FG lists names of alleged looters
The Federal Government has released a list of some of those who have allegedly looted the nation’s treasury.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Lai Mohammed, released the list during a press conference in Lagos on Friday.
The names in the list revealed by the Federal Government include PDP chieftains who are currently being tried for corruption and financial crimes.According to Channelstv Mohammed said the individuals include officials in the past government.
“The PDP has challenged us to name the looters under their watch. They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology,” Mohammed said as he released the names.
Find the list below and the allegations against them by the Federal Government…
1. PDP Chairman Uche Secondus.
Allegation: On the 19th of Feb 2015, he took N200 million only from the office of the NSA.
2. Former PDP Financial Secretary.
Allegation: On the 24th of Oct 2014, he took N600 million only from the office of former NSA.
On trial for allegedly collecting N1.4bn from the office of former NSA.3. Former National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh.
4. Dr Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications.
On trial for allegedly taking N2.1 billion from the office of the former NSA.
5. Former SSA to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei
On trial, over N830 million allegedly kept in accounts of four different companies.
6. Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Cousin Robert Azibaola
On Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for allegedly collecting $40 million from the office of former NSA.
The decision by the APC-led government to reveal the names of the alleged looters and the funds allegedly stolen is in response to the opposition party, PDP’s, challenge to the government to name those alleged to have looted the country and destroyed the economy.
We are ready for war until we take over our land Nigeria, says Fulani on press release
The Fulani Nationality Movement, (FUNAM) after extensive deliberations on the state of the nation in the context of the recent killings and national uproar, met today in Kano, the capital of Kano State.
Among other things, the FUNAM deliberated on attacks on cattles by rustlers, kidnap of Fulani men and women in some parts of Nigeria, displacement of Fulani traditional settlements in Northern Nigeria and some parts of Southern Nigeria, stealing of properties belonging to Fulani cattler owners amongst other issues.
The group also deliberated on the political situation in Nigeria occassioned by the irresponsible calls for restructuring of Nigeria, the historic and vicious attacks on Fulani people by Southern nationalities and their cohorts in the middle belt, the plot to ensure Fulani are pushed to the backbench in the power equation in Nigeria and above all, the vicious campaign against the God ordained place of Fulani as the leading star guide in Nigeria, and after extensive deliberations, we hereby make the following declarations:
a) That the killings in Benue of Tiv is well deserved. It was a revenge attack on the series of onslaught on the Fulani which was most horrendous on November 17 2017 when 30 Fulani men and women were killed in Nasarawa State. We notice the recalcitrant culture of the Tiv people as demonstrated even during the 1804 Jihad when they obstructed our ordained conquest of Nigeria.
b) We condemn the media propaganda being waged against the Fulani and supported by Yoruba, Igbo and their bigotry allies in the Middle Belt.
c) That we are aware of plots by the minority ethnic groups in the Middle Belt to attack Fulani settlements.
d) That we have asked all Fulani across West Africa to raise money and arms to prosecute the oncoming war. We call on all Fulanis to prepare for this Holy War. There is no going back. All over the world, Nigeria is the only country given to Fulani by God.
e) We oppose the anti-grazing laws which obstruct the ability of Fulani to move freely and stay anywhere in Nigeria. The Fulani, if not for the British would have actually conquered the entire Nigeria which God has ordained as our dominion.
f) That the Cattle Colony is the only solution to the crisis. Whether the Federal Government or State Governments accept or not, we have asked all Fulani herdmen all over West Africa to move to Nigeria and penetrate every corner for the upcoming Jihad. We have asked them to be armed since it seems it is the only language Nigeria understands. The Nigerian Government has failed to protect us.
g) We warn those who oppose the Fulani cattle trade to be cautious of the consequences. We are ready for the worse. We are prepared for war. There is hope for peace if and only if attacks on Fulani herdsmen stop and the Fulani is allowed to settle anywhere that the Fulani chose to settle in Nigeria.
We are Nigerians and are free to settle anywhere we desire with our culture, our families, our commerce and our values to the glory of Almighty Allah. Any attempt(s) to reverse these demands will be met with Holy Uprising never before seen in the History of Nigeria and in the scale compared only with the 1804 Jihad. A word is enough for the wise. The Fulani is capable of defending itself”.
Signed Badu Salisu Ahmadu National President Umar Amir Shehu
Signed Badu Salisu Ahmadu National President Umar Amir Shehu
Lawmaker’s son shot dead in UK
The graduate son of a Nigerian politician was shot dead near his family’s London home in the latest round of bloodshed in the capital.
Abraham Badru, 26, who was given a police bravery award as a teenager for saving a woman from a sex attack, was gunned down in the street in Dalston, Hackney, just after 11pm on Sunday.
Abraham, who worked as a football coach after earning his Masters degree in sports coaching from the University of Gloucestershire in 2015, was found slumped on the pavement by police called to reports of a loud gunshot.
Abraham’s 62-year-old father, Dolapo Badru, represents Lagos Island I at the House of Representatives on the platform of All Progressives Congress.He was pronounced dead a short time later. His mother, who had rushed to his side, was seen by witnesses collapsed in tears on the pavement.
He told the Standard his “quiet and hard-working” son once saved a young woman from rape on the estate and later gave evidence which led to her attacker being jailed.
He said: “A few years ago, a girl was raped on the estate and Abraham fought them off. He went to court to testify against them and the police gave him an award.”
Friends paid tribute to Abraham as a “bubbly and outgoing” young man who was “making a life for himself” after completing his studies.
They said he had a fiancee in Nigeria and had volunteered with the Team Nigeria UK football coaching charity, and had been due to coach at an open trial in Charlton on Tuesday (today).
A volunteer said: “He’s such a wonderful guy full of life and very hard-working.”
Abraham had previously worked with Bristol council as a sport development officer, according to his LinkedIn profile and had interned at non-league Gloucester City FC during his degree studies at the University of Gloucestershire.
“We would like to send our thoughts and prayers to Abraham’s family during this difficult time.”In a statement, his former club Almondsbury FC, near Bristol, said: “The club are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of former striker Abraham Badru.
Neighbours said Abraham had been to church earlier that day and was getting out of his car when he was shot.
One neighbour said: “As soon as I heard the bang, I knew it was a gunshot. I went to my balcony and saw a man slumped over on the ground at the back of a car.
“There was just one shot and a cry of pain. No speeding scooter and no speeding car.”
Another said: “His mother came out and saw him on the floor. It was terrible listening to her collapse crying on the floor. She was just screaming.
“Everyone was very upset and I had to go away, I couldn’t take it. It happened on our doorstep and I had to say a little prayer for the family.”
A school friend added: “He had just finished studying a masters in sport at university. He was a bubbly guy and worked so hard. We went to the same church as kids.
“His mother is a devout Christian. I’m lost for words. I just cannot believe it. He was the nicest guy, very happy and outgoing.”
A police cordon remained in place in Ferncliff Road this morning as detectives continued to investigate the shooting.
Abraham’s mother was being supported by family members at the her home, around 100 yards away. The family were too upset to speak this morning.
A neighbour said: “They are a lovely family, church going and loving. Everyone is stunned this could happen to Abraham.
“He was a gentle, respectful young man and I pray for his family who are in pain right now.”
The murder is the third in Hackney this year and comes as 19 young men under the age of 25 have been killed in the capital in 2018.
Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, from Scotland Yard’s murder squad, said: “We are appealing for information so we can establish the circumstances which led to a young man losing his life.
“Anyone with information who hasn’t yet spoken with us should come forward without delay. Your call will be treated in the strictest confidence.”
There have been no arrests.
Electoral Act: 67 Senators Sign To Override President Buhari
Electoral Act: 67 senators sign to override BuhariPublished 3 hours ago on March 26, 2018 By Chukwu David
Lawmakers, legal experts parley
Pro-President’s senators’number reduces
APC leaders’ intervention not bearing fruit
No fewer than 67 senators have endorsed the move by the apex legislative chamber to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, New Telegraph reliably learnt at the weekend. A source in the apex legislative chamber, who spoke to our correspondent, but pleaded not to be mentioned in print, disclosed that 67 senators had already signed a Pro- Senate register seeking to override the veto. The source claimed that the number of signatures in the register had increased from the initial 63 last week to 67, expressing optimism that the number might exceed the twothirds requirement, which is 73 senators.
The breakdown of the senators who have signed to override the President shows: 10 senators from South-West; 15 from South- South; 13 from South-East, 12 from North-Central, 10 from North-East and seven from the North-West. Their identity is being kept as top secret. The source noted that some senators, for fear of victimization, were sitting on the fence, claiming that those in this category were more than 20, whom the source said that the pro- Senate faction was working hard to win to its side in the override task.
This is happening in spite of the intervention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), seeking to stop the National Assembly from going ahead with the plan to use its constitutional powers to defeat Buhari’s veto. It was learnt that the senators and members of the House of Representatives were yet to see concrete evidence of the party to sincerely achieve peace between the National Assembly and the Presidency after the visit of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC to the legislative chambers.
Buhari had withheld assent to the bill, claiming that its passage would infringe on the constitutional powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as portray the National Assembly as legislating for the states on local government management, contrary to the 1999 Constitution which empowers the state assemblies to make laws for the state. However, further in quiries by New Telegraph showed that the Legal Department of the National Assembly had faulted all the points raised by President Buhari in vetoing the bill.
Consequently, the Legal Department asked the National Assembly to disregard the constitutional questions raised by the President and carry on with the planned throwing out of his veto if it wishes to do so. Furthermore, our correspondent learnt from a source close to the Senate leadership that based on this legal advice, the National Assembly members had started collating signatures on a possible override of the Buhari’s veto. Since the Senate passed the controversial amendments to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 on February 14, the chamber had been divided into two factions namely:
the pro- Buhari Senators who now operate under the umbrella of Presidential Support Group (PSG) and the pro- Senate Group. Reliable sources told New Telegraph that the Pro-Senate wing was currently enjoying the majority so far while hinting that the Pro-Buhari Senators were also unrelenting in their quest to truncate the override plan.It was, however, learnt that as at yesterday, the number of senators in this group was 15, contrary to speculations peddled in the media that they had got up to 49 members. A source told our correspondent that the struggle was full of horse trading and a lot of intrigues, disclosing that the pro-Senate Group had infiltrated the ranks of the pro-Buhari group to give them a false sense of hope.
“This is politics; a lot of intrigues have come into play and that is why you are hearing different claims from the pro-Buhari Group of senators. But I can assure you that when the chips are down, you will see how it will go. The Pro-Buhari group is having a false sense of improvement in their numerical strength, but the senators know where they really belong,” the source said.
Another source stated: “A meeting of the pro- Senate group held in Lagos after the wedding party of the daughter of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, in Lagos at the weekend. The meeting afforded the pro-Senate Senators the opportunity to review the register and it was affirmed that 67 senators have so far signed.”
Meanwhile, one of the sources who attended the pro-Senate Group meeting at the weekend in Lagos during Dangote’s daughter’s wedding, said that at least three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) joined the Senators at the meeting and that it was adopted that the interpretation of the law is that the two-thirds majority of those present in each chamber would be required and not two-thirds majority of all members of the Senate in the course of voting to override Mr. President’s veto. Another source said: “The plan for the overriding votes may start this week as the Senate leadership is sure they now have “very sufficient” numbers to act and get the desired results.
“Those who think they control South-West senators will have a shocker of their lives. At least 10 Senators from that zone will vote for the amendment; 15 from South-South; 13 from South-East, 12 from North-Central, 10 from North-East and seven from the North-West. “That is the zonal classification of those who have signed so far. We will get more from those who are still sitting on the fence.
The recent position of Gen. T.Y. Danjuma and the Coalition of Northern Groups are helping to win more sympathizers for the Pro-Senate group.” New Telegraph also observed that some senators appeared not to be in the picture of what is happening with regards to the plan to override President Buhari on his veto to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018. An APC chieftain, from the North-East told our correspondent that nobody had contacted him either for or against the override plot. “All I know is that Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Omo-Agege and others are actually holding their meeting in Adamu’s house, but honestly nobody has called me to a meeting. I also know that they are meeting with some governors in Adamu’s house.
“It may be because I am neutral that nobody has met with me for any discussion. I really don’t want to be physically involved because the matter is very controversial,” the senator told New Telegraph. Also, another senator belonging to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed noninvolvement on the whole saga, depicting that he was either sitting on the fence or playing politics with the contentious matter. He said: “Nobody has met me on that. The bill has gone back to the House; you know it originated from the House, unless there is anything they are doing without my knowledge, but nobody has come to me to talk about overriding or not overriding
Lawmakers, legal experts parley
Pro-President’s senators’number reduces
APC leaders’ intervention not bearing fruit
No fewer than 67 senators have endorsed the move by the apex legislative chamber to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, New Telegraph reliably learnt at the weekend. A source in the apex legislative chamber, who spoke to our correspondent, but pleaded not to be mentioned in print, disclosed that 67 senators had already signed a Pro- Senate register seeking to override the veto. The source claimed that the number of signatures in the register had increased from the initial 63 last week to 67, expressing optimism that the number might exceed the twothirds requirement, which is 73 senators.
The breakdown of the senators who have signed to override the President shows: 10 senators from South-West; 15 from South- South; 13 from South-East, 12 from North-Central, 10 from North-East and seven from the North-West. Their identity is being kept as top secret. The source noted that some senators, for fear of victimization, were sitting on the fence, claiming that those in this category were more than 20, whom the source said that the pro- Senate faction was working hard to win to its side in the override task.
This is happening in spite of the intervention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), seeking to stop the National Assembly from going ahead with the plan to use its constitutional powers to defeat Buhari’s veto. It was learnt that the senators and members of the House of Representatives were yet to see concrete evidence of the party to sincerely achieve peace between the National Assembly and the Presidency after the visit of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led NWC to the legislative chambers.
Buhari had withheld assent to the bill, claiming that its passage would infringe on the constitutional powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as portray the National Assembly as legislating for the states on local government management, contrary to the 1999 Constitution which empowers the state assemblies to make laws for the state. However, further in quiries by New Telegraph showed that the Legal Department of the National Assembly had faulted all the points raised by President Buhari in vetoing the bill.
Consequently, the Legal Department asked the National Assembly to disregard the constitutional questions raised by the President and carry on with the planned throwing out of his veto if it wishes to do so. Furthermore, our correspondent learnt from a source close to the Senate leadership that based on this legal advice, the National Assembly members had started collating signatures on a possible override of the Buhari’s veto. Since the Senate passed the controversial amendments to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 on February 14, the chamber had been divided into two factions namely:
the pro- Buhari Senators who now operate under the umbrella of Presidential Support Group (PSG) and the pro- Senate Group. Reliable sources told New Telegraph that the Pro-Senate wing was currently enjoying the majority so far while hinting that the Pro-Buhari Senators were also unrelenting in their quest to truncate the override plan.It was, however, learnt that as at yesterday, the number of senators in this group was 15, contrary to speculations peddled in the media that they had got up to 49 members. A source told our correspondent that the struggle was full of horse trading and a lot of intrigues, disclosing that the pro-Senate Group had infiltrated the ranks of the pro-Buhari group to give them a false sense of hope.
“This is politics; a lot of intrigues have come into play and that is why you are hearing different claims from the pro-Buhari Group of senators. But I can assure you that when the chips are down, you will see how it will go. The Pro-Buhari group is having a false sense of improvement in their numerical strength, but the senators know where they really belong,” the source said.
Another source stated: “A meeting of the pro- Senate group held in Lagos after the wedding party of the daughter of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, in Lagos at the weekend. The meeting afforded the pro-Senate Senators the opportunity to review the register and it was affirmed that 67 senators have so far signed.”
Meanwhile, one of the sources who attended the pro-Senate Group meeting at the weekend in Lagos during Dangote’s daughter’s wedding, said that at least three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) joined the Senators at the meeting and that it was adopted that the interpretation of the law is that the two-thirds majority of those present in each chamber would be required and not two-thirds majority of all members of the Senate in the course of voting to override Mr. President’s veto. Another source said: “The plan for the overriding votes may start this week as the Senate leadership is sure they now have “very sufficient” numbers to act and get the desired results.
“Those who think they control South-West senators will have a shocker of their lives. At least 10 Senators from that zone will vote for the amendment; 15 from South-South; 13 from South-East, 12 from North-Central, 10 from North-East and seven from the North-West. “That is the zonal classification of those who have signed so far. We will get more from those who are still sitting on the fence.
The recent position of Gen. T.Y. Danjuma and the Coalition of Northern Groups are helping to win more sympathizers for the Pro-Senate group.” New Telegraph also observed that some senators appeared not to be in the picture of what is happening with regards to the plan to override President Buhari on his veto to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018. An APC chieftain, from the North-East told our correspondent that nobody had contacted him either for or against the override plot. “All I know is that Senators Abdullahi Adamu, Omo-Agege and others are actually holding their meeting in Adamu’s house, but honestly nobody has called me to a meeting. I also know that they are meeting with some governors in Adamu’s house.
“It may be because I am neutral that nobody has met with me for any discussion. I really don’t want to be physically involved because the matter is very controversial,” the senator told New Telegraph. Also, another senator belonging to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed noninvolvement on the whole saga, depicting that he was either sitting on the fence or playing politics with the contentious matter. He said: “Nobody has met me on that. The bill has gone back to the House; you know it originated from the House, unless there is anything they are doing without my knowledge, but nobody has come to me to talk about overriding or not overriding
Govt spends thousands to prosecute theft of fruit as case lasts nine years
An Italian man has finally been acquitted of stealing an aubergine nine years after first being charged, ending a legal wrangle over a piece of fruit worth pennies that cost taxpayers thousands.
The man, then aged 49, had the incriminating aubergine in his bucket when police caught him trying to escape through a privately owned field near Lecce, in the southern region of Puglia, in 2009.
While being taken away, he pleaded with the police that he had tried to steal the nightshade because he was unemployed and desperate to feed his child.
The man’s legal counsel was still not satifised and took the case to the Court of Cassation in Rome, Italy’s highest appeals court, where the defendant was acquitted nearly a decade after he was first arrested.However, the courts initially showed no mercy, sentencing him to five months in prison and ordering him to pay 500 euros ($620) fine. That punishment was reduced on appeal to two months’ jail and 120 euros.
The Court of Cassation criticised the lower courts in Lecce for not taking into account the extreme weakness of the prosecution’s case, given the man’s financial situation.
The La Repubblica newspaper quoted the ruling as saying that the man “was definitely acting to satisfy the hunger of his family… there are grounds for justification (of the theft).”
The court also lamented the amount of public money spent on the case, with 7,000-8,000 euros going towards legal fees as the man was too poor to pay for his own defence, La Repubblica reported.
Buhari Shocks Oyegun, Others, Withdraws Support For Tenure Extension Of All Progressives Congress Excos
President Muhammadu Buhari today withdrew his support to the decision of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) to extend the tenure of National Working Committee (NWC) of the party saying it contravenes the party's constitution and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He disclosed this at the National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja on Tuesday.
"In particular I think it is important to talk about the contentious issues of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers. As we all know, the motion was moved in the last NEC meeting February 2,7 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executive expires in June this year they should be allowed to continue for one year. This motion was moved by a majority of members present at the last NEC meeting. Even though some of our party members have since spoken very vehemently against it, others have even taken the matter to court.
"On my own part I have taken some time to review and seek advice on the resolution and what I have found is that it contravenes our party constitution and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
While the APC constitution article 17, in bracket 1 and 13 on two bracket b, limits the tenure of elected officers to four years, renewable once by another election. The 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended, in section 223, also prescribes periodic election for party executives at regular intervals which must not exceed four years.
"Further more, article 31 of our party constitution provides that any principal officer wishing to re-contest or contest for another election must resign from his current post at least one month before the election. In this circumstance what is expected of us is to conduct fresh election once the tenure of the current executives approaches its end.
The caretaker committee cannot remedy the situation and cannot currently act in place of electing officer. Furthermore, I think if we the constitutional provisions we might be endangering the fortunes of our party.
If the tenure of our party executive can be legally faulted then it means that any nomination and primary election can also be faulted. This is not to talk of the issues that will arise and is already arising within the party when some of our members felt that they are being denied the right to aspire to executive positions, internal democracy is not explained within the party.
I am therefore of the firm believe that it is better to follow strictly the dictates of our party and national constitution rather than put APC and its activities at grave risk.
Fortunately, we have already approved a timetable for the holding of congresses and elections. I think this should be allowed to go forward and all efforts should now be geared towards making them a great success" President Buhari ststed.
Buhari cautioned the NEC members not to allow the party to be divided and vulnerable to the opposition as a result of court actions which may arise aftermath.
Breaking: Serbia beat Nigeria 2-0
The Super Eagles of Nigeria were on Tuesday beaten 2-0 by Serbia at Hive Stadium in London in a 2018 FIFA World Cup warm-up match.
Goals from Aleksandar Mitrović, who plies his trade at Newcastle, in the 68th and 81st minutes ensured Mladen Krstajic’s men flew over the Super Eagles.
Serbia booked their spot in Russia for the first time since 2010 after a remarkable run of form in the qualifying stages.
#BBNaija: Check out the voting results that brought back Anto and Knloe
Moments ago, Anto and Khloe were announced as the housemates returning to the Big Brother Naija house to compete for the prize money!Peter Okoye die yesterday evening because of they malice between his brother Paul Okoye
Last month singer and entertainer Peter Okoye, 34, revealed to his millions of fans that he was having health issues. The Psquare singershared photos of him undergoing a CT scanand asked his fans to pray for him.
While he is now abroad, his brother Paul Okoyehas revealed what led Peter Okoye to the hospital.
I don’t know how he managed but it was good that he pulled through. And he came back December period we were playing concerts, rushing back no rest.
“Usually for Psquare we don’t do concerts in January. January was supposed to be our holiday period, anybody can travel. We always go to America, Atlanta chill, get to Miami but this time I’m using that opportunity to work with Muno in the studio” Paul Okoye further said.
Paul Okoye also allayed the fears of Psquare fans that nothing is wrong with his brother.
The Oluwo Of Iwo Land’s Nigerian Made Suv Geep Cause Comotion In Lagos
Oluwo of Iwo land,Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi “TELU 1” who recently visit Unilag for an occasion with his New Nigerian made geep.
The geep caused stir in lagos to extend that everybody want to stop him and take a pics with the very resemble Gwagon geep.
We says Kabiesi ooo for elevating our local products.
I Will Sign Death Warrant Of Any Person Convicted of kidnapping Without Looking Back –Wike
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has said he is willing to sign death warrant of any person convicted of kidnapping.
The governor, who made this known on Thursday, said stiffer penalties had been approved to discourage those who might want to be involved in the act.
Wike assented to the Rivers State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Law No. 8 of 2018, the Rivers State Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) (Amendment) Law No.6 of 2018, and the Rivers State Kidnap (Prohibition) (Amendment) No. Law No.7 of 2018, in a bid to improve the security of communities.
The Rivers House of Assembly had passed the bills.
“If you are a cultist and you are caught, it is life imprisonment. If you are a cultist and you kill during cult activities, you will face the death penalty,” the governor said during the signing.
“If you are convicted of kidnapping and the Supreme Court affirms your conviction, I will sign the death warrant without looking back.”
He also said the state government would battle cultism and kidnapping to a standstill, noting that ‘enough is enough’.
Why I Had An Elaborate Wedding – Banky W
EME Music record label boss and husband to actress Adesua Etomi, Banky W had, before his wedding, emphasised his dislike for elaborate weddings.
The singer, songwriter and actor took to his Instagram page to state that it was never his decision or that of his wife to have a lavish wedding.
According to him, wedding is not just the coming together of a man and his wife, rather it is the coming together of families whose opinion should be respected.
He said, “I have learnt to grow thick skin and almost always ignore the online chatter, but every once in a while, I feel the need to respond. So here are my 2 cents.”
N13.5 million pay: Saraki, Dogara’s salaries will blow up Nigeria, says Sagay
The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, SAN, has declared that he will make public the monthly earnings of the leadership of the National Assembly soon.
He said the N13 million allowances being received by senators is only a tip of the iceberg as Nigerians will be shocked when he releases details of the allowances of the principal officers.
Sagay said this while fielding questions from Punch on the revelations by the lawmaker representing Kaduna-Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani.
Sani had disclosed that senators receive N700,000 monthly and a separate N13.5m as running costs.
The senior lawyer said, “There are many things the press doesn’t know yet. If you come to know the allowances that the leadership of the two houses are getting.
“My God! It will blow up the country. What is the Senate President getting? It is not the ordinary N13m.
“What does he get as Senate President? What is the leader of the House getting, what is the deputy leader of the House getting?
“What is the Deputy Senate President getting? What are the minority leaders getting in both houses? Go and find out. It is an explosive stuff, I tell you.
“Eventually, I will come out with the figures. I am working on them now. When I am ready, I will come out with them.”
He called out the pokesman for the Senate, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, for saying that the N13.5m allowances were already in the public domain.
Sagay pointed out that it was hypocritical of the lawmakers to have berated him last year when he released details of their allowances.
He added that Sani’s revelation was at variance with the details released by Saraki last year.
He added, “What they released then was their salaries which the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission approved for them. What they are hiding now are the allowances they voted for themselves.
“The salary details released was just about N700,000 but what they voted for themselves is about 20 times that amount. That is the whole point and they were hiding it.
“I came out with the figures last year and they wanted to cut off my neck and now it has come out in the open and Sabi Abdullahi is saying it is nothing new but you were denying it in the past. So, they have a guilty conscience because they know what they are doing is shameful.”
Osinbajo has proven that Buhari is incompetent — Abimbola
If Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expected a public outrage at his latest revelation that the whopping sums of N100 billion and $289 million were embezzled by the Goodluck Jonathan administration weeks to the 2015 elections, he must be disappointed by now. Up till now, nobody is exactly asking for Jonathan’s head on a spike. Osinbajo has confirmed people’s suspicion: that Buhari, the man who was elected to tear down the temple of corruption in Nigeria is not as potent a force as he was marketed. Nigerians that thought they were getting two raging bulls must be wondering how they ended up with these hand-wringing jokers. Osinbajo should not be surprised at the yawns and wrinkled noses he got from Nigerians for his exposé, people now think that still blaming Jonathan is an old subterfuge considering everything else that has befallen us under Buhari. If Jonathan and his merry band stole so much and up till now, the best you do is throw out repetitive lines of how much he stole; maybe you should not be in government. Nigerians voted you to fight corruption, not to join them to moan about it.
This day three years ago, it was five days before the presidential elections. Everywhere you turned at that time, you heard “Sai Baba” chanted to the tune of “anti-corruption.” Followers of the candidate and now President, Muhammadu Buhari, evangelized about the coming of this messiah whose no-nonsense stance will cleanse Nigeria’s Augean stables for good. Even his former foes forgave him without him asking. Buhari himself, aware of the weight of expectations imposed on him, sold himself as the karma of corruption in Nigeria. Everywhere he went, he sang about fighting corruption and Nigerians rocked themselves to its sonic sensation.
When Buhari was first sworn in, bragging about what Jonathan’s administration had done wrong was the most priced and bestselling share on the stock market, and the APC — still basking in the euphoria of unexpected victory — made huge dividends out of it. Almost three years after he was sworn in, the folks who rhapsodized about Buhari’s anti-corruption agenda have found that he was no different from his predecessor. He is just as clueless, and corruption — Nigeria’s Frankenstein monster — has once again swallowed another one of its creators. Post-2015 Nigeria is still in the doldrums of ineptitude, nepotism, tribalism, and uncontained violence.
Osinbajo is still talking about what Jonathan did wrong when their government has barely been able to do a single thing convincingly right. Osinbajo was also quoted as saying that at some point, those who promoted strategic alliance contracts between the NNPC and the NDPC made away with almost one-tenth of our national reserves! That is a mind-boggling amount. Such a theft ought to be thoroughly investigated and punished, and not just crunched into a sensational speech at an occasion. Osinbajo, again, said that it was only in talking about such mega-thefts that we could resolve such thieving. True, he has a point that such scams need to be addressed, but he seems to forget that talking is all Buhari’s government has done till now. People are tired of accusations; they are tiring and demoralizing. What we want to see is what the government under his watch has done about such embezzlements. How many of those people have been tried and how many are on their way to jail now? If nothing of the sort has been done, then what is the point of informing us who stole what? You are only confirming that you are weak, and your government is more or less a paper tiger. Mentioning Jonathan’s name alone used to be a potent means of whipping Nigerians into frenzied outrage about “corruption,” but people seem to be fatigued about the unending talk of what is wrong; they want transparency, reforms, and action. They are bored with people like Osinbajo constantly revving the engine of a vehicle that has no wheels.
Not only are officials of this administration adept at just talk, they, in fact, act as a striptease. Just a few days ago, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), also said that if he released details of the allowances of the principal officers of the National Assembly, Nigerians would be shocked. But what exactly would be shocking to Nigerians about his revelations considering that Sagay already informed Nigerians last year that lawmakers earned as much as N29m monthly? What else is “shockable” about what he has to reveal? At worst, he will reveal that Senate President, Bukola Saraki possibly earns N1bn monthly. Even if we find out that things are that sordid, what exactly is the reaction he expects the shock we will experience to solve?
Sagay thinks Nigeria will explode if people find out what the lawmakers cost them but most people know, just like they know that Buhari’s budget is just as padded as was his predecessors’. They just insist on keeping their sanity intact by ignoring their thieving leaders. I think Sagay — much like Peter Obi who also teased us with information about what governors earn — is overestimating the capability of Nigerians to be still shocked with the mindless looting that goes on in the country every day. Nigerians have come to realize that both the APC and the PDP are bad for their mental and moral health, and there is nothing one side can accuse the other of that it is not guilty of too. That is why Osinbajo’s revelation did not get much more than sneers and jeers. He is working in an administration whose anti-corruption agenda has become more or less reduced to accusations and counter-accusations, and he wants us to be moved by Jonathan’s profligacy.
Since Buhari became president, his cronies too have been accused of corruption, seven million people have lost their jobs between 2016 and 2017, and Nigerians have yet to recover from the effects of a recession. Think of the degree of violence that has occurred under Buhari, from the killings in Benue to Kaduna, Enugu, Taraba, and the abduction of girls in Dapchi. How about those for “shock” and explosion? If the country did not go on the streets to protest after Buhari spent half of last year abroad, and up till now he has still not accounted for how much his health cost the country, then what is Sagay worried about?
There is every possibility that Osinbajo is right that Jonathan plundered the nation for his re-election. All the money Jonathan’s administration spent in 2015, particularly in the last few weeks of the election when he was crawling on his knees from churches to traditional rulers must have come from somewhere other than his pocket. But Osinbajo will not get the reaction he expects from Nigerians this time because Buhari himself has not shown superior morals when it comes to the issue of dipping your hands into the national pockets. 1n 2015, Buhari did not finance his campaign with five loaves and two fishes. The money too came from somewhere, and we know it was not his putatively untainted pockets. In fact, Buhari has that mystique about him: he has a way of making people believe he is personally not corrupt even though whenever he has needed money to finance his ambition, somebody’s dirty hands have picked up the invoice. Up till now, nobody in the APC has had the honour or dignity to account for their campaign spending yet they cry about others’ faults. By 2019, they are likely to do exactly what they accuse Jonathan of: take money out of the national reserves to finance their campaigns too. That is why their moral posturing moves nobody whose head on his/her shoulders can think their way out of a paper bag.
It has now become a crime to be a Christian in Nigeria, says Olapade drags Buhari to ICC, issues 72- hour ultimatum
The national chairman, National Action Council (NAC), Dr. Olapade Agoro on Saturday gave President Muhammadu Buhari a 72-hour ultimatum to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu from the Boko Haram’s captivity.
Agoro while speaking in a telephone interview with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, however threatened to drag President Buhari before the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the President fails to ensure the release of the only Christian student among the 110 Dapchi female students kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists.
The NAC Presidential aspirant lamented that, “it was unfortunate that Leah is being subjected to further physical and psychological trauma because she insisted on holding on to her religious faith, which is Christianity.”
Agoro also expressed his readiness to surrender himself to the Buhari led Federal Government to be swapped with the innocent Dapchi girl, saying that, “it has now become a crime to be a Christian in Nigeria.”
He said, “I am ready to walk freely to the President Buhari’ negotiators to take me to the Boko Haram for them to take me to replace the innocent girl. I am ready to sacrifice my life to get Leah released unconditionally.”
“President Buhari should engage his negotiating machinery to get Leah released unconditionally from Boko Haram latest by Wednesday. The innocent girl must not be raped or subjected to any other form of inhuman treatment because of her faith.
“I am giving the Federal Government the ultimatum to get her released latest by Wednesday. If she is not released, by Friday, I will be dragging President Buhari before the ICC”.
Agoro noted that, “since it is obvious that the Federal Government negotiated to get the other Dapchi students released, Buhari should come out and tell Nigerians, the terms and conditions of the negotiation.”
Agoro insisted that Nigerians deserve to know, if it was part of the negotiation that only those who are Muslims or ready to embrace Islam would be released by the Boko Haram, adding that Buhari’s failure to give convincing explanation will rekindle the suspicion of attempts to Islamize Nigeria.
He said, “The innocent girl is being made to suffer because of her faith. That should be a concern to all Muslims, Christians and parents in Nigeria. Nobody should be made to suffer, human life should be protected in Nigeria irrespective of religion.”
FG declared one-week ceasefire to secure Dapchi girls’ freedom – Lai Mohammed
The Federal Government disclosed on Sunday that a week-long ceasefire was declared from March 19 which enabled the insurgents to drop off abducted Dapchi schoolgirl without attack by the military.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed this in Lagos at a media briefing to give update and clarifications on the release of the schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state.
The minister said there were no conspiracy theories as to how the insurgents were able to return the schoolgirls to Dapchi un-attacked despite troops presence,
“The talks helped to secure the release of the police officers’ wives and the University of Maiduguri lecturers recently. And the talks did not stop thereafter.“Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now.
“Therefore, we were able to leverage on the wider talks when the Dapchi girls were abducted.
“As I said earlier, the insurgents decided to return the girls to where they picked them from as a goodwill gesture.
“All they demanded was a ceasefire that will grant them a safe corridor to drop the girls. This is not new.
“Even in larger war situations, safe corridors are usually created for humanitarian and other purposes.
”Consequently, a week-long ceasefire was declared, starting from Monday, March 19. That is why the insurgents were able to drop the girls.
“This counters the conspiracy theories being propounded in some quarters concerning why it was so easy for the insurgents to drop off the girls without being attacked by the military’’.
“This is a fact, irrespective of how a section of the press has tried to spin the story.The minister reiterated that the government neither paid ransom nor swapped any Boko Haram member to secure the release of the girls.
“The insurgents brought the girls back to the location of the kidnapping themselves as an apparent gesture of goodwill.
