Monday 2 November 2015

Play by rules : Police to Bayelsa politicians

The police on Monday warned politicians and political parties in Bayelsa State to obey the rules guiding the electoral process before, during and after the December 5 governorship poll in the state.
The state police Commissioner, Mr. Nasiru Oki, said all the parties to the election are aware of the rules of engagement and must strive to operate within the ambit of the law.
He said on the day of the election, people are expected to go to their polling units, cast their votes quietly and return to their homes.
He said nobody would be allowed to carry dangerous instruments such as guns, knives and cudgels to voting centres.

PDP, APC back to trenches - Amaechi

The Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Rivers State chapter, Chief Felix Obuah, said the confirmation of ministerial nomination of the former governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, by All Progressives Congress (APC) Senators, was an official endorsement of corruption and gross abuse of democracy.
Obuah, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by his media aide, Jerry Needam, said Amaechi’s confirmation despite allegation of fraud, as contained in the Justice George Omereji led – Judicial Commission of Inquiry and the government White Paper, which indicted him, was shocking.

Army kills 2 insurgents, clears Boko Haram camp in Borno village

The Nigerian Army said that it had cleared a suspected Boko Haram camp in Duwabafi village, Borno State.
This was contained in a statement issued by Colonel Sani Kukasheka, the acting Director, Army Public Relations, on Monday, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
"In continuation with the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, on Sunday, troops of 243 Battalion, 5 Brigade, Nigerian Army, on fighting patrol, encountered some suspected elements of the terrorists holed up at a primary school in Duwabafi village in Borno State," the statement said.

No work, no pay - Oshiomhole to Judicial workers

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said the Government will not use the taxes of workers to pay those who chose to stay at home for months on a strike that is ill-informed.
Speaking at the 2015/2016 Legal Year of the State Judiciary, the Governor said the law is clear that a worker who embarks on a strike will forfeit his wage.
It will be recalled that workers under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in the state had embarked on a 7-month strike action to press home their demand for financial autonomy for the judiciary.

Army clears Boko Haram camp in Duwabafi village in Borno

The Nigerian Army said that it had cleared a suspected Boko Haram camp in Duwabafi village, Borno.
This is contained in statement issued by Col. Sani Kukasheka, the Army Acting Director, Public Relations on Monday in Maiduguri.
“In continuation with the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, on Sunday, troops of 243 Battalion, 5 Brigade Nigerian Army on fighting patrol encountered some suspected elements of the terrorists holed up at a Primary School in Duwabafi village in Borno.

Obasanjo urges Nigerians to shun tribal politics, extremism

Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday appealed to Nigerian politicians whom he observed are still playing tribal politics to eschew such unpatriotic attitude, insisting that Nigeria could only progress if every citizen sees himself or herself first as a Nigerian before any other consideration.
Also at the weekend, Obasanjo advised the Federal Governments to use education as a tool to end the Boko Haram insurgency. He carpeted some religious leaders whom he alleged have abandoned preaching tolerance and peace to encouraging violence, extremism and materialism
Obasanjo said it was regrettable that 55 years after Nigeria’s independence, the country’s progress is still being hampered by tribal, sectional, ethnic or regional politics.

EFCC Arrests Jonathan's Ex-ADC

Operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday arrested Mr. Moses Jitoboh‎, Chief Personal Security Officer to former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Jitoboh, a serving Commissioner of Police, We gathered, was arrested by EFCC operatives after shortly after luring him into the Presidential Villa.

Jitoboh served as ADC to Jonathan when the latter served as vice and acting President, and is the third security aide of the fomer president to face harassment in a week.

An EFCC source told newsman that Jitoboh was "brought into our custody‎" on Sunday evening.

As at the time of this report, EFCC spokesman Mr. Wilson Uwujaren told newsman‎ he didn't have any information on the reported arrest.

FRSC Warns Motorists Against Driving Under Influence Of Alcohol, Hard Drugs

The Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Hyginus Omeje, on Monday warned motorists to desist from driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages or hard drugs.
Umeh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that most of the accidents on the highways were as a result of reckless driving by motorists, especially those who have taken alcohol or hard drugs, before setting out.
He said that the FRSC would have to tackle the menace through the relevant agencies, so that the situation could be addressed from source, to ensure a drastic reduction in accident rates, especially during festive periods.

US to trace Nigeria’s stolen funds

Buhari, Obama

The United States will offer to help Nigeria’s new leader track down billions of dollars in stolen assets and increase US military assistance to fight Islamic militants, US officials said, as Washington seeks to “reset” ties with Africa’s biggest economy.

The visit to Washington by President Muhammadu Buhari is viewed by the US administration as a chance to set the seal on improving ties since he won a March election, hailed as Nigeria’s first democratic power transition in decades.

Buhari set to meet Obama

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday arrived Washington DC on a four-day official visit to United States, where he is expected to discuss bilateral issues with President Barrack Obama and other government officials.
The president, who arrived at Joint Based Andrews Airport Washington, was received by the Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Mrs. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and Mr. James Entwistle, U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Others at the airport to receive the President included the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, Nigerian embassy officials and governors of Borno, Nasarawa, Imo, Oyo and Edo.

Aregbesola denies plan to sack 10,000 workers

Aregbesola

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Monday denied speculations that that his administration was planning to sack 10,000 workers.
Aregbesola in a statement by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, said in Osogbo that “the so-called plan’’ to sack 10,000 workers is a figment of an imagination by the opposition party in the state.
According to the statement, nowhere has the Aregbesola administration signifies any intention to sack any worker.

Fayose to Obasanjo: Stop Attacking Jonathan

Governor Ayodele Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo to stop the consistent vitriolic attacks being launched against the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Fayose said: “Dr Goodluck Jonathan is no longer the president of Nigeria; he should be allowed to live a private life devoid of mudslinging from elder statesmen like Chief Obasanjo.”

Suicide bomber kills five in Damaturu

A suicide bomber on Monday diffused a bomb at check point in Damaturu, Yobe State.
At least five people, including a policeman, were feared dead.
Details later…

Thursday 9 July 2015

Ekweremadu, APC and the ICC meeting

THE emergence of the leadership of the current National Assembly in our country has thrown up many issues that will generate a heated debate for a long time.
The June 9 inauguration of the Eight National Assembly and the drama attending the election of the Senate President, Speaker and their deputies have presented drama, intrigues and political calculations which deserve that not only books be written about the event of that day and what happened before and after, but also requires scholars of political science and Nigerian political developments and government to further interrogate and document what happened for posterity.
While so much has been written and many explanations given by the actors and their supporters on the leadership crisis, one has noticed how the issue of the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu representing Enugu State and a member of the minority party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the Deputy Senate President has equally assumed a life of its own.

Bailout Not from Savings Made by Jonathan Govt, Presidency Replies PDP

President Muhammadu Buhari

The presidency has described as false, banal and ludicrous the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party’s spokesman, Olisa Metuh, that the funds released to states by President Muhammadu Buhari to enable them pay their workers’ salaries came from savings made by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

But in a counter statement, the People Democratic Party is insisting that the LNG bail out fund approved by President Buhari to the state governors is part of the savings by the past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Ohakim, Nyako, son remanded in EFCC custody ‘…ex-Adamawa gov, others stole N29bn; Ohakim N270m’

(1) A former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, at the Federal High Court, standing trial for money laundering, in Abuja... on Wednesday. (2) A former Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyanko, at the Federal High Court, standing trial for corrupt enrichment, in Abuja... on Wednesday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned former governors of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, and Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, before the Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged fraud charges.

Nyako, who was removed as Adamawa State Governor by the state House of Assembly on July 15, 2014, was arraigned along with his son, Abdul-Aziz, and others comprising, Zulkifikk Abba, Abubakar Aliyu as well as five firms.

Abdul-Aziz is the senator representing Adamawa Central in the National Assembly.

Nyako, his son and others were arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu for fraud amounting to N29,099,430,879.92.

Oshiomhole advocates stiffer penalties for rape, child abuse

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has advocated stiffer penalties against rapists, paedophiles and anyone involved in child abuse to serve as deterrence to others.
He also urged people of the state to stop giving alms to child beggars to discourage the rising trend of child beggars in the state.
Speaking to the Chairman and members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in the state, led by Mrs. Stella Ojemen, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Thursday, Oshiomhole said, “Edo State Government appreciates that you are addressing some of the challenges that government ought to have addressed like ensuring that we all mount campaigns against rape and defilement as well as ensure that when people have carried out these heinous crimes, that they are properly arrested and that they are diligently prosecuted with a view to sending them to prison.

Lamido, sons remanded in Kano prison

Former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his two sons who were arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Kano on Thursday have been remanded in prison.

The trio were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 28- count charge bordering on money laundering, abuse of public office and subtle bribery by various companies that were involved in the alleged fraudulent deals, amounting to N1.351 billion.

Ex- PDP chief defects to APC in Ekiti

Former two-term State Chairman of PDP in Ekiti State, Chief Ropo Adesanya, at the weekend defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC)‎ in Ijan-Ekiti, Gbonyin Local Government of the state.
At a ceremony held at Ijan Ward secretariat were hundreds of his supporters were received to the party by the Ekiti South Senatorial Chairm‎an of APC, Mr Kayode Babade, in company of other party leaders across the state.
Gbonyin Local Government Leader, who is also the Chairman of Afenifere in Ekiti State, Chief Dapo Awojolu, praised Adesanya for leading Ijan Ekiti people out of darkness to the light represented by APC.
While urging members to always have positive attitude to their party for strength and growth, he appealed to the people to always pray for President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed in redirecting Nigeria to the path of development and prosperity.

Ambode fires LASEMA boss, announces replacement

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has appointed Michael Kolawole Akindele as the new General Manager for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA.
A press release signed by the Public Relations Officer, LASEMA, Mr. Adebayo Kehinde, said Akindele who replaced Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, was a former Vice Chairman Ikeja Local Government Area, as well as Special Assistant on Health to former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, between 2004-2007.

Christian Chukwu: Keshi had the opportunity of leaving honourably

Super Eagles’ former coach, Christian Chukwu, said yesterday that sacked coach Stephen Keshi had the opportunity of leaving the position honourably when it became obvious that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) no longer needed his services.
Chukwu was among the many football people who advised Keshi to walk away from his position when it became obvious that he was hanging on to the position because of the influence of some people in the former President Goodluck Jonathan government.

Maiduguri Closed for Army Day Celebration

The troubled town of Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria Northeast state Borno was shutdown for the celebration of the Nigerian Army Day.

Our reporter can report that most of the important route in the town that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah was expected to pass through to the Government House where he paid a courtesy visit on the governor, the road to the Shehu's palace where he also paid a courtesy call on the monarch, the road leading to the cemetery where he laid a wreath on dead soldiers and some military barracks where the activities of the day were held were closed.

Saraki: Governors can’t pay salaries because of corruption

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Monday attributed the inability of some state governors to meet their obligations to their workers and the entire citizens to the issue of corruption which, he said, had assumed a worrisome development in the country.

Saraki stated this when the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, Mr.Ekpo Nta, led top officials of his agency to pay him a courtesy visit.

The senate president lamented that the embarrassing level of corruption in the country had taken a dangerous dimension to the extent that the three tiers of government were finding it difficult to pay salaries and provide basic social infrastructure.