₦airaland Forum

The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ogun state has sacked Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Senator Buruji Kashamu a member of House of Representatives from Ijebu East /Ijebu North /Ogun waterside, Adekoya Adesegun and five members of the state assembly over non-compliance of electoral law.

The tribunal has therefore ordered a fresh election in the areas affected.

More Details soon

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/breaking-news-tribunal-sacks-kashamu-six-others-in-ogun/

Cc lalasticlala

Lol "the list"

Nigerians de hungry oo

The Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja on Wednesday September 16, 2015 overruled an objection by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the state of the ballot papers which were allegedly used during the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State.

Counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Solomon Umoh, SAN had asked the defence witness number 26, Mr. Dominic Okenna, who was the Electoral Officer for Onna Local Government Area, under cross examination whether he had kept the ballot papers for Onna safe and secured after the election as prescribed in exhibit 338 paragraph 1.1.2, which is the Manual for Election Officials, and he said yes.

Umoh then asked him to identify the ballot papers used for Onna local government from among the rest since the ballot papers used for the entire state was in court. Feeling uncomfortable with the question, counsel to INEC Mr. Alex Ejesieme objected to the question.

He contended that the petitioners did not plead the state of the ballot papers in their petition and that by the Practice Direction, it was wrong for the petitioners to seek to cross examine the witness on the issue as that will amount to taking the respondents by surprise.

He further contended that if the petitioners wanted the witness to produce the ballot papers in court they should have served him with a notice to produce same.

In their contribution, Paul Usoro (SAN) who is the counsel to Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State who is the 1st and Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) who is counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party who is the second respondent, respectively, said they had no objection to the question on the state of the ballot papers and declined to support INEC’s objection.

Responding, Umoh referred the tribunal to paragraphs 15, 22, 27, 37 and 51 of the petition and submitted that the issue was sufficiently pleaded and that the objection should be overruled by the tribunal.

The tribunal asked the counsel to INEC to read the paragraphs of the petition referred to by the petitioners counsel, which he did. In its ruling, the tribunal held that the issue had been pleaded by the petitioners and overruled the objection.

Continuing with his cross examination, Umoh asked the INEC witness whether he has seen the inscription on exhibit 345 (1), a bag containing ballot papers, which reads Onna Local Government Area and he answered that he has seen it.

He then asked him to bring out the ballot papers for Awa Ward 1 in Onna. The witness confessed that the ballot papers were mixed up and could not identify the ballot papers. This obviously contradicted his earlier testimony that he had safely secured the ballot papers unit by unit and ward by ward as stipulated in the INEC Manual for Election Officials.

Not done, Umoh asked him to look at exhibit 317 (2) which was the extra one bag of ballot papers brought out from the tribunal’s registry and asked him to identify which local government they were used for. The witness took out a sample of ballot paper from the bag and looked at it for a long time but could not say the local government it was used for during the election.

Finally, Umoh asked the witness to read the total number of accredited voters for the state as recorded in exhibit 317. After some hesitation, he read it which stood at 437,128.

Also, he was given exhibit EE4 which is the total votes declared for the state and asked to read it out. The witness said that what he saw there was 1,158,624.

http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/09/17/aibom-guber-tribunal-rejects-inecs-objection-on-destroyed-ballot-papers/

cc lalasticlala

Now i know why PMB doesn't want ministers

they are all goina be influenced by this greedy, selfish politicians.

I wonder who leaked this supposed 'list' sef

The Acting Chairman of the Federal Inland revenue Service, FIRS, Mr. Tunde Fowler, has said that he would not use consultants to collect tax. He spoke at a meeting of the Joint Tax Board, JTB, in Abuja, yesterday. The use of tax consultants to collect taxes, a practice that is prevalent among state governments have been criticized as illegal and open to corruption between the consultants and state governors.

Mr. Fowler said disclosed that the staff strength of the FIRS was not enough to undertake all that would be required in tax administration and that as such consultants would be engaged but that their duties would be exclusive of tax assessment and collection.

His words, “You can imagine a staff roster that can audit the books of well over 400, 000 corporate organisations. It won’t work. Therefore to increase the level of transparency and accountability, we would engage consultants. But these consultants will only gather data. The law does not allow them to undertake assessment. The law does not allow them to collect revenue on behalf of government.

“Consequently, they will collect data; they are to assist our staff. We will do the assessment and issue the Demand Notice for the tax to be paid”. On the level of tax payers compliance, the chairman disclosed that only slightly over 30 per cent companies and other businesses pay tax in the country. A situation he said must change.

According to him, “There are about 450, 000 corporate organizations out of which only 1 out of every three pays tax. “Based on our objectives, we want to have at least 99.9 percentage success level of compliance. Meaning that every individual that the state level and every corporate organization at the federal level is in the tax net and pays the appropriate type of tax.

“We have exchanged information with all states’ Internal Revenue Boards. We have all the information on the database. We have given them out already and in case they need further information that currently they don’t have on their database, we will always collaborate with them. With this development, we should have a growth in tax payers both at the states and federal levels within one week.”

The chairman warned that organizations that evade taxes would be made to face the law in a civil suit in order to collect outstanding arrears and Chief Executive Officers of such organisations could face criminal cases.

Yesterday’s meeting according to Mr. Fowler, was to enable to the JTB fashion out a roadmap to provide a workable tool for both the FIRS and the Internal Revenue Boards of the states with a view to raising the level of tax revenue in the country.

Justifying the need for a new roadmap, he said, “It is my conviction that there are many stones left unturned as far as our current tax administration processes are concerned,” For example, it is common knowledge that the administration of the Value Added Tax , VAT, is greatly hindered by many factors, ranging from in adequate coverage of ‘VATable’ persons to no-remittances of VAT deductions. Tax revenue loss in this aspect can only be imagined.

“I have also identified the fact that there is deficiency on our part as tax administrators in terms of collaboration and cooperation in the areas of exchange of information for tax purposes.” He warned that Chief Executive Officers of He said that the FIRS and the state boards would have to work with greater synergy in the areas of conducting joint audit exercises by FIRS and SBIRs;

carrying out joint tax enlightenment and enforcement exercises; sharing and exchange of information concerning unremitted taxes identified by either side; embark on joint training programmes and workshop; review and amendments
of tax laws and legislations from time to time.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/consultants-wont-collect-tax-fowler/

Lalasticlala

Following the taking over of all territories overrun by the Boko Haram insurgents and the restoration of peace, the Nigerian Army has re-opened primary and secondary school classes for the returnees.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria in Madagali on Saturday, Lt. Col Chibueze Agbuabo, the Commanding Officer, 143 Rangers Battalion, said that the officers had voluntarily opened classes for the pupils and students.

“Now that normalcy has been restored in the area and the communities have resumed their daily activities, the Army has opened the hitherto shut classes where pupils and students are being taught,” Agbaubo said.

According to the battalion commander, the development is to ensure that the young ones are not idle, even as all government and private schools in the areas are still under lock and key.

He said that the development was also to help the students fill up the gap they had lost during the invasion by the insurgents.

In addition, he said, the military was rendering free medical health care services to the communities as well as counseling them.

Agbaubo described the relationship between the military and the communities as cordial.
He, however, advised the communities to voluntarily forward timely information to the nearest security outpost of any strange face or movement in their areas.

NAN gathered that the commanders on the ground are calling on officers of Immigration and Customs services in the areas to return to their respective duty posts.

NAN further learnt that commanders on the ground in Gamboru Ngala and other towns liberated from the insurgents are also encouraging personnel of Customs and Immigration services to redeploy their men to the towns.

http://www.punchng.com/news/army-reopens-classes-for-pupils-in-madagali/

Cc lalasticlala

The Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation has commenced the process of recovering over $7bn (N1.4tn) in over-deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects.

It was learnt on Sunday that the corporation had also engaged an international accounting firm to ascertain the exact amount due to government on the Strategic Alliance Contracts entered by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, where up to $2.46bn (N484.6bn) of government money would be recovered.

In a report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari by its new management, detailing the corporation’s successes so far, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, stated that the firm had commenced its performance measurement and benchmarking.

He added that the corporation had started what it described as value for money review of the NNPC and the JV companies covering the period of 2008 to 2013.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, in a statement on Sunday, disclosed that the NNPC report indicated that the new measures might lead to further cost recovery for the firm.

The report, according to Shehu, also revealed that after an extensive investigation of the various toxic crude oil for refined products swap contracts, a total sum of $420m had so far been reconciled in favour of the NNPC and was now due for recovery from the legacy OPA/SWAP contracts.

“Out of the reconciled amount, the sum of $277m has been recovered in lieu of products and the recovery effort is still ongoing,” the statement added.

According to the report, the NNPC GMD stated that he was committed to the continued review of all existing contracts and addressing those that were not favourable to the corporation.

It noted that significant cost reductions were also expected to ensure that the corporation remained profitable in the prevailing low crude oil price regime.

The NNPC upstream operations are in joint partnerships with major oil companies. These multi-national exploration and production companies are operating predominantly in the onshore Niger Delta, coastal offshore areas and lately in the deep waters.

As with many other developing countries, the multinationals in Nigeria have been operating under what is called a concession system, with the NNPC being the concessionaire, while the companies are the operators.

The NNPC also is responsible for the management of the exploration bidding rounds for oil and gas.

The multinational oil companies operate in partnership with the corporation under Production Sharing Contracts.

The statement from the Presidency on Sunday did not name the joint venture partners from which the corporation plans to get the funds.

Some of the international oil companies that are JV partners of the NNPC include Shell, Agip, Mobil, Chevron and Texaco.

Kachikwu, in the statement from the Presidency, said progress was being made towards bringing back the nation’s refineries to full production, noting that the management of the NNPC was working to actualise this before the end of 2015.

The report noted that if the refineries were completed as scheduled, it would help Nigeria save about $1bn worth of foreign exchange from fuel import substitution annually.

It said additional total savings of over $500m would be made from the petrochemical products of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company annually.

The report also disclosed that efforts at repositioning the NNPC had started yielding result to the nation’s economy.

For instance, it stated that gas supply to the power plants had improved significantly from about 630 million to 861 million standard cubic feet per day, which had resulted in a more steady power supply.

“Indeed, the report revealed that gas supply for power and peak generation have in recent times reached a historical high of 876 million standard cubic feet per day and 4,782 megawatts, respectively,” the statement added.

http://www.nigerianeye.com/2015/09/nnpc-to-recover-n19-trillion-from-jv.html

Cc lalasticlala

To avoid a replication of hate campaigns and divisiveness witnessed in the last general elections, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, a parastatal of the Presidency, on Friday said it would organise a peace conference for politicians and stakeholders that would usher in unity, irrespective of the nation’s diversities.

The event, which would be declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari, is being jointly organised with a political think-tank, Nigeria for Peace Initiative.

The governorship election in Kogi State has been scheduled for November 21, 2015, while Bayelsa State governorship poll will take place on December 5.

The Permanent Secretary, Political Affairs, in the Office of the SGF, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, confirmed the event in a letter addressed to the initiator of the peace conference and National Liaison Director of NPI, Mr. Kennedy Iyere.

According to her, the Federal Government is willing to fully participate in the peace conference, to avoid the mistakes of the past.

She said, “This is to confirm that the Nigerian National Volunteer Service and the Political Affairs Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation are willing to partner with the National Peace-Building Outreach, also known as Nigeria for Peace Initiative, towards the organisation of the National Peace Conference, scheduled to hold in November.”

Speaking at a press briefing held in the office of the SGF in Abuja after its inaugural meeting with officials of the SGF’s office, Iyere explained what informed his decision to partner with the Presidency in organising the peace conference.

He said, “During the 2015 general elections, we actually ran the biggest peace campaign that was non-partisan. We sensitised Nigerians and we are happy that we were able to organise a violence-free election. If you look around today, you still cannot say that the political atmosphere is not saturated with tension.

“The need for caution, to be taken ahead of the 2019 elections, exists. We do not have to wait till the elections come before we sensitise both politicians and Nigerians on the relevance of peace. There is the need to caution against fragmentation. The 2015 election is the most divisive we have ever had since the birth of modern democracy in Nigeria in 1999.

“With the sectional divisions, where the All Progressives Congress is strong in the North, South West and in some parts of South-East while the Peoples Democratic Party is strong in the South-South and South-East, we cannot deny the fact that we are fragmented. This, among other reasons, informed our decision to bring stakeholders together. We have been able to involve all the regional blocs.”

Speaking on his plans to involve the National Assembly and international parliamentarians, Iyere said, “Few days ago, we had a meeting with the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. We are trying to bring them in. We are making moves to take this to the United States of America and involve their Congress.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/presidency-to-hold-peace-confab-for-politicians/

Cc lalasticlala

…Stakeholders react

By Uche Usim

Fresh facts have emerged as to why President Muahmmadu Buhari appointed a non-Customs officer as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), even as divergent views have greeted the move.

While some applaud the appointment of Hameed Ali, a retired Army Colonel, to head the Customs, others describe it as a jaundiced move that may have scathing repercussion on the service.

Daily Sun learnt senior Customs officer within the ranks of Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) and Deputy Comptroller General (DCG), who were beneficiaries of the old order, heavily lobbied influential politicians to persuade the President to appoint them as the next Customs boss.

The President was said to have been saddened by the high number of lobbyists, making a case for one officer or the other, a development that exposes the under-belly corruption in the sensitive establishment.

President Buhari, who feels appointing any of the desperate officers, may just be a continuation of the Dikko era, jolted them by picking a man out of the blue.
Industry sources say a flurry of petitions against Dikko had flooded the Presidency and having any of his DCGs or ACGs may scuttle the impending restructuring exercise at the establishment.

A Comptroller of Customs who confided in Daily Sun said “if you see the amount of money spent on influential politicians, you’ll know that if any of those desperate officers was picked as CGC, it will be looting galore because they must recoup their expenses or investment of you like to put it that way. But the President got high intelligence about the huge money changing hands and knew there was an ulterior motive behind it. Why spend so much money lobbying if you know your motive is to serve your country? So, he kept his plans close to his chest and shunned all the names given to him by his friends and chose a totally different man. Now, the man is expected to face his job and do it without caring on whose ox is gored. He has no one to please except the government. We won’t hear of CG’s boys, CG’s men and other anointed officers. If you do your job well, you don’t have anything to fear. I like what Buhari did”, he said.

However, some industry analysts do not share the Comptroller’s view as they see the appointment of an old retired Colonel as a retrogressive strategy.

They insist he has to spend a long time learning the ropes in a rapidly-evolving establishment that does not have such time to waste.

They believe that he might derail before he understands the workings and that may hurt the service and the nation as a whole.

According to the President of the League of Maritime Editors, Ovie Edomi, the President goofed with the appointment of Hammed Ali as the new Customs boss.
“It comes with a lot of surprises. First, the desire of every top Customs officer is to get to the peak of the career and impact on young officers but in a situation where officers who have gotten to the peak cannot be called upon to head the Customs, it creates room for lack of confidence, low morale and dissatisfaction amongst the rank and file.

The resultant effect is dearth of professionalism and low morale, which impacts on revenue drive.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/why-buhari-chose-an-outsider-as-customs-boss/

Cc lalasticlala

The Federal Inland Revenue Service would soon go after multinational companies, corporate organisations and individuals who are evading payment of taxes in the country.

The move, according to SUNDAY PUNCH’s investigations, is part of a renewed effort by the agency to boost tax revenue to fund the programmes of the Federal Government.

Statistics obtained from the service revealed that out of the 450,000 companies in Nigeria, only 125,000, representing 27.7 per cent, pay any form of taxes.

Going by this figure, it implies that about 325,000 companies are evading tax, thus denying the government huge revenue annually.

In the 2015 fiscal year, the FIRS was given a revenue generation target of N4.5tn by the Federal Government and it has so far generated N2.667tn.

But between January and July, findings by SUNDAY PUNCH showed that the service had collected a total sum of N2.374tn against the target of N2.667trn, thus having a revenue shorfall of N290bn within the seven-month period.

The past Chairman of the FIRS, Mr. Sunday Ogungbesan, had said the service was finding it difficult to track the financial activities of those who did not pay taxes, as most of the evaders were no longer active.

But the Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, in his first official meeting with the management staff of the service, was said to have vowed to ensure that all tax revenue due to the government would be recovered from all tax payers.

Fowler said his administration would not take the issue of tax evasion lightly, as he was aware that some foreign companies that were operating in Nigeria were being investigated in England for evading taxes.

He said, “No country can succeed without taxation. We will make sure that we cover all ground, especially on the corporate level; all tax payers within each state will be covered.

“Those who have found Nigeria a fertile ground; those who have made a living and made profit from the businesses within Nigeria, we ask them to do the right thing.

“We all know the right thing to do. Most of these companies have the big names as auditors yet they keep different records — one set of records for the banks, one set of records for shareholders and one set of records for the tax administrators.

“I think it’s time that that was stopped and I am going to also request that the multinationals should follow our laws and not do things that will contravene the tax laws and I ask them that they should please partner with us and follow the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially when it comes to tax payment.”

The Director, Communications and Liaison Department, FIRS, Mr. Emmanuel Obeta, had told our correspondent that the FIRS, in a bid to capture companies with the tax net, is currently discussing with the Corporate Affairs Commission to make it mandatory for the companies to obtain their Tax Identification Number at the point of registration.

Obeta said, “The collaboration with the CAC is still ongoing, such that the FIRS will gain an immediate access to all the data of registered companies and such companies can also obtain their TIN at the point of registration from the CAC.

“The number was obtained from a physical validation or enumeration exercise. A lot of the other registered companies are portfolio companies without visible validation of their existence at their given addresses.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/tax-evasion-firs-to-go-after-325000-companies-persons/

Cc lalasticlala

More ministerial slots?

Believe this news... Then I dunno what to call you!!

There were indications on Saturday that President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress had begun moves to compensate the South-East for not getting any appointments so far in the current administration.

SUNDAY PUNCH reliably gathered that some states in the geopolitical zone might get more than one ministerial slot.

The Presidency and the APC sources, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on condition of anonymity, also justified the appointments made by Buhari on Thursday.

A top member of the party said the President was not unmindful of criticisms that greeted the alleged lopsided appointments.

He said, “The President has assured us that all zones that have not been represented in the appointments he has made so far will be compensated.

“For example, some states in the South-East may get more than one ministerial slots. The President is going to make board and ambassadorial appointments. All zones, including the South-East, will be represented in this government.”

Prominent Nigerians and socio-political groups, have criticised the appointments made by Buhari so far.

Out of 31 appointments made so far, 24 of the appointees are from the North and seven are from the South. The South-East has no representation in the Buhari-led government.

SUNDAY PUNCH however gathered that the emergence of the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pastor David Lawal, and the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, was the result of the politics among power blocks in the APC.

It was learnt that the two appointees belonged to the Congress for Progressive defunct Change, which Buhari led, before it merged with other parties to form the APC

A Presidency source told one of our correspondents that Lawal and Kyari were picked because of their closeness and loyalty to the President.

The source said, “Although the President is a loyal member of the party, the levels of trust he has in the members differ. There are various blocks in the APC.

“You don’t give appointments such as chief of staff and the SGF to your rival or his loyalists; you give them to those you can vouch for. Those posts are ears and eyes of the President and they are not subjected to the party’s ratification.”

It was also gathered that the latest appointments confirmed the existence of various power blocks in the APC.

It will be recalled that the CPC, led by Buhari, merged with the Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Nigerians Peoples Party and a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, led by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, to form the APC.

They were later joined by five governors, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also defected from the PDP to the APC.

Meanwhile, the Presidency, on Saturday, assured Nigerians that by the end of the series of appointments being made by Buhari, no part of Nigeria would feel alienated.

The Special Assistant to the President on Media Affairs, Mr. Garba Shehu, said this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents.

When asked if the South- East and other parts of the country, who are complaining of being marginalised by Buhari would be compensated, Shehu said appointments so far made by the President were just a few out of so many that would be made by the President.

He said, “There will be ministers, heads of government departments, federal boards and ambassadors. At the end of the exercise, no part of the country will be left feeling left out.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/appointments-buhari-apc-move-to-pacify-seast/

Cc lalasticlala

One of the forensic experts who testified before the Akwa Ibom State governorship tribunal Thursday, said out of the 140,832 finger prints on ballot papers matched (scanned and analyzed) over 100,000 were non-human prints.

The witness was testifying in the gubernatorial election suit between Umana Umana of the All Progressives congress (APC) and governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, who was the candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party in the election. Umana had approached the tribunal, challenging the election and declaration of Udom Emmanuel as governor.

At the Thursday hearing, the forensic expert added that they also discovered about 13, 000 cases of thumb printing.

The witness, Abdullahi Dauda, said the forensic analysis was done using Automated Fingerprint and Identification System.

The witness who has worked for the United Parcel Service for 32 years, offered to demonstrate to the tribunal how he and members of his team arrived at the results.

Counsel to the petitioner, Dayo Akinlaja then applied that the forensic expert witnesses be allowed to demonstrate the procedure before the tribunal but the respondent represented by Asiwaju Awolomo,argued that the particulars of the procedure sought were not pleaded by the petitioners in the petition. Ruling on whether to allow the witness demonstrate the process was then reserved.

Another witness, Sanusi, said though it was part of the routine associated with its work to take pictures of the process as much as needed and to access materials freely, he was prevented from doing so. He alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) did not allow him free access to the materials.

He also alleged that constant incursion by the Attorney General of the state was another issue he had to contend with. The third forensic expert, Salisu Abdullahi, an information technologist, equally identified the joint report earlier tendered. He stated that he had the outcome of the forensic inspection and analysis on his Flash drive and was ready to show the tribunal.

Earlier, the petitioner said he was ready to close his case this week if INEC cooperates with them by presenting before the tribunal all the ballot papers used for the election which the tribunal had earlier ordered.

But INEC counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, said the materials may have been moved back to Uyo. That did not go down well with the tribunal which had earlier made an order that the materials should remain in Abuja till end of hearing in the petition. The tribunal then ordered INEC to ensure that the ballot papers are brought before it.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/forensic-experts-find-non-human-prints-in-aibom-governorship-ballot-papers/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness to use E- collation system for the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

E-collation system is used to transmit election results from the polling units and wards to ensure easy and transparent collation of results.

The INEC director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Engr. Chidi Nwafor said this yesterday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of 2015 Engineering Week and Annual General Meeting organised by the Abuja branch of Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Nwafor who is the brain behind the design, development and deployment of the card reader used during the 2015 general election, said apart from the e-collation that INEC would use the permanent voters card, card readers and improved systems to ensure free and transparent elections.

According to him, “ We are putting a system that when the results come from the polling units to the ward, the ward assistant who already has a software that has been developed and tested will compute it in the developed software which will give scores of political parties and the percentage scored.

“With this, the elections in Bayelsa and Kogi will be difficult to rig, so Nigerians should expect better governorship election since there will be an improvement on the card reader.”

Presenting a paper titled, “Technological Innovations in 2015 General Election, the Role of Engineers “, he said despite improvement in the conduct of 2015 elections that INEC would not enforce the use of e-voting since its was not backed by the law.

He however attributed the success of the 2015 general election to the resilience of the former chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega to digitalise voters register; introduction of permanent voters card; and card reader. He assured that the commission would do better in 2019 general election.

On underage voting, he said, “There is no technology available in the field to remove underage voting but the only way it can be removed is through manual method, so we are appealing to the community leaders to support us.”

Nwafor further revealed that INEC has the largest data base in Africa even as he regretted that engineers have not been able to solve societal needs by the application of scientific knowledge.

http://leadership.ng/news/456610/inec-to-use-e-collation-for-kogi-bayelsa-elections-card-reader-designer

Cc lalasticlala

ABUJA—Justice Audu Bako, a member of the panel hearing petition seeking to annul the election victory of Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, is dead.

Vanguard learned that Justice Bako died around 2p.m. yesterday at Primus Hospital, Karu, a suburb in Abuja, after a brief illness.

He was buried in his home town, Nasarawa, Nasarawa State, according to Islamic rites.

Bako was a member of the three-member panel of Yobe State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal that had, on August 12, heard how Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, traced the origin of N15 million that was lodged into the bank accounts of a Resident Electoral Commissioner.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/yobe-election-tribunal-judge-dies/

Cc lalasticlala

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is set to suffer another humiliating defection, as the immediate past Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, has voiced out his frustrations in the party, stating that he cannot continue to “hang around” the PDP anymore.

It will be recalled that speculations had been rife that he is set to move to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Ndoma-Egba, however, in a chat with The Nation on Wednesday, said: “What I would say is that for the past three years, I have not had any political life within the PDP because I was shut out and I still have political life in me. So I cannot hang around hoping for PDP for the rest of my life. I am not getting younger.”

On his new choice of party, he added: “Definitely I would seek a platform to express my political life and consultations are still going on. When we conclude the consultations, I would issue a statement and it would be a very loud and clear statement.”

Reacting to a reported request by members of the APC that he apologize to them for allegedly persecuting them in the last elections, the former Senate Leader said: “The philosophy of PDP was to destroy Victor Ndoma-Egba. They spent more time pursuing me than they spent pursuing elections. Now in the last election, I did not even show up because I was shut out completely. Some of my supporters had left for APC and others to Labour Party. So I did not even come home. I was in Abuja all through the elections.

“I was politically inactive during that period. I did not follow PDP or anybody to any campaign. I was here in Abuja. So who were the people I persecuted, when I was being persecuted myself? I was fighting for my own dear life. So who were the people I persecuted? Where did they see me? If I were to persecute anybody, it would be people in PDP. So where are these coming from? The people who said I should apologize, they should tell me who to apologize to and for what.”

http://dailypost.ng/2015/08/26/pdp-set-for-another-humiliation-as-ndom-egba-concludes-plans-to-dump-party/

Cc lalasticlala

The Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has directed primary school teachers and all head teachers in the state to withdraw their children from private schools for enrolment in public schools.

Chairman of the SUBEB, Lawal Buhari Daura gave the directive on Wednesday, when he led management of the Board on an inspection tour of Local Education Authority (LEA) in Kankia.

Daura said the directive was in line with an earlier order issue by the Governor, Aminu Bello Masari that public officers under his administration must patronise public schools.

He insisted that the directive was part of efforts to revive the education sector, but was silent on whether or not penalties awaited defaulters.

Our correspondent reports that findings indicate that most of the primary school teachers in public schools do not patronise public schools as they enrol their children and wards in private schools, an action which suggests that they have no confidence in the public schools.

http://leadership.ng/news/456441/katsina-orders-withdrawal-of-children-from-private-schools

Cc lalasticlala

A fresh crisis looms in the Senate.

Members on Monday appeared divided over the planned probe of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, over alleged diversion of stolen funds recovered from looters.

While the Senate leadership said the probe would proceed as scheduled on Wednesday (tomorrow), members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the upper federal legislative chamber kicked against the probe.

The EFCC boss, according to a petition before the Senate, has been accused of diverting N1tn said to have been recovered from a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and a former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun.

The petitioner, Dr. George Uboh, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems, had petitioned the Senate through the senator representing his Delta North constituency, Peter Nwaoboshi, alleging that Lamorde, in connivance with other EFCC officials, short-changed the Federal Government in the remittance of funds and properties recovered from Alamieyeseigha and Balogun.

The probe of the EFCC boss by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions has been scheduled to begin on Wednesday (tomorrow).

After an earlier arguments over the propriety of the investigation by the Senate, the PDP senators later in a statement signed by the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; his deputy, Emmanuel Bwacha; Minority Whip, Philip Aduda; and his deputy, Biodun Olujimi, rejected the planned probe.

The PDP senators’ statement, issued late on Monday, partly read, “It has come to the notice of the PDP leadership in the Senate that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions would begin a public hearing on Wednesday, August 26, 2015 and the committee has invited the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to appear before it.

“The PDP leadership in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties and or functions but we feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on the most important assignment, particularly since the same action was mooted and had failed at previous plenary session.

“We therefore urge the committee to suspend its public hearing on this particular matter until further notice.

“The PDP senate leadership reassures the Nigerian public of its support for the war against corruption by the Federal Government of Nigeria but hastens to add that such fight against corruption should be total and not selective.

“Nigerians need peace at this period of economic challenges precipitated by the falling of oil prices and actions that will overheat the polity and generate unnecessary friction between the executive and the legislature should be avoided.”

Our correspondent learnt that there had been a heated argument among senators earlier on Monday with the senior lawmakers divided on the scheduled investigation of Uboh’s petition against Lamorde.

Some members of the committee to probe the EFCC boss were said to have disagreed sharply over the investigation, though the anti-graft commission released a statement to say that the commission under Lamorde feared no probe.

The commission, in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, described Uboh’s petition as mischievous and intended to smear Lamorde.

The statement read in part, “The EFCC as an agency that is founded on transparency is not afraid of any ‘probe’ or request for information regarding its activities by individuals, groups or organs of government; so far as such requests followed due process of law.

“Even if the EFCC had not returned a kobo of recovered assets in its 12 years existence in addition to the yearly appropriated funds from the Federation Account, it will be nowhere near a trillion naira.

“It (the petition) was sent, not to the Senate but to a member, Senate Peter Nwaoboshi, a first-term senator from Delta North

“Under the Senate rules, petitions meant for consideration by the red chamber are sent to the Senate, not to a member of the Senate.

“Also, petitions meant for the Senate are tabled at the plenary, before they are referred to the relevant committees for further consideration. In this instance, the Senate has been on recess and there is no evidence that the so-called petition was considered at plenary and referred to any committee.”

According to the commission, the EFCC under Lamorde did not need the prompting of anyone when it commissioned KPMG, an audit firm, to carry out comprehensive audit of exhibits and forfeited assets of the Commission from 2003 to date.

It said that the report of the audit would be made public once it is ready.

The statement added, “Were the Commission to be jittery about its records, it would not have embarked on such audit.

“The EFCC however warns that those who peddle false information with the intent to mislead should be reminded that there is a subsisting law on false information and the consequence for violation is grave.”

Attempts to speak with Akpabio, as of the time of filing this report, were futile as calls made to his mobile phones did not connect while the text message sent to him was also not acknowledged.

A member of the committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, explained to one of our correspondents that a motion was sponsored on financial crimes earlier in the month, seeking, among others, the invitation of Lamorde to appear before the Senate.

The senator said that one of the prayers in the motion as it specifically affected Lamorde’s invitation was rejected by the majority of the senators during plenary and that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had no option but to rule it out.

He said, “We were however surprised that the probe was channelled through the back door in form of a petition. We had discussed it in our meeting and some of us believe that we should allow the petitioner to seek redress in a court of law.

“If the chairman (of the ethics committee) still decides to go ahead with the invitation of the EFCC chairman, we will have no choice but to write our own minority report at the end of the exercise because we believe it is an issue that could be settled in court.”

But the Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Monday that there was no disagreement among the committee members and that the probe would go on as scheduled.

He said, “There is no confusion anywhere, we are inviting the EFCC chairman and the man that wrote a petition against him. This is different from the decision taken on the floor of the Senate over a motion.

“Our committee is intact and there is no dissenting voice, we will go ahead with the probe on Wednesday by the grace of God. We have the mandate of Nigerians to discharge our lawful functions as lawmakers; hence we will treat the petition on its merit.”

Also, when contacted, the Senate spokesperson, Dino Melaye, said he was not aware of the disagreement among members of the committee over Lamorde and that the probe had nothing to do with the rejection of an earlier prayer in a motion seeking his invitation by the Senate.

Melaye said, “The rule of the Senate permits its Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions to invite anybody indicted in a petition. It has nothing to do with any resolution of the entire house.

“I am aware that the committee will proceed with the invitation of the EFCC boss as scheduled on Wednesday. A formal letter had been sent to him in that regard.”

The offences alleged against Larmode were said to have been committed when he was the Director of Operations of the EFCC between 2003 and 2007, as well as an acting Chairman of the commission between June 2007 and May 2008.

http://www.punchng.com/news/n1tn-petition-senate-rumbles-splits-over-lamorde-probe/

Cc lalasticlala

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday accepted an invitation from the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, to a meeting of world leaders in New York.

The meeting is expected to formulate a fresh plan of action against extremism.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists.

Shehu said President Barack Obama and President Francois Hollande of France are also expected to participate in the September 28 meeting which will, among other things deliberate on a new UN draft resolution on combating extremism worldwide.

He said the UN scribe also invited Buhari to a meeting of a select group of 25 World leaders in New York on September 27 to deliberate on a global climate change agreement.

The presidential spokesman said in offering the invitations, the UN scribe said they were in recognition of the political will demonstrated by Buhari in combating terror in Nigeria and dealing with environmental issues.

He said Ban applauded moves by the present administration to clean up Ogoniland and promised the full support of the United Nations for the exercise.

“We will find ways to complement your leadership on environmental reform. We are happy with your plans for the restoration of Ogoniland and we will see how we can help,” he quoted the UN scribe as saying.

Shehu added that Ban said the UN would welcome the President’s “input and experience” in finalising plans to introduce a new resolution against extremism at the General Assembly.

http://www.punchng.com/news/buhari-accepts-bans-invitation-to-world-leaders-meeting/

Cc lalasticlala

Anti-corruption disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari has been linked to the improved gas supply and relative stability in power supply across the nation.

Acting Managing Director of Yola Electricity Distribution Company, YEDC, Baba Umar Mustapha, stated this in his maiden interaction with journalists at the headquarters of Yola DISCO.

Mustapha, who debunked insinuations linking improvement in power supply experienced across the nation to the rainy season, said the notion while incorrect, had gained currency because most people think power generation often peaks during rainy season due to power generation from the hydro-electric power stations in the country.

Rather, he said the improvement in power supply, which is being witnessed across the nation, was due to anti- corruption disposition of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency as well as improvement in gas supply to the various thermal generating plants. Mustapha noted that the investors had been told to either shape up or ship out.

The new acting managing director also informed that with the improvement of power supply, Mubi Town has been reconnected to national grid after several months of being in the dark.

He also canvassed the assistance of the Federal Government to allow the restoration of power supply to some Borno towns following the reconnection of Mubi Town in Adamawa State to the national grid.

Mubi town which fell to Boko Haram at the height of the onslaught of the insurgency has been in blackout since October last year following the destruction of key power installations as a result of the war waged by the military to retake the captured town renamed Madinatul Islam by the insurgents.

“They could have said there is gas supply improvement to the thermal power generation plants because the hydro-electric power stations do not contribute up to 25% of our demands for now, though they are more reliable.

“The bottom line is that there’s a gas supply improvement in the system and partly also because of the zero tolerance for corruption by the present government has also contributed. Because it is no longer business as usual, whether you generate and make your money or you pack and go,” Mustapha stated.

Mustapha noted that the Yola DISCO was privately owned and not unlike other privately-owned entities does not get subvention from the Federal Government, hence was responsible for paying the emoluments of its employees through the revenues it generates.

He revealed plans to take YEDC to greater heights even as he debunked insinuation that the company had been returned to the government.

He also warned staff against corrupt practices, saying any staff found guilty of sharp practices would be fired.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/why-there-is-improved-power-supply/

Cc lalasticlala

The Senate Leader, Sen. Ali Dume, said on Sunday that the senate would introduce e-legislation to engender “robust and effective debates’’ at the National Assembly.

Ndume told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that electronic legislation was part of the initiative of the new leadership to make the National Assembly more vibrant.

“We are trying to make this National Assembly different from the previous assemblies by introducing reforms and accountable leadership.”

He said that the present senate had unfolded some legislative agenda at the beginning to set out its goals and objectives.

“We started by unfolding a legislative agenda, which clearly spelt out what Nigerians should expect from us, the essence is to make the National Assembly more vibrant.

“This time around, we are going to have a more proactive and more vibrant senate and House of Representatives.”

He said that the reforms had started yielding dividends as the pattern of debates on the floor of the senate had changed for the better.

“If you have followed our recent debates in the senate for example, you will notice a remarkable difference from the past.

“The procedure of our debate has changed unlike in the previous senate when debates were just anyhow; the discussions have been restructured to keep Nigerians keeping abreast.

“By the time a debate is going on you as a Nigerian will be able to follow and even take side.”

Ndume said that the senate had started using e-mails to send order paper of the senate to senators.

“In the past, senators only got ideas of the day’s legislative business when they picked the order paper at the chamber.

“This makes it difficult for them to contribute effectively in the debate on the floor.

“But we changed that now, we have started sending the order paper to senators, using their e-mail addresses and this is done early enough to prepare them for active debate.”

Ndume expressed regret that majority of the senators had not yet acquired literacy in ICT, saying that this handicap would hinder the efficiency of the system.

“We are facing some hitches in this direction as some senators are not ICT compliant. But we will move on as time goes by.”

Ndume said, however, that the order paper was being delivered manually to senators who were yet to be ICT literate, pending when things would change for the better.

“Every evening, senators receive the order paper for the next day’s sitting either through e-mail or manually and get prepared.

“Each senator will be able to prepare and organise himself for the debate if he is interested.

“We have also created platforms for senators interested in contributing to debates to signify their interest online to the senate president.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/senate-to-introduce-e-legislation-to-enhance-debates-ndume/

Cc lalasticlala

Investigations by LEADERSHIP Sunday have revealed that the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) is currently in a shambles and in no state to produce weapons, as recently directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari had during the graduation ceremony of the National Defence College in Abuja, earlier this month, directed the Ministry of Defence to produce a plan for the establishment of a military industrial complex for the local production of weapons for use by the nation’s armed forces, to end the current overdependence on other countries for military equipment and logistics.

“The Ministry of Defence is being tasked to draw up clear and measurable outlines for development of a modest military industrial complex for Nigeria.

“In this regard, it is to liaise with strategic ministries, departments and agencies to re-engineer the defence industries Corporation of Nigeria to meet national military hardware and logistics requirements,” the president said at the event.

On the heels of the directive, the president also directed the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to partner with DICON and commence the manufacturing of light weapons it has designed.

Laudable as this may seem, sources at DICON informed LEADERSHIP Sunday during a visit to the complex at the heart of Kurmin Gwari community in Kaduna South local government council that unless government does a complete overhaul of the industry, it does not have the wherewithal to carry out the directive.

Findings by our correspondent revealed that the defence industries currently, only produces civilian items such as coat of arms emblem for cars and offices, staff of office for chiefs, ceremonial swords, ballot boxes, head frame type A & B complete with accessories, windmill, hand pump, spare parts and maces for State and National Assemblies.

The gigantic structure housing DICON is well fenced and manned by armed soldiers, with the inscription, “Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria” at the top of the main entrance.

The structure is the ordnance factory of the defence industry with its administrative headquarters along Ahmadu Bello Way in the heart of Kaduna city.

LEADERSHIP findings revealed that DICON was established by an Act of Parliament in 1964, for the purpose of manufacturing arms and ammunition for the nation’s military and security agencies. Consequently, a West German manufacturing firm, Fritz Werner, was assigned the task of providing technical expertise and setting up the ordnance factory in Kaduna.

The first technical partner of DICON was Fritz Werner of Western Germany, who designed and built the Kaduna Ordnance Factories in 1964 with production capacities including, 5,000 units of BM 59 Rifles per annum, 18,000 units of SMG 12 per annum, 12,000,000 rounds of 7.62mm x 51 per annum and 4,000,000 rounds of 9mm x 19 per annum.

On 22nd January, 1979, the Federal Government signed an agreement with Steyr Daimler Puch AG (Defence Division) of Austria. The agreement provided for the construction of a factory building in Bauchi State, complete with all utilities, roads, rails and furniture for the production of Armoured Personnel carriers (APC).

The factory was designed to assemble in eight hours/day shift, the following, 300 units/yr 2 axles (4×4) Pinzgauer, 1 ton payload, 200 units/yrs 3 axles (6x) Pinzgauer; 1.5 ton payload, 140 units/yr Armoured Personnel Carriers; 45 unit/yr Command vehicles (APC); 10 units/yr Motor Carriers (ACP) and 5 units/yr Ambulances (APC). Factory buildings, utilities, roads and workshop equipment were all completed and commissioned since 1982.

The factory building was to be utilised by the Nigerian Army for the maintenance and rehabilitation of armoured fighting vehicles and APCs under a contractual arrangement.

In order to remain in business, DICON decided to use its equipment to produce civilian items such as rural water supply equipment, industrial spare parts and furniture for sale to the general public.

Studies show that the Nigerian Civil War which occurred between 1967 and 1970 necessitated the tripling of the above production rates and the Kaduna factory was thus able to make a significant contribution to the war effort.

But since after the war, the lucrative arms market for DICON ended, making its peers like the Brazilian Defence Industries Corporation that was established the same year leaving it far behind. The Brazil Defence Industries Corporation now manufactures military helicopters among other high calibre armaments.

DICON at present

Insiders in DICON told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the defence industry is “as good as dead,” owing to decades of neglect and abandonment.

A staff of DICON who spoke on the condition of anonymity, as he was not mandated to speak on the matter said, “DICON is zero in terms of weapon and ammunition production. We have two lines but the old line is completely down. The new line is actually okay but the immediate past Director General refused to allow production of ammunition.”

Why Chinese experts abandoned new production line

The staff informed our correspondent that some Chinese experts were engaged to work on a new production line for DICON but abandoned it along the line.

Explaining why the line was abandoned, he said, “the old line was used to produce weapons that are not up to AK 47 and then a new line was installed by Chinese experts. The former DG did not allow the Chinese experts who actually undertook the contract of installing the new line to further train us on how to use the equipment/machines to continue production. They (Chinese contractors) waited and left without putting the new line into use because of lack of raw materials. We can only produce ammunition on the new line; the old line is completely gone.”

He added that for the first time in 13 years, the industry had a single production because “we tried to test run the machines on the new line that was installed by the Chinese but the Chinese experts left for lack of raw materials.”

Further checks by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that except for the test run of the new line and subsequent production of the OBJ Rifle in 2007, no production had been carried out.

“Since 2007 when we produced OBJ rifle, and the production of bullet proof jackets commissioned by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, we have not produced any military hardware in DICON. After that production, nothing has happened again for the past three years.

“In fact, DICON as it is now cannot produce weapon any longer except there is a serious turn around,” he added.

How prepared is DICON to carry out the presidential directive?

Though, efforts to get DICON’s management, headed by Brigadier General DIO Ehiorobo, to speak on the level of readiness of DICON to match action with the presidential directive could not yield positive result, sources at the industry said it could come to life with political will.

According to DICON’s Public Relations officer, Mr. Abdullahi Kurfi, General Ehiorobo who recently took over from the former Director General, Major General ER Chioba, would require ample time to study the industry to know the state of things before he could talk to the press. He therefore pleaded for more time to allow the new DG settle down to work.

Meanwhile, our source at the industry said, “the truth is that the military has succeeded in killing DICON, the industry is completely dead as we speak. The only way the government can bring DICON alive is for the Federal Government to think of starting it all over again. There is nothing in DICON apart from the new line that was installed by the Chinese people.”

“Staff welfare is poor; we have not been getting our allowances for a long period of time,” he added.

http://leadership.ng/news/455698/presidential-directive-on-light-weapons-defence-industries-in-a-shambles

cc lalasticlala ishilove

•Foreign missions to adopt strict policy
•Boko Haram fighters found in Libya, northern Niger

To ensure that undesirable elements do not enter the country, the Federal Government has directed it missions to adopt strict visa issuance policy.

The directive followed the botched attempt by the Chief Imam of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Ahmed Al-Assir, to enter Nigeria. Visa applicants from marked areas will, henceforth, be subjected scrutiny, sources said.

Security agencies have already stepped up investigation into Al-Assir’s possible contacts in Nigeria.

There will also be increased profiling of Nigerians travelling to suspected ISIS strongholds and visiting foreigners. An agency report yesterday said that Boko Haram has dispatched between 80 and 200 of its members to team up with ISIS in the Libyan city of Sitre.

The report added that Algerian security forces believe that Boko Haram members are currently fighting in northern Niger Republic.

There were concerns that some ISIS members might have sneaked into Nigeria to Boko Haram.

A government source said yesterday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed all Nigerian missions abroad to “be strict with visa.”

“The end of carefree issuance of visa is gone, all the missions have been directed to subject applicants to thorough screening before they can enter Nigeria,” a source said.

“Special attention will be paid to ISIS prone areas and allies in some countries. We have records of the operation areas and affiliates of ISIS.

“Those coming from suspected areas will henceforth provide comprehensive details of their contacts, hosts and itinerary to the Nigerian Immigration Service(NIS).

“These are preemptive measures we have in place pending the conclusion of investigation into the visa row of Al-Assir.”

It was also gathered that security agencies have been analysing the preliminary report from the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon on how the ISIS Chief Imam obtained visa with a fake Palestinian passport.

The probe is being handled by the Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) , Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the NIS.

A source familiar with the development said: “We cannot afford to take things for granted; we are studying the supposed itinerary of Al-Assir based on the decoy documents he used to apply for visa.

“There is a way we can track down his network in Nigeria. Definitely, it is obvious that he has some links in the country.

“The clues we are investigating border on whether some ISIS members have arrived in Nigeria or if Al-Assir was on a mass recruitment mission.

“You know he is also being interrogated by security agencies in Lebanon, we are going to compare notes with them.”

Al-Assir was arrested on August 15 at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport,Lebanon on his way to Nigeria through Egypt.

He has been on the watch-list of Lebanon’s security services since 2013.

At the time of his arrest, Al-Assir was holding a fake Palestinian passport with Nigerian visa.

Prior to his disguise, the Lebanese government had accused him of alleged involvement in the death of 17 Lebanese soldiers.

He had also been sentenced to death in absentia by a Lebanese Court.

Before Al-Assir’s ill-fated trip, the NIS had barred no fewer than 4,916 Nigerians from traveling out of the country between January and March.

Some of those affected were suspected to be travelling to enlist in some terrorist movements, including the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq and the Taliban.

Also, 12,152 foreigners were refused entry into Nigeria because they had no genuine reasons for visiting the country.

http://thenationonlineng.net/fed-govt-goes-tough-on-visa-issuance-to-stop-terrorists/

cc lalasticlala

phyllosilicate:
I could remember how Okonjo Iweala was shouting how Nigeria was broke, how Nigerians should tighten their belt because of the falling price of crude oil and that Nigeria would borrow to be able to finance the 2015 budget. But in just 3 months almost 60% of the Budget has been generate just from petroleum products alone, not including revenues generated internally and other export.
IF THIS MUCH COULD BE GENERATED WITHIN 3 MONTHS WHEN OIL PRICE IS ABOUT $50 PER BARREL, WHERE WAS OUR MONEY GOING TO WHEN IT WAS $110 PER BARREL?

Chairman, I wonder o
They got lotta explanation to do
It appears they've been short changing Nigerians for a pretty long time

AdeniyiA:
I see an Increase in our budgetary allocations next year ...

even with falling oil prices

Without a single minister

NIGERIA should be expecting more good news in the coming days

We finally have a PRESIDENT!!

…Records N4.3trn total trade, N1.49trn surplus

By Michael Eboh

Nigeria earned N2.512 trillion from the export of petroleum products in three months, between April and June 2015, according to data released Wednesday, by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.

The NBS, in its Foreign Trade Statistics for the Second Quarter of 2015, also stated that Nigeria recorded total merchandise trade of N4.372 trillion and a trade surplus of N1.4 trillion in the month under review.

It is instructive to noted that the amount the country earned from petroleum products sale in the second quarter of 2015, was 56.8 per cent of the country’s N4.49 trillion 2015 budget.

Also the amount earned from the export of petroleum products accounted for 57.5 per cent of Nigeria’s total merchandise trade and 87.3 per cent of total export.

In its classification of petroleum products export in the period under review, the NBS data revealed that the country exported petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals and crude oil valued at N2.121 trillion; liquefied natural gas valued at N260.7 billion, while liquefied petroleum gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons valued at N66.41 billion was also exported.

Others are: liquefied propane — N43.88 billion, partially refined oil including crude oil having gone primary refinement —N13.577 billion and liquefied butanes — N6.15 billion.

Specifically , giving a breakdown of Nigeria’s merchandise trade, the NBS stated that Nigeria’s total export stood at N2.879 trillion, while total import stood at N1.49 trillion, thereby, leading to a trade surplus of N1.39 trillion.

The value of total merchandise trade, according to the NBS, was 0.5 per cent less than the total of ₦4.393 trillion recorded in the first quarter of 2014 and 34.3 per cent or N2.287 trillion less than the amount recorded in the second quarter of 2014.

In addition, the report stated that at N2.879 trillion, Nigeria’s total export appreciated by 8.0 per cent or N214.1 billion when compared with the value of exports in the first quarter of 2015, while it represented a decline of N1.8 trillion or 38.5 per cent when compared with total exports of N4.682 trillion recorded in the second quarter of 2014.

Continuing, the report stated that, “Other products exported by Nigeria include vehicles, aircraft and parts thereof; vessels among others at ₦250.6 billion or 8.7 per cent; Vegetable Products at ₦36.7 billion or 1.3 per cent, and Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco at ₦24.6 billion or 0.9 per cent of the totals respectively.”

Furthermore, the report stated that Nigeria’s major export destination was India, with export trade of N406.1 billion or 14.1 per cent of total export.

Other top export destinations in the period under review were: Spain, Netherlands, South Africa and Brazil with ₦297.4 billion or 10.3 per cent, ₦296.3 billion or 10.3 per cent, ₦240.9 billion or 8.4 per cent and ₦147.8 billion or 5.1 per cent of the total exports respectively.

In the area of imports, the report said, “The value of Nigeria’s imports stood at ₦1.493 trillion during second quarter 2015, a decrease of 13.6 per cent from the value of ₦1.728 trillion recorded in the preceding quarter.

“Year-on-year, analysis showed that import trade was lower by ₦484.0 billion or 24.5 per cent.

“Nigeria imported goods mostly from China, United States, India, Belgium and Netherlands, which respectively accounted for ₦336.5 billion or 22.5 per cent, ₦143.6 billion or 9.6 per cent, ₦115.4billion or 7.7 per cent, ₦83.4 billion or 5.6 per cent and ₦ 80.9 billion or 5.4 per cent of the total value of goods imported during the quarter.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/nigeria-earns-n2-5trn-from-petroleum-products-export-in-3mths/

Cc ishilove lalasticlala

Thank God its coming from their very own


Nd dat guy claims he has PhD oo

Ex-SGF: I’ve taken Ojougboh to court

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim unilaterally acquired the multi-billion-dollar Centenary City on the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Abuja, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief alleged yesterday.

PDP’s National Vice Chairman (Southsouth zone) Dr. Cairo Ojougboh said he was ready to face the ex-SGF in court to prove his sole ownership of the controversial housing estate.

At a media briefing in his Abuja home late Monday, Ojougboh, reacting to what he described as “the show of shame”, which he said Anyim sponsored against him on Monday, accused the former SGF of acts of desperation “to cling onto his loot and spoils of office without putting into consideration the millions of Nigerians he is depriving of the dividends of democracy”.

Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe transactions relating to the Centenary City, Ojougboh said Anyim persuaded former President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the Centenary City documents without the ex-president reading the contents or consulting his advisers.

The Centenary City project is sitting on a land area covering over 1, 500 hectares, the size of three districts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The PDP chieftain has petitioned President Buhari, stating the facts relating to the transaction and the role played by Anyim in what he described as “a scam” perpetrated by a United Arab Emirates company, allegedly operating as a front for Anyim.
Ojougboh said: “Yes, the former president signed the papers as presented to him by the former SGF. He was not properly briefed because of vested interests.

“I can defend him; he was not part of the fraud. If Jonathan had been properly briefed, he would not have approved the project, let alone going to perform the ground breaking.

“The former President thought that the Centenary City was for the good of all Nigerians because of the centenary spirit. Unknown to him, it was the private project of the former SGF and his cohorts.

“I am calling on President Buhari now to revisit the centenary city project and he will be shocked that the project is owned by a private individual, but procured with government funds”.

According to Ojougboh, the original landlords demanded compensation from the Federal Government, “but the sponsors of the project used a private firm to pay them N1.2 billion. He asked: Where did they source that money from?”

He continued: “How can an individual still serving in the government get such a huge sum to pay compensation without government knowledge?”.
Ojougboh alleged that the money was paid into a private company’s account.

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari should direct the Department of State Services (DSS), the police, the Directorate of Military Intelligence as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look into the matter.

“The President must insist that each of these security agencies should carryout independent investigations so that the depth of the matter would be reached. I am available to offer the much I know from my independent quests on the matter”.

Ojougboh, a medical doctor, insisted that the project was a scheme used to defraud the Federal Government in taxes, stressing that the Free Zone status given to the multi-district estate was a fraud.

Ojougboh also quoted Anyim as saying that the project was worth $4 billion, adding that the process violated the rules guiding the granting of free trade zone status by the Nigerian Export Processing Zonal Authority (NEPZA).

The PDP chieftain, who was chairman of the board of NEPZA during the project’s conception, said the board did not approve a free trade zone status for it.

“I can categorically attest to the fact emphatically and unequivocally, that the board did not approve the grant of the status of free trade zone to centenary city.

“Centenary city cannot be a free zone because it is purely a residential estate within the confinement of the Federal Capital Territory and it is implicit that those who live in the free trade zone will require re-entry visa for ingress and egress.

“I make bold to say that the Federal Government has no equity in the Centenary City project and that Senator Anyim Pius Anyim is the sole owner of the 3000 acres of land owned by the Centenary City, Abuja.

“This is against the tenets and spirit of the Public Service rules for a public servant to own such a business whilst in government,” Ojougboh said.

The party chieftain stated that his attention was first drawn to the scam by the Anti-Corruption Network, and that he had voiced his opposition to the anomaly.

“It was meant to give import duty to the owners through the back door. The consequence was to rob Nigerian masses of their land, revenue and retard the industrial growth of the nation.

“Therefore, for every one job the project creates today, it robs the nation of over 10 jobs in taxes and industrial development”. Ojougboh stated.

Ojougboh raised some questions for Anyim:
*.Does the law establishing the FCT allow for a free zone? Is it in the Abuja mater plan?
*.How did Pius Anyim obtain the N1.2 billion resettlement fees?
*.In whose custody is the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) of the Centenary City?

Anyim’s media aide, Mr. Sam Nwaobosi, declined comments because, according to him, the matter is in court. In a telephone conversation with reporters in Abuja yesterday, Nwaobosi said Anyim would not take up issues with Ojougboh.

Said he: “Senator Anyim has gone to court to sue him for defamation on the previous press conference and interviews that he granted in which he accused Anyim of almost all these things you said he is saying now.

“So, the matter is already in court and Senator Anyim does not wish to take up issues with him on matters that are already in court.

“Since he feels aggrieved by what Cairo (Ojougboh) has been saying and writing against him, he is pursuing a very civilised cause by going to court to plead his case.

“So whatever Ojougboh is saying, he will have an opportunity in court to explain and then plead his case.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/pdp-chief-anyim-tricked-jonathan-to-sign-n1-2b-deal/

Ishilove
Lalasticlala

Imagine say na buhari do same for mosque nw

Dem for no allow us hear word

Gov. Wike to spend public funds to rehabilitate church for praying for his victory

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday, promised to rehabilitate the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Mission Church in Port Harcourt for praying for his success at the polls.

Speaking Sunday at a Service in Port Harcourt, Mr. Wike attributed his victory in the last general election to prayer, saying God has vindicated him before his political enemies.

Mr. Wike also recalled the prayer he said to God when his political opponents called him a member of a secret society.

His words: “If you recall, I did say that if I belong to a secret society, I should not win the governorship elections of Rivers State. By the special grace of God, the pastor prayed for me before the congregation, he prayed for me in private, and he has been praying with me up till now. To the Glory of God, the elections came and God Almighty triumphed.”

Mr. Wike, who further recalled how the church supported him during his turbulent periods, said he would redeem his campaign promise to carry out renovations in and around the church headquarters premises in Port Harcourt.

He said: “If you recollect, I said that if I win, I would tar the road leading to the church compound and interlock its premises”.

The governor maintained that the renovation of the church would be part of his 100 days in office programme.

The governor said that his administration is the first in history of Rivers State to achieve many road construction progresses despite the heavy rains. He attributed these achievements to the power and grace of God.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/188499-gov-wike-to-spend-public-funds-to-rehabilitate-church-for-praying-for-his-victory.html

Cc: lalasticlala

The guy just dey rant shamelessly

And Buhari just dey give am JEGA treatment

Verification of Buhari, Osinbajo’s assets yet to begin – Code of Conduct Bureau



President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo have not commenced the process of having the Code of Conduct Bureau verify details of their declared assets, ahead of making them public, the head of the bureau has said.

Sam Saba, chairman of the code of conduct office, said the bureau was prepared to commence the verification of assets declared by the president and vice president, but said CCB was awaiting a convenient time for the two leaders to carry out the exercise.



The bureau said none of two steps used for verifying assets has been implemented in the case of Messrs. Buhari and Osinbajo, nearly three months since they took office.

“Both the conference and the field verification exercises are pending,” Mr. Saba said in an interview with the Punch, published Sunday.

He said a conference verification involves the examination of the particulars of an asset, while field verification requires physical validation of the listed property.

“For instance, if you say you have three vehicles, let us see the registration numbers. We don’t have to see all the details. Once we are able to see the receipt of the purchase of the vehicle or the registration documents, we are satisfied,” Mr. Saba said. “But we still have to see it physically and that is the second stage which we call field verification.”

The Constitution does not compel office holders to declare their assets publicly, but amid an increasing scale of corruption, more Nigerians have intensified calls for asset details of senior government officials to be made open as an important step in combating graft.

Messrs Buhari and Osinbajo’s election campaign centred on rooting out corruption, and the two leaders pledged to voluntarily declare their assets on assumption of office.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (opposition before the elections) also assured that its president – unlike former Peoples Democratic Party presidents, Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo – would declare his assets. Umaru Yar’adua, also a PDP president, declared his assets promptly on taking office in 2007.

Reacting to growing calls for the president to fulfil his election pledge, his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on June 6, assured that Mr. Buhari would make the report of his asset declaration public soon after verification by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has said that in fulfilment of one of their campaign promises, his declared assets and those of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will be released to the public upon the completion of their verification by the Code of Conduct Bureau,” Mr. Shehu said.

He added: “There is no question at all that the President and the Vice President are committed to public declaration of their assets within the 100 days that they pledged during the presidential campaign”.

The 100-day period since the new administration came to power lapses in September.

http://www.nigerianeye.com/2015/08/verification-of-buhari-osinbajos-assets.html?m=1

Lalasticlala ishilove