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Court Stops PDP Convention

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Court Stops PDP Convention

pdp convention

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from going ahead with it planned National Convention.

Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the party had scheduled its convention for August 17, 2016, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Justice Abang in a ruling on Monday approved the interim order sought by the factional chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, and ordered that the order would subsist till the motion filed by the Sheriff seeking an interlocutory injunction against the convention is heard and determined.

The judge thereafter fixed Tuesday for the hearing of the motion.

Justice Abang said he was annoyed by an application by Ben Obi to be joined in the suit as a respondent after he got an order from Justice Ibrahim Watila of the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agents to be present at the convention.

Ruling in the suit filed by Obi for himself and other members of the National Convention Planning Committee of the party on Monday, Justice Watila also granted that the Inspector General of Police , Commissioner of Police, Rivers state, Director of State Service should provide security for the convention.

However, in his ruling Monday, Abang said the court was disposed to adjourning the matter to the next day to give Obi’s counsel time to prepare for an intending application from Sheriff’s group but declared that going by Obi’s actions, which he described as a “slap on the court”, he said he had no choice but to adjourn the matter to August 16 at 12pm.

“Obi cannot undermine the authority of this court. Senator Ben Obi cannot treat the court with disdain and levity,

“‎Where a party has taken law into its hands, and to maintain the dignity and integrity of the court and in the overall interest of justice, taking into consideration the competing claims of the parties, an order is hereby made in the interim suspending the PDP convention slated for August 17, 2016, pending when the plaintiff motion on notice dated July 20 is served.”

Terrorism: US  Sends FBI Agents To Assist Nigeria

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Terrorism: US  Sends FBI Agents To Assist Nigeria
President Buhari met with US President, Barrack Obama during his visit to the US
President Buhari met with US President, Barrack Obama during his visit to the US

The U.S. Government has promised to send personnel of its Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and other security experts to assist Nigeria in its counter terrorism operations.

The promise was made in Abuja on Monday by Alan Tousignant, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, who led a team of security experts on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau.

The envoy said the team, made up of a team of the U.S Security Governance Initiative, SGI, was in the country at the request of the Nigerian government to provide a holistic security technical assistance and not to donate any equipment.

The SGI is an initiative of the U.S. Government that offers enhanced security technical assistance to six African countries, including Nigeria.

Tousignant said the SGI delegation and the Nigerian security agencies would work to provide a roadmap for better efficiency, transparency and justice in Nigeria’s security system.

The Team leader, Stephen Nolan, said the partnership with the Nigerian security authorities is expected to come up with a document, the Joint Country Action Plan, JCAP, a document that outlined a roadmap for a successful partnership.

He assured that the forthcoming elections in the U.S and the change of government in January 2017 would not affect the project as they had been working hard to ensure its sustenance.

“I want to assure you that we have been working for the continuity and sustainability of this project, even after the Obama administration in January, 2017,’’ he said.

The Interior Minister,  Dambazau, commended the delegation for the visit, adding that he believes that the partnership would re-position Nigeria’s security system.

He urged all the security personnel taking part in the exercise to be committed to the task ahead.

The Nigeria Police Force, Army, Air Force, Navy, Immigration, Prisons, Civil Defence and Fire Service were all part of the meeting.

 

Edgar Lungu wins Zambia’s Presidential Election

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Edgar Lungu wins Zambia’s Presidential Election
Supporters of President Lungu celebrate on the streets of Lusaka
Supporters of President Lungu celebrate on the streets of Lusaka

Zambia’s President Edgar Lungu has been declared winner of the Presidential election in the country with a little over 50% of the total votes cast.

The results which are being challenged by the United Party for National Development, Zambia’s main opposition party, whose Presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema polled 1,760,347 votes as against Lungu’s 1,860,877.

Lungu, former Zambia’s Justice and Defence Minister, assumed office on January 25, 2015 after narrowly defeating Hichilema in a by-election following the death of former President Michael Sata.

One of his first actions as President was to redude the death sentences of 332 prisoners to life in prison, while also condemning the massive overcrowding at the Mukobeko prison, a situation he described as “an affront to basic human dignity”.

The streets of Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, were crowded with supporters of Lungu’s Patriotic Front, PF, party in celebration of their victory at the polls.

Meanwhile, Some opposition parties, including Lungu’s main rival Hichilema, have described this election as a sham which does not reflect the will of the people.

Hichelma vowed to challenge the results at the appropriate court.

 

We’re Committed To Linking Policies With Budget – Udo-Udoma 

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We’re Committed To Linking Policies With Budget – Udo-Udoma 
Udoma Udo-Udoma with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo
Udoma Udo-Udoma with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma, has reaffirmed the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration  to strengthening the linkage between plans and budgets in order to ensure better implementation of projects and programmes.

The Minister was speaking at a sensitization workshop on “addressing the approach to developing the medium-term sector strategies, MTSS, and plans”, organized by his Ministry for Federal Permanent Secretaries and Head of Ministries Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

The workshop was intended to bring the participants up to speed with the process of developing the MTSS as well as its relevance to the budget preparation process.

He said that the failure to link policies, plans, MTSS and budgets has been identified as a major factor that leads to deficient planning and poor budgeting outcomes in many developing countries.

Udoma pointed out that countries with fragmented planning process which does not align with the annual budgeting process usually experience difficulty in implementing clear and consistent national policies, as has been the case with Nigeria.

The Minister noted that the administration was “also committed to fostering inclusive development which explains the unprecedented allocation of N500 billion Naira (half a trillion Naira) to social investment projects in the 2016 Budget of Change”.

Udoma said the workshop was timely, coming at a time the country was experiencing dwindling revenues occasioned by the declining price of crude oil in the international market and other disruptive developments in the polity.

The current MTSS exercise, he pointed out, will be limited to selected critical sectors to support the preparation of the 2017 Budget.

“It is planned to roll out the MTSS process to all sectors/MDAs from 2017 and beyond.  This is aimed at guiding MDAs for more efficient and effective investment of national resources in critical sectors of the economy, in line with the Change Agenda,” he said

Udoma Acknowledged that the MDAs will require technical advice and support to effectively accomplish the exercise, and assured that his Ministry and the Department for International Development, DFID, will provide technical support and sector expertise for building of capacity during the MTSS preparation process.

The Permanent Secretary in the Budget and National Planning Ministry, Nana Mede, said the workshop signaled the flag-off of the MTSS/2017 Budget planning process.

 

Agric Revolution Is Solution To Our Economic Challenges – Osinbajo

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Agric Revolution Is Solution To Our Economic Challenges – Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo speaking at the event
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo speaking at the event

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged the Ministry of Agriculture, led by Audu Ogbeh, to transform the country’s agricultural sector, as that is the best solution to the economic challenges facing the Nation.

Osinbajo said this during the launch of the Agriculture Policy Document termed “The Green Revolution in Abuja on Monday.

“There is no question”, he said, “If we get agric right, we would get our economy right.”

“Our social investment programmes are designed to align with the agriculture policy. That is why our homegrown school feeding programme is called “homegrown,” he added.

The Vice president in his speech said that the federal government is planning to recruit 10,000 agric extension workers as part of the Teacher-corps recruitment exercise under the N-Power programme.

He lauded the ‘Green Alternative’ initiative but stressed that “the problem has never been with the lack of policy but implementation.”

Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh said his leadership “believes in building on a previous foundation and avoiding policy somersault.”

“We are not throwing old policies overboard but expanding, deepening and adjusting policies where necessary,” he said.

The minister noted that “with the new fertilizer application guidelines, we’ve received reports of rice yields increase from 3 to 7.5 metric tonnes in some areas.”

He added that his ministry “will collate information, harness intelligence and capacity and make the knowledge available to farmers for practical implementation.”

Mnister of Environment, Amina Mohammed was also present at the launch.

Only The President Can Release Boko Haram Detainees – Military

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Only The President Can Release Boko Haram Detainees – Military
Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin
Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin

Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Abayomi Olonisakin, has said that the decision to release detained Boko Haram members, can only be made by the President.

In a new video posted on Sunday, the terrorist group insists that the only condition for them to release the kidnapped Chibok school girls is for the military to release Boko Haram fighters detained in various facilities across the country.

But Olonisakin, when interviewed by State House Correspondents after a meeting of the country’s service chiefs in the Presidential Villa, reiterated that the military will sustain its operations against Boko Haram insurgents.

“That (call for the swap of the girls with Boko Haram fighters) is a political decision to be taken. The military decision is that we are going ahead with our operations. The operation is being conducted appropriately,” he said.

“We are analysing the video released by Boko Haram and we will make appropriate comments at the right time,” he added.

The CDS denied the reports that the military turned back one of the three persons declared wanted by the Army on Sunday.

“Nobody reported to my men and was turned back,” he said.

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, who also spoke to journalists, maintained that the government was in talks with Boko Haram sect for the release of the girls, adding that government is being cautious “to ensure it was speaking with the right group as the sect had been factionalised.”

“There are few things we need to do behind the scene. What we are saying is that the government is committed to doing everything to rescue these girls,” he said.

Mohammed added: “We are engaging them. By saying we are talking to them, I am talking from a point of knowledge. It does not matter what other people say. I know that the government is in touch with the group,” he said.

“For us, it is not just because of the release of the video but because of our belief that there will be no final closure to Boko Haram until we are able to resolve the issue of these girls,” he said.

I’m Coming To Nigeria, Journalist Wanted By Army Declares

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I’m Coming To Nigeria, Journalist Wanted By Army Declares
Ahmad Salkida
Ahmad Salkida

By Samuel Malik

Ahmed Salkida, the journalist declared wanted by the Nigerian army, has indicated his willingness to make himself available for questioning, saying in the next few days he will be returning to the country.

Salkida, believed to be based in the United Arab Emirates, was declared wanted alongside Ahmed Umar Bolori and a lawyer, Aisha Wakil, for allegedly refusing to divulge information that would lead to the rescue of the missing Chibok girls.

In a rejoinder to the wanted notice posted on his website, salkida.com, Salkida, said he was willing to turn himself in, in spite of his being out of the country, adding that his return could be expedited by the military sending him a flight ticket.

“The army is aware that I am not in Nigeria presently. In the coming days I will seek to get a flight to Abuja and avail myself to the Army authorities. Indeed, my return will be hastened if the military sends me a ticket,” he stated.

He also revealed that in the last one year, he had been invited by different government agencies, adding that he honoured all the invitations.

“As a testimony to the credible and professional values of my access, since May 2015, I have been to Nigeria three times on the invitation of Federal Government agencies. I made personal sacrifices for the release of our Chibok Girls,” Salkida added.

In a similar vein, Aisha Wakil has said she is ready to be quizzed by the army.

In an interview with Premium Times, the lawyer expressed shock at learning that she was wanted in connection to Boko Haram, especially as the military personally knows her.

“They know me very well. Right from (former President Goodluck) Jonathan’s time. I am not hiding,” She said, adding that she might travel to Maiduguri from Abuja to report at the 7 Division Nigerian Army barracks.

“I’m in Abuja right now, but I am thinking of going back to Maiduguri so I can see them at the main barracks there,” she noted.

This is coming after the third wanted person, Bolori, reported himself to one of the barracks in Maiduguri but was surprisingly told to go home and come back the next day.

Jibrin Writes APC Chairman On Dogara

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Jibrin Writes APC Chairman On Dogara
Abdulmumin Jibrin
Abdulmumin Jibrin

Former chairman of the House Of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has written to the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun, explaining in details the allegations of corruption against Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Jibrin said the reasons he was writing the letter are:

  • “To apologise and seek forgiveness of the party for the role I played in the election of the extremely corrupt Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
  • “To give a background of the current crisis as a result of the allegations I raised against Speaker Dogara and the 12 other corrupt members.
  • “To furnish you with the details of the allegations against Mr Speaker and the 12 others, and
  • “To provide urgent recommendation on the way forward before this crisis cause irreparable damage to our great party.”

Jibrin said it was not easy for him to speak out on Dogara’s excesses, which he noticed only few weeks after the House election, because he had played a leading role in bringing Dogara to power as Speaker.

He accused the speaker of taking standing Committee Chairmen to swear an oath of allegiance before Iyola Omisore, whom Jibrin said was Dogara’s godfather.

“Studying Speaker Dogara in the last one year and many things I know that it may not be proper to mention here, he does not wish the APC well, he is a pretender of the highest order, he is not loyal to the party and he will provide a solid platform for a massive attack against our party in the nearer future. I know what I am talking about,” Jibrin added.

The Kano State lawmaker insisted that he did not commit any offence, saying that he believes the anti-corruption Agencies would do their jobs and he would be exonerated.

“My offense has been my refusal to be used as conduit to facilitate free flow of corruption in the House of Representatives,” he said.

Jibrin said it was shameless for Dogara to have said that padding was not an offence and that he cannot be prosecuted for it.

“Let me reiterate  that padding is an offense. Padding can be tried under Nigerian laws. The Speaker can be investigated and prosecuted contrary to the claim of Mr Speaker,” he said.

Jibrin said his allegation was against Speaker and 12 other members of the House of Representatives, not the entire House, the Senate and the Executive as Dogara  was insinuating.

The 12 others include: Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor.

Others are Herma Hembe, Mohammed Bago, Zakari Mohammed, Chike Okafor, Dan Asuquo, Jagaba Adams Jagaba, Haliru Jika, Babanle Ila and Abonta Abonta

Jibrin also alleged that since he came public with the allegations, “the Speaker has ordered that all the computers in the appropriation secretariat be shut down and moved to his office whilst the secretariat staff are being harassed to keep quiet and suppress facts relating to the entire budget and there has been attempts by agents of the speaker to burgle my office to steal vital documents.”

He added that “The Speaker was involved in money laundry cases in the House and was the architect of the fraudulent multi billion naira car purchase contract when he was Chairman House services committee.”

Speaker Yakubu Dogara
Speaker Yakubu Dogara

Jibrin said that “the world is watching to see how the APC will deal with this issue of incontrovertible corruption in high places”, adding that the party has now been presented with “a golden opportunity to show the world that there is zero tolerance for corruption in our great party the APC.”

“You will also agree with me that in the face of all these allegations and back and forth in his utterances, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the other Principal Officers have lost the moral ground to continue in office,” he added.

Jibrin recommended, among other things, that Dogara should “reconvene the House and step down with other accused Principal Officers immediately to allow for internal and external investigation without interference so that sanity will return.”

Customs’ Revenue Falls By N500 Million

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Customs’ Revenue Falls By N500 Million
nigeria customs
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali,

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has revealed that its revenue generation in the first six months of 2016 fell by N525.5 million as against what it generated within the same period in 2015

Wale Adeniyi, the Public Relations Officer of the service said the revenue generation from January to June this year is N385.7 billion while that of 2015 was N438.2 billion.

He disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Abuja.

Giving reasons for the drop in revenue, Adeniyi said access to foreign exchange and the drastic fall in the value of the naira have  affected the service’s revenue generation, Also, he said  the removal of the 41 items from the CBN foreign exchange window also affected the revenue generation by the service.

In a breakdown of the generated sum, Adeniyi said N197.7 billion was from import duties in cash, while N203 million was from import duty in non-cash receipts as Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate, NDCC.

Also the sum of N21.876 billion was generated from excise duty; N910. 995 million from fees; N41. 418 billion from federation account levies; N49. 357 billion from non-federation accounts levies and N74. 282 billion from Value Added Tax, VAT, during the period.

He however said: “There are positive indications that the economy may bounce back in the last quarter of the year,”

“We (customs) are working with our Western neighbour of Benin Republic to strengthen our transit trade, particularly with vehicles,

“So, we expect that this will have a positive effect on our service revenue generation in the last quarter.”

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Man Declared Wanted By The Army Told To Go Home And Return Next Day

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Man Declared Wanted By The Army Told To Go Home And Return Next Day
Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai
Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai

By Samuel Malik

A man declared wanted by the Nigerian Army, in connection to the whereabouts of Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram, surprisingly turned himself in on Sunday but was told by the army to go back home and report today Monday.

Ahmed Umar Bolori was on Sunday, yesterday, declared wanted along with a journalist, Ahmed Salkida, and Aisha Wakil.

However, Bolori reported to one of the military barracks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital where he resides, but after waiting for two hours without being detained or interrogated, he was asked to go home and report the next day, possibly today Monday.

In a post on his Facebook page, Farooq Kperogi, a U.S-based professor, said he spoke to Bolori on phone who confirmed the development. Kperogi wondered why the army would declare someone wanted without inviting them for questioning, especially someone known to it.

“It is now self-evident that no one in the highest reaches of governance and security enforcement in Nigeria is thinking. How can you declare people “wanted” when you haven’t even invited them for questioning–and they haven’t resisted your invitation? I just got off the phone with Ambassador Ahmed Umar Bolori, one of the people declared “wanted” by the Nigerian military,” he posted.

It is likely that Bolori is known to the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur, a Lieutenant General, as he was said to have called both the army chief and the army spokesperson that issued the wanted notice, Sani Usman, a Colonel.

“He told me he called the Chief of Army Staff, the spokesperson of the Nigerian military who announced him “wanted,” and other top military officers and said he was at their beck and call and didn’t need to be declared “wanted” since he wasn’t in hiding.

“He then went ahead and turned himself in at the top military barracks in Maiduguri, waited for more than two hours, but there was no one to interrogate or arrest him.

“He called and texted the Chief of Army Staff and the military spokesperson again and pleaded with them to send someone to detain, arrest, interrogate, or do whatever they wanted to do to him because he wanted to clear his name,” the post stated.

Kperogi also posted a screenshot of a conversation between Bolori and someone that appeared to be an army general working at the Department of Military Intelligence, DMI. In the conversation, Bolori asked the general where to report to and the respondent replied that he should report to the Provost Marshal Army.

Text message between Bolori and a DMI personnel

“They know where to get him if they want to. Yet they declared him “wanted.” Is there any parallel to this level of puzzling incompetence in the world? Who declares people “wanted” without any interest in seeing, much less interrogating them?” Kperogi queried.

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