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Nasarawa Assembly Halts Gov Almakura’s Youth Empowerment Programme

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Nasarawa Assembly Halts Gov Almakura’s Youth Empowerment Programme

By Godwin Ojoshimite

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has Monday, ordered the stoppage of the Youth Empowerment Programme initiated by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

The House took the decision after cross examining state government officials in charge of the programme.

Fielding questions from lawmakers, Godwin Mbastav, Commissioner for Ministry of Youths and Sports denied having any knowledge of such programme.

He stated that his ministry was not in the know of the programme and as such cannot offer any answer to the questions raised by the House.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Mutala Adogi responded differently as he admitted championing the programme which he said was under the office of the executive governor.

He also said that although he was designated to manage the programme, he was not categorical of the amount voted for the programme.

The House however, discharged the two government officials and moved a motion to stop the ongoing training of the youths in Keffi.

The motion which was supported by 16 out 18 members who were at the sitting described the state governors action as illegal and unconstitutional.

Speaker of the House, Ahmed Musa Mohammed declared that the House is not witch hunting the governor but checkmating him to work in line with the constitution.

He advised governor Almakura to set up a committee to look into the ingenuity of the Assembly’s decision.

It would be recalled that the governor on January 27 started a youth empowerment programme estimated to engage 1400 youths with a monthly stipend of 10,000 but the Assembly is of the opinion that due procedures were not followed in initiating the programme.

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26 PDP lawmakers In Kano Assembly Join APC

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26 PDP lawmakers In Kano Assembly Join APC

Twenty six members of the Kano State House of Assembly on Monday defected from Peoples Democratic Party,PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The defection now makes PDP the opposition party.

The Speaker of the House, Gambo Sallau, was absent during the sitting that was presided over by his deputy, Isyaku Danja, who announced the defection.

Abdul Abdulhamid, representing Minjibir constituency, said the legislayor’s defection was made after wide consultations with stakeholders at their various constituencies.

“The defection of the 26 lawmakers to the APC gives the party a majority of 33 out of 40 seats,” he said.

Three other members representing Kano Municipal, Takai and Kibiya were also absent at the sitting.

The Kano State governor, Rabou Kwankwaso, had earlier dexamped to the APC from the PDP.

Gov Amaechi Sacks PDP Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus

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Gov Amaechi Sacks PDP Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus

Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has approved the removal of the national deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, as representative of the state government on the board of Port Harcourt Flour Mills Limited and has nominated Marcus Nle Eji to replace him as chairman of the board.

Amaechi also endorsed the replacement of Jane Nna Chinwa with Francis Elechi as a member.

The changes were announced in a statement signed by the commissioner for commerce and industry, Chuma Chinye.Though the state government gave no reason for the development, it might be connected with the on-going political crisis in the state, as both Secondus and Chinwa belong to the camp of the supervising minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, Amaechi’s chief opponent.

The statement directed the ministries of finance, commerce, and Industry to ensure that necessary steps were taken without delay to formalise the change.

Mandela Wills Half His Estate To His Wife, Graca

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Mandela Wills Half His Estate To His Wife, Graca

Nelson Mandela bequeathed half of his roughly $4.1-million estate, including four properties in Mozambique, to his wife Graca Machel, according to a summary of his will released Monday.

According to the will, royalties from his books and other projects, as well as his homes in Johannesburg, Qunu and Mthatha were left to a family trust.

The home in Houghton, Johannesburg where Mandela died on December 5 will be used by the family of his late son, Makgatho.

“It is my wish that it should also serve as a place of gathering of the Mandela family in order to maintain its unity long after my death,” the former statesman wrote.

Mandela’s children each received $300,000 in loans during his lifetime and will have that debt scrapped if it has not been repaid.

Mandela gave around $4,500 each to members of staff, including long-time personal aide, Zelda la Grange.

The will also gave around $90,000 each to Wits and Fort Hare Universities and the same amount to three other schools.

The African National Congress, which Mandela led to victory in the first democratic elections in 1994, will receive a portion of his royalties.

There was no mention of his former wife, Winnie, in the will.

The will was first written in 2004 and last amended in 2008.

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Reps Invite Finance Minister Again Over State Of The Economy

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Reps Invite Finance Minister Again Over State Of The Economy

The House of Representatives committee on Finance, has picked holes in the response of the minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to its 50 questions on the Nigeria economy and has invited her to further clarify the answers given.

The committee on December 19, 2013 asked Okonjo-Iweala to provide them with detailed explanation of the achievements of the administration in various sectors of the economy such as, power, job creation, GDP growth and foreign debt.

The minister said in her response that in the area of job creation which is a central focus of the administration, a total of 1.6 million jobs were created in 2013, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of which 250,000 were seasonal jobs created in dry season farming in 10 northern states, the Onne Oil and Gas Free zone created an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, while the government special intervention programmes,  YouWin and SURE-P, created over 18,000 jobs 120,000 job opportunities respectively.

She also explained that the Railway Modernisation Programme involving the construction of standard gauge lines is underway and that the 1,124 km western line linking Lagos and Kano was now functional while work on the Eastern line linking Port Harcourt to Maiduguri is about 36% complete.

The minister further denied the accusation that the country is racking up debts under her watch, stressing that there has been progressive reduction in borrowing, quick settlement of due debts and the retirement of N75 billion of maturing bonds via a sinking fund dedicated to paying off substantial bonds since he came on board.

“These measures have produced clear results as shown in the reduction of borrowing from N852 billion in 2011 to N571.9 billion this year,” she added.

However, the committee has rejected the minister’s 102-page documented response after “careful analysis”, insisting that most of the questions were either not answered, partially answered, out rightly ignored or completely misunderstood and is calling for more clarification.

A letter signed by the chairman of the committee, Abdulmunin Jibrin, said Okonjo-Iweala is to provide more information on 40 of the questions she had earlier answered before the appointed date.

Part of the letter read: “Having gone through your responses, the Committee noted glaring missing gaps in the responses, absence of supporting proofs to assertions and lack of relevant documents to back up the presentation as is the practice in any legislative oversight or investigation…many data and statistics provided were inconsistent with subsequent information provided while answering other questions.”

The committee said “…if all the questions raised are beyond the competence of the Minister of Finance, it is certainly not beyond the competence of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy to the extent of information you must have in your possession unless you say otherwise.”

An interactive session between members of the committee and the minister in December had turned sour and resulted in exchange of near uncomplimentary remarks as Okonjo-Iweala was practically walked out of the meeting venue by Jibrin.

Three Killed In Johannesburg Plane Crash

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Three Killed In Johannesburg Plane Crash

At least three people were killed when a light aircraft crashed at Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg on Monday.

Local authorities said the plane crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land in bad weather.

Lanseria Airport authorities denied initial reports that at least 21 people were on board, maintaining that there were only three on the plane, all of whom died.

“Unfortunately all three people on board, who are two passengers and a pilot, are dead. It is too early to speculate about the cause,” Lanseria’s chief executive officer, Gavin Sayce said.

Sayce said Lanseria flights were not affected by the fatal crash.

“The airport is fully operational in spite of the crash,” he said

Crisis Brews In Borno APC As Leaders Clash

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Crisis Brews In Borno APC As Leaders Clash

The national vice-chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Umar Duhu has nullified the inauguration of the state interim committee in Borno State, describing the process as an attempt to usurp his powers.

The national interim secretary of the party, Tijjani Tumsa, had on Saturday inaugurated the state interim committee of the party in Borno State, a task Duhu said was exclusively his and was carried out without his knowledge or consent.

He therefore declared the exercise was null and void.

“In my capacity as the Vice Chairman, I am the only one empowered by the APC to inaugurate all APC State Interim Committee, SIC, members. I had inaugurated, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Adamawa States. I only have Borno and Yobe states to conclude my assignment in the Zone. I am not sick, nor outside the shores of this country, that anyone, no matter how big his position is in the APC, will usurp my powers and do so for selfish reasons,” he said.

Duhu said he was at the last lap of discussions with the leaders of the party in the dtate, to inaugurate them when he got a call from the former state chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Ibrahim El-Zubairu, accusing him of sidelining them in the inauguration ceremony which held on Saturday.

“What I am doing is to carry everyone along. I will be failing in my responsibilities if I go ahead to inaugurate, and (fail to) carry all members of the SIMC along,” he said.

The vice-chairman urged members to be concerned with uniting and strengthening the party, rather than sowing seeds of discord through the pursuit of personal gains.

He added: “I never dabbled into the affairs and works of any national officer of the APC. Respect is reciprocal and I do not also expect anyone of them to do any such thing to me.

‘We all have our defined responsibilities, and we must remain sincere to our responsibilities, and the respect for one another should be our guide.”

Times could not be reached to react to the nullification of the interim committee’s inauguration.

Imansuagbon Still Eyes Edo Guber Seat

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Imansuagbon Still Eyes Edo Guber Seat

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Edo state, Ken Imansuagbon, on Sunday declared his intention to contest for the gubernatorial seat again in 2016.

If he does contest, it will be his third attempt at the position having contested and lost in 2007 under the flagship of the Action Congress, AC, and in 2012 under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Imansuagbon disclosed his ambition in Benin during a thanksgiving service held at the New Covenant Gospel Church to thank God for sparing his life after a ghastly motor accident he was involved in last November that kept him in a foreign hospital for about two months.

He commended the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for bringing unprecedented development to the state and urged him to continue to do more.

“You have done very well. This is the house of God and I am saying it to you for the very first time, you have done well, but there is room for improvement, there is always space to do more, so we will expect you to do more and if God wishes, you will hand over to me,” he said.

Responding, Oshiomhole who was also present at the service thanked God for Imansuagbon”s miraculous deliverance.

He also described the celebrant as industrious and philanthropic, adding that he is one of the main players and drivers in the Nigerian polity, economy and society.

“Many Nigerians are aware of your contributions in the education sector running not a mushroom school but a school that truly back knowledge in the finest tradition of modern education. But the problem of many of our politicians is that they get so desperate because they do not have any other business address,” he said.

The accident occurred on November 15, 2013 along Ewohimi-Agbor road, Delta State, as Imansuagbon was returning from the burial of the late Ondo state commissioner for Art, Culture/Tourism, Deji Falae.

His vehicle had a head on collusion with a truck belonging to Dangote Group and somersaulted several times causing him to fracture one of his arms. He was immediately rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for treatment and later flown to the United States.

Immansuangbon returned to the country on Saturday to a rousing welcome from his party members, family and friends.

In his speech, Imansuagbon thanked the people of the State for according him such warm welcome which according to him, was reserved only for heroes.

Atiku Dumps PDP Again, Joins APC

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Atiku Dumps PDP Again, Joins APC

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has announced his resignation from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and his decampment to the All Peoples Congress, APC.

In a statement released Sunday afternoon and personally signed by him, Atiku also enjoined all his supporters and associates to dump the PDP and join the APC contending that the situation in the ruling party was irredeemable.

“Following this extensive consultative process, I have, therefore, decided to cast my lot with the APC, a party of change committed to the improvement of the lives of our people and to the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible country.  My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party tomorrow,’ Atiku stated.

The former Vice President said that the PDP has lost touch with the Nigerian people and that it had also derailed from the vision of its founding fathers. Recalling the he was forced out of the party in 2006, he said he returned back to the fold of  the ruling party in 2009 after its new leadership promised to address the problems of lack of internal democracy, rule of law and impunity, but lamented that nothing has changed.

More worrisome, Atiku said, is a growing “culture and arbitrariness’ and the “ official protection of political extremists for political gain.

“We continue to have threats from officially protected political extremists.  Increasingly our people are recklessly being divided along the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains,: he observed, adding that Nigerians deserve a better deal.

As part of the Impunity in the PDP, Atiku stated that as a former Vice President, he was supposed to be a member of the PFP Board of Trustee and the National Executive Council, but alleged that he had been completely side-lined from the activities of the two bodies.

Below is the full statement of the former Vice President

Press Statement by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Turaki Adamawa and former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria on his Resignation from the PDP and his Joining the APC.

In 2006, as a result of my firm stand in defence of our constitution and our democracy, my supporters and I were pushed out of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party, a party that we worked tirelessly with other compatriots to build as a vehicle to restore democracy to our country.  We later returned to that party in 2009 when a new leadership of the party and the country promised a new direction, a direction of inclusiveness, of internal democracy, of an end to impunity, adherence to the rule of law and respect for the dignity of members and Nigerians.

Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept.  In addition, the PDP continues to be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises.  It has since lost touch with Nigerians and efforts made by many well-meaning members and stakeholders to bring it back to the vision of the founders have been rebuffed.  To demonstrate the seriousness of the challenges and bring public attention to it I and some other leaders and stakeholders staged a walkout during the party’s last convention in Abuja.

As I speak, most of the issues that led to that walk-out are yet to be addressed.  Many founding members of the PDP, I included, continue to be marginalized and excluded from the affairs of the party. For instance as a former Vice President, I am by virtue of the PDP constitution, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees and its National Executive Committee.  However, I am not invited to the meetings of those organs nor consulted on their decisions, apparently because I dared to exercise my right to contest in the party’s primary election for a chance to be its flag-bearer in the 2011 elections.  We have, therefore, concluded that that party cannot be redeemed. In short the PDP has abandoned Nigerians, the very people who gave it life and many electoral victories.

More worrisome though is the danger posed to the continued existence of this country by this culture of impunity and arbitrariness.  We continue to have threats from officially protected political extremists.  Increasingly our people are recklessly being divided along the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains.  Our history and that of many other countries in Africa and Eastern Europe ought to teach us that this is very dangerous and must stop.

We can and we must do better. Our people deserve better.

It is against this background that we should understand the visit by the leaders of the APC and their invitation to me to join hands with them to save the country. Consequently, I have been consulting my supporters and associates, my family and friends for the past few weeks.  My decision may not satisfy some of my friends and associates.  In the end, however, I have to put the interest of our country first.  This country has done so much for me personally and it deserves all that we can do to help rebuild it and serve our people better.

Following this extensive consultative process, I have, therefore, decided to cast my lot with the APC, a party of change committed to the improvement of the lives of our people and to the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible country.  My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party tomorrow.

This is the right decision.  As in 2006 it is the struggle for democracy and constitutionalism and service to my country and my people that are driving my choice and my decision. Let me emphasize that this is not about me. We have to have a country before people can aspire to lead it, but as it is today we may be losing this country. That is not acceptable.

I encourage my political associates and friends to register and join the APC once the registration exercise commences, so that together we can change this country for the better.

The process of building a nation, of securing and deepening democracy is indeed difficult.  And it is not a lineal process.  There would be alignment and realignment of political forces. There would be ups and downs and zig-zags, triumphs and challenges.

Amidst all that, patriots must remain focused and do what has to be done to save and build the country and serve our people better.

That is what I have decided to do. I will do all within my God-given powers to help the APC win elections all over Nigeria and bring true change to our country and its long-suffering people.

Thank you and God bless Nigeria.
Atiku Abubakar, GCON
(Turaki Adamawa)
Former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria Pledges $1.5million To Support AU mission in CAR

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Nigeria Pledges $1.5million To Support AU mission in CAR

Nigeria on Saturday pledged 1.5 million US dollars at an international donor summit at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa to support African-led international mission in the Central African Republic, MISCA.

The minister of state II for Foreign Affairs, Nurudeen Mohammed, announced the pledge as 60 nations came together to raise money for the crisis-stricken Central African Republic, CAR.

“The situation in CAR demands our collective resolve to help that sister country to win the peace and embark on national reconciliation and re-establish critical government infrastructure,” he said.

Mohammed urged parties to the conflict in CAR to “bury their differences, rebuild confidence in one another and resolve to live together in the interest of peace, stability and national development.”

The minister also called on the people of CAR to rally behind the newly installed Interim government led by Catherine Samba-Panza.

In addition to the financial donation, he said Nigeria was prepared to offer technical assistance to CAR to help in post-conflict reconstruction and development.

The donor summit was held at the end of a week long meeting of the AU in Addis Ababa.

The European Union had pledged $61 million, the largest sum and it had already given CAR $271 million since December.

EU Africa director, Nicholas Westcott said the bloc was conscious of the urgent need to provide political and financial support to the new transitional government in Bangui.

UN deputy secretary-general,  Jan Eliasson, told the conference that it was their collective responsibility towards the people of the Central African Republic to respond rapidly and robustly to their plight now and to prevent further atrocities.

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