INEC: Bello is APC candidate..............

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday said Alhaji Yahaya Bello is the APC governorship candidate for Saturday’s supplementary election.
He replaces the late Abubakar Audu, who died before the conclusion of the election process.
The INEC’s Deputy Director, Publicity, Mr Nick Dazang said: “They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission”.
 
The INEC spokesman assured the people of Kogi State that the commission is fully prepared to conduct both the Kogi Supplementary and Bayelsa governorship elections. Both polls are slated for Saturday,
According to him: “Commission is committed to conduct the two elections, that is why in respect of Kogi, in spite of what happened, we came out with public notice which invites the APC to submit its replacement candidate for the election”.

Faleke’s, Bello’s supporters clash at APC secretariat............

Supporters of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who was chosen to replace the late Prince Abubakar Audu in this weekend’s supplementary election in Kogi State and those of James Abiodun Falake clashed yesterday at the APC National Secretariat.
The supporters, carrying sticks and stones, tore at one another as policemen looked helpless and unable to curtail them.
 
Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who arrived at the secretariat at about the time the supporters were beginning to go violent, abandoned his car at the gate and walked into the secretariat.

Seven schoolgirls die in hostel fire..............

Seven pupils died on Sunday night when a “mysterious” fire razed the Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) at Jogana, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The fire, according to an eyewitness, started at 8.10pm, when the pupils were preparing to go to bed.
A security man, who pleaded not to be named, said: “…The school was in darkness because there was no power supply. The pupils had taken their dinner and were preparing to retire to bed when we heard the girls screaming from Alhaji Sani Yaro Ahmed Hostel.


“We thought they were being attacked by rapists. But we saw thick smoke coming out of the hostel. As we rushed to the place, there was stampede: the pupils struggled to escape from the fire.”
It was learnt that the casualty figure was high because the pupils rushed through a narrow gate, which caused the stampede.

Abacha loot spent on roads, electricity, others, Okonjo-Iweala tells World Bank....

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) 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 Abacha loot was spent on roads, electricity, education, health and water.”
This information was disclosed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, in a statement dated November 29, 2015.
 

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.”

The N155billion Malabu Scam: EFCC quizzes Jonathan’s associate who helped distribute ‘slush fund’....

In continuation of its investigation into the N155billion Malabu Oil deal involving former Petroleum Resources Minister, Dan Etete, and some top officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday interrogated a close associate of both Mr. Etete and Mr. Jonathan.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Aliyu Abubakar, a businessman with interest in construction, arrived the agency’s headquarters on Monday morning on the invitation of the EFCC and was still being grilled as at 6 PM.
 

Mr. Abubakar, this newspaper learnt, is being questioned for his alleged role in the laundering and distribution of at least $523million, being part of the proceeds of the controversial Malabu oil deal.
Investigators found that Mr. Etete allegedly transferred the funds into Mr. Abubakar’s account, from where it was diverted into several other accounts of individuals and organizations.

Building Collapse Trial Stalled As Synagogue Church Pastor TB Joshua And Contractors Refuse To Honor Lagos Court Summons....

A Lagos State High Court presided by Justice Lawal Akapo has adjourned till 11th of December, the trial of senior pastor and prophet of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Temitope Joshua over death of 116 persons, mostly South Africans, in a building within the church premises that collapsed last year.

The trial scheduled to commence today was stalled by absence of four engineers who were to be arraigned alongside the Synagogue church's board of trustees. Only a person appeared in respect of the Church's board of trustees.
Oluwaseun Abimbola, counsel to the defendants told the court that the contractors were not served with court papers by the Ministry of Justice, and therefore had no cause to appear before court.
Lagos State's Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem said no valid physical addresses were found for the contractors, which he said was reason that the Ministry could not locate or serve the court papers on the engineers.

Former National Security Adviser Dasuki Got Jonathan’s Approvals To Collect $2.1bn From NNPC In 9 months...

Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser, received an extra-budgetary allocation of $2.1 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) within nine months after approvals by former President Goodluck Jonathan, TheCable can report.

Dasuki is currently being investigated by the federal government over the billions of dollars released for the procurement of arms for counter-terrorism operations under Jonathan.
Documents seen by TheCable showed the breakdown of NNPC’s disbursements to the office of the NSA as follows: $1 billion on March 27, 2014; $200 million on April 9, 2014; $600 million on May 5, 2014; and, same day, $200 million following a request for $250 million.

Boko Haram Burns Down Nigeria Army Base In Adamawa As Soldiers Flee...

A report from northeastern Nigeria says Boko Haram burned down a military base on Sunday night as soldiers fled their attack.   A terrorists vehicle set ablaze by troops

The Associated Press (AP) said in a report from Yola that only local fighters prevented the insurgents from retaking Gulak, the headquarters of Madagali Local Government area of Adamawa State.
James Ularamu, a former chairman of the council, told AP the brave civilian fighters held Gulak town after the soldiers ran away, until the military sent reinforcements who then fought off the extremists.  By that time, the base had been burned down.
“Sunday night's attack came as a military intelligence officer confirmed that 107 soldiers remain missing nearly two weeks after a Nov. 19 battle,” the report said.  The Nigerian Army has denied that the soldiers were missing.

Army to engage persons threatening unity of Nigeria...........

The Nigerian Army on Monday said it would apply its rules of engagement (ROE) to the letter as it unequivocally warned people agitating for and threatening the dismemberment of the country.
Maj.-Gen. Isidore Edet, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division of the army, gave the warning while speaking with journalists at the Officers Mess in Lagos.



Edet said the Nigerian Army would like to send an unequivocal warning to all and sundry and more specifically, to all those threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the country.
“Committing treasonable felony and arson, as well as wanton destruction of lives and properties that once deployed, we shall apply the ROE to the letter.

Fayose, others should return to elementary school – Minister...

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has suggested that Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and others kicking against President Muhammadu Buhari’s Treasury Single Account policy should return to elementary because they have failed to understand the workings of the policy.
“Those behind the rumour that a single company made N25 billion from charging one per cent of TSA funds that passed through the company’s software, may need to return to elementary school to get some lessons in arithmetic,” he said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Segun Adeyemi, in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
 

“This is because in order for one per cent charge to fetch N25 billion, the funds accruing into the TSA must have reached N2.5 trillion.
Yet, the total amount of funds in the TSA to date is still much less than 2 trillion.
“More importantly, at the time the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ordered that all monies that were erroneously charged as ‘revenue’ be returned to the TSA Account late last month, the TSA had less than N800 billion.

Man dressed like woman to defraud other men arrested...........

The police in Lagos have arrested a man who allegedly defrauded some men of various amount of money by dressing like a woman before them.
The Lagos State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Joseph Offor, disclosed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.
Offor said that the suspect was arrested on Saturday at about 4:30 p.m. while attempting to defraud another man.
 

He said the suspect, who went about bearing a woman’s name, Kadijat, was dressed in Muslim wearing a hijab when he met one Hassimu of No. 25, Iyana Street, Ajegunle and agreed to a relationship.
He said Hassimu had wanted to take Kadijat (suspect) home, but refused with various excuses.
“While they were dragging themselves at the CMS Bus Stop, policemen from Lion Building who were on patrol saw them and intervened.
“They were taken to the police station for causing breach of public peace.
“At the station, Hassimu alleged that the suspect had collected about N15,000 from him with a promise to marry him.

PDP chieftains, Dickson’s aides defect to APC....

•Sylva promises prosperity
•Odigie-Oyegun urges revolution against hardship

Members of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aides of Governor Seriake Dickson and about 2,000 PDP supporters yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State.
The SWC members are the Assistant Secretary, Ben Oliver, the Assistant Organising Secretary, Miriam Kingsley and an ex-officio member, Diepreye Alagha.

Two governor’s aides, Oberighakuma Yousou and Ayobegha James, resigned their appointments and shouted the change mantra of the APC during the campaign inauguration and presentation of flag in Sagbama town, Sagbama Local Government.
Miriam attracted the crowd’s sympathy when she narrated her ordeal in the hands of her former part

She said: “I was in bondage, but now I’m crossing over to Canaan. I am happy that I have seen the light. I will no longer go back to Pharaoh.”
The local government stood still and identified with APC and the aspiration of its governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Full details of TSA: Dino Melaye misled Nigerian Senate on N25 billion claim..

Contrary to the alarm raised by the Senate over the alleged illegality and exorbitant commission charged for the deployment of Remita, an e-payment software used for the transfer of Federal Government’s funds from financial institutions into a single treasury account (TSA), PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report that the use of the software is not only legal but also represents a drastic cut of the commission previously charged by banks for collection of government revenues.

 

Also, findings reveal that the commission collected by SystemSpecs, the owners/developers of Remita, is nowhere near the N25billion Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) alleged to have been collected by the firm.

It was Mr. Melaye who originally moved the motion on the Senate floor for the payment to be investigated.

Last Wednesday, following Mr. Melaye’s motion, the senate ordered its committee on finance and public accounts to immediately commence an investigation into the use of Remita (which it erroneously described as an e-collection agent) for remitting government funds into the TSA, and its alleged collection of N25 billion commission being one per cent of the alleged N2.5 trillion it remitted into the TSA.

Boko Haram’s rocket, IED factory uncovered in Borno, multiple bombings averted – Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army on Monday said it has uncovered a factory in Bama, Borno state, where the extremist Boko Haram sect manufactures rockets and Improvised Explosives Devices.

 

The spokesperson for the Army, Sani Usman, who make the disclosure in a statement, also said “troops of the Seventh Division Garrison of the Nigerian Army engaged in Operation Lafiya Dole on Sunday made remarkable progress by arresting a Boko Haram terrorist kingpin, John Trankil, at Kasuwar Shanu in Maiduguri metropolis”.
Mr. Usman, a colonel, also said by arresting Mr. Trankil, the troops averted what would have been multiple bombings in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Nigerian Army threatens “minimum force” in stopping Biafra agitators

The Nigerian Army on Monday threatened to use minimum force in dealing with  civilians agitating for the return of the defunct Biafra Republic.
The General Officer Commanding of the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army, Hassan Umaru, gave the warning on Monday at a press conference in Maxwell Kobe Cantonment, Rukuba, Plateau State.

 

“It is the duty of an officer or soldier to ensure the enforcement of law and order in conjunction with other security agencies, troops are duty bound to intervene in any situation to avoid a breakdown in peace and stability of an area where they are deployed,” Mr. Umaru said.

How Saraki, National Assembly Leaders Secretly Opposed Treasury Single Account...

SaharaReporters has gathered more details regarding why members of the Nigerian Senate moved to clamp down on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the Treasury Single Account (TSA).  

 

Our investigation revealed that, in October, the leadership of the National Assembly led by Senator Bukola Saraki hatched out a secret arrangement to force Central Bank of Nigeria officials to exclude National Assembly accounts from the Treasury Single Account (TSA). The legislative leaders claimed that the TSA was hampering the National Assembly’s operations.

TSA: There’ll be no diversion of public funds under Buhari, says Lai Mohammed...

The Federal Government on Monday dismissed the alleged fraud in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the rumoured diversion of the TSA funds to bankroll elections in Bayelsa and Kogi.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Segun Adeyemi, in Abuja on Monday,described the allegation as a contrived distraction.




Mohammed said if those behind the accusation had allowed themselves some measure of honesty, they would have realised that there had not and there would be no such impunity under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Siege on Dasuki’s home: AGF‎ yet to assume office, SGF tells Court...

ABUJA -‎The Solicitor-General of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Taiwo Abidogun, yesterday, told the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court that the new Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, is yet to assume office.
‎
‎Consequently, the SGF, yesterday, persuaded Justice Ademola Adeniyi to extend the summon he issued for the AGF to appear in court to ‎explain why the former ‎National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), has remained under house arrest despite a valid court order, till next week Monday.

Malami, SAN, was among the 36 Ministers that were inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari last week Wednesday.
Justice Adeniyi had in a ruling on Friday, held that he must appear in court to explain ‎why ‎an order the court made on November 3, which permitted Dasuki to travel abroad for medical treatment, was violated at the behest of the federal government.
‎The court summon followed ‎complaint by Dasuki’s lawyers, led by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, that armed operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, had since November 4, barred their client from stepping out of his house.

Governors to Buhari: We must diversify economy............

ABUJA—AGAINST the backdrop of the present dwindling international price of oil, the 36 state governors, yesterday, told President Muhammadu Buhari that if Nigeria must be one of the top economies of the world, there was the urgent need for the diversification of the economy.

CROSS SECTION GOVERNORS AT THE INAUGURATION OF INAUGURATION OF NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON MONDAY

The governors, who operate under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, said that diversification would help boost the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, base of the country.
Speaking in Abuja at the beginning of a two-day Internally Generated Revenue workshop organised by the NGF, Chairman of the forum and governor of Zamfara State,  Abdul’aziz Yari, who noted that  the solution to the declining fiscal revenue facing most states lies in the diversification of the economy,  said: “Economic diversification is vital to ensuring the long-term economic growth we seek. We must ensure that we are competitive in the way we diversify our economy, and ensure that the private sector plays a stronger role going forward. This event should guide our states to share practical and effective experiences for boosting revenue generation and also provide strategies to kick-start the process.”

Saraki Runs To Emir To Help Beg President Buhari......

Things are not easy anymore, in fact Bukola Saraki is beginning to see that his decision to go against the APC to emerge as Senate President with a PDP man as deputy senate president in an APC government is one act of desperation that will cost him a lot.

Nigeria's Ministry Of Health Accuses Okonjo-Iweala Of Making Questionable Payment To Global Health NGO..

Officials of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) are questioning how former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala handled payment of the sum of $2.2 million that was the subject of a dispute between the Health Ministry and a global non-governmental organization called the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI).  Former Nigerian Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

A letter written by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health wondered why Ms. Okonjo-Iweala’s Ministry of Finance rushed to pay the disputed sum to GAVI, a health NGO that had claimed that Nigeria’s health officials had misappropriated the funds between 2011 and 2013. 

Buhari: Jonathan Conceded Election ‘Reluctantly’ | TheCable...........

President Muhammadu Buhari says Goodluck Jonathan, his predecessor, conceded the 2015 presidential election to him only “reluctantly”. Buhari and Jonathan During Buhari's Presidential Inauguration Sahara Reporters Media

He also reiterated his determination to trace and arrest all the people in government who have been involved in crude oil theft.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja during a television programme, ‘Good Morning Nigeria’, the president revealed that the theft continued up till July 10, and monies meant for the country were diverted to foreign accounts.
Answering a question on his trip to the United States and the willingness of the US to sell weapons to Nigeria, he said: “Americans are willing to help us, they understand our problems, they sympathize with us. This I think you ought to know from the time the secretary of state came here before the elections.

Former Petroleum Minister Diezani Playing The Sick Card...........

As information continues to emerge of the billions of dollars of public funds that Nigeria’s former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, stole with the help of cohorts she handpicked, the embattled former minister is apparently playing the sick card in the United Kingdom where she has spent most of her time since ex-President Goodluck Jonathan lost his reelection bid. 
 
In recent days, several online media have reported that Ms. Alison-Madueke was critically sick in a London hospital. However, two sources in the UK who are quite conversant with the former minister’s physical condition told SaharaReporters today that her condition had not deteriorated, contrary to media reports.
One of the sources went as far as suggesting that the ex-Petroleum Minister might be orchestrating the reports about her grave ill health as a strategy to attract public sympathy as well as official leniency from President Muhammadu Buhari who has received extensive intelligence from US authorities detailing the extent of Ms. Alison-Madueke’s looting of petro-dollars under the watch of Mr. Jonathan.

Saraki to senators: it’s time to face legislative duties.............

46 PDP, 35 APC members pass confidence vote in Saraki, Ekweremadu
The Senate yesterday began its plenary on a dramatic note, with 81 senators passing a vote of confidence in Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu.
The vote of confidence on the leadership was unanimously adopted by senators.
The much-anticipated showdown on the floor of the upper chamber failed to come to pass.
The motion for the vote of confidence was sponsored by Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) and 80 others.
 
Of the 81 senators, 35 are All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers; 46 other supporters of the motion are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Anyanwu noted “with dismay the continued harassment of the Senate and senators, the National Assembly management and spouses of senators by security agencies of government.”
He said Senate was determined to continue to perform its constitutional duties and responsibilities without fear or favour.

US gave Buhari names of oil thieves –Source............

The United States of America has handed over the names of Nigerian oil thieves to President Muhammadu Buhari, a member of the President’s entourage during last week’s visit to the US confided in The PUNCH on Tuesday.

“I can tell you that the President already has the list of names of the people engaging in the stealing of Nigeria’s oil. The list, when released by the President, will shock Nigerians. But let’s wait and see first,” the source said.

 

The source said Buhari was taken aback when he saw the names on the list and that the list given to the President by the US might compel him to probe the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

ADVERTISEMENT

A Presidency source also confirmed that Buhari had such a list but that “the President has been keeping the list to himself.”

Gbajabiamila is House Leader................

•Dogara bows to Buhari, APC
Party supremacy advocates yesterday carried the day, with Femi Gbajabiamila becoming the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.
The sharing of offices in the House had be contentious. It all ended peacefully as Speaker Yakubu Dogara announced Gbajabiamila the Majority Leader – in deference to President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress(APC).
 
Dogara, by accepting the party’s list, opted for peace than a prolonged crisis in the House.
But, instead of riding his colleagues roughshod, Dogara allowed the caucuses of the APC to have input in the choice of principal officers.

EFCC grills Saraki’s wife for six hours.............

WIFE of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s office in Abuja on Tuesday with a plethora of supporters who are lawmakers.

Mrs. Saraki was invited alongside Zainab Dankingari, the wife of a former governor of Kebbi State and daughter of the late president, Umaru Yar’Adua.

Mrs. Saraki arrived at the EFCC office by 12:36 pm and was taken into the Economic Governance Unit of the commission for interrogation and left the commission’s Idiagbon House headquarters, at Wuse 2, Abuja by 6.15pm.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Mrs. Saraki was accompanied to the EFCC headquarters by some senators, over 20 members of the House of Representatives and members of the Kwara State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad.

Tompolo’s meeting: Police block venue...............

•Ijaw youths kick

A team of armed policemen yesterday blocked the entrance to Izon Wari (Ijaw House), Yenagoa, venue of the cancelled meeting on the supposed resurrection of the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).
The meeting was summoned for yesterday by former militant commander, Government Ekpemupolo otherwise called Tompolo, but was called off on Friday on the advice of Governor Seriake Dickson and  largely on the strength of opposition by prominent former militants and a faction of MEND who alleged a sinister plot by the meeting’s convener.
 
Ex-militants like  Victor Ben Ebikabowei, popularly known as Boyloaf, Africa, Pastor Reuben, Shoot-at-Sight, Ogunboss, Ateke Tom, Farrah and many other former ‘generals’, and ‘commanders’ as well as spokesman for MEND, Jomo Gbomo, had vowed to have nothing to do with  Tompolo or  his meeting.
The governor, however, proposed an alternative forum for the ex-militant leaders at a later date.
He promised to meet with them personally to discuss issues affecting them and other matters of overall strategic interest of the region and the country.

Senate crisis: NASS Clerk faces trial as Police establish forgery.....

*File sent to Ministry of Justice
*Buhari angry over how Clerk gate crashed into Ramadan dinner
*Ekweremadu’s fate unknown
The Police appear to have established a case of forgery of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 which paved the way for the June 9, 2015 emergence of Dr. Bukola Saraki as Senate President and Chief Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.
 
There were indications yesterday that the police might charge the  Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa to  court  for the alleged forgery of the Standing Orders.
Maikasuwa may be arraigned with some staff of the National Assembly suspected of having played one role or the other in the drafting of the rules.
But the fate of Ekweremadu who was one of those quizzed by the Police in the course of their investigation into the matter was unknown last night.
Police sources declined to discuss his fate.

Explosion kills eight in Jos...........

A chlorine cylinder belonging to the Plateau State government exploded yesterday at the Lamingo water dam in Jos, leaving eight people dead.
The victims had inhaled the poisonous gas emitted by the explosion.
Chlorine is used in treating water for human consumption.

Over a hundred other people who inhaled the gas however escaped death but were rushed to OLA Hospital, Evangel Hospital  (Jankwano), Plateau Specialist Hospital and Air Force Hospital for treatment.
The Director of press and public affairs to Governor Simeon Lalong, Samuel Nanle confirmed the incident.

Police confirm Senate forgery..........

The Nigeria Police have concluded their probe into the forgery of the Senate Standing Order and given a copy of the report to President Muhammadu Buhari, SUNDAY PUNCH can authoritatively report.

The President received a copy of the report last week, a highly reliable source in the presidency told one of our correspondents on Saturday.

Buhari and Gbajabiamila meet again.....

A member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday met briefly with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

It will be recalled that Gbajabiamila is at the centre of the leadership crisis rocking the House. He was the preferred choice of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress for the position of the Speaker ahead of the election of the leaders of the 8th National Assembly.

 

Yakubu Dogara, however emerged the Speaker after he defied the party’s leadership to contest the election against Gbajabiamila.

Fear of Buhari: Govs rush to declare assets......

Overwhelmed by the new anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, the 36 state governors have rushed to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to declare their asset.                                                                                                                                           The bureau has, however, started investigation of the claims in the assets declaration forms of the governors.

Buhari to split NNPC into two …Plans fresh bid round for oil blocks....

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally revealed what will be the fate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, saying the national oil company will be divided into two successor entities under his administration.

The President, who stated this in an interview with journalists in Washington DC during a four-day visit to the United States, an extract of which was made available to Saturday PUNCH, explained that the decision would form one of the key steps of his reform of the country’s oil and gas sector.

 

The NNPC is considered a cesspool of corruption and fraud signposted by the non-remission of revenues from oil sale to the Federation Account. Hence, one of the first reform moves by All Progressives Congress –led administration is expected to start at the NNPC.

ADVERTISEMENT

There had been insinuations that Buhari would unbundle the NNPC into four companies but the President, in the Washington interview, said rather than breaking the NNPC into four companies, it would be divided into two – regulator and investment vehicle.

Governors, judges, ministers, others to earn more than Buhari, Osinbajo..

•Perm Sec, Special Adviser , Speech Writers too
MONTHLY PAY
•President ( N585, 784.10)
•Vice President; (N505,262.08)
•Senate President (N724,570.72)
•Deputy Senate President (N673,507.00)
•Senator (N1,063,860)
•Speaker (N412,851.66)
•Deputy Speaker (N381, 172.40)
• Representatives (N794, 086.83)
•  Governor (N648,580.62);
• Deputy Governor (N616,062.69)
• Minister/SGF/ HOS (N650,136.65)
With a 50 per cent cut in their pay, the President and Vice-President are to earn less than the Chief Justice of Nigeria, ministers, High Court judges and others.
 
According to a document obtained from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the President and the Vice President are now ranked as 15th and 17th in Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders.
This is the first time that the President and Vice President will slump in the pay ranking.
The President has said that he will not force other office holders to cut their salaries.
The monthly pay is as follows: President ( N585, 784.10); Vice President; (N505.262.08); Senate President(N724,570.72);  Deputy Senate President (N673,507.00);  Senator (N1,063,860); Speaker, House of Representatives (N412,851.66); Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives (N381, 172.40) and member, House of Representatives (N794, 086.83).

Abuja court grants Lamido bail on self-recognition.............

•Sons, aide admitted to N25m bail with two sureties
After about three days in prison custody, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha – and one of their aides, Aminu Wada Abubakar, were granted bail yesterday by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a ruling on their bail applications, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted bail to Lamido on self recognition in view of his status as an ex-governor.
 
The judge admitted Aminu, Muspaha and Abubakar to bail, but at N25 million and two sureties each.
Justice Kolawole said one of the sureties must be a Level 16 civil servant in either a federal or state establishment. The other, the judge said, must be an entrepreneur, who must own a property worth N75 million located in Abuja, Kano or Jigawa.

Jonathan kicks as Buhari plans $2.1b oil cash probe.............

Ex-President seeks protection
HOLIDAYING former President Goodluck Jonathan has dashed into Abuja to launch a protest, The Nation has learnt.
Dr Jonathan is disturbed by the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari to probe how $2.1billion was illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), sources said yesterday, pleading not to be named “because of the sensitivity of the matter”.

Jonathan is said to be planning a protest to the Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami National Peace Committee for 2015 General Elections that:
•the Buhari administration is trying to blackmail him and his erstwhile cabinet members;
•he is not pleased with the corruption tar being put on his administration; and that
•he is worried by the likely probe of the whereabouts of the $4billion taxes and dividends paid by the Nigerian Liquified Natural gas Ltd between 2009 and 2014.

Nigerians set agenda for Service chiefs.................

•Falana, Alli, others: loyalty must
be to State, not individual
Senior lawyers and security experts yesterday warned the new Service chiefs against partisanship. They said the commanders’ loyalty should be to the country and not to the President, or the ruling party.
Lagos lawyer Femi Falana, Mallam Yusuf Ali (both senior advocates) and Dr. Chima Nnaji bared their minds on the appointments of military commanders by President Muhammadu Buhari.
 
They all urged the Service chiefs to bring their experiences to bear and inject fresh ideas into the war against terror and urged them to strengthen the armed forces as a professional institution.
Falana recounted how the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col Dasuki Sambo (rtd), usurped the functions of the former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Aliyu (rtd), a development the lawyer noted, brewed disaffected in the system.

Osinbajo intervenes in Rivers crisis..................

•VP demands court orders, rulings at meeting with stakeholders
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has intervened in the crisis arising from court orders and rulings over legality of the Rivers State local government councils to ensure peace, it was learnt yesterday evening in Port Harcourt.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, who craved anonymity, said the vice president demanded copies of the courts’ orders and rulings to properly study them and decide on the way forward.
Prof. Osinbajo, as at press time last night, was meeting with the state stakeholders in Abuja on the face-off, making it difficult to get the outcome of the closed-door meeting.

ICPC grills Orubebe for alleged N605m fraud...............

Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godsday Orubebe has been quizzed in connection with the ongoing investigation of an alleged N605million fraud.
The cash was withdrawn from the Constituency Project account of the ministry by five officials without authorisation while Orubebe was in charge.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed charges against the five. They are: Yusuf Agabi (Director of Finance and Account), Akpore Okeroghene (Deputy Director of Finance), Abibu Ayinla (Director of Finance), Idowu Adewale (Deputy Director, Accounts) and Ngozi James (Deputy Director, Accounts).
 
According to the Chief Legal Officer of the ICPC, Paul Ahmed, the suspects “fraudulently withdrew N605 million from the Constituency Project account of the ministry without authorisation” between July 2013 and October 2014.
They were alleged to have made fictitious claims through payment vouchers to cover up the alleged fraud.
Although Justice Husseini Baba of the FCT High Court fixed September 16 for the arraignment of the suspects, the ICPC intensified its investigation by inviting Orubebe.

Tinubu: no rift with Buhari..................

Purveyors of a rift between the President and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu were told last night to stop their speculations.
Tinubu said there was no truth in the speculations of a rift between them, adding that they understand each other.
 
Tinubu spoke with State House correspondents after joining representatives of the 13 parties that collaborated with the APC in the general elections to break the Muslim fast with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the APC cannot perform magic and clean up the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) 16 years’ mess in 30 days.

We’ll name principal officers on July 21 –Dogara.................

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, said on Tuesday that the leadership tussle in the All Progressives Congress caucus of the House was almost over.

Dogara, who spoke while addressing some APC youths, under the aegis of the APC Youth Mobilisers and Professionals, who visited the National Assembly, said he would announce the principal officers of the House on July 21.

 

“We will announce the remaining four principal officers by the time we reconvene on July 21.We pray that this matter has come to an end by the grace of God,” the Speaker told the APC youths.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said there had been a series of meetings to resolve the crisis in the party and that there were positive signs that the crisis was nearing its end.

Lack of funds halts recruitment into police...................

The management of the Nigeria Police Force has stopped recruitment into the force as a result of paucity of funds, The PUNCH learnt on Tuesday.

The last recruitment into the police was in 2011.

Our correspondent learnt that poor budgetary allocations had been hindering the Force from adding to its current 400,000 policemen and policewomen.

 

In 2014, the NPF had a total budget allocation of N292.35bn, though the amount that was released could not be ascertained as of the time of this report.

The police proposed N329,669,237,019 in the 2015 budget, comprising N306,773,439,285 for personnel and N5,895,797,734 for overheads.

Saraki’s tweet on service chiefs stirs controversy................

A controversial message posted on the Twitter handle of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Monday night, sparked a serious controversy which forced his media team to make clarifications that further provoked critical reactions from Nigerians, on Tuesday.

Saraki, in his tweet, said that President Muhammadu Buhari did not require the approval of the Senate to nominate the country’s service chiefs.

 

He specifically said it was not the business of the Senate to approve the appointment of service chiefs.

Saraki was reacting to the President’s statement on Monday that the newly-appointed service chiefs would function in acting capacity pending the Senate’s approval.

Salary cut not enough, PDP tells Buhari..................

The Peoples Democratic Party has told President Muhamamdu Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, that cutting their salaries is not the only thing Nigerians are expecting from them.

Rather, the party said the President and his party, the All Progressives Congress, must strive to fulfil their campaign promises.

Moreover, the party described salaries as mere drop in the ocean of personal allowances and privileges that come to the President and the Vice-President.

The main opposition party, which had been ruling Nigerian since 1999 until it was defeated during the last general elections, also said that the rejection of official cars by the President would not be enough to convince Nigerians.

DSS grills NNPC director 11 times over swap deals....

A director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has said that operatives of the Department of State Services have interrogated him 11 different times since May over crude oil swap deals with traders.

“The DSS has been harassing some of us,” the Group Executive Director, Refining and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Mr. Ian Udoh, was quoted as telling Reuters.

The investigation by the DSS and anti-graft agencies involves crude oil swap deals and offshore processing agreements in which the corporation gives certain volume of crude oil to traders in exchange for refined products.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Instead of ensuring that crude oil was made available to the nation’s four refineries for domestic consumption, the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in conjunction with the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, increased the crude oil swaps and OPAs from 270,000 barrels per day to 445,000 bpd, thus starving the refineries of crude oil.

Bomb Blast Kills 20 In Zaria...............

The reign of terror by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect continued Tuesday with a deadly bomb blast killing at least 20 people in the Sabon  Gari area of Zaria town, Kaduna state.
The governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, confirmed the casualty figure via his Twitter handle.

The attack came hours after a suicide bomb attack at a Mosque in Kano on Monday.

After Rejecting Jonathan, Nigerians Deserve Boko Haram Bombings – Fani-Kayode......

“Whatever each of us may or may not believe, one thing is clear- that Boko Haram now have powerful friends and secret allies right at the epicenter of power and those friends and allies are running the affairs of the country,” he said. 

A former Minister of Aviation, and spokesperson of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organization, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that Nigerians asked for the recent upsurge in Boko Haram attacks by refusing to renew Mr. Jonathan’s mandate, instead voting in Muhammadu Buhari as president.
Mr. Fani-Kayode said Mr. Buhari had always been sympathetic to Boko Haram.
“Anyone that honestly believed that a man who secretly shares the same vision and core principles of Boko Haram and who spent many years defending them can do anything but give them a free hand when he comes to power is living in cuckoo land,” he said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Man apprehended with fake €1.25m at Lagos airport..............

The Murtala Muhammed Airport Police Command in Lagos has arrested a 45-year old man, Mr. Lawrence Agbe, for allegedly being in possession of €1.25m (about N274m), suspected to be fake currencies.

     It was learnt that Agbe was on his way to Abuja before he was apprehended by the police.

 

The Commissioner of Police for the command, Mr. Fredrick Lakanu, on Monday explained that Agbe was arrested while boarding a flight at the international wing of the MMA in Lagos en-route to Abuja.

   Lakanu further explained that in the course of police investigations, a search warrant was executed by a team of detectives from the Domestic Airport Police Division to search the suspect’s printing press in Agege, Lagos, where over 2,000 police statement forms were recovered.

Court orders Nnamani to forfeit assets to Fed Govt.................

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered the forfeiture of multi-billion naira assets allegedly belonging to a former Enugu State Governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, to the Federal Government.
Among the forfeited assets are undeveloped properties and transmission equipment  of Rainbownet Limited; property of Hill Gate Investment Limited/Cuena Phones Limited; assets of Cosmo 105.5FM, and 22 duplexes at Ebeano Estate (now Fidelity Estate).
 
Others are Rainbownet’s shares in Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, with a combined account balance of N4.6 million; as well as money in its bank accounts worth about N34.8 million.
The balances are in different accounts with GTBank (N313,700); Sterling Bank (N986,958); Ecobank (N24.5 million); First City Monument Bank (N3.8 million) and Zenith Bank (N761,156).

Presidency: no hand in Ekweremadu’s invitation by police................

THE Presidency has denied involvement in the invitation of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu by the police for alleged forgery of the Senate rules.
Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina, who said this yesterday on Kakaaki, a breakfast programme on Africa Independent Television (AIT), affirmed that Buhari would not subvert the rules of the National Assembly.
 
He said: “You do not know this president. This president will not orchestrate anything. Nothing that will be unconstitutional and nothing that will amount to underhand deal.
“Straightforward, plain and decent. Maybe that was what he expected everybody to do. He didn’t think anybody was going to subvert the process. That is why the National Assembly is where it is. But no orchestration.

Bailout funds not from $2.1 billion in ECA, say Presidency, AGF....

The Accountant-General of the Federation Alhaji Ahmed Idris, yesterday said the bailout funds for states are not coming from the $2.1 billion in the Excess Crude Account.
He said the cash was sourced from the accrued Company Income Tax (CIT) realised from the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
 
He said the funds in Excess Crude Account were intact and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was yet to touch it.
The AGF made the clarification in a statement through Kenechukwu N. Offie, the Head of Press in his Office.

APC should respect Buhari’s view on Saraki —Melaye..............

The senator representing Kogi-West senatorial district, Dino Melaye, has urged the All Progressives Congress to respect the view of President Muahammdu Buhari on the emergence of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

 

While reacting to the controversial emergence of Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, shortly after they were elected, Buhari had said he did not have any preferred candidates for the principal posts but added that he would have preferred that the choices of the party emerged.

The choices of the APC for Senate presidency and speakership were Senator Ahmed Lawan and Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, respectively.