Thursday, 10 November 2016

Manchester United Injury Latest – Paul Pogba An Injury Doubt For Arsenal Clash

Posted by Unknown on 11/10/2016 12:01:00 pm

Jose Mourinho was at pains to point out that he
wanted his Manchester United players to
sacrifice for their team after Sunday’s 1-3 win
over Swansea City. The Portuguese suggested
that he needed players who were willing to play
despite carrying knocks, or not being 100%,
which certainly threw criticism in the directions
of Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw, both of whom
made themselves unavailable for selection this
weekend due to knocks. Both England
internationals were said to be ‘baffled’ by their
manager’s words, having been reportedly using
pain-killing injections to get through games at
points this season.
One player that played through the pain at the
Liberty Stadium, and presumably gathered even
more favour with his manager was Paul Pogba.
The Frenchman scored an exquisite half-volley
in the first half to open the scoring before Zlatan
Ibrahimovic’s brace gave United total control of
proceedings.
Speaking to MUTV after the game, Pogba was
full of praise for his team’s first half
performance:
“I think every player wanted to win this game
and everyone was focused. We gave it our best
and gave everything, the first half was
unbelievable. It was one of the best first-half
performances so far and that’s how we have to
play, we have to give everything, we have to
press all together and when we play together we
play like that.” ( Quote via espn ).
Pogba also mentioned that he had been playing
with an injury. The Frenchman had to be
removed during the first half of United’s 2-1
defeat to Fenerbahce in Turkey on Thursday
night, and there were doubts over whether the
former Juventus midfielder would be fit for the
Premier League clash.
Speaking on the injury, Pogba said: “It is not
gone. It’s still here. I was fit enough to play and
after the gaffer put me in I played and I give my
best every time.”
Hopefully Pogba doesn’t aggravate the injury
while on national team duty with France. United
can’t afford not to have him fit for the Arsenal
clash.
Given that Mourinho has clearly got some issues
within the United dressing room regarding how
willing his players are to play for him and their
club, it will be particularly gratifying for the
former Chelsea boss that his club’s record
signing has little in the way of a mental block
when it comes to playing for United. Pogba has
notched four goals since his summer move, and
has been steadily improving the quality of his
performances over the last month or so;
Mourinho will be hoping that this is a trend
which continues.

No regrets writing petition against Aregbesola – Osun judge

Posted by Unknown on 10/10/2016 05:05:00 pm

A former judge of the Osun State High
Court, who was recently retired by the
National Judicial Council, Justice Olamide
Oloyede, has said she has no regrets
writing the petition against Governor Rauf
Aregbesola and his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-
Tomori.
The retired judge said this while featuring
on a radio programme, Frank Talk, aired by
Rave FM and monitored by our
correspondent in Osogbo on Monday.
Oloyede, however, apologised to the
governor and the deputy for using certain
words which she ought not to have used in
the petition but stressed that she was
convinced beyond doubt that she did no
wrong by writing the petition where she
asked the members of the House of
Assembly to impeach Aregbesola and
Laoye-Tomori.
She explained that she had no animosity
against the governor, adding that she did
not violate any section of the constitution
for talking about the issues affecting the
people of the state.
Oloyede said, ” I have no regrets writing
that petition, but I think in retrospect I have
come to realise that perhaps, I did employ
some words or language in respect of Mr.
Governor and his deputy, which I ought not
to have and so, today I am tendering an
unreserved apology, public apology for the
choice of certain words which I would not
repeat.
“However, as far as the substance of that
petition is concerned, I remain resolute and
I am convinced that my actions were done
in fidelity to my office and to the
constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigerian , which I swore to uphold and out
of love for my country.
“As we say in law, the fact speaks for itself
and as I said earlier, the petition speaks for
itself. I would rather not go over the
content of the petition, which I believe is in
the public’s possession. My reason for
writing is clearly stated there. I am a
person known for my own conviction and
the only regret I have, I have said it, every
other thing I said I meant it word for word.”
She stated that some believed that the
judiciary should only be seen and not heard
even if the country was collapsing, but
Oloyode said she did not belong to this
class of people.

DSS lied to justify assault on judiciary – Wike

Posted by Unknown on 10/10/2016 11:31:00 am

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike,
has said the Department of State Services
resorted to “deliberate misinformation and
concocted stories” to justify its
“unconstitutional” assault on the nation’s
judiciary.
Wike maintained that the DSS lacked the
constitutional powers to be involved in the
legal process to discipline a serving judicial
official, pointing out that a legal process
must be followed.
The DSS had stated that its operatives
swooped on some judges in the country
because there were allegations that they
(judges) were involved in corrupt practices,
adding that various amount of money, in
different denominations, were found in the
judges residences.
Speaking during a special dinner for the
management and players of Rivers United
at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on
Saturday, Wike said the “weak blackmail of
the DSS” would not lessen the crime it had
committed against the Nigerian state by
assaulting the judiciary.
He said, “Their blackmail stories will not
move me. They will concoct all kinds of
stories to justify this undemocratic illegality
perpetrated against the judiciary.
“It is really unfortunate that DSS would
concoct a false defence that $USD2 million,
(that is N900m) was found in the house of
the judge. It is unfortunate that the DSS is
coming up with flimsy excuses.”
However, a Government House statement
by Wike’s aide on Electronic Media, Simeon
Nwakaudu, read, “It will be recalled that the
governor and the DSS operatives had their
encounter outside the gate of a judge’s
residence.

Buhari not yet Nigerian President – Rep

Posted by Unknown on 10/10/2016 11:28:00 am

A House of Representatives member for
Orumba North-South in Anambra State,
Mr. Sopuluchukwu Ezeonwuka, has urged
President Muhammadu Buhari to come to
terms with his position as the President
of Nigeria.
Ezeonwuka spoke at Oko, Orumba North
Local Government Area of Anambra State
on Saturday during his reception by the
Okeani General Assembly.
He accused the Buhari administration of
bigotry and lopsidedness in actions.
He said, “The moment you contested an
election and won, you become the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not
the President of the North or South.
“Check out the appointments made by
President Muhammadu Buhari, south
easterners were nowhere. In appointments
of 24 persons, you have 21 from the North,
one or two in the South-West, one in the
South-South, and none in the South-East.
“It’s quite unfortunate that Buhari has not
yet assumed the position of the President of
Nigeria. He is like somebody on a specific
mission.”
The lawmaker, who is a member of the
House Committee on Customs, pointed out
that no person of Igbo origin was
represented in the Customs management.
“The APC government should know that we
are an integral part of this country called
Nigeria. One thing is clear, the
marginalisation of the Igbo will not last
long. If you keep telling some people that
you don’t want them, they can take a
decision,” he said.

‘Tinubu’ and Aregbesola pays Fayose a visit

Posted by Unknown on 10/10/2016 11:18:00 am

The All Progressives Congress, APC,
popularity is beginning to be eroded
in South-West.
Feelers from South West also shows
that APC is no longer a favored
party in the region as the People’s
Democratic Party seem to rising in
popularity.
It however came as a surprise when
Tinubu’s henchman, Governor Rauf
Aregbesola of Osun state, visited
Governor Ayodele Fayose in Ado-
Ekiti.
APC has already condemned the
visit labeling it as a contempt for the
party’s leadership in the state.
Aregbesola was in Ado-Ekiti on
Saturday on invitation of Fayose for
the 20th Year Anniversary of Ekiti
State.

At the event, Aregbesola described
Fayose as “omoluabi” and a
hardworking governor who had
turned around the fortunes of Ekiti
State.
Aregbesola also described Governor
Fayose as a “Reliable person” and
that in spite of political differences,
he and Fayose shared many things
in common.
Then Aregbesola said “Sooner than
later, there will be realignment of
forces.”
That was the statement that broke
the camel’s back.
The State publicity secretary of APC,
Taiwo Olatunbosun, said:
“Aregbesola’s visit to Fayose
praising him as ‘omoluabi’ is
embarrassing.
“It is shocking that Aregbesola as a
governor would be visit Ekiti State
without putting the leaders into
confidence.
“More so on a visit to a man who
once wished the President dead.
“Fayose had done unbelievable
things both in Nigeria and abroad to
bring Buhari’s government down.

“Worse still, Aregbesola was praising
the man who will stop at nothing to
bring APC-led Federal Government
down.
“We find it most embarrassing that
one of our leaders would be
planning a re-alignment of forces
with a governor that has made life a
nightmare for our members.
“We also find it spiteful that
Aregbesola would sit with Fayose on
this same program where the latter
berated Buhari to no end.
“Fayose described the President’s
programs as a theory that is
compounding problems for
Nigerians, and Aregbesola said
nothing.

DSS to raid Tinubu’s home on orders from Above

Posted by Unknown on 10/10/2016 09:02:00 am

The National Leader of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, party,
Bola Tinubu, has begun mending
relationship with his former
political enemies.
APC’s leadership crisis has turned a
once cordial relationship Tinubu
had with President Buhari into a
sour one.
The crisis began before the 2015
general elections but became full-
blown after Buhari was sworn in as
president.
The feud was largely kept under
cover until the Ondo State
governorship primaries blew off the
lid.
But pro-Tinubu elements within the
party and other sympathizers have
vowed to resist any attempt to
humiliate Tinubu

A chieftain of the party in Osun
State, said, “This is the beginning of
the end of the APC. The party will
shatter into smithereens.
“We know the political leader of the
South-West and that person is
unmistakably Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“They are envious of Tinubu’s
achievements, but they don’t have
Tinubu’s clout.
“None of those scrambling to wear
Tinubu’s shoes have the clout to do
so.
“They may even send the DSS after
him. Asiwaju knows that they may
come for him,” the source said.
Another reconciliatory move
between Tinubu and the Ondo State
Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko is
ongoing.
Some Yoruba leaders had
volunteered to broker a truce
between Tinubu and Mimiko. Recall
that both of them went for war
during Mimiko’s re-election bid.
Osun State Governor, Rauf
Aregbesola, a staunch Tinubu
loyalist, is said to be the arrowhead
of the move to reconcile Tinubu and
Mimiko.
Another source told this news house
that “Asiwaju has realized that they
are ready to go to war with him so
he is consolidating.

“This is not a time to hold on to past
wounds and we are glad Yoruba
elders who were critical of Tinubu
before are rallying round him.
“They now understand that this is a
South-West matter. It is beyond our
national leader.
“Don’t forget what Pa Ayo Adebanjo
said; he said any insult to Asiwaju is
an insult to the Yoruba race and
Adebanjo is not known to be
flippant in his choice of words.”
Also, a former leader of Afenifere,
told our correspondent in
confidence that Tinubu had
reconciled with some Yoruba
leaders.

Good News! Nigerian Customs Lifts Ban on Importation of Rice…See Fresh Details

Posted by Unknown on 10/09/2016 12:28:00 pm

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col.
Hameed Ali (rtd), has ordered the removal of
rice from the import restriction list, and also
re-introduced the payment of import duty on
all land borders across the federation.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in
Abuja, the Public Relations Officer of Nigeria
Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi, disclosed that
the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col.
Hameed Ali (rtd), has ordered the immediate
lifting of the ban on rice importation from
import restriction list and the re-introduction
of import duty payment at land borders.
According to Vanguard, he said the restriction
was only applied at land border stations before
now, adding that the customs boss had lifted
restriction on rice at border stations.
Adeniyi said that all rice imports through land
borders by rice traders would attract the
prevailing import duty of 10 per cent with 60
per cent levy, adding that rice millers
(preferential levy) with valid quota allocation
would also attract duty rate of 10 per cent
with 20 per cent levy on rice importation.
“Over the years importation has been restricted
to the seaports because border authorities
have found it difficult to effectively monitor
and control importation of rice.
“When the decision to ban it (rice) was taken
it was not an effective measure because
smuggling of the product thrives with people
using different means of conveyance including
small trucks, bicycles and even animals –
putting them on donkeys and some actually
carry it on their heads.
“These new measures will be for customs to
re-organize their anti-smuggling operations in
the border areas and ensure that all those
importers through the borders bring their rice
through approved routes and pay their extant
duty,” he said.

Why forgery charges against Saraki, Ekweremadu were withdrawn – FG

Posted by Unknown on 10/07/2016 03:50:00 pm

The Federal Government on Friday withdrew
the forgery charges it instituted against the
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, his
deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and two others.
Lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Aliyu Umar
(SAN), told the trial judge, Justice Yusuf
Halilu of the Jabi Division of the High Court
of the Federal Capital Territory, that the
charges were being withdrawn because of a
pending case related to the charges before
the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He said, “This government respects the rule
of law, and hierarchy of the judiciary. It is
obvious from these two applications (filed
by Saraki and Ekweremadu) and the similar
case before your learned brother, Justice
Kolawole, at the Federal High Court who is
dealing with the issue that we are
withdrawing the charges.
“It is trite that two matters of the same
subject matter cannot be before different
courts of coordinate jurisdiction.
“Therefore, the amended charge dated
October 5, 2016 and also the original dated
June 10, 2016 and filed the same date be
struck out and all the four defendants be
discharged.”
The case before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of
the Federal High Court in Abuja which was
referred to by the prosecutor was a civil
case filed by a serving Senator, Gilbert
Nnaji, to challenge the then ongoing
investigation into the alleged forgery of the
Senate rule by Saraki and others.
The application by Umar for the withdrawal
of the charges was not opposed by the
defence lawyers comprising, Messrs
Ikechukwu Ezechukwu (SAN), Mahmud
Magaji (SAN), Paul Erokoro (SAN) and
Joseph Daudu (SAN).
Justice Halilu subsequently struck out the
case and discharged all the four accused.

APC feud: Fayose condemns attack on Tinubu

Posted by Unknown on 10/07/2016 03:43:00 pm

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose,
has condemned the attack on Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, saying the “humiliation of Tinubu is
as good as (the) humiliation of the Yoruba
race.”
The governor said allowing the National
Leader of the All Progressives Congress to
be embarrassed like past Yoruba leaders
would not be in the interest of the race.
Speaking through his Special Assistant on
Public Communications and New Media,
Lere Olayinka, Fayose said, “Even though I
am not a member of APC and I will never
be, I have elected to stand in defence of the
Yoruba nation once again by saying no to
the continuous dishonourable treatment
being meted to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, having
paid his dues.
“If Tinubu is allowed to be embarrassed
and disgraced just the way our past leaders
were humiliated by these same elements,
the Yoruba nation would have been made
to suffer for uprightness.”
The governor condemned the Tuesday
sponsored protest against the APC leader
at the party’s national secretariat.
Some youth groups had protested in Abuja
to condemn Tinubu for demanding the
resignation of the APC National Chairman,
John Odigie-Oyegun, over his role in the
Ondo Governorship primaries that produced
former Nigerian Bar Association President,
Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
Oyegun reportedly overruled the majority
decision of the National Working Committee
of the APC that voted for cancellation of the
primaries.
Fayose said, “It is unfortunate that Tinubu
is now being vilified in a party he invested
heavily in; and his fellow kinsmen that he
brought up politically are part of this
conspiracy.
“In their desperation, they have even tried
to set him against the Vice-President, Prof.
Yemi Osinbajo, by insinuating that he tried
to prevent his (Osinbajo) emergence as
President Mohammadu Buhari’s running
mate. This is sad!
“When other tribes protect their own, it is
becoming historically common among the
Yoruba to allow themselves to be used
against their leaders just for momentary
political gains at the expense of the
collective interests of the Yoruba nation.
“It should be noted that late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo was sent to jail by the conspiracy
and collaboration of some Yoruba with the
external aggressors.”
Fayose argued that Tinubu is a prominent
stakeholder and people should not watch
while those he used his own sweat to make
conspire with others to humiliate him.
“Most importantly, it is my position that
irrespective of political affiliation, no leader
of the Yoruba nation must be vilified
unduly, especially by the same people who
humiliated our past leaders such
as Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin, Bola
Ige, Bisi Onabanjo, Lateef Jakande, and
others.
“To me, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should not be
seen just as an APC leader, but
acknowledged as a major stakeholder in the
Yoruba nation that we must all protect
beyond politics.
”It should be recalled that these were
among the issues that I raised when I
visited Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun
State a few months ago on the need to
work together beyond party affiliations.
“Here in Yorubaland, it is said that if a
household is at peace, it is because the
bastard child of the family is yet to attain
the age of maturity and those people that
Asiwaju Tinubu made, but are now being
used against him, should watch it.
“I therefore condemn this conspiracy
against Asiwaju Tinubu and I admonish
those that are hoping to make political
benefits from it to have a rethink.”
The governor, who called for greater unity
among the Yoruba, added, “We are first
Yoruba before becoming members of
political parties. It is my opinion that our
leaders must be defended and protected,
not-minding the personal gains of today.”

Arsenal star injured during international break

Posted by Unknown on 10/07/2016 12:50:00 pm

the international break. The time when clubs
send their highly paid players off to represent
their countries and then sit at home biting their
fingernails and hoping none of them get injured.
But they often do.
Spanish newspaper Marca report on Friday that
Arsenal may have an injury to be at least a little
worried about. Hector Bellerin has been away
with Spain’s U21 side, and playing against San
Marino (which somehow makes it all the more
annoying) he received a ‘nasty tackle’ to his
right ankle.
Nobody wants a nasty San Marino tackle to their
right ankle, and Bellerin was hurt. Marca say the
player is now awaiting the results of relevant
medical tests to determine the ‘extent of his
injury’.
The Spanish newspaper say that Bellerin didn’t
train yesterday with Spain but that was ‘as a
precaution’. It doesn’t sound ultra serious,
there’s no talk of a possible long lay-off, but it’ll
be a worry nonetheless.
With all due respect to San Marino, Wenger’s
face will be a picture when he hears Bellerin may
be out injured because he was tackled by a
trainee dentist, or similar.

Economy will bounce back- buhari

Posted by Unknown on 9/12/2016 01:51:00 pm

President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted
Nigerians for their steadfastness in spite of
the difficult economic times confronting the
country.
He also told Nigerians that the current
economic recession was caused by
cumulative effects of worldwide economic
downturn and failure in the past to plan
and save for difficult times.
Buhari, in his Eid-el-Kabir message to
Nigerians released in Abuja on Sunday,
gave the assurance that his administration
would get the economy right back on track.
According to him, the Federal Government
is “working round the clock” to address the
current hardship the country is going
through.
The President said, “It is impossible to
separate the present from the past to
appreciate the extent to which mistakes of
the past are affecting everyday life today.
“I assure you that this administration is
working round the clock to remove the
hardships the country is going through.”
Buhari said developmental programmes had
been designed to reinvigorate the economy
and to enhance the living standards of the
ordinary people.
These, according to the President, include
rail and road constructions, housing
projects, support for small and medium
scale farmers, youth and women
empowerment programmes and support for
revival of industries.
He added,“We are getting security right. We
are stopping corruption in its tracks and we
will get the economy right by the grace of
God.’’
Buhari enjoined Muslims to live by the
dictates of Islam by maintaining good
relationships with their Christian brothers
and sisters.
He further charged them to maintain the
spirit of the Nigerian nation as patriots.
“The lessons of the Eid are piety and
sacrifice and, my dear brothers and sisters,
you have exhibited these in equal measure.
I wish everyone happy holidays,” he said.
Also, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto
State on Sunday said in spite of the current
economic challenges, Nigeria would return
to the path of growth and fiscal stability.
This was contained in Tambuwal’s Eid-el-
Kabir message to the people of the state,
issued in Sokoto by his media aide, Mr.
Imam Imam.
He said that there was hope that measures
being put in place by the Federal
Government would yield positive results,
adding that “there is a silver linen in the
horizon.”
Tambuwal said that the reforms instituted
by the All Progressives Congress-led
Federal Government were necessary in order
to halt the drift and commence the journey
to development and self-reliance.
“We may be facing tough challenges now,
but I believe they are just for the short
term.
“Measures put in place by government will
have positive impact in the medium and
long term.
“This administration has shown strong will
to diversify the economy and reduce
reliance on oil. That measure has started
yielding result,” he said.
The governor said that in the state, various
initiatives aimed at mitigating the effect of
the economic downturn had been
implemented, with many people already
responding to government’s call to return
to the farm.
He said, “Our citizens accepted our calls
and incentives to return to the farm, we
expect to have bumper harvests this year,
especially in crops like rice, wheat, onion
and millet.
“This will go a long way in enhancing their
income and at the same time, tackling other
socio-economic challenges confronting
them.”
However, the immediate past Chairman of
the Osun State chapter of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Rev. Elisha
Ogundiya, has called on the Federal
Government and governors of the 36 states
of the federation to demonstrate sincerity in
their efforts to stir the nation’s economy
out of the current recession.
Ogundiya, who said this in an interview with
one of our correspondents in Osogbo on
Sunday, stressed that the present economic
situation was brought upon the nation by
insincerity and greed of a few leaders.
The ex-CAN chairman said corruption was
a major problem which drove Nigeria into
the bad situation and called on leaders and
followers to shun the ungodly act in order
for the resources of the country to go
round.
The former CAN chairman stated that with
sincerity of purpose and selfless service,
Nigeria would come out of the economic
challenges stronger.
Ogundiya said, “If there is no integrity, we
will still go back to square one. No matter
what they want to do to get out of this
economic situation, there must be sincerity
on their part and Nigerians should also
support the government in the interest of all
of us.
“Whether they want to invest in tourism,
agriculture or any other sector, the Federal
Government and the state governments
must be honest in all their dealings. Their
aides should also be honest. If we are
sincere, this problem won’t last beyond the
necessary time,but with insincerity, we will
continue to sink deeper in it.
“It is good to buy locally made goods but it
is wrong to ban importation when such
products are not produced locally. What is
happening to rice now will not be if we
produce enough rice in Nigeria. Nigerians
will buy locally produced goods if they are
available and importation of such is banned
or there is heavy tariff on them.”
According to him, worsening economic
situation is one of the signs of the end
time, but he said with genuine repentance
from wickedness, God would rescue the
ship of the nation from the brink.

FIFA confirm transfer ban on Real, Atletico Madrid

Posted by Unknown on 9/08/2016 07:53:00 pm

FIFA on Thursday dismissed appeals by
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid against a
ban on registering new players in the next
two transfer windows for irregularities in
the signing of foreign players under 18.
Real, who called the ruling “profoundly
unfair”, and Atletico were also fined 360,000
($358,000) and 900,000 Swiss Francs
respectively.
However, the two Spanish giants — last
season’s Champions League finalists —
have announced they will launch a final
appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS).
“The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to
reject the appeals lodged by Spanish clubs
Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid and to
confirm in their entirety the decisions
rendered by the FIFA Disciplinary
Committee in the respective cases relating
to the protection of minors,” FIFA said in a
statement.
Both clubs were sanctioned in January, but
by appealing had temporarily held off the
ban during the transfer window which
closed last month.
They will now not be able to register any
new players in either of the next two
windows, in January 2017 and July-August
2017, before being able to do so once again
in January 2018.
Barcelona served a similar ban in 2015,
with an appeal to CAS proving unsuccessful
in their case.
European champions Real responded by
saying they will now go to the CAS in an
attempt to have the decision overturned “as
quickly as possible”.
“The club regrets the decision on the
ground that it is profoundly unfair and
contrary to the most elementary principles
of penal law,” read a statement posted on
their website.
“The club will begin the appropriate appeals
procedure before the Court of Arbitration for
Sport, requesting that the decision be
completely overturned, with absolute
confidence that said organisation will come
to an entirely favourable decision.
“Real Madrid will request that the procedure
be undertaken in an urgent manner in order
to obtain a decision from the CAS as
quickly as possible.”
Under international football rules, players
under 18 cannot be transferred to another
country, except in limited circumstances,
and all transfers need the approval of a
special FIFA committee.
Atletico insisted they had such clearance
from FIFA for the players under
investigation.
“Our club does not agree with the ruling
and therefore has decided to appeal before
the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” Atletico
said in a statement.
“Our organisation wishes to state that one
hundred percent of the licenses of our
players who are part of this investigation
and continue at the club have been
regularised by FIFA itself, receiving
authorisation from the sub-committee to
process the license and compete in different
(under-age) categories.”
Atletico used the close-season window to
make several new signings, including those
of France striker Kevin Gameiro from Sevilla
and Argentina midfielder Nicolas Gaitan
from Benfica.
Real had an unusually quiet summer in the
transfer market, although they did bring
Spain striker Alvaro Morata back to the
club from Juventus for around 30 million
euros ($34 million).

BREAKING: INEC postpones Edo election

Posted by Unknown on 9/08/2016 07:49:00 pm

The Independent National Electoral
Commission has agreed to shift the Edo
State governorship election by two weeks.
The decision to postpone the election was
reached at a security meeting held in Benin,
the Edo State capital this evening.
A national commissioner at the commission
said the Chairman of the commission, Prof.
Mahmoud Yakubu, and other national
officials of the commission are planning to
address a press conference shortly.
Details later…

Buhari lambasts Nigerians, says change isn’t about economic progress

Posted by Unknown on 9/08/2016 07:47:00 pm

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that
before Nigerians demand to see the
changes he promised them during the 2015
election, they must first change their own
attitude by shunning corruption and other
social vices.
He adds that change is not about
economic or social progress, but it is in
terms of citizens’ personal behaviour.
Buhari said this while delivering a speech at
the inauguration of the national re-
orientation campaign tagged, ‘Change
Begins With Me’ in Abuja on Thursday.
The President acknowledged that Nigeria is
currently passing through a challenging
period where hardly anything works
normally.
He lamented that honesty, hard work and
godliness had given way to all kinds of
manifestations of lawlessness and
degeneration in our national life.
Buhari said, “Our citizens must realise that
the change they want to see begins with
them, and that personal and social reforms
are not a theoretic exercise. If you have not
seen the change in you, you cannot see it in
others or even the larger society.
“In other words, before you ask ‘Where is
the change they promised us?’, you must
first ask, ‘How far have I changed my
ways? What have I done to be part of the
change for the greater good of society?’
The President said his government had
done well in the fight against corruption,
adding that the fresh campaign was a way
of getting Nigerians to join in the struggle.
He added, “The campaign we are about to
launch today is all about the need for us to
see change, not merely in terms of our
economic, social progress but in terms of
our personal behaviour on how we conduct
ourselves, engage our neighbours, friends
and generally how we relate with the larger
society in a positive and definitive way and
manner that promotes our common good
and common destiny, change at home,
change in work place, change at traffic
junction, change at traffic lights, etc.”
He said the value system of the nation had
been eroded and that was why students
would prefer to embrace cultism rather than
face their studies. He said it was for the
same reason youths were vandalising oil
pipelines thus robbing the nation of much-
needed resources.
Buhari said the disintegration of social
values encouraged impunity and corruption
in the public sector which ultimately led to
the current economic recession.

How wanted journalist, Salkida, was arrested at Abuja airport

Posted by Unknown on 9/06/2016 03:01:00 pm

The Department of State Services has
arrested Ahmed Salkida, a journalist, who
was declared wanted by the Nigerian Army
last month.
It was learnt that Salkida was arrested at
the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Abuja, on Monday afternoon shortly after
his flight landed.
The suspect, who is based in Dubai, is one
of the three persons declared wanted for
their alleged link to Boko Haram.
Salkida, a female lawyer, Aisha Waliki; and
Ahmed Bolori were declared wanted by the
military after Boko Haram released a video
showing some of the Chibok girls it
abducted on April 14, 2014.
A security operative, who spoke to one of
our correspondents on condition of
anonymity on Monday, said, “When we
declared him wanted, he said he was
willing to return to Nigeria but only on the
condition that we send him a flight ticket.
“His Nigerian passport had expired but the
Federal Government instructed the Nigeria
Immigration Service not to issue him a new
passport because he could run away after
getting the passport. So, he was given an
Emergency Travel Certificate, which allows
the holder to travel only to his country of
citizenship.
“With nowhere to run to, he had no choice
but to return. So, immediately he boarded
the plane from Dubai, we started waiting for
him at the airport.”
It was learnt that the suspect had been
taken to the office of the DSS, where he
would be debriefed.
It was unclear if he would be transferred to
the Nigerian Army’s custody.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations,
Col. Sani Usman, told one of our
correspondents that he had not got any
information that the Directorate of Military
Intelligence had arrested Salkida.
He promised to call NAIJATONIC on the
development whenever he got information
on the issue.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 1,500 members of
Boko Haram have surrendered to Nigerian
troops in the troubled North-East.
Investigations by naijatonic revealed that
some of the Boko Haram members
surrendered to troops at Buni Yadi, Yobe
State, last week while others surrendered at
various battle fronts in Borno State.
It was learnt that those who surrendered to
security forces recently were over 700,
bringing the total number of those who had
surrendered between April 2015 and August
2016 to 1,500.
The Acting Director, Defence Information,
Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, who confirmed
the figure in a telephone conversation with
Naijatonic on Monday, had earlier said
800 of the insurgents surrendered to
security forces in April 2016.
Abubakar said the 700 insurgents, who
surrendered recently, were undergoing
security profiling and documentation.
He said the military was encouraging the
Boko Haram fighters to abandon their
struggle and surrender to security forces.
Abubakar said, “In the North-East, the
operation is going on well and so many
Boko Haram fighters have been suffering.
“For now, over 1,500 have surrendered to
troops. It used to be 800 but because of
the increasing number of those who are
surrendering, we have over 1,500.
“I believe so many of them will come out
too and we are encouraging them to come
out, they shouldn’t continue to suffer.
“We are encouraging those who are still
hiding to come out and abandon their
unholy struggle. They are undergoing proper
security profiling and documentation.”

Chibok girls: Police stop BBOG protest again

Posted by Unknown on 9/06/2016 02:59:00 pm

The police on Tuesday prevented the
#BringBackOurGirls coalition from marching
to the Presidential Villa, two weeks after
stopping the group from achieving the same
goal.
The BBOG coalition, which accused the
government of ‘benumbing apathy’ to the
cause of rescuing Chibok girls, had planned
attempted to march to the Presidential Villa
for the fourth time on Tuesday morning.
The group had on three occasions taken its
protests to Aso Villa, but was prevented
from reaching the seat of power by armed
policemen who blocked the access road.
After stopping an attempt by the group to
reach the Villa on August 22, the Inspector-
General of Police said the police were not
interested in preventing the group from
meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari
but that that protest train had to be
stopped to avoid rowdiness around the seat
of power.
Ahead of Tuesday’s protest, the Federal
Capital Territory Police Command
warned the BringBackOurGirls group that it
needed police approval without which the
protest would be stopped.
A statement by the FCT Police Public
Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, last
night, said protest carried out in recent
time in Abuja had obstructed traffic and
created tension.
“These indiscriminate actions which are
carried out in disorderly and sometimes
riotous manner create unwarranted tension
and apprehension among law abiding
citizens and in the process obstruct
legitimate business activities,” the
statement read in part.
Undeterred, the BBOG coalition and
sympathisers had gathered on Tuesday for
the protest only to meet a wall of
policemen along the way to the Presidential
Villa.

Edo election: ‘Buhari’s visit’ll boost APC’s chances’

Posted by Unknown on 9/06/2016 02:57:00 pm

The All Progressives Congress in Edo on
Tuesday said President Muhammadu
Buhari’s visit to the state would boost the
party’s chances at Saturday’s governorship
election.
Buhari is in Benin to attend the party’s
grand finale campaign rally at Samuel
Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin ahead of
September 10 governorship election in Edo.
The APC Chairman in the state, Mr. Anselm
Ojezua, said this at the Samuel Ogbemudia
stadium, in Benin.
He said although the party and its
candidate, Godwin Obaseki, had prepared
well for the election, “the President gracing
the final rally will no doubt further enhance
the chances of the party at the poll”.
The chairman said that the president “will
not be oblivious of the fact that his visit is
important being his first major governorship
poll to be conducted since assumption of
office on May 29, 2015.
“As for us, we have worked hard for the
election, but the visit of Mr. President
today, Tuesday, is going to be an added
advantage to us,” he said.
President, who arrived the Benin airport at
10:20am, is leading other notable party
members to visit the crown prince and the
Ediaken of Uselu, Eheneden Erediauwa, in
his palace at Uselu.
APC supporters, in their numbers, started
arriving at the stadium, the venue of the
rally as early as 7a.m.
Prominent members of the party already at
the stadium were the former Deputy
Governor of Edo, Rev. Peter Obadan; the
state Chairman of the party, Mr Anselm
Ojezua; and Great Ogboru from Delta.
Others are the Speaker, Edo House of
Assembly, Dr. Justin Okunobor; former Gov.
Oserheimen Osunbor, and Mr. Chris
Ogiewonyi.

B’Haram members plan to join army, says DSS

Posted by Unknown on 9/05/2016 07:48:00 am

The Department of State Services has said
some members of the dreaded Boko Haram
sect were making plans to join the army.
It, however, added that two members of the
sect, who were specialists in the making of
Improvised Explosive Devise, were arrested
before their desire to join the army was
fulfilled.
The spokesperson for the DSS, Mr. Tony
Opuiyo, who stated this in a statement in
Abuja on Sunday, said the suspects were
arrested in Kano.
He said, “In response to the regrouping of
Boko Haram elements in Kano State, the
DSS in concert with the military, carried out
coordinated operations in the state which
led to the apprehension of two high profile
members of the sect.
“They are Ibrahim Abubakar and Idris Audu
(a.k.a. AYA). Audu is an IED specialist who
was being groomed to penetrate security
agencies in the country.
“Audu had already perfected plans to seek
for recruitment into the next recruitment
scheme of the Nigeria Army, before his
arrest.”
He attributed the success recorded in the
arrest of these two suspects to the
service’s sustained tactical and counter-
terrorism operations.
Opuiyo also said the service on August 22,
arrested one Samuel Asuquo, who was
described as a kidnap kingpin, at Nasarawa
Bakoko village in Cross River State.
He said the suspect was the mastermind of
the kidnap of three Australian staff of
Lafarge Cement Company, for which his
gang received a ransom of N150m.
On the economic front, Opuiyo said the
service was currently intensifying action
against high level fraudsters whose
unwholesome activities were negatively
affecting investors’ confidence with
multiplier risk to genuine businesses
nationwide.
He said, “Accordingly, one Izuagie
Mohammed was arrested in Benin City, Edo
State on August 24, for impersonating the
Accountant General of the Federation.
“Mohammed had allegedly defrauded
unsuspecting members of the public posing
as the Nigerian AGF on Facebook and
promising them facilitation of the Central
Bank of Nigeria empowerment loan, before
he was apprehended by the Service.
He assured all law abiding citizens and
residents that the DSS would not rest on
its oars in its determination to ensure a
safe environment for all to carry out their
legitimate business

I can’t stop Buhari from seeking re-election –Obasanjo

Posted by Unknown on 9/05/2016 07:47:00 am

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
has denied an online report quoting him as
saying that he had warned President
Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election
in 2019.
The report, which was credited to him
through his former Chief Press Secretary,
Alex Nwokedi, in an on-line publication,
Post Nigeria, dated September 3, 2016,
claiming that Obasanjo had warned
President Muhammadu Buhari against
seeking re-election in 2019.
But Obasanjo has described the report as
“completely false and destructive by those
behind it.”
The former President, in a statement
issued by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi,
in Abeokuta on Sunday, said there has been
no communication between him and
Nwokedi in the last three years, and
wondered why any news would be
attributed to him, as published by the on-
line publication.
The statement read in part, “My belief is
that democracy allows for anybody
including President Buhari for that matter to
contest any election and it is the
prerogative rights of Nigerians to vote or
not to vote for them.
“I have not communicated with Alex in the
last three years, so how could a story be
credited to me when I did not authorise
such or communicated with him in the last
three years?”
Obasanjo said he could not even stop any
of his children not to seek elective post,
because that was part of the freedom of
democracy.
It read further, “I condemn in the highest
manner the story and those behind it. And
for those behind it, they are simply enemies
of democracy and freedom of expression.”
Obasanjo said that he was still committed
to the peace and progress of the country’s
democratic development.
He assured Nigerians that with patience,
the current democratic experience would
bring relief to the masses.

Deputy governor urges media to promote good governance

Posted by Unknown on 9/05/2016 07:46:00 am

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr
Idiat Adebule, says the media has a huge
role to play in ensuring good governance in
Nigeria.
Adebule spoke at an event organised by the
Lagos Information Chapel of the Nigerian
Union of Journalists in Lagos, a statement
said on Sunday. The statement quoted the
deputy governor as saying any government
that wanted acceptability must make
effective and prompt information available
to the people.
Adebule who was represented by the Tutor
General/Permanent Secretary of District 1,
Dr Abiose Ayandele, noted that information
managers in the state had been
professional in the dissemination of
information about policies and programmes
of the government to the citizenry.
She said, “The state information managers
do not only excel in the propagation of the
state government’s activities, they are also
good at agenda setting.
“The Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led
administration is committed to improving
the welfare of Lagos residents through
infrastructure provision. We are sure that
our information managers will maintain the
practice of reporting government activities
promptly.”
The Commissioner for Information and
Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said
intellectually-motivated and thought-
provoking gatherings must be encouraged,
noting that such events were important to
any nation that was desirous of greatness.
Ayorinde, who was represented by the
Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Toro
Oladapo, said, “In reality, the success of a
government is not felt except through
strategic communication, which is where
members of the Lagos NUJ deserve
commendation.”

Oke rejects Ondo APC primary result

Posted by Unknown on 9/05/2016 07:44:00 am

Two DAYS after the primary of the All
Progressives Congress in Ondo State, some
of the governorship aspirants of the party
have been reacting to the outcome of the
election.
A former President of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, won
the primary held on Saturday in Akure, the
state capital, defeating all the 23 other
aspirants of the party.
One of the governorship aspirants of the
party, Chief Olusola Oke condemned the
emergence of Akeredolu as the party’s
candidate for the governorship poll, faulting
the result of the primary.
However, two aspirants, Dr. Segun Abraham
and Mr. Victor Olabimtan, hailed the
conduct of the exercise, saying the election
was free and fair. They congratulated
Akeredolu and pledged to support his
governorship bid.
Speaking through his Director-General of
his campaign, Mr. Bola Fisayo, on Sunday,
Oke said the election was not a true
reflection of the delegates that participated
in the primary last Saturday.
Oke was the candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party in the 2012 governorship
election. He specifically alleged that some
names of the delegates were removed from
the delegates’ list while non-delegates were
allegedly allowed to vote.
He explained that the list of delegates
handed over to the aspirants at a meeting
with the Presidency was different from the
list of delegates brought by the Chairman
of the Election Committee, who is also the
Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed
Abubakar.
According to him, the delegates’ list was
shown to the aspirants at the eleventh hour
and there was no adequate time to
scrutinise the list by most of the aspirants.
He alleged further that about 110 names
belonging to Oke’s camp were removed
from both Ondo East and West Local
Governments while their names were
replaced with non-executive members of
the party.
He said, “There was nothing we could do at
that particular time. I can confirm to you
that 80 per cent of those that cast their
votes for Abraham came from Oke’s camp.
“The election did not represent the true
position of the delegates, the accreditation
gave room for manipulation and the whole
process was laced with fraud and the result
released did not represent the true
reflection of the delegates as non-delegates
were allowed to participate in the election”
But Abraham, while congratulating
Akeredolu, in a statement he issued on
Sunday, commended the electoral
committee for conducting a hitch-free
election.
He said, “My special regards and admiration
for Alhaji Baderu Abubakar, the Governor of
Jigawa State, and his team for their sterling
quality and integrity in conducting the APC
governorship primary in Ondo State.”
Abraham, who pledged to join hands with
Akeredolu to reposition the state, also
assured the people of the state that the
APC government would not disappoint
them.

Ekiti to decentralise state, LG workers’ payments

Posted by Unknown on 9/05/2016 07:43:00 am

Ekiti State Government has hinted that it
may stop the central payment of state and
local government workers’ salaries, saying
local governments will be encouraged to
pay their workers.
Governor Ayodele Fayose spoke in Ado Ekiti,
the state capital, during a meeting with
directors of finance and accounts, directors
of administration, chief internal auditors
and others from across ministries,
departments and agencies in the state.
Fayose, in a statement by his Chief Press
Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti on
Sunday, also warned public servants
against signing documents without
thoroughly going through them.
According to him, any negative fallout from
a signed document would be blamed on any
officer that signed it.
The meeting was convened to find solutions
to the problems associated with generating
wholesome nominal and pay rolls by MDAs
in the state, the statement added.
The governor frowned on a situation where
people, who had left the service or died,
still had their names on the nominal roll.
“Why should we be spending our scarce
resources wastefully? We are no longer
going to tolerate the issue of buck passing,
where someone will claim he is not the one
that generates the nominal roll and so does
not properly go through it before preparing
the pay roll.
“Henceforth, the nominal and pay rolls must
be properly scrutinised by the internal
auditors before being signed. The system
has adequate checks and balances already
in place and if not for collusion by
concerned public servants, no sharp
practices could take place.
“It is advisable that every officer properly
goes through any document before signing
such, as the person who endorses any
document is going to be held responsible in
case of any issue,” he said.
The governor, after listening to complaints
by internal auditors that they did not have
computers to be able to verify the soft
copies of pay rolls sent to them from the
Accountant-General Office, directed that all
the officers should by next week be sent on
computer training and afterwards be
provided with personal computers.
Earlier, the Deputy Governor, Dr Kolapo
Olusola, said in the course of staff
verification conducted last year, a lot of
anomalies were discovered in the system.
He listed the sharp practices to include
over-payment, under-payment, paying dead
or retired officers, over-deductions, illegal
promotion, among others.

Sallah forces Reps to postpone resumption

Posted by Unknown on 9/05/2016 07:41:00 am

The House of Representatives has
postponed by one week its anticipated
resumption, naijatonic learnt in Abuja on
Sunday.
This also implies that the expected action
of the 360-member legislature on the
budget padding allegations levelled against
the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three
other principal officers, will be delayed by
at least one week.
The other three are the Deputy Speaker, Mr.
Yussuff Lasun; the Chief Whip, Mr.
Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority
Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.
Lawmakers proceeded on their annual
recess on July 20 and were scheduled to
reconvene on September 13.
Findings by The PUNCH showed on Sunday
that the resumption date had been
postponed by one week due to the
forthcoming Eid-el Kabir festivities.
A senior National Assembly official stated
on Sunday, “The Sallah proper will be on
Monday, September 12, just one day to the
original resumption date.
“Taken that the Federal Government will
naturally declare Monday and Tuesday
(September 13) as public holidays to mark
the Sallah, it is no longer feasible for the
House to reconvene on September 13.
“We are now looking at a date from
Tuesday, September 20.”
Meanwhile, a former Deputy Minority Whip
of the House, Mr. Garba Dhatti, confirmed
to naijatonic on Sunday that the
resumption would be delayed by “three
weeks.”
Dhatti, who is still a serving member,
stated, “The end of recess will now be up to
three weeks (September 20).
“It has to be after Sallah, which you know
is Monday (September 12).”
The development came as the Chief Whip of
the 7th House (2011-2015), Mr. Ishaka
Bawa, told naijatonic that there was
“nothing abnormal” for Dogara and other
principal officers to receive higher
allocations for intervention or constituency
projects in the 2016 budget.
Bawa said in every budget year, principal
officers were allocated higher votes for
projects in line with a “parliamentary
tradition in practice over the years.”
Citing the instance of the 7th Assembly,
where he was the fourth highest-ranked
principal officer, Bawa disclosed that each
of the 10 principal officers received higher
project allocations according to their ranks.
He also confirmed that all the principal
officers had higher project votes than those
he called “floor members.”
Bawa added, “As a principal officer in the
7th Assembly, the funds allocated for my
projects were higher than that of Dogara,
who was a ‘floor member’ at the time.
“Dogara was a floor member. Even as the
Chairman, Committee on House Services,
the funds for his projects were nothing
compared to that of the least-ranked
principal officer.
“Principal officers got their allocations pro-
rata. They then identified the projects which
were domiciled in the relevant Ministries,
Departments and Agencies for execution.
“Every member knows that this has been
the practice and the 8th Assembly principal
officers have done nothing new.”
According to Bawa, the allocations of
Dogara and the other three principal officers
in the 2016 budget are not padding “so
long as they were contained in the budget
that was considered, passed by the
National Assembly and signed into the law
by Mr. President.”
Bawa, a lawyer, argued that the padding
allegations could “only be sustained if there
is proof that the money (N40bn) was added
to the budget after the National Assembly
passed it and on its way to the President’s
office.”
A former Chairman, Committee on
Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, had
alleged that the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu
Dogara, and three other principal officers
requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in
the 2016 budget, besides sundry projects in
sums ranging from N20bn to N30bn.
He claimed that his refusal to oblige the
four principal officers and his opposition to
several alleged financial infractions were
responsible for his sacking by Dogara on
July 20.
The leadership of the House denied the
alleged padding, saying all insertions into
the budget followed the “due process of
legislation and budgeting.”
However, it said Jibrin’s allegations would
be investigated internally by the Committee
on Ethics and Privileges after the House
would have reconvened on the initially fixed
September 13.
The police, the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission and the Presidential
Advisory Committee Against Corruption are
already investigating the allegations.
Jibrin had petitioned the agencies and the
Independent Corrupt Practices and other
related offences Commission as well as the
Department of State Services.
Also on Sunday, Jibrin suggested how the
budgeting process and other finances of the
House could be reformed to plug alleged
loopholes for “fraud.”
Jibrin said he made the submissions to the
Presidential Advisory Committee Against
Corruption during his visit to the body in
Abuja on Wednesday last week.
He said he told the committee, which is
chaired by Prof. Itse Sagay, that the
legislature was abusing its power of
appropriation and should be stopped.
Jibrin suggested that copies of the budget
should always be circulated to all members
while the highlights and the details must be
considered together by lawmakers.
He added, “The most important reform here
is to ensure that budget estimates and
details are returned to the floor of the
House at the same time for passage.
“This will check the insertions by some
standing committee chairmen and principal
officers in the process of budget passage.
On the internal finances of the House, Jibrin
said such funds should be made public so
that Nigerians could follow the spending
pattern of lawmakers.

67% Increase In Cement Price Causes Scare For Builders

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 01:03:00 pm

In the last few weeks, the price of the
product has increased from 1,500 Naira
to as high as 2,500 Naira.
The unexpected increase in price has
been generating reactions from citizens
of the nation that has huge housing
deficit.
In Ilorin, in the South-west Region,
people who need cement for different
purposes are asking the Nigerian
government to set up a cement factory
to check the incessant increase due to
monopoly.
An architect at the site of a shopping
complex construction, Christopher
Okebuko, lamented that the increase
from 1,500 Naira last two weeks to
2,500 Naira has affected the cost of the
project.
“I cannot go back for project variation
now,” he said.
Slid Into Recession
Other people also lamented how the new
price has affected them.
A civil servant, Olanrewaju Ahmed, said
he had borrowed money to buy the
building materials in order to complete
his personal house.
He asked the government to intervene in
the situation triggered by the nation’s
economy that has slid into recession.
Mr Ahmed believes such intervention
would reduce the sufferings of the
masses.
In another part of the nation, Asaba, the
capital of Delta State, sales persons at
Chinedu Oko Building Materials Plaza
along the Asaba-Onitsha expressway,
lamented drastic reduction in sales and
income.
Construction workers, however, believes
that industrialisation and patronage of
made in Nigeria goods would help
reduce the pressure on the Naira which
would in turn revamp the economy.
Figures released by the National Bureau
of Statistics on August 31 showed that
Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
contracted by 2.06% in the second
quarter of 2016
According to the report, the decline has
caused the Naira to get weaker while
lower oil prices dragged the oil sector
down.

Five New Cases of Lassa Fever Discovered In Four States

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 01:00:00 pm

Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said
that two cases were reported from
Plateau State, one from Rivers, and one
each from Bauchi and Gombe. They all
occurred between August 24 to
September 2.
The individual with the Lassa fever in
Gombe died on August 22 while others
are still alive.
According to the agency, public health
response has commenced in all the
affected states under the leadership of
the respective state’s Ministries of
Health.
“Resources were immediately mobilised
from the Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control and its partner, the Nigerian
Field Epidemiology and Laboratory
Training Programme (NFELTP), to
support the investigation and
management of cases in the affected
states,” the agency said in a statement.
Natal multimammate mouse is the primary
animal host of the Lassa virus
The Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC,
Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, stressed the need
for early detection of the disease and
reporting of the cases.
“We commend the early detection and
reporting of the most recent cases, as it
significantly improves the likelihood of
survival for the cases and also reduces
the risk of further transmission. We also
urge all States to report cases
immediately for Lassa fever while
improving on the timeliness of their
reporting generally,” Dr. Ihekweazu
stated.
As a result of increasing number of
cases of Lassa fever, the NCDC also
issued an advisory to all States,
reminding them of the steps they have to
take to prepare and respond to cases of
Lassa fever and other haemorrhagic
fevers, as well as the resources that they
can access for this.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
further reiterated its commitment to
supporting the States to prevent the
spread of Lassa fever in Nigeria.
Virus Spreads To Human
Lassa fever fresh cases resurfaced on
August 22, with Delta State recording the
death of a medical doctor.
After his death, several other persons
have been placed under surveillance in
different states , with
sensitisation campaigns also increasing.
The virus spreads to human from
rodents and it is then shed in their
excreta (urine and feces), which can be
aerosolised.
In fatal cases, Lassa fever is
characterised by impaired or delayed
cellular immunity leading to fulminant
viremia.
Infection in humans typically occurs by
exposure to animal excrement through
the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts.
Inhalation of tiny particles of infectious
material (aerosol) is believed to be the
most significant means of exposure.
It is possible to acquire the infection
through broken skin or mucous
membranes that are directly exposed to
infectious material.
Transmission from person to person has
also been established, presenting a
disease risk for healthcare workers.

Rivers Kidnap Update: One of 14 Victims Escapes

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 12:58:00 pm

The CP, who told our correspondent that
the victims are oil workers, wondered
why the driver carried on even after their
security escorts had stopped to fuel their
vehicles.
He, however, said his men have been on
the trail of the kidnappers and are
currently combing the bushes to
apprehend them.
Gunmen kidnapped 14 local oil workers
and their driver, police confirmed on
Friday.
The incident took place on a road
connecting the towns of Omoku and
Elele, around 50 km from the city of Port
Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in the
early hours of Friday as the employees of
Nigerian energy company, Nestoil,
traveled to work, police said.
“We have recovered the vehicle they
were traveling in before the incident
occurred. Police are currently combing
bushes around the area in a bid to find
and release the victims,” said, the Police
PRO in the state, Nnamdi Omoni.
“I do not think there was a foreigner
among those kidnapped. Their abductors
have not made any contact and nobody
has been arrested yet,” Nnamdi told
Reuters.

Messi Picks Up Bad Injury On International Duty…See Details

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 11:09:00 am

Lionel Messi will be sidelined for a while after
picking up a painful injury while representing
Argentina.
Lionel Messi will miss Argentina’s 2018 World
Cup qualifier in Venezuela on Tuesday after
injuring his groin in Thursday’s 1-0 victory
over Uruguay.
The Barcelona forward scored on his return
from international retirement to send Argentina
top of the South America qualifying group.
Messi said after the game that his groin had
been “hurting a lot”.
Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza said: “He
won’t be able to play. We can’t take any risks.
We must take care of him.”
After seven of the 18 qualifying games
Argentina lead Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador
by one point with B.razil a point further back
in fifth.
A top-four finish will secure automatic
qualification for Russia 2018, with the fifth-
placed side facing a two-legged play-off
against a team from Oceania – New Zealand,
New Caledonia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea,
Solomon Islands or Tahiti.

OAU Shuts Down Mosques Inside Hostel Over Alleged Prostitution & Alien Doctrine Teaching

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 11:07:00 am

The Divisional Students Affairs of the Obafemi
Awolowo University management has stated
that it is ready to shut down mosques across
the all hostels in the institution.
According to a statement signed by the Dean
of the Divisional Students Affairs DSA, Dr. G. O
Akinola, the justification for shutting down the
mosque is not far from ranging allegations
levied on the MSSN splinter group.
The splinter group was alleged of harbouring
female students for prostitution and teaching
of an alien doctrine.
Read the statement below:
“The Division of Students Affairs (DSA)
acting upon the Statutes and Regulations of
Obafemi Awolowo University hereby declares
closed until further notice, the two purported
mosques in Awolowo and Fajuyi Halls for the
reasons of peace, free movement of students
and staff within the Halls and the overriding
need for the security of all persons, assets
and installation in the Halls.
The reasons for this closure are as set out
below:
1. On Friday 12th August, 2016 when the
current executive members of the Muslim
Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Obafemi
Awolowo University (OAU), Ife B.ranch were
to be inaugurated at the Central Mosque, the
Division of Students Affairs (DSA) was
invited and was duly represented by the Vice
Dean of the Division. There were issues at
the inauguration when we were told of
another group of Muslim students who
wanted to impose themselves and their
doctrines which are not consistent with the
Constitution of the MSSN members. At that
point the Vice-Dean was asked to interact
with this group with a view to finding out
what their arguments and positions were;
2. After the Vice-Dean’s interaction with the
group (which is yet to give a name to itself,
although they insisted that they should be
called MSSN too), we decided to call
members of the group to a meeting at the
DSA.
They came on Tuesday, 23rd August 2016 at
6.15pm. After several attempts at making
them attend the parley failed, we eventually
held a meeting with them on this 23rd
August. We stressed at the meeting the
point that the DSA is only aware of the
existence of only one MSSN as a registered
Muslim students’ group on the campus of
the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
We impressed it on the group that even the
DSA is also aware that the National body of
the MSSN recognises only one MSSN group
here on campus. We therefore advised the
group to, if they have any issue of
disagreement between them and the
mainstream MSSN, please for sake of peace
on campus and interest of their members
take steps to sort them out with the
Executive of the MSSN on campus.
3. The meeting deliberated extensively on
how to bring this settlement about and at
the end of it, it was agreed that a period of
one (1) week be given to permit the group
interact with the mainstream MSSN and
settle their disagreement amicably failing
which the two ‘mosques’ at Fajuyi and
Awolowo Halls would be closed down for
peace to reign.
Note that this splinter group of the MSSN
had begun to use the two ‘mosques’ in these
Halls as a base for their anti-mainstream
MSSN rhetorics and doctrinal disagreement
on campus, including recruitment of students
for their separate teachings. Note also, that
these two ‘mosques’, converted as such
were originally Cafeteria buildings meant for
the respective halls under the University’s
master plan.
We also agreed at the meeting that if the
DSA found that they were able to make
progress on the reconciliation, even if they
have not completely reached an agreement
on doctrinal or worship issues, the
suggestive closure of the ‘mosque’ would be
suspended to permit for more room for
rapport and deeper reconciliation. We agreed
that we were going to meet again on the
very day that the one-week ultimatum to
reconcile expired, that is Tuesday 30th
August, 2016. Meanwhile, desirous of a way
to convince the DSA that the splinter group
meant well, they invited the DSA to visit the
two ‘mosques’ in Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls
to see that there was nothing sinister in the
activities of the splinter group and that if
anything at all, they have been peaceful and
law-abiding.
4. However, on Thursday 25th August, a
meeting was held with the University
recognized MSSN Executive members. This
same MSSN Executive is also recognised by
the OAU Muslim Community and by the
National body of MSSN in Nigeria. That
meeting was called to hear the complaints
of the splinter MSSN members and their
grievances. The recognized MSSN was
informed of the University’s plan to close the
‘mosques’ in Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls if the
splinter group of the MSSN failed to make
peace with the mainstream MSSN and
reconcile accordingly;
5. On Friday 26th August, the MSSN
National body paid a courtesy visit to the
DSA to discuss the furore over the
recognized MSSN on campus. The visitation
team led by the President of the National
MSSN, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad
came in company of the campus mainstream
MSSN and some of his officials. The thrust
of their visit was to make a passionate
appeal to the DSA on their fear for the
possibility of “emergence on the OAU
campus of an extremist group of Muslim
students in a fashion similar to the current
Boko Haram insurgency besetting Nigeria”.
They expressed some fears and strongly felt
that the splinter MSSN group in OAU and
what they referred to as “their strange
doctrinal principles and procedures” could
lead to the materialization of such fears.
The visitation team pleaded with the
University through the DSA to do all that
was lawful and needful to see that such
fears were allayed. The visitation team also
reiterated their support for the recognized
MSSN mainstream organization and its
president. In addition, the team gave a copy
of the MSSN Constitution and 5 copies of
the articles of faith of the MSSN titled
“MSSN at a Glance” to the DSA;
6. On the night of 27th August, 2016 reports
came to the Acting Dean, DSA, that the
splinter MSSN group were planning to hold a
religious programme in Awolowo Hall
Cafeteria the following day (i.e. 28th August,
2016), for which they had not sought or
obtained permission. The Acting Dean
reported to the University Chief Security
Officer who immediately sent a group of his
men to see how things would go with a view
to apprehending any illegality or untoward
behaviours and report forthwith. Report
came that the religious programme held and
that the leaders of the splinter MSSN
presided at that programme. The point here
is that the group failed to seek or secure
approval for this religious activity in the
Cafeteria.
7. However, on the night preceding the
expiration of the ultimatum given to the
Splinter MSSN group, to make peace with
the mainstream MSSN and reconcile
accordingly, a text message was sent to the
Vice Dean, DSA, from the Splinter MSSN
group that they had contacted someone who
would help broker the reconciliation talks
and that the person said he would see the
Chief Imam of the Central mosque later. The
DSA quickly apprehended this as delay
tactics as the text could have been sent
earlier. Otherwise, why the night preceding
the expiration of the ultimatum to reconcile?
In any case, on the agreed date when the
ultimatum expired (Tuesday 30th August,
2016), the DSA expected them to come for a
meeting at the DSA’s office, but to our
chagrin they refused to show up.
8. Meanwhile, acting upon the invitation
earlier extended to the DSA by this splinter
MSSN group, the Acting Dean and Vice Dean
at about 10.45am on 31st August, 2016,
visited the Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls with a
view to seeing for themselves samples of the
activities of the splinter MSSN group. We
told them of many irregular and outright
illegal things we have heard them do at the
‘mosques’. We made them realise that they
had been holding unauthorized religious
programmes in these ‘mosques’ and several
other places on campus without approval
from the DSA. They, however, argued that
they had not been violent but law abiding
and that they had never done anything illegal
or irregular in any of their religious meetings.
9. But on this our visit to Awolowo
‘mosque’, we discovered a door leading to
one of the rooms in the ‘mosque’ was
securely locked from inside and the
occuP@nts refused to open. We threatened
to force the door open if they refused any
further, and after much persuasion, the door
was opened and we discovered to our utter
amazement that a group of girls numbering
about a dozen were locked inside the room
either fully or partially veiled. Our
amazement was that the room in which they
were locked or locked themselves was in a
male hall, we wondered to no end why
purported female students would be locked
up in a male hall during lecture hours, no
matter the excuse. Before we could
interrogate them, some escaped through the
backdoor of the room but we were able to
apprehend three of them from whom we
collected their identity cards.
10. At the Fajuyi Hall, we also discovered to
utter shock that a group of girls who
purported themselves to be students were
locked in a room in the ‘mosque’. We
interrogated them and they claimed that
they were kept there by their leaders who
happen to be the leaders of MSSN splinter
group. They, in addition claimed that they
were praying in the room. Our dilemma was
why a group of female students would claim
to be praying during lecture hours in an
exclusive male hall at around 11am! There
was five girls in this room and we collected
the identity cards from four of them. The
fifth one who was fully veiled said she had
not her identity card on her. However, a
male student who vouched for this fully
veiled girl volunteered to stand in for her
until she produced her identity card. We
collected this male student’s identity card.
11. Having observed the seeming obstinacy
of the splinter MSSN group to interact with
the DSA and to fulfill the requirements of the
agreement reached on 23rd August, we again
were forced to send a follow-up invitation to
them stating that they should come to the
DSA for a meeting on Wednesday, 31st
August for a serious interaction at the DSA’s
office. But to our utter dismay they sent a
text message to the DSA that all of them in
the group would be having Continuous
Assessment tests from 10am to 5pm on
31st August, 2016. We replied that text
message that no test of any kind could
possibly last from 10am to 5pm in this
University and that in their own interest they
needed to show up for the meeting on or
before 2.00pm on 31st August to discuss the
issue of reconciliation as agreed in our last
meeting with them.
12. The splinter MSSN group eventually
came in the afternoon of 31st August at
about 1.15pm. We intimated them with our
findings and told them they had to put a
stop to their practice of harbouring girls in
rooms within the ‘mosques’. Their leaders
insisted that they could not abide by that
demand and that they reserved the right to
keep any of their female members in the
rooms in the ‘mosque’! We explained to
them that what they were doing was
contrary to the laws of the University and
the regulations guiding religious worship and
students’ conduct. But they held their
ground that since the ‘mosque’ was a place
of worship they could not abide by the rules
and the need to desist from keeping female
students within its rooms at any time. The
meeting ended in a stalemate.
13. We thereafter pleaded with the Chief
Imam of the University to take full charge of
the ‘mosques’ and prevent forthwith any
breach of the University’s rules within its
walls. He declined flatly and said he would
rather not be held responsible for what ever
happened in those ‘mosques’ as he had
since dissociated himself from the practices
and doctrines of the splinter MSSN who
controlled it.
14. It should be noted that the Federal
Government, of Nigeria of which Obafemi
Awolowo University is an integral part, has
not legalized prostitution in Universities. It is
pertinent to note also that no female should
be camped in a male facility under the guise
of religion, as this is tantamount to running
a brothel which will breed prostitution; and
this is illegal. It is only fit, proper and
responsible that any grossly abused
university facility be closed down.
15. Consequently, acting within its powers to
prevent any breakdown of law and order and
to ensure freedom of movement of persons
within the respective halls of residence,
especially at this time of dire security
concern in the country, the DSA has
therefore acted this 2nd day of September,
2016 to seal off and close down henceforth,
the two ‘mosques’ in Awolowo and Fajuyi
Halls until such a time that orderliness and
the rule of the University would be respected
within its walls.
Signed: Dr. (Mrs.) G. O. Akinola
(Acting Dean, Division of Students’ Affairs)
Stamped!!!

Seven Of Buhari’s Actions That Led Nigeria Into Recession

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 11:03:00 am

1) Sudden Implementation of Treasury Single
Account (TSA)- This policy threw the banking
and financial sector into turmoil as huge sums
were swept out of banks and dormantly
stashed into a preferred safe.
2) Tightening of Foreign Exchange
Transactions- This policy made it difficult to
make foreign exchange, and threw thriving
businesses into turmoil which led to massive
sacking of workers and manufacturing
slowdown.
3) Unguarded Utterances During Foreign Trips-
The president made several unguarded
utterances that gave the impression that
Nigeria was headed for the rocks. This made
foreign investors hesitant about coming into
Nigeria, and encouraged those that were
already in Nigeria to speculate and pull out
funds.
4) Halting of Important Projects in the Niger
Delta- Buhari moved to remove majority of the
projects that were created to provide tangible
benefits to Niger-Deltans. For example, the
Maritime University and Pipeline protection
projects. Though, some of these projects were
condemned by Nigerians, they kept the Niger-
Delta at peace and allowed for the
maximization of the benefits from petroleum
exports.
5) Buhari’s Northern Developmental Focus in
Nigeria- The developmental aim of the
president is very much skewed towards
Northern Nigeria than every other part. So, he
is more like kick starting a new economic
focus, while dumping existing economic
strengths. For example, he is devoting billions
of dollars to search for petroleum in the North
when Nigeria does not have functional
refineries to ensure adequate availability of
petroleum products that are already being
produced in the South.
6) Elimination of All the Policies Made by PDP-
it is on record that even though PDP led
governments were corrupt, they made some
major strides in diversifying Nigeria’s
economy. For example, Agricultural export
came to life under PDP. Buhari has focused on
bedeviling and antagonizing every single policy
made by the PDP. In the process, he has
thrown out good policies and progress that
were made in the past. He is almost starting
afresh, and this has rebooted Nigeria and
thrown us years backwards.
7) Preference for Violence over Dialogue-
Buhari prefers to use military force to quell
civil strife. This approach ignites more protests
and civil disobedience. An economy cannot
experience progress in violent conditions. Even
Lagos and Ogun axis has experienced an open
show of military bombardment, which scares a
heck out of investors. The same is true about
the production shut ins in the Niger Delta
region. Some of these issues can be solved
with dialogue and with police actions than full
scale military assaults.

Ogun state permanent secretary dies 24 hours after swearing-in

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 10:53:00 am

24 hours after she was sworn into office by the
Ogun state governor, a permanent secretary,
Mrs. Olubunmi Odumusi has died. According to
family sources, she died in her sleep last night
September 2nd. She was aged 57. She is said to
have been battling cancer disease for a while.
May her soul rest in peace, Amen.

Rotimi Akeredolu emerges APC governorship candidate in Ondo State

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 10:51:00 am

A former president of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Rotimi Akeredolu has emerged the
governorship candidate of the opposition All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State. He
emerged the flag bearer following the state
party's primary election held amidst tight
security in Akure, the state capital Saturday
September 3rd.

Fayose dismisses Sheriff visit to Obasanjo, says; “It’s coming together of PDP enemies”

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 10:49:00 am

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has
reacted to today’s visit of Senator Ali Modu
Sheriff to former President Olusegun Obasanjo,
saying it was a coming together of collaborators
in the total annihilation of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).The governor said it
was on record that both Obasanjo and Sheriff
collaborated to destroy the All Nigerians Peoples
Party (ANPP) and their meeting today must be
to further collaborate to destroy the PDP.
Governor Fayose, who reacted to the visit
through his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka,
said;
“Sheriff can as well begin to sleep in
Obasanjo’s house, it is good riddance to
bad rubbish.”
The governor said; “since Obasanjo is no longer
a member of the PDP and he has consistently
maintained that he can never return to the PDP,
only those in the same league with him can go
about visiting him.”
He said it was hypocritical and deceitful for
Sheriff to have said he went to see Obasanjo to
seek advice on the way forward for the PDP
because he (Obasanjo) was among those made
the PDP to lose the presidency, despite that no
one benefited from the party more than him.
Governor Fayose said Sheriff only visited
Obasanjo as part of his plot with the All
Progressives Congress (APC) to destroy the
PDP, adding that; “no genuine lover of the PDP
will go to the house of a man who openly
destroyed his PDP membership card and worked
assiduously to ensure the party’s failure in the
2015 presidential election to seek advice on how
the way forward for the PDP.”
He reiterated his call to Nigerians to beware of
Obasanjo, saying;
"The result of Obasanjo's imposition of
President Mohammadu Buhari on the
country is the hunger and sufferings that
Nigerians are facing now."

Arsenal: Lucas Perez Revelation Should Put Fears To Rest

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 10:41:00 am

Arsenal’s brand new striker Lucas
Perez has revealed that Wenger has
been after him since January. Does
this revelation change anything?
One of the things that made Granit Xhaka’s
acquisition so special was that we knew
Wenger had been trying to bring him to
Arsenal for at least the past year. He had
touched base with him the previous summer,
followed up in January and by the time the
summer rolled around, it was a done deal.
That same dose of forethought was not
blatantly seen with new striker Lucas Perez
and it got many supporters worrying that
Lucas was a panic buy and nothing more
than a desperate attempt to fill the gap.
However, Lucas has come out and revealed
something that should put those fears to
bed.
“The Arsenal offer came just days before the
end of the transfer window. But I knew about
the interest of Arsenal for a long time. They
showed interest in me during the January
transfer window but then I couldn’t leave,” he
said, via the Daily Express . He went on:
“They also showed interest in me after the
end of La Liga. But then, they have their way
of working and the offer came only days
before the end of the market.”
By the sounds of it, that bit of forethought
that Wenger frequently uses was also applied
to Lucas, it was just put off in the summer
when another candidate or two rose to the
front (Wissam Ben-Yedder, Alexandre
Lacazette or, dare I say it again, Antoine
Griezmann).
So any calls of ‘desperation’ should be put to
rest. That is, unless Lucas is blowing smoke
in our faces to try to distract us from a true
act of desperation, but there is no reason to
believe that ridiculous conspiracy theory.
Lucas has all the makings of a Wenger
signing. He is extremely under the radar
(even moreso in January), he is a winger-
turned-striker, couldn’t capitalize on massive
early potential and has a fantastic team
spirit. Or team play, if team spirit sounds too
corny for you.
I keep citing this stat , but he created eight
assists and two chances per game last
season on a team that finished 15th in La
Liga. As if 17 goals wasn’t enough. He made
the most out of a bad situation in his first
year at a new position.
Wenger is a great judge of talent. Sure, he
has made some missteps, everyone has. But
some of the talents he has unearthed have
been incredibly special, especially the ones
he really sets his mind to.
And now we know that Wenger has wanted
him for eight months? If this doesn’t
invigorate your faith in the Spaniard, then I
don’t know what will. I guess some goals for
Arsenal would be a good start.

MY DECISION TO REJECT ARSENAL WAS EASY........SO EASY

Posted by Unknown on 9/04/2016 10:38:00 am

Jamie Vardy has revealed how he made the
tough decision to turn down a move to
Arsenal before bumping into Gunners boss
Arsene Wenger during Euro 2016.
Vardy was left in his hotel room weighing up
a move to Emirates Stadium after the north
London club triggered his release clause.
The former non-league star rejected
Wenger's overtures and eventually signed a
new deal with Leicester - something he said
always felt like the right thing to do.
"I was in a hotel room for many hours of
every day with nothing to do," he said.

"You had a lot of time on your hands. I am
not going to beat around the bush - every
time I thought about it, and every aspect of it
I thought about, both my head and my heart
were saying to stay, which is why I made my
decision to stay.
"Deep down if you don't think it is right move
for you, you don't do it. It is as simple as
that. You get that much time to think about
every single thing down to the tea lady.
"You think about what might happen, what
might not, where you could be, where not.
Every time I thought about every little thing,
both head and heart were saying, 'You need
to stay'.
"In my professional life it was the hardest
decision. It was hard but, like I said, when it
came to my head and my heart it was an
easy decision."

President Muhammadu Buhari demands understanding of Nigerians

Posted by Unknown on 9/01/2016 07:30:00 pm

President Muhammadu Buhari demands understanding of Nigerians while he deals with the ailing economy
– The president made the plea during a one day visit to Osun state to commission a multi million naira Osogbo government high school as part of the activities marking the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state
President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians that change cannot be attained on a bed of roses.
President Muhammadu Buhari receiving flowers from a little girl during his one day visit to Osun state.
According to Vanguard, Buhari speaking on the backdrop of information released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which indicts that Nigeria’s economy has slid into recession, on Thursday, September 1, demanded understanding of Nigerians while he deals with the ailing economy.
The president made the plea during a one day visit to Osun state commissioned a multi Million naira Osogbo government high school as part of the activities marking the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state.
See more photos of Buhari’s his visit to Osun state below:
President Buhari and Governor exchanging pleasantries at the occasion.
President Buhari and Governor Aregbesola waving to guests before proceeding to the commissioning.
Meanwhile, former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has fired a massive salvo at minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun over her statement about the state of the economy.
In series of tweets on his Twitter handle on Thursday, September 1, Fani-Kayode slammed Adeosun for saying that economic recession is just a word and noted that her comments on the state of economy were ‘daft and insensitive’ to the feelings of Nigerians who are the ones bearing the brunt of the harsh economic conditions.
Not yet done, Fani-Kayode, who did not mention Adeosun’s name but aptly described her statement, also mocked her British accent as ‘low class’.

Corruption: FG launches major war against senators, Reps …begins probe of N200bn constituency projects

Posted by Unknown on 8/22/2016 03:09:00 pm

The Federal Government has started compiling the list of legislators in both chambers of the National Assembly over constituency projects earmarked for them in the 2014 and 2015 budgets, which were not executed.

The sum of N100bn was earmarked for constituency projects in each of the 2014 and 2015 budgets.

The worth of constituency projects totalled N200bn for the two years.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), told one of our correspondents on Sunday that the compilation was being done by the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.

Though he declined to give details “in order not to pre-empt investigation,” the AGF said the funds, the names of legislators and the constituency projects that were not executed would be made public after investigation.

He said his office and the law enforcement agencies had received complaints of how payments were made for constituency projects that were never executed.

He said, “The money for constituency projects had been taken, but certain allegations prevailed that some constituency projects were not executed after the money had been paid 100 per cent.

“If money is appropriated in the budget, paid and the projects the funds were meant for were not executed, it is only natural to take steps to find out what happened. If neither the money nor the project can be produced, then you must take steps in accordance with the law.

“There are cases that are specific; we are compiling them. I will not want to pre-empt investigation, we have to allow investigation to be concluded before we go public.”

When asked which of EFCC or ICPC was involved in probing the constituency project fraud, the minister responded, “including the police”.

One of our correspondents learnt that the AGF had received petitions against many of the federal legislators, including a former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin.

Jibrin had also petitioned the EFCC, ICPC, the police and the Department of State Services, alleging that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers had requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in the 2016 budget, besides other projects in sums ranging from N20bn to N30bn.

The police are currently investigating Jibrin’s allegations.

MDAs responsible for constituency projects –Lawmakers

However, some lawmakers, who spoke to The PUNCH on Sunday, stated that ministries, departments and agencies under the executive were responsible for the execution of constituency projects.

They explained that lawmakers only identified projects, put them in the national budget, while the MDAs execute them after the president had approved the budget.

The representative of the Oyo South senatorial district at the Senate, Senator Adesoji Akanbi, said any probe into the constituency projects should start from the executive.

He said, “There is a certain amount set aside for constituency projects. Each lawmaker is allocated a certain amount of money and they will identify the projects of their choice. But the execution by contractors has nothing to do with lawmakers. The main role we play is to name the project and make sure that the project is executed.”

When he was asked if it was possible for a lawmaker to influence the selection of the contractor and the execution of the project, Akanbi said, “That means the ministry or the agency handling the project has been compromised.’’

Akanbi, however, said lawmakers could be culpable in the manipulation because they had to certify that the job had been done before the contractor could be paid.

Senator George Sekibo, who is recontesting his election in the Rivers-East senatorial district, also said the projects included in any budget passed by the National Assembly were executed by the MDAs.

The legistlator, who has been in the Senate since 2007, stated that lawmakers were not involved in the execution of constituency projects.

He said, ‘‘Nobody gives a kobo to any senator for constituency project. All a senator does is to recommend a project for his constituency.”

The House also said the role of lawmakers in constituency projects was limited to the selection of the projects, while relevant MDAs carried out the implementation.

It also said no member was handed cash or paid money for the implementation of the projects.

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, said, “Members do not execute constituency projects, and they don’t receive money for the projects.

“For example, a health centre will naturally be done by the Ministry of Health or any agency so designated by the executive to handle the project. It is not the member who implements the project or appoints the contractors.”

CSOs back FG probe

Civil rights groups, which spoke to The PUNCH, supported the probe.

A United States-based activist, Simon Ajaja, said constituency projects had brought fraud.

He said, “The idea is an organised fraud driven by the mostly ignoble men and women who have serially foisted themselves on Nigeria and Nigerians as their lawmakers, but with no intentions of making laws that would engineer national development beyond advancing a cause for themselves via phoney loopholes in the system.”

Also, the Executive Secretary of The Anti-Corruption Network, Ebenezer Oyetakin, urged the Federal Government to carry out a thorough probe.

“The constituency projects have become an avenue for the members of the National Assembly to recoup the outrageous money spent to run elections and to feed their corruption nest rather than serving the purpose they are defined to serve,” he added.

The President of Campaign for Democracy, Bako Usman, said, “This will create more synergy between the executive and the legislature, and even the judiciary. When it comes to budget harmonisation and implementation, issues like padding will no longer occur.”

The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, advised the government to limit access to money by public officials.

He said, “The government should start institutional reforms that will ensure that people don’t have access to that kind of money again.’’

Efforts to get the reaction of the Senate’s spokesperson, Senator Sani Abdullahi, proved abortive as his mobile phone rang out. He had yet to reply to a text message sent to him.

Thursday, 10 November 2016

Monday, 10 October 2016

Sunday, 9 October 2016

Friday, 7 October 2016

Monday, 12 September 2016

Thursday, 8 September 2016

Tuesday, 6 September 2016

Monday, 5 September 2016

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Monday, 22 August 2016

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