₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government has named the Second Niger Bridge and the reconstruc­tion of the Lagos-Ibadan Express­way as among its priority projects.

The two projects gained impe­tus under the immediate past ad­ministration of President Good­luck Jonathan.
At a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday to unveil his vision for the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), said that the Second Niger Bridge and the La­gos-Ibadan Expressway are prior­ity projects for the administration given their impact on the socio-economic lives of Nigerians.

He however regretted that the government would not be able to reduce the travel time of travellers during the festive period as it was constrained by paucity of funds.

Fashola said: “Some works have started and last Friday we met with the various groups in­volved in the project and we have a clear line now.

“Again, part of what was de­laying it was payment and so we owe on all sorts of things in­cluding compensations to the communities which gave lands. Then there are communities’ is­sues too. Some of the communi­ties were disturbing but perhaps they should understand that com­pensations would be paid but they should give way so that the con­tractors can go back to site,” he said.

The minister confirmed the readiness of the Federal Govern­ment to reintroduce toll gates on its highways across the country to generate revenue to maintain the roads.

Fashola, who unveiled his vi­sion for the ministry, said the eco­nomic realities had made the re­turn of tolls on roads “a sensible” thing to do if we can guarantee proper management of the pro­ceeds.

He said the present govern­ment would concentrate on on­going road projects across the country, especially in mobilising funds to pay contractors and en­sure that thousands of workers who have being made redundant in the past months return to work.
The former Lagos State gover­nor said survey reports had shown that by paying the contractors, about 20,000 Nigerians would be re-engaged.

He said: “Today, we have over 200 contracts across Nigeria that we need to finance and it does not make common sense to start new ones because we have not fi­nanced the ones that we have un­dertaken.

“It is also important to clar­ify this point in speaking on the Second Niger Bridge that if we do not have peace in those commu­nities, we cannot do any work and so those that are causing problems across the country should also know that they are scaring away those who want to develop the area. So, they must make a choice to live peacefully so that develop­ment can take place or scare away those that will develop the area.

“No matter what govern­ment plans, contracting compa­nies work with human beings and will not put their staff members in harm’s way in other to execute a contract.”

http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/12/FG-lists-2nd-Niger-Bridge-Lagos-Ibadan-Road-as-priorities/

Former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Wednesday gave insights into how $322 mil­lion recovered last year from the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Aba­cha’s loot, was spent.

Okonjo-Iweala, who denied the alleged diversion of the mon­ey, disclosed that it was given as a loan for arms purchase to the of­fice of the former National Secu­rity Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki as loan.

She explained that the cen­tral responsibility of the Minis­ter of Finance is to find sources of funding for approved national priorities such as security, job cre­ation and infrastructure.

The former minister main­tained that part of the recovered Abacha loot given to Dasuki was on loan with some conditions in order to equip the military in the fight against Boko Haram insur­gents.

The three conditions for the release of the funds requested by Dasuki, according to her, were: "that only a part, not the entire Abacha funds would be spent on the arms; the rest would be in­vested in developmental projects as originally conceived.
"The money was to be treated as borrowed funds which would be paid back as soon as possible.

"The NSA’s office was to ac­count for the spending to the Pres­ident who was the Commander-in-Chief, given the fact that the Minister of Finance is not part of the security architecture and does not participate in the Security Council."

She recalled that throughout 2014, there were public complaints by the military hierarchy to former President Goodluck Jonathan about the inadequacy of funds to fight the anti-terror war in the North East, resulting in Boko Haram making gains and even taking territories.

A statement by her Media Ad­viser, Paul Nwabuikwu, explained that a lot of the criticisms were di­rected at the Federal Ministry of Finance under Dr. Okonjo-Iwea­la which was accused of not doing enough to find funds for the oper­ations.

According to the statement, "It was about this time that some new Abacha funds of about $322 million were returned with another $700 million still expected to be returned. (This is not to be confused with the Abacha funds returned in 2005-2006 under the Olusegun Obasanjo government whose use for develop­mental purposes was monitored by the World Bank as earlier explained by Dr. Okonjo-Iweala).

"Former President Jonathan set up a committee comprising the for­mer Minister of Justice, former NSA and the former Minister of Finance to determine how best to use both the returned and expected funds for development.

"The NSA made a case for us­ing the returned funds for urgent security operations since, he not­ed, there cannot be any develop­ment without peace and security.

"Based on this, a decision was taken to deploy about $322 million for the military operations, while the expected $700 million would be applied for development pro­grammes as originally conceived.

"Following the discussions and based on the urgency of the NSA’s memo, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala requested the former President to approve the transfer of the request­ed amount to the NSA’s office for the specified purposes," he said.

http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/12/-Recovered-$322m-Abacha-loot-was-given-to-Dasuki-as-loan-/

I honestly can't be in a relationship without sex being involved.If I meet a girl and I ask her for a relationship, then she tells me"Fine but no sex"I'll see such a girl as a 419er. "So you want to eat my money and now tell me no sex!"I can't go down in such a relationship. Rather,I'll just take the girl as my friend instead of a "girlfriend".

dustmalik:
First of all, none of these is actually proven or admitted by the military. Besides, there is no where in the world where the military admits to every casualty it suffers.

Yes I agree that no where in the world does the military admits to every casualty it suffers.However, the issue of the 105 soldiers missing is true.I have friends who are soldiers, and are at the war front that confirmed the story to be true. God help our Nigeria Army to defeat the Boko Haram menace.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as the umbrella body of all Nigerian students herein expresses her displeasure against the antics of some students who have abandoned the principal pursuit of their academic activities and rather resort to causing chaos on campuses to the detriment of other students who are facing their studies diligently.
Our attention has been drawn to the uncouth activities of a clique of impostors who were expelled by the National Open University of Nigeria on grounds of misconduct and poor academic performance led by one Abdulrazaq Hamza and Elias Ozikpu who have now resorted to blackmailing the NOUN administration and smearing the pristine image of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Vincent Ado Tenebe.
We condemn this backward and retrogressive act in the strongest terms even as we urge them to seek redress through due process and laid down procedure if they have any grouse that merits attention.
Let it be known that students unionism has departed from the era when dull heads and unserious students could easily incite a conflagration just to thwart the academic calendar and achieve their fiendish aims. The leadership of NANS has vowed to stamp out the inimical charades of this sort from all our campuses nationwide.
The principal disenchantment of the NANS leadership stems from the fact that Abdulrazaq Hamza and his ilk have set to stir needles furore and chaos in the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) being the largest singular University with multiple campuses in Nigeria providing easy and affordable access to tertiary education for the hitherto greater percentage of deprived individuals who cannot access tertiary education through conventional institutions.
It should be made emphatically clear that all legitimate Students’ Union are registered with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and from our records we do not have any such body as the Congress Of NOUN Students (CONS).
To this extent we herein state unequivocally that CONS is a contraption of illegitimacy and lace with ulterior motive antithetical to the collective interest of the NOUN Students.
NANS as the prime advocate and voice of the teeming millions of Nigerian Students remains true to the solemn pledge of championing the cause of Nigerian Students in a rational, ideological and intellectually balanced manner on the flipside we will spare no stone unturned in dealing with the nefarious conduct of disgruntled elements who seek to hide under the guise of pseudo-unionism to perpetrate sinister and anti-students uprisings.
We remain committed to the struggle for quality education for all and we urge that all hands should be on deck to achieve this universally important goal.

Signed:

Usman Tijani
President National Association of Nigerians Students (NANS)
Share.

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCT) is set to arraign a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe.
This was contained in press release issued by the CCT's Head of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ibraheem Al-hassan.
According to the statement, Orubebe would be arraigned before the tribunal on a four count charge bordering on breach of Code of Conduct of Bureau and Tribunal Act.
It further revealed that the ex-Minister had been served on Thursday with the service of summons by the bailiff of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
"The charges were filed by Peter Danladi (Esq) of Code of Conduct Bureau, on the 8th of October 2015, on behalf of Attorney General of the Federation."
The charges are: "that you Godsday Peter Orubebe while being a Minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria in charged Niger Delta Affairs, on or about June 29th 2011 did make a false declaration in your Asset Declaration Form by failing to declare plot 2722 Kyamu District Abuja on assumption of office on 26th September 2007 and on leaving office (at the end of your tenure), on June 29, 2011 and you thereby committed an offence under section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and as incorporated under paragraph 11(1) & (2) of part 1 fifth schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and punishable under section 23(2) of the CCB & T Act and as incorporated under paragraph 18 of part 1, fifth schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).


http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Conduct-Tribunal-to-arraign-Orubebe-Nov-9

What informed this new wave of Biafra agitation?

If you remember very well, Nigeria claimed the war had ended but in reality the battle field only changed dimension in 1970.

It is now forty-five years since the Nigeria genocidal war against the indigenous people of Biafra was officially declared over on paper and media. In a broadcast to the people of Nigeria and Biafra, Yakubu Gowon, then Head of State of Nigeria declared very enthusiastically that there was "NO VICTOR AND NO VANQUISHED". With a broad smile he declared the intention of his government and the people of Nigeria to welcome all Biafrans (Anang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, Ogoni etc.) back into the country called Nigeria. Looking Nigerians and Biafrans in the eye, he promised religiously to implement a programme of RECONCILIATION, RECONSTRUCTION and REHABILITATION designed to re-integrate the people of Biafra into Nigeria and to rebuild the infrastructure of 'Biafra' which was decimated by the genocidal bombing and vandalism of the occupational Nigerian Army.

That government promised to build Nigeria into one united country that is economically strong, politically and socially stable and respected throughout Africa and the World. It promised to respect and protect the fundamental rights of all citizens of Nigeria to freedom of movement, residence, speech, religion, association and lawful ownership of property. It also promised 'Biafrans' the right to safety and security of life and property. The government promised to abolish discrimination and persecution of certain indigenous communities and religious groups in the expression called Nigeria. The government promised to establish a society based on honesty, justice, freedom, equity and fair play for all.

The government of Gowon made these promises to 'Biafrans' and Nigerians. So did the governments of Gen. Mohammed, Gen. Obasanjo, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Buhari, Gen. Babangida, Mr. Shonekan, Gen. Abacha, Gen. Abubakar, Yar'Adua, Jonathan, and currently Buhari. They all made these same promises to 'Biafrans' and Nigerians. For 45 years, they have made these promises again and again. But, did they fulfill any of those promises? The answer is no, they didn't.

Biafra is an indigenous name; we were in existence before Nigeria. If my grandfather is older than Nigeria, isn't that obvious I'm not a Nigerian? Well you have asked a question I hope my answer is clear enough for you to understand we are indigenous people and as indigenous people, we deserve the right to manage and govern ourselves. It's a universal right and every indigenous community should have the right to answer their ancestral names.

In a country where my children and I are seen as infidels because we don't believe or practice a particular faith and the constitution empowers them to conquer us, my answer is no, no.

Insecurity of life and property has become the order of the day. The government of Nigeria has converted the Nigerian police into a killer force. If you are a 'Biafran', you can be shot dead by an illiterate Nigerian policeman simply for wearing Biafra T-shirt or refusing to give him N20 bribe. No questions asked. The lives of 'Biafrans' have become worthless as they have been reduced to the status of slaves with no rights, freedoms and privileges.



What is the origin of the current struggle? Did anything happen to prompt it?

When you ask, what is the origin, I assume you are asking what is the origin of the crises or that of 'Biafra'? If you want me to talk about the crises upon our heads, describing them here would take ages but I shall explain the origin of our new movement and the reasons behind it. Those who know me know I practise Judaism, and we remember the holocaust during prayers and high holy days.

Nigeria slaughtered one quarter of the Igbo nation from 1967- 1970 and no single memorial was made for my people. We are not taught in school or our communities why and what happened; Nigeria decided to bury the facts of the war with propaganda, which is another weapon of war. They slaughtered 3.5 million of my people, innocent 'Biafrans' to be precise.

Nigerian propaganda is that the Igbo went to war but they refused to tell the truth that they slaughtered millions of my kind and didn't want me to be born. So, when we gathered and deliberated on these issues, we realised that the easy way to seek justice is to take control of our problem. The war never ended; we are just in different zones and the guns and machines are in the hands of a different generation.

So when you ask what the origin is, I do say to you that this is a continuation of the battlefield we inherited.



You spoke about a memorial that holds every year about Biafra. Tell us about it?

Well, the memorial you are talking about was suggested by Dr. Justine Akujieze at the 'Biafra Council of Elders', and as you may know, we are sacred people, anyi bu ndi nso. According to ancient Igbo ancestors, we bury our dead and remember them. During the campaign to wipe us out of the face of earth- Biafran soldiers had one wish, to be remembered. They knew they would die protecting those of us who are alive today but prayed we should remember them and that is exactly what we do every 30th of May.



We also perform rituals due to every onye nche (protector) of 'Biafra'.

How many people honour it, and what is the goal of the memorial?

The number of people who honour the call runs into millions, as you may know. We led the very first edition in our exile, and those back home also participated, to the surprise of the 'Biafran' children who were flown out in the war days and never returned. As a result, they began to make contacts and desired to return home to 'Biafra'.

In every civilised society, those who sacrificed their lives for others to live are remembered and as 'Biafrans', our omenaana (tradition) fully guides us during this peaceful moment of remembrance, the 'Echezona' spirit. The goal, according our omenaana is to ritually cleanse and connect our soul back to our protector. This is in line with the universal declaration of 1945 when the world said, 'never again', so this is to remind our children of the genocide that Nigeria committed against us that they may say 'never again commit'.



Is there any organised sort of way you people operate?

We are children of the rising sun, umu Eri, children of 'Biafra'; we are one people, but yes, we have various organizations raising the awareness about 'Biafra', like Ekwenche, which is preserving the ancient and truth culture of 'Biafra', there is Biafra24, Radio Biafra London, MASSOB, Bilie Human Rights Initiative, Biafra Foundation, Biafra Zionist Movement, Biafra National Youth League, Biafra Liberation Council, Biafra National Congress, but 'Biafrans' are one. We are all indigenes of Biafra and we run one shadow government, whoever touches one touches all.



If Biafra is achieved, do you think the problems you talk about in Nigeria will be solved?

Well, is Biafra Nigeria's problem? The answer is no. Biafra is not Nigeria's problem, Biafra is an indigenous people. We are not compatible with Nigeria and the problem of Nigeria would be solved once that name Nigeria is gone and never resurrects.

Every indigenous community should go back to their ancestral homeland and build their community as God gave them the land. The Igbo and all other peoples who have lived through the terror of the post-European conquest, in a "Berlin-state called Nigeria" in Africa must abandon it at once to survive and advance towards the construction of higher levels of civilisation. They have no other choice.

Some people believe that only Igbos are fighting for Biafra, and the other ethnic peoples of the original Biafra are not with you. What is your take on this?

My take on Nigeria's propaganda? Do you not know this is Nigeria's plan to continue its mass propaganda to divert the resources of these communities? I have a problem with Africans not understanding what propaganda is. This is war; it is intellectual manipulation of the 'Biafran' communities which they used in 1967-1970 to set some parts of Biafra against Biafrans. What happened today?

It is a military strategy to weaken the people's mindset on the reality of who they are. People writing books and movie scripts depict Igbos as rebels who led their people into war, rather than tell the truth that Nigerian invaders invaded the land of Biafra and occupied it after killing women and children for resources.

I encourage young 'Biafrans' between nine and 15years old to stop watching and listening to political garbage depicting Biafrans as terrors and rebels. It's not edutainment; it's political warfare before the actual storm; they seek to create a reason to justify their military campaign against us.

There are those who are of the opinion that your agitation is for money and once you are settled, the matter of Biafra will die. What do you say?

People would have opinions but when the enemy comes, they attack those with opinion and those without opinion. We at Biafra24 have never for once asked anyone for a single penny. We are all about empowering the mind and physical employment of our people, especially the young. Our target are the young minds; we want to build an economically stable and start-up nation. If anyone says we are collecting money, he or she should come publicly and say it.

We give our resources to young entrepreneurs and developers to build a strong 'Biafra'; we don't take money off anyone, we encourage growth in 'Biafra'. We are revolutionary in every aspect of our campaign. Today, we are able to build our own communication system without anyone's support and we teach young people to be tech nerds in our community.



By what methods do you intend achieving Biafra?

We are out to revolutionize the struggle. Back in the days, it was about old people, now it's in the hands of the young ones. When I say young people, I'm speaking as one of the oldest, imagine what that is. We are heading toward referendum and we support what Lower Niger Congress is doing when it comes to that. The 'Biafra Shadow Government' is also working hard on this as well and Ekwenche is leading in mass education and industrialisation of 'Biafra land'.

They put economic blockade on us, we said no and we revolutionised it; you will hear from our ikuku(air). No man shall tell you this is the voice of young people; the future is speaking without fear or favour.

We will embark on civil disobedience of the highest order without looking back, if the 'Biafrans' kidnapped by Nigerian government are not released.

Your right to your own property including your ancestral land has been taken away from you by Nigerian Government. Today Hausa/Fulani/Yoruba oligarchs have seized your land, rivers and streams. They exploit the minerals in our land, steal the money and use the money to buy arms and ammunition to kill us, to enrich themselves and their relatives as well as to develop cities in their own homeland thousands of kilometres away from us.

They leave us to die from drinking polluted water, eating poisoned crops from devastated farmland, and breathing polluted air from gas flaring. If you protest, they hang you, or send in the mobile police and army to deal ruthlessly with you and destroy your town. This is why they wiped out whole villages in Ijaw land, destroyed Umuechem, Odi and other towns, burned down whole villages, raped wives and daughters, and pillaged several other towns in 'Biafra'.

This is why the 'occupational' government of Nigeria, has killed several 'Biafrans' in the last few weeks--Biafra Zionists, MASSOB, IPOB-- imprisoned thousands without trial and is constantly harassing you the citizens of 'Biafra'.

These are organizations asking for self-determination and right to control their destiny and property in Biafra. The promise of life in abundance made to the Anang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, Ogoni is now being fulfilled with hangings, kidnapping, extra-judicial murders, rapes, broken bones, blood and tears, hunger, joblessness, deprivation and desperation, denial of freedom, liberty and other civil rights. These are the harvests of "ONE NIGERIA " promised you by these rulers, from Yakubu Gowon in 1967 to Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.


http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Why-we-resumed-fighting-for-Biafra-by-Yahgozie-Immanuel-of--Biafra-24

Agunnewi:

Wow! That's a weighty allegation that should be looked into.

Bros,I agree with you. Wike's has a point in his argument make sense.

As the self agitation by pro-Biafra Group in the Eastern part of the country continues, the Presidency said it is talking with Governors of the region to settle the mat­ter and ensure peace and stability in the nation.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, stated this on Sunday while fielding ques­tions from journalists at a programme, Special Prayers for Ni­geria and Her Political Leaders put together by the Charismatic Renewal Ministries (CRM) in Abuja.

He also pledged President Buhari's determination to win the war against Boko Haram and other criminals.
"The president is the president of the whole country. The co­hesion of the country is what matters to him. So he will not iso­late one and play it up above the other. He wants to see national cohesion and he is talking with the Governors in that region.

The Council of State held just on Wednesday last week and the issue of Biafra came up. Just be sure that the Government is on top of it.

President Buhari has always said you can't administer a country you have not secured. So security is key. Nigeria is re­tarded, Nigeria is where it is today because of corruption. So he wants to fight corruption, put a stop to it, retrieve monies that have been stashed abroad and he is working at it. And then, he wants to revive the economy", Adesina maintained.

The General Overseer of CRM, Dr Cosmos Ilechukwu, dis­closed that the occasion was the 5th edition of "The Change We Need in Nigeria".
"Not only the Biafran nation; I have equally heard about Arewa and Oduduwa recently. And so we are praying that God will bring about a change that will make every Nigeria feels Nigerian.


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/-Biafra--FG-partners-S-East-Govs-on-peace

First civilian governor of old Kaduna State and elder statesman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, on Saturday declared that it was time to end decades of injustice against Ndigbo by ensuring that the South East geo-political gets the Nigerian presidency in 2019.

Speaking exclusively with The AUTHORITY in Kaduna, Musa who is also chairman Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), warned that the prolonged marginalisation of South East would bring disunity and other serious threats to the nation.

Although, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) had zoned its 2019 presidential candidate to the North three years ahead of the polls, Musa calling on all political parties to zone its 2019 presidential candidates to the South.

He advised the Southeast zone to stop 'sit-and-wait' approach but should be proactive in the struggle for power shift to Ndigbo who he described as being also competent to rule Nigeria.

Musa faulted President Muhammadu Buhari for not appointing any person from South East into his kitchen cabinet, stressing that the present administration should rather heal the nation's wounds than adding more salt to the injury which would not augur well with the country.

According to him: "I am not happy the way South East zone is been marginalised for a long time. "Some said it was because of civil war but It happened for a long time and since then South East did not participate in any thing against the state.

"Now it is high time to give South East chance to rule Nigeria just like other zones" " I expected President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint some few South East people in his so-called kitchen cabinet but he did not and it was unfortunate.

"The injustice meted against South East zone must be corrected because injustice brings grievances that may threaten the unity of this nation"

Musa added: "I expect South East to produce credible presidential candidate which can emerge president of Nigeria in 2019 elections.

"But I have observed that South East zone always give up so easily on struggle. You cannot sit and expect food on your table,you must work for it. "All political parties should zone their presidential candidates to South East to correct the long time injustice.

"I strongly believe South East too has credible and patriotic people there just like other zones. What I know is that they should keep on the peaceful struggle for presidency.

South East should not relent." On the appointment of Mahmood Yakubu as INEC chairman, Musa said under normal circumstances South West should have produced the INEC chairman for sake of fairness.

"To me, INEC chairman can come from any part of the country if the person is patriotic and competent for the job. But if fairness must apply South West zone has never produced INEC chairman", he said.

www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/2019--Igbo-must-produce-president--Balarabe-Musa

The Nigeria High Commission in London has bemoaned the migration and removal policy of the UK Government, which has placed a deportation tag on 29,000 Nigerians.
The Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in London, Mr Olukunle Bamgbose, gave the indication in his office when he spoke with State House Correspondents covering Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's visit to London.
He said that the migration policy was a result of the mi­gration crisis created by the troubled regions in the world.
"I think about 29,000 Nigerians have been designated to be deported. We are insisting that due process must be followed before Nigerians are really removed from the UK to Nigeria,'' he said.
Bamgbose gave four conditions that should be met by the UK immigration office before the commission could accept the migration and deportation agenda.
"First, we must ensure that they are really Nigerians; they are medically fit to travel; all the legal processes must have been completed and that they have roles to play in Nigeria.
"You do not expect someone who has not been to Ni­geria for 30 years to 40 years, and does not have any fam­ily. If he is deported, he will constitute social problems to us in Nigeria; so these are the sore points that we have at the moment,'' the envoy said.
Bamgbose noted that in spite of the challenge, the rela­tionship between Nigeria and UK had deepened, adding that the UK is ready to engage with Nigerians in various aspects- defence, immigration, trade and investment.
"In 2012, the trade volume between the two countries was about four billion pounds, which has doubled now. But with what we have now, British investors are ready to move into Nigeria in a massive way."
"I expect that in the next two to three years, the trade volume will triple and go to about 12 billion pounds or even more.''
Bamgbose attributed the rise to the new confidence foreign investors had in Nigeria to the new administra­tion.


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/UK-deports-29-000-Nigerians

A Group, Biafra Shadow Government, with headquarter in Spain, has threatened to invoke Article 51 of the United Nation's Charter to defend the rights of protesters arrested and detained over Nnamdi Kanu.
In a press release obtained by The AUTHORITY, it expressed support for protesters allegedly arrested during recent protests across some South East and South South cities.
In the United Nations Charter, Article 51 reads: "Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security.
Measures taken by members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time, such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security".
It called on the League of Nations and the United Nations to condemn the abduction of Biafrans by Nigeria.
"We stand with Biafra Zionists, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Biafra Liberation Council (BLC), Biafra National Youth League (BNYL), Biafra Foundation, Biafra Congress, Bilie Human Rights Initiative (BHRI) and the entire indigenous people in the world in condemning this evil", it said.


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Nnamdi-Kanu--Group-gives-ultimatum

Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Par­ty (PDP), has described the statements credited to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary, Chris Fynebone, that the State Government had a hand in the pro-Biafra protest as treasonable.
The party described Fynebone's statements as aimed at encouraging the breakdown of law and order in the state.
In a statement by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the state PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah, the party said by linking the State Government and the PDP to last Tuesday's unlawful protest on the streets of Port Harcourt by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the APC could not hide its des­peration for power.
The party described Fynebone's comments and acts as malicious and misleading.
It added that Fynebone by his utterances and actions has shown a detestable penchant for mischief and black­mail to make a living.
The party lamented that the opposition party would undertake to promote disaffection between the govern­ment and the peaceful and more reasonable people of Rivers State by going on air to allege support for the Biaf­ran agitators against Governor Nyesom Wike.
The PDP stressed that Wike remains a prominent apostle of one indivisible Nigeria.
The party urged the Inspector-General of Police and the Departmentt of State Services (DSS) to invite Fyne­bone to explain and provide evidence of his high trea­sonable statement.
'We are however, very bold to say that both Governor Wike and PDP in Rivers State are, and will continue to remain in the fore-front of one united Nigeria against all centrifugal forces, no matter where they come from."


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/-Biafra-rally--Rivers-PDP-accuses-APC-of-treason

The Federal Government has said that all monthly payments to ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme were up to date.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Head, Media and Communication, Presidential Amnesty Office, Mr Owei Lakemfa in Abuja on Friday.
According to the statement, the Federal Government has always paid in full, the monthly stipend of the beneficiaries under the programme through their respective banks.
It stated that if there was any under payment or deduction, this should be brought to the notice of the programme for investigation.
On those who seek to be included, the mandate of the Amnesty Programme is to cater for the 30,000 ex-agitators documented at the Disarmament Stage.
The Programme has since passed the Demobilisation Period to the on-going Reintegration Phase.
The Amnesty Office has no powers to either expand the programme or make new intakes. Any such approval will be purely at the discretion of the Federal Government'', it stated.
For beneficiaries who claimed that their housing allowance or hostel fees had not been paid, it stated that the claims were being verified.
We reiterate our readiness to receive suggestions and enquiries.
To facilitate this, the Amnesty Office has opened a 24 – Hour Call Centre where individuals can make enquiries on issues bordering on the programme.
The numbers are: 0703-5611-612 and 0809-0088-337 and the e-mail is: osapndcallcentre@gmail.com.
We seek the co-operation and assistance of all to ensure continued peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta", it stated.


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Amnesty--We-are-not-owing-ex-militants-says-FG

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, has declared that his release from the kidnappers' den averted an ethnic war between the Yoruba and Fulani.
He said that if he was killed by the Fulani herdsmen who recently kidnapped him, there would have been an outbreak of ethnic war between the two tribes.
Falae stated this on Thursday when he hosted the former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau in his house in Akure, Ondo State.
The former presidential candidate said it was God that saved him during his captivity because the abductors planned to kill him on the day he was released.
According to him, "God has a way of doing His things; I know God just decided to spare my life; He really saved my life; they tortured me, stripped me naked and did a lot of things to me in their den. They attempted to kill me but they did not succeed.
"I also thank God for making me to survive the ordeal because if they had killed me there, many lives would have been lost too; it would have become an ethnic war between the Yoruba and the Fulani. So, I thank God that the matter did not get to that level," he said.

While expressing his sympathy to the Afenifere leader, Shekarau said the only solution to the insecurity situation in Nigeria is for the people to embrace community policing, where everybody will be a policeman in his area.
The former minister of education said the issue of security in the country should be the major concern of everybody and not the police alone. He said there was a need for government at all levels to encourage community policing.
Shekarau said: "The issue of security should be the concern of everybody and not only policemen. Our governments should do everything possible to encourage community policing. Everybody should be a policeman; everybody should be his brother's keeper. We should learn how to immediately report any act of criminality to security agents.
"It is very unfortunate that this kind of thing happened to an elderly man like Chief Falae who had served this country meritoriously," Shekarau stated.
He thanked the security men for arresting the perpetrators and charged that they must not go unpunished.
Falae was abducted on September 21 by some Fulani herdsmen and was released on the third day after paying a N5 million ransom.

www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/My-release-averted-Yoruba-Fulani-war--Falae

As the Federal Government arraigned the alleged masterminds of the October 2 separate bombings in Kuje and Nyanya satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, one of the accused has pleaded guilty to the crime.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Diri, on Thursday docked Adulazeez Muuhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimo, Abulwaheed Nasiru and Abdullahi Nasiru on a five-count charge before Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged terrorism.
The accused persons except one, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But the fourth accused person, Abdulwaheed Jimo, pleaded guilty to count four of the charge, which says that suspected Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) making materials were found on the accused persons on October 6.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/342/2015, the prosecution brought the accused to court, pursuant to Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The AUTHORITY recalls that the accused had on October 2, 2015 allegedly carried out bomb attacks at Kuje and Jikwoyi Motor Park, Nyanya, an act punishable under Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013.
Count one of the charges borders on conspiracy, which is contrary to Section 17 of the Terrorism Prevention Act as amended 2013.
It reads: "That you Adulazeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu and Mohammed Jimo, Abdulwaheed Nasiru, Abdullahi and others now at large, on or about the 2nd October, 2015 at Kuje town and Jikwoyi Park, Nyanya, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to carry out a bomb attack by use of Improvised Explosives Devices being an act punishable under Section 17 of Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013," among other four similar charges.
Diri told the court that investigation into the alleged crime had been completed and that his team was ready for prosecution.
The defence lawyer, Mr. Nureni Sulyman's attempt to apply for bail for the accused orally, failed.
Justice Abdulkafarati adjourned the trial to November 17 and 24 this year.
He also ordered that the accused be moved from police custody to Kuje Prison on remand.

www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Kuje-Nyanya-blasts--Accused-pleads-guilty

Embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki, will tomorrow appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja to defend allegations of false assets declaration levelled against him by the Federal Government.

Saraki's ordeal at the CCT will continue tomorrow following the inability of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division to deliver its judgment in an appeal filed against the Federal Government by Saraki, challenging the legality of his trial at the tribunal.

The much anticipated judgment in the appeal was slated for Monday (yesterday) by the Appeal Court, but was postponed indefinitely.

The court registrar, Mrs. Christy Haruna told lawyers in the open court that the court had resolved to communicate a new date to counsels and parties in the suit.

She, however, did not give details why the judgement that had been fixed for yesterday by the Presiding Justice, Justice Moore Adumein, was put off sine die (indefinitely).

In the appeal, Saraki had challenged the power of the CCT to prosecute him on false assets declaration on five grounds, among which were that the tribunal was unlawfully constituted, having not formed a quorum.

He further argued that the tribunal lacked power to assume criminal jurisdiction in the matter.

It would be recalled that the appellate court had on Friday fixed the date for the verdict after taking final brief of arguments from counsel to parties in the suit.

Justice Moore Adumein, who led two other justices to hear the case, had said the verdict would be handed down by 2 pm yesterday.

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Joseph Daudu led five other Senior Advocates of Nigerian (SAN) comprising Malam Yusuf Ali, Adebayo Adelodun, Mahmud Magaji, Ahmed Raji and Kayode Eleja to argue the case of Saraki.

Moving his case, Daudu raised five major issues for determination of the court to decide the legality of trial of Senator Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Among others, the appellant's counsel had argued that The Code of Conduct Tribunal erred in law by proceeding with the trial with two members instead of the mandatory three as provided by the Constitution.

He had informed the court that the composition of the tribunal during the trial of Saraki, violated paragraphs 15(1) of the 1999 Constitution by sitting with two members instead of three and asked the court to nullify the CCT proceedings of last month due to lack of quorum.

The appellant's counsel disagreed with the arguments of the Federal Government' counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) that the Interpretation Act can be used to resolve the constitutional logjam since the constitution was silent on the quorum for the tribunal membership.

Daudu insisted that the Interpretation Act cannot override the Constitution being the supreme law and the Act being inferior to the Constitution.

However, opposing the submissions of Saraki's counsel, the Federal Government, through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) asked that the appeal case be dismissed for lacking of merit.

Jacobs told the 3-man appeal court panel that the constitution was silent on the quorum of the tribunal memberships.

He urged the court to invoke the Interpretation Act to resolve the issue in favour of the respondent.

The respondent counsel also submitted that the tribunal has criminal jurisdiction because of the use of words like "guilty" and "punishment" in the law that established the tribunal.

http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/-Saraki-faces-CCT-today-as-Appeal-Court-defers-judgment

The House of Repre­sentatives Ad-hoc Committee on the alleged N1.69trillion Nige­rian Railway Corporation contract scam has put mo­dalities in place to probe those linked with the fraud.

It was also learnt that the committee may invite two former Chairmen of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who were Board members, officials of Min­istry of Transport, Subsidy Re-Investment and Em­powerment Programme (SURE-P), a former min­ister and some contractors.

Those to be summoned to explain their roles in the contract are some aides of former President Good­luck Jonathan.

It was also gathered that no proper accounts were kept by the major stake­holders involved in the processing, award and exe­cution of the said contracts as they operated for almost two years without a board.

A lawmaker from the North-Central Zone, who pleaded anonymity and who was privy to this de­velopment, said there will be no sacred cows as ev­eryone involved will be ex­posed before all Nigerians.

"In light of the develop­ment, the former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umar Idris, a former Senator from Gombe State, who was Minister of Trans­port, two former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairmen, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and Bamanga Tukur, have questions to answer when we com­mence public hearing within the next two weeks.

"Nigerians deserve to know the truth as these were monies sourced from abroad and locally to better their lives via a good rail transport system.

"What we have today is a massive fraud as contrac­tors in active collaboration with government officials supplied second hand coaches and other me­chanical gadgets to further rubbish the rail system in Nigeria.

"The $841million loan secured from China Exim bank and SURE-P were not properly documented as there was no board for almost two years and the Ministry singlehandedly spearheaded the award of all the major contracts.

"The Ad-hoc committee will ask all the stakehold­ers how come a contract that was so heavily funded could not be completed in 2013 which was the con­tract due date."

Speaking further, he said, "This $841m is just for the Abuja/Kaduna rail road contracts while sev­eral billions of naira were expended on other various rail contracts nationwide."

Recall that the House had, in a motion last week Wednesday brought by Hon Solomon Ahwinawhi, called for investigation into the award of contracts for rehabilitation of railway tracks, maintenance of bridges and procurement/rehabilitation of coaches and locomotives from 2010-2014.

In his submission, Ahwi­nawhi noted, "The level of performance with respect to the 463km Port - Har­court - Markurdi rail track, rehabilitation of the east­ern line with the total sum of N19, 963, 752, 330 out of which the NRC has paid N 4, 017, 054, 841, 00, while SURE - P paid N5, 594, 021, 377 and only about 3km of ballast has been done with 400km left undone and the total money released so far is N9, 611, 076, 218.

"The Abuja-Kaduna Rail Project had 841 million US Dollars out of which the China EXIM Bank pro­vided a loan of 500 mil­lion US dollars with about 25 per cent of the project completed when the en­tire project was envisaged to have been completed in 2014", he said.

The lawmaker had also said the Lagos to Jebba track rehabilitation project was awarded at a contract sum of N 12, 293,390,000 with the payments made so far at N 11,699,999, 218 without any tangible work done, adding that the same also goes for Jebba to Kano track rehabilitation which had a contract sum of N 12, 169,237,337 with pay­ments made to the tune of N 10, 337,023,111.


http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/N1-69trn-rail-contract--Reps-may-summon-PDP-s-ex-chairman-Jonathan-s-men

After more than 18 months of unbundling of the Power Holding Company (PHCN), the retirees of the government agency are still crying foul, describing it as mere "dissecting" and "wholesale approach to sharing the common patrimony of Nigerians."

This is even as they lamented that despite the assurance that the unbundling and privatisation of the successor companies, the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and Power Generating Companies (GENCOs), the expectation of improved electricity supplies had not been realised.

They called on the Federal Government to review the privatisation process, just as they demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari should not shy away from reversing the process if convinced that it was a mistake.

The President of Nigerian Union of Pensioners Electricity Sector, Chief Temple Ubani, who spoke to The Authority, pointed out that some countries who had made similar mistake, reversed the process by acquiring the privatised agency.

They further urged the Federal Government to liberalise investments in the power sector to enable individuals with the financial muscles to invest and stimulate competitiveness instead of the Government selling off its own assets.

He said: "The unbundling to us simply means that PHCN was dissected into different companies. All with a view to preparing for the privatizing which we in the labour see as wholesale approach to sharing the common patrimony of Nigerians because to us, that is what it is.

"We did not really agree with the process of selling and what they did or did not do before selling. We actually advised against it at various fora, in the Villa and else where.

"What we predicted would happen is what Nigerians are experiencing right now because there has not been much improvement in the power sector in Nigerian even after the so called privatization.

"We actually advised for liberalization, meaning open up the sector and let investors come in and invest instead of selling what we already had. And we told the past president then that if electricity sector is not functioning well, it is not that the workers are not doing their job well. But because government refuse to fund or invest in the sector.

"There is no difference and we are happy that the situation is still as it were. So, we ask government to have a rethink and possibly buy back the company, after all Yola Electricity Distribution Company has been bought back by the government.

So from my own perspective, the situation is not better than what we had." Chief Temple, who also cited that most of the disengaged staff of the PHCN were yet to receive their entitlements, added that it was unfortunate that Government trained the staff but only to waste the resources by retiring them.

He stressed that the Government should endeavour to review some of the negative decisions taken in the power sector, adding that steady electricity supplies constitutes a major catalyst for economic development. "Probe is in the hand of the government and they know when best to do it if only they have intentions of doing it. And for review, I completely say yes and I will call for it any time any day.

"Even the Nigerian Union of Pensioners had even put in writing to the immediate past government that they should not be shy of buying back the electricity company because we have found out from the other countries where this type of mistake was made and it didn't take them time to buy back the companies and review to correct the mistakes.

www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/PHCN-retirees-cry-foul-over-privatization

Publisher of Authority Newspaper, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah has been commended for his efforts in investing in the media industry, thereby creating jobs for youths and professionals in Nigeria.

Ubah, Chairman and Chief Executive of Capital Oil and Gas Limited has just unveiled the newspaper which an Igbo group described as a welcome development in the deepening of democracy through an unfettered press.

In a statement issued in Owerri at the weekend, the Chancellor of Coalition of Eastern Nigeria Political Pressure Groups (CENPPG), Nze Elvis Agukwe expressed the confidence that the new newspaper will assist in the acceleration of the Nigerian society through robust and incisive journalism.

Nze Agukwe, a former Commissioner for Information in Imo State said it was gratifying that Chief Ifeanyi Ubah has consistently sought ways of creating jobs for the youths while at the same time developing the society.

"We in CENPPG are happy that at a relatively young age, the new publisher has conquered the world of politics, business, sports and humanity and has now delved into the media. We salute his doggedness and urge him to march on because Ndigbo are proud of him", he said.

He noted that Chief Ubah has followed the trail of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Dr Orji Uzor Kalu as notable Igbo leaders who elected to protect the interest of Ndigbo through their media outfits.

According to him, with the coming of the new newspaper, Ndigbo and their affairs would get more mention in national discourse while others will benefit through direct and indirect employment.

Praying for the success of Authority Newspaper, Nze Agukwe said he had no doubt that the new outfit would do well given the antecedents of the publisher.

Said he, "Like anything he touches, we know that the Authority newspaper will go to the top"!

He enjoined other Igbo entrepreneurs and successful people of emulate Chief Ifeanyi Ubah in creating jobs for the people and empowering the less privileged through philanthropy.


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Igbo-group-lauds-Ifeanyi-Ubah-over-authority-newspaper

Emerging facts at the weekend revealed how former President Olusegun Obasanjo almost destroyed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and

forced it into becoming an opposition party.







The Authority recalls that Obasanjo had openly criticized every decision of his predecessors in office, particularly former President

Goodluck Jonathan and dramatized his hatred for the party that made him president when he publicly tore his PDP membership card and endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate,

Muhammadu Buhari.







Although the national leadership of the PDP dismissed Obasanjo as

incapable of having any strong negative influence on the party, the party paid the price and created the unenviable record of being the first ruling party to lose a presidential election in Nigeria.



But, the former National Chairman and pioneer National Secretary of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, disclosed that apart from the negative actions taken by the regime of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar that led to the foisting of Obasanjo as president, Obasanjo’s brash and unforgiving attitude, his relentless war against perceived enemies, his strivings to become one of the African dictators and his anti-democratic tendencies, all combined to destroy the PDP.



Nwodo also explained that Obasanjo had wanted to imprison him by concocting what he described as “a phantom National Identity Card scam” all because he (Obasanjo) felt that he (Nwodo) was frustrating his plots to transmute to real time dictator.



Said Nwodo: “You will recall that during the military regimes, the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), which can be christened in any other way, consisting of a few generals, usurped the powers of the legislature and they were at the same time the executive.



“Obasanjo, came from that mold and he was a former military head of state and saw power as if it rested entirely with the President and Commander-in-Chief and so, found it very difficult to conform to civilian style of governance (democratic tenet).



“That was why he had so many problems with the legislature because he wanted to usurp their powers. We then had to set up several committees to attempt to resolve these problems, the most extensive and successful headed by Dr. Alex Ekwueme.



“They took a lot of time and energy and went into details to show the division of power between the two arms of government (executive and legislature) and where they must cooperate in order to move the country as one administration.



“But you find that at the end of the day, the South-East which was zoned the senate presidency, produced five Senate Presidents in eight years”.



The former governor of Enugu State claimed further that Obasanjo used every means at his disposal to hack down perceived enemies and party members through all forms of subterfuge and almost entrenched anti-democratic spirit among the people ‘he selected’ to man strategic positions at the executive, legislative and PDP administrative structures at all level.



“Anybody he didn't want, he will move into the Assembly and made sure he didn't emerge or he didn't succeed. In fact, he started from day one.



“I remember Solomon Lar and I gathered the PDP senators in Agura Hotel and we did a mock primary in which Senator Chuba Okadigbo secured more than 97 per cent of the votes cast in the mock election.



“Obasanjo wouldn't have Chuba as Senate President. He used every means at his disposal to make sure that Chief Evan(s) Enwerem became the Senate P resident. It was indeed the beginning of the crises in PDP up till today.



“Many people do not realize that when President Obasanjo came back into power, he looked at a lot of the African presidents who were there with him when he was head of state and were still in office and he believed they were not more intelligent than him. He also believed they were not more patriotic in the love of their country than him.



“So, he didn't see why they should still be on stage and he will not be on stage as long as he would have liked to.



“From day one, President Obasanjo was not planning to leave office even after a second tenure. That was when the idea of third term came into his mind.



“That was why any Senate President, any party member, the Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, and everybody he felt could stand against him, was hounded in order to achieve the third tenure, which unfortunately collapsed”.



He maintained that had Obasanjo allowed PDP to be run democratically, several people who occupied top leadership positions at various strata would not have been there.



Nwodo also spoke on his removal from office as National Chairman of PDP and attributed it principally to orchestrated lies fabricated against him by favour seekers to former President Goodluck Jonathan.



He added that Jonathan unfortunately handed over PDP affairs to state governors, who then blackmailed any party national or state leader they felt obstructed their vaulting ambition, and so, plotted his removal.



He stated that the climax of the plot was because he insisted on implementing the directives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against the party’s primary in eight states and his press conference where he said he would disgrace any governor who attempted to bribe him.



“INEC had been writing to the party saying that in eight states, where they observed our primary, what they witnessed did not comply with the constitution of the PDP and so, they will not take candidates from those states for that election.



“At that point, I brought the eight governors from the affected states to the president (Goodluck Jonathan) and we had a meeting. I told them I was going to implement the letter from INEC because I didn't want us to lose election in eight states in a row. They also went to INEC and Prof. Attahiru Jega put his foot down that he met the situation PDP then found itself and that he(Jega) didn't create it.



“In trying to execute that, I fell out of favour with my state governor (Sullivan Chime), who found it easy to mobilize the other governors, who were not comfortable with my stand on the INEC statement, my insistence on e-membership registration and internal democracy.



“They said this chairman is too strong and difficult and so, we must remove him. At the height of all these, I addressed a press conference, that I don't want the governors to come to my house again; that I was going to call a press conference and expose anybody who came to my house withGhana-Must-Go.



“All of these culminated to some of these governors feeling I was their problem rather than looking at the merits of what we were trying to do for the party.



“The President at the time (Jonathan), was interested in completing the tenure between him and the late President Umaru Yar'Adua. And he saw the governors as the field commanders who were going to bring in the votes for him.



“So, he felt that if he sided me in all these, when the governors were against me, he will lose the support of the governors. The stage was then set for a conspiracy to ease me out of office so the governors could have their way and the president will also have the support of the governors.



“At that point, I felt that the party should move on rather than stick to my guns as the national chairman when the governors didn't want me”.


www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Obasnajo-killed-PDP-Nwodo-----wanted-to-become-a-dictator

kelch19:
Mr jonathan meant well for his country. I love him not because most of his cabinet members were extremely corrupt but because of his humility..moral of the story be HUMBle.

You have a point bro. Jonathan should be a role model to our politicians. Infact, not just politicians alone,but to every Nigerian who loves Nigeria.

kelch19:
Mr jonathan meant well for his country. I love him not because most of his cabinet members were extremely corrupt but because of his humility..moral of the story be HUMBle.

You have a point bro. Jonathan should be a role model to our politicians

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the November 21 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, has cleared the air on the N11 billion allegedly looted by him when he held sway as governor between 1999 to 2003.

Audu disclosed this on Thursday through his twitter handle. He said, "When I was in office between 1999 and 2003, we received average monthly allocation of N350 million and about N16.8 billion for the entire 4 years of my tenure.

"With these, we paid all salaries, we built Kogi State University, Obajana Cement Factory (now owned and run by Dangote Cement), Confluence Beach Hotel, Stella Obasanjo Library, Paparanda Square, Government House, Governor's Office, State Secretariat, Banquet Hall, Confluence Stadium and the Lokoja Township Stadium,

"Others are the Federal Medical Centre and we equipped same with 25 state-of-art ambulances, NTA Kogi, Radio Kogi, Kogi Graphics Newspaper, 75 rural electrification projects, the Presidential Lodge, Governor's Lodge, Abuja and inter-state roads,"

The governorship candidate also listed other projects executed by his administration to include Specialist Eye Centre, Commissioner's Quarters, 200 Housing Units, among others.

While stating that he won seven out of the 12 awards instituted by a Federal Government panel to evaluate and reward performance, he said the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), afraid of his soaring popularity began to cook up stories to smear his name.

"When the then ruling People's Democratic Party saw me as a threat, they started instigating Kogites against me, and when the people couldn't buy into that, having known the truth, they orchestrated my arrest, which led to my being dragged before the ICPC, CCB, CCT and EFCC.

"When all that failed, the then PDP led Kogi state government took over and issued a white paper, banning me from politics for 10 years. I proceeded to court, and the court ruled that the Kogi government has no such right to ban me from politics.

"The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has also taken me to 7 courts in total (4 in Kogi and 3 in Abuja). In each of these cases, they'll always

pull out before judgment is passed and go back to frame up new figures; I was first accused of stealing N1.5b, then N4b, then N8b and finally N11 billion. It's also on record that I was the most pursued politician by the EFCC, as the PDP wanted my head at all cost always during elections."

www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/I-didn-t-steal-N11bn-as-Kogi-gov-says-Audu

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has finally expressed its mind on the outcome of the just concluded presidential election, saying, but for the statesmanly approach of former President Goodluck Jonathan, it would have challenged the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is in spite of the pressure from the North-East to complete their tenure as PDP National Chairman following the resignation of Adamu Mu'azu.

The party made its position known at the 67th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja yesterday.

It drew the attention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the crisis the singular action of Jonathan in conceding victory averted, warning that its magnanimity should not be taken for granted.

The party further said that Jonathan's action saved the nation from unrest and possible disintegration.

It also announced its determination to return to power in 2019 by exposing the hypocrisy of the ruling party through checks and constructive criticism.

At a well-attended National Executive committee of the party, the first since 2015 general election, PDP also adopted the Senator Ike Ekweremmadu Post Election Fact Finding Committee Report, which recommended way forward for the party.

According to a statement released by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the recommendations include the sanctity of the zoning principle of the party, biometric membership registration, introduction of direct primaries to guarantee internal democracy as well as reconciliation.

Also speaking, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Olusegun Mimiko said, "Nigerians and political leaders who find it convenient to rubbish the legacies of President Goodluck Jonathan in conceding power to President Muhammadu Buhari must have a rethink as they can only speak because Nigeria exists as a nation today.

"The presidential election was far from being perfect and most PDP members would have gone to court to challenge the election but for the position of the President to concede victory. If you subject that election to forensic and scientific analyses, the details would have exposed the deficiency of the result."

Also speaking, the party's National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, called the attention of Nigerians to the selective implementation of the 'ordinarily commendable' anti-corruption fight.

www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Jonathan-stopped-us-from-contesting-Buhari-s-election--PDP

...27 Cash strapped states seek fresh loans from FG

..Say bailout funds can't clear salary arrears

.NNPC, NIMASA, NPA under probe for defrauding Govt

Most of the states in the country are still in deep financial crisis, even after they have received bailout funds from the Federal Government. And they are asking for more money from the Government.

As at Thursday, 27 of such states have approached the Federal Government to beg for fresh loans to meet their financial obligations to their various stakeholders.

They particularly want the loans from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), which the Federal Government has approved.

The move of the states and the worrisome position of their finances were disclosed at the National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday in Abuja.

NEC also announced that investigations have begun into fraudulent practices of some federal agencies which collect revenues in dollars but remit the funds to government coffers in naira.

The NEC, chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, with state governors and the Central Bank Governor in attendance, named the offending agencies as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

Highlights of the meeting were disclosed to journalists by the Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade.

According to Ayade, "a brief report on the Federal Government agencies remitting dollar revenues in naira into the Federation Account was given by the CBN Governor".

It will be recalled that the same agencies and others were already being investigated by a NEC committee headed by the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and foreign audit firms for not fully remitting revenues into the Excess Crude Account.

The NEC was also informed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance that the balance in the ECA stood at $2.25bn as at October 15th, 2015.

Ayade added that "on the provision of provisional loans to states based on collaterisation of the Excess Crude Account, the CBN governor briefed that 27 states have made request for the N10 billion facility and is currently being processed.

"He has called on the affected states to complete all necessary documentation for the same money to the 27 states."

He noted that not all state governments had indicated interest in the ECA collaterised loan, but that Vice-President Osinbajo assured the states of refund for excess expenses they incurred in rehabilitating federal roads in their domains.

Meanwhile, the governors have pointed out that in the face of dwindling revenues to the Federal Government, the bailout funds recently extended to them would still not be enough for the states to offset backlog of salaries.

They however, gave assurances that the funds earmarked for paying off the salaries owed their workers would not be diverted for other purposes.

This is in view of the outcry in some quarters that some state governors planned to divert the bailout funds into other projects.

Speaking for his colleagues, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, said "bailout is a short-term measure on arrears of salaries. But the truth is that the accruals would still not be enough and final solution to the accruals shortfall in the payment of salaries still has to be found."

The governors further disclosed that the Federal Government had assured them that it would assist in tackling the crisis created by floods in the affected states.



http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/We-want-more---.html

In line with United Nations Mandate to promote global hygiene and maintain stringent hand washing measures as a universal culture, a non-government organisation, Centre for Health Enhancement and Social Development, CHESD, has urged Nigerians to inculcate the habit of hand-washing with soaps to prevent diseases like hepatitis A in order to ensure safer health for all.

It said that practising hand-washing may seem a simple behaviour, but it is rarely practiced globally.

The aim of the Global Hand-washing Day is to foster and support a general culture of hand-washing with soaps in all societies, with CHESD emphasising on the state of hand- washing in each country as well as raise awareness about the benefits of hand-washing with soaps.

In a statement by CHESD Board of Trustee Chairman, Mr Iria Ailendesuan made available to the AUTHORITY in Benin City, he said the main objective of the Global Hand- washing Day (GHD) is to promote hand washing and personal hygiene, which is the first line of defence against the spread of infections.

He explained that each year, over 200 million people celebrate Global Handwashing Day adding that the initiative is a campaign to motivate and mobilise people around the world.

http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Hand-washing-can-check-hepatitis-A-diarrhea-others--Group.html

sandraokosun:
true, we always tell them the reality just like b4 election 2015, but they think they stand a chance. The way pdp would loose more like the kogi state. My fear is they would just make the ride easy for pmb

It is a known fact that the APC governorship candidate Abubakar Audu is being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, of misappropriating N11 billion of the state’s funds while he was governor between 1999 and 2003. The APC came out to inform the public that if Mr Audu, should be elected as the governor,he will refund the N11 billion of the state's funds that he was accused of. Can you imagine what this party is telling Nigerians, do they think that the whole of Nigerians are dumb ass, if he is sincerely remorse and really want to refund the money just as what the APC are saying,what is stopping him and his party from returning this money now.
Please let me stress and correct this insinuation, that I am neither a PDP fan nor a fan of any Political Party in Nigeria, but a simple patriotic Nigerian who wishes his country well and feel that the right thing should be done always.
I would also like to point out one observation, that if Mr Audu should win this coming Kogi State election by merit,then I will conclude that what analyst have said about Nigerians of having up 65 million illiterates is indeed true and that a good proportion of these illeterates reside in Kogi State.
This is just my opinion.

sandraokosun:
mark is overated his boundary end in benue south at most in benue as he couldnt even influence anything to make his co-senator in the central win. Germade defected to apc within weeks and akume won for him and also won his own. Dawanbo is a clown just like ribadu, they arent politicians. Ribadu couldnt win his adamawa in 2011. A dummy can never play politics and gej showed that . pdp is buried but we have to show its dumb supporters

I wouldn't say PDP is dead and buried if i were you. Don't forget, Buhari defeated the PDP with only 2 million votes and that is because PDP was not able to win one Northern State. Now If this information can be said to be true,then in my opinion,I will say that the arrangement of the party to zone the PDP presidential ticket to the North is very strategic and can pose a threat to the ruling party especially if one of these aforementioned candidates decides to run under the PDP platform because, these candidates enjoy wide support and influence in there States and regions.
Don't forget, PDP is still a big Party and a political force in Nigeria.

sandraokosun:
trust me ATIKU IS CURSED, OBJ said he can never be president and knws why. Saraki is a clown whether in apc or pdp. The highest he can get is senate. The world knws who he is as kwara criminal + his uncertanity of dumping party also with atiku who cant be trusted by both party.tambuwal is ready to take a bullet for pmb just like elrufai. They cant disobey him becos they would want to ride on pmb strength in the future and their commion with pdp will end that

But there is something individual interest and ambition, these two tendencies may come to play on these individuals. And before we forget, PDP is still big party which all these people were once part of.
Time will tell anyway, this might all just be speculations in the media so as to sell there papers in the market.

BALLOSKI:
Who cares?

People care bro. I'm pretty sure,some people are curious to know who the PDP will want to present as there presidential candidate come 2019. So its just information for the public.