De - Bliss

National Assembly to Amend Constitution Item by Item

2017-07-16T02:57:00.000-07:00

Adopts separation of office of AGF from minister of justice Agrees president, governors must attach portfolios to names of cabinet nominees Shola Oyeyipo in Lagos and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja Ahead of the proposed amendment of the 1999 constitution, the Senate, the House of Representatives and all the 36 state Houses of Assemblies, at the weekend in Lagos, adopted what was described as “incremental approach” to the amendment exercise by taking the contentious issues in their respective bits and dealing with them differently from time-to-time to prevent the entire amendment from being thrown out altogether. To this end, all the state and national legislatures, at a three-day retreat in Lagos, concluded work on 23 distinct bills, which deal with some of the critical and pressing issues to be presented to the National Assembly for consideration during the amendment exercise. Deputy Senate President and chairman of the committee, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who spoke at the end of the retreat held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, said the decision to separate the bills was borne out of the need to prevent the entire amendment from being thrown out altogether. “We believe we have done sufficient work. This is an incremental approach that we have adopted in the amendment of the constitution. So, what we are saying therefore is that after we have finished with this, if we still have more time before election issues come up otherwise maybe the next assembly will decide what to do,” he said, while addressing journalists. According to him, “We have broken all the issues into specific bills. We have looked at about 23 separate bills with separate issues. The idea is to ensure that by the time we vote, each of them succeed or fail on its own. And we conclude the work and send it to the house to approve and we will return it to the National Assembly; then we will collate and ensure that the provisions of the constitution have been fulfilled regarding the alteration and we will send it to the president for his assent. And the president will decide which one to assent or not to assent. “The implication therefore is that if he assents some, then those ones become another part of the constitution. And the one he refuses to assent, then we might decide whether to veto it. So, we want each of them to have a separate life on its own. And this is based on our own experience in the last exercise, where everything was in one single bill and when the president withheld his assent, all of them collapsed. This is just an improvement on what we did last time. It is something we innovated based on our experience in the last exercise,” he said. Among other things, he said the committee had looked at “some specific issues like the time timeframe within which a governor or president will be able to assent to a bill. If you look at our constitution, I think Section 58, if you pass a bill, you need to send it to the president for his assent and he has to assent it within 30 days. But the law did not state what will happen if after 30 days he fails to assent to it. So, we have introduced a time frame based on the provisions of the American Constitution. “In the American constitution, if you send a bill to the president and he didn’t sign it within 14 days, it automatically becomes law because we believe that within 14 days, the president would have made up his mind to assent or not. Now, we have also increased the threshold to 30 days. So, if the president refuses to sign or withholds his assent within 30 days and has not made return to the National Assembly; that is if he keeps the bill; he refuses to sign it or brings it back after 30 days, it becomes automatic law. “The other issue is the timeframe within which the president can authorise expenditure from the revenue fund of the federation or state as the case may be in the case of governors where they have to pass appropriation bills. “The argument is that the constitution as it is today, if budget had not been passed, the president or governor can authorise expenditure up to six months into the year. We feel that is too long because the problem there is that that is why the executive will not bring the budget on time, because they believe that the previous budget was not quickly dispensed with. “And so, the National Assembly take their own time, now there will be the grace of up to three months because you cannot operate the previous budget beyond three months of the year. With that the executive will now be compelled to bring the budget beyond three months into the year and the National Assembly will now be compelled to pass the budget not beyond the three months into the year. “We also tried to withdraw some powers from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. You know we have been talking about the restructuring of Nigeria. One of the components of restructuring is that they are saying that there is too much power in the hands of the federal government and we need to strip some of them from the federal government, so what we have done is to look at the nitty-gritty, issue where some of the items which they actually need will be removed from the exclusive list to the concurrent list where the federal and the states can make laws regarding some of those items. “So, things like railways will have to be moved to the concurrent list. The idea is that states can build railways within their states and then a couple of states can then decide to build railways across their states. The federal government can also be building railways across the country and make policy around it. That is why we moved it to the concurrent list so that both the state and federal government can make law to guide it. “On the issue of labour, there was an argument that each state should be able to decide their minimum wage, that there should be minimum wage for both the public sector and private sector, that is to say, if it is N5000 don’t pay any person less than N5000 because they can be increased. That is to say if Lagos has more money they can pay beyond the minimum wage. All those who don’t have money cannot pay below the minimum wage, no matter how poor they are. So, in that way, we have a minimum standard for workers in Nigeria. “We also looked at the removal of the Joint local government-state account. The challenge there has been how do you take care of the issues of teacher salaries, because it is from that joint local government-state account that primary school teachers’ salaries are paid. So, we wanted to be sure that if we remove the joint local government-state account, we will not jeopardise the payment of teachers’ salaries. “So, that is a very contentious issue, so we said we have to do further consultation with the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and other stakeholders before we can take a decision on that to be sure that we don’t create more problems when we are trying to solve an existing problem. So, that is not part of what we are going to present to the National Assembly when we get back,” he added. Ekweremadu, however, commended the efforts of his colleagues and hoped that the bills see the light of the day before electioneering resumes. “What we plan to do is that over the next one week, we should have this laid before the National Assembly and then before we go for our holidays on July 27 at the National Assembly, hopefully, we will vote on it and we will send it to the state assemblies and we are going to meet with the leadership of the state assemblies so that we can agree on when we will be able to vote on each of the items and give us their own reports. “The idea is that we want to ensure that we finish the process of this constitution amendment before the end of 2017 so that it would not be bugled down by election issues once we get to 2018, so, everything being equal, before the end of 2017, we would have finished with what we have done so that people can focus on elections. “Let me say that all that we have said here are all going to be recommendations to the National assembly. So, nothing is final. So, we are going to still debate them at the National Assembly and then we will vote on each of the items. So, unless any of them scales through the threshold required by the constitution, we are going to vote and ensure that each of them gets at least two-third votes of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives. “It is the items that scale through that requirement that will be sent to the state Houses of Assemblies and in the Houses of Assemblies, we are going to get a simple majority in two-thirds of the states. So, each of the items will still have to go through such success in at least 24 states before it emerges as addition to the constitution.” The joint retreat of the nation’s lawmakers at all levels also approved as suggestion for amendment, the separation of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) from that of the office of the minister of Justice. This, in the view of the lawmakers, was to deepen the country’s democracy by insulating the chief law officer of the federation from politics. In the same vein, the lawmakers agreed on a provision that would see future presidents and governors in the country attach portfolios to the names of their nominees for appointment either as ministers or commissioners before sending same to the legislature for confirmation. South, Middle-Belt leaders Restate Call for New Fiscal Formula, Restructuring Meanwhile, leaders of thought from Southern and Middle Belt parts of Nigeria have once again called for the restructuring of the country and complete overhaul of the current constitution. Rising from a consultative summit saturday in Abuja, the group in a communique read by Afenifere Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, however expressed support for Nigeria as “one nation under God.” The concerned leaders stressed that a new fiscal formula that could move the nation from the current dependence on oil and gas revenue to a fully diversified economy was the right option. This, they said, would encourage the federating units to develop their abundant natural human resources for regional and national development with states and local governments remitting their revenue to the federation account. The leaders restated their calls for restructuring of the nation in line with the recommendation of the 2014 National Conference and called on the Federal Government to place its recommendations before the National Assembly. The summit also demanded devolution of powers and functions to the federations units so that each unit can effectively serve the development interests of the people. Part of the communique read: “As a logical derivative, we must work out a new fiscal formula that will move Nigeria away from the current over-dependence on oil and gas revenue to a diversified economy where all federating units are encouraged to develop their abundant natural human resources for regional and national development. “The federating units shall remit agreed percentage of their revenue to the federation account.” It drew the attention of the Federal Government to the fact that Nigeria is a secular state, in which the governments cannot adopt any religion as a state religion. “Therefore, we ask the Federal Government to immediately review the discriminatory appointments into key offices of government and the public service and comply with section 14 of the 1999 Constitution,” the group stated. In addition, the regional leaders said the recent plans to adopt a combined syllabus of religious and moral education should be immediately stopped, and a return to status quo be maintained so as to ensure the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge and Islamic Religious Knowledge separately. They urged the federal government to immediately disarm all herdsmen in the country and bring an end to the terror being unleashed by the nomads. “State governments are also called upon to outlaw open grazing in favour of organised ranching,” the group said just as it condemned the Arewa youth quit order to the Igbo living in the North. Those who attended the summit include: Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Prof. Banji Akintoye, Chief Albert Horsefall, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, Chief Guy Ikoku, former Kogi State governor, Idris Wada, Mr. Basil Paul, Bala Kakaya, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Information Minister, Labaran Maku, and Senator Patie Henshaw, among others. Source: ThisDayLive

US Moves to Seize 200ft Yacht, Other Luxury Properties from Kola Aluko, Others

2017-07-16T02:49:00.000-07:00

Alison-Madueke to Kola Aluko: “If you want to hire a yacht, you lease it for two weeks or whatever… You don’t go and sink funds into it at this time when Nigerian oil and gas sector is under all kinds of watch.” – Intercepted recording of an apparent phone conversation between former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and oil trader, Kola Aluko Demola Ojo with agency reports US prosecutors on Friday moved to seize $144m in assets including a 200-foot yacht and a Manhattan condominium one block from Central Park, calling them the fruits of an international bribery scheme that involved the former Nigerian Oil Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. The justice department action targeted Nigeria’s oil man, Mr Kola Aluko’s vessel, Galactica Star, which its builder bills as the “world’s largest fast displacement yacht”, along with condominium units in Manhattan and real estate in Southern California located just three miles from the Pacific Ocean. From 2011 to 2015, two Nigerian oil men, Kolawole Aluko and Olajide Omokore, alledgedly conspired with others to bribe the country’s minister for petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, in order to win oil production contracts worth $1.5bn, according to a civil forfeiture complaint. At the time, along with controlling the country’s state-owned oil company, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, also headed the Vienna-based oil cartel, OPEC. Nigeria’s federal high court earlier this year charged her with money laundering and she has previously denied any wrongdoing. After awarding government contracts to shell companies owned by the two men, Mrs. Alison-Madueke — known as “the madam” or “Madam D” — was rewarded with a “lavish lifestyle”, according to the US Department of Justice. Alison-Madueke has since denied any wrong-doing in her relationship with Kola Aluko and Jide Omokore. A civil forfeiture complaint is merely an allegation that money or property was involved in or represents the proceeds of a crime. These allegations are not proven until a court awards judgment in favour of the US. “The United States is not a safe haven for the proceeds of corruption,” said acting assistant attorney-general Kenneth Blanco. “If illicit funds are within the reach of the United States, we will seek to forfeit them and to return them to the victims from whom they were stolen.” Though known as “a small time trader” who had previously earned around $500,000 annually, in less than three years, Mr. Aluko purchased more than $87m of US property and the $82m yacht, according to the complaint, filed in US district court in Houston. According to the complaint, in a conversation with Mr Aluko that prosecutors say Mrs. Alison-Madueke recorded, she criticised him for his lavish spending. “If you want to hire a yacht, you lease it for two weeks or whatever,” she said. “You don’t go and sink funds into it at this time when Nigerian oil and gas sector is under all kinds of watch.” The two businessmen allegedly purchased millions of dollars worth of property in and near London for the oil minister and her family and then furnished the homes with furniture, artwork and other luxury items from Houston-area stores that she fancied. In January 2011, the Nigerian businessmen and unidentified co-conspirators bought a Buckinghamshire home known as “The Falls” for £3.25m. Two months later, as Mr Aluko was meeting with Nigerian oil officials to discuss a contract, he arranged to buy two properties near London’s Regent’s Parks: a £1.7m home at 39 Chester Close and 58 Harley House on the Marylebone Road for £2.8m. The first property, upgraded with an elevator and new stone flooring and countertops, was intended for the use of Ms Alison-Madueke’s mother and her son, according to the complaint. The men that month also purchased a £3.7m flat at 83-86 Prince Albert Road for the oil minister. Ms Alison-Madueke appears to have favoured furniture stores in the Houston area, which she patronised on periodic visits to the US oil industry capital. On a single day in May 2012, Mr Aluko wired $461,500 from a Swiss bank account to one furniture store and spent an additional $262,091 at a second on the oil minister’s behalf, the complaint says. The case was brought as part of DoJ’s kleptocracy asset recovery initiative. Mr Aluko and Mr Omokore created two shell companies in the British Virgin Islands — Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria and Atlantic Energy Brass Development — to handle their oil contracts. Though the companies, which prosecutors say were “unqualified”, failed to fulfil the terms of their deals, they were allowed to produce and sell more than $1.5bn worth of Nigerian crude oil. The pair then created additional shell companies to launder the proceeds through the US, prosecutors said. Mr Aluko’s last known address was in Porza-Lugano, Switzerland, while Mr Omokore is described as a resident of Lagos. According to the Justice Department, the complaint announced Friday demonstrates the Department’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners around the globe to trace and recover the proceeds of corruption, no matter the source.” “Business executives who engage in bribery and illegal pay-offs in order to obtain contracts create an uneven marketplace where honest competitor companies are put at a disadvantage,” said Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Andrew W. Vale. “Along with the Department of Justice, international law enforcement partners and other US federal agencies, the FBI is committed to pursuing all those who attempt to advance their businesses through corrupt practices.” The US government also stated that Aluko, Omokore and others funded a lavish lifestyle for Alison-Madueke. According to the allegations, they purchase millions of dollars in real estate in and around London for Alison-Madueke and her family members, then renovated and furnished these homes with millions of dollars in furniture, artwork and other luxury items purchased at two Houston-area furniture stores. In return, the US government said Alison-Madueke used her influence to direct a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to award Strategic Alliance Agreements (SAAs) to two shell companies created by Aluko and Omokore: Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Ltd. and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Ltd. (the Atlantic Companies). Under the SAAs, the Atlantic Companies were required to finance the exploration and production operations of eight on-shore oil and gas blocks. In return for financing these operations, the companies expected to receive a portion of the oil and gas produced. However, according to the complaint, the Atlantic Companies provided only a fraction of the agreed upon financing or, in some instances, failed entirely to provide it. The companies also failed to meet other obligations under the SAAs, including the payment of $120 million entry fee. Nevertheless, according to the allegations, the companies were permitted to lift and sell more than $1.5 billion worth of Nigerian crude oil. The government contends the Atlantic Companies then used a series of shell companies and intermediaries to launder a portion of the total proceeds of these arrangements into and through the US. “Today’s announcement would not have been possible without the remarkable work conducted by a group of dedicated investigators, attorneys and international partners who were committed to leaving no stone unturned in this case targeting international corruption,” said Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Stephen E. Richardson. “This case demonstrates that the FBI will not tolerate American institutions and property being used to launder proceeds of foreign corruption and today’s filing is an important step towards recovering identified funds. This should serve as a warning to other corrupt foreign officials that the United States is not open for their business.”

What Senator Ndume Can Teach President Buhari and Tony Blair About Leadership - Reno

2017-07-16T02:38:00.001-07:00

Recently, I had a conversation with Mohammed Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South senatorial zone and who was recently suspended by the Senate. Because of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume’s notorious history, I must confess that my mind was a bit biased against him and so when on Sunday the 8th of July 2017, he complained that Boko Haram had upped the ante of their attacks, I was a bit irritated by him because he was one of the many All Progressives Congress politicians who had praised President Muhammadu Buhari for ‘defeating’ Boko Haram. I was outraged enough to release the following statement on facebook: In today’s paper, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume who once praised President Muhammadu Buhari for ‘defeating’ Boko Haram now says he is worried about the ‘worrisome’ dimensions of Boko Haram attacks! In fact, Ndume says he is ‘disturbed’! I am also disturbed too. My disturbance is based on this: How can people who have been ‘defeated’ now increase the tempo of their attacks to ‘worrisome’ and ‘disturbing’ levels senator? You see sir, lies have an expiry date and the lies you told against Goodluck Jonathan will continue to ‘worry’ and ‘disturb’ you! Even though I tagged Senator Ndume in the post, I never expected that he would respond, but respond he did as follows: I really thought of not responding to your comments but the fact that you remain one of the few beneficiaries of GEJ admin that still stand by him. He was an innocent weak President that most of the people around him exploited for their personal interest. Even though the response above is not completely positive, it was however not the type of response I would have expected from Ndume. I have had a number of exchanges with many an APC politician and all too often these exchanges have been filled with vitriol coming from them and so this was a ‘breath of fresh air’ (if I may be excused that play on words). And so I responded to him as follows: Mohammed Ali Ndume, what you said about Goodluck Jonathan may or may not be true, but what I said about you IS true. You praised Muhammadu Buhari for defeating Boko Haram. I can give you the date when you said it. And in today’s papers you are lamenting about Boko Haram attacks. So senator, let us stick with these facts. If I have lied, please feel free to expose me. To which the suspended senator in turn responded as follows: What you said my brother Reno is true. I praised and still praise PMB for defeating BH and my concern for the recent development is not out of place. GEJ misused the opportunity given to Nigerian minorities which I am one. This is a fact that nobody can deny. I was so disarmed by the senator’s conviviality (to me, if not to former President Jonathan) even though I disagreed with his conclusions on my former boss that I went on to say the following: Mohammed Ali Ndume, I praise you for telling the truth. I respect you for that and there is no need for us to go at each other. Obviously, Boko Haram was not defeated when President Muhammadu Buhari said it was. We pray that the deaths of your innocent constituents will end soon. Forgive me if I have wronged you. To which Senator Ndume responded thus: Reno Omokri, I respect you for standing by GEJ. So many beneficiaries have since abandoned him. I urge you to continue doing that. Because that is a rare quality of a good man. May Allah bring peace, equity, unity and good governance to our beloved country. At this point, all I could respond with was an ‘Amin’ (amen in Arabic)! I must say that my interaction with Senator Ndume so touched me and it made me go from dealing with him from a position of cynicism to developing almost a soft spot for him. a soft spot? Because most Nigerian politicians are not humble enough to admit when and where they are wrong and for the senator to do that shows a level of maturity that I find endearing. I daresay that others may also find it endearing as I did. There are many uses for politics, but to my mind, the very best use of the vocation is to turn one’s enemies into one’s friends and whatever may be said about Senator Ndume, he does have that ability. Now that we have identified one person who had this quality in the APC, I must appeal to him to teach it to President Muhammadu Buhari because the greatest threat to the continued existence of Nigeria as one united indivisible country is not Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB, rather it is the 97% versus 5% mentality of the President. Not only does that mentality prove that our President could never have passed mathematics (that is even if he truly has the certificate that we have only heard about but not seen), it only shows that the President is a ruler and not a leader. Let me explain the difference between a ruler and a leader. A ruler is a person in authority because of an office he/she holds and who maintains himself in that office by catering to the needs of his/her loyalists. A leader on the other hand is a person in authority because of his or her character traits which others find attractive and thus follow him as a result and who continues to expand his or her influence and authority by catering to the needs of everyone in his or her team or sphere of influence. President Buhari fits into the former which is why he would use a sectional language to address a national holiday. It is also the reason why he was not able to bring himself to pay a state visit to those states where he lost in the 2015 elections. Ask yourself which state President Muhammadu Buhari has visited in the South-east and South-south since he assumed office as President on May 29, 2015. The answer is nought, nil, nada, nothing, zero, zilch and zip. The same President Muhammadu Buhari who has visited multiple foreign countries has not found it within himself to even visit these opposition states! In fact, those states could be forgiven if they thought they were the ‘Dogs and Baboons’ famously referenced by the President in 2012 because since Buhari rose to power, they have been soaked in blood by Fulani herdsmen with little or nothing done for them by the same President who once complained that the fight against Boko Haram was anti-North (his words not mine). The husband talks of Dog and Baboon, the wife talks of Hyenas and Jackals. Are we sure these people still see Nigerians as human beings? I have been praying for President Muhammadu Buhari. I have asked nothing from him, neither do I need anything from the First Family. What I do want from them is to address us as human beings not as sundry wild animals that rank low on the food chain! Nigeria is facing unprecedented floods with no solution, secession threats, quit notices, hyperinflation, Naira losing value and at this critical time the First Family chooses to reference us with Animal innuendo! How did we go from ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian’ to being called Dogs, Baboons, Hyenas and Jackals? How did this happen? It is now I believe that Fela Kuti was a prophet of sorts (God can speak through anybody). Twenty-eight years ago he warned us by singing, ‘Many leaders as you see them, na different disguise them dey o, animal in human skin!’ And what a damp squib acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s visit to London to see his boss turned out to be. We were expecting some direction from that visit, some inkling of a solution to the many pressing domestic problems that this administration has inflicted on us, but the long-suffering and well-meaning acting President could only mouth at the usual platitudes to us about the president ‘recovering fast’ and is expected to ‘return soon’! Can you blame the good man? Hedged in as he is by the ‘cabal’ and their lap dogs who have been flying a kite that ‘the next in line is not always the next king’! Meaningless platitudes! If the President is indeed ‘recovering fast’ how come the acting President could not pose for pictures with his boss for the benefit of Nigerians? And how come the Presidency’s outlets released old pictures of the First Lady and Kayode Fayemi in winter wears with the President to try and fool the Nigerian public? I just came back from a two-week working visit to London and Aberdeen and the weather in the U.K. does not support the type of outfits we saw in those pictures! I pray for President Muhammadu Buhari, but do you know how many poor and sick Nigerians can be treated with the thousands of pounds it cost to keep his Presidential jet at London Stansted Airport in the U.K. daily? Today, hundreds of poor Nigerians will starve to death. They could have been rescued with a fraction of that money. Today hundreds of women will die in child birth. They could have gone to a clinic and their lives saved with a fraction of that money. Today, hundreds of infants will die of malnutrition. Only a percentage of that money could have saved them. My question to you is, who is praying for them? So in conclusion, my advice to the President is the same advice that former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave to the nation on Wednesday January 20, 2010. On that day, former President Obasanjo said: “If you take up an appointment, or a job, elected, appointed or whatever and then your health starts failing you, and you will not be able to satisfy yourself and the people you are supposed to serve, then, there is a part of honour and a part of morality and if you don’t do that, I do not need to say more than that.” What more can I add to that than to say who the cap fits, let him wear it! And let me end by saying that it is so disappointing that Tony Blair would agree to go to a Kaduna State where at least 347 Shiite men, women, children and infants were slaughtered without anyone being held liable! I know Tony Blair professes to be a Christian. How Christian is it to affirm a government in whose sphere this mass murder happened? This is not counting the killings that were ongoing in Southern Kaduna earlier this year. Apparently, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has another pupil in Mr. Blair.

Leaked Tape: Adeyemi Asks NJC, DSS, Others To Probe Melaye, Judge

2017-06-05T03:40:00.000-07:00

Immediate past senator, who represented Kogi West Senatorial District, Smart Adeyemi, has asked the National Judicial Council, NJC, and Department of State Service, DSS, to probe the judgment of Kogi State Election Tribunal, which dismissed his petition, and declared Dino Melaye as duly elected senator for the district. Speaking with journalists, yesterday, in Abuja, while reacting to a leaked telephone conversation alleged to have involved Senator Melaye and the chairperson of the tribunal, Justice Akon Ikpeme, Adeyemi also called on anti-graft agencies to wade into the matter. He said: “I, hereby, call for a thorough investigation by the appropriate authorities, that is, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, National Judicial Council, NJC; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and Department of State Service, DSS. “I hold the view that the Justice Akon Ikpeme-led panel has the burden to come out and prove their innocence to the world, especially as touching on the recent leaked telephone conversation between her and a litigant in her tribunal, in the person of Dino Melaye.” Sen. Melaye has, however, denied having any such conversation with the judge, saying his accusers were only envious of his rising profile. He said: “Sahara Reporters and awada kerikeri using voice over to malign me because my case with them comes up a in few days time (5th June 2017),” the senator had tweeted. However, Adeyemi said an expert analysis of the leaked audio tape would prove otherwise. “If my brother Dino denies the audio clip, let him look at the mirror before him, the person will appear. For two years I kept praying to God to make a show of shame of all conspirators against me at the tribunal. By the power of God, more revelations would still come,” he stated. While he conceded that the Nigerian Judiciary was still one of the best in Africa, Adeyemi said it was not impossible to have a miscarriage of justice due to human error. He said: “in the first instance, our election petition before Justice Akon Ikpeme was hurriedly struck out for no justifiable reason. Then, we proceeded to the Appeal Court to seek redress. The Appellate Court ruled that our matter should be heard and we went back to the Tribunal. ‘’We sensed a foul play in the way and manner our petition was struck out by Justice Ikpeme, so we petitioned the President of the Court of Appeal that Justice Ikpeme is perceived to be biased and that our case be assigned to another judge. ‘’Our request was granted and the case was re-assigned to Justice Diran Akintola led panel. But Ricky Tarfa SAN wrote and also filed a counter-petition and our case was taken back to Justice Ikpeme. “Though, we know that there is an end to litigation and this particular Petition has been decided one way or the other yet, the following are pertinent factual and moral records of what transpired at the Tribunal, which are now questions for Justice Ikpeme and her team to answer, in order to erase the misconception (if any) of corruption which hovers around them and to save the image and integrity of the judiciary. “The tribunal ordered a recount of the ballot papers and it was discovered that 2500 void votes were counted for Dino Melaye to be declared winner of the election. Why was no action taken on this finding? “That the Justice Ikpeme led panel accepted a sheet of paper, as report of primaries in the face of an authentic report of primaries brought and tendered during the hearing of the petition by INEC officials. “That Justice Ikpeme gave probative value to a sheet of paper as reports of primaries tendered by a youth corps member allegedly coming from INEC office Abuja without an identity card. “That the Tribunal was satisfied by records that Dino Melaye was not a product of the APC primaries election, which is against section 87 of the Electoral Act.’’ Source:

@EVERYNIGERIAN: DO YOU REALLY KNOW BUHARI?

2017-05-30T03:41:00.002-07:00

Here is a selection of statements that Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari made in public domain. They are quite unusual and paint a picture that may be seen as quite extreme but perhaps also present a Buhari who has never concealed who he is. You be the judge. On Election Rigging: Kill Them “Ku fita ku yi zabe. Ku Kasa, ku tsare, ku raka ku tsaya. Duk wanda bai yarda ba, ku halaka shi.” In English: “Firstly, you must register, come out and vote. You guard, protect, escort to the collation centre and you wait until the result is counted. Anyone who stops you, kill/destroy them! (Crowd chants wildly.)” – Video, Pre-elections 2011 [Note: Buhari locked up ex-Governor Sule Lamido for identical words] On Boko Haram: Don’t Kill Them “The appropriate thing to do, according to the law, was for the police to carry out investigations and charge him (Mohammed Yusuf) to court for prosecution, but they killed him, his in-law was killed, they went and demolished their houses. Because of that, his supporters resorted to what they are doing today. You see in the case of the Niger Delta militants, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua sent an aeroplane to bring them, he sat down with them and discussed with them, they were cajoled, and they were given money and granted amnesty. “They were trained in some skills and were given employment, but the ones (Boko Haram) in the north were being killed and their houses were being demolished. They are different issues, what brought this? It is injustice”. –theNation June 2013. On Yar’Adua When He Was Sick: Impeach Him! “Former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has declared that the only solution to present political uncertainty in the country is for the National Assembly to set machineries in motion for the impeachment of ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. The 2003 and 2007 presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) made the declaration yesterday while addressing members of the National Unity Forum (NUF) which had visited him in Kaduna.”–Ismail Omipidan, Kaduna, Sun Newspapers (Wednesday, March 10, 2010) On Democracy And Inclusivity: 5% Gets Less “Er yes, erm I hope you have a copy of the election results. Literally, constituencies for example, that gave me 97 percent cannot in all honesty be treated, on some issues, with constituencies that gave me 5 percent. I think these are political reality. While certainly there will be justice for everybody, everybody will get his constitutional rights, but where the party and constituencies that by their sheer work, they made sure that they got their people to vote and to ensure that their votes count, they must feel that the government has appreciated the effort they put in putting the government in place. I think this is really fair in delivering.”–In response to Dr. Pauline Baker at US Institute of Peace, July 2015 On FOREX For The Privileged: Those Who Can Afford It Can Afford It “If the country cannot afford it, so be it. (Your children will continue their studies, no doubt?) Those who can afford it can still afford it. Nigeria can’t allocate FOREX for all those who decide to train their children outside the country. We just can’t afford it. (So it’s tough luck) Well. That’s the situation we are in.” – AlJazeera’s Martine Dennis, March 2016 On Women: Belong in Kitchen “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.” –BBC, Oct. 2016 Buhari insists it is role of a woman to Phil Gayle of Deutsche Welle: “I am sure you have a house. You know where your kitchen is. You know where your living room is. And I believe your wife looks after all that even if she’s working.” Mr. Gayle: “that is your wife’s function?” Buhari: “Yes, to look after me”. On Massacre By Military: Would Have Been Worse If I Was Still Military Leader “It is unfortunate and extremely serious. How can any group will create a state within a state. I don’t want to speak about it in detail now. I better leave it until I receive the inquiries. But there are a number of clips I saw where some excited teenagers were virtually hitting the chest of Generals; you know, putting road blocks, banning vehicles and pelting them with missiles (Questioner: Do you feel infuriated?) Very much so, but again I realize my position. I am now a sitting duck.” – In media chat after hundreds were killed and secretly buried in Zaria incident of Dec. 2015 When Fulanis Were Reportedly Killing Locals In Oyo in 2000: My People “Your Excellency, our visit here is to discuss with you and your government our displeasure about the incident of clashes between two peoples… the Fulani cattle rearers and merchants are today being harassed, attacked and killed like in Saki. In the month of May, 2000, 68 bodies of Fulani cattle rearers were recovered and buried under the supervision and protection from a team of Mobile Police from Oyo State Command. That some arrests were made by Oyo State Police Command in the massacre with their immediate release without court trial. This was said to have been ordered by Oyo State authorities and they were so released to their amazement. The release of the arrested suspects gave the clear impression that the authorities are backing and protecting them to continue the unjust and illegal killings of Fulani cattle rearers…” According to the general, they therefore wanted immediate stoppage of the killings, justice and compensation to the Fulanis. The police and SSS however revealed that the reverse was the case. – October 2000 What is interesting to note is that these above are not a tiny selection from many talks but actually about a quote per few times Buhari has spoken publicly. If such extreme speech is so common the few times he’s been heard in public, does it imply that he always speaks this way? Only his inner circle can confirm. But it is important we know that Buhari is who he says he is and most importantly, who he acts as and not who we conjure him to be in our minds and dreams.

COUPISTS MOVE TO PLAN B, ENLIST CHIEF OF AIR STAFF, SADIQUE ABUBAKAR

2017-05-30T03:34:00.000-07:00

…Airforce chief prepares to bomb army formations With the massive expose that visited plans by Hausa-Fulani officers in the Nigerian military to violently overthrow the constitutional, democratic order in order to prevent Acting President Yomi Osinbajo from taking over full reigns of power in the event of President Mohammadu Buhari’s death, the coupists have moved to plan B. Chief of Army Staff, Yusuf Buratai, had raised alarm to the effect that some officers were conducting nocturnal meetings with politicians with a view to overthrowing the government of the day. The army later launched an investigation and claimed to have made some arrests. Pointblanknews.com had reported that the putschists had planned to arrest the Acting President and the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and accuse them of poisoning President Buhari. Tinubu recently reacted to the coup plot by stating that democrats who sacrificed so much to ensure the enthronement of democratic rule would not buy undemocratic change of government. He said Lagosians would resist such an attempt. But Pointblanknews.com has learned that the coup planners are not letting up, having moved to plan B. With the deployment of new commanding officers in the various army formations by the COAS, Yusuf Buaratai, as a strategy to neutralise the plot, the planners, who are mainly Hausa-Fulani officers bent on ensuring that the North-west geo-political zone and some parts of North-east zone retain power at all cost should President Buhari exit the stage, have enlisted the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar. Pointblanknews.com Investigations have revealed that since new officers loyal to the army chief are now in place (GOCs, Brigade commanders) reducing significantly the chances of the successful coup d’état, the planners have opted to use the airforce chief, who is a Hausa-Fulani officer and also part of the general plan. When the plot is activated, fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships recently procured for the fight against Boko Haram insurgents are to be deployed to bombard army formations opposed to the move. “The reason to be adduced by the airforce chief is that some elements had planned to overthrow the government but the airforce is intervening as part of their patriotic duty. “The chief of army staff is also a major target of the planned bombing by the air force as he is considered a major obstacle to the plot”, an impeccable military source told Pointblanknews.com. As a confirmation of this story, the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, in the last 24 hours issued a statement claiming the airforce had discovered plans by Boko Haram to bomb airforce bases across the country. In an obvious move to create a distraction, the airforce chief said: “As a matter of fact, we have had an attack on one of our airbases in the recent past, and current intelligence reports keep highlighting the possibility of attacks on our bases. “Given the importance of bases in the airpower delivery matrix, it is not inconceivable to expect our adversaries to target our bases. “All these reinforce the need to emplace a robust base defence concept that is capable of providing guidance for responding to a wide range of situations that may threaten our bases,” the CAS said in a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations (DOPRI), Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya”. Further checks showed that the plan to “emplace a robust air base defence” is actually a decoy to bombard army formations as part of the coup plot. The air force chief had last week pledged the loyalty of the airforce to the constitution in another move to divert attention and exonerate him from any complicity with coupists. Source: Pointblank

COUP SCARE: VP OSINBAJO, TINUBU TO BE ARRESTED OLIGARCHS, ARMY MAJORS FINGERED IN PLOT ARMY CHIEF, BURATAI IN THE DARK

2017-05-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sensing another scenario that would signal the loss of political power and a replay of the latePresident Musa Yar’Adua/Goodluck Jonathan scenario, elements from the core north are allegedly making undercover moves to salvage the situation should President Muhammadu Buhari die in office or resigns due to illness. Recall that late Yar’Ádua from Katsina State, where Buhari hails from in the North-west geo-political zone, died in office in 2010 after a protracted illness, automatically forcing the zone to relinquish power, following the constitutional provision and zoning arrangement adopted by the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), with the swearing in of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Pointblanknews.com checks have revealed a plot by northern oligarchs, using the military to create confusion and ensure that power is retained in the zone. It was gathered that an army major and Buhari’s kinsman (names withheld), who is a member of the presidential guard, has been given the nod by the plotters to coordinate the alleged putsch. The planned violence, security sources revealed, would be activated in the event that the president is declared incapable of continuing with the business of governance. Pointbanknews.com has also uncovered an interesting part of the plot. The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, are to be arrested and accused of being part of the plot to poison the president. The Northern Elders Forum recently declared that Osinbajo cannot replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 should anything happen to Buhari who has been abroad for a medical follow-up. Chairman of Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, said should President Muhammadu Buhari failed to seek re-election in 2019, the North must retain the presidency by fielding a candidate through the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Dr Junaid Mohammed spoke in same vein last week ” one thing I know is that, if Vice President (Yemi) Osinbajo becomes the president from whatever date to 2019, he cannot contest that position again…if we don’t have a remedy for it, it may lead to the breakup of the country. We should be very careful. It cannot be the kind of thing which happened under Yar’Adua whether you call it divine intervention or Doctrine of Necessity. This time around, the concept has to be revisited and those who have lost out twice have to be compensated. Otherwise, there may not be much of Nigeria to think or talk about and our democracy will be gone.” Pointblanknews.com further learnt that considering the fierce loyalty of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Yusuf Buratai to President Buhari, and Buhari’s sympathy and benevolence to the Kanuri stock as evidenced in his appointments from the North-east geo-political zone, Buratai and his kinsmen are being carefully avoided in the plot. Unknown to Buratai, Hausa-Fulani officers attached to his office and other strategic army formations in the country are being recruited into the plot. They are expected to neutralise any counter measures to be deployed by the army chief. Sequel to Tuesday’s statement by Buratai about a subterranean plot to sack the current administration via a coup , it was gathered that the recent redeployment in the Nigerian Army was not unconnected with the alarm. Just hours after he left Nigeria, Buratai, it was learnt, requested to see the Osinbajo. At the meeting in the presidential villa, Abuja, Buratai was said to have presented Osinbajo with intelligence that some prominent politicians were hobnobbing with Army officers and soldiers in a bid to compromise them. Osinbajo, it was gathered, thanked Buratai and said he trusted the Army Chief to put his officers and soldiers in check. Buratai responded by pledging his loyalty to the Buhari administration and hinted that he would carry out “immediate changes”, to counter any plan to topple government. Ex Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode said today ” Once he dies the northern ruling class have already decided on what to do. They will give Vice President Yemi Osinbajo an ultimatum and they will threaten him and ask him to resign. They have resolved that they will not allow power to go to the south and they will encourage their senior officers in the military to effect a coup. In doing so they are only doing what they have ALWAYS done when they feel sufficiently threatened with the loss of power. That is their way. And that is the measure of their ruthlessness and determination to hold on to power. They would rather have a core northern military dictator in power than a southern leader or President. And they are prepared to kill anyone, no matter how highly placed, who stands in their way or who attempts to oppose or stop them. The only options that exist if they are to be stopped is, firstly, if someone beats them to it by effecting a “progressive” Rawlings, Orkar or Nzeogwu-type coup of junior southern and Middle Belt officers.”

Popular Nigerian highlife singer, Tony Grey, dies

2017-04-11T03:18:00.000-07:00

Popular Nigerian highlife musician, Tony Grey is dead. According to reports, the Ozimba crooner based in Warri, Delta State, who had been ill needed money to be flown abroad for treatment a few months ago. He was said to have suffered from diabetes and prostate cancer. Although, he received a handful of donations for the treatment, the great musician who was popular in the 70s through the early 90s died on Monday. Tony Grey is an indigene of Aboh in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Lagos matron disappears after calling daughter

2017-04-11T02:54:00.001-07:00

The family of a 58-year-old matron, Mrs. Winnifred Alofoje, are afraid she may have been abducted after she went missing last Friday. Efforts to reach her on her telephone were said to have proved abortive, as the line was switched off.

Winnifred, a matron at Blue Sky Hospital, Egbeda, Lagos State, was said to have left her house in Hand of Fire City, Igando, at about 9am, for Nurse and Midwifery Council in Yaba to renew her medical licence. However, her name was said to be missing in a register for people who visited the centre for licences on that day. At about 12pm that Friday, Winnifred had reportedly called her ailing daughter on the telephone to know how she was faring. The woman’s son, Itua Alofoye, told PUNCH Metro that he was notified about her disappearance in the night when his father and sister did not hear from her. Itua said he visited the centre on Saturday, but could not verify whether she got to the place. He explained that further efforts to locate her had been futile, adding that she might have been abducted. He said, “She works with Blue Sky Hospital in Egbeda. Her medical licence expired and she went to the centre to renew it. My sister, Onor, said she spoke with her around 12.45pm on Friday. She just asked about her (Onor’s) health. Since then, her line has been switched off. “I went to the centre on Saturday, but was unable to meet with any official. I went back today (Monday; they checked the register to know whether she actually came to the centre. Her name was not in the register. “The family moved into Igando on Wednesday, but I don’t live with them. We learnt there was an accident in the Maryland area on Friday, and we were told to go to the Gbagada General Hospital. But she was not there. We also went to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. “We reported at the Igando Police Station and the police collected all her details. She has been practising as a nurse for over 30 years now. Nobody has contacted us about her whereabouts, but I have a feeling she was abducted.” The Chief Medical Director, Blue Sky Hospital, Dr Femi Olofinshawo, said the matron had gone to the centre for the licence renewal the previous week but could not obtain it due to insufficient funds. He said, “I was told on Saturday morning that she was missing and I advised her family to check some hospitals because I learnt there was an accident in Maryland. “She didn’t come to work at all. She took permission to go to renew her licence and the permission was granted. She was not supposed to spend more than five minutes at the centre because she had already filled the necessary forms the first time she went there. She was supposed to make the payment and get the licence.” The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, promised to get back to our correspondent with comments on the incident. He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report. Source: Punch

FRSC recalls sector commander, officers who cut female officials’ hair

2017-04-11T02:47:00.001-07:00

The Federal Road Safety Commission’s Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, has ordered the recall of the Rivers State Sector Commander and other officers concerned in the raving issue of cutting of some female officers’ hair. The female officers were allegedly carrying long hair in the Rivers State Sector Command, Portharcourt.

In a latest interview granted Punch online early morning on Tuesday, by Head Media Relations and Strategy of the Corps, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, this became necessary in order to properly investigate the matter. Boboye had condemned the photographs trending on the social media concerning the cutting-off of the hair of the female FRSC officials. The photos, which started trending late Monday evening, showed a man identified as the sector commander of the Rivers State Command of the FRSC, Andrew A. Kumapayi, using a pair of scissors to cut up the hair of some female officials. The incident reportedly happened during the early morning parade when Kumapayi went round to inspect his officers.

Source: Punch

WHY I BEGGED APOSTLE SULEMAN – Stephanie Otobo's Mother

2017-04-04T07:56:00.001-07:00

Premium Times’ Festus Owete and Idris Ibrahim travelled to Sapele, Delta State, to speak with the mother of Canadian-based Nigerian woman, Stephanie Otobo, who accused the pastor of the Omega Fire Ministry, Auchi, Johnson Suleman, popularly called Apostle Suleman, of having amorous relationship with her. For two days, attempts by our reporters to trace the mother, Bukky, to her home were unsuccessful. When finally located, it would take hours to convince her to speak with this newspaper. Bukky explained why she apologised to Mr. Suleman, the formative years of her daughter, the allegation her daughter had marital introduction with Mr. Suleman, and other issues. Excerpts: PT: You travelled to Auchi to attend a church service where you also apologised to Apostle Johnson Suleman. What prompted you to do that? Bukky: I did that because of my daughter, (and) because I am a mother. The way I am seeing her is not the way I brought her up. And all those her character is not giving me happiness which I want to put an end to. That is why I went to Auchi. PT: Did anybody threaten to arrest or kill you before you went there? Bukky: No, nobody threatened me. It is because I am a mother. When I saw what was going on, the day you people came to the market I said I wanted to go and meet the man of God to apologise so that we can put an end to the matter. Because I know my daughter. I did not bring her up this way and the way she is behaving is not normal. So, I said I want to go and beg the man of God to forgive her so that this matter can die off. Because I cannot continue with this (and) the way I am seeing it, I don’t want anything of such to happen again. Nobody threatened to kill me or prompted me to do so. I went there on my own to apologise to man of God. PT: I am asking because shortly after that church service, your daughter said on Instagram that you were threatened to go to Auchi. Bukky: No, I was not threatened. I am a mother. I cannot continue to see her in that manner. She has been saying all sort of things. We are not happy and that is why I went to apologise. I went there alone; nobody threatened me. PT: That implies that your daughter lied? Bukky: Yes, because what she is saying is not true. PT: How old is your daughter? Bukky: I don’t want to answer that. PT: Don’t you think your daughter is old enough to take responsibility for her actions? Bukky: What I am still saying is that they should pardon her and the matter should just go down like that. They should forgive this matter because they’ve been manipulating her because this is not her real self. She was not behaving like this before. It seems all those lawyers are manipulating her, using her to say all this rubbish and bringing all this things out. So I begged that this matter should die down now because this is not my real daughter. I believe somebody must have been manipulating her. All those lawyers (and) all those her friends are using her. This is not the way I brought her up because I brought many children up. They are not behaving like this. Somebody is brainwashing her, polluting her mind and that is what is making her to do all this things that she is doing now. PT: You are accusing a lawyer for doing that? Bukky: Yes, all those lawyers are using her to get their own names. They should leave my daughter alone. They should leave my daughter out of this matter. I am still talking about all those lawyers, they should leave my daughter alone. PT: Can you mention names? Bukky: I don’t know them but I believe that all those lawyers supporting her are using her. I am begging the government that they should leave my daughter alone. They should release my daughter from what they are doing to her. PT: Do you know the lawyer they call Festus Keyamo or any lawyer from his chamber? Bukky: I don’t know him and any lawyer from his chamber though they call me but I don’t know them. PT: When the lawyers called you, what were they telling you? Bukky: They asked me whether they came to arrest me or they forced me to say all those things when they came to my market. They also asked whether I was tortured. They came and said they want to ask me about my daughter, (but) I told them that I want to go and beg the man of God myself to die down the matter. That is what every mother will do. I don’t want to see my daughter destroyed. That is why I am saying that all those lawyers should leave my daughter and bring her out of this matter. PT: You said you were going to beg the man of God, what were you afraid of? Bukky: Well, we begged the man of God that he should forgive my daughter. You know when you call somebody a man of God, he can go to any length. So I don’t want the man of God to go to any length, to do any evil prayer because when we heard of it that time, this pastors’ association (South-South chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria) praying all their sorts of things. I cannot sit down here watching my daughter like that. That is why I said I want to go to the source to beg that man. Nobody tortured me. I went alone. I entered vehicle from Sapele to Auchi. PT: So, was it the first time you went to Auchi? Bukky: No, I have been to Auchi before. PT: She (Stephanie) said Apostle Suleman held marriage discussions in the pastor’s office. Is it true? Bukky: No, it is not true, nothing like marriage, I did not go there for marriage. No woman goes to collect dowry. That one na abomination. PT: Did she ever tell you that she was pregnant? Bukky: No, she never told me. PT: Have you made any attempt to reach her so that you discuss with her? Bukky: No. PT: When she was growing up, what kind of child was she? Bukky: She is not wayward, that is why what is happening is surprising me. Somebody is behind this matter because she was not like that before. She is a good child. She loved me and I love her. So, along the way, I don’t know what happened; that is why I said they are manipulating her, using something against her and I want every Nigerian to help me to pray, pray for her that God should deliver her. PT: Do you know what she does in Canada where she lives? Bukky: She was going to school before (and) she is a musician. PT: Does she send you money? Bukky: Before she dey send me money sometimes. PT: What do you do for a living? Bukky: I am a business woman. PT: How many children do you have? Bukky: Dem plenty, even the one I born, the one I no born, through herself I brought many of her friends up. PT: Now if this matter goes to court, are you ready to go to court to testify? Bukky: I don’t want to go to court, that is why I said they should cancel the matter. PT: Do you have any advice for mothers? Bukky: Well they should bring up their child in the way of God. PT: Do you know anybody who is against your child and who is polluting her against the man of God? Bukky: I don’t know anybody. Na the lawyer wey make her dey talk all this bad word. The lawyer should leave my daughter alone. -Premium Times

CAC Introduces 24-Hour Company Registration Process

2017-04-04T06:41:00.000-07:00

The Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Mahmud Bello, says the commission has started operating 24 hours company registration process to make startup of business easier in Nigeria. Bello said this at the CAC Customers’ Forum in Kano, organised in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC). The registrar-general made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja He said that the aim of operating the new system was to ensure that business owners in Nigeria conveniently registered their businesses online within 48 hours.

According to him, series of reforms has been implemented by the commission this year to make it quicker, cheaper and more convenient for Nigerians to start businesses. “CAC, as an agency of government involved in the startup of business, has keyed into the Federal Government’s vision to make Nigeria an easier place for businesses to start and thrive. “Our reforms are designed with the MSMEs in mind. For us, a customer is a king and must be treated with royalty,” Bello said. Bello said that manual application and registration processes would be gradually phased out in the course of the year. According to him, the manual registration phase out will start with Lagos and Kano as from April 30, where all submissions should be done online. Also, the Secretary of PEBEC, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the council was committed to providing complete support to CAC and all other MDAs to implement the reforms. According to Oduwole, the reform is to actualise the Federal Government’s mandate of making businesses work in Nigeria. The high point of the event was a demonstration session by the commission on its latest reforms such as document upload Interface which enabled e-submission of registration documents in CAC registration Portal. The demonstration also involves the integration of the FIRS e-payment solution into the portal to enable e-stamping. Accordingly, the participants were given a walk-through of the public search window and the single incorporation form.

Nigerians React For TBoss’ Sister Insinuating That Nigerians Are Racist

2017-04-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

TBoss’ younger sister, Wendy, who is the handler of her official Instagram campaign handle, thanked Nigerians for finally accepting her sister, even when they struggled to fit in here because of their skin colour and hair texture. Wendy who disclosed that they got to know what racism is when they travelled down to Romania to complete their studies, suffered a backlash from followers who accused her of insinuating that Nigerians are racists. According to her followers, if Nigerians are racists, why do girls bleach? They also accused her of using the post, to play a mind game with Nigerians.

Rivers State Government Canvasses Votes For Marvis

2017-04-04T06:30:00.001-07:00

The Rivers state government has been accused of campaigning for Marvis to win the Big Brother Naija reality TV show, through its Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Rivers state government canvasses votes for Marvis

According to reports gathered, Marvis who is a native of Onne, Rivers state is among the top 5 housemates has been perceived as a threat to winning the competition’s N25M cash prize and SUV by fellow housemate TBoss. In the letter dated 3/4/2017 and signed by Michael Ejiohuo on behalf of the Rivers state Commissioner for culture and tourism, it is expected that everyone will support Marvis Nkpornwi to win the competition and also make Rivers state proud. Here’s the letter:

South Africa’s Top Trade Union Tells Zuma To Go

2017-04-04T06:21:00.002-07:00

South Africa’s powerful trade union federation Cosatu, a key coalition partner of the ruling ANC, on Tuesday called for embattled President Jacob Zuma to resign following a deeply unpopular cabinet reshuffle. Union general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said it was time for Zuma to “step down” after his purge last week of cabinet critics, which included the removal of the respected former finance minister, Pravin Gordhan. Gordhan’s sacking contributed to a credit ratings downgrade to junk status on Monday by Standard & Poor’s as pressure on Zuma grew over his move to oust opponents within the cabinet. “We no longer believe in his leadership abilities,” Ntshalintshali said at a media briefing. “The president was careless and reckless,” he said, adding that the downgrade would “cost the country a lot”. Cosatu, along with the South African Communist Party and the ANC, was at the forefront of the effort to dislodge white-minority rule in South Africa that led to non-racial elections in 1994. It has openly backed Zuma’s deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who led Cosatu during the anti-apartheid struggle, to succeed him in 2019 when the president must stand down. “Even if it means marching into the street we will do that to make our point. We believe in this alliance led by the ANC but we want a reconfiguration of this alliance,” said Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini. Cosatu’s intervention came as South Africa’s new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said that Monday’s downgrade to junk status was a setback for the economy. “We acknowledge yesterday’s announcement was a setback… but now is not a time for despondency,” he told a media conference. “What these reviews highlight is that we need to reignite our nation’s growth engines.” S&P said the cut to below investment grade reflects “heightened political and institutional uncertainties” following Zuma’s shock purge of critical ministers. – ‘No confidence in President Zuma’ – The shake-up has “put at risk fiscal and growth outcomes”, the ratings agency added as it downgraded South Africa to BB+ from BBB-. Gigaba said that “there’s not been a change in governments — there has been a change in executive governance”, adding that he had been working closely with his predecessor at the Treasury. The rand fell three percent against the US dollar following Monday night’s downgrade. The rand was trading at 13.86 against the greenback at 1045 GMT on Tuesday. Moody’s ratings agency too said it was placing its own South Africa rating — two notches above “junk” status — on review for a downgrade, a decision it said was “prompted by the abrupt change in leadership of key government institutions”. Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance, branded the S&P downgrade “a clear vote of no confidence in President Zuma”. The treasury issued a statement in response to the S&P downgrade saying it showed the need to “accelerate inclusive growth and development”. “Reducing reliance on foreign savings to fund investment and relying less on debt to finance public expenditure will secure South Africa’s fiscal sovereignty and economic independence,” it added. The country was granted a reprieve at the end of last year when rating agencies did not drop it to the “junk” category following a series of downgrades. Zuma’s cabinet overhaul exposed deep divisions within the ANC, and DA officials are confident they can recruit enough support from ruling-party MPs to unseat the president. “There are quite a number of other colleagues and comrades who are unhappy about this situation, particularly the removal of the minister of finance who was serving the country with absolute distinction,” Ramaphosa, the ANC deputy president, said after the reshuffle. Source:

Girl Striped After Taking Igbo (Marijuana)

2017-04-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

According to an Internet user who shared the epic story he wrote : ‘This happened in my street last night, this girl took ‘Igbo along with her friends, but unfortunately for her, she started acting otherwise. It was when she pulled her cloth and started dancing round the street, people noticed her, then her friend revealed that the weed she took reacted in her body, she’s been taken to Yabaleft this morning.’ See Photo Below:

Woman Brutalised By Soldiers Sues Nigerian Army, Demands N250m

2017-03-15T08:42:00.001-07:00

The woman who was attacked and severely injured by soldiers in Ikorodu, Lagos State has sued the Nigerian Army and her attackers. She is, among other things, demanding N250m as damages. Ruth Orji was allegedly attacked by soldiers attached to 174 Battalion, Ikorodu, around 8:30pm on Sunday. Images of her, showing the injuries she sustained have gone viral on the social media, sparking outrage.

And the Joint Legal Action Aids, the rights group representing her, is optimistic she will get justice in court. The General Counsel of the JLAA, Kingsley Ughe, confirmed that he filed the case on her behalf at a Federal High Court in Lagos. “We have today filed a legal process at the Federal High Court against the Nigerian Army and her assailants to assert her right and demand for N250m compensation,” he said. He added that the case was not the first the JLAA was instituting against the army in connection with soldiers brutalising civilians. “We have a similar action already against the Nigerian Army in the case of Ebere Sandra Ohakwe , the actress brutalised and dehumanised by soldiers in Port Harcourt,” he said. He expressed the hope that beyond getting justice for the victims of military brutality, the cases would help check the rising cases of degradation of civilians. He said, “We are using her case and that of Ebere Ohakwe to send a message to lawless elements within the military that the days of impunity and degradations of the Nigerian people is over. “We have a binding precedent in the case of Rosemary Okeke who suffered a similar fate and got justice through the court system. “We are very confident of the unassailable nature of the cases and the evidence therein, these two cases will change our legal landscape to the extent that the rights of the Nigerian will once again be placed on the front burner and the courts will have opportunity to adjudicate on it.” When contacted, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, said there were several disciplinary procedures in the army to deal with alleged human rights abuses, adding that the infractions would be investigated.

Mercy Johnson Confirms Appointment As She Poses With Kogi State Governor & Wife

2017-03-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, was appointed as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, on entertainment, arts and culture yesterday, 14th March. The mother of three took to Instagram to share a photo with Governor Yahaya Bello and his wife, Mrs Rashida Bello and wrote: I am gratified with the official notification reaching me on my Appointment as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor of Kogi State on Entertainment ,Arts and Culture. I am humbled, as i duely acknowledge this attending responsibility to serve my great state with the modest experience I have gathered over the years. With depth of gratitude, I want to thank the Governor of Kogi State; His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and his wife, the first lady of Kogi state Her Excellency Mrs Rashida Bello for this unparallel opportunity to serve. My endless gratitude goes to my husband, Prince Odianosen Okojie for giving me his consent, knowing fully the sacrifices and adaptations he will have to put up with. To all my family, friends, colleagues and fans, thank you for all your prayers and well wishes, I am eternally greatful to Almighty God, to him be all the glory. Mercy Johnson Okojie See photo:

Countries That Are Desperate For Their Citizens To Have More Sex

2017-03-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Countries need a fertility rate of just over two children per woman to attain what demographers call ‘replacement fertility’ — the rate at which births fill the gaps left by deaths. There are nations which don’t hit that rate — and their methods to encourage their people to have more productive sex can range from the practical — if not bizarre — to the downright offensive. Here are 10 countries begging people to have sex for the good of their nations… Denmark Fertility rate is around 1.73 children per woman, and there are a number of incentives to get women to have more kids, such as the offer to provide three-year worth of baby supplies to couples who conceived on a holiday booked through a travel agency. Another is a campaign called ‘Do it for Mom‘ – a video which guilt trips couples into having kids so that their mothers can have grandchildren. Russia According to Tech Insider, Russia is experiencing a slew of anti-baby problems. HIV and alcoholism are rife, women aren’t having children and men are dying young. In 2007, the government declared September 12 the official Day of Conception – where people get the day off for making babies. Women who give birth exactly nine months later – on June 12, win a fridge. Japan A 2011 survey found that 61 per cent of unmarried men and 49 per cent of women aged 18-34 weren’t in any kind of romantic relationship. To try and get their young people creating families, scientists came up with Yotaro — a robot baby designed to give people a preview of parenthood. Students at the University of Tsukuba theorised that if young people could see themselves as potential mothers and fathers, they’d be more emotionally ready to settle down. Romania During communist times, if you weren’t providing future state labourers by having kids, you had to pay instead. There was a 20 per cent income tax for childless couples, and in the 1980s, women were forced to take gynaecological exams to ensure that all pregnancies went to term. Today, the fertility rate is still rock bottom. Singapore Singapore has the lowest fertility rate in the world, with just 0.81 children per woman. To deal with the crisis, the government came up with National Night – an event sponsored to encourage couples to ‘let their patriotism explode’. There’s also a limit on the number of small one beds available to rent to encourage cohabitation, and the government reportedly spends around $1.6bn on various programmes to get people to have more sex. In fact, the government offers cash to people who have more than one child. Parents receive a ‘baby bonus’ of around $4,400 for their first two kids and $5,900 for their third and fourth. South Korea Offices turn off their lights at 7pm on the third Wednesday of every month, known as Family Day. Workers are encouraged to get themselves home so that they can enjoy some lights-out action. India While the general population of India is thriving, their Parsis community is slowly dwindling. And that has led to a number of questionable ads encouraging people to ‘Be responsible – don’t use a condom tonight.’ Other campaigns have shamed men living at home with lines like ‘Isn’t it time you broke up with your mum?’ Brutal but effective – there were just 61,000 Parsis living in the country in 2001, and at the last census, there were 69,000. Italy Italians’ fertility rate is below the European average. So, government has started campaigns to remind Italians that time stands still for no (wo)man. Lines include: ‘Beauty knows no age, fertility does,’ and ‘Get going! Don’t wait for the stork.’ Hong Kong Inspired by Singapore, Hong Kong started giving out cash to couples to encourage them to have kids. Alas, the plan never quite took off. Spain As unemployment rates are rising, fertility rates are dropping. Half of young people are out of work. And to combat the trend, the Spanish government has hired a special commissioner to try and reverse them. Source: Metro

"Why I Decided To Return To Nigeria Today" – Buhari

2017-03-10T02:39:00.003-08:00

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclsosed he decided to return to the country today, March 10 so that he can continue his rest over the weekend. He said Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would continue to work while he continues his rest. He has therefore asked those who planned to send a delegation to come and welcome him to stay back and continue to pray for the country. Buhari spoke at a meeting he held with government officials shortly after arriving the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President also hinted that he would be doing some follow-ups on his health in a few weeks.

Sex Scandal: Apostle Suleman Demands Apology, N1bn From Keyamo

2017-03-10T02:18:00.002-08:00

Pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has demanded that legal practitioner, Festus Keyamo, should retract all publications, and an apology to be published on major social media networks. He also demanded N1bn over alleged blackmail and injuries inflicted on him, including online video clips, during his alleged amorous relationship with a Canada-based stripper, Stephanie Otobo. Should he fail to comply with the demand, the cleric threatened to drag Keyamo to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee “for infamous conduct.” Stephanie Otobo had alleged that she suffered emotional stress from Suleman, following a sour relationship including a promise of marriage. But the cleric in a letter by his counsel, Osa Director, obtained by journalists on Thursday evening in Abuja, entitled: “Allegation of professional misconduct and unethical practices”, said Keyamo’s action was inconsistent with Section 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct For Legal Practitioners 2007. He said, “Sequel to our letter to you dated March 6, 2017, we have observed with shock and dismay your deliberate and relentless efforts to malign and convict our client through media trial. By your relentless media campaign, you are conducting yourself in a manner inconsistent with Section 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct For Legal Practitioners 2007.” According to him, instead of gathering facts and evidence before a court of competent jurisdiction for adjudication, Keyamo resorted to alleged blackmail and intimidation through the media, both traditional and social media. “In short, you have threatened and indeed executed your threat of conjuring, manufacturing and synthesising bogus and unverifiable exhibits in the social media and newspapers, all with a view to poison public opinion against our client and reduce his esteem and reputation in the eye of any reasonable man. Your attitude is also to ambush a fair trial while litigation is anticipated. This is contrary to S.33 of the Rules of Professional Conduct For Legal Practitioners 2007.” Director quoted a recent Newspaper report in which Keyamo threatened to “release more bullets”, while Otobo under his supervision would be organising a world press conference and “we will begin to release bullets.” He said, “Furthermore, you grossly and recklessly maligned our client, saying, “these men of God are not what they claim to be, we have a duty to protect the public. Many of them are fake and fraudsters. You will see the video very soon in the next few minutes.” True to your threat of trial publicity stunts, the video clips have flooded the social media networks. We believe your conduct is inconsistent with the virtues and rules of conduct of the legal profession. It smacks of indiscipline and disdain for the judicial process. Therefore, we demand a retraction of all your press statements and an apology to be published on the major social media networks. Also, we demand a compensation of N1bn for all the injuries inflicted on our client. We expect you to meet our demands within seven days from the date above written. Take notice that we shall drag you before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for the infamous conduct if you fail to so do”

UK says Jonathan did NOT reject help to rescue Chibok girls

2017-03-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

It is not true that the Jonathan administration rejected the offer of British armed forces to help in rescuing the abducted Chibok girls, the United Kingdom government has said. On Sunday, The Observer, a UK newspaper, said Britain was ready to rescue the Chibok girls after they conducted air reconnaissance over northern Nigeria for several months in a mission named Operation Turus, but the Jonathan administration declined. “The girls were located in the first few weeks of the RAF mission. We offered to rescue them, but the Nigerian government declined,” a source involved in Operation Turus was quoted as saying. But the former president denied it, saying the story was “concocted” by those “who have been playing politics with the issue of the abducted girls.” “We are not surprised that this kind of concocted story is coming out at this point in time, as it appears that some people who have obviously been playing politics with the issue of the Chibok girls will stop at nothing to further their interest,” former president Goodluck Jonathan said in a statement. On Tuesday, the British high commission in Abuja said the report that Jonathan turned down its offer to rescue the girls “was false.” According to THISDAY, Mathew Rycroft, the ambassador, said he was briefed on the matter and the allegations were not true. “The British High Commissioner briefed me on that today (Monday) and said that the allegations are not true,” Rycroft said. In a statement further released by the commission read: “UK worked with the US and France to provide a range of military and intelligence support to the Nigerian government in their search (for the Chibok girls), and in fact, a wider effort to address the longer term challenge of terrorism. “But importantly, we won’t comment on specific additional details, which is a matter for the Nigerian government and the military.”

‘Why Nigerians are endangered in South Africa’

2017-03-05T07:05:00.002-08:00

A security expert and Deputy Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, South Africa Chapter, Prince Debo Adesina , in this interview with Adeola Ogunlade spoke on the Xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa and the way out of the crisis. He also spoke about efforts of PDP members in the Diaspora to rebuild the party. Can you tell me about yourself? I am a private security expert. I do a lot of investigation and am involved in security management. I train security guards. I also look at immigration from the safety point of view. I was the first Secretary General of the Nigeria Union in South Africa. I stay in South Africa because it has one of the best security management systems in the world. What are the opportunities that you saw in South Africa as a businessman? I left Nigeria as a security expert and I left to expand my horizon and scope in the area of security. I’m stationed in South Africa because they have one of the best security outfits in the world. They are very good. In fact, we call them Europe in Africa because I have been to different parts of the world. The first time I landed in South Africa, I was surprised as I thought I was in Europe. We, Nigerians in South Africa, we are like brain drain and we decided that whether our government likes it or not, they have to look at the Diaspora because we assist the needy and better our governance. In South Africa, where we live, we see rule of law, good governance and how the citizens of that country are being looked after and support systems, which are readily available to the less privileged. They take care of their citizens because the oath of office that they took is to look out for the welfare of their citizens. The opportunities in South Africa are very large and we only appeal to our politicians back home to try and emulate some of the things they see in South Africa. In the area of infrastructure, they are the biggest in Africa and they are competing favorably with the rest of the world. We can use them as a guide and some day we will get there? South Africa has its own challenges, are you saying that they have a better democratic structure than Nigeria? South Africa still operates a one party state due to the legacy of Nelson Mandela. The Africa National Congress (ANC) has been in power since Mandela took over from the whites. The party is very prominent at the National level. Other parties like Democratic Alliance (DA) are also part of the structure. Just recently, DA won as Mayor of the city of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Their politics is that they don’t kill themselves to get into public office but to serve their people. Ministers walk on the street without any convoy. The challenge in South Africa is that they still hold the mentality of the white monopoly by which they were brought up. Apartheid brought about a lot of setbacks and the country is trying hard to change. We can emulate some of their values but not all. In terms of governance, they are better than Nigeria. Nigerians have become endangered species in South Africa. How did things get to this point? As the former Secretary General of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, I have consistency tried and my media presentations have been reechoed. I am not only fighting for Nigerians but the foreign nationals on Xenophobic through the United Nation. We have a group called Protection working Group. It is sad that in parts of Nigeria, the people are giving the country a bad name because they go to any length to make money. We are now seen as drug dealers, and fraudsters. Some Nigerians have forgotten that back home, they have limitation of what they can do; abroad, they don’t care, they just want to make money, drive big cars, send money home to show that they live abroad. This created the hatred, as we are seen as gold diggers, people who have come to make money from their country and leave them home and dry. So along the line, some of our people are victims of police brutality. The South African police kill Nigerians at will because they know that the justice system in South Africa is very liberal around drug activities. They don’t have death penalty and capital punishment. Once you have money, and with good lawyer, drug dealers come out on bail and once they come out on bail, the cases remain in court forever. There are lots of cases pending for a long time in court. We have lots of Nigerians in prisons. We also have some of us who are doing well in South Africa but we are not well pronounced. We have doctors, lawyers, top notch business men and security experts, but the bad ones have overshadowed the good ones. When you mention that you are a Nigerian, they ask you whether you are not a drug dealer or fraudster. This has affected the image of Nigerians in South Africa. We are organizing a movement we want to tag Nigerians lives matter. We are starting it from South Africa and would spread it across the world, including Nigeria. Nigerians are also suffering back home and their lives matter. We want to give back to good governance. We are Nigerians and Nigeria as a country will outlive Nigerians, so Nigeria will remain Nigeria, but the people will live and die one day, and what is important to Nigerians is that our people will live a better life and enjoy the best Nigeria offers without any intimidation. Are the narratives from Nigerians giving room for xenophobic attack? No, not at all. The problem is that when Nigerians leave the international airport, they forget everything called moral value and their aim is to make money anyhow. Even in London, United Kingdom, in Thailand and other parts of the world where you see Nigerians, they turn to tigers and they are ready to do anything for money. I travel most times and the immigration officials search me thoroughly just because I’m carrying a Nigerian passport. But I am proud to be a Nigerian and I refuse to be a citizen of any country other than Nigeria. I am so loyal to my country. I believe that the only advantage of being a citizen of America or any other western country is good governance and movement. I believe that one day; the world will respect Nigerian citizens and passport. A lot of people have lost their lives because they want to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Some Nigerians are in Libya, but the government careless. Back home, there is contribution of bad governance. The recession is a global recession; the current government of APC fails to really identify what Nigerians need. Nigerians are hungry. As the Deputy Chairman PDP IN South Africa, are you satisfied with the way PDP is led back home? To be honest, we in the diaspora, we have decided to come and change the mentality back home about the party. Because many people believe that politics is a do or die affairs, they are not ready to serve. They want to be seen as oga and not as servant, so the issue of leadership in Nigeria has no face of the political party. It is the Nigeria thing; arrogance, impunity, and lack of respect for the rule of law. There are lots of cases against the federal government, the way they maltreat the opposition party. No freedom of speech. Recently, Tuface was planning to do something but the threat from some quarters made him to reverse his earlier plan but for him to have set the pace for the protest is commendable. I don’t pray for revolution like the way we had in the Arab Spring. Military forces will not be able to stop the hungry crowd when there is revolution because the people are ready to die. Fela Kuti sang in his song that Nigerians are suffering and smiling. The leadership in Nigeria has nothing to do with political party be it PDP, APC, AFGA. The leaders have failed to identify the real problems in Nigeria. It is good to fight corruption but what next. Let food be on the people’s table while fighting corruption PDP was there for 16 years and has been accused to have contributed to the failure of the system? The word PDP is like an acronym PDP, is a political party. Almost 80 percent of APC leaders were part of PDP. The truth is like someone who wore Babaringa in the morning and went to wear jeans in the evening for convenience and to be freer. There is nothing like APC. Senate President, Senator Saraki, Former President Oluesgun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were in PDP for years, they only joined the ruling party to unseat President Jonathan by all means because he is from the minority and is not dancing to the tune of some cabal. They took the power from him and the only way they could succeed was not by power or gun but by election. Since Buhari became president, he could not appoint his cabinet members for six months which showed that they were not prepared to lead the country. I congratulated the president when he won, I want democracy, it is not about party, I am a PDP member, but that does not mean that I hate Nigeria. In America, when there is an issue that concerns the people, they forget party politics. That is the way it supposed to be. Nobody should silence the other person because he is speaking against the president. I want to suggest to Nigerians that the idea of shadow cabinet should be in place. The shadow cabinet will be in place to challenge the ministers in power so they can see better options and alternatives for good governance. How best can PDP reposition itself? PDP’s strength is outside Nigeria. It is high time PDP mobilize and strategically include its members in the diaspora. It will add a lot of impetus to the party’s chances in the next election. It is sad that when PDP was in power, its members in diaspora were not given due recognition. My recent visit to Professor Jerry Gana was for PDP to be giving its members in diaspora an opportunity to part in the rebuilding process of the party. Let us come and help. They call us brain drain, but we are ready to come back with the brain instead of draining its abroad. We have lots of first class brain, and professionals who can make things happen in Nigeria. I am one of them. How strong is the PDP Diaspora? Nigerians in diaspora are very strong. We have been contributing to the PDP powerfully. At least every member of the diaspora has one family or other and they are paying bills which in way are contributing immensely to Nigeria’s GDP. But in the area of politics, PDP members in some countries are strong because they were stooge used in the hands of the power brokers, but for us in south Africa, we have remained stronger even after we lost the presidential election. We decided that this is a political party, not Jonathan. It is a registered party, we will not divorce our party, and we will remain in the party. We are not prostitutes. We will be there until PDP bounce back and take its rightful place in Nigeria. If the country decides to assist us by giving us the political power, we are ready to support them. My concern is that how can Nigerians in diaspora vote. I want to appeal that the PVC be extended to Nigerians in diaspora just like they did with BVN. When Nigerians in diaspora are compelled to register, the Nigeria passport will be used as an identity card to vote. What are your plans for PDP back home? We want to help our people. They are angry. Our plan is not just about politics, though PDP is our platform and we want to use it to correct some things, especially some of the things that our party has done which was wrong. We believe that when you fall, it does not matter because we are loser today, but we will not remain a loser. We believe we will win again. The current President was a loser for three times. There is no shaking, we will come back strong. Frequent medical trip of President Buhari abroad? We are praying for the President. I am praying hard for good health. I want him to be strong and powerful and handover the way Jonathan handed over to him. He will hand over healthy and sound so that he can rest in his village in Daura. Let us pray for him to be strong and be in power till 2019 and hand over to people that can rule. We, in the diaspora, we don’t believe in politicians back home, as it is all about vendetta. Dasuki is an example. We want him back safe and healthy. It will be bad omen for the Northerners. No one should wish him dead. Anything that happens in Nigeria is endorsed by God. We pray God will give him good health. We don’t want continuity of slow motion. The Nation

Malaysia expels North Korea ambassador over Kim murder

2017-03-05T06:31:00.002-08:00

Malaysia has expelled North Korea’s ambassador, giving him 48 hours to leave the country in a major break in diplomatic relations over the airport assassination of the half-brother of Pyongyang’s leader. Kim Jong-Nam was poisoned February 13 with deadly nerve agent VX. North Korea has not acknowledged the dead man’s identity but has repeatedly disparaged the murder investigation, accusing Malaysia of conniving with its enemies. “The ambassador has been declared persona non grata” after Malaysia demanded but did not receive an apology for Pyongyang’s attacks on the investigation, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Anifah Haji Aman said. “Malaysia will react strongly against any insults made against it or any attempt to tarnish its reputation,” he said in a statement released late Saturday. Ambassador Kang Chol failed to present himself at the ministry when summoned and “is expected to leave Malaysia within 48 hours,” the statement added. On Sunday morning, media besieged Pyongyang’s embassy, from where Kang is expected to depart before the expulsion deadline expires 6pm on Monday. Arch-rival South Korea has blamed the North for the murder, citing what they say was a standing order from leader Kim Jong-Un to kill his exiled half-brother who may have been seen as a potential rival. The foreign ministry said the expulsion is “part of the process by the Malaysian government to review its relations” with North Korea, which before Kim’s assassination were unusually cosy. “North Korea must learn to respect other countries,” Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Sunday. The expulsion shows “we are serious about solving this problem and we do not want it to be manipulated,” he added. — ‘Diplomatically rude’ — The diplomatic spat erupted last month when Malaysian police rejected North Korean diplomats’ demands to hand over Kim’s body. Kang then claimed the investigation was politically motivated and said Kuala Lumpur was conspiring with “hostile forces”. Malaysia summoned Kang for a dressing-down, with Prime Minister Najib Razak saying the ambassador’s statement was “diplomatically rude”. Malaysia issued a February 28 deadline for an apology, but “no such apology has been made, neither has there been any indication that one is forthcoming.” Malaysia has also recalled its envoy to Pyongyang and cancelled a rare visa-free travel deal with North Korea. Police are seeking seven North Korean suspects in their probe but on Friday released the only North Korean arrested for lack of evidence. After Ri Jong-Chol was deported, he claimed police offered him a comfortable life in Malaysia for a false confession, saying the investigation was “a conspiracy to impair the dignity of the Republic (North Korea)”. Two women — one Vietnamese and one Indonesian — have been charged with murdering Kim Jong-Nam, with airport CCTV footage showing them approaching the heavyset 45-year-old and apparently smearing his face with a cloth. Police say he suffered a seizure and died less than 20 minutes later. Swabs of the dead man’s face revealed traces of VX nerve agent. — End of cosy ties — North Korea had few friends even before the assassination, but the fallout from the killing looks set to further isolate the nuclear-armed state. Malaysia formally established diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and opened an embassy in Pyongyang in 2003. It has provided a conduit between Pyongyang and the wider world in recent years, with Kuala Lumpur serving as a discreet meeting place for talks between the regime and the United States. A recently released report by a UN Panel of Experts reviewing compliance with sanctions against Pyongyang identified a front company run by North Korean intelligence out of Malaysia, selling military communications equipment to Eritrea, with suppliers in China and an office in Singapore. Up to 1,000 North Koreans currently work in Malaysia and their remittances are a valuable source of foreign currency for the isolated regime. North Korea imports refined oil, natural rubber and palm oil from Malaysia, which buys electrical and electronic items, chemicals as well as iron and steel products from North Korea. Last week Malaysia’s trade minister Mustapa Mohamed said the spat would have no impact on Kuala Lumpur as trade with the reclusive country is “insignificant”. skc/iw/ceb

I was insulted for suggesting importation of grass – Ogbeh

2017-03-05T06:26:00.002-08:00

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Audu Ogbeh says the Federal Government is working toward setting up grazing reserves across the country to curb incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers. Ogbeh, who spoke at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja, said he was called all sorts of names for suggesting the importation of grass for the creation of reserves, which would solve the conflict and boost milk production in the country. He said that for many years, Nigeria failed to realise that herdsmen were also farmers. “When we were busy making plans and supporting cassava and maize farmers, we did not make any provision for herdsmen. “Ironically, as far back as 200 years ago, Sultan Mohammed Bello of Sokoto expressed fears on what is happening now. “He said that the roaming of Fulani herdsmen to look for grasses for their cattle was not a way that could be sustained. “We had grazing reserves in this country before and the cows were then properly fed and taken care of. “When I was appointed as the minister, I suggested grass planting by importing grass but I was called all sorts of names. But you can’t have grazing reserves without grass. “Brazil took grass from Africa 25 years ago and now, they are exporting same grass to Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia has the largest dairy farm in the world; they have about 135,000 cows in one farm. They have the most comfortable cows in an air-conditioned environment. “These cows produce fantastic milk in large quantities, which we now import into our country. “We need to put our cattle in place so that a cow can produce 25 to 40 litres of milk per day. This can be achieved through setting up grazing reserves,’’ he said. The minister, nonetheless, underscored the need for the government to protect farmers, saying that the ministry had been collaborating with Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, to address this issue. Ogbeh said that the ministry was also working with Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in efforts to promote peaceful coexistence between herdsmen and farmers. He said that he had apologised to farmers facing difficulties with herdsmen in their farms, promising that the government would soon address the situation. On nutrition, the minister urged the citizens to eat balanced diets in order to curb malnutrition as well as its attendant health and economic implications. (NAN)