N465.3bn Budget: Senate raises supplementary budget by N108bn

The Senate Committee on Appropriation on Monday directed the Federal Ministries of Petroleum Resources, Budget and National Planning and Finance to reconcile their records and include an additional N108bn in the N465.3bn supplementary budget submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari two weeks ago.

Bukola Saraki

The additional amount, according to the committee, was the subsidy claims due for payment to the major oil marketers between October and December 2015, which was not included in the N413bn subsidy claims due from January to September 2015.

The committee also asked the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to furnish it with the details of the N437bn which had so far been paid to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as its subsidy claims but was not appropriated by the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Danjuma Goje, said at a meeting with the ministers and heads of Federal Government agencies that intelligent reports at the disposal of the panel indicated that the petroleum ministry was seeking an approval of N413bn out of the total N950bn accrued subsidy.

Goje alleged that while the ministry had paid the subsidy due to the NNPC, as first line charge being its own share of the 48 per cent of the fuel it imported, the subsidies due to the oil marketers had been withheld.

He said the inclusion of the N108bn would enable the Senate to approve the money so that the minds of Nigerians would be at rest and the oil marketers would not hold the nation to ransom during the festive season as a result of the outstanding debts.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Jamila Suara, told the committee that she was representing the minister, Ibe Kachikwu, who was in Lagos to hold meetings with major oil marketers.

She said her ministry’s proposal was N413bn, being a component of N120.552bn outstanding for 2014 and N292.8bn for subsidy from January to September 2015.

She said, “We just called the attention of the budget office to the fact that the proposal for the last quarter had not really been captured because it was about N108bn. When we started discussion on it, it was much earlier in the year; hence, the tidying up was not completed.”

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions) Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, noted that there was no clear synergy between the Ministry of Budget and the Petroleum Resources Ministry.

He then asked whether the N413bn figure included the exchange rate differential and the accumulated interest being claimed by the importers or whether they were agreed figures between them and their bankers.

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Senator Tayo Alasoadura, questioned the details of the subsidy request and demanded that exact payment due to each of the major oil marketers should be highlighted for the purpose of oversight.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Danjuma Goje, explained that the ministry had been requested to provide the details of the issues relating to subsidy payment from the last quarter of 2014 till date.

He said, “We need the audit details for the purpose of oversight. Nothing stops us from going back to the issues even after the approval of the supplementary budget. We need to know the beneficiaries of the subsidy, and how they came about it.”

Goje asked the permanent secretary to guarantee the committee that the oil marketers would not hold the nation to ransom during the festive season because of the outstanding N108bn subsidy claims.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Udo Udoma, sought the leave of the committee to allow his ministry meet with the Petroleum Resources and the Finance for the purpose of including the additional N108bn in the supplementary budget.

The committee approved the suggestion and asked Udoma to coordinate the process and submit the report by 3pm on Monday.

Goje said, “Our committee will submit the report at plenary on Tuesday (today). So, we are doing everything within our powers to ensure that we beat the deadline, hence we invited all the stakeholders to make a final input into the budget. We want to ensure that the issue of fuel scarcity becomes a thing of the past in this country.

Also, Senator Bassey Akpan, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas and also a member of the Appropriation Committee, said, “From our own intelligence, the total subsidy today is about N950bn.”

He said, “What the NNPC and PPRA are reporting is the subsidy due to major oil marketers alone. Major oil marketers import 52 per cent while NNPC imports 48 percent.

“So, the subsidy that the NNPC is presenting, in our opinion, is subsidy due to oil majors only and we asked what is the subsidy due to the NNPC on the basis of their own importation of 48 percent of the total fuel consumption in the country?”

He added that the committee had agreed with the Petroleum Resources ministry that the major oil marketers will take care of the exchange rate differential with the oil majors.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Dan Ali (retd.), pledged to ensure that all the budgetary allocation to his ministry would be utilised to tackle insurgency and achieve maximum result.

He said, “We would ensure that maximum security would be achieved within the time frame. In addition, I wish to seek the approval of the CBN for the extension of time for our military personnel to carry out their Bank Verification Number.

“Majority of the soldiers are on the field and could not have access to their savings through their families. Their families are suffering as they could not access their money.”

He said the BVN registration extension for the soldiers would enable their families have access to their salaries and boost the morale of the soldiers.

Responding, Deputy Governor, Operations, Central Bank of Nigeria, Suleiman Barau, said, “We have received the request and we have approved the special waiver on BVN registration requested by the Armed Forces.”

The committee and the Ministry of Budget and Planning, thereafter agreed that the N5bn Victim Support Fund should be in the Service Wide Vote.

N465.3bn Budget: Senate raises supplementary budget by N108bn

Faleke, Bello’s supporters in bloody clash at Abuja APC Hqtrs

Violence erupted at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Monday as supporters of the new Kogi State governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and James Faleke’s loyalists engaged themselves in a bloody clash.

Faleke was the running mate of the late APC governorship candidate in the November 21 election in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Audu.

Stones, sticks and other missiles were deployed in different directions by thugs, who broke through police barricades in an attempt to force their way into the party headquarters.

As the clash raged, party leaders were holed up in a meeting behind closed doors on the crisis over the choice of a replacement for the late Audu.

Meanwhile APC has submitted Bello’s name as a replacement for the late Audu, which the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed receiving on Monday.

Although what triggered the violence was unclear as of the time of filing this report, it was learnt that an altercation between two rival supporters led to a free-for-all.

Several vehicles were vandalised and no fewer than five persons were injured in the fracas in which the supporters dismissed the presence of security operatives to engage one another in a violent confrontation.

Some policemen rushed one of the badly injured fighters to an undisclosed health facility.

Police later called for a reinforcement to be able to bring the situation under control.

The meeting of the APC leaders with Bello and Faleke was scheduled to begin at 3pm but did not start until about 4.20pm.

Bello’s supporters arrived at the secretariat first in several buses but the security officials restricted them to the outer parameters of the main entrance gate of the party headquarters.

They entertained themselves with drumming, singing and dancing when Faleke and his entourage arrived at the scene.

As soon as Faleke and his close associates entered the party secretariat, supporters of both men struggled to outdo each other in shouting the names of their principal.

They yelled repeatedly “Sai Faleke” (only Faleke) and “Sai Bello” (only Bello).

This led to a hot exchange of words between the supporters, leading to a violent clash between them.

Kogi Election Violence

The fight, which began shortly after 3.30pm, lasted for about 45 minutes before order was restored by the police.

The meeting of the party leaders, members of the National Working Committee and the two contenders was still ongoing as of 9.30pm on Monday.

Those at the meeting included the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; Senators Dino Melaye, Mohammed Ohiare and members of the John 0digie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee.

Others at the meeting included some members of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

An angry party leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, blamed the party leadership for the crisis.

He said, “We could have handled this better. Why didn’t we call the two men together earlier? Why would you decide on a candidate before calling a meeting of the two parties?

“If you are Faleke, how will you feel when you first read about the party’s decision in the papers before the party calls you for discussions? There should be some respect for crying out loud.”

In the meantime, INEC said on Monday that it had received the request by the APC to replace the late Audu’s name with that of Bello for the supplementary governorship election in Kogi State on Saturday.

The commission’s Deputy Director, Publicity, Mr Nick Dazang, who confirmed this in an interview with journalists, was however, silent on when the commission received the request.

Dazang said, “They (APC) have sent the name of their replacement candidate and he is the runner-up in their primary, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission.

“The commission is committed to conducting the two elections. That is why in respect of Kogi, in spite of what happened, we came out with a public notice, which invited the APC to submit its replacement candidate for the election.”

Meanwhile, the suit filed by Wada, and his party, the PDP, seeking an order declaring them as the winners of the November 21 governorship election in the state, comes up for mention before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday (today).

It was learnt that the suit filed on November 27, had been assigned to Justice Gabriel Kolawole.

Our correspondent also learnt on Monday that the matter would only come up for mention and not hearing on Tuesday as it remained unclear if respondents to the suit had been served and responded to the suit.

The respondents to the suit are INEC, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the APC.

Wada and the PDP argued in their suit that in view of the death of the APC candidate, Audu, they should be declared the winners of the election as the surviving candidate with the majority of lawful votes cast during the poll.

The plaintiffs also asked the court to compel the INEC to issue Wada with a Certificate of Return.

In a separate application, the plaintiffs also asked the court to restrain INEC from conducting the supplementary election scheduled for Saturday.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), also asked the court to issue an order of injunction restraining the APC from organising or holding a fresh primary for the purpose of substituting their candidate ahead of the supplementary or other election for the Kogi State governorship for 2015.

They also asked the court to declare that APC could not organise and hold a fresh primary for the purpose of the supplementary election in view of the “immutable statutory timeliness provided by enabling sections of the Electoral Act 2010 and the INEC timetable for the Kogi Governorship election”.

They also asked the court to hold that the APC could not lawfully nominate a candidate for the supplementary governorship election slated for the December 5 without a valid and legally cognisable primary of the APC conducted within the mandatory timeliness specified by the Electoral Act.

The case has not been assigned to any judge.

In a related development, the APC youth movement in Kogi State on Monday hailed the NWC of the party on its handling of the replacement for the late Audu.

The Chairman of the APC youth group, Mr Samuel Davies, in a media briefing in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, expressed the youths’ support for the choice of Bello, who they said was the runner-up to the late Audu during the state’s APC governorship primary.

He said, “In this scenario, the person, who came second in the validly conducted primary of the APC, should be allowed to step into the shoes of Prince Abubakar Audu to avoid legal land mines the PDP is already laying ahead of the declaration of the final election result.”

Faleke, Bello’s supporters in bloody clash at Abuja APC Hqtrs

$2bn arms deal: EFCC arrests Yuguda, detains Dasuki’s Finance Director, others

Ex- defence minister, Sokoto gov risk arrest

Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

Indications emerged, yesterday, that more heads may roll over the disappearance of $2 billion meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition for the country’s armed forces in the office of the National Security Adviser under the last administration.

Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki

Vanguard learnt that no fewer than 20 top officials of the previous administration, who were alleged to have played active roles in the pilfering of funds meant for the procurement of weapons for the armed forces were taken into custody by the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission, EFCC, for questioning.

Top among those in the kitty of the anti-graft agency, were the former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and a former Director of Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu.

A credible source in the EFCC indicated that Yuguda was arrested around 4p.m., yesterday, and taken to the Commission over some spurious payments said to have been made by him for the purpose of arms procurement.

The former minister, who worked under Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was still being questioned by operatives of the EFCC in Abuja as at the time of going to press last night.

Mr. Shuaibu Salisu, described as a very powerful officer in the office of the former NSA, was said to have been arrested and detained for sometime over the various payments that were causing ripples in the office of the NSA.

Operatives of the Commission were said to have extended their dragnet to a former Sokoto State governor, Atthahiro Bafarawa, whose sibling was said to have been identified as one of those who received huge financial payment from the office of the NSA for arms supply.

The operatives were also said to be angling to probe a former defence minister and a one-time national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Halilu Bello, in connection with the arms issue.

A source in the EFCC confirmed that the sons of many top-ranking PDP officials were also found to have received various sums of money under the guise of supplying weapons for the armed forces but did not deliver.

$2bn arms deal: EFCC arrests Yuguda, detains Dasuki’s Finance Director, others

Fire guts Kano school, kills seven pupils

Seven pupils of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Jogana in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, have been killed after one of the school hostels went up in flames.

It was learnt that 25 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the incident which happened around 8pm on Sunday and had been admitted to hospitals in the state for treatment.

However, the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

The state Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, who visited the scene of the incident, confirmed the number of casualties to journalists.

He sympathised with the families of the victims and promised that the government would offset the medical bills incurred by the injured.

Abubakar directed that the school should be closed immediately to assuage the trauma caused by the disaster and to honour the deceased.

He said, “Seven pupils were lost to the fire incident, while 25 others suffered varying degree of injuries. A technical committee will be set up soon to identify the immediate and remote causes of the fire, as well as advise the government on the best modality to repair the hostel. The school should be closed immediately to enable the students and the parents to manage the trauma of this tragic incident.”

Abubakar, who also visited the victims at the hospitals, commended residents of the community where the school is located for their assistance in putting out the inferno.

He particularly acknowledged the contributions of the companies in the area for providing firefighting equipment to extinguish the fire.

A House of Assembly member, representing Gezawa, Alhaji Isyaku Ali Danja, and the Secretary of Kano State Senior Secondary School Management Board, Alhaji Usaini Ganduje, visited the scene of the incident.

Fire guts Kano school, kills seven pupils

Igbo presidency: Ohanaeze lauds IBB, Gowon

ABA—The youth wing of the pan Igbo socio -cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has commended the former military heads of state, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Yakubu Gowon over their support for the election of a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.

Former President Ibrahim Babangida

Babangida had said in an interview that he will back an Igbo for the presidential seat in 2019 if he finds a credible personality while Gowon had openly canvassed for an Igbo president to preside over the affairs of Nigeria in the nearest future.

National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth wing, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in an interview with Vanguard, described the two former leaders as the conscience of the nation, stressing that their support for Igbo presidency had given Ndigbo hope that they would find greater accommodation within a united Nigeria.

He explained that an Igbo presidency would finally heal the scars left by the unfortunate civil war and the marginalization of Ndigbo in the affairs of the nation.

“Ohanaeze youths commended the two former military heads of state for their love for the unity of Nigeria through their support for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.

“A Nigerian President of Igbo extraction is desirable in 2019 after President Muhammadu Buhari. An Igbo presidency will boost the unity of Nigeria. Former President Ibrahim Babangida said he will back an Igbo if he finds one; but we assured him and other Nigerians that Ndigbo have credible personalities who have the capacity to govern Nigeria.”

Isiguzoro urged political parties to zone their presidential candidates to the South East and called on Ndigbo to support Buhari’s administration.

“If we can get Senator Ike Ekeremadu as a PDP presidential candidate and Rochas Okorcocha as the APC presidential candidate in 2019, it will end the cries of marginalization including protests by Biafra agitators.”

Igbo presidency: Ohanaeze lauds IBB, Gowon

APC Procession In PH, Illegal, Treasonable, Security Breach, Inciting – PDP

….Calls For The Arrest of Dakuku, Abe, Uchendu, Other Rivers APC Leaders

The chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Rivers State chapter, Bro Felix Obuah, says he is further disappointed and concerned about the continued show of disrespect for the law and breach of public peace by members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, led by Dakuku Peterside, Magnus Abe, Andrew Uchendu and other leaders of the party in the State.

PDP

The PDP chairman, in a statement signed by Jerry Needam, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity,observed and considered today’s event tagged, ‘Rivers Black Day,’ organized by the APC, which according to them, was to remember those killed during the 2015 general elections, as clearly a demonstration of impunity, and disposition to cause crisis, and to incite not only their members but the people of the State against the security commands and constituted authorities in the State.

The PDP is aware that following recent incidences of violence associated with public demonstrations in the State, the Rivers State government, in collaboration with the State security agencies, placed a ban on all forms of public protest, wondering why in spite of the subsisting order, the APC leaders still went ahead to organize such  procession in the State. This, to us, is a flagrant disobedience and disregard for the law and State authorities, and should not be taken for granted.

It is also a cause of concern that the remembrance event is being held this period and on this date, which in no way, was not the date the alleged deaths took place. It is therefore, an undisputed fact that organizers of the event deceitfully dressed up a public procession aimed at causing violence and crisis in Port Harcourt and making cheap political points by blackmailing the PDP and perceived political opponents in the State.

The PDP also wishes to draw the attention of the security agencies and other relevant government authorities to the fact that the State APC failed governorship candidate, Mr Dakuku Peterside, was always being referred to as ‘the Governor’ by speakers at the event, which was televised live on the NTA network during the session. To us, this is a treasonable offense and should be investigated and those culpable be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

Again, our charge to the Police and other security commands in the State is to forestall further breakdown of law and order by arresting organizers of this illegal and rebellious procession in the State to serve as deterrent to others, otherwise, other groups may refer to the APC procession as a precedence and carry out their protests. A stitch in time saves nine.

The PDP again, vehemently denies allegations of killings leveled against its members and leaders by the APC, describing such allegations as fabricated, misleading and diversionary.

APC Procession In PH, Illegal, Treasonable, Security Breach, Inciting – PDP

Breaking: Jonathan escapes assassination attempt in Bayelsa

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan allegedly escaped assassination attempt by some gunmen in Bayelsa State.

The men who according to an unconfirmed report were suspected militants loyal to the All Progressives Congress in the state, drove into his convoy.

 

The men were reported to have driven into a short motorcade conveying the former President from Julius Berger bridge area.

He was allegedly trailed and chased to the entrance of his Yenagoa private residence in Kpansia area.

The report said the gunmen were overpowered by the security operatives attached to the former President and taken to the Bayelsa State Police Command for further investigation.

 

Effort to reach the former President associates for confirmation and responses proved abortive at the time of filing this report.

Breaking: Jonathan escapes assassination attempt in Bayelsa

Oshiomhole’s legacy lies on his successor

David Ikhueoya writes in from Benin City, Edo State capital

It’s expected that while the bell tolls consistently for Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s imminent exit that the succession storm will readily gathered with higher intensity after nearly eight years in the saddle. As the governor of Edo State, Oshiomhole has demonstrated seminal leadership; ministering to the two most basic purposes of governance: the people and the State. His success story can only be entrenched with the quality of the person who takes over from him.

Governor Oshiomhole

So far, Governor Oshiomhole has provided leadership which has to do with steering people towards mutually shared values in order to accomplish a clear goals and objectives. In another sense, it is taking responsibility for what members of one’s group, community or society do. Governor Oshiomhole’s leadership style encompasses visioning, passion, commitment and challenging the status quo to make the state, institutions, community or society perform better.

However, leadership is not just about espousing policies, programmes and projects that will bring about meaningful development and progress that the people are yearning for, but also the singular obligation to ensure that those who take over from them are people of trusted characters. Every leader at any level, in any sector, or any institution has the cardinal duty of ensuring that capable and effective leadership does not end with him or her. This is an indispensable component of a truly successful leadership and in the wholesome re-engineering of POSITIVE CHANGE!

It is no accident that the countries that have become leaders in the world today are the ones which successfully allowed effective generations of leaders to emerge, albeit seamlessly. The Chinese Communist Party is an example. While some would question the democratic credentials of such a leadership recruitment and selection process, the fact that cannot be denied is that emergence into a position of leadership in China is based on careful preparation. And this process has over the past three decades delivered the stupendous rates of growth that have today transformed China from a backwater into the world’s second leading economy.

The path that forward-looking societies and organisations toe is courageous leadership orientation. Edo State will only be placed on the path of progress, growth and development when we get our leadership question resolved. It is indispensable for success in any vocation and it is time for Edo people to urgently start the process of disallowing untutored and untested persons from mounting the saddle of leadership.

The reason is that it is the character of a country’s institutions and the aptitude of its populace that determined its success. The basic truth is that where the people failed to chose their leaders, or prevented from doing so, there will be dearth of motivations, development and political institutions will suffer. Where these basic determinants prevailed, development will never occur.

The governor can better be appreciated when his leadership personifies the ideals and orientation of passing the baton of leadership to worthy successor whose public and private sectors career has elevated standard; created verifiable growth and jobs, promoted fairness, intensified productivity, reduced graft and encouraged sustainable development.

Whoever succeeds Governor Oshiomhole must be conversant with the nitty-gritty of the dynamics and synergy of the three arms of government – the executive, legislature and judiciary and maintain a working balance for the benefit and well-being of all Edo people. His successor should be able to deploy his cognate experience (especially in the public sector and governance sector) and positive networks to enhance and strengthen the levers of the good governance of Edo State as the craze now is Development Through Competition.

At the last count, more than seven aspirants having been jostling for the Edo top job, under the All Progressives Congress, APC platform alone. The same goes for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but very many of the aspirants are reluctant to address the issues of developing Edo State beyond the present level. That Edo State was in a parlous state until Governor Oshiomhole came on the rescue mission was partly because the people were easily deceived into cueing behind make-believed leaders who are far removed from development initiative.

Governor Oshiomhole’s steady and cautious leadership which has seen the development of many sectors of the state’s economy will definitely bring about far-reaching development if the governor gets the succession struggles right. The Achilles’s heel of Africa leaders, i.e, “area of weakness or vulnerable spot” is the succession crisis that constantly plagues, hurts and arrests development which further yields grounds to comatose infrastructure, abandoned projects and grand looting.

The writer Chinua Achebe once declared that the problem with Nigeria is the problem of leadership. No one can agree with the literary icon less. However, having identified the problem, the search for solutions should now engage our earnest attention and energy for sustainable leadership. The lack of adequate preparation for political leadership, especially in public life, is a critical missing link in our search for solutions.

A few weeks ago, Edo State under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole marked the 7th anniversary of his stewardship as the governor of the state. The event hugely tell the story of the governor’s visible achievement and provides an opportunity both for stock taking and for looking ahead. It is also a good time to reflect further on the challenge of leadership and succession, especially at this point in our national life, when our country is passing through arguably the greatest existential threat of Boko Haram; poor resource generation, lack of basic amenities, collapsed education, lack of health facilities, tax crisis, corruption and the like to its corporate survival since the Civil War.

To resolve  these crises, largely cause by the dearth of effective leadership, Edo people, the APC and Governor Oshiomhole must carefully and studiously  planned thier succession process to avoid the consequence of accidental leadership; stunted development and building of enduring systems that utilise experience of people who have occupied leading positions in the country to fly the party’s flag.

Amongst the lots angling for  Oshiomhole’s job after November 2016 is Christopher Aigbovbiosa Ogiemwonyi. He holds the ace given his giant strides and successes in the management of human, material and financial resources at national and international levels. His daunting credential of successes sets him head and shoulder above the mottling of crowds racing to Osadebe’s Avenue. It was his known steadfast commitment to development that led to his appointment as the Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Works from 2010 to 2011.

Looking at his background, Chris Ogiemwonyi stands out as the leader and most experienced administrator and manager of men and resources with over 30 years of work experience in the oil and gas industry. All those years, there is no telling that he brought to bear his exceptional management skills and professional competence on the job as one time General Manager of National Petroleum Investments Management Services (NAPIMS).

The vacuum that will be created by Oshiomhole’s exit on November 12, 2016 can rightly be filled by Engineer Ogiemwonyi. The expectation of the APC delegates across the 18 local governments; 191 wards and 2,627 Polling Units is to vote for a governorship candidate whose experience in both public and private is solid enough to take Edo State to the next level. Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi fill that bill.

 

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Oshiomhole’s legacy lies on his successor

Airports security under threat, cab operators cry out

Car hire operators have raised the alarm over security threats at the nation’s airports as a result of the operation of illegal cab operators.

The Airport Car Hire Association of Nigeria (ACHAN) said unless the government curbed the activities of illegal cab drivers at the airports, security of passengers and facilities around the terminals could be compromised.

According to them, 98 per cent of missing passengers’ cases are linked to those who boarded unregistered cabs at the airports. Those drivers have been established to have taken passengers to unknown locations.

The operators said terrorists could infiltrate such cabs to bomb airport facilities since they often  drive close to the arrival halls.

President of ACHAN, Chief Stanley Worlu Dike, said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)  should put urgent measures in place to curtail their operations as they have increasingly infiltrated major airports in the country.

Chief Dike urged FAAN to provide office spaces for ACHAN members since the association complements the efforts of government in providing job opportunities for young Nigerians.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of ACHAN, Alhaji Muili Yinusa, said the military location at the General Aviation Terminal 1 in Lagos has become a safe haven for such unregistered operators.

He said: ” A lot of illegal vehicles operate from the military location at the GAT and when they steal passengers’ luggage or property, the victims run down to look for the Chairman of ACHAN”

Alhaji Yinusa urged FAAN to cancel the proposed ‘Pay As You Go’ policy the airports management authority is planning to impose on ACHAN members.

“We pay millions of naira to FAAN annually, so we are supposed to enjoy certain privileges as other concessionaire.”, he added.

Airports security under threat, cab operators cry out

Oshiomhole vs. Niger Delta vultures

By Jide Oluwajuyitan

Last week, in a rehash of ‘rent-a crowd’, an art perfected by Niger Delta wheelers and dealers as leaders when confronted with their betrayals of the poor on whose name they swear, sponsored demonstrating half-naked women who claimed to be “mothers, sisters and aunts to Chief Igbinedion”, descended on the ancient city of Benin threatening to go completely naked if Oshiomhole fails to stop ‘insulting elders from Benin Kingdom’.  Governor Oshiomhole’s offence was his announcement that his government had begun moves to recover $31million  “fraudulently taken” from the government coffers, during Igbinedion’s administration and resolved to revert the conversion ‘to private use, of government properties and funds meant for the people of the state’ by the former governor and his father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.

Protest against Oshiomhole

The Niger Delta itself is a land of extremes where the masses of the people wallow in abject poverty while a small segment of their political elite, described by Saro Wiwa as ‘vultures’ feed on the blood of the vulnerable in their midst. They erect mansions in major cities of the world, and fly in private jets to visit their homes in Warri, Asaba, Port Hacourt, Uyo and Yenagoa. Saro Wiwa, a witty playwright and environmental right activist and  one of Africa’s brightest ‘sun’ killed by Africa, strongly believed  the Niger Delta vultures are responsible for the prolonged nightmare of his people.

Adam Oshiomhole, whose life-long commitment has been the protection of the disadvantaged, shares with Saro Wiwa not only a striking physical semblance, stubborn suicidal instinct but also the passion for the impoverished people of Niger Delta. Like Saro Wiwa, Governor Oshiomhole is not afraid to confront those he believes are parasites sucking the blood of the impoverished people of the Niger Delta.

First it was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Minister of Finance whose ministry he accused of unauthorized withdrawal of $2.1b from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and of colluding with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to withhold huge sum of money that ought to have been transferred to the federation account. He also took on Diezani Alison-Madueke, the immediate past minister of petroleum who he claimed supervised the theft of about N1.6 trillion by some PDP stalwarts and their offspring under the guise of fuel subsidy when  in reality ‘they never imported a pint of fuel’.  On November 5, he picked on Lucky Igbinedion, his predecessor in office and his father, the respected Esama of Benin, accusing them of betraying the trust of those who looked up to them for protection.

But Igbinedion has shot back asking Oshiomhole to “tell the people about properties he allegedly acquired in the last seven years in Dubai, Cape Town in South Africa, in San Francisco, United States of America, a high rise apartment in Atlanta also in America and in London. He is calling everybody a thief but Oshiomhole is the biggest thief in Benin City today.”

Igbinedion’s friends in the judiciary have reminded the governor, in case he has forgotten, that ‘the law empowers a sitting governor to allocate lands to people, including his own father’.  Is Oshiomhole himself not allocating lands to people as a sitting governor they sneered?  And as if to justify Lucky Igbinedion’s actions, Oshiomhole was told that by 1952, the year he was born, Chief Igbinedion had built a mansion in Benin and was wealthy enough to donate two houses to the then newly created Mid-west in 1963.

As part of the battle for the minds of the Edo people, Igbinedion said he was revealing for the first time how much contribution his father and Tony Anenih, his godfather made to his administration.  According to him, “They borrowed the state money. It is documented and you have it there. When the banks could not trust us, I went to them. My father just felt you have got to do what you have got to do. There were days the pensioners would cry to him or block the road to Government House. We had to run to them just to keep the government run­ning.” Impetuous Governor Oshiomhole, there you have it. Pa Igbinedion and Anenih (the fixer) were jointly richer than Edo State when Lucky held sway.

But that cannot be the end of the narrative. To ascertain if indeed Niger Delta vultures are really behind the nightmare of the impoverished masses of Niger Delta as hypothesized by Saro Wiwa, a prejudice swallowed by Oshiomhole, a quick recourse to memory is required to complete the narrative.

Let us start with Lucky Igbinedion himself. He was after his tenure as governor dragged to court by EFCC and slammed with 191 court charges including the theft of N25b. This was reduced to one count of corruption summarized as ‘false declaration of account’, after plea bargaining. An Enugu Federal High Court presided over by Justice Abdullahi Kafarati later sentenced him to six months in prison with the option of a N3.5 million fine which many considered a slap on the wrist. With the plea bargain agreement he reached with the EFCC, he was required to return N500 million and forfeit three of the houses he acquired with stolen public funds to the Federal Government.

Ibori who perfectly fits Saro Wiwa’s vulture characterization was first arraigned in Kaduna. But his associates in the judiciary curiously won their argument that he could only be tried in Asaba. Since there was no Federal High Court in Asaba, Dr. Ewetan Uduaghan, secretary to Ibori government,  who went on to succeed him as Delta State governor, quickly donated two government buildings for the purpose. The Asaba Federal High Court created for Ibori and presided over by Justice Marcel Awokulehin wasted no time in discharging and acquitting James Ibori of all of the 170-count charges of corruption, involving the laundering of millions of dollars, filed against him by EFCC.  But this did not stop a London court that described Ibori as ‘a criminal in government house’ from jailing him for 13 years after pleading guilty to some of the offences for which he had been acquitted by Asaba Federal High Court.

And finally we can add Alamieyeseigha, the ‘Ijaw Governor-General’. While his influential Nigerian associates insisted the people of Niger Delta had no problem with their governor-general over his husbandry of their resources, the governments of Britain, United States, South Africa, Bahamas and Seychelles as well as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Bank under the Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative’ were not impressed. They went on to list his portfolio of foreign assets which included accounts with five banks in the UK and further accounts with banks in Cyprus, Denmark and the United States; four London properties acquired for a total of £4.8m; a Cape Town harbour penthouse acquired for almost £1m, assets in the United States, and almost £1m in cash stored in one of his London properties. Britain’s Metropolitan Police went on to charge him to court from where he jumped bail and escaped to Nigeria. And when Ribadu finally secured his conviction in Nigeria, ex-President Jonathan his fellow Ijaw man granted him a presidential amnesty.

Membership of Saro Wiwa’s Niger Delta vultures is spread among the political, economic, intellectual and military classes as well as the judiciary and the press. With Igbinedion, the convict now playing the victim while casting the governor as the villain, Oshiomhole must have now realized that embarking on a crusade against Niger Delta vultures is like going on a suicide mission as Saro Wiwa discovered too late.

Oshiomhole vs. Niger Delta vultures

Oshiomhole signs Healthcare Agency Bill into law

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has signed a Bill establishing the State College of Nursing and Midwifery into law.

The governor also signed into law the Primary HealthCare Development Agency Bill to regulate healthcare.

Governor Oshiomhole

At the ceremony yesterday, Oshiomhole said: “We have a Bill establishing Edo State College of Nursing and Midwifery and Other Matters. Although we have a School of Nursing, but there were huge gaps. We checked all the records and the Ministry of Justice. There was no law formally establishing the institution, which raises legal issues about the status of the institution. So, we agreed and forwarded a draft bill to the House of Assembly to formally pass the Bill, to enable us, as it were, formally establish by law the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

“This is an old institution. It has produced several nurses and midwives over the years. Somehow, there was no formal set-up and, as they say, better late than never.

“The School of Nursing was established many years ago. I think at the level of the Federal Ministry of Health, there are issues arising from the absence of enabling laws with regards to the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Edo State.

“Again, I want to appreciate Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Principal Officers of the House and, indeed, all members of the House of Assembly for passing the Nursing Amendment, which has gone to enrich our institution.

“I now have the honour to formally sign it into law. Of course, with the enactment of this law, that legal vacuum that existed over the years has been filled. I believe the Commissioner for Health and all those involved in health administration will be relieved as a result of this enactment.”

Oshiomhole added: “We have a law that provides for the establishment of Primary Health Care Development Agency and Other Matters Connected Therewith.

“This particular legislation is an Executive Bill, which the House of Assembly has graciously considered and passed for the Executive to sign into law. Over the period, different levels of government, for variety of reasons, have devoted huge resources constructing various health centres, primary health care centres in the 18 local government areas. “Some were built by Federal Government through the so-called constituency projects; some by local government areas and some by the state government and some through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agency…”

Oshiomhole signs Healthcare Agency Bill into law

Kogi Election Crisis: I won’t surrender people’s mandate - Faleye tells Odigie-Oyegun

THE crisis created by the demise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Kogi State’s governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu, seems to be growing fast.

James Faleke

Audu’s running mate in the November 21 election, James Abiodun Faleke, has declined to pair with Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who has been named the party’s candidate for the supplementary election on Saturday, insisting that he should be declared governor-elect on the APC platform.

The APC looked set to win the election but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared it inconclusive, following the inability of some registered voters to vote in 91 units.

In a letter to APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Faleke dissociated himself from the supplementary poll, which he insisted was unnecessary since the November 21 governorship election produced the candidates of the APC as clear winners.

He said rather than substitute its late standard bearer at the governorship election for the purpose of a supplementary election, the party ought to have urged the electoral umpire to declare it the winner of the poll since the expected results from the scheduled election would be inconsequential.

In the 91 units, there are 49,000 registered would-be voters. Of the lot, only 25,000 have voter cards. The APC is leading by 41,000 votes.

“Please take this letter as confirmation to dissociate myself from the unusual and strange supplementary nomination of my humble self as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello, this also serves as a notice of rejection of the purported and illegal nomination of myself as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello,” Faleke wrote in the letter to Odigie-Oyegun.

He said it would amount to a betrayal of trust and injustice on the part of the party to pick Bello who, according to him, joined forces with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the APC during the election, as the inheritor of all the late Audu and himself put into the campaigns to ensure victory for the APC.

Besides, Faleke faulted the APC for attempting to shave his head behind him, claiming that no one consulted him before his name was forwarded as running mate to Bello.

The letter reads: “I wish to put it on record that I was neither consulted by anybody before my name was submitted as running mate to a man who has since the conduct of primaries, abandoned the party, took the party to court, worked for the PDP, thereby causing our party to lose his polling unit 80 votes to his ally party PDPs 116, repeating same feat at the Ward level with APC scoring 1,146 to PDP’s 2,058.

“While it is true that the said Alhaji Yahaya Bello participated in our party primaries, its trite that party primaries are conducted to produce a candidate and once a candidate is produced, the congress, being an ad-hoc tool for that purpose, should automatically extinguish.

“It is clear from this injustice, that our party is on the path of rewarding disloyalty and discourage loyalty through this act of impunity for which we all fought the PDP.

“It may also interest you Mr. Chairman Sir, that the said Yahaya Bello, since the conduct of the primaries, had been aloof from party activities as it is on record that he did not attend a single meeting or campaign rally of the party.

“Mr. Chairman Sir, I am sure that it is neither in your interest, nor that of the party in particular and the public in general to lord an illegality on the people of Kogi State.

“Please, take note that I am not interested in surrendering the mandate the people of Kogi State bestowed on the Audu/Faleke joint ticket at the November 21 poll as I remain the governor-elect.

“I believe in the leadership of our great party to resolve this in the shortest possible time, failure upon which I shall be forced to seek redress in the court of law.”

In his latest letter, Faleke restated his position as contained in two letters last Thursday from his cousel, Chief Wole Olanipekun to the APC national chairman and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

In all the letters, Faleke mainted that the idea of a supplementary election should not arise because the APC had already won the governorship slot by polling 240, 867 to beat Governor Idris Wada of the PDP who polled 199, 514.

He said there was no truth in the belief that the outstanding votes could sway the poll’s results, adding that only 25,000 of the 49, 353 registered voters from 91 units from 18 council areas where the supplementary election would take place have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), pointing out that the PDP would still be trailing the APC even if it garners all the outstanding votes.

Faleke’s letter, titled: “Re:My purported nomination as deputy governor,” reads: “Information at my disposal from the National Secretary of our party, the All Progressives Congress and my telephone conversation with your good self, confirmed  to me that the party had issued INEC form and submitted my name as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the forthcoming unusual and strange supplementary election scheduled for 5th December, 2015, covering 91 polling units in Kogi State to elect a “supplementary governor”.

“Mr. Chairman, you may recall that an election was conducted on the 21st November 2015, in which I was running mate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu: I therefore remain fully committed to that joint ticket which received the blessings of the party leadership, including your good self, evident from your attendance at the campaign rallies to ensure total victory for your great party through which the people of Kogi State massively and overwhelmingly voted for us.

“Following the demise of my principal after the announcement of results from the polling units, wards, local government areas and the state, our party had highest number of votes of 240, 867 against PDP’s 199, 514, thus creating a difference of 41, 353 votes between the two leading parties. On the strength of this, I hereby state clearly that I remain the governor-elect of Kogi State on the platform of our great party.”

Kogi Election Crisis: I won’t surrender people’s mandate - Faleye tells Odigie-Oyegun

You say you are a democrat? - Fani-Kayode harshly fires Buhari

President Buhari’s words vs President Buhari’s actions, according to FFK

An ardent critic, though also being criticized by Nigerians, Chief Femi Fan-Kayode has harshly criticized President Muhammadu Buhari over his action which he said is different from his utterances.

General Buhari

Fani-Kayode who took to his twitter page said Buhari is flying across the continent drinking tea in pretence of fighting terrorism, reminding that the President appointed a national security adviser who was retired for releasing a Boko Haram terrorists under suspicious circumstances.

His words “This brings me to other matters and raises other questions about our president’s sincerity of purposes and commitment.

“You say that you are fighting Boko Haram yet you are travelling the world drinking tea with world leaders whilst your soldiers are secretly being slaughtered.

“You say you are fighting Boko Haram yet you were nominated as their spokesman and chief negotiator two years ago in proposed peace talks with the federal government.

“You say you are fighting Boko Haram but the man you appointed as your national security adviser was retired from the army a few years ago for ordering the release of Boko Haram terrorists under suspicious circumstances.

“You say you are fighting Boko Haram but the first thing you did when you came to power was to remove military checkpoints. This guaranteed Boko Haram free movement and access to the entire country.

“You say you are fighting Boko Haram yet last year you told the world that an attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the north.

“You say you are fighting terror yet since you came to power Boko Haram has grown in strength, has regained lost territory and has been declared the “world’s number one most deadly terror group” by the Global Terror Index.

“You say you are fighting terror yet since you came to power, Nigeria, according to the Global Terror Index, has been declared as not just having “the first most deadly terror group in the world” which is Boko Haram but also of having “the fourth most deadly terror group in the world” which is a group that the Index describe as the “Fulani militants” and that we call the Fulani herdsmen.

“You say you are fighting Boko Haram yet since you came to power, Nigeria has been declared the world’s “third most terrorised country” by the Global Terror Index after Iraq and Afghanistan which were declared first and second respectively whilst Syria and Pakistan were declared fourth and fifth.

“You say you are a “born-again democrat” yet you voted against the protection of human rights at the United Nations alongside Iran, Zimbabwe and North Korea.

“You say you respect human rights yet you barricade Colonel Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser, in his home, endanger his life, deny him medical attention, flout court orders and make him critically ill.

“You say you respect human rights yet you arrest Governor Boni Haruna simply for standing as surety for Dasuki and you try to force him to abandon his friend.

“You say you respect human rights yet you raid Governor Attahiru Bafarawa’s home and arrest and detain his son simply because he is friends with Dasuki.

“You say you respect freedom of speech and human rights yet you lock up Nnamdi Kanu indefinitely and your security agents shoot two unarmed and harmless pro-Biafra youths to death in Enugu simply because they were involved in a peaceful demonstration.

“You say that you are a believer in the rule of law yet you ordered your secret police to storm a sitting governor’s official home in Akwa Ibom knowing that he enjoys immunity from such matters.

“You say you love Nigeria yet a bomb goes off in Kano killing over 21 people and instead of coming back home to mourn with your people you continue junketing around the world.

“You say you know how to run Nigeria but, according to Paul Wallace and Michael Cohen of the United States magazine known as Bloomberg Business, your bounce has become bust, your policies irk investors, you have destroyed Nigeria’s economy and you do not have the capacity to move the country forward.

“You say that you know how to manage the economy yet stocks and shares have crashed, small businesses are folding up, our foreign currency has dried up, industries are collapsing, agricultural output has decreased, our foreign reserves have been spent and the value of the naira has depreciated since you came to power and it continues to fall.

“You say you know what you are doing and how to manage Nigeria’s affairs yet the U.S,-based Washington Times newspaper says that you lied to America about your so-called good intentions for Nigeria and that you have ”duped the United States of America” with your false promises and empty words.

“You say that you are fighting poverty yet according to the Business Day Newspaper, Nigerians are “getting poorer for the first time since 1999″.

“You say that you will restore our country’s fortunes yet the fuel queues are back and the prices of food, transport and basic commodities are soaring by the day.

“You say that you are a man of your word and after you were declared winner of the election you promised not to malign, persecute, witch-hunt, demonize, disrespect or go after President Goodluck Jonathan and members of his administration unless you had concrete evidence of wrongdoing, yet when you came to power you did precisely that.

“You say you are fair-minded, true to your friends, loyal to your supporters and always reasonable yet you did not concede even one ministerial slot or approve one ministerial nominee of the two men that helped you more than any others to win the presidential election, namely President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Bola Tinubu.

“You say that you want the country to change, that you believe in fairness and equity, that you are a progressive, that you believe in a generational power shift and that you want the country to move forward yet you are trying to destroy Governor Bukola Saraki simply because he won an election and became Senate president.

“You say that you are fighting corruption yet no one has been made to face the music or brought to book over the 25 billion naira REMITA and Systemspecs scandal and neither has the matter been clarified or resolved even though it has been established that the whole deal was struck under your watch.

“You say you love Nigeria and all Nigerians yet your Fulani kinsmen, under the guise of herding cattle, are slaughtering thousands of innocent people all over the south and Middle Belt, yet you remain their grand patron and you refuse to utter to a word of condemnation for their actions.

“You say you respect Nigerians yet every time you travel out of the country you spend your time telling foreigners and the foreign media how useless, rotten and corrupt your people are and how you are the only saint in Nigeria.”

The question is, what becomes of Nigeria?

In view of all this I am constrained to ask whether President Muhammadu Buhari has a conscience or is it that he has just lost touch with reality? Everything that I said about him during the presidential campaign has been confirmed and in just six months he has betrayed the trust and squandered the goodwill that the Nigerian people bestowed upon him in the March presidential elections. I have to say that I am not surprised by this because his “change” mantra was just an illusion.

What he and his APC failed to disclose to the Nigerian people during the campaign is that what he meant by “change” was a change from light to darkness. Sadly, our people trusted him and now he has plunged our nation into that darkness.

May God enable him to find the courage to retrace his steps before it is too late and may the Lord deliver Nigeria from those that are around him that fail to tell him the truth.

I gather that they call those of us that oppose President Buhari and that are PDP supporters the “wailing wailers”. That is an interesting expression because by the time Buhari finishes with Nigeria I have little doubt that the entire country will be wailing.

The truth is that I would rather be a “wailing wailer” that posterity vindicates than a “lying liar” or a “howling howler” who has lost his way and who continues to have confidence in a man like Buhari and a party like the APC that is hell-bent on destroying our country and our cherished democratic institutions with their Rambo-like insensitivity and total ineptitude.

All those “lying liars” and “howling howlers” that voted for President Buhari should clap for themselves for the terrible mess our country is now in. We will remember them in our prayers too.

You say you are a democrat? - Fani-Kayode harshly fires Buhari

APC gives Kogi governorship form to Yahaya Bello against all odds

Kogi State: Faleke rejects APC decision

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has given its Kogi State governorship nomination form to its new candidate, Mr. Yahaya Bello, to fill.

The development may have foreclosed the consideration of any other candidate as the party’s standard bearer.

Bello filled the form, which was signed by a Commissioner of Oath. It was returned to the APC National Secretariat.

It was learnt that the form was attached to the letter of nomination, which the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, sent to INEC on Friday.

The party retained Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as running mate – a position Faleke rejected, insisting on the mandate the people gave the late Abubakar Audu/Faleke ticket.

A top officer of the party said: “We are in receipt of many petitions but it is already late for anybody because we have nominated Yahaya Bello as the party’s substitute for  Prince Abubakar Audu.

“Of course, we have automatically retained Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as our deputy governorship candidate.

“As a matter of fact, we gave the nomination form to Bello to fill on Friday and we have duly submitted all relevant documents to INEC.

“You can direct further enquiries to INEC and Bello, who is now our candidate.”

It was gathered that APC rushed to give the form to Bello, despite the fact that it has up till December 1, to pre-empt legal action especially court injunction.

A member of the NWC said: “We hastily concluded the nomination process to stave off any court injunction which may hinder the party’s chances for the supplementary poll on December 5.

“We took advantage of Friday to seal the process because any of the aggrieved parties could rush to court before Tuesday and allow the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to emerge winner of the Kogi Governorship Election on a platter of gold.

“If we do not check the dirty war over the substitution of our candidate, APC may be the ultimate loser.”

When contacted, a media aide to Bello said: “It is true that our principal has filled the governorship nomination form as presented to him by APC and we are aware that the form has been submitted.”

A source in INEC also confirmed the submission of the form. “Yes, it has been submitted,” he said pleading not to be quoted.

APC gives Kogi governorship form to Yahaya Bello against all odds

Trouble as Boko Haram abduct more girls in Borno

MAIDUGURI—ABOUT seven persons including a soldier, were killed in both Bam and Gajigana villages of Biu and Magumeri Local Government Areas of Borno State.

In the two attacks, while unspecified numbers of teenage girls were abducted in Bam Village, scores of people were injured in Gajigana village after insurgents set ablaze shops and houses without confrontation.

Chibok girls

Bam is about 7 kilometers away from Buratai village the home town of Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai. Buratai village has suffered series of Boko Haram attacks including the razing down of a mansion owned by the Army General.

A resident of the area who fled to Miringa town for safety, Mallam Ali Bam, told Vanguard on phone that the insurgents went to the village at about 3:30 am at the weekend and set ablaze the whole village, after killing four persons and fled unchallenged with unspecified number of unmarried teenage girls kidnapped.

He said “the Boko Haram terrorists after separating a lot of teenage girls from married women in Bam, set ablaze the whole village and fled with the girls unchallenged, as the attack lasted for some hours before they fled. I called on General Buratai to do something as we have been telling the soldiers that the Boko Haram were so close to the village, but they only went to Mangari village which is few kilometers away from Buratai and shot into the air and left. The soldiers don’t want to confront the terrorists, Buratai should better do something before they start attacking and sacking villages, as they were doing before.”

Similarly, Boko Haram terrorists attacked and burnt down Gajiganna village killing three persons including a soldier before carting away a lot of foodstuff.

Gajigana is north and about 50 kilometres drive from Maiduguri.

A member of the Civilian JTF from the area, Mallam Aliyu Jibrin,  told Vanguard that the insurgents who came at 8:30pm on Friday started shooting sporadically into the air to scare people, where they killed one man, one woman and a soldier before they carted away a lot of foodstuff after setting ablaze all the shops in the village.

“I believe it was a revenge mission, because recently, we arrested over 17 Boko Haram insurgents in the community and handed them over to the military. I am calling on the Federal government and the military authorities to do something about the pockets of insurgents in the bushes and villagers before they regroup and start attacking big towns and villages,” he stated.

He lamented that the attack on Gajigana could have been avoided if soldiers acted on the information at hand, but when they came the soldiers took to their heels without facing the insurgents.

Trouble as Boko Haram abduct more girls in Borno

Abacha N65bn Loot: What we spent it for - Okonjo-Iweala

* Say it was spent on roads, electricity, others

LAGOS—Former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told the World Bank that about $500 million (N65bn) recovered from the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha in Switzerland was spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

This was contained in the documents the World Bank sent to Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, following enquiries made by SERAP on how the money, tagged Abacha loot was spent.

A statement issued yesterday by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the organization has “received several documents from the World Bank totalling over 700 pages on information on the spending of recovered assets stolen by the late General Abacha, with some of the documents suggesting that the Abacha loot was spent on roads, electricity, education, health and water.”

The organisation said: “SERAP can confirm that last week we received several documents from Ann May of the Access to Information Team of the World Bank following our Access to Information Request to the Bank. We also received a letter dated 24 November 2015 from Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, Director of the World Bank in Africa.”

“In total, SERAP has received over 700 pages of documents, which we are now closely studying and scrutinising with a view to discovering whether the documents contain details that Nigerians would like to see and whether the information correspond to the facts on the ground. After this analysis, we will respond to the Bank and consider our options, including filing an appeal before the Bank’s Access to Information Appeals Board and taking other appropriate legal actions nationally and internationally to discover what exactly happened to Abacha recovered loot,” the organisation said.

The organisation said that “In the meantime our preliminary review of some of the documents and the letter from Mr Rachid Benmessaoud have revealed certain facts which raise more questions about what exactly happened to Abacha loot: First, that Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Minister of Finance in a letter dated 9 January 2005 explained to the Bank that around $500m (N65bn) of Abacha loot received from Switzerland was programmed into and spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria.”

“Second, Mrs Iweala explained to the Bank that N18.60bn was spent on roads; N10.83bn spent on health; N7bn spent on education; N6.20bn spent on water; and N21.70bn spent on electricity. She also said that part of the funds were spent on new and ongoing investment projects. Mrs Iweala said that relevant federal ministries have the full details on the spending of repatriated Abacha loot. The Bank noted that there was no funds monitoring and tracking mechanism in place to trace the spending of Abacha loot,” the organisation also disclosed.

“Third, Mr Rachid Benmessaoud confirmed that the World Bank played a monitoring role in a return of assets by Switzerland but that the Bank is not currently involved in the monitoring of spending of Abacha loot that have been returned to Nigeria in recent years. He said that the Bank would be prepared to set up a mechanism to monitor the use of Abacha loot if the Nigerian government request the Bank’s assistance in this respect.”

SERAP then argued that “given Mrs Okonjo-Iweala’s involvement in the spending of Abacha loot, President Muhammadu Buhari should urgently probe the role of the Ministry of Finance and relevant federal ministries at the time in the spending of Abacha loot particularly given the strong allegations of mismanagement that characterised the use of the funds”

According to the group, “Although Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said that Abacha loot was spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all six geo-political zones of Nigeria, there is no evidence of such projects as millions of Nigerians continue to travel on dead roads, while they continue to lack access to adequate electricity supply, water, health and quality education. Therefore, President Buhari can no longer continue to remain silent on this issue of public interest if Nigerians are to continue to trust him in his fight against corruption,” the organisation also said.

It will be recalled that in a letter dated 15 October 2015 and signed by Ann May of the Access to Information Team, the Bank said that “In response to your request under AI3982, we would like to inform you that we are still considering your request and need additional time to provide you with a more comprehensive response.”

The letter reads in part “In most cases, we will be able to respond within twenty (20) working days from receipt of a request for information. However, we may need additional time in special circumstances, for example, if the request is complex or voluminous or if it requires further review by or consultation with internal World Bank units, external parties, the Access to Information Committee, or the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors.”

Earlier, SERAP had on 21 September 2015 sent an access to information request to Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group urging him to “exercise the Bank’s prerogative to release documents relating to spending of recovered assets stolen by Late General Sani Abacha”.

The group also asked Mr Yong Kim to “disclose information about the Bank’s role in the implementation of any projects funded by the recovered assets and any other on-going repatriation initiatives on Nigeria with which the Bank is engaged.”

The request was “pursuant to the World Bank’s Access to Information Policy (The Policy), approved by the Board on June 30 205. SERAP notes that one of the Policy’s guiding principles is to maximize access to information. There is also clear public interest in Nigerians knowing about the Bank’s supervisory role and specifically its involvement in the implementation of projects on which repatriated funds were spent.”

Abacha N65bn Loot: What we spent it for - Okonjo-Iweala

Obasanjo expresses fear over rise in unemployment

ABEOKUTA— Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged the federal, state and local governments to do more in the area of employment.

Olusegun Obasanjo

The former president who spoke at the 10th anniversary and 6th and 7th convocation ceremonies of Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun, Ijebu Ode, warned: “If there is no job for the unemployed to feed themselves and also to contribute to the development of the country, then, we will all be sitting on gun powder.

“If university education was not for development then, it was not serving any useful purpose. It must be for development, personal, local, national and even global and that is very important.”

He stated that education is a meal ticket for anybody that has it, adding that it is also a means of breaking the poverty cycle.

Obasanjo advised: “I believe in lifelong education. Nobody should stop learning until he or she die.”

He said that he accepted the award because of the personality the school was named after, saying that Tai Solarin was one of the greatest educationists the country has ever produced.

He also told the audience that he was honoured to be honoured in conjunction with Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, insisting, “Anywhere Mama is being honoured, we must join hands to to honour her.”

Obasanjo was honoured with an Honourary Doctorate of Education in Political Science while HID was honoured with Honourary Doctorate in Business Education while Aliko Dangote was conferred with Honorary Doctorate in Science and Business Education. HID Awolowo’s daughter, Mrs Tola Adeniran, received the award on behalf of her mother’s behalf.

Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in his speech at the occasion said: “This year’s convocation ceremony, which marks the successful completion of another academic session, is a continued demonstration of commitment to the production of qualified teaching personnel for our education system.

“You are all expected to use your collective wisdom, knowledge, ability and exposure to sustain and promote the ideals of this great institution.”

He disclosed that the 12 First Class students would be given automatic employment by the state government.

The Vice -Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluyemisi Obilade, in her welcome address, said: “The university is a specialised university, uniquely positioned to respond to national and global educational needs for equipping graduands with the necessary  and pedagogical skills as well as content knowledge for effective teaching and learning.”

Obasanjo expresses fear over rise in unemployment

Appointing northerner continuously as FCT minister is not of Nigeria interest

Akinjide served as minister of education in the Tafawa Balewa’s cabinet in the First Republic and as minister of Justice and Attorney General in the Second Republic government of President Shagari. Akinjide was a frontline member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN and served as the party’s legal adviser prior to his appointment as attorney general.

He is presently, a member of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview, he reviews the actions and inactions of the Buhari government, the prospects of the PDP following its recent electoral loss among other national issues.

You have not been so visible in politics in recent times.

Is it age or you are just playing it cool?

I am a prominent member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP and I play very active role in Ibadan, Oyo State and in other parts of the country. So I am very active in the PDP.

Apart from the former Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, is there any of your other children who is also in politics?

All of them.    Abayomi who also is a lawyer is very active in politics, Mobola, my daughter is very active in politics and if you count Jumoke that makes them three, so my family is very active in politics.

What is your assessment of the assignment of portfolios to the ministers?

He nominated very good people, I have no doubt about that. But my concern is with Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. When we were in Lagos as Federal Capital, Yar Adua was a Minister for Lagos and he came from the North. When Obasanjo was in office before the Capital Territory was created, a Yoruba person was in charge. But since the Capital Territory has been created, Northerners have been ministers throughout. I don’t think that is the best for the country.

I will like to see an Igbo, Yoruba, Middle-Belt man be a minister in charge of the Capital Territory. To consistently pick someone from the North as Minister for the Capital Territory is not in our national interest and is not good. I am not saying the people that have been picked are bad but I am talking about geographical spread. We should not give the impression that the capital territory belongs to a particular part of the country.    It should be something that belongs to the whole country. That is the objection I have and I hope that will be corrected very soon.

Since President Buhari assumed office six months ago, how can you rate his performance in the fight against terrorism?

He has been trying his best. I mean there are areas in which I might have done things differently but overall, I will give him a good pass mark as president of the country.

So Nigerians did not make mistake voting him as the President?

I would not say Nigerians have made mistake although I would have preferred Goodluck Jonathan to win the election. But since he has been elected, I accept the election and all of us will support him to succeed.

In your wealth of wisdom, what do you think the president should do to make this country better?

Economically, Nigeria is the greatest in Africa. There is no doubt about that. But, we have a committee of 20 of which South Africa is a member and Nigeria is not, I don’t think that can be supported at all. Nigeria should be one of the people in the committee of 20, why Nigeria is excluded, I don’t understand at all. It cannot be defended, it cannot be justified. We should not be looked upon as if we are the colony of Europe or somebody who should be playing third or fourth role in that regard. Europe and America, Japan are wrong.

What is your candid advice to both the Federal Government and the Pro Biafran protesters on the Biafran agitation?

Anybody supporting Biafra must be very, very wrong. I don’t know their reason but whatever their reason, they are wrong. We fought a war for three years over Biafra and Biafra was defeated and the whole country united with the belief that Nigeria should remain one country and the Igbo joined the country and since then they have been governors in the country, they have been ministers both at the state and federal levels. They have been ambassadors abroad. I don’t see why anybody should now be asking for Biafra again, I think it should be rejected.

I think they should call them to a meeting and talk to them as father to son and ask them to stop because there is no reason for them to do what they are doing. In the last government, we had an Igbo as Minister of Finance (Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala) and also, we had an Igbo as Secretary to the government, we also had Igbo as ambassadors in many parts of the world. So, there is no excuse for anybody to say he wants to break up the country again after we fought a bloody war of about three years. We don’t want to go back to that. We want peace everywhere and we want a fair share whether you are from the North, East, West, South, Middle-Belt everything should be evenly and fairly distributed.

While you say you are still active in politics but the likes of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Edwin Clark have chosen to opt out of politics. Do you think it is good for the polity when men of your stature are opting out one by one?

Those people you have mentioned have positions and are statesmen. There is no way they can get out of politics. It is in our blood; it is part of our life and it is in the national interest for us to be actively involved in politics and in governance. I will forever be in politics throughout my life, I will not opt out of it at all either as an adviser or as a statesman. In whatever form that is appropriate, I will definitely    play some role in the national interest.

What do you think actually led to the defeat of PDP in the last general election?

I don’t want to talk on the defeat of PDP. In all elections, somebody has to win somebody has to lose. Nobody should talk of defeat as if it is a disease. When they do elections in America, one has to win one has to lose. The same in England, even in Germany, Israel, Australia and Japan. Defeat in election is not a disease; it is a normal process. One party cannot be in power forever and one party cannot be in opposition forever. I don’t see defeat as a disease; I see it as a normal political process.

But the fact is that with the reputed numerical superiority and influence that PDP wielded years back, nobody thought it could lose election quickly?

I don’t use the word quick. What happened was normal; sometimes, a party rules the country and in another election it is defeated and after another election that party finds its way back. Don’t look at winning or defeat as a disease it is a normal process. It happened recently in Canada whereby the son of a former prime minister is now a prime minister in Canada.

Looking at our electoral system, what do you think should be done to make it more attractive to people outside to stop complaints of rigging?

It is culture. This type of election is not in our blood.    We copied it from Europe and America and other countries, and over in the generations and years to come it will become part and parcel of our culture. Look at India. India is the second largest country in the world following China and yet in my view the greatest democracy in the world is India. I will rate India better than America and that is very good and that is what Nigeria should copy.

So, do you see any role for the BOT of the PDP to return the party to winning ways?

Leadership is very important, leadership of the party with the right person. Then, two, we should nominate the right candidate, once we have the right leadership and candidates who have credibility. I am sure the country will vote for PDP again.

The issue of internal democracy was very loud in the PDP in Oyo State and some other states prior to the last general elections. So, what is really the way out?

That is subjective whether there is internal democracy or not. What I know is that in any election, one will win one will lose.

Whether this is the reason for winning or losing is a different matter. But I have no problem that what happened has happened and I have no doubt that PDP will come back to power again, PDP will win elections.

In 2019?

As soon as possible.

Can you say precisely that PDP did well in the last 16years?

Very well in many respects.

Very well?

That comment is subjective. It is not objective and other people may hold opposite views. Politics is argument and I listen to anybody whether it is right or wrong. But in my view, PDP has done well. Once we pick the right leadership to run the party and we pick the right candidates to contest elections for us at all levels we will be winning.

Do you agree with Raymond Dokpesi when he said that the party made a mistake on the issue of zoning?

He said the party ought to have allowed the North to complete its term and also to allow the North to go for a 2nd term instead of choosing the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

You may be right you may be wrong. I respect his opinion that is what is called democracy. You may see something as white, I may see it as black and you may see it as green.

Ok sir, do you believe in Zoning?

Oh yes. Certainly, we cannot be monolithic.    One country cannot be run by a set of people all the time. We can have a Yoruba running it this time next time it could be Igbo after that it may be Kanuri, Hausa or Fulani. I believe that we should be moving the offices from place to place.

Given the recent kidnap of Chief Olu Falae by some Fulani herdsmen and the agitation of some Yoruba leaders on the issue, what suggestions would you proffer to solve the issue of Fulani herdsmen in the Southwest?

What they did to Falae was very bad and we all support Falae. But, I don’t believe we should break up the country. We should be objective; we should be nationalistic. We should warn those people and if they don’t stop they should be called to order.

What is your advice to the APC government, at least on how it can do things better?

We should offer very strong opposition at the federal level and make sure the government is run properly and in those states where we won elections, we should provide good government and run the government properly. In those areas where we are opposition, we should be good opposition, we should not make it as a matter of life and death.

How has the judicial system fared in the last 55 years after independence?

Oh Nigeria we’ve got the best democracy and judiciary in the whole of Africa. I have no doubt about that at all. If you look at our judgments and law reports it is as good as anything in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England and we will continue to do better. I am proud of this country. I am a member of the English Bar, Nigeria Bar and African Bar. I practise in three jurisdictions and I enjoy it very much.

Is there any of your children practising law?

Oh yes.    I have about nine or ten of my children who read law and wife and grandchildren who are studying law and I have about three of my grandchildren who are in banking and I also have in business and I am very proud of my children and grandchildren. I have been lucky the boys have married very well likewise the girls and we will do our best to continue to contribute to the well being of this country.

Appointing northerner continuously as FCT minister is not of Nigeria interest

Kogi Election: Crisis rocking APC deepens

ABUJA—The All Progressives Congress, APC, was last night tethering towards a major crisis over the strong positions of major stakeholders on resolving the problems arising from the death of its candidate in the Kogi State governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu.

The crisis in the party, it was learnt, was also quietly seeping into the presidency with senior presidency officials taking different positions on the issue.

James Faleke

At the centre of the crisis, as exclusively reported by Vanguard last Friday, was the decision of the party acting in concert with associates of President Muhammadu Buhari to present Alhaji Yahaya Bello who came second in the APC governorship primaries as the new candidate of the party. The party had also pencilled James Faleke, who was Audu’s running mate in the penultimate weekend election, as also running mate to Bello.

However, Faleke, who had earlier through his lawyer, Wole Olanikpekun written the party to lay his claim to the mandate of the late Audu, at the weekend, further stoked tempers with his formal decision to reject his nomination as Bello’s running mate.

In a letter to the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Faleke flatly rejected his nomination as running mate to Bello, who he accused of betraying the party in its time of need.

Against the background of the death of Audu, party officials acting in concert with associates of President Buhari, it was learnt, had pencilled down Bello as the new candidate upon his second place finishing in the party primaries with Faleke as running mate. Under the plans, Mohammed Audu, son of the late candidate was also being proposed as Secretary to the State Government to assuage the camp of the late Audu.

However, the plans were seriously being undermined, last night, with reports that Faleke was set to go to court with three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including one from Kogi State enlisted to push his case at a Federal High Court today.

The party, last night was nonetheless, pushing ahead with Bello. Bello, who according to sources, had been told by party officials not to leave Abuja was, last night, invited to present himself at the party secretariat this morning for his unveiling as the new APC candidate in Kogi State.

Reflective of his new status, security around Bello has been raised with military, police and Department of State Service operatives giving him all round security.

Despite the antagonisms towards him, Bello has been reaching out by telephone to leading stakeholders. Among those he is believed to have reached were Faleke and Chief Clarence Olafemi, who is one of the staunch pillars behind Faleke. Vanguard could not confirm the details of their discussion. Bello has reached Prof. Isaiah Daniel, the director general of the Abubakar Audu Campaign Organisation seeking his support.

His efforts nonetheless, those pushing for Faleke argued that Bello distanced himself from the party immediately he lost the party primaries. It was being said last night that he did not present himself at the two rallies attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbanjo at Lokoja and Okene.

INEC gives APC tomorrow deadline

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, meanwhile yesterday affirmed that the APC has until tomorrow to substitute the late Audu.

The commission had earlier refuted claims that it gave a deadline to the party to forward the name of its new candidate.

However, Deputy Director in charge of Publicity at the commission, Nick Dazang told Vanguard,last night, that the party has till December 1, to submit the name of its candidate. He was however, silent on whether INEC would retain the late Audu’s name on the ballot paper should the party fail to do the needful before the deadline.

“APC has been requested to submit a candidate before or on December 1, 2015”, he said, directing further enquiries to the party.

In his letter to Odigie-Oyegun rejecting his nomination as running mate to Bello, Faleke also asserted the fact that the APC lost in Bello’s polling unit and ward, points he projected to reflect his claim that Bello worked against the party during the elections.

Faleke rejects APC offer

In the letter to the national chairman dated November 27, 2015 which was also copied to INEC and the APC national secretary, Faleke said:

RE: My purported nomination as Deputy Governor

Information at my disposal from the National Secretariat of our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and my telephone conversation with your good self, confirmed to me that the party had issued INEC form and submitted my name as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the forthcoming unusual and strange governorship elections scheduled for December 5, 2015, covering 91 polling units in Kogi State, to elect a “supplementary governor.”

Mr. Chairman, you may recall that an election was conducted on November 21, 2015 in which I was running mate to the late Prince Audu Abubakar. I, therefore, remain fully committed to that joint ticket which received the blessings of the party leadership including your good self evident from your attendance at the campaign rallies to ensure total victory for our great party through which the people of Kogi State massively and overwhelmingly voted for us.

Following the demise of my principal after the announcement of results from the polling units, wards, local government areas and the state, our party had the highest number of votes of 240,867 against PDP’s 199,514 thus creating a difference of 41,353 votes between the two leading parties. On the strength of this, I hereby state clearly that I remain the Governor-elect of Kogi State on the platform of our great party.

Please take this letter as confirmation to disassociate myself from this unusual and strange supplementary nomination of my humble self as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello. This also serves as a notice of rejection of the purported illegal nomination of myself as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

I wish to put it on record that I was neither consulted nor informed by anybody before my name was submitted as running mate to a man who has since the conduct of the primaries, abandoned the party, took the party to court, worked for PDP thereby causing our party to lose his polling units with 88 votes to his ally party, the PDP’s 116, repeating same feat at the ward level with APC scoring 1,146 to PDP’s 2,058.

While it is true that the said Alhaji Yahaya Bello participated in our primaries, it is trite that party primaries are conducted to produce a candidate and once a candidate is produced, the congress being an ad hoc tool of the party for that purpose should automatically extinguish.

It is clear from this injustice, that our party is on the path of rewarding disloyalty and discouraging loyalty through this act of impunity for which we all fought the PDP.

It may also interest you Mr. Chairman, that the said Alhaji Yahaya Bello since the conduct of the primaries had been aloof from the party activities as it is on record that he did not attend a single meeting or campaign rally of the party.

Mr Chairman, I am sure that it is neither in your interest nor that of the party in particular and the public in general to lord an illegality on the people of Kogi State.

Please take note that I am not interested in surrendering the mandate of the people of Kogi State bestowed on the Audu/Faleke joint ticket at the Nov 21 polls as I remain the Governor-elect.

Sir, I believe in the leadership of our great party to resolve this in the shortest possible time, failure upon which I shall be forced to seek redress in the Court of law.

In the same vein, APC youths from Kogi East continued their protest against Bello, yesterday.

Some of the youths attacked dignitaries at the 8th day prayer for the late Prince Audu at Ogbonicha on Sunday.

Senator Ahmadu Ali, a former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party and Senator Nicholas Ugbane who represented the Kogi East Senatorial Zone between 2003 and 2011 were among the victims of the attack. Their vehicles were allegedly vandalized by the rampaging youths who were heard chanting songs in support of Mohammed Audu, son of the late Prince Abubakar Audu.

The youths threatened to disrupt the December 5 supplementary poll unless Mohammed Audu is fielded by the All Progressives Congress as replacement for his father.

Kogi Election: Crisis rocking APC deepens