Abdulmumin Jibrin, the ousted Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, has described as shameful the threat of Speaker Yakubu Dogara to sue him for damages over corruption allegations he made against him and some other principal officers of the house.
In several tweets today, he accused the speaker of trying to frustrate investigations of his alleged crimes by rushing to court.
He said: “Speaker Dogara has threatened legal action on me. Quite predictable. I know he will rush to court in order to invoke the house rules that matters in court cannot be heard on the floor.
“He failed to realise that the law is not intended to protect corrupt people. It is such a shame.
“I have responded to their allegations rather than respond to mine, he is rushing to court. I stand by my allegations and will not withdraw them!
“I am happy to announce that my lawyers have officially approached the EFCC and the ICPC towards working out a date for me to personally submit my petition against Speaker Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; Whip Alhassan Doguwa and Minority leader, Leo Ogor.
“I believe once a date is agreed with the anticorruption agencies we would have begun the process of making these characters pay for abusing their office.
“I will not and will never apologize to a shameless fraud in high office who has glaringly abused public trust like speaker Dogara and the three others.”
Minister of Budget and National Budget, Udoma Udo-Udoma
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma, has commenced discussions with the management of the Chinese EXIM Bank in Beijing, China, that will lead to the implementation of the various projects discussed during the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to China.
The President, during a visit to China earlier this year, had reached a number of agreements with the Chinese government on development assistance particularly the funding of some critical infrastructure in the country.
The visit by the President further bolstered Nigeria’s participation in the ten critical areas under the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, FOCAC.
A statement issued by Akpandem James, the Media Adviser to the Minister, said that the Budget minister is currently in China to attend the FOCAC Coordinators meeting as a follow-up to the President’s earlier visit.
The statement quoted Udoma as saying that his visit was to exchange views with the management of the bank and to see how Nigeria can deepen the bilateral cooperation already existing between it and China.
“Our relationship with China is very important to us, which was why our President led a big delegation on a State visit to China in April this year. We are quite impressed with the infrastructural development in China and believe that China has a lot to teach us in Nigeria; particularly we will like the support of China in the area of infrastructure development,” he said.
The minister listed some of the projects for which the federal government would require assistance from China.
They include: “the Nigerian railway modernization projects from Lagos to Kano – (Lagos –Ibadan) and Lagos – Kano (Kano – Kaduna) which are two parts of the same project; the coastal railway project from Calabar to Lagos, the Mambilla Hydro-electric project and the Niger Delta East West road project,
Other projects the FG have in mind to execute are: “power transmission projects, Greater Abuja Water project, Abuja Mass Transit project, Galaxy Backbone project, NTA Digitalization, expansion of Abuja- Keffi road, and the dualization of the Akwanga – Keffi road” among others.
The Minister stressed that the priority projects, particularly the railways, will help the rapid development of Nigeria and expand its economy thereby increasing capacity of the country to repay the loans.
Udoma also said that Nigeria would appreciate it if Chinese companies came and invested in the Export Processing Zones.
He reiterated Nigerian government’s commitment to diversifying its economy, saying that Nigerians, like the Chinese, are hardworking people and with the right infrastructure in place they will work harder and the country will make wealth and become a better partner to China.
The vice president of the Chinese EXIM bank, Xingyong said the bank already enjoys a very sound relationship with Nigeria and is willing to deepen the bilateral cooperation with the country and extend financial support for development purposes.
“We appreciate the idea of the EPZ. By establishing EPZs it will create the enabling environment for enterprises and provide revenue for Chinese business investments in Africa. Such EPZ will become a vehicle for international cooperation between China and Nigeria, and transfer of industrial capacity between the two countries,” he said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has given Abdulmumin Jibrin, the ousted former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, a seven day ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to him and retract all allegations made against him or face legal action.
According to a statement by the Speaker’s special adviser on Media and Public affairs, Turaki Hassan, the ultimatum was given by Dogara’s lawyer, Joash Amupitan, SAN, in a letter addressed to Jubrin dated Monday, July 25, 2016.
Amupitan said that Jibrin’s allegation of corruption and abuse of office against his client was aimed at tarnishing his image at home and abroad and is a clear case of libel.
The letter reads in part: “By the said publication (referring to Jibrin’s allegation Statement which was published in many print ad electronic media) and without putting to the public any shred of evidence, our client is portrayed as a criminal, corrupt, dishonest, fraudulent, dishonourable and unfit to hold the position of Speaker of House of Representatives.
“Our client’s reputation has further been brought down in the estimation of right thinking members of the society and he has been thrown into public opprobrium, odium, scorn and ridicule,
“Consequently, we consider your publication on the matter as not only libelous but made in bad faith; an act of vendetta owing to your recent removal as the Chairman of House Committee on Appropriation.”
The letter added: “The said publication is also aimed at causing disaffection between Nigerians and members of the House of Representatives.
“Sequel to the above, we have to request you to submit immediately to us a clear and unqualified apology and retraction of the publication in an equally conspicuous position in all the print and electronic media where the publication appeared.
“TAKE NOTICE that in the event of your failure/refusal to comply with the above mentioned demands within seven (7) days of your receipt of this letter, we have further instructions to institute a suit against you in a court of law.
“If we have to pursue this course, we shall be claiming aggravated and exemplary damages,” it concluded.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, says he will bring to an end the incessant Farmers/Herdsmen clashes that have been a major source of concern for Nigerians over the years.
The minister intends to achieve this through the importation of special grass seedlings into the country, which he believes when grown, herdsmen across the country would have more than enough fodder to feed their cattle and will not have to destroy farmers’ crops in search of pasture.
Ogbe revealed this during a discussion with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, saying that the ministry has started bringing the special grass seedlings into the country and the commencement of ‘the paddock development’ (growing of special grasses for cattle) will kick-off in August.
“The clash between farmers and herdsmen has been getting worse by the years and by the grace of God I will bring it to an end,” he said.
He said the problem of farmers/herdsmen clashes would have been solved if successive governments had taken the issue serious.
The minister maintained that there was a need for the country to end the herdsmen roaming with cattle even though it was a culture.
“Whether it is a culture or not, we cannot afford it anymore; it has to stop,” said Ogbeh.
He said that after the development of ranches, it would be an offence for any herdsmen to allow his cattle to roam the streets.
The minister said that land has been allocated to government in some states that would be used for ranches for herdsmen to acquire for their cattle, adding that the herdsmen would record more yields if their cattle were kept in one place than when they walk about in search of food.
Ogbeh said that the agriculture ministry was collaborating g with the ministry of interior to provide security at the ranches in order to check activities of cattle rustlers
He added that after some time, the country could even become an exporter of the grass to earn foreign exchange.
“The Saudi Arabia is asking that if Nigeria can grow enough grass, they will buy to feed their cows,” he said.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris and the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Musa Daura, has brokered a peace deal between leaders of the two main political parties in River State over the crisis that has rocked the state for some time.
The truce was brokered at a peace meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, where Governor Nyesom Wike and leaders of other political parties vowed to play the game by the rules in the forthcoming re-run elections in the state, as well as to prevail on their supporters against violence.
This is coming on the heels of the postponement of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
All the parties are to reconvene in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to further consolidate on the commitment to peace reached in the meeting.
The Secretary of INEC, Augusta Ogakwu, on Tuesday released a statement to the effect that the election was rescheduled due to reports of violence and fatalities in the Rivers State.
The statement read in part: “as a responsible organisation and conscious of the violence, maiming and fatalities which accompanied the previous election in March as well as developments in the state since then, the commission cannot ignore such credible reports,
“In the circumstances, therefore, it is compelled to further postpone the rerun legislative elections in Rivers State as one of the principal conditions earlier stipulated for the return of the state for the conclusion of the election has, regrettably, not been met,” she stated.
Consequently, the APC in Rivers State released a statement, blaming the PDP-led state government for the violence that led to the postponement of the elections.
APC publicity secretary in the state, Chris Finebone, the party blamed Governor Wike for the hate speeches that stirred his “foot soldiers” into bombing and burning of the INEC office as well as the campaign office of Magnus Abe, an APC senatorial candidate in Bori area of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it would recognise the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the Ali Modu Sheriff faction based on the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port-Harcourt.
An official document to that effect which was signed by Ishiaku Gali, Director of INEC’s secretariat July 26, said that the commission would recognise the National Caretaker Committee for two activities.
These activities include the conduct of primaries of political officers and the submission of the names of candidates for any election to be conducted by the Commission.
INEC also said it was recognising Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the PDP’s candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State based on the court order from the Port-Harcourt High Court secured by the Makarf-led caretaker committee.
It, therefore, rejected the name of Matthew Iduoriyekwemwen, who was the candidate of the Modu-Sheriff faction.
When contacted, no member of the Sheriff faction was ready to speak on the issue, as they said they were working on their own strategy.
Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has arrested two persons who tried to defraud unsuspecting applicants for the ongoing Recruitment Exercise.
The two friends, Endurance Ehichoya and David Eghosa, both 21 year-old students of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo state, were paraded in Abuja on Tuesday.
They were arrested in Ekpoma by NAF intelligence operatives with the assistance of Zenith Bank officials.
Their arrest followed a message posted on Facebook by Ehichoya on June 25, requesting applicants to contact the Air Secretary, CN Chukwu, through a particular phone number for enlistment assistance into the NAF.
The message had the photograph of the Air Secretary in order to lure their would-be clients into believing that the scam is real.
When contacted on the said phone number, Ehichoya had requested the caller to pay the sum of N75,000 into his Fidelity Bank Savings Account.
However, the caller told Ehichoya that there was no Fidelity Bank branch around his area in order to get more information from him, asking him if he could provide another bank details; Ehichoya then supplied the Zenith account details of his friend, Eghosa.
The NAF, working with the officials of Zenith Bank, then deployed security operatives from 81 Air Maritime Group Benin to Ekpoma to arrest David Eghosa who was subsequently flown to Abuja for further investigation.
Realising that Eghosa had been arrested, his relations got the Police to arrest Endurance Ehichoya, and handed him over to the NAF.
Eghosa confirmed he knew his friend, Ehichoya, was a serial scammer, indulging in recruitment and local online dating scam using ladies’ names and photographs to defraud men online.
Two of the Facebook accounts operated by Ehichoya to commit fraud online are BRIDGET EHICHOYA VIOLET which he later renamed ELLA JONNY FROSH, and CREFLO A DOLLAR.
The suspects have been handed over to the civil police for further investigation with a view to identifying and arresting other members of the gang.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-appointment of Elias Mbam, as chairman for the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi,
Mbam’s first tenure had ended in November 2015.
The President also approved the appointment of Marilyn Amobi as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company.
The statement, made available to journalists in Abuja, said Amobi’s appointment was for a four-year tenure, but did not give further details.
Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs during the Ambassadorial Screening Exercise in Abuja
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs has begun the screening of the 47 Ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Monsurat Sumonu, Chairman of the Committee, congratulated the nominees, and noted that the Committee has sacrificed its vacation to conduct the screening exercise in order not to slow down the workings of government.
Controversies had arisen shortly after the Senate received the ambassadorial list from the President as some of the legislators felt their states were deliberately excluded from the process.
A committee was formed by the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, to investigate the complaints, and after their consultations, the committee reported that states that had no representation in the list actually had no qualified candidates, taking into consideration the requirements for the nomination of career diplomats.
This report effectively put the issue to rest, though according to the committee, the federal government had promised to make up for the supposed lopsidedness of the list during the nomination of non-career diplomats.
The screening exercise for the forty-seven nominees is expected to be concluded in the next few days and a confirmation report submitted to the Senate.
It was gathered that questions asked the would-be ambassadors included recitation of the National Anthem.
The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has urged Nigerians in the Diaspora not to panic as a result of the foreign exchange policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, assuring them that current value of the Naira was just temporary.
Adeosun said this during the 2016 Diaspora conference in Abuja, where she described Nigerians living abroad as a key part of the Nigerian community, adding that they have a key role to play at this critical time.
“The rate will need time to settle into a predictable path that will be driven by fundamentals. Typically with such adjustments, markets will overreact and later correct back down to a fundamentally driven level and the naira will be no exception,” she said.
The minister explained that flexible exchange rates “will allow our currency to adjust based on fundamental and known drivers,” noting that “the recent Brexit announcement has seen the pound under pressure so it is a normal economic phenomenon and not a trigger for panic.”
“Nigeria is going to rebuild stronger with a more resilient and diverse revenue base and I believe that the currency will ultimately reflect this,” she said.
Adeosun advised participants at the conference not to become so comfortable abroad that they forget or despise their roots.
The minister said that because of its large population, Nigeria can no longer afford to depend heavily on proceeds from the sale of crude oil and that government has taken significant steps to make other sectors of the economy more viable.
She called on Nigerian philanthropists in the diaspora to consider donating to the country in cash rather than in kind so as to boost job creation and discourage the importation of fake products.
“Donating consumer items under the medical donations has created windows for the importation of expired drugs as well as drugs that are intended for resale. My personal appeal would be that, where the items are available in Nigeria and especially those that are manufactured in Nigeria please donate in cash rather than in kind,” Adeosun said.
