The Great Man-Professor Wole Soyinka as a 10yrs old choir boy

Wole Soyinka as a 10yrs choir boy in the 40's.
 The great man born on July 13, 1934, age 82 this year.

No nepotism, detention of critics under me – Jonathan

Jonathan Goodluck

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said decisions taken by his administration were guided by the overall interest of the nation and not ethno-religious or personal considerations.

Jonathan said this during the Nigerian Lawyers Association’s annual dinner and merit awards ceremony held in New York, on Saturday.

He noted that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians and as such leaders must resist anything that might want to make them pursue a regional or narrow agenda.

The former President’s whose comments were tweeted on his tweeter handle @GEJonathan, also reeled out what he said were his administration’s achievements in promoting democracy and the rule of law.

Jonathan, who spoke on the theme, “Diversity as our Bridge to Tomorrow,” said in one tweet, “No matter what my critics said about me, I ensured that there was both freedom of speech and freedom after the speech.”

In other tweets he said, “Under my watch, not a single Nigerian was sent to prison because of anything they wrote or said about me or the administration. Nigeria had neither political prisoners nor political exile under my administration. We enacted the Freedom of Information Act and by that we tore the veil of secrecy covering governance.”

Perhaps in a veiled reference to the face-off between security agencies and some judges over allegations of corruption, Jonathan said, “We gave institutions unlimited freedom and ensured that the NBA (Nigerian Bar Association) and other professional institutions were devoid of any government influence, we enacted the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 to promote efficient management of criminal  justice institutions in Nigeria.”

He also used the opportunity to tell his guests that he could not be accused of nepotism because “most of my principal aides in government hailed from different ethnic nationalities.”

On appointments into the nation’s electoral management body, Jonathan said, “We ensured that appointments into INEC were not based on personal relationships.”

He enjoined Nigerians in the Diaspora especially those in the United States to continue to give support to democratic governance back home.  Although Jonathan did not mention any Nigerian being incarcerated for holding an opposing political view to the administration which succeeded him, it is common knowledge that several of his former aides and political associates are currently in custody on corruption related charges.

As at the last count, the nation’s former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), his spokesman, Reuben Abati, ex-National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh and a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, are being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on corruption charges.

There have been cases of bloggers  and a print journalist in Kaduna who were detained on charges bordering on their views considered critical to those in power.

The Leader of the opposition in the House of Representatives, Mr. Leo Ogor, in his reaction to the development said Nigerians had come under threat since President Muhammadu Buhari came into power.

Source: Punch Newspaper

Nine killed as Boko Haram ambushes soldiers in Borno

 
Five soldiers of the Operation LAFIYA DOLE were on Sunday killed while carrying out clearance operations on suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ hideouts in Talala and Ajigin, southern part of Borno State.
Three vigilantes and 1 Civilian JTF lost their lives during the ambush, while 19 soldiers and 1 Civilian JTF sustained various degrees of injuries.
Confirming the incident, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, the Acting Director Army Public Relations, said the bodies of the late soldiers and civilians had been evacuated to Maiduguri, while the injured were currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
 Usman said the troops destroyed the terrorists’ Gun truck and recovered 2 Anti-Aircraft guns, 2 spare Gun barrels, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun, 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade, 1 AK-47 Rifle and 320 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
He recalled that another set of troops had earlier cleared Zira, Abulam, Dusula, and Buk villages before returning to base in Bulabulin.
 He said, “in a related development, based on information received about gathering of some suspected Boko Haram terrorists around Bori village, which is 16 kilometres away from Mainok, outskirts of Maiduguri, troops swung into action and neutralized them.
“The troops recovered 3 Motorcycles, 1 hand Grenade, 1 round of 7.62mm ammunition, Solar panel, a pair of Niger Republic military camouflage uniform, 1 Gionee mobile telephone handset, 1 Wet Cell battery and half bag of groundnut.”
 Meanwhile, Vigilant soldiers on Sunday shot dead a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber in Maiduguri after he was spotted trying to creep into the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camp.

Source: Daily Post

Why FG cannot support Biafra agitation

Geoffrey Onyeama

• Don, others canvass Igbo presidency to end clamour
• Igbo summit tasks S’East govs, lawmakers on grazing bill
• Seeks implementation of 2014 constitutional confab
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, has proffered reasons why government would not support agitation for “Republic of Biafra”. He said those angling for it have not followed laid down constitutional and diplomatic processes governing secession.
He said though it is their fundamental rights to clamour for Biafra, the agitators have engaged in uncivilised methods. He, therefore, advised that “they should be rational and not emotional in going about their agitation.”
Speaking with newsmen in Enugu shortly after the end of a stakeholders/caucus meeting of the Enugu State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Onyeama said those spearheading the breakaway project should critically look at the rules governing secession.
 Besides, he posited that those leading the agitation “are not speaking for Ndigbo, as they do not have the mandate of the Igbo race to do so,” adding that they should embrace dialogue rather than violence at all times.
He, however, called on Nigerians, particularly those of South-East extraction, to keep supporting the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, in tackling the present challenges facing the nation.
In the same vein, a university don and Head of
Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Obasi Igwe, has said that agitation for Biafra nation will be needless if the Federal Government stops policies perceived to be anti-South-East region of the country.
According to him, what the eastern region needs is opening up of its economic prosperity through railway lines to the Middle Belt and North-East zones where the youths could do their business with a sense of belonging to a untied Nigeria.
Igwe, who spoke at the weekend during the Igbo Day celebration in Kaduna, said that most youths would find a better occupation in the business routes than to engage in militancy, kidnapping and other crimes.
In another development, Igbo leaders after a three-day summit organised by the World Igbo Summit Group (WISG) in collaboration with the Igbo Renaissance Centre of the Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, have canvassed the repeal of the 1999 Constitution and implementation of the 2014 Constitutional Conference recommendations.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting yesterday, the Igbo leaders implored governors to direct their state Houses of Assembly to enact laws making grazing illegal in their states.
According to the leaders: “In view of the threat by the Fulani herdsmen, which constitute present and imminent danger to peace and security in Igboland, the summit calls on Igbo governors and the state’s Houses of Assembly to immediately legislate against any form of open grazing in any part of Igbo land.”
On the call for the repeal of the 1999 Constitution, the chairman of the summit, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), said: “Ndigbo insists that the 1999 Constitution should be repealed and a new one that will recognise the inalienable rights of each constituent group to self-determination and regional autonomy as enshrined in the 1960 Independence Constitution and 1963 Republican Constitution be enacted. We demand the inclusion of these elements in the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 constitutional conference, which Ndigbo strongly supports.”

 In this article:
Biafra Geoffrey OnyeamaUNN

The greatest gift..............

I have no Hand in Judges Saga – Buhari

President Buhari

Amid accusation that the Presidency was behind the recent arrest of two Supreme Court Justices and five Judges of the Federal High Court, President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that he has no hand in their ordeals.
The President particular­ly asked the media and other Nigerians to stop linking him with the travails of the Judg­es whose houses were recent­ly invaded by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of cor­ruption and abuse of office.
Some of the arrested judg­es had accused two of Buhari’s ministers of trying to influence them to give judgments favour­able to the current administra­tion by dropping the President’s name.
But in a statement issued last night by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, the President said he would be the last person to authorise anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice.
Shehu declared that despite his personal familiarity with some court judges, Buhari had never exploited that to seek fa­vours from them through 2003, 2007 and 2011 when he ap­proached the courts to reverse his losses in those presidential elections.
He said: “As a politician, Buhari had never once ever suggested to his lawyers to ap­proach any judge for assistance to win his cases. The President lives by this principle and has never deviated from it.
“The President doesn’t tell courts how to do their jobs and that anybody accused of cor­ruption is protected by law to defend his/her innocence”, the statement stressed.
Shehu pointed out that the purpose of the law is to punish the guilty and acquit the inno­cent, and that the law projects the rights everyoHe added that the Presi­dent doesn’t have any powers to force any court to convict any­body who is innocent, noting that Nigerians would resist such a move in a democratic society.

Source: Breaking Times

APC accuses Mimiko of plan to create crisis

Governor Olusegun Mimiko

 As the people of Ondo State prepare to elect a new governor on Nov. 26, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has accused Governor Olusegun Mimiko of plotting to cause mayhem.
The Ondo State chapter of APC, Mr Abayomi Adesanya, made the allegation in a statement in Akure on Sunday.
“We have been reliably informed of the intense mobilisation of thugs and militants, running into thousands, by the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko,’’ Adesanya said.
 He alleged that the governor intended to use the recruits to ‘’protest and unleash terror on the good people of the state from Monday, Oct. 31, in Akure, Ondo, Akoko areas and Owo, Ore and Okitipupa.
He alleged that Mimiko on Saturday started disbursing money to mobilise militants and hoodlums from Delta and Edo states as well as a faction of Oodua People’s Congress from Ekiti and Lagos states.
He appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the security agencies to beef-up security in and around Ondo State till the governorship election was concluded.
Adesanya said that the people of the state were desirous of peace, which should not be disrupted by the few self-seeking individuals for political gains.
Reacting to the allegation, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Eni Akinsola, described the allegation as baseless.
“This is baseless allegation.
“In the last seven and a half years of Gov. Olusegun Mimiko’s administration, we have no history of violence.
” The people of Ondo State are capable of defending themselves and protecting their territory.
“We have the history of defending our votes and we do not have the history of depending on external forces and this will not be an exception,” Akinsola said.
NAN recalls the Ondo State has been under tension since the announcement of Mr Ibrahim Jimoh as the PDP candidate for the election.
Mimiko said on Friday that he had briefed the president of the danger in the decision by INEC and appealed to the people to remain calm.

 In this article:
APC Ibrahim Jimoh Muhammadu Buhari‎ Olusegun Mimiko Ondo 2016.

Source:The Guardian

Vote Out APC in 2019, Jang Charges Plateau People

Johah David Jang

Immediate past governor of Plateau State and Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, Jonah David Jang, has charged Plateau people to ensure that the sitting Governor, Simon Bako Lalong, and his All Progressive Congress (APC) are voted out in 2019 election, noting that the APC government has brought nothing but hardship on the people.
 He gave the charge in his address at the constituency outreach empowerment programme organised by Hon. Istifanus Gyang, the member representing Riyom / Barkin Ladi federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

 Jang said, “The people of Plateau have decided to vote back the PDP into power come 2019” and that Lalong should therefore be prepared to quit the state Government House.

While lamenting the hardship currently facing the nation, Jang added that Nigerians will not make the mistake of the past by voting the APC.

Also charging members of the PDP to unite and work towards the victory of the party come 2019, Jang recalled that “during my first year in office, I did not travel for once abroad, but as it is in Plateau now, your governor has travelled abroad so many times all in the name of bringing in investors, but where are the investors?”.

Source:This Day

Ondo PDP Lawmakers Reject Ibrahim As Party’s Candidate

Ibrahim Jimoh

The 21 lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the Ondo State House of Assembly at the weekend rejected the substitution of Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, with Dr Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the party in the forthcoming governorship election. The lawmakers under the aegis of PDP Caucus in the House were led by the Speaker, Hon Jumoke Akindele, expressed their rejection at a news conference in Akure, the state capital.
 Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers at the State House of Assembly, the speaker stated that as statutory delegates of the party involved in the election and selection of the party’s candidate, Jegede remained the candidate of the party. 

 She said the lawmakers never participated in the process that produced Ibrahim as the PDP candidate. Akindele, who specifically stated that Ibrahim was not a member of the party in the state, said he never participated in the primary election of the party in the state.

She said Ibrahim had dumped the party for another before the conduct of the primary towards the governorship election.

She said: “On the 27th day of August, 2016, the delegates of the PDP in a primary election properly conducted in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic on Nigeria and the Electoral Act as amended gave their mandate to Mr. Eyitayo Jegede but recent events showed that injustice is walking barefoot on our land.

“We reject injustice that can bring anarchy to the land of Ondo State. We have come collectively to state that this travesty of justice must not stand as it borders on the democratic existence of our dear state and the peaceful co-existence of its people.

“The entire people of the state are still in shock over the ungodly court order directing INEC to substitute the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede with an individual unknown to the party, one Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

“As a matter of fact, Ibrahim has no moral or political strength to be the PDP governorship candidate of Ondo state having defected from the party before now and the process that led to his emergence is antithetical to the PDP constitution and the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria”, she said.

Source: This Day

 

Twenty Killed In Boko Haram Ambush

Boko Haram terrorists

At least 20 people were killed on Saturday when Boko Haram terrorists ambushed Operation LAFIYA DOLE troops in Borno State, military and vigilante sources have reported.

No fewer than 10 troops and 7 civilians were killed in the attack.
The troops were attacked at about 3:15 p.m. on Saturday in the remote village of Talala in Damboa local government area on the Borno State-Yobe State border.
Vigilante sources told SaharaReporters that they lost 5 members of their vigilante group and 2 members of the civilian Joint Task Force. Three others were severely wounded in the attack.
"I was supposed to be part of the mission but I was not strong. We planned to attack them near Talala, a village called Gotiril, some 30 kilometers away from Damboa town. Before our people reached there, the terrorists ambushed and killed soldiers and 7 people [civilians]. But the troops also killed 5 terrorists," a local vigilante told our correspondent.
A military source disclosed that the troops were ambushed by terrorists before they reached their target. According to the source, the troops fought hard and killed some of the terrorists.
"We lost some soldiers but the casualty figure was not high," the military source said.
In a similar development, a male suicide bomber was on Sunday morning shot and killed before gaining access to Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Maiduguri.
On Saturday, Maiduguri experienced twin blasts which claimed 9 lives and injured 24.

Source: Sahara Reporters

Rotimi Amaechi like Sunday Oliseh will be disgraced out of Office – Nnamdi Kanu

Nnamdi Kanu

The indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide has said that Nigeria un­der President Muhammadu Bu­hari is on the way to the bad old days of the Biblical Egypt when the Egyptians were ravaged by series of deadly plagues as a re­sult of the wrath of God follow­ing the refusal of King Pharaoh to free the Israelites in Egypt.
The IPOB Director of media and publicity who made the ob­servation in a statement issued yesterday saying  that the present economic recession that has brought untold hardship on Ni­gerians is just the beginning of the many plagues that are about to befall the country if President Buhari refuses to let Biafra go.
Powerful noted that the current high rate of pover­ty, joblessness and huger be­deviling Nigerians in all parts of the country was prophesied by Prophet Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the Indigenous peo­ple of Biafra the director radio and Biafra television who in his broadcast through Radio Bia­fra prophesied the plagues that would befall Nigeria henceforth.
Powerful said “Proph­et Nnamdi Kanu prophesied about the downfall of Nigeria and the security challenges Ni­geria is about to face immediate­ly the present government took over power.
“He also prophesied how those politicians from Biafra enclaves will return home with shame and those who support them will be disgraced out of office and the country Nigeria will witness the wrath of God Almighty whose intention was to restore Biafra without the interference of mankind or to stop the movement projected by Chukwu Okike Abiama (the God Almighty).
“In one of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s broadcast with Radio Biafra in 2015, he said that the former Super Eagle’s coach, Mr. Sunday Oliseh will be disgraced out of office for saying that he is not an Igbo or Biafra and he was disgraced without respect, the former director Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) was also disgraced out of office with the EFCC investigation
According to Powerful “Kanu also predicted that the former governor of River state Chief Chibuike Amaechi, Og­bonnaya Ono and others will be disgraced out of office when the time comes, now Amaechi and his colleagues from Biafra are now in the list of those to be disgraced out of office, these predictions are about to hap­pen any moment from now and must happen.”
Powerful stated that in ad­dition to all these, Kanu also prophesied that Somalia will be better off than Nigeria if they fail to allow Biafra to go and that is why Nigerians are suffering today adding that people never understand the prophecies be­cause they thought he is going to bomb Nigeria with metallic objects and bullets not knowing that what is about to befall Ni­geria will be unimaginable for people to understand.
He Continued: “Today Ni­gerians are experiencing eco­nomic recession and depres­sion, earthquake in Kaduna, locusts and birds are ravaging farmland and crops in Sokoto, kwashiokor and hunger are eve­rywhere in the land which we have not known before but we heard and read about from the scriptures in Egypt where Al­mighty God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob used to show Phar­aoh and the people of Egypt that he is the sovereign lord.
“As all these happened to the entire people of Egypt and now happening to the people of northern Nigeria, it is high time the Pharaoh of our time and his kitchen cabinets sit up release our leader prophet Nnamdi Kanu and let the Biafrans go because delay is dangerous, the total and full wrath of God Al­mighty is coming upon Nige­ria, a stitch in time saves nine and no man has the temerity to challenge God Almighty.
“Our late leader Dim. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu said in one of his inter­views during his days on earth that time will come when there will be kwashiokor in northern Nigeria to experience the evils the jihadist from northern Ni­geria committed against the people of old eastern Nigeria.

Source: Breaking Times

Falana Advises FG Not To Take $29bn Loan

Femi Falana

Human Right activist and former president of Committee for Defence of Human Rights, CDHR has advised the federal government not to go ahead with the proposed borrowing of 29 billion dollar loan from the World bank.
He added that instead of borrowing such huge amount and putting the future of the younger generation in jeopardy, he should source the funds internally from the money of recovered loot and others.
Responding to President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of $29.960 billion to execute key infrastructural projects across the country between 2016 and 2018, Mr Femi Falana said at the 2016 Annual General Conference of CDHR held at MAN House in Ikeja over the weekend , that it was not wise to borrow such a huge amount at such a time. He said, “We hear that the federal government wants to borrow $29 billion to fund the economy, my advice is we do not need to do this at such a period in our economy.

What about the millions of the recovered loots from those who stole our money, our money that are in the hands of those who decided to steal from the treasury? I have a report from Nigeria Extractive Transparency Initiative,NEITI which states that the oil companies and NNPC are owing the federal government a joint $20.2b. All these should be recovered and used for these projects instead of putting the destiny of the younger generation and those to come in jeopardy as a result of the huge national debt it will bring.

Source: Leadership

African Proverb of the day

'He that beats the drum for the mad man to dance is no better than the mad man himself'. 

 

“Nigeria must restructure to survive as a nation,” group insists

Dr. Cosmas Ilechukwu

A group, The Change We Need Nigeria initiative, has advocated for the restructure of the country if it is to survive as a nation.This is just as a university Don, Chief Bestman Festus, has stated that restructuring remains the best option to quicken the nation’s pace of development.
President of the Initiative, Dr Cosmas Ilechukwu, spoke yesterday during the 2016 edition of The Change We Need Annual Lecture Series. He said, “Restructuring is the will of many Nigerians,” adding that if the country must move forward, the government must listen to what the people are saying.
“A situation whereby people in power set limitation on discussion on any subject cannot work. This is a time that freedom of speech is of high premium and people must be allowed to talk,” he stated.
 Speaking on the theme of the Lecture: ‘Restructuring: Whose Nigeria?’ Ilechukwu regretted that Nigerian political elites have taken Nigeria for a ride for too long, presuming to speak for a people they are definitely not in contact with.
He said people at the state and national assembly cannot be trusted with the restructuring of the polity, maintaining that Nigerians want to have a say on how it goes with Nigeria.
According to Ilechukwu, “restructuring means empowering other tiers of government so that they can be functionally relevant. State governments will be able to pay salaries and local government would be able to provide basic amenities. The centralization of power is making Nigeria difficult to run well”.
Speaking in Yenagoa, while delivering a paper at a seminar, Bestman said ‘fiscal federalism’ and ‘devolution of powers’ were adopted at the pre-independence conferences in London.
He noted that the implementation of those policies accounted for the healthy and competitive development of the old regional governments before the military intervention in 1966.
Festus, who is also the National President of Peoples Equality Congress (PEC) explained that a restructured Nigerian nation would empower the federating units and guarantee self development based on their natural endowments.

In this article:
Dr. Cosmas Ilechukwu

 

Source: The Guardian

What do you see when you look at a black woman?

A Roger Walker Photography(c)2013

I’m in charge of presidency, not my nephew, Daura – Buhari

 
Following the news that President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Alhaji Mamman Daura, is a major power player in the Buhari-led government, the President has stressed that he, not Daura, is in charge of the Presidency.
It would be recalled that Daura, who organizes Buhari’s speeches, whether on the economy, education or terrorism, has recently been accused of plagiarism.
He was said to have plagiarized a major speech delivered by the Nigerian leader in which the words of United States president, Barack Obama were inserted.
 Buhari has however, described as mere speculation, the reports that Daura was the one ruling the country as the ‘true’ president, he was acting, insisting he is in charge.
He made this known in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on ‘The Osasu Show’.
Buhari stressed that there can only be one head of a country, saying “I’m in charge, I don’t know where they get their news from.
“I stood for the election, I visited every Local Government in Nigeria, I travelled by road, by air, and so on, and we had one of the most credible election.
 So whoever feels he has lost somehow is his own problem, I have no problem,” he stated.

Source: Daily Post

Mangni:Governance should not be done on sentiments

Chief Emmanuel Mangni

Chief Emmanuel Mangni is the Coordinator of the newly formed Bridge, Plateau State Chapter. The Bridge is a North Central socio-economic and political interest group comprising Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, created for the purpose of political, cultural and economic emancipation. Mangni, a PDP chieftain was one time factional chairman of the party.He recently spoke with Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi on current issues and the way forward. 
 What is your view on the current economic situation in the country?
Economically, a lot of things have gone bad. We are now in recession, which we can even feel it in our daily activities. Everywhere, the pinch is being felt. The government is attempting to do what it thinks is best in the situation, which is why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is talking and planning. All the ministries and everybody are talking, including the President, who is also making suggestions.
As it is, however, our over-dependence on oil, as the main source of revenue, is telling on us. The prices of crude oil and its products are dwindling, as well as, the volume of the production. So, the next step now is finding a solution to the problem. For us, the solution, as many people have suggested, is to diversify the economy. Aside militants, a time will come, when the volume of the oil will reduce naturally. The oil can finish because it is an exhaustible commodity, and we have to look elsewhere as a panacea.
Before the advent of oil in the early 70s or so, the economy was buoyant. The agriculture sub-sector was working fine, which was why all the regions then were doing very well. They were prospering. But as soon as we got oil, we forgot about agriculture. So, agriculture is a veritable area that we can look at.
 Secondly, there is the other aspect of the mining sector, comprising the solid minerals, which abound in large quantities in Nigeria, and have remained largely untapped. This may be because it is capital intensive. This is another area that is capable of boosting the economy.
But most importantly is the manufacturing sector. Presently, we are importing a lot of things, but the foreign exchange is no longer there. So, what happens then? We can take advantage of the situation, by starting to resuscitate our industries, which would also aid in providing employment for our teeming youths.
What is your take on the Presidential economic team?
The man knows who will work for him. Whether they are working or not is another matter. But I believe that as the President, he is in the best position to pick the best economic brains for the committee and ensure that they work hard to enable the economy bounce back. Before appointing them, he should have known that they are good enough. We have brains. Nigeria has a lot of human resources. So, if they are not performing, then other more capable people should come on board. The economy is in a bad shape. The advisers or Economic team may not be performing well, because if they are, we are yet to see it.
Government must ensure that there is the necessary infrastructure on ground to facilitate such sectors, as the manufacturing, solid mineral and agric, among others. Without this, nothing much can be achieved. Take for instance the manufacturing sector, where the power sector has not helped issues. There should be steady supply of electricity, good roads, rails and other forms of transportation, so that whatever is produced is sold at a competitive price. Some of the imported things are cheaper than those made in Nigeria, which is why people prefer to buy imported goods. Abroad, they have the infrastructure and therefore, production is cheaper.Small-scale farmers should be encouraged, by directly giving them subsidised fertilisers. Government should assist local farmers.
Is the political sector helping the situation?
The instability in the National Assembly was induced from outside. Why do I say so? The APC has caused more problems in the National Assembly than the Assembly itself. Since the inauguration of the National Assembly leadership, there has not been peace. Just because some people had the mindset of putting certain persons in the leadership positions. And up till now, they have not changed that stance, which should not be. This is also the reason why any time there is a little problem in the National Assembly they blow it out of proportion, so that they will have the listening ear of the powers that be in the APC.
Take the case of Dr. Abdulmumin Jibrin of the House of Representatives. If you read clearly what is coming out of that place, you will know that the man wanted to impress some people, but he ended up disgracing himself. As far as I am concerned, the role he is playing is negative. He is not helping in the stability of the National Assembly. Therefore, APC should be blamed for wanting to place certain persons in particular posts, forgetting that all that contested for such posts are also members of the party.
 What in your opinion are the major problems of PDP?
I may be sounding immodest, but I see Modu Sheriff, the so-called factional chairman, as playing the script of some external forces, because the man does not appear to have the interest of the party at heart. If you have a group that commands almost 80 to 90 per cent of the party membership, comprising state governors on the platform of the PDP, as well as, members of the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly, who are all on one side and then you say, no, I am the chairman. Whose chairman are you?
So, I see him as playing a script that is not his, and unless he truly shows remorse and demonstrates that he is actually a PDP member, people will continue to see him as a spoiler and a mole.
What do you make of APC and governance?
At a media encounter, I pointed out that it appears the APC was not prepared for governance. They thought they would be playing the opposition role permanently, but God somehow gave them the leadership position. Prior to that, you know how they were boasting. They said the former government was clueless, lacking direction, using all manner of adjectives. Today, however, those adjectives should be multiplied manifold for them. They are more clueless than anybody else.
I advise that they put their acts together. They should return to the drawing board before it is too late and see what can be redeemed in the current situation. As it is, they have glaringly demonstrated that they are not prepared for governance. Nigeria has a lot of human resources, very intelligent and experienced people that they can be used to turn the situation around.
 But if they insist on having just a clique, not much will be achieved. But if they become open-minded and include in their government qualified people, irrespective of their religious, ethnic or party affiliation, who are able to turn around the economy, the credit will still go to the President. Governance should not be based on sentiments, as it is just like business. If you are doing business and you are being sentimental or emotional, you will lose.
 What do you make of conflicting judgments on the same subject matter by judges?
The judiciary, as a whole constitutes the temple of justice. But you and I are Nigerians. We are all mature enough to know what transpires in the judiciary. By and large, I can tell you that as it is now, justice goes to the highest bidder. It has gone so far that the ordinary Nigerian won’t like to take his case to the court, because he knows he will not get justice.
But the judges have supervisors in the National Judicial Council (NJC). Unless this body is ready to supervise them and call to order any erring judge, even if this means outright dismissal or some punitive measures, they will continue to wallow in this kind of messy situation.
What would you say in a situation, where a court of coordinate jurisdiction has issued a precise and concise judgment on a particular subject matter, and a court that is not of higher jurisdiction goes ahead to contradict it, as if it is an appellate court. This is really ugly. I am made to understand that the JCN is about to investigate the matter. Let us hope that it comes out with something that the public will say yes, now something is happening. The judiciary has substantially gone down, so much so that the respect it used to enjoy, as the last hope of the ordinary man, is waning.So, let the supervisory body at all levels, starting from area courts, magistrate courts to apex court and the Supreme Court supervise and punish erring judges.

In this article:
Chief Emmanuel Mangni

Source:The Guardian

Police arrest 9 kidnappers in Rivers

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Special Intelligence Response Team, SIRT, in Rivers state have arrested a nine-man kidnap syndicate operating in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The suspects, responsible for most of the kidnappings that had occurred within GRA Phase 2, Borokiri General Area and YKC axis of Woji area, were apprehended in a five-hour raid on Wednesday.
The state police spokesperson, DSP Omoni Nnamdi, who paraded the suspects on Saturday, said investigation on the scale of the operations of the gang was still on, adding that the police was making efforts to arrest other members of the gang who are now at large.
 According to him, the raid led to the arrest of Daniel Gabriel (33), Alaso Igodo (25), Akeodi Aselemi (34), Ayibinmotei Livinus (25), Anikuroka Marshal (33), Biebele Elijah (34) Efiye Anda (34), Daniel Lessor (31) and Isaac Reuben (27), all living within the Port Harcourt metropolis.
 He said, “The string of events which led to the apprehension of the nine suspects started with the abduction of a woman identified as Mrs. Okotie, who was kidnapped few weeks ago opposite the Royal House of Grace Church in Port Harcourt.
“The gang abducted her in the Mazda car they used as operational vehicle and fortunately for her, the car broke down along the way and the leader of the gang named Blackie, called for another vehicle, a Nissan Primera, which arrived shortly after but they did not know the police had got information about them.
“They were on their way to the Ornage Waterside when our men intercepted them. As soon as they saw us, they fled and abandoned the sick woman in the car along with one of their rifles.

“Few days after the botched kidnapping of Mrs. Okotie, SIRT operatives who were following up on a lead, arrested Gabriel, a taxi driver, around 2pm on the said day.
“When Gabriel, an Akwa-Ibom indigene living at Navy Market Borikiri, Port-Harcourt was taken in for questioning, he confessed that he had personally been involved in 15 kidnaps in the last few months in the state, then led the police to his house where five members of the gang were already planning another kidnap.
“We arrested five of his gang members and from there, we proceeded to Enugu Waterfront where we arrested Anikuroka Marshal, the gang’s armourer.
“The suspects also identified Diobele Elijah and Akodi Aselemi as their spies who go around town scouting for victims. They confessed to have three AK47 rifles, two pistols, which they use in their operations,” the spokesperson added.
According to the report, in one of the kidnaps carried out by the gang, on August 10, 2016, a pastor, Mrs. Luis Ubah and one Mr. Chika Ezenwa were abducted. The same day, the gang kidnapped a business woman, Mrs. Ubah in her store, they also grabbed another victim identified as Ezenwa who was with Ubah at the time.
he four victims were taken by the gang to the Indoki Estate Waterfront and while on their way to the waterfront, the gang encountered a police team and instantly opened fire on the policemen.
Speaking further, the spokesperson said, “Inspector David Ijosi and one Corporal Dike Ledee were injured by bullets in the attack. One was hit in the leg while another was hit in the neck and the kidnappers escaped into the Isaka creeks in Okrika.
“Soon after, the gang made contact with Ubah’s husband, Bishop Prince Ubah, from whom they demanded a N50m ransom for her freedom. During the ensuing negotiation, the ransom for the release of the bishop’s wife was reduced to N2.8m and a place was agreed on for the family to drop the ransom.
“When two brothers of the bishop, Onyeka Ani and Pastor Okezie Akara, took the money to the agreed place on August 25, 2016, 15 days after Mrs. Ubah was kidnapped, the gang members decided to release her along with Ezenwa but kidnapped the two brothers instead.
“They then demanded another N1m ransom from the bishop for his brothers. But N750, 000 was eventually paid for their release.”

Source: Daily Post

Drama in Delta as bride runs out of wedding reception, rejects husband‎ (PHOTOS)

There was confusion in Delta State on Saturday as a wedding reception ended half-way, following the bride’s pronouncement that she was no longer interested in the few-hours-old marriage.
DAILY POST reports that the bride, who ran away from the reception venue, was given hot chase by the husband.
The incident, which occurred at ‎Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, created serious scene in the area.
 At the popular Orhunwhorhun road, the husband was seen begging the bride to reconsider her decision.
The incident attracted a large crowd, as well as members of their families, in a frantic effort to settle the matter.










Source:Daily Post

Why we’ve not arrested Jonathan — Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has responded to calls by some Nigerians for the arrest of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr. Osinbajo said the Buhari administration does not arrest “anybody, anyhow”.
Answering a question at a session in the United States on Friday, on when Mr. Jonathan would be arrested, Mr. Osinbajo said the Buhari administration was not in the business of arresting just anyone anyhow.
He said all the Buhari administration does is to empower the security agencies and the anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs, without the administration trying to teleguide them.
He also added that the fight against corruption in the country was not fought on ethnic, hasty or premediated grounds.
“Corruption is not an ethnic thing, there is an equal representation in the stealing as no one operates with his/her ethnic group alone, the culprits are in every case seen so far, united by greed to steal and not by ethnic or religious interest,” he said.
He frowned at a situation where for instance as much as $15 billion has disappeared from the national coffers into private pockets, saying no responsible government would wave that aside so as not to offend people.
Mr. Osinbajo also said that security agencies in Nigeria have arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country.

Mr. Osinbajo said this in Houston, Texas in the United States at a Townhall event where he interacted with U.S.-based Nigerians who asked questions live at the event and also via the internet, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande.
The vice president fielded about 30 questions at a well attended townhall event moderated by Rudolf Okonkwo of Sahara Reporters and Nimi Wariboko of Boston University.
Asked about the issue of Fulani Herdsmen attacks in certain states across the country and what the Federal Government was doing to curb the problem, the Mr. Osinbajo said “the President has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms”.
He added that “there are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.” The vice president however decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system that affects the prompt trial of such suspects.
Mr. Osinbajo reminded the audience however that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial issue especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on peoples crops on the farmlands. He said that the matter just did not crop up when President Buhari assumed office.
Vice President Osinbajo urged against the tendency of interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious issue, stressing that it is important for all Nigerians to refuse such divisive narratives and tendencies.
He reminded his audience that there has always been conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because President Buhari, a Fulani, is currently at the helm of affairs in the country.
Answering a question on the need for community policing, the Vice President said that community policing via state police is indeed a cardinal program of the ruling APC. He said the party’s agenda cannot be introduced until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.
The current situation where police activities are controlled at the federal level sure has some limitations, he said, adding that “ the federal government is currently working to introduce community policing that would be in line with the constitution.”
Commenting on the recent arrest of judges in the country, Mr. Osinbajo told his audience that impunity could be very dangerous in any sector and that the federal government was only exercising its executive function in attempting to check excesses.
He said the important thing was that due process was followed as the judges were released about 24 hours after their arrest and once they had given their statements.
The Vice President also responded to a question on the state of the nation’s economy and attributed the current recession to the loss of about 60 percent of government revenue due to pipeline vandalisation and endemic corruption in the system.
He however said that getting back oil production is a sure way to get out of the recession and the federal government is working to sort it out.

Premium Times

800 Herdsmen Now In Custody In Nigeria – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osibanjo

Security agencies in Nigeria have arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Prof. Osinbajo made this disclosure in Houston, Texas in the US on Friday at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians who asked questions live at the event and also via the Internet, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson Mr. Laolu Akande in Houston.
The Vice President fielded about thirty questions at a well attended townhall event moderated by Mr. Rudolf Okonkwo of Sahara Reporters and Prof. Nimi Wariboko of Boston University.

Asked about the issue of Fulani Herdsmen attacks in certain states across the country and what the Federal Government was doing to curb the problem, the Vice President said “the President has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.”
He added that “there are about 800 of suspected violent herdsmen in the country that are currently in custody.” The Vice President, however, decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system which is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects.
Prof. Osinbajo reminded the audience however that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial issue especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on people’s crops on the farmlands.
He clarified that the matter just did not crop up when President Buhari assumed office.
Vice President Osinbajo then urged against the tendency of interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious issue, stressing that it is important for all Nigerians to refuse such divisive narratives and tendencies.
He reminded his audience that there has always been conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because of President Buhari, a Fulani is currently at the helm of affairs in the country.
Answering question on the need for community policing, the Vice President indicated that community policing via State Police is indeed a cardinal program of the ruling APC.
However the party agenda cannot be introduced until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.
Giving a scenario where a policeman from Bayelsa State, for instance, is working in Borno State where he cannot even speak the language or understand the culture of the people he is policing, noting that such is counterproductive.
The current situation where police activities are controlled at the federal level sure has some limitations, he conceded adding that the “ the federal government is currently working to introduce community policing that would be in line with the constitution.”
Commenting on the recent arrest of judges in the country, Prof. Osinbajo told his Nigerian audience in Texas that impunity could be very dangerous in any sector and that the federal government is only exercising its executive function in attempting to check excesses.
He pointed out that the important thing is that due process is being followed as the judges were released about 24 hours after their arrest and once they had given their statements.
The Vice President also responded to a question on the state of the nation’s economy and attributed the current recession to the loss of about 60 percent of government revenue due to pipeline vandalisation and endemic corruption in the system.
He, however, stated that getting back oil production is a sure way to get out of the recession and the federal government is working to sort it out.
Answering questions from the internet on when former President Goodluck Jonathan would be arrested, Osinbajo pointed out that the Buhari administration is not in the business of arresting just anyone anyhow.
He said all the Buhari administration does is to empower the security agencies and the anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs, without the administration trying to teleguide them.
He also added that the fight against corruption in the country is not fought on ethnic, hasty or premediated grounds.
According to him, “ corruption is not an ethnic thing, there is an equal representation in the stealing as no one operates with his/her ethnic group alone, the culprits are in every case seen so far, united by greed to steal and not by ethnic or religious interest.”
He frowned at a situation where for instance as much as $15 billion has disappeared from the national coffers into private pockets, pointing out that no responsible government would wave that aside so as not to offend people.
Commenting on the declining fortunes of Nigeria in international sporting competitions occasioned by poor funding by the government, the Vice President said that a long-term solution to inadequate funding of sports is private sector involvement.
According to him, looking around countries that have excelled in international sporting competitions, the private sector in those countries are directly involved and that is exactly what should happen in Nigeria.
By the time companies and organizations take up sports sponsorship, he believes that the tide would change for good.
Nigerians from all walks of life in Houston, Texas and from other parts of the US attended the town hall meeting which was preceded by a Nigeria Infrastructure summit which showcased opportunities for foreign investors in Nigeria.

Source:NTA

Twin bomb blasts hit Maiduguri, ‘kill 6’

 
At least six persons have been killed in an early morning bomb attack in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday, according to witnesses.
Twin blasts, which echoed across the city, occurred at two different spots, about 1km apart.
The first blast went off at about 7a.m. at a coffee drinking spot near the Bakassi IDP camp, along the popular Maiduguri-Biu road.
“Six persons were reportedly killed in the blast and have been evacuated to the hospital,” said Yunus Musa, a resident of the area.
Shortly after that, at about 7.35a.m., another blast went off in a tricycle near the NNPC fuel depot along Damboa Road, killing a woman and the rider. It was not clear who the bomber was between the woman and the tricycle driver.
An official of the Civilian-JTF, Alhaji DanBatta, who also confirmed the two incidents, told PREMIUM TIMES that the first blast came from suicide bombers who were trying to invade Bakassi IDP camp, one of the largest displaced persons camp in Maiduguri.
 We have another sad day today, but we thank God the worst did not happen; because the suicide bombers actually wanted to enter Bakassi camp, and that could have been really bad,” said Mr. DanBatta.
“There was another one just opposite the NNPC Depot along Damboa Road. But I cannot give you the details of the casualties recorded immediately because we are presently conveying the victims to the hospital. I will get back to you when the doctors confirm their conditions,” he said.
 The city has not witnessed bomb attacks for months, and the twin blasts have created panic amongst residents who had started to let go of their fears of terrorist attacks, a PREMIUM TIMES correspondent in the city said.

Premium Times

EFCC to confiscate Patience Jonathan’s property nationwide

 
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has begun moves to seize properties belonging to former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.
The commission started the probe in a bid to gather evidence against her, following the freezing of $20m traced to her.
EFCC has also set up a team of detectives saddled with the responsibility of identifying houses and property owned by Patience.
 The operatives had been instructed from the office of the commission’s chairman to mark such houses.
The operatives are focusing attention on properties in Lagos, Abuja, Yenagoa and Port Harcourt.
“It would not be correct to conclude that the commission has halted the investigation into the activities of the former First Lady,” a source told Punch.
“The investigation is progressing and it is being handled by the office of the chairman of the commission.
 “A team of operatives has been assembled to identify all her properties in the country with a focus on Abuja, Port Harcourt and Yenagoa.
 “The responsibility of the team is to mark all such properties in preparation for a possible court action.”
Meanwhile Justice Babs Kuewumi of a National Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 7 to hear a suit filed by Mrs. Jonathan seeking to un-freeze her account.
EFCC had traced $5m to the personal account of the former First Lady. It froze the account domiciled in Skye Bank Plc last month.
 Mrs. Jonathan’s troubles started when the commission froze the accounts of four companies traced to the Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa.
The four firms identified as Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company had a total of $15,591,700 in their accounts.

Daily Post

Ondo guber: Jimoh Ibrahim is INEC’s candidate, not PDP – Markafi

Senator Ahmed Markarfi

The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which recognized Jimoh Ibrahim as the flag bearer of the party in the forthcoming guber election.
The faction said that it would only work with Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as its candidate in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State.
Spokesperson for the faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, in a statement in Abuja on Friday said Jimoh was representing INEC while Jegede represents the party.
 Adeyeye alleged that the process that threw up Ibrahim was illegal.
He said, “We reject in its totality the announcement of INEC of the list of candidates for the Ondo State governorship election on which the names of Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim and Alabi Omotayo as candidate and running mate of our party were published respectively.
 “In announcing its list, INEC completely disregarded the order of Justice Olamide of the Ondo State High Court restraining INEC from substituting the name of our candidate, Jegede, choosing instead to pay heed to the order given by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court.
“These actions have resulted in massive protests in many parts of Ondo State as the Ondo people have taken to the streets to show displeasure at the schemes to deny them of the candidate of their choice for the governorship election.
 “It is most unfortunate that INEC and external forces are seeking to make Jimoh Ibrahim, who is not a member of our party and who did not participate in our primaries which INEC itself has admitted, the candidate of our party, through the back door.”

Daily Post

Stop killing my officials, FRSC boss tells Nigeria motorists

Corps Marshal

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps has decried the killing of three marshals and injuring a police officer and a staff of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps while on patrol activities at a mobile court sitting at Tsafe, Zamfara State, by a driver of an unregistered Golf vehicle.
According to a press release signed by Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy of FRSC, Mr. Oyeyemi directed that full weight of law must be applied against the driver for the dastardly killings‎.
Giving a vivid account of the incident, Mr. Kazeem said while carrying out their lawful duties at a mobile court located at Talata Mafara, four FRSC staff, one policeman, and one personnel from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were hit by the Golf driver, killing three FRSC Marshals and injuring one.
Also injured were the policeman and a Civil Defence staff who are all recuperating in the hospital after sustaining serious injuries. The victims were all taken to Talata Mafara general hospital, Mr. Kazeem said.
Meanwhile, the driver has since been arrested and handed over to the Police for further investigations and further necessary action.
It would be recalled that no fewer than 35 regular marshals of the corps have been killed by motorists on highways across the country in the past one year while on official duties, with seven of them from Niger State.
In one of the incidents in Minna, an FRSC staff was knocked down by a driver while trying to clear obstructions on the highway and has gone through two operations and might lose his manhood as a result of injuries sustained during the car crash.

Premium Times

Almost every speech made by Nigerians is negative due to bad economy – Buhari

 
President Muhammadu Buhari has noted that Nigerians are presently making negative speeches about the living condition in the country. He therefore enjoined Christian members of the National Assembly not to negatively comment on the social and economic problems affecting the country.
He made this call in Abuja through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, while addressing lawmakers present at the 7th National Prayer Breakfast organized by the Parliamentary Fellowship Group.
“I say this because almost every speech today in Nigeria is a negative speech both in churches and in the public domain. It is always about how hard living in Nigeria is. “So as leaders, we must strive to talk about our circumstances in positive terms and resist the urge to transmit to our people a sense of failure and despondency.
 “Today leaders have forgotten about looking at the positive side of issues and opportunities the current situation presents for good.
“For me, I have unflinching faith that Nigeria will emerge from this crisis strong, united, prosperous, and secured in the lifetime of this government. We should acknowledge the times we are living in and interpret realities with a sense of history and understanding.”
In a goodwill message, President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Sup Ayokunle urged the lawmakers to as ambassadors of Christ, be carriers of good news who will always stand up for what is good and right in the eyes of God and in the interest of the people they lead.

Daily Post