APC crisis: Akande’s letter angers northern party leaders

FRESH facts on Tuesday indicated that the national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress scheduled for Monday was cancelled because of the suspicion within the party.

Chief Bisi Akande

The PUNCH learnt that the APC leadership called off the meeting because of reported anger of some leaders of the ruling party in the north at insinuations by Chief Bisi Akande that they were behind the crisis in the party.

Akande, a former interim national chairman of the APC, had in a letter made public on Monday alleged, among other things, that, “Most Northern elite, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels, who never liked (President Muhammadu) Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance, are quickly backing up the rebellion against APC with strong support.”

A member of the party’s caucus from the North-East geopolitical zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said it would have been a rancorous session if the caucus meeting had held in what he described as “such an atmosphere of mutual suspicion.”

The party leader, who in fact said he would have spoken on the record if not for the fence- mending efforts being made by other leaders of the party, said, “We (northerners) are unhappy about Chief (Bisi) Akande’s outburst. It was unnecessary because we are all trying to put out a fire that is threatening to consume our house. And when you have a respected leader and elder making such unguarded statements it does not help.

“I personally hold Chief Akande in high esteem but what he wrote in that letter was nothing short of an insult on our collective sensibilities. How can you single out a section of your party and call them criminals who were supporting rebels to destroy the party we all built? This is most unexpected and uncharitable to say the least.”

Also, a chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, on Tuesday, described as unfortunate, the statement by Akande.

Baraje, in a statement in Abuja, said he was disappointed that Akande who had led the party and served as a state governor could author a statement in which he was allegedly seeking to divide the nation by setting the North against the South-West.

The APC leader, who once served as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, said, “I do not know where Chief Akande and his cohorts are getting this unsubstantiated information they are circulating. We challenge them to provide proof and let Nigerians make their judgment.

“Akande and co believe that they have exclusive right to determine who occupies what position in today’s Nigeria and whoever tries to challenge their position must be subjected to savage attack in the media. That tactic is definitely undemocratic.

“I have known Chief Akande to be an honest man. I got the shock of my life when he alleged that I had a meeting in my house with ‘some old and new PDP members with a view to hijacking the National Assembly’ through the aspiration of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the Senate President.

“I have been quiet as a leader so as to not to be seen as taking sides because of my closeness to Dr. Saraki, else people will read meaning into it.

“Akande has been playing a role which I admire. He will recall that he met some actors, with a governor from the North-West and a leader of the party from the South-West, where the leader from the South-West was cautioned to be reasonable in this crisis.

“He (Akande) supported the view of the governor from the North-West that the particular leader from the South-West should be admonished for his action. It is therefore surprising that Akande is now being economical with the truth and painting a picture that exists only in his imagination.”

Baraje said the allegation by Akande that a purported meeting took place in his (Baraje’s) house after the general elections, where “a so-called new PDP group plotted with a view to hijacking the National Assembly…with an ultimate aim of resuscitating the PDP as their future political platform” was a mere fabrication.

Our correspondents learnt that renewed peace moves were being made in the party and that the party leaders were hoping that they would before Friday achieve an atmosphere conducive to holding the APC NEC meeting.

The APC NEC meeting was shifted from Tuesday (yesterday) to Friday to enable party leaders to engage in further consultations.

A top member of the APC National Working Committee, who did not want his name mentioned, said that the meeting was postponed to allow tempers to go down.

“All leaders are in touch with one another and I can assure you that the crisis will be resolved on Friday,” the party source said.

However, the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, himself a northerner, had defended Akande on Monday. Na’Allah said Akande must have been misquoted.

The senator said, “Chief Bisi Akande is a highly respected senior member of this country and I am not so sure he had not been misquoted on that issue. Even where it exists, I am absolutely sure that it cannot be the correct statement on the situation.

“The North holds every section of this country high; we detest the idea of even labelling us as North because we have passed that stage with the current development in our country.

“We are a united country whether we like it or not with some few interests being defined at different levels of our governance but as far as Nigeria is concerned, I don’t want to believe that there is any conspiracy.

“If there is any conspiracy on the part of the North, what made you think that the conspiracy will involve bringing somebody from the Peoples Democratic Party and from the South-East to become the deputy senate president?”

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Timi Frank, on Tuesday, confirmed that the party’s National Executive Committee would meet in Abuja on Friday to thrash out all issues affecting the party.

“We are holding our NEC meeting on Friday and I am sure all our issues will be thrashed out and the party will come out stronger,” Frank said.

APC crisis: Akande’s letter angers northern party leaders

Let Wike begin the cleansing in his government – APC

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers State Chapter has congratulated Governor Nyesom Wike for finally accepting the need to rid Rivers State of kidnappers and armed criminal gangs.

Nyesom Wike

The party in a statement signed by it spokesman, Chris Finebone said, “This follows the governor’s reported readiness to seek an amendment to the existing law on kidnapping and other serious crimes which was put in place by the last administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The amendment will be to include the demolition of houses belonging to kidnappers and criminals, amongst other provisions”.

The APC called on the governor to begin the cleansing from his own government because charity, they say, begins at home, adding that by implication, it woud serve as an indication that the governor has realised that it is wrong to employ the services of criminals during elections.

Continuing the statement said, “it is a known fact that Governor Wike’s government is populated by all manner of known kidnappers, murderers, and criminal elements who committed and are still committing all manner of atrocities against APC members and innocent law-abiding residents and people of Rivers State”.

“A good example of this character trait of Wike’s political associates was at play during the last sham election of March 28 and April 11 in Rivers State where several lives were violently snuffed out and other innocent persons kidnapped or maimed by these persons” the press release further explained.

The APC reminded Wike to abide by the Biblical injunction which says, “Physician, heal thyself.”

“We are sure that if and when Governor Nyesom Wike follows this simple Christian command, the winner will be the numerous peace-loving people and residents of our beloved State” the statement concluded.

Let Wike begin the cleansing in his government – APC

47 fighters dump Boko Haram

The Head of the Countering Violent Extremism Department in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Dr. Fatima Akilu, told President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday that no fewer than 22 women and girls recruited as suicide bombers by members of the Boko Haram sect are now undergoing rehabilitation under the programme.

Boko Haram and Nigeria soldiers

She said the female trained as suicide bombers by the sect were being rehabilitated after voluntarily embracing the agency’s de-radicalisation programme.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, quoted Akilu as speaking during a meeting she had with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to brief him of the department’s activities.

One of the objectives of the CVE is to reform terrorists and prevent others from joining terrorist organisations and violent sects.

Akilu told the President that the programme’s non-military approach was running concurrently with the armed onslaught against insurgents in the country.

She said so far, the CVE had rehabilitated no fewer than 305 victims of terrorism rescued from the Sambisa Forest by the Nigerian military.

She told the President that a National Security Corridor Programme had been created to provide a safe route for those who wish to dump their membership of Boko Haram voluntarily and that 47 erstwhile members of the group had embraced the programme.

Buhari applauded steps being taken by the Office of the NSA and other agencies of government to rehabilitate victims of terrorism and violent extremism in Nigeria.

He promised that the Federal Government would continue to do its best to ensure that victims of Boko Haram’s atrocities receive necessary support, even as it strives to rid the country of terrorism and insurgency in the shortest possible time.

Meanwhile, governors of north-eastern states on Tuesday suggested a tripartite approach to handling victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.

The governors rose from an emergency meeting held at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, to request that the Federal Government and the nation’s development partners expedite action towards the resettlement and reintegration of victims of the insurgency.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues after the meeting, the Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, said, “We agreed that the North-East Regional Development Plan Committee should liaise with DFID to establish an institutional frame work for the region.”

The governors suggested that apart from what the various state governments were doing on their own for themselves and the assistance they were rendering to one another, it would help for the Federal Government and development partners to increase their tempo of activities.

Dankwambo further explained that he and his colleagues approved that the regional committee should engage and explore areas of cooperation with international development partners and governors of the six states in the zone.

The governors had also received the report of the North-East Transformation Strategy, tagged; “Development Agenda” which is a follow-up to the last year’s North-East Economic Forum.

They also approved the setting up of a secretariat in Bauchi State and a liaison office in Abuja.

The governors, who announced plans to see the President on the matter soon, also appealed to the Federal Government to accord the challenges facing the North-East top priority in order to restore the region’s economy which has been ravaged by the activities of the insurgents.

47 fighters dump Boko Haram

Liberia witness another Ebola four months after clearance

By Gabriel Olawale, with agency report

The corpse of a 17-year-old boy has tested positive for Ebola in Liberia, the country’s deputy Health Minister said late Monday. He added that no other case had been reported.

Ebola

Tolbert Nyenswah, who is also head of the country’s Ebola response, told newsmen that the teenager died June 24 in Nedowein, a town situated close to the country’s international airport, about 48 kilometres south of the capital, and was given a safe burial the next day.

Liberia had been the country hardest hit by last year’s Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The World Health Organisation, WHO, declared Liberia Ebola-free on May 9 after the country went 42 days without reporting a case.

Nyenswah said: “We have said over and over again that there was the possibility of a resurgence of the virus in Liberia. But our capacity is very strong.”

The deadly virus, which has killed over 11,100 people mostly in West Africa in its worst outbreak ever, is hanging on stubbornly in Guinea, where the Ebola outbreak was first reported in March 2014, and in Sierra Leone.

It was not known how the 17-year-old contracted Ebola. The town where the teenager died is far from the borders with Sierra Leone and Guinea, so Nyenswah said they were investigating whether his case might be linked to travel.

Specimens were taken from the corpse before burial, and the tests later came back positive.

“The only complication is that the person died before we tested the body as part of our surveillance system of testing living and dead people,” Nyenswah said.

Nyenswah said teams are already doing contact tracing in the Nedowein area.

“There is no need for pandemonium; people should go about their normal business,” he said.

He called the Ebola testing of the young man’s corpse “a success story for our surveillance system.”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon had warned earlier this month that as long as there is one Ebola case in West Africa “all countries are at risk.”

 

Liberia witness another Ebola four months after clearance

INEC: Drama as Buhari overrules Jega on handover

ABUJA —  It was the end of an era, yesterday, when the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, formally handed over to Amb. Ahmed Wali as  acting chairman of the electoral body.

Prof Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman

Following the handover, Jega said the future of the country and the commission were in safe hands.

However, after about eight hours as acting chairman, Wali was replaced as acting chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari who designated another national commissioner, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as acting chairman.

Jega, who was appointed five years ago by former President Goodluck Jonathan, bowed out with six national commissioners who were appointed the same day with him.

The commissioners who retired with Jega yesterday were Cojl. M.K. Hammanga (Adamawa), Dr Ishmael Igbani (Rivers), Prof. Lai Olurode (Osun), Dame Gladys Nwafor (Abia), Mrs Thelma Iremiren (Delta) and Dr Nuru Yakubu (Yobe).

The future is  bright —Jega

Speaking with newsmen shortly after he bowed out, Jega expressed appreciation for the opportunity given to him and other INEC management staff to serve the country.

He said: “We feel great; we thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country. The future is bright for the commission and the country.”

Though the brief hand-over ceremony was a closed-door event, secretary to the commission, Augusta Ogakwu, told Vanguard that it was just for the former chairman to hand over to another person since the Federal Government has not appointed a substantive chairman for the commission.

She explained that Wali was selected because his tenure will expire on August 11 with the hope that by then  the government may have taken a decision on who to give the responsibility of running the commission for the next five years.

The secretary also revealed that in his farewell message, Jega urged the commission to ensure that whatever thing that has been gained in election management must not be allowed to go down because the people of Nigeria and indeed the world must have taken interest in the country’s election management system.

She said: “It was just a brief ceremony for the chairman to hand over to one of the commissioners, Amb. Wali, whose tenure will expire on August 11 and the Chairman has handed over to him pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by the government or pending when his tenure expires but we believe that we will soon hear from the government what will happen next.”

Following the handover to Wali, the Head of Service of the federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi in a statement announced President Buhari’s decision to appoint Mrs. Zakari as acting national chairman of the commission. He said the appointment is with effect from June 30, 2015 until the appointment of a substantive chairman.

Mrs Zakari is senior to Wali and she is due for retirement July 31.

 

INEC: Drama as Buhari overrules Jega on handover

Okonjo-Iweala denies spending money without authorization

… I’m ready for probe – Ex-minister

The former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied claims she spent $2.1 billion out of the Excess Crude Account without authorization and has offered to face any inquiry over the allegation.

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Reacting to Monday’s claims against the former finance minister by some governors after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, her media adviser, Paul Nwabuikwu, said “the allegation by some governors that former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala spent $2.1 billion out of the Excess Crude Account without authorization is false, malicious and totally without foundation.”

Nwabuikwu in a statement made available to The Nation on Tuesday said there was no unauthorized expenditure from the ECA under Okonjo-Iweala’s watch in the Finance Ministry.

“Decisions on such expenditure were discussed at meetings of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) attended by finance commissioners from the 36 states,” he added.

The former minister insisted that claims she “spent $2.1 billion without authorization” were simply not credible given that details of government receipts and expenditure were made public.

Okonjo-Iweala denies spending money without authorization

CBN extends BVN deadline

The Central Bank of Nigeria has extended the deadline for the Bank Verification Number exercise till October 31.

A statement by the CBN said the decision to extend the BVN registration was due to passionate appeals from the public for the extension of the exercise after the expiration of the earlier deadline on Tuesday.

The apex bank said it noticed with satisfaction the level of compliance among the banking public and also acknowledged the difficulties which the people have gone through in the last few days in the quest to beat the registration timeline.

It added that arrangements are being made to enroll bank customers in Diaspora in the next few days.

CBN extends BVN deadline

Boko Haram: Protest paralyses Anambra community

Activities were paralyzed Tuesday in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra state as traders, young and old trooped out to protest the dumping of alleged Boko Haram suspects in the prisons in the area.

Anambra Protest

As early as 7.30am, placard carrying protesters, including some clergy and high chiefs and women marched through the Ekwulobia Street to register their grievances.

All the shops in the Area were under lock and key as security operatives were deployed by the state commissioner of police, Hosea Karma to maintain law and order.

The chairman of Aguata Local government area, Mr.Tony Umeoji, while speaking with reporters said the transfer of the Boko Haram prisoners to the place was politically motivated.

He alleged that any attempt to interrupt the development of the South East from Anambra State, would be suicidal.

According to the council boss; “I must tell you that this development will chase away intending investors to Anambra State, thereby setting back the wheel of progress of the state.

‘It is a situation that calls for concern because of the apprehension and restiveness among the people of Ekwulobia.

“The people are scared and there is a general sense of insecurity in the place right now.

“The Ekwulobia prison does not have minimum capacity and facility for such high profile inmates.

“The prison is 80 bedded and there are already 133 in mates and you are adding another 43 in mates of the Boko Haram prisoners. That is too much and not healthy for human being,” he said.

Also in his own reaction, the member representing Aguata II Constituency in state House of assembly, Ikem Uzoezie appealed to the authorities concerned and President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency relocate the Boko Haram inmates to a prison with maximum capacity and facility.

He said; “this development calls for concern because the relative peace we have been enjoying has been interrupted.”

Meanwhile, Uzoezie revealed that when the Assembly reconvenes, it would deliberate on the matter with a view to prevailing on the presidency to redress the issue.

Boko Haram: Protest paralyses Anambra community

Group seeks support for Osunbor’s governorship bid

Ahead of the 2016 governorship election in Edo state, a socio-Political group in the state, the Edo Visionary Network, Tuesday charged the leaders and people of Edo Central senatorial district to realize their dream of producing the next governor of the state after the expiration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole by backing the governorship ambition of Prof.Osarhiemen Osunbor.

Oserheimen Osunbor

The group described Prof.Osunbor as a man with great vision and potentials and regretted that the internal politics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which culminated to the Appeal Court ruling in 2008, led to his short stay in office.

The former governor had earlier this year dumped the PDP for the APC.

The group led by Comrade Innocent Ebhotemen, which had in November 2014, urged the former governor to declare his ambition to run for the 2016 governorship election under the All progressives Congress (APC), commended him for his recent declaration for the 2016 governorship election and urged all Esan sons and daughters to unite behind him.

According to the statement, “the record of Prof.Osunbor as a two-time senator and a governor speaks volume of his capacity and excellent inclination.

“At this maternal time in the history of the state we believe he possesses a credential no other aspirant would be able to match.

“Senator Osunbor holds the promise of superlative continuity that Edo people desire after Governor Oshiomhole must have creditably discharged himself and retired from the stage. Osunbor holds the hope for the entire Edo people.

“He also represents the hope of the entire indigenes of Edo Central senatorial district who legitimately yearn for their zone on the principle of equitable rotation of power to occupy the office of the governor of Edo state and have full tenure of service to the fatherland.

“We want to especially plead with the leaders and members of the APC to which Osunbor now belongs to in the fullness of time to entrust Osunbor with the mandate to represent the party and subsequently to serve the state,” it stated.

Group seeks support for Osunbor’s governorship bid

Checkpoints’ withdrawal will restore police mandate – IGP

The inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, on Tuesday said the withdrawal of military checkpoints will restore the police mandate of ensuring internal security.

Arase also disclosed that force top hierarchy has concluded arrangements on dress code for the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the police.

The IGP spoke during a meeting with Commissioners of Police in Abuja.

He said: “The withdrawal of the military should not create any fear in the minds of Nigerians, we have done it before and we are going to do it again. We have about 555 vehicles on the highway nationwide, each state has about 15 vehicles to man the highway.

“Besides that, prior to this time, most of the states had about 20 vehicles each. They are not sufficient but what we have now should do to ensure that we are able to secure the highway space.

“Constitutionally, other security agents have the responsibility to also complement the efforts of the NPF, asking us to take over the responsibility of the roadblocks which originally was supposed to be our turf will not create any vacuum.

“Nigerians I believe will not want to listen to excuses from us and we have opportunity now to take over our mandate of securing the internal security space.”

On the proposed dress code for SARS, the IGP said: “We have discussed it extensively in management and we have agreed that there should be a dress code for all our SARS so that they would be identified with it.

“We are trying to get some designs and the DIG in charge of logistics is expected to bring that up to management for approval and once that is done, we will unveil it and everybody will know the dress code for SARS operatives nationwide.”

Checkpoints’ withdrawal will restore police mandate – IGP

PDP moves to reconcile aggrieved members

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has initiated moves to reconcile its aggrieved members in the six geopolitical zones across the nation.

Grievances and discontents arising from the conduct of the party’s last primary elections nationwide had degenerated into divisions leading some aggrieved members to work against the interest of the party.

Rising from a meeting of the party’s Post Election Assessment Committee Tuesday, the PDP announced the constitution of three teams of three members each, charged with the responsibility of touring the six geopolitical zones.

The first team, headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi would be coordinating the South-south and South-east geopolitical zones, while the second team headed by Alhaji Shuabu Oyedokun would be coordinating the Northeast and Northwest geopolitical zones.

The third team, headed by Mr. Emeka Ihedioha would be coordinating the Southwest and North central zones. The committees have up till July 10 to complete their assignments and submit their reports.

Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, Deputy President of the Senate and chairman of the Post Election Assessment Committee, Ike Ekweremadu expressed the optimism that the PDP will come out stronger at the end of the exercise.

According to him, the committee had so far received over 1000 memoranda from members across the federation.

PDP moves to reconcile aggrieved members

Why I said Buhari’s 3 weeks better than Jonathan’s 6years - Lai Mohammed

The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Tuesday, reiterated that the steps taken so far by President Muhammadu Buhari, within 30 days of the life of his administration, especially in tackling corruption and insecurity‎ has outpaced the six years achievements of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Lai Mohammed

Mohammed, who was addressing a press conference in Lagos, berated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for quoting him out of context when he said Buhari has out-performed Jonathan in just three weeks.

Reacting to ‎agitations over the delay by Buhari in the appointment of Ministers and principal officers such as Chief of Staff (COS), Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), the APC spokesperson explained that it was caused by delay of the Jonathan administration to submit the hand-over notes, and what he described as the dynamics of a ruling party handing-over to an opposition party.

Pleading however, with Nigerians for patience, Mohammed said “the President will set-up his team in the shortest possible time.”

He‎ said: “It’s been about one month now since President Buhari assumed office, and I can tell you that there has been motion, and there has been movement, contrary to what is being peddled in some quarters.

“Let me say straight away that my party, the APC, understands and appreciates the concerns of Nigerians as far as the perceived pace of the administration is concerned. We understand that they repose so much confidence in the party and the government to act quickly to stamp out insecurity, tackle corruption, revive the moribund economy, provide jobs and generally restore hope.

“Justifiably, the expectations are high and urgent, and the Buhari administration has started addressing them, despite the enormous challenges that it faces, including an empty treasury and an economy that has virtually collapsed.

“While Nigerians are right to demand quick and sustained action in addressing these challenges – and honestly we make no excuses – it is important for us to put things in perspective for a better understanding.

“The Buhari administration got the handover notes from the former government just four days before the inauguration, hampering its efforts to have a clear understanding of the situation on the ground before taking the necessary measures to address it. If any disease is not appropriately diagnosed, it cannot be effectively treated. Any government that is truly desirous of bringing about real change will not act hastily and without the necessary understanding of what is on ground. Coupled with the delay in getting the much-needed information, that takes time.

“Recall that when we raised the alarm over the delay in getting the handover notes, the former government even accused us of seeking to form a parallel government!

“Secondly, Nigeria has never before witnessed this kind of transition. What the country has been accustomed to is transition from one government to another under the same ruling party, not from the ruling party to the opposition as we have now. The implication is that this is a new learning curve, with its attendant hiccups.

“Thirdly, never before has the ship of Nigerian state been steered aground as we have it now. Never before have Nigerians been this expectant from any leader or any government. These are all the more reasons to get things right, once and for all, so we won’t need to continue with the vicious cycle of hopes raised and dashed!

“Even with these challenges, the Buhari Administration has availed itself creditably within one month of assuming office.”

 

Why I said Buhari’s 3 weeks better than Jonathan’s 6years - Lai Mohammed

Jega bows out of INEC, hands over to Wali

Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday bowed out of office as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He handed over to Mohammed Wali, a national commissioner of the INEC from Sokoto State, whose five-year tenure will also expire on August 11, 2015.

Prof Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman

Jega was appointed chairman of the commission by former President Goodluck Jonathan on June 30, 2010.

He conducted two elections – 2011 and 2015.

Speaking briefly at the end of the closed-door handing over ceremony at the Commission in Abuja,  Jega said the future of the country and commission was bright.

He said he was grateful to God and the country for the opportunity to serve.

He said, “We feel great; we thank God Almighty for the opportunity to serve the country. The future is bright for the commission and the country.”

Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, confirmed to journalists that Jega handed-over to Wali.

Wali is expected to act pending the appointment of a new chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.

She also added,  “We believe we will soon hear what will happen next from the president.”

Ogakwu said, Jega, while handing over, encouraged the commission to keep the flag flying.

“Jega said in whatever we have achieved, we should keep it up and do more, adding that there is still a lot to be done,” she said.

Jega left the commission with six national commissioners whose tenures also expired on Tuesday.

Jega bows out of INEC, hands over to Wali

REVEALED: “In three years, NNPC generated N8.1 trn, gave Nigeria N4.3 trn

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, generated about N8.1trillion between 2012 and May 2015, but paid only N4.3trillion to the federation account, Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said Monday, citing new details from the federal economic council meeting.

The balance of the oil money — about N3.8trillion — was withheld and spent by the NNPC unilaterally without approval or National Assembly appropriation, the governor told journalists.

Also, the governor confirmed at the meeting that from November 2014, about $2.1billion was withdrawn from the excess crude account without the approval of the National Economic Council, NEC.

Mr. Oshiomhole, who, alongside the governors of Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and Zamfara governor, Abdulazeez Yari, briefed journalists, said following the discovery, the NEC has set up a four-member committee to comb the books of the NNPC to confirm its remittances and how the excess crude account was utilised.

President Muhammadu Buhari dissolved the board of the NNPC on Friday, to pave way for full investigation of the corporation.

Mr. Oshiomhole said Monday’s meeting was the first time the NNPC and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, briefed the National Economic Council, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor said Mr. Buhari “compelled” the NNPC to provide information in “black and white” on issues relating to the total sales of Nigeria’s crude oil from 2012 to May 2015.

“This has never happened before and for us this is profound. We are talking about transparency, we are talking about change. And what we saw from those numbers I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know, is that whereas the NNPC claimed to have earned N8.1 trillion, what NNPC paid into the federation account from 2012 to May 2015 was N4.3trillion.

“What it means is that NNPC withheld and spent N3.8 trillion.

“The major revelation here is that for the entire federation — that is the federal government, the states and all the 774 local governments — the amount the NNPC paid into the federation account for distribution to this three tiers of government came to N4.3 trillion and NNPC alone took and spent N3.8 trillion. Which means the cost of running NNPC is much more than the cost of running the Federal Government. That tells you how much is missing, what is mismanaged, what is stolen, they are huge figures.”

He said it had become clear that the NNPC had not respected the Constitution on how government money should be spent.

“If NNPC needs to spend money, it is obliged to prepare its budget like every other business

enterprise. That budget will be scrutinized by the executive and forwarded to the National Assembly and the National Assembly will accordingly appropriate it.

“If the federal government cannot spend without appropriation, why should any agency spend without appropriation?”

Mr. Oshiomhole said President Buhari promised that henceforth, all monies must go to the federation account.

“What you need you budget for, Nigeria cannot continue with you earn the money and spend it. Where is transparency? Where is the role of the National Assembly? So if you were doing that you won’t have a situation where the NNPC alone will spend N3.8 trillion and remit to the federal, states and local governments N4.3 trillion which means NNPC is taking about 47 per cent and that explains all the leakages you are talking about.”

He said parastatals must return to spending on a budget.

“We are not reinventing the wheel, that is the way it used to be and that is the way the constitution says it should”

EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT

The Edo governor also disclosed $2.1 billion was withdrawn from $4.1 billion reported to be in the excess crude account as at November 2014 without the approval of the National Economic Council (NEC). The account now has $2.0bilion.

“We looked at the numbers for the Excess crude account, the last time the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy reported to the Council and it is in the minute, she reported by November 2014, that we had $4.1 billion.

“But today the Accountant General Office reported we have $2.0 billion. Which means the Honourable Minister spent $2.1billion without authority of the NEC. And that money was not distributed to states, it was not paid to the three tiers of government. This is why the NEC has set up a panel to look at what accrued, what it was spent for, when and by whom. So that Nigerians will have the full picture of all the transactions as regards the much talked about Excess crude,” Mr. Oshiomhole said.

The four-member committee, which consists of the governors of Edo, Gombe, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom states.

Explaining further, Kaduna State Governor, Mr. El-Rufai, noted that the Federal Government had in the last year been unilaterally withdrawing from the excess crude account without consulting the other owners.

According to him “The Excess Crude account was started by President Olusegun Obasanjo around

2004-2005.

“It was an administrative arrangement to save for a rainy day. And it was meant to have very clear accountability such that every state and local government, in a particular state knows their balance in the Excess Crude Account, though you can’t spend it but you know how much of it is yours.

“That was the arrangement. And in those days, before we spend any money from the Excess Crude Account, the federal and states governments will meet and agree. That is how we agreed to build the seven power stations which is NIPP today, it was from Excess Crude Account. And we also met and agreed to build the Lagos – Kano Standard Gauge Rail Line from the Excess Crude Account.

“But what we have seen, in the last few months or years is that the Excess Crude Account was operated unilaterally by the federal government, drawings were made unilaterally without consulting those that actually own the money because the Excess Crude Account is 52 percent owned by the federal government and 48 by the states and LGA.

“So the decision of the NEC is to set up this committee of four to look at the operations of the Excess Crude Account and make recommendations to council on its future.

“The other thing the committee will do is to look at the operations of the federation accounts particularly the shortfall and again come back to council with very clear recommendations as to what to do.

“We have not been given a time frame but as you can imagine states government are under pressure, many of our state governments are unable to pay salaries on time without recourse to borrowing, so this is very important to us. This is an all governors committee, we wear the shoes we know where it pinches. So we are going to do this as quickly as possible,” he said.

The Council’s next meeting of the council is on July 23rd, and Mr. El- Rufai said he hopes the committee will complete its work and be in position to report to council on that day.

Zamfara governor, Abdulazeez Yari, said the council also agreed that the Federal Government in conjunction with the Central Bank, will see how to support financially ailing states.

REVEALED: “In three years, NNPC generated N8.1 trn, gave Nigeria N4.3 trn

EXCLUSIVE: Joda Committee to Buhari: Merge debt-ridden Arik, Aero, others to form national carrier

The Buhari administration may be considering merging all debtor airlines in the country into a national carrier, capable of serving the West and Central African regions, with Nigeria as the regional aviation hub.

That is part of the recommendations by the Ahmed Joda transition committee, which submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari about two weeks ago. Volumes of the report were exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.

President Buhari

Six of Nigeria’s leading domestic airlines are currently bogged down by huge debts totalling almost N130 billion, forcing them to turn to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for a lifeline.

In 2014, the Federal Ministry of Aviation gave the debt portfolio of five of the airlines with AMCON at over N190 billion. The amount excluded sundry debts to aviation agencies like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), suppliers and other institutions.

The ministry said it arrived at the huge figure after a comprehensive audit of the operations of all the domestic airlines.

Details of the audit findings, the Ministry said, showed Aero Contractors’ debt stood at over $200 mn (N308 bn), with 60% of its equity already taken over by AMCON, while Arik Air has been in debt to the tune of over $600 mn (N924 bn); IRS Airlines, $55 mn (N84 bn); Chanchangi Airlines, $55 mn (N84 bn), and the now bankrupt Air Nigeria owing about $225.8 mn (N347.7 bn).

In 2012, Arik, Aero, IRS, Bellview, Chanchangi, Afrijet, Albarka, Caverton, Continental, Air Nigeria and Savannah, were at the verge of going under when AMCON waded in with a N132billion lifeline, saving in the process over 7,000 staff from being thrown into the labour market.

Aviation industry experts told PREMIUM TIMES at the weekend that some of the airlines that were still grappling with working capital challenges recently approached AMCON again with a multi-billion request for a bailout to enable them settle accumulated aviation fuel bills to oil marketers.

The Joda committee advised President Buhari to consider a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement that would involve all airlines currently with AMCON, as part of the Federal Government’s contribution to a national carrier project.

The committee recommended the decision be carried out in six months.

The committee said this will increase government revenue from the sector, reduce capital flight, expand the local aviation industry and create more employment opportunities to the people.

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the report said, should work with the Ministries of Aviation, Finance, Industry, Trade and Investment to implement an aviation-focused PPP framework that would create the environment for the development of aviation infrastructure, procurement and upgrade.

The committee, which noted poor utilization as one of the key challenges in the sector, said about 75 percent of passenger traffic were generated from three airports – Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, while over 90 percent of the revenue earned came from Lagos and Abuja.

To ensure a realistic capital base for domestic and international airlines for sustainability in accordance with global best practices, the committee said the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should in the next three months consider the upward review of capital requirements for airlines to N2.5 bn (domestic) and N 5billion (International).

Within the target period, the government would undertake the immediate repairs and upgrade of passenger facilities, including air-conditioning systems, luggage conveyor belts, passenger tunnels, to improve customer experience, increase revenue, and improve the safety of travelers, it said.

EXCLUSIVE: Joda Committee to Buhari: Merge debt-ridden Arik, Aero, others to form national carrier

Court adjourns Tinubu’s N150bn libel suit against AIT

An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday adjourned the N150bn libel suit filed by former Lagos state Governor, Chief Bola Tinubu, against African Independent Television to September 30.

APC vs AIT

Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe adjourned the suit for further direction on the court processes served by counsel to both parties in the suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Tinubu had instituted the suit against Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT, for airing of a documentary titled “Lion of Bourdilion”.

He had alleged that the documentary aired on the television station’s channel was libelous and was aimed at tarnishing his image.

During Tuesday’s hearing, counsel for AIT, Mr Jeffery Kadiri, told the court that he had filed all the necessary pleadings in the matter.

Responding, Tinubu’s counsel, Mr Ademola Adesiyun, asked the court in a motion dated June 26 for extension of time in which to file a reply to AIT’s statement of defence and counter-claim.

In the counter-claim, AIT listed its Chairman emeritus, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, and seven others as witnesses to testify against Tinubu.

Others listed to testify were Namure Edoimioya, Chief Medan Tenke, Ajibola Adewusi, Olumide Idowu, Chief Stanley Odidi, an engineer, Mr Nwabueze and Dr Stanley Bassey.

The television station also denied each and every allegation of facts as contained in the claimant’s amended statement of claim.

Dokpesi, in his statement on oath, averred that Tinubu’s claim was founded on a non-existent ground because the said documentary was not titled “The Lion of Bourdilion”, but “Unmasking the Real Tinubu”.

He asserted that the documentary, in his honest opinion, was not false and was not aired out of malice to the person of the claimant.

Dokpesi said AIT, as a member of the fourth estate of the realm, was empowered by Section 22 of the Constitution to at all times, hold those in government accountable and responsible to the people of Nigeria.

He further affirmed that the content of the documentary were facts which had been in the public domain for over two decades.

According to Dokpesi, the information in the documentary was published independently prior to the broadcast and had remained unchallenged till date.

Court adjourns Tinubu’s N150bn libel suit against AIT

You Can"t Blackmail Us - PDP tells Buhari

…Berates Presidency For Resorting To Propaganda

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says no amount of intimidation, blackmail and propaganda by the Presidency would stop it from standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari kick-starts government and commence implementation of his campaign promises for which he was voted into office.

Olisah Metuh

The party said Presidency’s excuse of clearing the so-called Augean Stable is lame and diversionary noting that it stands by its statement that the delay is creating loopholes through which some persons claiming closeness to the President have infiltrated executive bodies, arm-twisting and conniving with unscrupulous elements in the bureaucracy to syphon the nation’s resources in the last 30 days.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Monday said the party would not in any way be cowed by threats and wild allegations by the Presidency into abdicating its responsibility of speaking out as an opposition party where the system is derailing.

“The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians were appalled by the response from the Presidency regarding our call for prayers to enable President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration locate its bearing, compose a government and halt the prevailing stagnation with its huge negative impact on the system.

“Instead of addressing the issues raised, the Presidency descended to insults, abuses and innuendos, a stance which not only bears out the case made by the PDP but also raises questions about the capacity of this administration to shoulder the enormous responsibility of governance.

“While we expect the present administration to be serious about the fight against corruption, probe and persecute each and everyone involved in such, irrespective of their party leaning, we restate that these must be done within the ambits of the law and must not be used as a witch-hunt ostensibly to discredit and undermine the opposition. We therefore caution against the current drama of politicizing the issue of corruption in the country.

“Furthermore, the analogy of the Augean stable, is completely baffling to us at this level as it goes to a great length to question the capacity and the sincerity of those around the president.

“In Greek mythology, Hercules in his ingenuity took the task and efficiently cleared the Augean’ stable in a day for which he demanded a reward of a tenth of fine cattle belonging to the king.

“Nigerians would not want to believe that in the so-called clearing of the Augean stable, although not delivering in one day, President Buhari wants to play Hercules in his demand, this time, by wanting to run the government alone without the statutory components of the executive as enshrined in the constitution.

“We ask, is the so-called clearing of mess responsible for his inability after 90 days of winning an election to make up his mind on rudimentary appointments such as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff and his demand for 15 Special Advisers as approved by the PDP controlled Seventh Assembly since June 5, 2015?

“Perhaps we need to draw President Buhari’s attention to the fact that while he is busy clearing his imaginary mess on the pages of newspapers, some persons claiming closeness to him have in the last 30 days been piling up sleazes that also need his attention in key agencies of government.

“Despite the absence of approving and supervising officials, key income generating institutions like NNPC, NIMASA, NPA, FIRS and other strategic agencies have been invaded by persons claiming to be friends and associates of the President and this puts to question the sincerity and seriousness of the administration to affect the so-called change upon which they rode to power.

“Auxiliary to this is the issue of the construction of a helipad, amongst various expenses and other major government expenditure going on across board in the last one month and without due supervision as the eyes of the President cannot be everywhere.

“We declare unequivocally that we do have respect for the person and office of the President especially considering his age and status as an elder statesman. However, we will like to make it very clear that the President of the Federal Republic Nigeria is neither a Sherriff in the Old Wild West nor a military dictator in some Banana Republic. He is an elected president under a democratic setting.

 

You Can"t Blackmail Us - PDP tells Buhari

Okonjo-Iweala spent $2.1bn without approval, says FG

The National Economic Council, chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday accused a former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, of spending $2.1bn from the Excess Crude Account without authorisation.

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

“We looked at the numbers for the Excess Crude Account. The last time the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, reported to the council, and it is in the minutes, she reported by November 2014 that we had $4.1 bn.

“Today, the Accountant-General Office reported we have $2.0bn. Which means the honourable minister spent $2.1bn without authority of the NEC and that money was not distributed to states, it was not paid to the three tiers of government,” Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole told State House correspondents after the NEC’s 58th meeting in Abuja.

The ‘unauthorised’ spending, according to the economic council, is among the several anomalies discovered in the management of the nation’s economy between 2012 and May 2015.

Within the period, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was said to have earned a total of N8.1 tn but remitted only N4.3tn.

Consequently, the Federal Government has constituted Oshiomhole, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; and Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, into a panel to probe the NNPC and the ECA between 2012 and May, 2015.

Oshiomhole, el-Rufai, Emmanuel and the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari, jointly briefed journalists at the end of the meeting.

Yari told the journalists, through the Director of Funds, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. M.K. Dikwa, that council members received the report of the ECA and unremitted funds by the NNPC.

He said, “On that line, a four-man committee consisting of the governors of Edo, Gombe, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom states was constituted to go through the books of the NNPC and Excess Crude as well as the Federation Account.

”The four-man committee will check the books of the NNPC, most especially the issue of excess crude and what is not remitted into the Federation Account.

“The Federal Government, in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria, will look inwards to see how to support and how much they will give to states, especially on the issue of outstanding salaries owed by the states and even the Federal Government.”

Shedding new light on what transpired at the NEC meeting, Oshiomhole said the NNPC and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were compelled for the first time to provide information on the total sales of Nigeria’s crude from 2012 to May 2015.

The Edo governor said, “We are talking about transparency; we are talking about change. And what we saw from those numbers, which I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know, is that whereas the NNPC claimed to have earned N8.1tn, what NNPC paid into the Federation Account from 2012 to May 2015 was N4.3tn.

“What it means is that the NNPC withheld and spent N3.8 tn.

“The major revelation here is that the entire federation, that is the Federal Government, the states and all the 774 local governments, the amount the NNPC paid into the Federation Account for distribution to these three tiers of government came to N4.3 tn and the NNPC alone took and spent N3.8tn.

“This means that the cost of running the NNPC is much more than the cost of running the Federal Government. That tells you how much is missing, what is mismanaged and what is stolen. There are huge figures.”

Oshiomhole said the only lawful way decreed by the Constitution was that if the NNPC needed to spend money, it needed to prepare its budget like every other business enterprise, get it scrutinised by the executive and then forward same to the National Assembly for appropriation.

He added, “If the Federal Government cannot spend without appropriation, why should any agency spend without appropriation.

“This is what the Constitution provided for and this is what President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to do; henceforth all money must go to the Federation Account.

“If you were doing that, you would not have a situation where the NNPC alone will spend N3.8trn and remit to the federal, states and local governments N4.3trn, which means NNPC is taking about 47 per cent and that explains all the leakages you are talking about.”

El-Rufai recalled that he was part of the decision to put in place the ECA during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 2004 and 2005 as an administrative arrangement to save for a rainy day.

He said the account was set up in order to be accountable such that every state and local government would know what they had in the account though they could not spend it.

He said, “The Excess Crude Account is 52 per cent owned by the Federal Government and 48 per cent owned by the states and the local governments.

“So the decision of the NEC is to set up this committee of four to look at the operations of the Excess Crude Account and make recommendations to council on its future.

“The other thing the committee will do is to look at the operations of the Federation Account, particularly the shortfall and again come back to council with very clear recommendations as to what to do.

“We have not been given a time frame but as you can imagine state governments are under pressure, many of our state governments are unable to pay salaries on time without recourse to borrowing, so this is very important to us.

“This is an all-governors’ committee; we wear the shoes and we know where they pinch. So we are going to do this as quickly as possible.

“The next meeting of the council is on July 23; we hope to complete our work and be in a position to report to council on that day. So within the next one month, we will be done by God’s grace.”

Okonjo-Iweala spent $2.1bn without approval, says FG

Chibok Girls Turn Boko Haram Fighters; Kill Other Captives

Some of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped on April 14, 2014 have been forced to join the fighters of the Boko Haram sect, the BBC has been told.

Chibok girls

Witnesses told BBC Panorama Programme that some of them are now being used to terrorise other captives, and are even carrying out killings themselves.

The BBC cannot verify the testimony, but Amnesty International says other girls kidnapped by Boko Haram have been forced to fight.

The Chibok schoolgirls are still missing, more than a year after they were kidnapped from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

Three women who claimed they were held in the same camps as some of the Chibok girls told the BBC’s Panorama Programmeon Monday that some of them had been brainwashed and are now carrying out punishments on behalf of the militants.

Seventeen-year-old Miriam (not her real name) fled Boko Haram after being held for six months. She was forced to marry a militant, and is now pregnant with his child.

Recounting her first days in the camp she said, “They told us to get ready, that they were going to marry us off.”

She and four others refused.

“They came back with four men, they slit their throats in front of us. They then said that this will happen to any girl that refuses to get married,” she stated.

Faced with that choice, she agreed to marry, and was then repeatedly raped. “There was so much pain,” she said. “I was only there in body, I couldn’t do anything about it.”

While in captivity, Miriam described meeting some of the Chibok schoolgirls. She said they were kept in a separate house to the other captives.

“They told us: ‘You women should learn from your husbands because they are giving their blood for the cause. We must also go to war for Allah.’”

She said the girls had been “brainwashed” and that she had witnessed some of them kill several men in her village.

“They were Christian men. They [the Boko Haram fighters] forced the Christians to lie down. Then the girls cut their throats.”

It is not possible to independently verify Miriam’s claims, but human rights group, Amnesty International said their research also showed that some girls abducted by Boko Haram had been trained to fight.

“The abduction and brutalisation of young women and girls seems to be part of the modus operandi of Boko Haram,” said Netsanet Belay, Africa director, research and advocacy at Amnesty International.

Anna, aged 60, is one of them. She fled a camp in the Sambisa Forest in December where she was held for five months. She now sits beneath a tree close to the cathedral in the Adamawa State capital of Yola. Her only possessions are the clothes she ran away in.

She said she saw some of the Chibok schoolgirls just before she fled the forest.

“They had guns,” she said.

When pressed on how she could be sure that it was the Chibok schoolgirls that she’d seen, Anna said, “They (Boko Haram) didn’t hide them. They told us, ‘These are your teachers from Chibok.’

“They shared the girls out as teachers to teach different groups of women and girls to recite the Koran,” Anna recalled.

She added, “Young girls who couldn’t recite were being flogged by the Chibok girls.”

Like Miriam, Anna also said she had seen some of the Chibok schoolgirls commit murder. “People were tied and laid down and the girls took it from there… The Chibok girls slit their throats,” said Anna.

Anna said she felt no malice towards the girls she had seen taking part in the violence, only pity. “It’s not their fault they were forced to do it,” she added.

“Anyone who sees the Chibok girls has to feel sorry for them,” he said.

Chibok Girls Turn Boko Haram Fighters; Kill Other Captives

National Assembly: Ekweremadu occupies position not for opposition - APC Senators react

The battle for the control of the National Assembly may be long drawn as the leadership of the All Progressives Congress on Monday insisted on removing the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, of the minority Peoples Democratic Party.

Ekweremadu

One of our correspondents learnt on Monday that the ruling APC was still miffed that Ekweremadu emerged as the deputy senate president and had vowed never to allow “a senator from a minority party take over the duties statutorily assigned for the majority party.”

A leader of the APC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that Ekweremadu as deputy senate president would hamper the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The APC leader said, “As deputy senate leader, Ekweremadu is automatically the Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment. This is a sensitive position that, statutorily, should not be held by the minority.

“Ekweremadu and his PDP co-travellers will hamper the policies of the Buhari government. By the virtue of Senate rules, a member of the minority is not supposed to be the deputy senate leader; so, he is occupying the post illegally.

“We know the body language of some of these elements to anti-corruption. Nigerians know the stance of Buhari on corruption and insecurity. These elements occupying positions in the National Assembly must be removed. Otherwise, this administration is dead on arrival.”

He said the President was in support of the candidacy of Senator Ahmed Lawan for the senate presidency and had told Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to support APC’s candidates for the principal posts.

“The President has refused to see Saraki and Dogara since they emerged as senate president and speaker respectively. Both Saraki and Dogara have done everything possible to see the President but he has shunned them because he is not happy about their conduct. You can see that the President has seen the Lawan group; this shows where his support lies,” the source added.

Meanwhile, barring any last minute changes, the National Executive Committee meeting of the APC will now hold on Friday.

National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, confirmed this to one of our correspondents in a text message on Monday.

In response to an inquiry from The PUNCH as to whether the party’s NEC would meet in Abuja on Tuesday, Odigie-Oyegun replied, “Necessarily on Friday.”

The PUNCH had earlier learnt that some party leaders at various levels had impressed it upon the party hierarchy to convene the high level meeting in order to find an amicable solution to the crisis threatening the party’s survival.

Members of the 48-member NEC are due to arrive in Abuja on Thursday, our correspondent learnt.

A national caucus meeting said to have been scheduled to hold on Monday was cancelled.

One of our correspondents, who visited both the party’s national secretariat and the residence of Odigie-Oyegun, reported that there was no sign that any meeting would hold at either of the venues as of 8.05pm on Monday.

The APC has been in crisis since the inauguration of the National Assembly on June 9 following the emergence of Bukola Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively.

The party had announced Senator Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as its sole candidates for the two positions.

Matters were made worse when the Senate President ignored a party directive that the remaining four leadership positions in both chambers of the National Assembly should be conceded to those who “lost out” during the inauguration.

National Assembly: Ekweremadu occupies position not for opposition - APC Senators react

PDP warns Aregbesola over planned sacking of judge

The Peoples Democratic Party has warned Governor Rauf Aregbesola to desist from the alleged plan to sack Justice Folahanmi Oloyede.

Aregbesola

The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Bola Ajao, gave this warning in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Monday.

Oloyede, a serving judge in Osun State Judiciary last week petitioned the House of Assembly asking the lawmakers to impeach the governor based on alleged financial recklessnes and his inability to pay civil servants for seven months.

Reacting to the call from the All Progressives Congress that the judge should resign because she was conniving with the PDP to destroy Aregbesola’s administration, the opposition party accused the governor of planning to initiate the sacking of Oloyede.

But the PDP said such move could trigger chaos in the state, while warning the governor to drop that plan.

The statement read, ” This is an invitation to chaos because Governor Aregbesola cannot turn himself into a bully that can’t be questioned or examined. He should not hunt the petitioner down if he has nothing to fear. At least, he says he is a progressive governor who should be above board.

“All men and women of goodwill all over the world should applaud Justice Oloyede. She doesn’t deserve recrimination for speaking out what is evident to everyone except Aregbesola and his praise-singers who will ultimately destroy this fading administration and the clueless governor.

“It is gratifying that the entire public service in the state is solidly behind her. We implore the governor not to use his hands to set the state on fire. Moving against Justice Oloyede, the face of probity, accountability, justice, fairness and uprightness in public service, will spell doom for this failed administration.”

The opposition party called on Nigerians to “talk Aregbesola out of this suicide mission” and one out to defend the allegations of corruption leveled against him by the judge.

Ajao further stated that the the PDP had discovered an alleged plan with some members of the House of Assembly to summon the judge with the aim of ridiculing her with embarrassing questions.

“After the planned embarrassing appearance at the Assembly, a certain lawyer who Aregbesola’s administration has hired for the hatchet job, will now write a petition to the leadership of the Osun State judiciary, asking it to declare Justice Oloyede unfit for the Bench for being mentally-unstable.

“The judiciary will in turn write the National Judicial Council which is expected to remove her as a judge since the Constitution says anyone that is of unsound mind can’t be a judge or remain on the Bench,” it added.

PDP warns Aregbesola over planned sacking of judge

Address by Buhari at Inauguration of NEC

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, AT THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL, HELD AT THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA, ABUJA, ON MONDAY 29TH JUNE 2015.

Protocol I am delighted to be here with you at this occasion on the inauguration of the National Economic Council (NEC) for this Administration. The National Economic Council was established by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), as amended, Third Schedule, Part I, Section 153: Sub section (18 & 19). The NEC, as one of the Federal Executive bodies, has the mandate to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the co-ordination of the economic planning and programmes of the various Governments of the Federation.

President Buhari

2.        Your Excellencies, the regular meetings of the National Economic Council have remained the official economic platform for dialogue among the thirty six (36) State Governors, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and other co-opted members, chaired by the Vice President, where issues and challenges facing the development of the country, at national and sub-national levels, are discussed with a view to develop and harmonize common strategies for addressing them.

3. You may recall, that in my inaugural speech, on May 29, 2015 I stated that the primary objective of this Administration is to tackle insecurity; youth unemployment, through the revival of agriculture, solid minerals mining, as well as small and medium size businesses. I also highlighted pervasive corruption; fuel and power shortages; public service reforms; and the need to allow every tier of Government to exercise its constitutional responsibilities, among others. We are fully committed to embarking on sustainable visionary initiatives and programmes that will restructure and transform our national economy. We are also committed to ensuring collaboration and facilitation of the International efforts to combat threats of cross-border terrorism, sea piracy, refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), financial crimes, cyber crimes, climate change; the spread of communicable diseases and other challenges of the 21st century.

4. I urge you all to ensure that we surmount these enormous challenges facing us as a country by working to support economic policies, which the government will soon unveil to grow our economy and finance our external promises.

5.        I am pleased to note that the Council meetings have, over the years, been very constructive and productive, and the key outcomes as well as recommendations translated into Government policies at the Federal and state levels.  This has not only facilitated national economic planning, but also lead to over- all political harmony. It is also reassuring to note that steps have been taken in the past to strengthen the effectiveness of the Council in its role as prime adviser on developments in the economy. This process must be geared up substantially especially in the difficult times that we have now found ourselves. The National Planning Commission must continue to work to arrive at workable consensus on Government policies among the various tiers of Government, which is a prerequisite for sustained growth and development.

6.        Your Excellencies, it is evident that the task of ensuring growth, job creation and equity, is quite enormous. Consequently, we must kick-start this process by cultivating a culture of prudent management of resources at all levels of Government. This will entail looking inwards to secure sustainable ways of increasing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); and harnessing growth potentials of each State to supplement the Federation Account allocation to States. The States are also encouraged to embark on projects that will meet immediate needs of the people taking account of available resources. I therefore urge Council members to consider, as a matter of urgency, exploring efficient means of gradually liquidating all unpaid salaries of staff, which have brought untold hardship to thousands of families.

7. I would like also, as a former Governor myself to remind us the need for neighbouring states to cooperate closely on projects such as interstate and feeder roads, soil erosion, desertification and other developmental programmes. Our country is one and we who have the responsibility to run it lead by example. As far as is possible there should be distance between politics and development programmes.

8.        On its part the Federal Government will abide by the provisions of Sections 80 and 162 of the Constitution and ensure more accountability, transparency and integrity in the Distribution of the Federation Account.  All Revenue Generating Agencies such as Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) amongst others shall comply with stipulated Financial Regulations and Administrative Instructions in their remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

9.        On Insurgency, the Nigerian Armed Forces have shown renewed commitment and made steady progress in the fight against Boko Haram.  Nigeria, under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Republic of Benin is collaborating with the Republics of Niger, Chad, Cameroun and Benin to consolidate cross-border and international efforts at eradicating the insurgency.  I am also happy to reiterate that following my invitation to Germany early this month by the G7 Nations who have shown concern about the Insurgency and promised to intervene to restore the destroyed infrastructure, schools and hospitals amongst others, I have directed the front line states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to articulate realistic assessments, costs, locations on Local Government by-Local-Government of affected facilities for submission to the President of the G7 for further verification.  In addition, the requirements of the Military have been prepared by the Service Chiefs for the consideration of the G7 Nations.

10. Let me reiterate the high expectations of the NEC as a veritable source of articulating policies and programmes that are people centred and capable of driving further, the expected growth and development of the country as well as providing environment required for progress.

11.      Finally, I will like to express my appreciation to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SANand all Council members for the honour and priviledge to formally inaugurate the National Economic Council today and to wish you all a successful tenure. Thank you for your attention.

Address by Buhari at Inauguration of NEC

Metuh"s 30 days appraisal of Buhari administration amusing - Presidency

The Presidency has described as amusing to read what the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, considered a 30-day appraisal of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

This information is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Mr Femi Adesina.

General Buhari

The statement read; “It is amusing to read what the National Publicity Secretary of the defeated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, considers a 30-day appraisal of President Muhammadu Buhari ‘sadministration.

“He wants Nigerians to join hands in prayers for the government, so that things would begin to move. What he does not know is that Nigerians had long formed such coalition. They are hands in hands, and that was what gave victory to President Buhari in the March 28, 2015 poll.

“They had teamed up to uproot an administration that had brought the country to her knees, and was about to tip her off the precipice.

“And Nigerians have resolved that never would they allow any government to divide them along regional, religious and ethnic lines again.

“The Buhari administration is naturally contemplative because there was absolutely no rhyme or reason to the way PDP ran the country, particularly in the immediate past dispensation.

“That is why the Augean Stable is being cleaned now, and it requires scrupulous and painstaking planning.

“Across all sectors, our national life was devalued, and it takes meticulousness and sure-footedness to repair all the breaches. This, the Buhari administration will deliver.

“Metuh talks of people round the President conniving with bureaucrats to siphon money from the treasury.

“This must be deja vu, as it was the pastime of the immediate past administration, and the enormity of the sleaze will be evident when stolen money, to the tune of billions of dollars, is recovered, and returned to the national treasury soon.

“In the process of time, after all that is being planned by the current administration has matured, and bearing fruits, Nigerians will be able to determine who is serving them acceptably, and who has taken them for a ride. It is just a matter of time.’’

The statement concluded that “Metuh and his masters can only rue the missed opportunities to make salutary impact on the lives of Nigerians. They have a long road of regrets to travel.’

 

Metuh"s 30 days appraisal of Buhari administration amusing - Presidency

Find ways to pay your workers salaries - Buhari charges governors

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday charged state governors to seek efficient ways to settle unpaid workers’ salaries in their states.

Buhari

Many of the state governments have been hit by cash crunch and are owing huge workers’ salaries, among other indebtedness.

Inaugurating the National Economic Council (NEC) headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari also asked government at all levels to be more prudent in the management of their resources.

He urged state governors to look inward in order to boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to supplement income from the Federation Account.

He said: “Your Excellencies, it is evident that the task of ensuring growth, job creation and equity, is quite enormous. Consequently, we must kick-start this process by cultivating a culture of prudent management of resources at all levels of government.

“This will entail looking inwards to secure sustainable ways of increasing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and harnessing growth potentials of each state to supplement the Federation Account allocation to states.

“I therefore urge council members to consider, as a matter of urgency, exploring efficient means of gradually liquidating all unpaid salaries of staff, which have brought untold hardship to thousands of families.”

The President also tasked the states to embark on projects that will meet immediate needs of the people within available resources.

Buhari harped on the need for neighboring states to cooperate closely on projects like interstate and feeder roads, soil erosion, desertification and other developmental programmes.

“I would like also, as a former governor myself to remind us the need for neighbouring states to cooperate closely on projects such as interstate and feeder roads, soil erosion, desertification and other developmental programmes,” he stated.

The President said that efforts should be made to distance politics from developmental programmes.

“Our country is one and we who have the responsibility to run it should lead by example. As far as is possible there should be distance between politics and developmental programmes,” he added.

He promised that the Federal Government, on its part, will ensure more accountability, transparency and integrity in the distribution of the Federation Account as it will abide by the provisions of Sections 80 and 162 of the Constitution.

Buhari said: “All revenue generating agencies such as Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) amongst others shall comply with stipulated financial regulations and administrative instructions in their remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.”

On insurgency, he said the Nigerian Armed Forces have shown renewed commitment and made steady progress in the fight against Boko Haram.

“I am also happy to reiterate that following my invitation to Germany early this month by the G-7 Nations who have shown concern about the insurgency and promised to intervene to restore the destroyed infrastructure, schools and hospitals amongst others, I have directed the front line states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to articulate realistic assessments, costs, locations on local government by-local government of affected facilities for submission to the President of the G-7 for further verification.

“In addition, the requirements of the military have been prepared by the Service Chiefs for the consideration of the G-7 Nations.”

Find ways to pay your workers salaries - Buhari charges governors

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging as APC carcus meet

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging in the balance. The All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman should step down, some forces within the party are pushing, ahead of tomorrow’s  meeting of the National Caucus Committee.

APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun’s offence, sources said at the weekend, is his perceived failure to nip in the bud the National Assembly crisis that has shaken the party so much.

Most of the APC governors, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and party elders are unhappy that Odigie-Oyegun allowed the “crisis to fester”.

They alleged that his “slow pace” attitude emboldened Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara to “negotiate” with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members.

The delay in sending the list of APC nominees for principal offices in the Senate and the House of Representatives has fuelled the anger against Odigie-Oyegun.

Party leaders are divided on whether to retain Odigie-Oyegun or dump him.

A source, who briefed some reporters in Abuja on the situation in the party and the backlash of the crisis in the National Assembly, said there was apprehension in APC that if the chairman remained in office, it might collapse.

The source cited two instances where Odigie-Oyegun failed to be “decisive” on the choice of principal officers in the National Assembly.

The source alleged that the chairman was virtually forced to hold the mock elections that elected Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the party’s choices for Senate President and House Speaker.

It also took the intervention of the APC governors before he could send the list of party nominees for some principal posts to Saraki and Dogara.

The source added: “There is much anger in the party against Oyegun. Many leaders have accused him of being indecisive or afraid to take the right decision.

“It is as if the man has no backbone or self-respect. When he should move, he sits down. When he should talk, he is mute. When he should make a decision, he sleeps and after finally making a decision, he takes days to implement something that could be done in minutes.

“After Saraki and Dogara rebelled by aligning with PDP National Assembly members, Oyegun remained strangely mum and unmoved to the harm being done to his and the party’s  authority. ‘He took the rebuff too lightly and quickly as if he almost welcomed it.’

“It was only after APC governors intervened and applied heavy pressure that he wrote a letter to the Senate President and House Speaker naming the party’s choices for majority leader and the other posts.

“Even then, the letter was half-hearted, oddly brief and strangely passive in tone. It was as if he wrote it under compulsion because he had been boxed into a corner by the governors and not by conviction.  Once again, Saraki and Dogara rebuffed him and once again Oyegun took the insult as if he asked for it.”

Also, a member of NEC said: “What happened in the National Assembly was a pure case of failure of leadership by the National Chairman.

“Certainly, his lapse is one of the major issues we will discuss at the National Caucus meeting in Abuja and later at our NEC session.

“We are all disappointed and feel betrayed by Oyegun because he refused to take action at the right time even when President Muhammadu Buhari said he would leave the party to resolve the logjam in the National Assembly.”

Analysing the APC and the National Assembly crisis in an article published on page 3 of this newspaper, former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, warned of the danger ahead for the party if nothing urgent is done to remedy the crisis arising from the election of Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

He said: “Now that the whole conspiracy has blown open, it is doubtful if the present institutions of party leadership can muster the required capacity to arrest the drift.

“It is my opinion that President Buhari, and the APC governors should now see APC as a recking platform that may not be strong enough again to carry them to political victory in 2019 and they should quickly begin a joint damage control effort to reconstruct the party in its claim to bring about the promised change before the party’s shortcomings begin to aggravate the challenges of governance in their hands.”

The former Osun State Governor added: “Before the party knew it, the process had been hijacked by polluted interests who saw the inordinate contests as a loop-hole for stifling APC governments’ efforts in its desire to fight corruption.

“Most Northern elites, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels who never liked Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance are quickly backing-up the rebellion against APC with strong support.

“While other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the South-West see the rebellion as a conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba.”

Odigie-Oyegun himself has said that he cannot be stampeded out of office, saying efforts will be made to resolve all issues.

The party’s state chairmen also last week after a meeting in Abuja, expressed support for the party chairman.

In a communique signed by Chairman of the Kano chapter Alhaji Umar Haruna Mohammed, the party chiefs expressed concern over the crises rocking the party over the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly.

“As state party chairmen and direct grassroots leaders, we are all concerned about the development and therefore re-affirm our belief and loyalty to our party, the APC, its supremacy as contained in the party’s constitution and the decision of its leadership.

“We are also not happy with recent development in the National Assembly, especially the lower chamber, and call on the party leadership to put in place proper machineries to checkmate further occurrences.

“We also call on the party leaders to use the long break with the view of resolving the matter so that the much needed change will be seen and enjoyed by everybody.”

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun’s political future is hanging as APC carcus meet