Human rights activist and Senator representing Kaduna Central District in the Senate, Shehu Sani, on Tuesday challenged the Code of Conduct Bureau to look into the assets’ declarations of former governors who were in office at about the same time when the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki was a governor. The senator spoke at the 8th Forum of the laureates of Nigerian National Order of Merit in Abuja, where he lamented that Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign is largely driven by political considerations. According to Sani, after insurgency, no issue should be in the front burner of national discourse more than…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to do something about Boko Haram beyond expressing sympathy to victims of terrorism. The emir, who joined twitter just yesterday, in a tweet at the president on Tuesday morning, also expressed optimism that “we shall overcome” terrorism. Curiously, the tweet has been deleted as we could not find it on his twitter account anymore. Below is a screen grab of the tweet:
Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has said that those behind last Friday’s attack on a Shi’ite procession near Kano are known to him. A statement by Ibrahim Usman, said El-Zakzaky spoke at the end of Nahjul Balagha study session held at Hussainiyyah Baqiyyatullah, Zaria on Monday. The statement quoted the Shi’ite leader in Nigeria as saying, “We know the names of the contractors and those contracted to commit the massacre; their identities are not hidden. Therefore, we cannot be cowed by an imaginary Boko Haram tale; let them tell it to the fools and ignorant.…
The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has expressed optimism that the ministry under her watch can save Nigeria as much as $5 billion annually by blocking wastages in more than 450 government agencies, a strategy that will determine how well the Nigerian economy will cope under its slowest growth indices since 1999. The minister gave the indication in response to concerns on how Africa’s top crude exporter plans to navigate a crash in oil prices that has bedeviled oil-producing countries globally. Nigeria’s revenue has fallen by about 60% from the height of the oil boom more than a year ago,…
The Senate on Tuesday directed the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to immediately make provision for the installation of bomb detectors on all mass transit buses in the nation’s capital city. It also directed the FCTA to take urgent steps in tackling the issue of waste disposal and cattle rearing in the city centre. The Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Dino Melaye (APC/Kogi West) issued the directives at the inaugural meeting of his committee with the Minister of FCT, Mohammed Musa Bello in Abuja. Melaye disclosed that in the course of their oversight, the committee would ensure that all parks…
The Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade has said that the Calabar monorail under construction will be commissioned and operational before the Carnival Calabar, which holds on December 28. Speaking while inspecting ongoing work at the facility, Ayade assured that the monorail would be ready and operational before the carnival day. “This monorail should be working, latest by December 20. That is the commitment we have received from the contractor handling the project,” he said. Speaking further, Governor Ayade stressed that the monorail was a confluence between the Calabar International Convention Centre, CICC, and Tinapa Business Resort. “Owing…
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday said that the Federal Government plans to privatize the petroleum products pipeline network in the country to minimize the issue of perennial vandalism and ensure availability of products in the country next year. Kachikwu stated this while touring products depots in Apapa area of Lagos. According to him, by January 2016, any truck not tagged or fixed with trackers will not be allowed to load products. This, he said is to check diversion of trucks after loading, which is one of the causes of scarcity in Nigeria. “Últimately, we are…
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun has dismissed the justification of low remuneration by stealing. Speaking to journalists while inaugurating the Efficiency Unit, E-UNIT, in Abuja, on Monday, the minister wondered why any one would think low salary is enough justification to steal. “You can’t address low remuneration by stealing. Stealing is stealing and we cannot justify stealing because of poor remunerations. Not everybody steals. Not everybody is willing to steal and not everybody has the opportunity to steal so stealing is not the way to address low remuneration. I think the two must be separated. Stealing is stealing…
The refusal of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s, erstwhile deputy governorship candidate in the last election in Kogi State, Mr. James Faleke, to be the running mate to the new candidate, Yahaya Bello, in this weekend’s governorship supplementary election takes a new turn as Faleke has approached the high court, demanding that he should be declared the governor-elect. Faleke, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/977/2015, which he filed through a consortium of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN and Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, insisted that contrary to the claim by the electoral body, the Kogi State governorship election was conclusive.…
Acclaimed orator and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, has said Nigerians’ expectations of President Muhammadu Buhari are higher than when he was military head of state from 1983 to 1985. The elder statesman stated that the fight against corruption by the present government must be seen to be yielding positive impacts, adding that Nigerians had high hopes in President Buhari. The Dan Masanin Kano spoke at the 8th Annual Forum of the Laureates of the Nigerian National Order of Merit on Tuesday in Abuja. According to Maitama Sule, “When Buhari was the…
The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, suffered a setback on Tuesday due to the absence of Magistrate Shuaibu Usman of the Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja. Kanu is standing trial on a three-count of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to unlawful society, to which he pleaded not guilty. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, the case which had earlier been fixed for ruling did not hold due to the absence of the magistrate in court. No reason was given by the court on why the magistrate did not sit. Speaking to newsmen at the…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in its entirety, the arrest of media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi and other opposition elements by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government. The party also raised the alarm that more notable PDP leaders have similarly been penciled down for arrest over unproven allegations pursuant to the plot by the APC to cow and silence opposition in the country. The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Tuesday, said the military style of pronouncement of guilt on Chief Dokpesi before any fair hearing, betrays the fact that he…
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kabore of the Movement of People for Progress Party on his historic election as the second civilian President of Burkina Faso. President Buhari in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina on Tuesday, expressed belief that the successful conclusion of the electoral process will usher in a new era of true democracy and inclusive governance in Burkina Faso. He commended the commitment of the people of Burkina Faso in ensuring a peaceful election, urging them to continue to give the new leader the maximum support…
The Senate on Tuesday approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for a N574 billion supplementary budget. Before giving its approval, the Senate went into executive close door session. President Buhari had last month submitted N465.6bn supplementary budget out of which N413 billion is outstanding subsidy payment. However, the figure was jerked up on Monday, when the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu told the senators that an additional N108 billion was needed to cover government’s running cost for the months of November and December. This brought the total supplementary budget request to N574 billion. It is believed that with the…
All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State on Tuesday lamented that the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has abandoned People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the state. The party in a statement issued by the Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), the campaign outfit of APC’s candidate in this Saturday’s governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva, raised the alarm on the poor state of welfare of the PLWHA. The statement was issued as part of activities to mark the World AIDS Day. According to the statement signed by SICO’s Director, Media and Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba, the World AIDS Day provides an opportunity…
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested the former Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi. Dokpesi was picked up in Abuja at about noon on Tuesday, Vanguard reports. According to the Head of Media in the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke with Channels Television, Chief Dokpesi was arrested in connection with money disbursed from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He said that there was no explanation about what the money was meant for and described as pathetic, the fact that the office of the NSA was used as “a warehouse to…
After days of hide and seek, in between which they went to court, the Department of State Services, DSS, has finally arrested the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki. Dasuki, a retired Colonel, was reportedly picked up by the DSS on Tuesday from his Abuja residence. It would be recalled that the ex-NSA was first arrested in July shortly after he was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari, and after a prolonged siege on his Abuja home by DSS operatives. He was charged to court with illegal possession of arms and money laundering. Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the…
All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday at a meeting in Abuja formally unveiled Yahaya Bello as the new candidate of the party. Bello was runner-up to Audu in the party’s governorship primaries last August. The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, while unveiling Bello, urged party leaders and stakeholders to accept the decision of the party leadership and ensure the party comes out victorious. Odigie-Oyegun explained that Bello was nominated to conform to the electoral laws and to ensure cohesion and fairness. While accepting the party’s nomination, Bello pledged to ensure immediate reconciliation of all aggrieved persons in the…
The Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) have inaugurated a team to monitor and report cases of human rights violation by security agents across the country. The NBA president, Agustine Alegeh, announced the constitution of the team at a workshop on human rights on “Human Rights in Times of Conflict” in Maiduguri on Monday. He said the inauguration of the monitoring team was part of measures adopted to improve human rights protection and check abuses in Nigeria. Mr. Alegeh said Nigerians would have the opportunity of reporting cases of gross violations directly to the hierarchy of the security…
The looming crisis in the Kogi State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) widened on Monday with the party’s Deputy Governorship candidate in the November 21 governorship election in the state, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke rejecting his nomination as running mate to Alhaji Yahaya Bello in this Saturday’s supplementary election. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee of APC at the party’s secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Faleke said: “The issue of Kogi state was paramount in the minds of national leaders and they wanted a solution to it. “However, we met for about two…