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Proceeds of Buhari’s Biography To Go To Charity

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Proceeds of Buhari’s Biography To Go To Charity

proceeds-of-buharis-biography-to-go-to-charity

Author of the biography of President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that proceeds from the book launch would be used to finance charity initiatives across the country, including the humanitarian criis in the Northeast.

The biography titled “Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria” was written by John Paden, an American Professor of International Studies charities and was launched on Monday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

“Let me say that the proceeds of the launch of this book will all go to some select charities including humanitarian aid to the Internally Displaced People in the North East,” Paden said.

The book launch, which was chaired by former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, also had many prominent Nigerians in attendance as well as guests from the West African Sub-region, including the Presidents of Niger, Chad and Benin Republic.

However, organisers of the event said that no one was allowed to make donations in millions of naira, rather, the book would be launched at N1500 for the soft cover, N2500 for the hard cover and N10,000 for the leather cover.

Chairman of the occasion, Gowon, poured encomiums on President Buhari, saying that he has distinguished himself both as a soldier and as a politician.

Citing the President’s failed attempts at winning the presidential election, Gowon said “2015 was an affirmation that persistence pays,” adding that he was confident that Buhari would “restore the economy and alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians.”

Among the book reviewers were Bola Tinubu, former Lagos state Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Tinubu eulogized president Buhari, saying that his “heroic role” in the formation of the APC has led to the “rescue of Nigeria”.

Also, former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, said president Buhari has shown “deep concern for female education” and patriotism both as a military officer and Head of State.

A former Nigerian permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Gambari who also served as Nigeria’s foreign Minister under Mr. Buhari, took time to brief the audience about the humorous nature of the president.

Former President Obasanjo, who was a special guest at the event noted that he has various “encounters” with president Buhari due to political differences, but those disagreements and differences never affected their personal relationship.

Obasanjo described the biography as “surely intriguing, inspiring and a mix of history and current affairs together”.

In his vote of thanks, president Buhari said he was surprised by the large turnout of guests at the event, especially as Monday was a public holiday and many people would have preferred to spend time with their loved ones.

He also thanked the author, Paden “who tolerated me for the stories I tried to tell him.”

Ekiti PDP Lawmaker-Elect Demands To Be Sworn In

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Ekiti PDP Lawmaker-Elect Demands To Be Sworn In
ekiti-pdp-lawmaker-elect-demands-to-be-sworn-in
File: Governor Ayo Fayose congratulating the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole after his swearing-in in 2015

Toyin Obayemi, a member-elect of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, has written an open letter to governor Ayo Fayose, asking him to direct the Speaker of the Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, to obey court orders and swear him into office.

In the letter, Obayemi alleged that members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have been obstructing his inauguration, despite a valid court order to that effect.

A Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti had on July 4, ousted Musa Arogundade, who represented Ado-Ekiti 1 constituency, ruling that Obayemi was the validly elected candidate in April 11, 2015 election that held in Ekiti State, and ordering that he be sworn in immediately.

In the letter copied to the traditional ruler of Ado-Ekiti, Adeyemo Adejugbe, and one of Nigeria’s most prominent lawyers, Afe Babalola, SAN, Obayemi said the persistent refusal of the PDP-dominated Assembly to swear him in “is portraying the party in bad light”.

The letter read in part: “We must not forget that this is a case of PDP versus PDP and the opposition will not stop laughing at us as a result of the stand of the Speaker refusing to obey court judgment.

“Sir, I remain a committed and a financial member of the party, and as the leader of the party here in Ekiti, I want to urge you to look at this case from the point of view that all members of the party are one and equal before you, and I appeal to you to use your good offices to let the world know that PDP is not a lawless party.”

Obayemi said it was mind boggling that the speaker of the House has refused to swear him in on the excuse that the case was still at the appeal court.

“I want to say that till date, I am yet to receive a letter informing me of such position,” he said.

He urged the governor to “please advise the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, to do the needful in accordance with the court judgment of July 4, 2016, and perform my swearing-in ceremony.”

“Permit me with every sense of respect to say that the Speaker should know that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones,” Obayemi concluded.

Public Schools In Bayelsa Remain Shut Over 7 Months’ Salary Arrears

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Public Schools In Bayelsa Remain Shut Over 7 Months’ Salary Arrears
Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State
Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State

Secondary and primary schools in Bayelsa State have yet to resume for the new academic year following the inability of the state government to clear seven months’ salary arrears owed teachers in public schools.

Teachers in public schools in Bayelsa who are on strike declined to resume work at the end of the long vacation which terminated in the first week of September.

The development has kept pupils and students in government primary and secondary schools at home, more than three weeks into the new academic year.

Bayelsa chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, in a statement on Monday advised teachers to stay at home as the union was yet to shift grounds on its demand on the unpaid salary arrears.

They said the industrial action became inevitable after the 21-day ultimatum given by the State Executive Council of the NUT to the government expired on Sept 19.

According to the statement signed by the state Chairman, NUT, Kalaama Toinpre, and Johnson Hector, Secretary, the teachers frowned at efforts to factionalize the union.

The Bayelsa NUT maintained that it remained the only legally recognized body charged with the responsibility of agitating for the welfare of primary and secondary school teachers.

It was gathered that the governor Seriake Dickson led government in Bayelsa had recognized a rival body known as Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools and was holding clandestine talks with them to abort the strike that has crippled the educational system.

Sources close to the plan said that the government was planning a staggered payment of selected secondary school teachers who are in the factional group who will pledge to return to school while the primary school teachers will be left to their fate.

The NUT regretted that the government had reneged on an earlier agreement reached in May 2016 to pay half salaries to its workforce pending the improvement in the finances of the state.

It said that the state government had only paid teachers their January salaries in full and a half-month salary followed in February leaving arrears of seven months.

Bayelsa Commissioner for Education,  Markson Fefegha, confirmed the allegations  that the government  was involved in factionalising the work force.

Fefegha said the government had been meeting with the teachers to resolve the issues raised, but declined further comments on the fate of primary school teachers in the state.

“I have been meeting with the executive of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, I have been explaining to them our efforts so far in meeting our salary obligations.” Fefegha said.

Authorities Fail To Renew Salkida’s Passport

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Authorities Fail To Renew Salkida’s Passport
Ahmed Salkida
Ahmed Salkida

Reports indicate that the passport of Ahmed Salkida, the journalist who was declared wanted by the army for allegedly having links to the Boko Haram terroris group, has not been renewed by the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS.

An online newspaper, THE CABLE reports that the refusal of the Nigerian army to issue a public apology after it cleared Salkida of felony, may have resulted in the journalist being blacklisted.

Salkida is said to have contacts to some Boko Haram fighters, and the group usually pass information through him, to the public.

For instance, when the Boko Haram released a new video purportedly showing the kidnapped Chibok girls, the video was first sent to Salkida, who shared it on his tweeter handle the night before the terrorists posted it on youtube.

He was consequently declared wanted on August 15, alongside two others,  and he travelled from his base in the United Arab Emirates, where he was on self-exile, to answer the summon by Nigeria’s military authorities.

At the time, Salkida’s passport was said to have expired, but NIS officials in the UAE did not renew it rather he was issued with a travel certificate.

The Cable’s report noted that “till date, the immigration service is yet to issue him his new passport despite his application, suggesting that he might have been blacklisted.”

Salkida was reported to have demanded a public apology from the army after his interrogation, without which he would not be cleared to return to the UAE where his wife and four children resided.

“The security authorities in Nigeria promised to issue the apology but did not and the journalist had no other option than to bring his family abruptly to Abuja, last week,” the report quoted a security source as saying.

Salkida, in various posts on his Twitter handle, had lamented the “stigma” and “unbearable suffering” he has had to endure since he was linked to the Boko Haram.

On Sunday, he tweeted that he may be forced to open an online account in order to publicly raise funds.

“I will soon set up a gofundme account, as painful as this is, it is the most pragmatic thing to do before I get my life back,” he wrote in the tweet.

Salkida believes that he is being unjustly punished by the Nigerian authorities for being a “credible counter” to the some of the “misleading narrative” on the war in the north-east.

However, when Ekpedeme King, spokesman of the NIS, was contacted on the issue, he said: “I can’t confirm that, but it is not true.”

Also, an army source who did not want to be named, said the army never promised to issue a public apology to Salkida.

“The army has not made a statement on this issue, and it will remain so until investigation is concluded,” he said. “There was never a time the army promised to issue a public apology to anybody. When the time comes, the army will issue a statement.”

My State Under Siege, Governor Cries Out

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My State Under Siege, Governor Cries Out
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom

The governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom has cried out to the federal government to take decisive action to stop the continued invasion and occupation of the state by herdsmen or the people would be left with no option than to resort to self-help.

For several months, suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly terrorized communities in Benue State, killing and displacing hundreds of people, and destroying property and farmlands worth millions of naira.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, governor Ortom said Benue State is“completely under siege by Fulani herdsmen,” adding that the claim that the farmers were killing their cattle was not true.

He said, “We’ve heard the herdsmenaccusing our people of killing their cattle, which is not true.

“Two wrongs can’t make a right. We have been telling our people that there is no need going after Fulanis or their cattle.

“We are farmers and very enterprising. There is no way a herdsman will come into Benue without encroaching on somebody’s farm. There is no way grazing and farming can go together.”

Governor Ortom noted that his administration has given the security agencies all the support they need to restore peace and order in the state, “but it is unfortunate that up till today, there is no time the security men came and told me that one arrest has been made.

He said that the herdsmen go about freely and there is no sanction against them.

“The level of impunity exhibited by the herdsmen is very worrisome,” he added.

Benue State is known as the “food basket of the nation”, but the governor said that the issue of herdsmen/farmers clashes meant “our people can no longer go to their farms,” leading to more hardship in the face of the already challenging period Nigeria was going through.

Ortom said; “Benue State is the food basket of the nation. Now that we are talking about diversification of the economy to other sectors, what readily comes to mind in Benue State is agriculture.

“This is where we have comparative advantage. And it is unfortunate that the herdsmen are not allowing our people to go back to farm. It is a big challenge to me as the governor of the state.”

Reports have it that in some areas in Benue State, for instance, in Moon Ward in Kwande local government Area, the last time pupils went to school there was in October 2013, but the governor said the situation in his state has been grossly under-reported.

“I wish it is possible to go around to appreciate the magnitude of the destruction, killings and stealing that are taking place.

“The truth of the matter is that apart from Moon, there are several other communities that have no opportunity of getting their children back to school for several years.

“There are people who have been barred from going back to their homes for several years.

“I strongly wished that the federal government would collaborate with us to find lasting solution to this problem.

“As I speak, our people are in extremely distress situation and what is happening in the state today is worse than what is happening in the North-east where Boko Haram has ravaged the area,” Ortom lamented.

He added that the military, the Nigerian Police and all the other security agencies in the state seem to be overwhelmed by the situation, despite the numerous support so far given to them by the state government.

He said: “I must also admit that the security men are overwhelmed with the violence and destruction that herdsmen have unleashed on the state.

“The militia used by the herdsmen are well-trained and they are really sophisticated. They are conversant with modern technology of destruction.

“This is the more reason I have said that the federal government should take a decisive action against these herdsmen and their militia that are terrorizing and killing our people.

“Of course, I do not control the military, the police and even the civil defence because all of them are federal agencies. That is why we are appealing to the federal government to give our security agencies the necessary support ranging from finance, weapons and other things that they require to deal with the challenge,” Ortom said.

On what must be done to bring about a lasting solution to the killings and destruction caused by incessant herdsmen/farmers clashes, the governor said: “I want to say that they only way we can go out of this problem is for cattle to be ranched.

“If that is not done, then there will be no land to graze and farm at the same time.

“I hope that Nigerians would rise up and support Benue State in this very difficult time.”

Budget Padding: Why Lawmakers Support Dogara

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Budget Padding: Why Lawmakers Support Dogara
Abdulmumin Jibrin
Abdulmumin Jibrinbri

The controversy in the House of Representatives over allegations of corruption against Speaker Yakubu Dogara has assumed a new dimension as Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the appropriation committee has revealed why his colleagues are keeping quiet over his allegations.

Jibrin said that each member of the House receives N10 million, every month, as running cost, and that is what the speaker was using to blackmail them.

He said: “The amount (about 10 million naira) received monthly at present by members is the least since the regime of this fraud started.

“At various time in the past Hon Members have received between about 10 to 20 million naira averagely per month and often pocket the money

“The running cost fraud is what Speaker Dogara used to blackmail members to get support and ignore all the grievous allegations I raised.

“All Mr Speaker did was to tacitly threaten members at the caucus before our resumption by reminding them of the running cost they pocket.”

The embattled lawmaker added that “A means was devised to receive part of the four-year cumulative of such money up front” which means that “A member can take up to 200 to 400 million at once.”

“Nobody is saying money should not be allocated to run activities of members. The problem is the money is diverted for personal use, period!”

Jibrin said that he always reminded his colleagues that “only international footballers like Mikel Obi, Pogba are known to earn such colossal amount monthly.”

He added that he was happy that President Muhammadu Buhari has so far kept mum over the goings-on at the lower legislative chamber.

“If PMB had jumped into the matter earlier, trust Nigerians, they would have concluded that the Presidency is using me to fight the House,” he said.

Jibrin also noted that there have been lots of threat on his life and those of his family members, adding that his security details were being gradually withdrawn.

“Anybody who can reach Mr President should inform him that in the face of several threats to my life and that of my family, one of the security agencies has withdrawn their officers protecting me.

“This has made me vulnerable in the face of such persistent threats,” he stated.

The lawmaker however vowed that he would continue with the struggle to rid the House of Representatives of corruption, adding that no amount of threats or intimidation will deter me.”

APC Spokesman Writes Buhari, Calls For Oyegun’s Resignation

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APC Spokesman Writes Buhari, Calls For Oyegun’s Resignation
APC National Chairman, John Oyegun
APC National Chairman, John Oyegun

The deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, has written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, urging him to ensure that the national chairman of the party, John Oyegun, resigns.

Frank told the president that the call for Oyegun’s resignation has become necessary as the chairman lacks the capacity to resolve the challenges facing the party all over the country.

The APC image maker reminded president Buhari that he (Frank) “was one of the very first persons in the party who took the bull by the horn and openly raised the alarm of urgent issues which had to be addressed in other to steer the APC ship in its right course,” but all his efforts seemed to have fallen on deaf ears and “no one took me seriously at the time.”

Frank said that cracks started appearing on the walls of the party when some National Assembly members, elected on the party’s platform, went against the decision and instruction of the party leadership in electing principal officers of the Senate and House of Representatives.

He also referred to the manner with which the National Chairman handled the APC primary election in Bayelsa State, saying it was the major reason the party lost the election.

He again reminded the president about what transpired “when my immediate boss, Alhaji Lai Mohammed became the minister of information.

“I was supposed to immediately fill in the gap and act in his stead as enshrined in our party constitution as the acting national publicity secretary of the party, but this was not to be as I was out rightly being persecuted for reasons unknown and perhaps for selfish interest.”

Frank maintained that all these incidents, added to the weighty allegation of Bribery against the National Chairman, by one of the party’s chieftain, Bola Tinubu with regards to the recent Ondo governorship primaries is enough for Oyegun to step aside.

He said: “This weighty allegation should and must be properly investigated because of course ‘there is no smoke without fire.

“Mr. President sir, the episode of the recent Ondo primaries is just one case too many befalling the APC under the leadership of Chief Oyegun.

“As far as I am aware, APC under Oyegun has not been able to resolve any crisis in the party since we became the ruling party.”

The APC spokesman asked President Buhari whether he has forgotten “your experience under Chief Oyegun’s chairmanship in the defunct All Nigerians People’s Party ,ANPP, that eventually led to the series of events which saw your exit from the part.

“It is said that ‘a stitch in time saves nine,” he concluded.

NIMASA Moves To Shore Up Revenue

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NIMASA Moves To Shore Up Revenue
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NIMASA DG, Dakuku Peterside

In a bid to shore up its revenue amidst the Nation’s dwindling economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has appointed Snecou Financial Services Company Limited to assist in revenue generation.

The contract which also has the company serving as a recovery agent for debts owed the Agency is for a period of two years in the first instance with an option for renewal.

The approval for this contract was recently granted by the Parastatals Tenders Board , PTB, of the Agency at its 55th session which held in the Agency’s head office in Lagos.

Given the urgent need to recover the Agency’s debts which is in billions of naira, the Agency sought and obtained approval for a “Certificate of No Objection” from the Bureau of Public Procurement in line with the Public Procurement Act, PPA.

According to the contractual agreement already endorsed by both parties, the contract is based on a success rate of 13 percent using a benchmark of $19,753,012.36 and N239,607,155.52 monthly revenue while a maximum cap of 15 percent success rate is payable on any new revenue head discovered  by the consultants within the contract period.

In other words, Snecou Financial Services Company Limited will be paid 13% of only the revenue that is above the threshold of the approved benchmark in the course of the contracting period. Similarly, Messrs Snecou will also be entitled to a maximum of 15% of new revenue streams discovered during the period.

This is in line with the vision of the Director General, Dakuku Peterside which is in accordance with the Agency’s Medium Term Strategic Growth Plan, part of which is to enhance the Agency’s revenue.

According to the DG, “we have awarded a debt recovery contract which is totally different from what Global West was doing for NIMASA. The contract was not awarded to the Chairman of the APC in Rivers State. It was awarded to Snecou Nigeria Limited and we advertised the contract in several newspapers. So I don’t see what is wrong with awarding a contract to get our money from debtors.

Peterside also noted that the Agency’s debts is around 4 to 5 billion dollars which has necessitated an urgent need to recover them in order to develop requisite infrastructure for the maritime industry.

Debts owed NIMASA by various operators in the maritime industry had grown exponentially over the last five years even necessitating an investigation and convocation of a Public Hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration in June this year.

This contract is expected to recover these debts and channel the funds into developing critical infrastructure as well as knowledgeable manpower for the industry.

Edo Election: ‎ 5 Candidates Reject Results

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Edo Election: ‎ 5 Candidates Reject Results
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

Candidates of five out of the 19 political parties that contested Wednesday’s Edo state governorship election have called for the cancellation of the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

At a press conference in Benin City the state capital on Saturday, Chairman of the Inter-party Advisory Council , IPAC, Frank Ukonga, who also participated in the election under the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, alleged that INEC falsified the results to favor the APC.

He said that the figures INEC officials read and displayed on national television were in total variance with the ones their own agents and observers obtained from the polling units across the state.

“The results that INEC made public do not tally with what most if not all our agents came back home with.

“We are calling for the cancellation of the entire election because INEC gave APC the PDP votes,” Ukonga said.

Andrew Igwemoh, candidate of the Advanced Congress of Democrats, ACD, said there were glaring errors in the figures computed by INEC, adding that the entire process was characterised by open exchange of money between party agents and voters.

“I am calling for the cancellation of the results especially that of Etsako West local government because what transpired on the field is not what INEC made public. The mathematical errors are too obvious to be ignored” he said.

Another candidate, Omorogieva Gbajumo, of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, said Nigerians are still wondering how INEC came up with about 66, 000 missing votes whereas voters voted soon as they were accredited.

He said: “It is clear that the votes declared by INEC are not correct. Even parties which were not on the ballot were allocated some votes by the electoral empire which shows that something does not add up”.

He said that INEC should not have used only lecturers from the Federal University in Ekiti state as collation officers, since their Vice-chancellor has already be chosen as the Chief Returning Officer, and they may be obliged to do his bidding.

Thompson Osadolor of Kowa Party on his part claimed that since accreditation and voting was done simultaneously, and the election was adjudged generally peaceful across the state, INEC had no business cancelling any ballot.

“It is a shame on INEC and it should do the needful by ensuring that the voice of Edo people which was loud and clear on September 28 is reflected by declaring the true results of the elections”.

In the opinion of Ishaka Paul of the Action Alliance, AA, “INEC Is not telling the truth. I can say the results that gave victory to another party rather than the PDP is a replay of a rehearsed template because there is nothing to link the results from the field with that which INEC gave”.

The 5 candidates said they would continue to call for the cancellation of the election so that the will of Edo people will be upheld and Nigeria’s nascent democracy may be enhanced.

Kidnapped CBN Governor’s Wife Regains Freedom

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Kidnapped CBN Governor’s Wife Regains Freedom
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

Margaret Emefiele, Wife of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who was reportedly kidnapped on Thursday, has been released by her abductors.

Family sources said she was rescued “due to the gallantry of the Armed Forces, Police and Security Forces”, in Ugoneki near Benin City and is currently recuperating in Government House, Asaba.

Confirming the release, in a statement on Saturday, the CBN governor expressed gratitude to God and President Muhammadu Buhari for her release, vowing that he would continue to serve the country “without any fear of intimidation”.

Emefiele praised security agencies for their “gallantry” in bringing his back home within 24 hours in compliance with the directive of the president.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Delta and Edo state governments, friends and well-wishers whose prayers and goodwill, helped to bring this harrowing experience to a joyful end.

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