Lagos lawyer drags Buhari to court compelling him to name ministers

NAFDAC warns against consumption of imported Chicken, Turkey & other Poultry products

As shared on the Agency's Facebook wall ...

    Although imported chickens and turkeys have become status symbol in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) has come out to strongly warned against the consumption of imported or smuggled frozen poultry frozen meat, even as it has said that imported poultry products, especially chicken and turkey have been discovered to be causative factor in non- communicable diseases (NCDs) and antibiotics resistance.

Although NCDs are non-infectious but they are deadly. Health conditions under NCDs include cancer, kidney disease, and hypertension among others. NAFDAC Director General,Dr Paul Orhii, who gave the warning at media briefing in Lagos, urged Nigerians to avoid imported smuggled chickens and turkeys, because they have been found to contain substances that can predispose one to kidney, liver and lung diseases as well as certain types of cancers and drug resistance- bacterial infections.

At the briefing, a study, titled “Prevalence, Quality and Acceptability of Frozen Poultry Meat in Major Cities in Nigeria” carried out by experts from University of Ibadan titled “, was presented. Although imported foreign chicken, turkey and along with other frozen poultry meat have been banned by the Federal Government, some Nigerians have cultivated the habit of smuggling the banned poultry products into the country to the ‘delight’ of some Nigerians who do not know the health implications of consuming such products.

Orhii said that patronising smuggled poultry foods do not only encourage economic sabotage, but also can damage peoples’ health. Orhii added that the studies have found out that most of the smuggled chicken into Nigeria contains high level of various deadly contaminants. Orhii said: “Our studies have found that most of these smuggled chickens or smuggled poultry products, may be because the way they are transported or because they are not properly packaged, they contain some contaminants. It can be formaldehyde, at times it can be high level of antibiotics residue and other contaminants like heavy metals. “And that is why we are discouraging members of the public from consuming them. We are particularly concerned about the high level of antibiotics residue, because these can cause drug resistance, resistance to antibiotics.” Orhii added that NAFDAC would begin strict enforcement of the ban on imported poultry products.

The study, which Orhii referred to, was carried out Prof. Olumide Tewe (lead researcher) ,Prof.S.S.Abiola (meat technologist), Dr.O.AAbu (nutritional enzymologist), Dr.C.I.Alarima (agriculture extensionist), Dr.O.A.Olabisi (public health specialist), Mr.S, Adelani (chief technologist) and Mr. R. A. Aromoye (administrative assistant). According to Tewe, a nutritional toxicologist, who led the research team that discovered that foreign poultry products contain harmful toxic substance, the sample for the study on “imported (smuggled) frozen poultry carcasses were obtained from wholesalers and retailers in Lagos, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt and Abuja,” and “analysed for heavy metals, microbial status and meat quality parameters.”

The nutritional toxicologist said the analysed smuggled or imported poultry food were found to be unsafe for consumption, adding that the continuous consumption of imported chicken and turkey could damage the human system on the long run, unlike poultry products produce locally, which have been found to be safe for consumption. Tewe said: “Consumers in the study area mostly consume chicken and turkey. Other poultry meats consumed are duck, geese, guinea fowl and quail. Sources of poultry meat sold is imported or smuggled poultry meat. A very small percentage (15.33) of the retailers sold locally produced poultry meat.

“It was discovered that the foreign poultry products contain high levels of formaldehyde, as well as high levels of metals and other substances which are lethal to the human body as against the locally bred poultry products which did not contain such substances. Heavy metals (which have been found to be present in imported or smuggled meat) may cause toxicity-related mutagenesis (mutation), carcinogenesis (cancer) and other severe health hazards. Others (result of heavy metals) are cardiovascular diseases, skin disorders, and neurotoxicity lung and nasal cancer in humans”.

Buhari In Aso Rock This Morning

75yr Old Woman Stranded In Ogun State, Police Call On Family To Claim Her

The Ogun state police command is asking anyone who knows the woman above, 75 year old Madam Janet Agbana, who was found wandering in a motorpark in Ibafo Ogun state by a good Samaritan on June 9th. The woman, who says she lives in Kwara with her son, said she doesn't know how she got to Ogun state. She said all she could remember was leaving her home in the Ita Amodu area of Ilorin and then boarding a bus to go buy something and found herself in Ogun state

    “I strolled out of my house to buy an item on a neighbouring street. I did not know how I found myself here. I saw people entering a bus and I entered with them. I am not staying alone. I am living with one of my sons, Kareem Dauda. I want to return to Ilorin.
    My family members are waiting for me. But I do not know the way back home. I am not working. I just stay in the house.” The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, called on her family members to come forward for identification so as to take her back home. “We have not located her family. She has been with the police since the incident. We will be handing her over to a social welfare centre in the Owode area."she said.

Source: Punch

Comedian, Jedi proposes to his girlfriend on stage

Ben Murray-Bruce wants Pres. Buhari to sell off 11 presidential jets

Ambode Declares Second Lekki-Epe Expressway Toll-free

Lagos state governor Akinwunmi Ambode says residents of the state who live in the Lekki axis will no longer pay tolls at the second toll point on the Lekki- Epe Expressway. The governor made this remark at an interactive session with journalists at the Banquet Hall of the Lagos House, Ikeja yesterday.

The governor, in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, said his concern was ensuring the completion of the road.

He said,

“We must start thinking of the future concerning that road. We said we will have an International Airport in Epe, and an Export Processing Zone in Lekki and a Deep Seaport also in Lekki. Should we not start thinking about how we will improve and create a 10-lane road between Ikorodu, Itoikin, Epe and Ijebu Ode so that people can go out from there? There is no point constructing the road, paying tolls and in five years’ time, the road is gone.”

The governor said once the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which was being expanded into 10-lane, was completed, the community would be opened up for business activities. He added that his administration would make careful efforts to grow the tourism potential of the state.

He said,

“As more means of transportation come on board, the more than 600,000 private car owners and 120,000 motorcycles that are being put on the road in the state on a daily basis will reduce in number.”

He said his administration had decided to scale up governance by rearranging the civil service through the realignment of some ministries and agencies, while creating a new Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment.

Ambode said,

“We have said this is a government of continuity, but it is continuity with improvement. It is about making life easier for the people. We are receptive to new ideas and that is why we are going to be creative, innovative and thinking out of the box.”

 Source: Punch

Wike Should Move To Nollywood Where His Devious Skills Would Probably Be Useful + Ikuru a Person of No Character, No Self-respect, No dignity, No shame.- AMAECHI

 
The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi has said the new governor of the state is doing all his best to nail him by going as far as trying to produce fake documents just to have valid evidence against him. Ameachi added that the only thing Wike has done since he got into power three weeks ago is that, he has been ringing his name to every media outfit just to make headlines. He also slammed his then deputy for being a betrayer and now pitching his tent with Wike Nyesom. Below is a press statement released by his media office today.


“This so called Wike’s probe of Amaechi is dead on arrival. All the noise Wike is making is to grab media headlines with his lies of monumental corruption against Amaechi. It’s all drama made for the media. What is playing out is a script written and directed by Nyesom Wike. Wike should move to Nollywood where his devious skills would probably be useful.”

“Even while inaugurating his yeoman commission of Inquiry, Wike could not conceal his vendetta agenda. He was clear to the panel members that their job is to indict Amaechi.”

“While it’s no longer in doubt what would be the report of Wike’s sham probe commission. What may shock Nigerians is the extent Wike has gone and is ready to go to manufacture stories of corrupt practices, and the kind of bogus tales of corruption against Amaechi that he would soon be feeding the nation.”

“We are aware that even the Chairman of his Inquiry Commission, was shocked and protested when Wike gave him the litany of phony claims of corruption against Amaechi that the chairman would write in the panel’s report. But Wike had assured him not to worry that he had since been working towards arriving at that conclusion and he would provide the commission with all the (fake) evidence needed to arrive at that report.”

“Truly, since May 29, that is all Wike has been doing; cooking spurious reports of corruption against Amaechi. Wike has been intimidating, threatening, coercing and blackmailing officials of the past administration, especially civil servants into making false, phony and bogus statements that would make legitimate government transactions appear as corrupt practices. Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Finance and Administration (DFAs), the State bankers and even contractors are harassed, threatened and blackmailed to twist and distort, or even completely alter legitimate government transactions in his desperation to cook up, and fabricate sham cases of corruption against Amaechi. This has been the one-point agenda of the Wike government, a vendetta mission against his former boss and benefactor.”

“Amaechi will use every constitutional and legal means available to protect his name and image from this massive smear campaign, State-sponsored onslaught against him by this directionless, purposeless Wike led government. As governor, Amaechi served his people well and the good things he did with the resources of the state are visible all over the state.”

On the claims by his former deputy, Tele Ikuru while presenting a report to Wike, the statement condemned Mr. Ikuru.

“We won’t dignify him with a response. He’s such a worthless piece of trash that we won’t waste our energy on. This is a man with no dignity, no shame. No self-respecting man would talk the way Ikuru is talking right now. This is a character that served the Amaechi administration for almost eight years. While he was there, he never for once complained that Amaechi or the government that he was the second-in-command was corrupt. As a matter of fact, he was singing and parroting everywhere that Rivers State was truly blessed to have a governor like Amaechi, that Amaechi will always be remembered and hailed for changing for good the fortunes of Rivers State.”


“Today, the shameless clown is the one shouting Amaechi is corrupt, everywhere. If the government was as corrupt as he claims, what was he doing there for almost eight years, telling the world that Amaechi is the best thing to happen to Rivers State? No character, no self-respect, no dignity, no shame. A character like Ikuru should never be taken seriously”, the statement concluded

Olusegun Obasanjo Is Nigeria's Most Influential States Man

Olusegun Obasanjo appears to be the most powerful statesman in the country. The president who received the newly sworn-in Senate President yesterday at his hilltop mansion on friday,also received the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmaunuel Udom and his predecessor, Godswill Akpabio alongside other State officials.

Udom who spoke to journalists shortly after their closed door meeting disclosed to them that he has come to Abeokuta to pay homage to the man who aided his victory at the polls because of the advice he gave to him.

 “I have come to show gratitude and respect for someone whom I regard as a father and whose advice I regard as invaluable and which also contributed to my victory at the polls,” Udom said.

Jonathan Political Ally Dumps PDP for APC + Calls Others To Leave PDP

Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Chief of Staff in the Bayelsa State Government, has dumped the party in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ikiogha, an ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan, is known to be a trusted and dependable ally of Governor Seriake Dickson, was one of the brains behind the emergence of Dickson as governor in 2012.

Indications of the frosty relationship between Dickson and Ikiogha emerged when the governor removed him in controversial circumstances as his Chief of Staff, and redeployed him to the Abuja Liaison Office.

Ikiogha's loyalists claimed the redeployment had heavy political undertones and that it was aimed at easing him out of the mainstream politics of Bayelsa State.

The former Chief of Staff, who spoke at a news conference in Yenagoa on Thursday, said he was leaving the PDP along with thousands of his supporters.

He said he had already found a home in the APC since the day he decided to join the fold of the progressives.

He said his constituents, for whom he has lived and to whom he dedicates all of his political victories, had agreed that he leave the PDP.

"I recall in one of the meetings that led to the final decision to quit, how my supporters reminded me that the PDP I helped to form and nurture was no more the same,” he said.

"They said some hawks had hijacked the party, making it very glaring that it was a house in tatters, a divided house made of men who were only driven by their selfish ambition.”

He regretted that the PDP has sadly drifted from a well-organised family to a congregation of betrayers and the deceitful.

“It is clear that the party is gradually marching for destruction,” Ikigogha said, adding that unfolding events have proved him right and that he is happy he chose to leave.

He stressed he has since found out that he is on the right path, urging those in the PDP government not to haunt those of them who have chosen to leave the party or carry out hate campaigns against them.

He also called on those still within the PDP to leave.

"As I make this move, I am just convinced that we are on the right path,” Ikiogha stated.   “That is why I am urging all my compatriots who are still in the PDP to take that step and join us. I have seen life. I have seen hope. I have seen freedom. I have seen warmth. I have seen friendliness. APC is a family to be and behold.

"Unhappy as some people may be, troubled as my former allies in the PDP government in the state may be because of the light they have yet to see, I am urging them to play politics with love and not to haunt and chastise those of us who have decided to quit.

"Campaigns of hate will not help us, even as I am no longer in the PDP, former President Goodluck Jonathan is still my friend and big brother," he said.

He said he would on Saturday formally lead thousands of his fans, associates and supporters to join the APC.

Ikiogha resigned his appointment in October 2014 to contest the House of Representatives seat for Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma on the platform of the PDP, but he was denied the ticket.

Kano Governor Slashes Pay For Political Office Holders

The Kano State Deputy Governor, Hafiz Abubakar, all 13 Commissioners, Special Advisers and others will be experiencing these salary and benefit cuts.

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje officially reduced the salaries and benefits for State policy makers in half in lieu of the economic hardships of the State.

The Kano State Deputy Governor, Hafiz Abubakar, all 13 Commissioners, Special Advisers and others will be experiencing these salary and benefit cuts.

Kano was not the first state to take such measures, Kaduna also reduced the salaries of public officials according to reports. The Governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, also reduced the number of ministries in the State from 19 to 13.

While inaugurating the new State commissioners, Mr. Ganduje complained that the State and the country are facing budgetary issues and that sacrifices need to be made especially as the price of oil continues to fall, greatly affecting revenue for the Federal Government.

The Governor also assured the public and media that when the fiscal health of the State improves, government officials will be rewarded for their sacrifices.

Northern Most Respected Musician Dies

The death of Northern most respected musician, Danmaraya Jos has been announced. It was announced this evening by the Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

“Inaa Lillaahi Wa Innaa ilaiHir raaji’un. One of Nigeria’s foremost Hausa musicians, poet, philosopher and philanthropist, Dr Adamu Danmaraya Jos has answered Allah’s call about an hour ago,” the Director wrote on his Facebook page around 4P.M today. He was 69.

I Won The Presidential Election By The Grace Of God, Not Power Or Money- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he won the last presidential election by the grace of God and not by money or power, adding that, the 2015 polls has clearly shown that it is God that chooses who becomes a leader. The president said this when he paid homage to the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar, after attending the Juma’at prayer at the Lowcost Mosque, in Daura, Katsina state.

“It is not by power, it is not by wealth but by the Grace of God that I won the election,” the president said.

He also urged Nigerians to be patient and accept democracy not as a system of government but as a lifestyle in order to ensure development of the country.

“If Nigerians continuously follow the tenets of democracy the country will always be at peace since democracy on its own with its institutions has the mechanism for resolving conflicts peacefully,” he said.

First Lady Moves To Aso Rock Ahead Of The President

The first lady of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Buhari has moved into Aso Rock ahead of the president. According to a presidential source who spoke to Punch, she moved in yesterday and even spent the night there. The president is also expected to move in next week.

The president and his vice have been operating outside Aso Rock since they got into office on May 29.

I left Femi-Fani Kayode’s house with pregnancy -Femi-Fani Kayode’s Ex Wife

Mrs Yemisi Wada who recently clocked 50 and has also been the talk of the town because of her beautiful figure at 50, has revealed to Nonye Ben-Nwankwo how her marriage to former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode was orchestrated, and how she had two babies and left his house with one more pregnancy in less then three years making their children three altogether. She also spoke about her new love, Mr Dahiru Wada and how they met in London. One of her children to FFK will be getting married in July and Mrs Yemisi is too excited about it. If FFK would be there is something she did not mention. The interview below...

How do you feel having a daughter who is getting married?

I am ecstatic. My daughter is getting married in July by the Grace of God. I got married at 24 and I am reaping the benefits as I have had the opportunity to grow up with my girls. I feel it has made us closer. I am happy because people are different and in her case, she is mature enough to take up that role. She has also found a good man by the grace of God from good stock and surely that must be every mother’s prayer.

Why did you choose to study law?

My father was a lawyer but that was not my motivation. It was the courtroom drama I used to watch on television and the whole wig and gown that attracted me. My father worked for the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. He was State Prosecutor at some stage and in those days, if I was home and he was trying any interesting case like the ‘Iyabo Olounkoya’ drug case, my mum and I would go and watch.

Your parents must have been very comfortable for them to send you to study in the UK.

To be honest back then, our economy was okay. The year I went abroad to school was when the Naira became N3-1 pound. Life was easier. My father came from quite a wealthy family and he inherited property but didn’t really like the idea of receiving income from them. He used to go out of his way to tell us he would not leave any property in his will and that we should work for our own money. He had property in Ikorodu and Ogba, which some companies were renting. My mother left work when I was still young and till today she’s a very successful business woman. So between them, we got by.

Would you still remember those days you used to work in your ex father-in-law’s law firm?

I actually never worked in Chief Fani-Kayode’s Law firm. When I got married straight after Law School, my father wanted me to work. After my youth service when it seemed my then husband didn’t want me to work, my father threatened to pull me out of the marriage. Chief had some election petition cases in Kano, so he drafted me into his team to work on them and later the appeals in Kaduna. That was how I met Mr. Raji Ahmed who was in the team as well and we later set up a law office together, along with Mr. Robert Emukpoeruo. Working on those cases were the best times I had at the time. That was also the first salary I earned as a lawyer.

Why did you even quit practising?

Law is a long-term earner. At the time, being a single mother with three children and wanting to give them the best like I had as a child, I could not afford to stay in practice. Besides, I needed to be the boss of my own time to be available for my children when I was needed.

  

What inspired you to establish Haven for Nigerian Children?

Seeing that there were children living on the streets and I was going up and down cuddling mine made me sit up and think. I decided to do something about it and pray my own children if they were ever in need, would meet a helper. I have often wondered if this is a selfish notion. If it is, well I am not a saint and that’s my Achilles heel. At least, it has created a passion and I intend to keep running Haven as long as God grants me life.

Why are you so passionate about the street kids?

I’m passionate about rendering assistance in any way. I counsel very well. Nothing gives me more joy than knowing whoever meets me or comes into my life in any way gains something from my experiences. That’s where I derive my joy.

How is life being Mrs. Dahiru Wada?

It’s very interesting. My father in-law loves me very much and my husband has many brothers who are like him, very loving. So you’re living in an atmosphere of love. It’s a very nice feeling. The best description of my husband is that he is a gentleman’s gentleman. He is also very cultured and well travelled. He loves good food and travelling. He is very well read and extensively knowledgeable in all things. He is very generous and for us kind almost to a fault.

You reportedly said your husband doesn’t like partying and dancing but these are things you love doing. So how do you manage this?

If I want to party and dance, he is not in my way. We understand each other perfectly. Many times, you will see us at parties and before long, you will not see him because he would have left quietly. Having said that, my husband observes more at that same party and when we analyse the proceedings after, I would be amazed. Seriously we complement each other nicely.

Can you tell us about growing up?

Growing up for me was awesome. We lived in GRA Ikeja, we walked and cycled about in clean and safe environment by ourselves. Most of our activities were centred on the home and the street. We climbed trees, raised dogs, rode bicycles. It was bliss.

What fond memories do you have when you were still growing up?

I have several. The best was how my paternal grandmother ‘Iya Alaje’ would come and stay with us when our parents travelled. She was very wealthy but not literate and she loved a good life. She would ask us what we would normally eat and my brother, Bayo and I would lie that we didn’t eat pepper. That would mean no eba and amala. She would take us to Kingsway Stores and buy us ham and all the nice things for sandwiches. The funny thing though was only Bayo had a palate for those things. I preferred my eba, so why I went along with it still baffles me. I guess it was the thrill of getting away with such nonsense.

As a young girl, if anybody had told you your marriage would break up, would you have believed it?

No, I would not have. That is why even after three children, I knew I would remarry. I don’t know if it is that love of being a wife or to run a home. Whichever, I love being married.

Can you still remember those days you were with your ex-husband, Femi Fani-Kayode?

I have no fond memories of then except having my daughters, as I am sure he would say same if asked. What people do not seem to realise is that we were together for only a very short while. The marriage itself lasted less than three years. The fact that I have three daughters makes it seem longer but I left just when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter.

Did you decide to marry him because his family was influential?

I don’t know what that means because I grew up in a home where I had all I wanted. There was nothing I got there that I didn’t have before. Actually I had more at home.

What was the attraction back then?

It was a long time ago but I think at the time, all the men I knew were clubbing like I was but he was already serious in politics. He was a national youth leader of his party and the proposal was very direct as he said, ‘I am in politics and I need a homemaker.’

Since the marriage produced beautiful kids, would you ever say you regret it?

No way. In fact, I always say if I came back in another life, I would do it again to have these same beautiful and dramatically intelligent daughters. I would just have a better exit plan.

How did you meet Mr. Wada?

Dahiru and I met at a party in London. It’s funny how we met. I thought he was someone else and planned to tease him but his incredible wit got the better of me and in the end, the joke was on me. He actually insinuated that I was a airhead!

What do you love about him?

He’s gentle, he is patient and he is kind. He has a wicked sense of humour and he can gist. He has an infectious laugh and like me, he loves to entertain. Like me also, he is a very good cook. He is the king of roasts and curries. He is an amazing father. He loves his kids to bits. I am always complimented about how well behaved my boys are but it is because they live with a gentleman father and they live by example.

Ambode Set To Get Okada Riders Off Lagos Roads Again

The Lagos State Government has made its intention known that Okada riders will from now hence forth stop plying major roads in the State. While speaking yesterday, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Oluseyi Coker had noted that the riders were restricted from 475 routes out of the 9,100 roads in Lagos in 2012 but they soon came back.

He says the fresh restriction is a renewed attempt to check their excesses. He also frowned at the rate the riders have been flouting the traffic law of the state, saying that government would no longer fold its hands and allow the impunity to continue.

He further explained that the ban would benefit citizens, stating that since it was banned in 2012 the state has witnessed over 81% reduction in the number of motorcycle-related accidents and over 80% reduction in motorcycle-related deaths reported at public hospitals.

Joda Committee Wants 19 Ministers For Buhari

The Cable also reported that the advisory committee recommended that Buhari should have only 19 senior ministers and 17 ministers of state, bringing the total to 36 in fulfillment of the constitutional requirement of one minister per state.  

The Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has asked Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, to keep the number of federal ministries at 19, nine less than the proposed 28.

The Cable also reported that the advisory committee recommended that Buhari should have only 19 senior ministers and 17 ministers of state, bringing the total to 36 in fulfillment of the constitutional requirement of one minister per state.

Previous governments, starting from 1999, appointed 42 ministers — picking one from each of the six geo-political zones in addition to one from each of the 36 states of the federation.

The immediate past president maintained 28 senior ministers and 14 ministers of state, three of the ministries were directly under presidency.

The Joda transition committee submitted its report to Buhari on June 11, but the details, which the president is expected to evaluate before taking his initial key steps, are yet to be made public.

22 Vehicles Seized From Former Governor Isa Yuguda’s Wives + More Cars To Be Seized

He said, “we have so far, recovered a total of 22 cars from the wives of the former Governor, Isa Yuguda. We recovered 11 cars from his first wife, seven from the second wife, and four from the third wife. We are yet to recover the remaining cars from his fourth wife who is currently out of the country.”

Bauchi State Government has seized 22 vehicles from the four wives of the former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).  The seizure was part of the government’s operation to recover all properties that belong to the State.

The Chairman of the new government’s Transition Committee, Senator Mohammed Mohammed, spoke to the media at the State government house regarding the seizures yesterday.

He said, “we have so far, recovered a total of 22 cars from the wives of the former Governor, Isa Yuguda. We recovered 11 cars from his first wife, seven from the second wife, and four from the third wife. We are yet to recover the remaining cars from his fourth wife who is currently out of the country.”

Mohammed reaffirmed the new government’s commitment to clamping down on all corruption from past administrations. 

“We will ensure that whoever is in possession of government properties will be forced to return them. We urge public servants and the general public, especially those involved in the disposal and allocation of the property in question, to cooperate with the Committee for the effective discharge of its assignment.”

The new Governor of the State, Mohammed Abubakar, has promised that all funds and property that were allegedly looted during the past administration are returned to the accounts of the State government.

Buhari Has Not Ordered Sale Of 9 Presidential Jets – Presidency

“The story of the order for the sale of aircrafts in the Presidential Fleet, about which so much interest is being expressed, is not known to us,” Mr. Shehu said.

Contrary to reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the immediate disposal of nine of the 11 VIP transport aircraft in the presidential fleet, the presidency on Friday denied knowledge of any such directive.

THISDAY newspaper had quoted unnamed sources as saying the president had directed the selling of serviceable and unserviceable aircrafts to cut maintenance costs in line with the government’s policy to drastically reduce its annual expenditure.

Eight of the planes in the fleet, including Boeing 737, two Gulfstream 550 jets, Gulfstream V jet, two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft and Augusta Westland chopper, the report said, are reserved strictly for the president’s movement.

Other aircrafts, including two Falcon 900 planes, the Dornier, the Cessna Citation, the Beechracft King Air, and two AugustaWestland choppers, are reserved for the airlifting of the Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as visiting African heads of states.

But speaking to PREMIUM TIMES Friday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, denied knowledge of such directive.

“The story of the order for the sale of aircrafts in the Presidential Fleet, about which so much interest is being expressed, is not known to us,” Mr. Shehu said.

Mr. Shehu said if anything like that was being contemplated, the Presidency would issue a statement through its official channels to announce it.

Real Reasons Why Buruji Kashamu Is Afraid For His Life

 He added that “until he received formal notification from the US that they will not pursue these charges against him, he will continue fearing for his life.”

Senator Kashamu is absolutely afraid for his life, according to his lawyer Ajibola Oluyede .

“The US has no legal right to extradite Senator Kashamu, according to their own Court,” he told SaharaReporters.

He added that “until he received formal notification from the US that they will not pursue these charges against him, he will continue fearing for his life.”

In an attempt to stop the efforts of the United States to abduct him from Nigeria, Senator Buruji Kashamu of Ogun State, has filed a suit in the Court of the Northern District of Illinois.

Through his lawyers, Kashamu recently said, "the threatened abduction violates the Treaty between the United States and Nigeria and due process under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution."

The defendants of the suit are US Attorney General, Eric Holder, the US Department of Justice, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) James Comey, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and others.

Kashamu's lawyer said, "this is an action for preliminary and permanent injunctive relief based on the information received by Plaintiff Kashamu leading him to believe that he will be subject to an imminent illegal abduction in Nigeria by United States law enforcement officials, acting with Nigerian officials designed to transport him to the United States to stand trial on pending alleged drug offenses without going through the extradition procedures."

Sentar Kashamu has made two other attempts to get the charges dropped by US courts. He is facing extradition charges from Nigeria because narcotics trafficking he committed in the United States in the 1990s

Questions Loom Over Buhari And Osinbajo’s Assets As Code Of Conduct Bureau Denies Public Disclosure

The CCB told Stop Impunity Nigeria that the asset declaration in their custody did not qualify under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The CCB said that the FOIA gives it the right to deny any request that it stipulates an “invasion of personal privacy.”

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) announced they will not publicize details concerning the declaration of assets by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The Bureau claims that there are various limitations in federal laws which halt the release of this information.

President Buhari repeatedly promised during his presidential campaign that not only would he declare his assets to the public, to instill greater trust, but he would demand that all of his appointees would need to do the same on the condition of their appointment.

Since the May 29th inauguration, controversy has surrounded the the asset declaration for the President and Vice President. Initially, there was public outcry that President Buhari and VP Osinbajo did not declare their financial and property assets after successfully winning the presidential elections in March of this year.

Public concerns over the declaration of their assets were rekindled after Buhari’s inauguration when no action had been taken to make public those assets.

Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari, issued a statement after the inauguration that President Buhari and VP Osinbajo provided details of their assets to the CCB--which would verify their assets in order to confirm the authenticity of those disclosures. 

However a civil society group, Stop Impunity Nigeria, applied to the CCB requesting copies of the completed assets declaration forms of the President and VP. This request was made on June 1, 2015.

According to reporting by The Premium TImes, the CCB responded to that request on June 10, 2015 in a statement signed by Ijeanuli Ofor on behalf of the Chairman. The response declined the request by Stop Impunity Nigeria, citing the absence of a law by the National Assembly authorizing the release of such information to the public.

The CCB told Stop Impunity Nigeria that the asset declaration in their custody did not qualify under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The CCB said that the FOIA gives it the right to deny any request that it stipulates an “invasion of personal privacy.”

The CCB also said sections 12(1) (a) (v), 14(1) (b) and 15(1)9a) of that same Act say “assets declarations by public officers contain such personal information, which falls within the exemptions to the disclosure of information in the FOIA.”

Even if the CCB do not comply with Stop Impunity Niger’s request for asset disclosure, questions still remain regarding when Buhari and Osinbajo intend to make due on their promises to demonstrate to the Nigerian public their total wealth and property.

When we spoke to Femi Adesina, he told our correspondent that “there has been no change in the President’s position regarding when he will disclose his personal assets.”

Real Reasons Why Buhari Has Refused To Meet Saraki

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President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to meet one-on-one with Senator Bukola Saraki two weeks after the latter connived with top officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win the post of Senate President in a move that both stunned and angered the hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress (APC). 
Silent Reporters has it that Senator Saraki had made several attempts to secure a private meeting with Mr. Buhari, but to no avail. One source revealed that Mr. Saraki’s latest attempt was to follow the president to his hometown of Daura in Katsina State to take in the commencement of the Islamic Ramadan period. The president reportedly rebuffed the move.

Following President Buhari’s rebuff, Mr. Saraki reportedly arranged a quiet visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to apologize for an insulting remark he had made in the heat of his high-stakes maneuver to win the leadership of the Senate by striking an alliance with the PDP. Top APC officials claimed that Mr. Saraki had turned down an invitation by VP Osinbajo to discuss his contentious pursuit of the Senate Presidency by stating contemptuously that “a mere commissioner” could not summon him to a meeting. Mr. Osibanjo, a former commissioner in Lagos State, had sought to meet with Senator Saraki in order to resolve a crisis that arose from the latter’s scheme to outmaneuver his party, the APC.

Following Mr. Saraki’s emergence as Senate President in an election described by officials of the APC as irregular, Mr. Buhari had publicly accepted his triumph. Even so, the president has refused to do anything that would amount to a public validation of Mr. Saraki’s victory.

Two associates of Mr. Buhari told Silent Reporters that the president shared the APC’s dismay with Mr. Saraki’s alliance with the PDP to snatch up the top Senate post. “The truth about the matter is that the president will not abandon the party’s position altogether,” one of our sources said. Another added, “Mr. President has never been comfortable anyway with Dr. Saraki since is well known as a corrupt person who will try to hinder the administration’s fight against corruption.”

One source in the Senate told SaharaReporters that Senator Saraki, troubled by President Buhari’s refusal to meet with him, reached out to former President Olusegun Obasanjo to broker a truce with the president. The source said Mr. Saraki had used a personal friend, Andy Uba, a senator from Anambra State, to seek Mr. Obasanjo’s intervention to mend the cold rift with President Buhari. Mr. Uba, who served as a senior aide on domestic matters to Mr. Obasanjo, was one of the closest and most powerful associates of the former president.

A source at the Presidency told Silent Reporters that President Buhari was not impressed by Mr. Saraki’s reasons for colluding with the PDP to gain power as Senate President. “The way Senator Saraki colluded with the PDP to gain power through the backdoor, what prevents him from colluding against Buhari in the future? What prevents him from even working with certain political interests to get Mr. President impeached?”

Outcome Of Saraki's Meeting With Obasanjo

We gathered that Mr. Saraki lamented to Mr. Obasanjo that although the party leaders have stated that they have accepted his emergence, there was “complete communication breakdown between him, the president and the party”

Facts have emerged showing why Senate President Bukola Saraki led a delegation of Senators to meet former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his hilltop mansion, Abeokuta, Ogun state on Friday.

A source close to the meeting revealed that the Senate President was in Abeokuta to beg Mr. Obasanjo to reconcile him with President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr. Saraki emerged as the president of the Senate against the decision of APC leaders. He was also elected when most Senators from the APC were at the International Conference Center waiting to hold a meeting with Mr. Buhari to discuss the election of the Senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Our sources said Mr. Saraki lamented to Mr. Obasanjo that although the party leaders have stated that they have accepted his emergence, there was “complete communication breakdown between him, the president and the party”.

The national chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, had abruptly cancelled a scheduled meeting with Mr. Saraki last week without giving another appointment.

We also gathered that Mr. Saraki had tried severally to meet with Mr. Buhari after his emergence, but was always denied audience.

Another source in the presidency informed us that the President was angry with Mr. Saraki and the management of the national assembly for going ahead with their election despite adequate knowledge of an invitation for a meeting with Mr. Saraki and his colleagues.

“The president considered it as a mark of disrespect for his office for Saraki to ignore an invitation to meet with him and his colleagues,” our source said.

In his response to the Senate President’s lamentation, Mr. Obasanjo reportedly promised to do his best to “ensure communication between all parties”.

However, the spokesperson for the president, Garba Shehu, said the Senate president has never sought a meeting meeting with Mr. Buhari since his election.

“I am not aware of any request for a meeting, the president would have seen him, he represents a key institution in our democracy,” he said.

Calls to Mr. Saraki and his aide, Bamikole Omishore, were not answered.

Our source said the former president, in his usual jocular self, also joked with the delegation, saying “ you children of nowadays only run to elders when you have finished making the damage”.

Mr. Saraki and his entourage laughed.

Our source, a presidency official who pleaded anonymity has it that President Buhari was aware of the the senate president’s visit to Mr. Obasanjo’s home.

The official said Messrs Buhari and Obasanjo are constantly in touch and regularly have telephone conversations.

The official said in one of their recent conversations, Mr. Obasanjo informed Mr. Buhari that Mr. Saraki was leading a delegation of Senators to his Abeokuta home.

“I overheard President Buhari laughing and saying to Mr. Obasanjo, “you have to see them, are they not all your boys?”, our presidency source said.

Among Mr. Saraki’s delegation include former governor of Gombe state, Danjuma Goje, Senator Andy Uba, former Zamfara governor, Ahmed Sani, and former Osun governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Mr. Saraki and most members of his delegation are largely Mr. Obasanjo’s “boys”, a term loosely used in describing the former president’s staunch loyalists.

Tinubu & His Band of Bitter-men Should Swallow The Bitter Pill With Courage As Party Men- Obasanjo

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised President Muhammodu Buhari not to take APC South West, Bola Ahmed Tinubu too serious.

The message was sent out on Wednesday, when the former President urged the incumbent President not to be persuaded by Tinubu’s bitterness on the victory of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

Obasanjo said; “How can Tinubu be speaking on the interest of the party as if he owns the party? Are the winners (Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara) not APC members again? APC is not a personal property of anyone. The party belongs to everybody and belongs to no single person.

“I will therefore urge the Mr. President to dwell little on the hot agitations of the aggrieved leaders and the Senators-elect. If APC as a political party is heading to court, fine. But we should know that no kind of intimacy can follow after leaving the court. And I believe you all know what that means in Yoruba culture and belief.”

Lex-President Obasanjo, also condemned the moves of the party to challenge the victory of Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara, as Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives respectively.

He said, “the action will amount to one pulling down his house because of unwanted occupants.

Ex-President went on to advice Tinubu and his band of bitter-men to swallow the bitter pill with courage as party men. He added, “The deed has been done. The party cannot shy away from correcting some anomalies in the processes that produced the duo as Senate President and Speaker.

Rivers Poly Workers Beg Wike To Reverse Sacking

The State Government had on Monday announced the cancellation of the polytechnic workers appointment. Those affected are academic and non-academic staff, who were recently employed by the Rotimi Amaechi administration.


The four hundred thirty-five employees of the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, sacked by the state government have urged well-meaning people of the state to prevail on the government to reverse the decision and recall them to work.

The State Government had on Monday announced the cancellation of the polytechnic workers appointment. Those affected are academic and non-academic staff, who were recently employed by the Rotimi Amaechi administration.

Speaking on behalf of their colleagues, Jekey Lekue, Grace Ikue and Basil Ujobolo urged the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, not to renege on his promise during his inauguration to give hope to the people.

Speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday, some of the disengaged workers lamented that they had been searching for job for the past five years before they were eventually employed at the state polytechnic.

They also stated that some of them had to resign from their former place of work after they received their appointment letters from the authorities of the State Polytechnic, Bori, Khana Local Government Area.

Explaining that they went through a painstaking process before they were employed, the sacked workers recalled that they had supervised the last examination in the school before the announcement that their employment had been cancelled.

“We are calling on well meaning Rivers people to do justice to this issue. We beg Rivers people to step in. Governor Nyesom Wike gave the state hope on May 29, 2015. We have already been captured in the database of the state. Our governor should not do this to us,” they further appealed.

In another development, the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has disbanded the Rivers State Road Traffic Management Agency known as TIMARiV.

Reacting to the sacking of the 435 RIVPOLY workers, the Special Adviser on Media to the State Governor, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah, stated their appointment was marred by irregularities.

Inko-Tariah said, “The appointment of the staff were marred with irregularities. Such an appointment had to be terminated to look into the whole issue holistically.

“The sacking was premised on irregularities. So many procedural obligations were breached and as a result, the exercise was deprived of due process.”

Speaking on the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Obiando Elechi Amadi, who was sent on a compulsory leave, Inko-Tariah pointed out that it was as a result of a case of official misconduct on the rector’s part.

On the disbandment of the state traffic management agency, the governor’s aide specifically said that some of the officials of TIMARIV were making illegal seizure of vehicles in order to extort money from innocent citizens.

According to him, “Many of those guys were making illegal and embarrassing seizure of vehicles on the roads and this is becoming an eyesore. Let us leave politics aside; it is a known fact all over the state that TIMARIV had constituted itself into a public nuisance.

“The action of its staff had, in most cases, brought River State into disrepute. What they do in most cases is illegal. They are not supposed to struggle for the steering with the driver of a vehicle, but this is what they often do.

“The state government can no longer cope with the excesses of this TIMARIV staff. It was on that premises that the governor decided that it should be disbanded.

“Governor Nyesom Wike also instructed that all seized vehicles should be released with immediate effect. He further instructed that nobody should pay a kobo to TIMARIV.

“If anybody should be refused or deprived of the retrieval of his/her vehicle, such a person should report to the nearest police station and the TIMARIV staff in question will be dealt with,” Inko-Tariah added.

Kashamu Files Fresh Suit In US To Stop Forceful Extradition

Nigerian Senator, Buruji Kashamu, has filed a fresh suit at the United States District Court seeking an injunction ordering the U.S. to cease all efforts to abduct him from Nigeria or any other country. In the suit Kashamu said if his relief is not granted, he is likely to be abducted and possibly killed or injured.

“The threatened abduction violates the treaty between the United States and Nigeria and due process under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” Mr. Kashamu said through his lawyers, Robert Cohen and Scott Frankel.

It will be recalled that Kashamu, a Senator representing Ogun East, is wanted in the U.S. for alleged involvement in an international cartel smuggling heroin into the country. The NDLEA has recently been in battle with him wanting to forcefully extradite him to the US to answer drug-related charges. However, the Senator has been doing everything under the law to save his face.

Former Rivers commissioner whose SUV was taken by new govt releases statement

Yesterday,18th of june, the lexus SUV belonging to one of former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi's commissioners, Ibim Semenitari was taken by the new Rivers state govt who sent police to her house to recover the car. Mrs Ibim has released a statement on the matter.

   On Thursday June 18, 2015, over 10 policemen armed with machine guns and in two trucks - One Ford Transit and One Hilux arrived my residence, No 12 A Ernest Ikoli Street, Old G.R.A Port Harcourt. Without either a search warrant, letter or precious information, they forced their way into my premises
My security guard on duty requested to know their mission and who sent them. They refused to disclose either, but went round taking photographs and videoing my premises. The security guard got in touch with my assistant who spoke with the men, explaining to them that i was out of town and again requested to know their mission and purpose,they declined insisting on seeing me first. She then got in touch with me by phone as we were uncertain as to the identity of the policemen in question.

Upon further investigation and after about 3 hours of them laying siege on my premise, I was told that they were from Rivers State Government House and had been sent to recover vehicles in my possession. They attempted to break into a Range Rover Jeep belonging to my Husband and bought long before I was made Commissioner in Rivers State Government, damaging the front door. The vehicle in question contrary to the lies being paraded is not an armored vehicle and has never at any point belonged to the Rivers State Government nor its agents including myself as Commissioner of Information.

By the time I finally made contact with them and expressed my displeasure, they insisted that they would take away a Lexus jeep duly allocated to me as Commissioner of Information and which by law I am entitled to leave with upon leaving office.

The monetization policy of the government allows public officers to leave government with their official vehicles as this is in lieu of vehicle, allowance, transport and other allowances, which they cannot draw because of the monetization policy of 2002. Mr. Nyesom Wike served as Chief of Staff, and upon departure left with all the vehicles he used as Chief of Staff. This has been the practice since this democratic dispensation when President Olusegun Obasanjo instituted the monetization policy.
Having served as Commissioner for two tenures, I am entitled to my status cars and have proof of allocation. While I understand that Mr. Wike feels a dire need to destroy the reputation of Governor Amaechi and all those worked with him, it is unacceptable that he will engage in brigandage, thuggery and underhand tactics to do so. A simple letter from any government official requesting me to make a submission or tender documentation would have been the appropriate way to go and I would have willingly tendered all the relevant documents to them.

Breaking into my home, invading my privacy, damaging my property and removing property from my premises is inappropriate and illegal.

I have chosen however to put out these details in the public space as it is apparent that for some persons only a destruction of my hard earned reputation would do and this I would not accept. My records in the Ministry of Information are crystal clear I hope that Mr. Nyesom Wike is able to say same about his tenure in every office he has held.

Forcing their home into my home unlawfully isn’t the appropriate way for any government that claims legitimacy to behave.

Ibim Semenitari
June 18, 2015

Bauchi Governor Recovers 22 Vehicles From Former Governor’s Wives

Recently Rivers State Governor, Wike Nyesom has been recovering State owned vehicles from the officials of the immediate past government, the new Bauchi State Governor; Mohammed Abubakar has also started recovering State owned vehicles still in possession of officers of the past administration. What has however turned to be amazing is that, the Governor has so far recovered 22 vehicles from the wives of the immediate past governor, Isa Yaguda with some still remaining.

Hear the Chairman of the Transition Committee, Senator Mohammed Mohammed  on this matter.

“We have so far, recovered a total of 22 cars from the wives of the former Governor, Isa Yuguda. We recovered 11 cars from his first wife, seven from the second wife and four from the third wife. We are yet to recover the remaining cars from his fourth wife who is currently out of the country.

“We will ensure that whoever is in possession of government properties will be forced to return them. We urge public servants and the general public, especially those involved in the disposal and allocation of the property in question to cooperate with the committee for the effective discharge of its assignment.”

Ben Bruce Blasts Aregbesola Again

TacKle for Tackle! Ben Murray-Bruce has insisted that he would give 50% of his wardrobe allowance to workers in Osun State and the State Governor cannot stop him. Osun State workers are yet to receive salaries in 7 months. This comes after Governor Aregbesola of Osun State hit out at Ben Bruce gestures as being ridiculous, telling him to rather give his allowances to PDP states that had similar remuneration problems.

Ben Bruce had this to say on his twitter account, “I’ll take whatever attacks come my way but nothing and nobody can dissuade me from doing what my conscience directs in helping my fellow man,”

On ridiculing the governor, he said: “The month of Ramadan is here. Many unpaid workers will fast. With what will they break their fast? I thought of that and it moved me to act”

“I may not be a Muslim, but I respect Islam and I believe that it is wrong for me to respond to any attack during the Holy month of Ramadan,” he said.

Photos: Bukola Saraki in closed door meeting with Obasanjo

Senate President, Bukola Saraki arrived Abeokuta, Ogun state this morning to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his home. The Senate president was accompanied by Senator Andy Uba, Ben Bruce and others

Nigeria's four refineries to begin operation next month - NNPC

The spokesperson of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr Ohi Alegbe says that Nigeria's four refineries - two in Port Harcourt, one in Kaduna and the other one in Warri will resume production next month.

    “The refineries at Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna will resume next month after a successful turn-around-maintenance (overhaul) of their facilities. The turn-around-maintenance has been on for some time. We did not just want to make any noise about it. The refineries will start production as soon as they have delivery of crude oil for refining,” he told AFP.

Fresh crisis in APC over Senate positions

There seems to be new crisis within the ruling party, All Progressives Congress APC in regards to sharing principal offices in the Senate.

The principal offices are the Senate Leader; the Deputy Senate Leader; the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip.

The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, is believed to have recommended to the APC National Working Committee that the positions be allocated to the zone, however, some leaders of the party, mainly those from the South-West, want them filled by the party’s hierarchy.
On Thursday,a  senator in Abuja said that the APC NWC meeting failed to agree on the modalities for brokering peace among aggrieved party members.

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The senator warned that if the issue was not quickly resolved, the Senate and the APC might “face another round of crisis bigger than that that resulted from Saraki’s emergence as Senate president.”
He said:

    “The Senate President, had after wide consultations, suggested how the officers to occupy these posts could be appointed. He suggested the allocation of the four principal offices to some of the geopolitical zones.

    “But some leaders, who are still angry with his (Saraki) emergence, turned down his suggestion. Some of the influential leaders from the South-West are insisting that the party should fill the offices. This is in spite of the fact that the chairman of our party (John Odigie-Oyegun) and other members of the NWC are in support of allocating the principal offices to zones.

    “The South-West leaders are even saying that allowing the party leadership to fill the offices, remained the only way to allow peace to reign in the Senate.”

A Senator from the North-Central , who is loyal to Saraki, confirmed the development on condition of anonymity .
He said that it was true that some APC leaders were insisting that the party should nominate the senators who would occupy the four principal offices .

He said,

    “By the Senate tradition, the party in majority normally sends the offices to the zones where the Senate caucuses would meet and choose among themselves in the zone, who occupies the offices.

    “Some other leaders of the party are claiming that asking the party to produce the principal officers was a smart way   to impose the Senate Leader, the Deputy Senate Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip on the Senate.”

The senator claimed that a “very influential “ leader of the party from the South-West had allegedly written Odigie- Oyegun that the leaders would fill the positions. “
He said,

    “Some of us were just called by some members of the NWC intimating us of details of a letter forwarded to the body that it should just fill the remaining four leadership positions in the Senate.

    “In fact, the letter from the South-West leader is that the party must take charge and name its preferred candidates for the four offices.”

It was further learnt that some senators had already met with some NWC members asking them to ignore the letter.
They   were said to have insisted that the tradition remained that the zonal caucuses which did not produce the Senate President and his deputy should meet and nominate among themselves.
They added that it was when there were two or more nominations that,   an election could hold and that whoever scored the highest votes   would be the candidate.

Efforts to get the spokesperson for the pro Saraki group, Dino Melaye, proved abortive because he couldn't be reached on his mobile phone.

Spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, a group of senators loyal to   Lawan, Kabir Marafa, argued that the choice of other principal officers who are not elected on the floor of the Senate, remained the sole business of the party leadership.

He said, “How can the executive of the party at the zonal levels determine who will be made the Senate Leader, the Deputy Senate Leader, the Chief Whip   and the Deputy Chief Whip?

“It is the party executive that would determine all these. So the party would write the Senate President. That is the tradition. It cannot be done at the zonal level, it is absurd. There should be due process in whatever things   we do.”

But when contacted , the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Lai Mohammed simply said,
  “No comment.”

Punch.

late Sir Ahmadu Bello encouraging female education

Buhari set to move into Aso Villa + may announce some appointments next week

Next week,President Muhammadu Buhari will  move into the Presidential Villa  to continue his governance and may also name the first set of top government officials to start off the administration, we gathered
Since being declared winner of the 2015 Presidential election, Buhari has been operating from the Defence House in Maitama and has been conducting official business of government from there, having taken over the mantle of leadership on May 29, 2015 from former President Goodluck Jonathan.
It was leant that the President was ready to move from Defence House to the Villa possibly early next week following completion of renovation of the President’s residence.

    “It is true that the construction company has completed the President’s wing and he is set to move in any moment from now. As at today, it is only the Vice President’s residence that is yet to be fully completed.

    “We expect that the two men will move into the villa by next week since the work in the Vice President’s apartment is not a serious one,” an official in the Presidency explained.

The source explained that Buhari was set to begin naming some key officials of his government as soon as he moves into the Villa to prepare the grounds for the take off of serious work for Nigerians who have been expecting action from the administration.

As a prelude to setting up his administration, Buhari has reportedly handed over the 800-page Transition Committee Report to a trusted team of his associates, headed by former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; former Ekiti governor,  Kayode Fayemi  and others to reduce into a sizable and workable document.

Fashola is being tipped to emerge as Chief of Staff to the President because of his pedigree as a former Chief of Staff, governor and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

An impeccable source said that it was Buhari who instructed that after all others had completed working on transition report, they should hand over the voluminous document to Fashola to reduce into an implementable format for him to read and take necessary actions.

The source said:

    “Hopefully, from next week, some appointments would be announced. Buhari is a fast reader and he will be able to take immediate actions based on the transition report.”


A member of the Buhari Transition Committee, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter, confirmed that the final report presented to the president last week was a comprehensive document meant to guide him in taking decisions as to the shape and nature of his administration to bring about the needed change in the country.

The member said that what they presented to the President was more of a blueprint and how best to go about it in order to bring the country out of the woods. The member said: “The final report is very rich and we believe it will help Mr. President in putting a solid structure of his government and give him policy direction as well.”

Vanguard

mbode Approves Construction Of Pedestrian Bridge At Berger

UK Writes IGP Arase Over Kashamu’s Extradition

Senator Buruji Kashamu has been cleared from extradition  following a letter received by  IGP Solomon Arase through the British High Commission in Abuja which was dated April 27, 2015, saying that the UK government is no longer interested in any matter concerning Kashamu, having discharged him in 2003.

The letter which was signed by Mr. Robert Hunter, a Police Advisor of the High Commission in Abuja was addressed to ‘Solomon Arase, Inspector General of Police, Force CID Headquarters, Garki Area 10’ also disclosed that the accused person (Buruji Kashamu)  is not wanted in connection with any other offences within the UK jurisdiction.

“I understand that the US authorities are seeking his extradition but can confirm that we have no current interest in this matter and he is not wanted in connection with any other offences within our jurisdiction”, Robert Hunter said in the letter.

Real Reasons Why China Banned Ramadan Fasting

China has banned civil servants, students and teachers in its mainly Muslim Xinjiang region from fasting during Ramadan and ordered restaurants to stay open.

Most Muslims are required to fast from dawn to dusk during the holy month, which began on Thursday, but China's ruling Communist party is officially atheist and for years has restricted the practice in Xinjiang, home to the mostly Muslim Uighur minority.


"Food service workplaces will operate normal hours during Ramadan," said a notice posted last week on the website of the state Food and Drug Administration in Xinjiang's Jinghe county.

Officials in the region's Bole county were told: "During Ramadan do not engage in fasting, vigils or other religious activities," according to a local government website report of a meeting this week.

Each year, the authorities' attempt to ban fasting among Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang receives widespread criticism from rights groups.

China imposes restrictions on Muslim Uighurs

Uighur rights groups say China's restrictions on Islam in Xinjiang have added to ethnic tensions in the region, where clashes have killed hundreds in recent years.

China says it faces a "terrorist threat" in Xinjiang, with officials blaming "religious extremism" for the growing violence.

Protesters Storm National Assembly, Demand Death Penalty For Corrupt Leaders

 A group known as the voice of the voiceless yesterday stormed the National Assembly in their numbers and demanded a legislation that would prescribe death penalty as punishment for corruption in Nigeria. While speaking, the group noted that there was no way corruption could be stopped in the country until such capital punishment is instilled.

They wrote letters to the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara explaining why such a law should be made.


“Corruption, as we are all aware of, has eaten so deep into the fabric of this great nation and we are strongly advocating the death penalty to anybody who is found guilty of corrupt practices, no matter how highly-placed such an individual is in the society. Nigeria has tried every other measure of deterrent but to no avail. We want this great nation to toe the path of countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, China and other world powers who have achieved so much developmental strides as a result of their zero tolerance for corruption,” the National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Oliver Ezeala said in one of the letter.

They said they were confident that with the new President in power, the fight against corruption would be fast-tracked.

“We believe that he will fight this our common hydra-headed enemy to a complete standstill,” he further said in the letter.

APC Slams ‘PDP Media Watchdog’ For Asking Buhari To Resign

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as a product of poor thinking and deliberate mischief the statement credited to the so-called PDP Media Watchdog asking President Muhammadu Buhari to resign because of his comments over his age.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said if the authors of the statement had understood simple English, taken the pains to engage in deep thinking and contextualized the comments, they would not have rushed to the press to ask the President to resign.


“What President Buhari was saying, which was lost on those who issued that jejune statement, is that only his love and passion for the country could have made him, at his age, to come out of retirement to seek the office of President, over 30 years after he presided over the affairs of the country.

“For 16 years, Nigerians gave the PDP the benefit of the doubt to move the country forward, but instead, the party put Nigeria in reverse gear at a high speed, spinning it towards a doomsday that was only averted when Nigerians showed the PDP the red card. This is what necessitated President Buhari to continuously seek the country’s highest political office, so he can help put the country on a forward march again. Nothing else matters, not for him the excitement of an office he previously held and the quest for personal accomplishment. If the country had been well managed, President Buhari will not at 72 be crisscrossing the whole world seeking solution to Nigeria’s problems,” it said.

APC said within three weeks of his inauguration, President Buhari has succeeded in returning Nigeria to the comity of nations, to such an extent that world leaders are now so eager to engage him on how to assist his country in key areas, including security and the fight against corruption.

“Within three weeks of President Buhari’s inauguration, he had done what the PDP government could not do in six years: Invigorate the fight against Boko Haram by rallying a regional and global front against the terror group. Today, the US has pledged to give $5 million for the fight against Boko Haram, in addition to other material support. This is apart from the support that has been pledged by the G-7 for Nigeria’s efforts to quell the insurgency.

“Thanks to President Buhari’s shuttle diplomacy, the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) that the PDP government could not bring together for all of six years is ready to deploy next month, while the President has ordered the release of $21 million to facilitate the establishment of the headquarters of the force in N’Djamena, Chad.

“Since assuming office about three weeks ago, President Buhari has visited Chad, Niger, Germany and South Africa, winning support and friends for Nigeria all over again and returning the country to the comity of respected nations. Those who were put off by the PDP government’s resort to politicizing the fight against Boko Haram – even as the insurgents grew stronger – are now joining President Buhari to battle the terrorists. In no distant future, the results of his tireless efforts will begin to show.

“On the domestic front, President Buhari has been handling pressing issues far away from the klieg light, and his efforts to assembly a first class team to implement his change mantra, which he is personally driving, are continuing apace. We in the APC, and we are sure most unbiased Nigerians, are very proud of President Buhari and the vigour he has shown in governance, the kind of vigour we did not see in the immediate past administration that was presided over by a far younger man,” the party said.

It said only anarchists and non-democrats will ask a President who has not spent one month in office to resign, adding: “It rankles when those making these calls are from the ranks of the party that failed to avail itself creditably in 16 years.”

APC said it has deliberately refused to join issues with the PDP, which has been issuing a series of insipid press statements that showed clearly that the party is not ready to provide a robust opposition to the APC-led federal government


“For the umpteenth time, we say that the PDP and its satellite bodies must realize that in order to be relevant, credible and to make the necessary impact, they must pick on real issues and articulate them intelligently, rather than latching on to trite matters. This very amateurish display won’t get them anywhere,” the party said.