₦airaland Forum

Obasanjo warned that Nigeria should not go way of the Cote d ‘Ivoire after that country’s last presidential election.

“I said it. This is what they had in Cote d’ Ivoire that led them to a very serious problem; not issue of religion, not issue of tribe, not issue of section but issues of unity of this country. The hate campaign that we have embarked upon now, I hope this will be the last time in the history of this country that we will have this type of campaign of hatred or division.

“I think the emphasis should be on what unite us, not what divide us.”

The former president urged the women to always play their role well when things do not work well for the citizens.

“When things are going wrong, if women don’t act, things will continue to go wrong because you have ability to act. The men who invariably make things to go wrong are your fathers, your husbands, your sons, you sons-in-law, and with your husbands. You can have pillow talk, but when things are going wrong and you do not talk or act, you will also be the greatest victim at the end of the day because it will have effect on your children and would have a direct effect on you, and will have the effect on all of us,” he noted.

Obasanjo said Nigeria should not just be the largest country in Africa but should serve as role model to other nations.

“It shouldn’t be – we are the largest country in Africa, we should be a model, setting examples, we shouldn’t be drawing Africa backward. I hope we will not. I hope at the end of this exercise, we would be where we should be, leading Africa and showing examples for the rest of Africa and indeed the rest of the world,” Obasanjo stated.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/obasanjo-nigeria-dont-go-the-way-cote-d-ivoire-went-after-their-last-presidential-election/

In a campaign pledge certain to question his grasp of the Nigerian economy, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on Monday promised to ensure that the naira would be equal to the dollar in value if voted into office.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Buhari said this during the south-east presidential rally of the party at Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri.
“It is sad that the value of the naira has dropped to more than N230 to one dollar. This does not speak well for the nation’s economy,” he said without any indication that he stated how he is going to achieve this naira-dollar parity.

He urged the people to vote for APC, noting that he would ensure that corruption was tackled headlong if elected.

Earlier, the Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, had urged APC supporters to vote for the party’s candidates at all levels, noting that a vote for Buhari without support to others at the state would amount to nothing.
Okorocha said Buhari would address the problem of electricity, bring back the kidnapped Chibok girls and promote industrial growth.

He said that Buhari was loved by the people in the region and urged them to elect him and other APC candidates during the March 28 and April 11 general election.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/buhari-ill-make-naira-equal-to-the-dollar/

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday declared as unconstitutional the planned by the federal government to deploy the military for the forthcoming coming general elections.

According to the judge, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) do not assign any role to the military during election.

Justice Buba therefore restrained the federal government from deploying soldiers for the conduct of the forthcoming general elections.

The judge gave this verdict while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila against President Goodluck Jonathan and 5 others.

Though the court recognised the constitution powers of the President to deploy and determined the operation duties of the military, it, however, held that such powers must be exercised with the confines of the law.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/court-stops-the-use-of-military-for-elections/

President Goodluck Jonathan explained on Friday why he has remained unperturbed in spite of the negative things said or written against him, saying “I’m not desperate to remain in office as president.”

He counseled politicians vying and scrambling for elective positions both at the federal and state level not to be desperate if they have the things needed for the contest, which are readiness and willingness.

The president who stated this at a public launch of a book written by Rev. Fr. Charles Imokhai, titled ‘The People’s Choice: The story of President Goodluck Jonathan’ at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja also said most accounts of the story of his that had been published are not accurately correct.

More than N177 million was donated by both individual and corporate donors at the launch of the book which chronicles the life of the President in four-part, including his educational background, family life and political career.

Noting that he was not desperate to remain in office, Jonathan said, “My second message is to all of us, especially those of us who are politicians, that for all of us who want to serve, we should ‎be ready to serve but we should not be desperate to serve our people.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/jonathan-im-not-desperate-to-remain-in-office/

The Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Tuesday denied categorically that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) received N1.329 trillion as subsidy payments over three years (2009-2011) from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as alleged by the Ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on Subsidy Regime.

The ad hoc committee report had alleged that: “NNPC deducted directly the sum of N408.255 billion (in addition to the payment of N81.648 billion by CBN in 2009, the sum of N407.801 billion, (in addition of the payment of N402.423 billion by CBN in 2010, and the sum of N847.942 billion (in addition to the payment of N844.944 billion by CBN) for 2011 contrary to section 162 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

This claim, the minister said, was totally baseless, false and without foundation.
Alison-Madueke, who spoke with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, strongly reiterated that subsidy payments to NNPC are not based on cash remittance and therefore CBN could not have remitted any cash to NNPC for the purpose of subsidy.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/alision-madueke-nnpc-didnt-receive-n1-329tn-from-cbn-for-oil-subsidy/

Swiss officials have said they will be returning about $380 million stolen by former dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, to Nigeria.

Geneva prosecutors, according to the Associated Press (AP), said on Tuesday that they ordered the money seized in Luxembourg starting in 2006. It was transferred to Switzerland and officially confiscated last year following an agreement between the federal government and the Abacha family under which the Nigerian government dropped its case against the late dictator’s son, Abba Abacha.

The money, confiscated on the basis that the Abacha family was a criminal organisation, will now be returned to Nigeria under World Bank supervision.
Geneva prosecutors closed their own case, opened in 1999, in which Abba Abacha was the last person still under investigation.
The $380 million had been placed in several accounts abroad that were controlled by the Abacha family, the Geneva prosecutors’ office said in a statement.

The money was seized in 2006 in Luxembourg, under orders from the Swiss authorities.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/switzerland-to-return-380m-of-abacha-loot/

The Benin Traditional Council yesterday put to rest speculation about the disposition of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediauwa, saying the monarch is actually “indisposed”.

Secretary to the council, Mr Frank Irabor, in a four paragraph statement which he signed, with Ref. BTC./A66/VOL. VI/T1/76 dated WFTH March 2015, said that in Palace parlance, the proper information due the general public on the disposition of the Oba is, ‘Uhunmwun ve Ekpen vb Ato’, meaning, “the Leopard is ill in the Savannah bush”.

Irabor also said that while palace chiefs and functionaries are to continue in their routine traditional duties at the palace, public engagements are therefore suspended until further notice.

Such engagements, he said, also includes courtesy visits, hearing of complaints from individuals, families and communities and in particular, complaints over inheritance and land disputes.

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The president, who gave the hint during an interactive season with the Showbiz stakeholders on Sunday night in Lagos, explained that lately he has noticed that the entertainment industry, like sports, is not just a unifying factor for the nation but is fill with great potentials which if invested more in is capable of boosting the Nigeria’s tourism sector.

“I have seen the entertainment industry just like sports, as a unifying factor for the nation, not just at the national level because but even at the international level. So at the national level it brings unity and togetherness.
Secondly, entertainment industry is key in terms of tourism and we have not yet explored the great potentials we have in tourism in Nigeria.

He said: “I am seeing a great potential in the Nigeria’s movie industry. I have noticed that if we encourage the entertainment industry, that is the Noollywood family, we would really be pushing this country forward because before this time, the Nollywood and the entertainment industry in general was not producing much but now even in terms of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), presently it is contributing over 1.4 per cent growth to the nation’s GDP. So it is a sector that I am so passionate about and want to encourage because it will create a lot of jobs for young people as well as adults who are in business. I think we should make the industry bigger as we progress.”

Jonathan also hinted that it was most likely that the entertainment sector be moved from the ministry of information, which it is presently to that of culture and tourism ministry.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/jonathan-why-im-passionate-about-the-entertainment-industry/

Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, yesterday described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as being obsessed with him for running newspaper advertorials of his renounced and outdated views about President Goodluck Jonathan.

He described the action of the opposition party as desperate.

Fani-Kayode said the resort to such childish and dirty tactics by the APC would not distract him from his present assignment of selling the candidature of President Jonathan to the electorate and the Nigerian people while exposing the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari as incapable and unfit to rule Nigeria.

According to a statement he issued yesterday in Abuja, Fani-Kayode said, “The APC have resorted to buying full page adverts of outdated quotes about President Goodluck Jonathan from old essays written by me when I was in their ranks.

“This proves the measure of their desperation. Needless to say I renounced those views about President Jonathan long ago and since then I have returned to the PDP and have given my unflinching support both to him and the party.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/fani-kayode-apc-is-obsessed-with-me/

No fewer than 3,000 unemployed persons in Effurun, Uviwie local government area of Delta State on Thursday disrupted candidates sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) at the premises of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun.
It was gathered that the protesters drawn from various quarters of Effurun were allegedly aggrieved over the continued marginalisation of their people, especially in the area of unemployment, contracts and other welfare.
During the protest, eye witnesses said the protesters including men, women and youths carried placards with inscriptuions such as, “No peace for PTI; they have employed 159 persons, we want our 50 per cent job slot; we want to discuss with the minister for petroleum resources, Dr Dezian Alison Madueke; what kind of federal character is been practiced in the federal institutes in Nigeria,” among others.
Speaking with newsmen, chairman of Uviwie community, John Makireru, said several representations had been made to the school authority to employ the teeming youths to no avail.
He said, “We are demanding for our fair share of job placement for Uviwie sons and daughters but PTI authority continues to turn off their ear to our demand.”

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The Presidency on Friday rebuffed claims by the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, that he was offered the position of vice president by President Goodluck Jonathan in an alleged interim government, describing the allegation as false, misleading.

Also, the Presidency walked back on claims that Jonathan had a telephone conversation with King Mohammed of Morocco; it also said it was irresponsible and reckless for Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State to have linked the President’s recent presence in Lagos to the recent heinous crime perpetrated in the state.

Tinubu had recently stated in a statement by his media office, that Jonathan offered him the position of vice president in an alleged interim government. However, he did not indicate where and how the offer was made.
But Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa said as an elected president, Jonathan would not push for an unconstitutional interim government.

Abati stressed that at no time did Jonathan make such an offer to Tinubu, saying the All Progressives Congress chieftain’s claim was a figment of his imagination, and as such should be disregarded.

The Presidential spokesman said: “Tinubu lied on the interim government issue, which Jonathan will never subscribe to as a believer and beneficiary of true democracy. Given the configuration of the country, for there to be a southern president and president from the same zone, was totally absurd.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/presidency-tinubus-claim-of-vp-offer-in-ing-false-misleading/

The Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram, weekend pledged allegiance to the Middle East group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The Boko Haram insurgents who, in recent weeks, have suffered heavy casualty in the hands of Nigerian troops, released an audio message purportedly delivered by its leader, Abubakar Shekau, where he announced “allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims, Ibrahim ibn Awad ibn Ibrahim al-Husseini al-Qurashi,” which is another name for the ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

A security expert and member of the Jamestown Foundation, an international NGO, Jacob Zenn, said the recording appeared to be authentic. He, however, noted that some other messages from the sect were faked, adding “the speaker in this one is Shekau”.

“Boko Haram joining the ISIS fold makes sense to both groups. Boko Haram will get legitimacy, which will help its recruiting, funding and logistics as it expands into (French-speaking) West Africa. It will also get guidance from ISIS in media warfare and propaganda. Previously, Boko Haram was a sort of outcast in the global Jihadi community. Now it is perhaps ISIS’ biggest affiliate,” ,” he said from Abuja.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/boko-haram-pledges-allegiance-to-isis/

Civil society organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has debunked allegation from the minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that its lawsuit over the alleged mismanagement of N30 trillion by the federal government is political.
SERAP, while maintaining that it strives to ensure that its human rights and accountability work meet the highest standards of analytical rigour devoid of politics, urged the minister to “embrace constructive engagement on issues of human rights, transparency and accountability.”
The organisation also urged Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to avoid sound bite and opportunistic attacks on civil society organisations simply working to make the government sit up, so that it can function to improve the conditions of millions of marginalised and disadvantaged Nigerians.
SERAP’s comments came after the minister last week in a statement lambasted the group for instituting a lawsuit against her over the claim by a former Central Bank governor, Chukwuma Soludo, that Nigeria has lost as much as N30 trillion to corruption and mismanagement.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/missing-n30tn-suit-against-okonjo-iweala-not-political/

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The Cable News Network (CNN) will this weekend air the profile of Nigeria’s “Alibaba” who is generally referred to as the godfather of Nigerian comedy. It will be beamed to millions of viewers around the globe.

African Voices showcases international newsmakers that are from the continent and brings viewers special reports and interviews from such innovators and thought leaders, their impact in Africa and on the global stage in areas such as sports, politics, business and the arts.

The stand-up comedian whose real name is Atunyota Alleluya Akporobomerere will be sharing with comedy lovers how he had played a major role in transforming a trade once seen as fit for “never do wells” into not just serious business, but a well respected profession.

He also lets viewers into his house where he has a space he calls “the jokes factory” because it is filled with materials like Readers Digest magazines and Shakespeare works which inspire his stand-up routines.

The programme will be aired on CNN International at 4.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Saturday and at 12.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. on Sunday. Viewers can also watch the show during the repeat broadcasts on Monday at 11:30 a.m. and on Tuesday at 5.30 a.m.

Ali Baba was born in Warri, Delta State, on June 24th 1965. After acquiring a degree from the then Bendel State University, Ekpoma in 1990, he relocated to Lagos, having discovered his comic talent and funny bone in his 3rd Year in University. He began his professional career with corporate events and appearing on television shows.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/cnn-celebrates-african-comedy-with-nigerias-alibaba/

With the 2015 election doubtfully looming, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be rallying for “a millon man march” in Lagos tomorrow. The reason the All Progressives Congress (APC) prefers this violence prone exercise over idea-provoking presidential debate “BEATS ME”.

Our contestants are not only with their PVCs but also with their PASSPORTS, VISA and plenty of CASH. Meanwhile over 80% of those who will be at the rally are only with their PVCs, some don’t even have theirs yet, some will never have at-all.

Why do we always want to die for the leaders who give no “DAMN” about us, “Nigerians Think”.

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The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday debunked insinuations that they were against the use of card readers for the forthcoming elections.

The party, however, insisted on adequate test runs of the card readers before deploying them for use, in order to avoid chaos.

The deputy national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, who stated this yesterday while briefing newsmen, further boasted that the PDP would win the 2015 election comfortably.

Secondus, who said the PDP was ready for the 2015 elections, said it had decentralised its campaigns from the wards to the polling units, stressing that claims that it was afraid of the use of permanent voter cards (PVCs) and card readers were therefore propaganda by the APC.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/we-are-not-afraid-of-card-reader-pdp/

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) on Thursday rose in defence of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, declaring that she was right alleging that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari was being “brain dead”
Director of Media and Publicity of the PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in a response to the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation on Thursday in Abuja, said “The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was absolutely right. To say that General Buhari is ”brain dead” is an understatement and to suggest that he is suffering from dementia is nothing new.
“The First Lady has spoken in a courageous and forthright manner and, most important of all, she has spoken the bitter truth. Instead of crying like spoilt little brats and complaining, the APC and the Buhari Campaign Organisation should live with that bitter truth and leave her alone.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/fani-kayode-backs-first-lady-over-comment-on-buhari/

A coalition of Ndigbo indigenes in Lagos under the aegis of Association for the Defence of Igbo Interests on Wednesday disclosed that it was not part of the alleged indecent money President Goodluck Jonathan shared in Lagos about fortnight ago.

However, the association listed 12 reasons it endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in Lagos, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to build on the foundation, which it said, was laid by former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his successor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

The association disclosed this at a news conference addressed by its Coordinator, Prof. Chris Nwokobia and Secretary, Dr. Harris Chuma in Lagos, dissociating Ndigbo indigenes in the state “from the indecent money sharing going on now as a campaign strategy of President Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/ndigbo-were-not-part-of-jonathans-alleged-indecent-money-sharing/

A non-profit organisation, Transparency Network has called on the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to investigate the Chairman of the House Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Adeola Solomon Olamilekan over reports of the latter’s “politically-sponsored blackmail” on the petroleum ministry, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the Executive Director of the Abuja-based non-profit organisation, Dr. Yahaya Bello also accused the House committee chairman of “economic sabotage” as a result of his series of “unsubstantiated” corruption allegations on the petroleum ministry.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/14-9bn-report-transparency-network-seek-probe-of-reps-committee/

Before the simulated postponement of the general elections scheduled to hold on February 14 and 28, Chief Edwin Clark and some ethnic champions had called for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega.

On account of the closeness of the group to the Presidency, not a few Nigerians believed that the Federal Government had decided to fire the INEC helmsman.

In his last media chat, President Goodluck Jonathan dismissed the rumoured plan to sack Prof Jega. He, however, said that since he appointed the chairman and members of the INEC team, he could fire any of them at will.

Since last week, it has been widely reported that Jega may be asked to proceed on terminal leave any moment from now. Having regard to the national embarrassment which greeted the removal of a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Mr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (as he then was) last year, the attention ofthe President ought to be drawn to the limit of his powers with respect to the removal of the INEC chairman.

Pursuant to Section 155 of the Constitution, Prof Jega was appointed the INEC chairman by the President on June 24 , 2010, following the confirmation by the Senate. Section 155 of the Constitution provides that the INEC chairman shall occupy the office “for a period of five years from the date of his appointment”.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/falana-why-jega-cant-be-sacked/

A fresh feud may be brewing between the House of Representatives and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

We learnt that the minister, who had employed the courts to quash a House probe into her alleged use of $10 billion to hire jets, may also use the same method to block the legislators’ scrutiny of the $14.9 billion paid into the account of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).

The Chairman of the House Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Adeola Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Lagos), who hinted at the likelihood of another confrontation between his committee and Alison-Madueke, revealed this to journalists.

“Just about a month ago, we invited the NLNG to appear before the Committee of Public Accounts. They came and they told us that the federal government has about 51 per cent share holding in NLNG while 49 per cent is owned by Shell and other private sector outfits. They said between 2004 -2014, they have remitted to NNPC coffer the sum of $14.9 billion,” he said.

The correct equity holding in NLNG is federal government through NNPC – 49 per cent, while Shell, Elf and Agip hold 51 per cent in the company.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/03/alison-madueke-house-to-prepare-for-a-fight-over-nlng-14-9bn-remittance-to-nnpc/

As part of efforts to further reduce road traffic crashes across the country, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi has read the riot act to operators of rickety vehicles plying the nation’s highways, indicating that the Corps will commence a nationwide prosecution of owners or operators of such vehicles.

The Corps Marshal stated that the nationwide exercise, which will commence on 1st March, 2015, forms part of the Corps’ commitment towards sustaining the tempo of its operational activities and to create safer motoring environment in the country, anchored on its 2015 strategic goals of reducing road traffic crashes by 20% and fatalities by 30%.

According to Oyeyemi in a statement signed by the Corps’ spokesperson, Imoh Etuk, one of the core values of the FRSC is to improve on its regulatory capacity and enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, in addition to rescue and advisory capacity, targeted at drastic reduction in road traffic crashes.

While recalling the common sight of poorly maintained vehicles on the nation highways which often break down and result in obstructions of traffic flow, the Corps Marshal enjoined motorists to ensure regular maintenance of their vehicles in view of inherent traffic hazards associated with abandoned broken down vehicles especially at night.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/02/frsc-commences-nationwide-clampdown-on-rickety-vehicles-march-1st/

About 164 corps members are to receive the presidents’ NYSC honours award ceremony which will hold at the Presidential Villa on Monday, March 2, 2015.
This was revealed by the director general of the NYSC, Brig-Gen Johnson Olawumi, while briefing the press on the award ceremony yesterday.
Olawumi stated that 164 winners emerged from 613 nominations received from across the nation, adding that the selections, which were made by distinguished Nigerians with track records of honesty and integrity, were from assessment of reports on each of the nominees for the combined 2012, 2013 and 2014 editions.
He added that the criteria for the selection for the award were on outstanding performance in all critical areas of the service year, orientation course, primary assignment, community development service and winding-up/passing-out activities.
The DG stated that other issues considered for the award include personal qualities of good character, sense of duty, drive and determination, reliability, initiative and resourcefulness, command and leadership, team work and other special contributions.
He added that 994 ex-corps members have been conferred with the award and that with the conferment of award to 164 winners on Monday, the number of winners would increase to 1,158.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/02/164-corps-members-to-receive-nysc-presidential-award/

Nigeria’s former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has denied having twitter account or any other account in the social media through which anybody could relate with.
Babangida in a press release signed by one of his aides who is a publisher of an online magazine, Alhaji Iliyasu Dhacko, Ajiya Minna and made available to newsmen on Friday, said he was miffed by the disclosure recently of spurious use of his name by some dubious elements on a social media account.
The general who said he was not against the usage of his photographs in the media, however advised the users to be cautious ensuring the judicious use of such pictures.
He said it was unfortunate that Nigerian youths that everyone looks up to as leaders of tomorrow were degenerating into social miscreants creating disaffection with the social media.
General Babangida advised that the media should always be used to foster unity as the country at this trying period he said, needs positive contributions of all Nigerians to get things right.
He advised the politicians to desist from engaging the youth in thuggery but more in constructive works beneficial to all. He added that any further use of social media account in his name would be treated as fraud with the originator handed to the appropriate authority.


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See Full Detail: http://monitor9ja.com/2015/02/pvc-distribution-chat-in-the-month-of-february/

Many are feared dead in multiple bomb blasts in Plateau State capital, on Thursday evening.

Style House Files has presented designers at the International Fashion Showcase since the British Council and British Fashion Council launched the initiative in 2012.

This year, in collaboration with Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and co-sponsored by Fayrouz Nigeria, British Council and Haute Fashion Africa, Lagos Fashion & Design Week (LFWD), presented designers Grey, Iamisigo, Kenneth Ize, Orange Culture and Temitayo Nathan at an exhibition themed “Meta 5“, curated by Yegwa Ukpo, who won Best Curator Award for Style House Files on awards night.
It is the designer’s distinct, innate and personal characteristics that create an opportunity to bear witness to the fruition of their art. Too often, the journey of design can be a blur, but this showcase attempts to focus, contemplate and reflect on the oft-overlooked design qualities of these fashion artisans.

The exhibition concept is designed by A White Space Creative Agency.
Speaking on the award, the LFDW Fashion Focus Creative Director, Wadami Amolegbe, stated: “At Style House Files, we take pride in our expertise for collaborating with the finest talent in Nigeria.

“We’re very proud to have assigned Yegwa Ukpo as Curator for 5: Metamorphis exhibition… who worked closely with Lagos Fashion & Design Week’s awards and fashion focus alumni.

“Yegwa’s uncanny ability to reinterpret fashion beyond the seemingly obvious to a diverse audience, captured the attention of the judges at International Fashion Showcase 2015 and earned him the coveted prize of ‘Best Curator IFS 2015′.”

The “Meta 5″ installation is first in a series of year-long initiatives organised by LFDW, targeted at nurturing, promoting and developing talents from the African continent.

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Towing the same path of the federal government to cut costs owing to dwindling oil revenue occasioned by low oil prices, the National Assembly, for the first time in years, has finally agreed to a 25 per cent cut in its annual budget of N150 billion.

By acquiescing to the 25 per cent cut, the National Assembly will shed N37.5 billion of its annual budget, meaning that when the 2015 budget is finally passed, its budget will stand at N112.5 billion.

A source privy to the negotiations between the National Assembly and the executive arm of government told THISDAY on Wednesday that the lawmakers finally agreed to the cut as part of their sacrifice to steer the economy out of the woods following a significant loss of government revenue to falling oil prices

Prior to their acceptance to slash their budget, the National Assembly’s budget was a no-go-area for the executive, which for years had allotted N150 billion to the legislature even when other MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies) of government were forced to accept budget cuts.

The decision on the cut to the National Assembly’s budget was taken by the lawmakers before the commencement of plenary.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/02/legislators-agree-to-cut-national-assemblys-budget-by-25/

The presidency yesterday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of always taking side with the Boko Haram terrorists and criticising federal government’s efforts in tackling the insurgents.
It also refuted the claim by the opposition party that the federal government had spent $32 billion dollars, which in naira amounts to a whooping N6.5 trillion, on the war against terrorism.
Senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe who made the presidency’s position known at a briefing in Abuja noted that the APC’s claim on the N6.5trillion spent on the insurgency war was untrue and lacked any factual basis.
He added that the party’s penchant for always demeaning the Nigerian military was borne out of the fact that it doesn’t seem to be happy with these recent successes recorded by the army in the war against the insurgents.
Okupe was reacting to the statement issued by the national publicity secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday in which he quoted President Goodluck Jonathan as saying that the federal government “underrated the capacity of the Boko Haram” and waited for this long to rout out the insurgents as a political trump card.
According to the presidential aide, the APC by that claim has again “displayed the apparent hypocrisy and insincerity of his party on this most important national issues”, even as he argued that Lai Mohammed’s statement “contained as usual some falsehoods” saying the presidency finds these assertions by the APC most unfortunate and certainly unpatriotic.
“We had expected that the APC would drop this toga by unequivocally supporting government and our troops to defeat terror; especially now that it is hoping that Nigerians would entrust it with the leadership of our dear Nation, but unfortunately this appears not to be so”, he stated.

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President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that more than 80 per cent of his advisers have nothing to say.

The president who spoke in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, at a special funeral service for eight female politicians and their driver who died in a road accident on February 14, said this has been happening to him since his days as deputy governor of the state.

He stated this in reaction to Governor Seriake Dickson’s disclosure that he was advised against organising a state burial for the deceased.

Jonathan said, “I was surprised when the governor (of Bayelsa) said some people asked why state burial. I told the governor that more than 80 per cent of people who come to advise you have nothing to say, but just listen to them.

“From my experience as a deputy governor till today, more than 80 per cent (of advisers) have nothing to say, but you listen to everybody and do what is right for our people”.

Describing the day of the accident as a black day which coloured the landscape of Bayelsa with the worst colour, the president said, “We are here today because of the sad event of February 14. Of course, we lost eight of our best.

“To me, it is not just that people have died, not just that Bayelsans have died. But these are people I know too well. These nine caskets contain the remains of people who were dear to me, people that touched me in one way or the other.

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http://monitor9ja.com/2015/02/jonathan-80-advisers-no-advise-say/