large on the return of the school girls. The president Muhamadu Buhari who has been labelled incompetent and unable to fulfill his promise of nipping Boko Haram from its bud has received most of the hit since the girls were taken by the Boko haram sect.

The president who visited Dapchi in Yobe yesterday to sympathise with the famiies of the girls has come out to say that his administration has handled the dapchi girls better than the way Jonathan handled the abduction of the Chibok girls. He added;

Read more : https://dailynaija.com/post/buhari-and-jonathan-at-war-over-dapchi-girls-abduction