₦airaland Forum

Campaign for Democracy (CD) has urged the military to leave pro-Biafra groups alone but face immediate challenges of Boko Haram insurgence that has ravaged the North East.
The group said threats by the military to clampdown on pro-Biafra groups, who were protesting the arrest of leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu was unconstitutional and abuse of human right should they venture into it.
CD Chairman in the South-East, Dede Uzor A. Uzor, said the group has constitutional right to embark on peaceful protest calling for the release of their leader who was arrested by security agents. He further added that any attempt by the Army to touch any member of the group would amount to breach of fundamental human rights of the members, which he said was against the international court justice.
In a related development, General Overseer of Mount Zion Faith Global Liberation Ministries a.ka. By Fire By Fire, Nnewi, Anambra State, Rt Rev Bishop Abraham Chris Udeh has warned against the use of force on the protesters.
Bishop Udeh gave the warning, yesterday, at Akabukwu Uruagu, Nnewi after a ministration. He said threats by the military to use force against those demanding for Kanu’s release would be counter-productive and was capable of over-heating the polity.
He said the only thing that could stop the protest naturally would be to release Kanu unconditionally to calm the protesters who might not succumb to any threat unless he regained his freedom.
He said due process of the law should be followed by producing Kanu in court than his continued detention without trial.
According to him, “Inline with our constitution especially in Chapter 4 and chapter 33 to 40 of 1999 constitution as amended, the military has no right to use force against the defenseless pro Biafra groups who were protesting the release of their leader arrested. If the federal government can release their leader that solves the problem but court of competent jurisdiction has given an order that a particular condition should be met before the release of the man and they have met the condition why are they still holding the young man. The man was supposed to appear before the court yesterday but they refused to bring him to court which made the court to issue order to bring him to court alive or death on November 23”.
“The federal government is violating the law, the law they supposed to keep that they are now violating. The military threat is empty because it seems that the military is ignorant of the law as far as the pro Biafra protesters were taking laws into their hands. Peaceful Protest cross the globe is allowed as far as it is inline with the law, if they don’t go into violent protest with arms destroying things, destroying government property but in this case it is civil protest against the arrest of their leader, government should listen to know why they protesting, it is inline with democratic trends. So the military is ignorant of the law and that is why they are making empty threat and they cannot do anything”.
“We are calling for overhauling of military personnel because they lack the capacity to fight the Boko Haram in the North, there us serious security challenges in the Northern part of country and they have failed to address the issue but threaten the group without arms who are defenseless. So, the CD and other Civil Society condemns the threat by the military against pro Biafra groups” Uzor stated.
He however advised the President to look inward to actually know whether the security men were obeying the law or violating the law of the country, saying that court has spoken over the matter and Kanu should be released “we are moving to anarchy if the security agencies cannot obey court order. So federal should be mindful of what happened in 1983 enactment decrees against humanity”.
The CD also called on federal government set panel to unravel the killings of some youths during the protest and pay compensation to the families of those that were killed during the peaceful protest across the South-East and parts of South-South geopolitical zones.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/40899/pro-democracy-group-condemns-armys-threat-to-pro-biafra-groups

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has applauded the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to stay away from the campaign of All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in the state, Prince Abubakar Audu, saying the move has reinforced the belief of Kogi electorate about the seriousness of the current administration’s commitment to fight corruption.
Wada in a statement issued by his Chief Communications Manager, Phrank Shaibu, said Buhari’s refusal to identify with a tainted politician like Prince Abubakar will go a long way to send the right message to Nigerian youths that the current administration would not want to have anything to do with those who steal or mismanage public funds.
“It is gratifying that President Muhammadu Buhari heeded our advice and refused to identify with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Saturday’s governorship election.
“His decision to stay away from campaigning for a candidate that is being tried for corruption by the EFCC has reinforced the belief of the electorate in Kogi that the current administration is beginning to show commitment to fight corruption.
“Any attempt by Buhari to show public support for Prince Abubakar would not only be a disservice to Nigeria, but will send a clear signal that the wobbly anti-corruption war of the current administration is finally dead”, Shaibu said.
According to him, any presidential support for a treasury looter like Prince Abubakar Audu will ridicule Nigeria in the eyes of the world.
Shaibu added that for the avoidance of doubt, Prince Abubakar Audu is facing trial for stealing money to the tune of N11bn meant for the development of Kogi State and not for his political belief even though some clowns are now saying he is the best thing that has happened to Kogi State.
He advised the electorate in the state to send a clear message to the All Progressives Congress (APC) – through their votes on Saturday – that today’s Nigeria will not have a place for a party that celebrates grand larceny, corruption, greed and wastage of public funds.
https://www.today.ng/politics/40309/kogi-apc-rally-wada-mocks-audu-says-buharis-doesnt-dine-with-looters

The Senate on Wednesday received a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the approval of N465.64 billion Supplementary Budget for government activities in the remaining part of 2015.
Out of the amount, subsidy payment on supply of petrol was allocated N413.36 billion, representing 88 per cent of the total proposed supplementary budget.
“Operation Lafiya Dole” and other issues on the fight against insurgency in the North East got N39.65 billion, while provision for prison rations and feeding for unity schools received N2 billion.
The National Assembly was allocated N10 billion to cater for balance of severance gratuity and allowances of outgone and incoming legislators and legislative aides.
The letter from the President, which accompanied the supplementary estimate, said the new funding requirement was to address security issues and other important obligations.
The government also sought an upward review of the new borrowing plan from N882.1 billion to N2.103 trillion.
The letter said: “The implementation of the Federal Government 2015 Budget has been fraught with significant revenue shortfalls due to continuous decline in the oil price and oil production shortfall.
Read more..
https://www.today.ng/news/national/40216/subsidy-gets-88-of-n465b-supplementary-budget

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said Nigeria is grossly under-policed.
Mr. Obasanjo frowned at what he described as indiscriminate posting of police officers as orderlies and also restated the call for community policing in the country and reformation of the force.
Mr. Obasanjo stated this when the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, visited him at his residence in Abeokuta,Ogun State Capital.
He commended Mr. Arase’s regime, saying his administration had put in efforts to bring back the lost glory of the police.
In his speech, Mr. Arase said he was in the state to see his officers and inspect the level of preparations ahead of the burial of Hannah Awolowo.
The Inspector General of Police subsequently visited Governor Ibikunle Amosun, where he said the federal and state governments needed to collaborate to eliminate crimes in the country.
Mr. Arase commended the state governor for the support so far given to the police in the state.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/40121/nigeria-is-grossly-under-policed-obasanjo-says-as-he-hosts-igp-arase

The fourth deadliest known terrorist group has been named as the Fulani militant group operating in Nigeria and parts of the Central African Republic.
The little-known group, formed of individuals from the semi-nomadic pastorial ethnic group Fula people existing across several West African nations, has seen a dramatic escalation of its activities in the past year.
In 2013, the Fulani killed around 80 people in total – but by 2014 the group had killed 1,229.
Operating mainly in the middle belt of Nigeria, opposed to the north which is dominated by Boko Haram, the group recorded 847 deaths last year across five states, and has also been knonw to stage attacks in the Central African Republic (CAR), according to the latest report from the Global Terrorism Index.
Little is known about the group, despite the high toll they are inflicting on local civilian populations, but it is supposed the increased instability in CAR and Nigeria – despite some government successes against militant groups – has facilitated the group’s expansion.
As much as 92 per cent of their attacks target private citizens, reflecting the group’s primary concern over the ownership of farmland. Each attack claims an average of 11 lives, with the largest known in April 2014 killing as many as 200 people after a group of the militants targeted community leaders and residents during a meeting in central province Zamfara.
In the past year Nigeria has experienced the greatest increase in deaths from terrorism, with 7,512 deaths reported – an increase of over 300 per cent – most of which have been claimed by Boko Haram.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/40141/fulani-militants-named-as-fourth-deadliest-terror-group-in-world

Troops of the 101 Task Force Battalion, 7 Division Garrison, have arrested yet another wanted Boko Haram terrorists leader along Lagos Street Maiduguri, Borno State.
The suspect who gave his name as Abubakar Sadiq, works as night watchman to one Muhammad Daggash.
According to Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, “a closer look at him shows that he is suspect number 28 among the suspected Boko Haram terrorists that were declared wanted by the Nigerian Army last month.”
He added that the Nigeria Police, Borno State Command, has arrested yet another suspected Boko Haram kingpin, Mohammed Usman, at Abuja Talakawa Ward of Maiduguri metropolis, Borno state.
The suspect, who he said marched the photograph of suspect number 40 on the poster containing the photographs of the 100 wanted suspected Boko Haraam terrorists, was arrested after painstaking effort and tracking by the police.
“There is no doubt that the arrests of the suspected terrorists are important milestones which show the synergy of effort in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria among the security agencies and the public.
Read more..
https://www.today.ng/news/national/40030/two-more-wanted-boko-haram-suspects-arrested-in-maiduguri

The immediate past Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has expressed his support for the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Shekarau made this known while speaking with newsmen in Kano on Friday on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Shekarau, who is also a former governor of Kano State, said he was in support of the Federal Government’s fight against corruption.
“When we were in government, we put in place all necessary measures to check corrupt practices.
“There was no contract of any project awarded which did not follow due process; I am totally in support of the crusade but there should be fairness,’’ he said.
He noted that the current fight against corruption in the country could only succeed if there was fairness.
“There has to be due process and I hope there will be no segregation in the fight,’’ Shekarau said.
The former minister also said that for President Buhari’s Government to succeed in tackling the security challenges, it had to address four fundamental issues.
He listed the issues as welfare of security agents; training and retraining of security personnel; equipping the personnel and addressing their pension matters.
“I pray that the Government will address the fundamental issues raised,’’ he said.
https://www.today.ng/politics/34518/shekarau-declares-support-for-buharis-anti-graft-war

trapQ:
tnx love

buddy?? I'm a girl

Sorry Love. Didn't buddy to check your gender though. My bad..

Leadership of the Senate on Friday said that it shut down activities on Thursday in solidarity with its President, Bukola Saraki, because of circumstances surrounding his ongoing assets declaration trial.
Deputy Leader of the Senate, Ibn Na’Allah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the senate believed that rather than prosecution, Saraki was being persecuted, hence the level of solidarity from the lawmakers.
According to Na’Allah, majority of the senators believe that the trial of the president of the senate by the Code of Conduct Tribunal is in no way a prosecution.
“You see, it is a matter of belief and I am going to tell you in very clear language.
“The belief of the 8th Senate and substantial number of the senators is that the trial of the President of the Senate is persecution rather than prosecution.
“If it is persecution, we believe that we have a responsibility to stand by him.
“But if it is prosecution, every senator of the federal republic believes and rightly so, that this government must be given all the necessary assistance it requires to fight corruption,’’ he said.
He argued that Saraki’s trial for alleged offences he committed 13 years ago was more of a political move than a legal or anti-corruption matter.
Maintaining that the senators felt that Saraki was on political trial, Na’Allah said that all the senators could not be wrong at the same time.
“Let me be honest with you; from the little that I know, the senate sees the trial as more of a political trial than a trial intended specifically for the purpose for which it should be done.
“It may be wrong, it may be right, but the circumstances of the trial and for the reason that the subject matter of the trial occurred about 12 or 13 years ago, you cannot fault the senators if they come to that conclusion.
“I am not so sure that you can say that the substantial number of people who believe that this trial is wrong can, at the same time, be said to be wrong.
“We keep on hoping that those who want to assist this government honestly and sincerely will see the wisdom in portraying this government in the best tradition of democratic society,” he said.
The senate leader, however, said that he was sure that President Muhammadu Buhari meant well for Nigeria, with the intention of shifting from culture of impunity to that of adherence to the rule of law.
Read more..
https://www.today.ng/news/34576/why-senate-shut-down-for-sarakis-trial-naallah

trapQ:
today is my bday. November 6th

happy Birthday buddy

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has described the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike as the greatest enemy of the Igbo race who uses the platform to exploit the people and enrich himself.
The governor made this remark yesterday while reacting to a report credited to the MASSOB leader.
A statement issued by the chief press secretary to the governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, explained that all over the world, the real enemies of the people were those who failed or refused to tell them the truth.
The statement reads, “In the reports in question, Chief Uwazuruike was quoted to have said that apart from governor Okorocha being Igbo saboteur, he has also been aiding and abetting the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government in the continued marginalisation of the Igbo, and then asked the Igbos to ignore the governor.
“Although Chief Uwazuruike had made his claim and his allegation, the indisputable fact remains that the real Igbo saboteur is Chief Uwazuruike himself and
“Obviously, what must have prompted Chief Uwazuruike’s media attack on Governor Okorocha this time was the Governor’s condemnation of the violent protest in the name of Biafra some weeks ago, and his remark that Igbo people would not use MASSOB as a platform to ask for what is due for them in an entity called Nigeria, but, the truth must be told.”
https://www.today.ng/politics/34442/youre-the-greatest-enemy-of-igbo-race-okorocha-blasts-uwazuruike

Today’s Highlight in History:
On Nov. 6, 1860, former Illinois congressman Abraham Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the presidency: John Breckinridge, John Bell and Stephen Douglas.
On this date
1632: King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was killed in battle.
1854: America’s “March King,” John Philip Sousa, was born in Washington, D.C.
1861: Confederate President Jefferson Davis was elected to a six-year term of office.
1928: In a first, the results of Republican Herbert Hoover’s presidential election victory over Democrat Alfred E. Smith were flashed onto an electric wraparound sign on the New York Times building.
1934: Nebraska voters approved dissolving their two-chamber legislature in favor of a nonpartisan, single (or “unicameral”) legislative body, which was implemented in 1937.
1944: British official Lord Moyne was assassinated in Cairo, Egypt, by members of the Zionist Stern gang.
1956: President Dwight D. Eisenhower won re-election, defeating Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson.
1962: Democrat Edward M. Kennedy was elected Senator from Massachusetts.
1977: 39 people were killed when the Kelly Barnes Dam burst, sending a wall of water through Toccoa Falls College in Georgia.
1984: President Ronald Reagan won re-election by a landslide over former Vice President Walter Mondale, the Democratic challenger.
1990: About one-fifth of the Universal Studios backlot in southern California was destroyed in an arson fire.
2005: An overnight tornado killed 25 people in southwestern Indiana. In a clear jab at Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, President George W. Bush, in Brazil, called on Latin Americans to boldly defend strong democratic institutions. French President Jacques Chirac (zhahk shih-RAHK’) promised arrests, trials and punishment in the wake of urban unrest that had spread to central Paris.
2010: President Barack Obama opened his 10-day Asia trip on a somber note in Mumbai, India, where he memorialized victims of devastating terror attacks two years earlier, declaring, “We’ll never forget.” A Yemeni judge ordered police to find Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical U.S.-born cleric, “dead or alive” after the al-Qaida-linked preacher failed to appear at his trial for his role in the killing of foreigners. (Al-Awlaki was killed in a U.S. drone strike in the mountains of Yemen on Sept. 30, 2011.)
2012: President Barack Obama was elected to a second term of office, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
One year ago: The march toward same-sex marriage across the U.S. hit a roadblock when a federal appeals court upheld laws against the practice in four states: Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee. (A divided U.S. Supreme Court overturned the laws in June 2015.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reassured Jordan’s King Abdullah that he would not yield to increasing demands by some members of his center-right coalition to allow Jews to pray at a Muslim-run holy site in Jerusalem.
Today’s Birthdays: Actress June Squibb is 86. Country singer Stonewall Jackson is 83. Singer Eugene Pitt (The Jive Five) is 78. Singer P.J. Proby is 77. Country singer Guy Clark is 74. Actress Sally Field is 69. Pop singer-musician Glenn Frey (The Eagles) is 67. Singer Rory Block is 66. Jazz musician Arturo Sandoval is 66. TV host Catherine Crier is 61. News correspondent and former California first lady Maria Shriver is 60. Actress Lori Singer is 58. Actor Lance Kerwin is 55. Rock musician Paul Brindley (The Sundays) is 52. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is 51. Rock singer Corey Glover is 51. Actor Brad Grunberg is 51. Actor Peter DeLuise is 49. Actress Kelly Rutherford is 47. Actor Ethan Hawke is 45. Chef/TV judge Marcus Samuelsson is 45. Actress Thandie Newton is 43. Model-actress Rebecca Romijn is 43. Actress Zoe McLellan is 41. Actress Nicole Dubuc is 37. Actress Taryn Manning is 37. Basketball player Lamar Odom is 36. Actress Patina Miller (TV: “Madam Secretary”) is 31. Actress Katie Leclere is 29. Singer-songwriter Ben Rector is 29. Singer-songwriter Robert Ellis is 27. Actress Emma Stone is 27. Actress Mercedes Kastner is 26.
Thought for Today: “The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It will be the person who does not know how to learn.” — Alvin Toffler, American writer-futurist (1928- ).
https://www.today.ng/news/world/34400/today-in-history-november-6

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday failed to arraign former Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam for alleged money laundering before the Federal High Court in Abuja despite the wide publicity the agency gave the trial.
A horde of photo journalists who had laid siege at the entrance to the court premises in anticipation of Suswam’s arrival and arraignment left the premises disappointed when it became clear that he would not be brought after all.
Journalists and lawyers with interest in the case, who had also stormed the court following a statement by the EFCC over the planned arraignment, were also disappointed and left after waiting for several hours.
It was a prosecution counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs [SAN] who told Journalists that the former governor could not be arraigned as the case file was yet to be assigned to a particular Judge by the Chief Judge of the Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta.
Jacobs was among several other lawyers who were in court in respect of the case.
It was gathered that the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta was attending a seminar organized for Judges outside the court premises.
Suswam and his former finance commissioner, Omodachi Okolobia were alleged to have diverted the proceeds of the sale of shares owned by the Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd.
The offence is punishable under section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 20111 as amended in 2012.
read more..
https://www.today.ng/news/33924/efcc-fails-to-arraign-ex-benue-gov-suswam-for-alleged-n3-1bn-fraud

Former Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has advised Governor Samuel Ortom to be honest in disclosing the exact income and expenditure profile of Benue, since he assumed office.
Moro gave the advice in an interview with NAN at his Ugbokolo country home.
According to him, the disclosure is imperative following conflicting figures released by the administration on the state finances.
“His honest disposition in financial matters should tally with his administration’s official mantra which is `In God We Trust’.
“The people of Benue expect exemplary honesty and accountability in the management of state resources from a governor who claims religious uprightness.”
Moro claimed that the administration has “so far collected loans within its five months in office more than what the administration of former governor Gabriel Suswam collected during his two terms in office.”

read more....
https://www.today.ng/news/31555/be-honest-with-benues-finances-abba-moro-tells-ortom

The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, granted Col. Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), permission to travel abroad for medical check-up.
Adeniyi Ademola, the judge, ordered the release of the former NSA’s international passport to him on the grounds that prosecuting counsel was not able to prove why he should be stopped from travelling abroad for medical treatment.
On Monday, Joseph Daodu, Dasuki’s lawyer, had prayed the court to grant his client a three-week “leave” to travel abroad for medical check-up. He argued that Dasuki had earlier failed to keep an appointment with his doctor, owing to the seizure of his travelling document.
But in granting the application on Tuesday, the court attached new conditions to the bail earlier granted to the defendant in self-recognition on September 1, 2015.
The condition now attached to the bail requires the ex-NSA to produce a surety who must swear to an affidavit of consent to an imprisonment in the event that the defendant absconds, till the period he is re-arrested.
In the alternative, the court ruled that the senior counsel representing the ex-NSA on record should sign an undertaking to produce their client in court on the next hearing date on November 26.
The court also ordered Dasuki to return the passport to the registrar of the court within 72 hours of return to the country.
The judge also fixed ruling on the prosecution’s application for protection of witnesses for the same day.
The court ruled that whatever was the outcome of the prosecution’s application, trial would commence immediately after the ruling is delivered.
Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), had at the hearing of his client’s application on Monday anchored the application dated October 23, 2015 on provisions of section 36(5) and 36(6) of the Constitution and section 173(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, urged Justice Ademola to consider the decision of the Court of Appeal on similar application by a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, and grant his client’s application.
He said the application was necessary to keep with an earlier appointment which his client had with the UK hospital and in view of the defendant’s “deteriorating health conditions.”
He also argued that availability of the treatment which Dasuki was seeking abroad in Nigeria could not be basis for rejecting his application.
He urged the court to grant his client’s application on the basis that the defendant was presumed innocent and was still entitled to right to free movement.
In response, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Muhammad Diri, said Dasuki’s application was novel and distinguished it from the case of Ibori cited by Daudu.
He said in Ibori’s case there were other bail conditions granted the accused person quite unlike in Dasuki’s case where the seizure of the passport was the only bail condition.
He also argued that allowing the defendant to travel abroad for three weeks as he requested would delay the trial and that the ailment the defendant sought to treat abroad could be handled at the National Hospital, Abuja.
https://www.today.ng/news/31534/court-orders-release-of-dasukis-passport-on-health-grounds

The relative stability in power supply that greeted the emergence of the Buhari administration can now be seen as an illusory appetizer.
The supply was so deceptively regular that everyone thought the long-awaited end to Nigeria’s eternal darkness had finally arrived. The honeymoon with the power distribution companies (Discos) has ended.
Darkness has since returned to Africa’s largest economy. In some communities power supply is worst than what happened in the dark days of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
No one is offering any explanations for the return of darkness. Pipeline vandalisation that used to truncate the supply of gas to the power stations has reduced drastically. The droughts that used to be blamed for the low output from the hydro power plants have given way to torrential downpours that have flooded some cities in northern Nigeria.
From all indications, the darkness might have been conjured to compel consumers to believe that the power stability of the last three months could only be sustained by high tariff.
The Discosare financially bankrupt. The cash flow problem of the Yola Distribution Company was so critical that its management had to be replaced. Others are just a bit better than Yola Disco.
Many of the Discos were floated by those who knew next to nothing about the power industry. They rushed into the business before they realized its capital-intensive nature.
Nigerian governments have notoriety for selling public assets at give-away prices in the name of privatization. The power privatization programme followed the same pattern.
The generating plants and distribution facilities were sold at give-away prices. However, the cheap assets had to be rehabilitated with huge cash investments for the business to churn out money.
The cash to invest and widen customer base that would enable the Discos leverage on the economy of scale is just not there. The Discos are now battling their cash flow problems by squeezing consumers.
The Discos are merciless operators. Consumers fund the installation and repair of transformers.
They fund the repair of distribution lines when they snap. At the end of the day, the Discos determine the power tariff.
The Discos have conspired with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to raise power tariff by 40 per cent. A 40 per cent tariff hike could take the cost of a kilowatt hour of electricity perilously close to N18. Under that circumstance, a consumer in the low income bracket using 100 kilowatts hours of electricity in a month might have to cough out N2, 500 for light bills alone when the extortionists’ fix charge of N750 is factored into.
In a country where some of the state governments still maintain casual workers who collect an indecent monthly pay of N10, 000, the tariff hike is not only inhuman but apathetically outrageous.
The rate of tariff hike is determined by the financial health of the Discos. Consumers living in areas serviced by bankrupt Discos like the Yola Distribution Company have committed an unpardonable geographical crime.
Their crime is that they live in the wrong place. The Yola Distribution Company submitted the highest request for tariff hike. It demanded a tariff hike of 83 per cent. Yola’s obnoxious demand was followed by the Jos Distribution Company which demanded a tariff hike of 63 per cent.
The lowest request for tariff hike was submitted by the Eko Distribution Company which covers the posh area of Lagos. The company submitted a modest five per cent tariff hike request.
That probably is a reflection of its financial health. Ikeja Disco demanded a 39 per tariff hike. After a kangaroo consultation with consumers, NERC is willing to grant a 40 per cent tariff hike with effect from November 15.
The tariff hike is principally blamed on the tumbling value of the naira. The naira has depreciated from N160 to the dollar in July 2014 to the current artificially fixed official rate of N197. The parallel market presents a clearer picture of the purchasing power of the naira. As at the close of business last week, the naira was trading in the parallel market at N227 to the dollar.
The Discos contend that they import most of their distribution equipment; so the fortune of their business is inextricably tied to the performance of the naira in the forex market.
The simple logic from that premise is that the current tariff hike might be a tip of the iceberg, given the precarious nose-dive of Nigeria’s foreign reserves in the face of dwindling oil prices.
The irony of the tariff hike is that the Nigerian electricity consumer is defenceless.
The ease with which the Discos ram a 40 per cent tariff hike down the throat of electricity consumers suggests that the regulator has approved tariff hike as the only means of easing the financial asphyxiation choking the Discos.
The labour unions are the only line of defence left for the consumers. Right now labour’s approach is simply lethargic. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has resorted to an odd combination of livid utterances with tepid action. Someone has to tell the Discos that they would end up killing their own business if they choke up consumers with atrociously high tariffs.
https://www.today.ng/blog/31425/darkness-returns-as-discos-honeymoon-ends

The Senator, representing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Comrade Shehu Sani, has said agitators for the realisation of Biafra, under the aegis of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, are forces working for former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress defeated Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 28 presidential election.
Speaking in Kaduna on Monday, Sani claimed that the new Biafra agitators were merely executing the ‘Plan B’ of pro-Jonathan forces.
He said the plot was to destabilise the Buhari-led APC administration, appealing to Nigerians to be patient with the President as he cleared the 16-year rot the PDP had bequeathed to the country.
The Senator believed that the so-called Biafra agitators were aggrieved that the former President they considered their own lost the 2015 presidential election and conceded defeat.
He argued that the new agitation was not only misguided, ill-conceived and ill-fated but an ill-wind that would blow no one any good.
Sani contended that the agitation was not the true reflection of the Igbo or the South-East people, pointing that the future of the people of that zone was better guaranteed and sustained within a united Nigeria.
“The Igbos have made tremendous progress since after the civil war. They have recorded successes as businessmen, as entrepreneurs, as academics and as politicians,” he added.
According to Sani, the so-called secessionist activities of the Biafran group is a hopeless cause by people in search of attention and has nothing to do with the good people of the South-East.
The pro-democracy activist said, “As long as we will realise the change agenda, entrench good governance and run an all-inclusive government, the Biafran agitation will naturally fizzle out. Nigeria must be patient enough with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.”
https://www.today.ng/politics/31327/biafra-agitators-are-pro-jonathan-forces-shehu-sani

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized bullet-proof vehicles, huge cash and jewellery from five prominent Nigerians fingered in the money laundering allegation against former Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
EFCC and its British counterpart, National Crime Agency (NCA), are probing the suspects for allegedly conniving with Alison-Madueke to commit the crime, it was learnt yesterday.
The former minister was arrested in London on October 2 for alleged money laundering, bribery and corruption.
EFCC has restricted the movement of the ”high-profile” suspects to Nigeria, pending the conclusion of investigation.
Some of them may be extradited to the United Kingdom (UK), if the former minister is going to face trial.
According to investigation, EFCC is still searching the companies and homes of more suspects linked with the former minister, following fresh clues.
Most of the areas under surveillance are in Abuja and Lagos.
A top source said: ‘’It is too early to declare whether they are guilty or not. But in line with international best practices, the EFCC has invoked the assets forfeiture clause in its Act to seize some choice bullet-proof vehicles, huge cash and jewellery from these suspects.
‘’The movement of the affected suspects has also been restricted to Nigeria pending the conclusion of investigation.
‘’The case at hand involves a high-net worth syndicate with tentacles across the strata of the society. But we are already cracking the investigation.’’
Asked if the suspects will be tried in Nigeria, the source added: ‘’It is uncertain or remote because the NCA has initiated a process in the UK, we will not want to duplicate the process.
‘’ If necessary, some of the suspects might be extradited to the UK for trial. This depends on NCA because EFCC is only collaborating with the agency.’’
It was learnt that some NCA officials are in the country to work with EFCC on the case.
A source said: ‘’Some officials of the NCA are in the country for collaboration with the EFCC on this investigation of the allegations against the ex-minister.
‘’The EFCC has more knowledge of the terrain than the NCA in tracking down some of these suspects.’’
Neither the EFCC nor the NCA was willing to speak on record last night.
Alison-Madueke and four others have been under investigation. On October 2, they appeared before the NCA team in the UK.
The names of the four remaining suspects are being kept under wraps in ‘’order not to jeopardise investigation.’’
https://www.today.ng/news/31509/efcc-moves-against-diezanis-associates-seizes-cars-cash-jewellery

Ogoni youths have accused President Muhammadu Buhari of playing politics with the clean-up of Ogoniland, five months after the celebrated announcement of the exercise.
In a statement, the president of the National Youth Council of the Ogoni people, Dr. Young Nkpah, accused President Buhari of deceiving Ogoni people by that announcement.
President Buhari had, immediately after assumption of office announced his readiness to implement the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP report on cleaning of Ogoniland.
Dr. Nkpah said: “After a study of the approach, loud pronouncements and long delays adopted by the government on the globally celebrated implementation, the Ogoni people are not persuaded about the sincerity of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government whose earlier promises were designed to score cheap political points.”
He said after the July 28, 2015, consultative meeting in Abuja chaired by the immediate past Head of Service, Danladi Kifasi, the federal government was yet to release any fund to kick start the process.
“Since the announcement by President Buhari of immediate action and release of funds, the federal government has seemingly dosed off on the programme without regard to the health hazards and increasing mortality rate resulting from the long polluted Ogoniland. The silence by President Buhari’s administration has raised suspicion among the Ogonis that the federal government in collaboration with SHELL has opted for their usual strategy of divide and rule to set the Ogoni leaders and the people against themselves and also employing gradual frustration of the oil clean-up programme to force the collective loyalty of the Ogoni nation to join the ruling party in the country,” the statement said.
https://www.today.ng/news/31159/buhari-playing-politics-with-ogoni-clean-up-youths

Angel Di Maria has admitted he never wanted to leave Real Madrid and join Manchester United.
Di Maria joined Paris Saint-Germain in a £44.3m deal from United in the summer – just a year after moving to Old Trafford from Real for £59.7m in 2014.
The Argentina international recently criticised United boss Louis van Gaal over his way of working, admitting it made him want to leave Old Trafford.
And in a recent interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, the 27-year-old revealed he would have preferred to stay at the Bernabeu.
He said: “My intention was always to stay at Madrid. I don’t really know what happened on the inside of the deal – these are things that representatives deal with. It happens in football.
“My move to PSG could have happened before this summer but it didn’t for financial reasons and I ended up going to United. In the summer I had the chance to go there again and I could not say no.”
Asked why his move to United turned sour, Di Maria added: “I started very well but then I had problems with people at the club, I started being left on the bench, then my home was robbed. It all just made me want to get out of there as quickly as possible.”
https://www.today.ng/sport/29716/angel-di-maria-admits-he-never-wanted-to-join-man-utd

There is no formal complaint against the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the New Telegraph is reporting.
A national daily had, in a report published on August 27, this year, stated that the anti-graft agency had begun an investigation into allegations of corruption contained in a petition against the ministerial nominee, by a Port- Harcourt-based group.
The report further noted that consequent upon the said petition, the EFCC had written three letters dated August 13.
Two of the letters, it said, were addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Rivers State Ministry of Finance. But, a source told newspaper that he was not aware of any petition against Amaechi at the time of the investigation.
He said: “To the best of my knowledge, I don’t know of any petition before us against him (Amaechi), to have necessitated an invitation for questioning, as is consistent with our practice. If there is any – and I doubt – I’m not aware of such.”
He promised to “keep you updated, whenever anything contrary to what I have just told you, happens.”
The source also insisted that he was giving this information “strictly based on the facts available to me.”
Efforts to get an official comment from the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, failed as his phone line did not connect.
Amaechi, a ministerial nominee, who was screened on Thursday by the Senate was asked questions on his alleged indictment by the Rivers State Government commission of enquiry and his view on corruption.
On his alleged corruption and indictment, Amaechi said:
“I was born to test my rights and fight for my rights. I was once a students union leader and believe me, if there is one man who does not like corruption, I do not like corruption. “I came here with a copy of the so-called panel report, there is nowhere that the panel indicted me. I am ready to tender this report before the Senate.
I was ready for the questions on it and I brought the panel report so the Senate can juxtapose it with the White Paper.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, had called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the former governor, arguing that the development would give vent to the President’s anticorruption drive.
It would be recalled that the state Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to probe the administration of Amaechi had on October 12 submitted its report to the state governor, Nyesom Wike.
Though the former governor did not appear before the panel throughout its 30 days of sitting, the commission, however, went on to conduct its investigations.
Presenting the report to Wike, the chairman of the commission, Justice George Omereji, said some persons had been recommended to return mismanaged funds, while others were pencilled down for immediate prosecution.
It was gathered that the former governor was accused of allegedly misappropriating N53 billion from the state Reserve Fund between 2014 and May this year.
Wike, on his part, said his government would not be intimidated, assuring members of the commission that its recommendations would be implemented to the letter.
Amaechi had tried to stop the probe panel but a Rivers State High Court on August 20 empowered the Commission of Inquiry to proceed with the probe.
However the presiding judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, said the judicial commission of inquiry was not established to investigate the personal activities of the former governor, but to investigate previous actions of government as they affected the people of the state.
The judge also confirmed that Wike was empowered by law to probe Amaechi’s administration and those before him to see how the state’s resources were expended.
https://www.today.ng/news/27753/no-petition-before-efcc-against-ex-rivers-gov-amaechi

The former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is obviously one of the highly respected and revered leaders in the Contemporary Nigerian Political history in view of his immense contributions towards the Socio-economic and political development of the country. Chief Obasanjo’s long and selfless services to the country first as a former Military Head of State and later as the democratically elected President during the current civilian dispensation could not be easily quantified. Chief Obasanjo had equally played a unique and historic role during one of the darkest periods in the nation’s history when fate thrust upon him the onerous task of receiving the instrument of surrender from the “vanquished” Biafran Army as the then General Officer commanding the crack 3rd Marine Commandos of the Nigerian Army on that eventful day, 15th January 1970. Again, in 1999 at the advent of the political transition that later culminated in the current democratic dispensation, Chief Obasanjo through sheer act of divine providence and contrary to all expectations emerged as the P.D.P Presidential flag bearer soon after his release from long incarceration in far away Bama maximum prison in Bornu State where he had most dehumanizing experience. The Late dreaded dictator, General Sani Abacha had ordered for the arrest and detention of Chief Obasanjo on trumped up charges of a plot to overthrow his regime. Chief Obasanjo later won the presidential election decisively and became the second democratically elected President of Nigeria.
It is therefore a great paradox that Chief Obasanjo himself ruled the nation for eight years and was behaving also like a dictator in a democratic setting in view of his seeming anti democratic stance in the course of his presidential pronouncements and actions.
The real essence of this piece however, is to critically examine and analyze former President Obasanjo’s personal conduct and public utterances since after leaving office in 2007 with a view to determining if his personal conduct generally speaking conformed to the acceptable conventional norms expected of a former President and elder statesman.
It is regrettable however to observe, that even though Chief Obasanjo has continued to serve the nation in different capacities including his recent role as a special envoy of the Federal Government to foreign countries and other international organizations, his general conduct coupled with his often unguarded and undiplomatic statements bordering on sensitive national issues did not portray him after-all as truly an elder statesman, an honour, under normal circumstances he so richly deserved. It is equally a matter of deep regret that Chief Obasanjo had the penchant for always playing to the gallery and often stirring up dangerous controversies which could further exacerbate the current political tension and uncertainty in the country.
Only recently, Chief Obasanjo while briefing President Buhari at the State House Abuja, on his recent diplomatic mission to the Republic of Guinea was quoted to have made certain unwarranted and highly provocative statement during his interactions with the State House Correspondents. Chief Obasanjo apparently behaving true to type was reported to have made what could be described as highly inflammable and undiplomatic statement while fielding questions from journalists in an attempt to re-open old deep wounds. Chief Obasanjo, while commending the military for their gallantry in combating the rampaging Boko Haram insurgency assured the press that the Nigerian military would definitely win the war against the insurgents just as they defeated the “Biafran Army” during the civil war.
By these unguarded, insensitive, and highly provocative utterances, Chief Obasanjo deliberately and mischievously created the unfortunate impression that the current Boko Haram insurgency could be equated or compared with and treated like the civil war which the former Head of State and highly revered elder statesman, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) had described as a conflict between brothers at the end of the war. Consequently, Gen Gowon in his uncommon wisdom and in the true spirit of reconciliation made what had become a famous declaration during his historic broadcast that heralded the end of the war on 15th January 1970 in which he announced to the entire world that there was no “victor” and no “vanquished” after the war, and he promptly initiated the popular policy commonly known as the “three RS” namely: Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction.
It is highly regrettable therefore, that Chief Obasanjo’s recent remarks and posturing, were indeed a huge embarrassment and great disservice to the nation which is currently at a cross roads with myriad of challenges confronting the country and her people. The country Nigeria, today is obviously in a desperate situation which calls for fervent prayers as well as unity of purpose, and a common front among her citizens in order to surmount the prevailing ugly and extremely dangerous situation. It is needless to emphasize the point in this write up therefore, that the nation is currently passing through one of the most critical and trying periods in her history and as such will not welcome a situation whereby the so-called leaders would continue to make tactless and highly provocative statements that tend to divide the people thereby compounding the already dangerous and tense situation in the country. By trying to re-open the old wounds, Chief Obasanjo in his quoted statement was obviously trying to compartmentalize the country along the lines of those Nigerians he unwittingly referred to as the “victors” and those that were the “vanquished”.
Chief Obasanjo’s reported statement was indeed a veiled attempt aimed at offending the sensibilities of Ndi Igbo (Igbos) of the South East geo-political zone who were the actual “vanquished Nigerians” and thereby rubbing more salt into the deep wounds inflicted on Ndi Igbo during and long after the terrible and devastating war in 1970. Ndigbo for too long had been turned into “a minority ethnic group” and reduced to the position of the “hewers of wood and modern slavery” which unfortunately had become their lot in their own country as a consequence of the senseless war that was thrust upon them.
It is an incontrovertible fact that Ndi Igbo had suffered monumental and unquantifiable losses both in human and material resources as well as physical and psychological trauma in the aftermath of the civil war and thus, Chief Obasanjo’s reported reckless and misguided comments and innuendos as well as those of his co-travelers on that unfortunate civil war were clearly constant and painful reminders to Ndigbo that they would continue to suffer unimaginable indignities and gross marginalization which had since become their common lot in the affairs of the nation as a consequence of their disastrous defeat during the war.
– Akabogu (JP), a regular Public Affairs Commentator and Analyst wrote in from Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State
https://www.today.ng/blog/27398/obasanjo-and-the-nigeria-question

Lecturers of the University of Jos, Plateau, have begun an indefinite strike to press home their demands for improved working conditions.
The lecturers, in a statement by Prof F. C. Piwuna, the Chairman of the university’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Friday in Jos, said ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) had approved the action.
“The NEC of ASUU has approved our request for total, indefinte and comprehensive strike starting immediately.
“It means that all activities — teaching, supervision, examination as well as statutory and ad hoc committee meetings — have been suspended,” it said.
Though Piwuna did not give further details on the reasons for the strike, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the lecturers’ grievances bordered on, among other things, alleged discrepancies in the payments of entitlements.
The lecturers are also demanding that certain allowances being enjoyed by their colleagues in other institutions be paid to them.
https://www.today.ng/news/27579/unijos-lecturers-begin-indefinite-strike

The Management of Dangote Petrochemicals and Fertiliser Plant on Thursday assured Nigerians that its 650,000 barrels Per Day (BPD) capacity petroleum refinery would come on stream by 2018.
Mr Madhav Kelkar, Senior General Manager, Civil and Structural, Dangote Petrochemicals Ltd, a subsidiary of Dangote Group, made the announcement when he took newsmen on a facility tour of the plant located at Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos.
He said that when the refinery comes on stream; it would boost the country’s refining capacity and enhance industrialisation.
e said that construction work on the projects was expected to be completed by 2017 while refining operation would commence by 2018, adding that the projects would create job opportunities for Nigerians.
Kelkar said: “the 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery will meet the 2018 deadline.
“As you can see, piling and land reclamation are going on. Sand filling is the most critical part of the project.
“ A Belgium-based dredging company called Jande Nul is in charge of dredging and soil investigation.
“Assembly and coupling of equipment will take only a couple of months. I think we are making progress and I’m happy with what we have done so far.
“At the end of the day, every Nigerian will be very proud that we have the longest single train refinery in the world. That’s the vision of Dangote.’’
Kelkar said that if the project is completed, Nigeria would be self sufficient in refining of crude oil.
He said that more than 2,000 Nigerians would be employed when the refinery commence operations.
He said that the petrochemical plant would produce 750,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene per annum while the fertiliser plant would produce 2.8 metric tonnes of Urea and Ammonia.
https://www.today.ng/news/27376/dangote-refinery-to-begin-operations-in-2018

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no hand in the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Gbajabiamila said the case involving the Senate President is a judicial issue and it’s being handled appropriately by his legal team.
He dismissed the media reports claiming leadership crisis in the National Assembly.
According to him, the leaders at both chambers are having good rapport with their colleagues.
He said: “Everything that has a beginning has an end. I don’t think and I don’t know if there is any leadership crisis in the National Assembly. I’m not sure at what you’re alluding to, I’m not in the Senate. But the little I understand is that there is an issue involving the Senate President. That has nothing to do with the APC.
“That has to do with the issue of law and I’m sure the Senate President is being surely represented and he will have his day in court. If the matter comes up, I don’t think it’s an APC issue, it’s not an APC issue at all. There is no crisis, not in the House.”
On political solution to resolve Saraki’s matter, he said: “I can’t comment and promote things that are unsubstantiated. You know the problem is a constitutional and legal problem and I don’t know how you can treat constitutional and legal problem politically. If that be the case, perhaps I may not know.”
He was also optimistic that the forthcoming constitution of membership of House committees would not cause any crisis as the exercise would be properly handled by the leadership.
According to him, he was at the Presidential Villa along with three other members of the House to discuss ‎the 2016 Budget and other issues towards cementing the relations between the lawmakers and the Executive.
Gbajabiamila also declared his support and that of his colleagues for President Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign.
https://www.today.ng/news/27262/apc-not-involved-in-sarakis-trial-house-leader

Injured Barcelona star Lionel Messi has failed to rule out leaving the Treble winners in the future, and has denied he is in competition with Ballon d’Or rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi, 28, was linked with Chelsea in January amid reports of an alleged fallout with Barca coach Luis Enrique, but went on to score 58 goals last season to help the Blaugrana win La Liga, the Champions League and Copa de Rey.
Asked whether he could ever see himself playing in another league, the Argentina captain — who was ruled out of action for seven to eight weeks in late September with a knee injury — told Yahoo Sports: “I don’t want to look too far ahead. I live for the moment and at this moment I am with Barcelona in the Spanish league where I have made my living and where I live very well.”
The Barca talisman is one of the favourites for the 2015 Ballon d’Or but faces strong competition from Real Madrid star Ronaldo, with the Portugal captain having lifted the award on the past two occasions.
Despite talk of a rivalry between the pair, Messi insists Ronaldo — who hit a career-best of 61 goals for Los Blancos last term and recently became Madrid’s all-top top scorer — is not his nemesis.
“These are things that people say,” the three-time Ballon d’Or winner said. “I don’t compete with Cristiano and I suppose he would not compete with me. What I want is the very best for my teams and that’s what I am working for.
“[I’m] the same as any other sportsman that has to complete his training regime and then do just the same as any other person does and rest with his family and friends.”
Messi tore the internal collateral ligament of his left knee early in Barca’s 2-1 La Liga win against Las Palmas on Sept. 26, and is currently out of action.
Regarding his enforced absence, Messi said: “[The injury] was a strange feeling, different from other times. I knew that it wasn’t a minor hit and that it was something more serious than just a slight knock.
“[I’m] upbeat, wanting to get on with my recovery. Being injured is the worst feeling in the world for a sportsman, but right from the start I accepted that I had an injury and that the only thing to do was to recover from it the best way possible. The most important thing for me is to be at 100 percent fitness.
“I knew I was injured right from the start, and although at first you are obviously worried, after the diagnosis and all the repercussions emanating from the injury you understand that you have to be patient. I don’t think it was difficult for me to accept and take on board.”
Messi is optimistic about his return date, saying: “When the way I’m feeling and the doctors tell me that I can. I am improving every day without setting myself any targets. I have always said that I don’t set myself any dates because it isn’t up to me. As much as I would like to play tomorrow, the doctors wouldn’t let me. When they tell me that I have recovered completely will be the time that I will make my return onto the pitch.”
Nutritionist Giuliano Poser confirmed in July he helped Messi change his diet which led to the forward’s fine 2014-15 campaign, but Messi said there were no extraordinary changes.
“This is something else about which there has been many false things said,” he continued. “My diet prohibits me from eating certain things that were doing me harm but that doesn’t mean that I’ve changed my whole diet or my physical training.
“There were some changes or replacements that worked well and I enjoy a full diet and nothing out of the ordinary.”
Messi said that the birth of his second son Mateo in September has not changed his approach to football, but helps him to move beyond the game when away from the pitch.
“In a footballing sense nothing has changed but perhaps maybe it has in regards to facing those responsibilities that any father has with regards to the raising of his children,” he added. “I still hate losing a game, but when I arrive home I do know that I will have the consolation of seeing my sons.
“Unfortunately we live in a society that lives at 1,000 kilometres an hour, and in a sport as popular as football that grows and grows and becomes the escape valve for the problems of many people.
“I don’t need to impress anyone because that isn’t why I play. I play because I like it and because it is my profession… I would like my sons to understand what I do.”
https://www.today.ng/sport/27281/lionel-messi-denies-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry

Senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday disagreed over the screening of former governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi.
The disagreement ensued when PDP Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, raised a Point of Order on Amaechi’s screening when the report on the petition against him was yet to be considered.
Akpabio insisted that it was the rules of the Senate that when the Committee on Ethic and Privileges submits its report on a petition against a nominee, it must be considered before screening.
To that end, the minority leader said that the PDP senators would not participate in asking the nominee any questions until the report of the committee was considered in the `Committee of the Whole.’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions headed by Sen. Sam Anyanwu (PDP), laid its report today at plenary.
However, the disagreement deepened when the Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, in response to the Point of Order, said that if the PDP would not ask questions then the APC might ask the nominee to bow and go.
He said that the nominee, having been a speaker for eight years and a governor for another eight years had proved his competence and could be asked to bow and go.
The minority leader, however, moved to clarify his point of order but some of the APC senators were shouting“take a bow and go’’.
The President of the Senate, thereafter, moved to quell the situation and cautioned all the senators to stick to screening of the nominee rather than bantering.
The Senate thereafter proceeded with the screening with only the APC senators questioning the nominee.
Meanwhile, the PDP leadership in the Senate left the Red Chambers immediately after the screening of Amaechi, leaving only the Deputy Minority Whip, Sen. Abiodun Olujimi.
However, the minority leader returned and the PDP senators continued with questioning other ministerial nominees.
NAN also reports that Amaechi was on the first list of ministerial nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari, but his screening had been stalled by the petition against him.
https://www.today.ng/news/27274/apc-pdp-senators-disagree-over-amaechis-screening

There was celebration in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital Wednesday following the ruling of the governorship tribunal.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the governorship election in Akwa Ibom, Umana Umana, said he was dedicating victory to God and his supporters.
Umana Umana, had approached the tribunal challenging the conduct of the election and declaration of Udom Emmanuel as governor of the state.
In its ruling yesterday, the tribunal headed by Justice Sadiq Umar ordered a re-run in 18 of the 31 local government areas of the state. They councils where election will be held are: Nsit Ubium, Nsit Ibom, Ibiono, Uyo, Etinan, Udung Uko, Oruk Anam, Etim Ekpo, Onna, Uruan, Ikono, Ini, Ibesikpo, Nsit Atai, Eket, Ibeno and Ikot Abasi
Before delivering judgement, the tribunal first ruled on five motions on notice by the respondents.The first ruling was a 2nd respondent’s motion on notice dated 13th July, 2015, urging the tribunal to dismiss the petition as all witness statement on oath were invalid except that of the 1st Petitioner. He asked that all witness statements deposed to by petitioners witnesses used initials or letters which violates the equal opportunity rule as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
The petitioners on their part had prayed the Court to dismiss the motion which it described as an abuse of Court process and submitted that the law allowed the petitioners witnesses to use initials or letters as a means to protect the witnesses in view of what it called Nigeria’s highly volatile political climate where election is deem to be a do and die affair. The tribunal ruled that the application lacked merit as there was no basis for the submission of the respondent and dismissed the application.
Also on the respondent’s application for a motion on notice to bring an application outside the pre hearing session, praying the tribunal to dismiss the petition because a condition precedence prior to the filing of the petition was not met in that the petitioners witness statement were not deposed before a competent authority and that the witness statement were not in consonance with the oath Act which vitiated the petition. The tribunal ruled that the tribunal Secretary is by law conferred with judicial authority to so act. The motion was therefore dismissed.
The tribunal also ruled on three consolidated application asking for dismissal of the petition for lack of jurisdiction. In the motion, the respondents prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition for what they called failure of the petitioners to bring a formal application before the tribunal for commencement of the pre hearing session. They alleged that the petitioner did not pay the stipulated filing fee and that the first petitioner was not a valid candidate for the election.
In its ruling, the tribunal said the 1st and 2nd respondent cannot complain or fault the pre hearing session since it took part in it as the petitioners requested via a letter to the Tribunal Secretary for the issuance of Form TF007, which the law allows to be done via a letter or an ex parte motion which are purely administrative. The tribunal ruled that the petitioners letter of June 13 complied with the law which necessitated the respondents to file Form TF008 indicating their readiness to participate in the pre hearing session. The tribunal said the tribunal Secretary acted in law in issuing the pre hearing forms. The tribunal declared that the respondents cannot now complain about the pre hearing session having participated in it and dismissed the motion.
On the mandatory 21 days notice for the nomination of a candidate for election, the tribunal ruled that the APC had in a letter dated 19 th September, 2014 notified INEC of it’s intention to conduct its governorship primary on November 15th,2014 and a letter of a rescheduled primary billed to hold on December 14,2014 was sent to INEC which complied with the mandatory 21 days notice in line with Section 81 of the Electoral Act which proved that Mr. Umana Umana was a valid candidate for the April 11,2015 election and dismissed the motion.
On the controversy over the non resignation of Engr Ben Ukpong , running mate to the APC governorship candidate 30 days to election as required by law and his continued receipt of salary and emoluments after his purported resignation, the tribunal ruled that a letter of resignation dated December 2,2014 by the APC running mate to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and an official confirmation of his letter of resignation by the FCDA also dated December 2,2014 as well as evidence of payment of one month salary in lieu to FCDA proved that Mr Umana’s running mate did retire more than three months to the election and therefore dismissed the motion for lack of merit.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate, Umana Umana has dedicated the victory to God and his supporters.
https://www.today.ng/politics/27169/aibom-guber-umana-dedicates-tribunal-victory-to-god-supporters

The Spanish Government on Friday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies, especially the anti-corruption campaign, were vital to attracting investment to Nigeria.
The Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Alfonso Barnuevo, made the remark at a ceremony to mark the National Day of Spain in Abuja.
Barnuevo explained that Nigeria-Spain relation was ‘’excellent’’, having strategic components from the security, economic and commercial points.
“President Buhari and His Majesty, the King of Spain, held a meeting in New York on Sept. I, 2014, and I can only qualify the meeting as excellent for our relations.
“His (King Felipe’s) message to us is that we want to work closely with the new administration and Spain will always be a friend of your country.
“A solid and prosperous Nigeria is important to Spain; the political stability obtained after election will contribute to enhance the sustainable development and growth of Nigeria.
“The government of Spain has picked confidence in the economic reforms of President Buhari and his anti-corruption campaign; solid policies are important to attract investors,” he said.
The envoy explained that trade relations between Nigeria and Spain had continued to grow, pointing out that Spain was Nigeria’s ‘’second best customer’’.
He said Spain’s interest in Nigeria included the oil and gas, agriculture and construction, adding that his country was fortunate to have economic and trade relations with Nigeria.
“We bought, in 2014, 6.5 billion Euros of oil and gas; we can straight-forward say that Spain and Nigeria maintain strategic relation in this area,” he said.
He, therefore described trade relation between both countries as “two-way mutually-satisfactory”.
Barnuevo condemned Boko Haram attacks in the country, saying that Spain was ready to collaborate with Nigeria in the fight against the insurgents.
“We are happy at the great stride Nigeria is making in the field of peace and stability and in the fight against Boko Haram.
“This is a matter in which Nigeria can always count on the support of Spain. We in Spain have also suffered human terrorism for many years,” he said.
He acknowledged Nigeria-Spain collaboration at the UN Security Council, saying the relationship was important in fighting terrorism and human trafficking.
In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb Bukus Lolo, commended the Spanish Government and King Felipe for extension of hand of friendship to Buhari.
He assured Spain and the international community that Buhari’s administration was determined to bring changes that would impact on the lives of Nigerians.
“The promise that came with the campaigns and now that President Buhari is leading the government is one of bringing welfare to the people.
“The promise is one of changing the lives of the people for good and also enabling Nigeria to assume and play her role not only in West Africa, Africa but the world,” he said.
https://www.today.ng/news/25330/spanish-envoy-backs-buharis-anti-corruption-campaign/