‎JKF Centre Hails Buhari's Return, Urges Support For President's Growth Agenda

‎JKF Centre Hails Buhari's Return, Urges Support For President's Growth Agenda


JKF Centre, a baby of Dr Kayode Fayemi towards youths training and leadership development, has rejoiced with President Muhammadu Buhari on his safe return to Nigeria after three months medical holiday in London.

The centre's solidarity message came as civil society groups in Ekiti State storm the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, tomorrow for a solidarity rally in support of the President.

In a statement in Ado-Ekiti  by its Director, Biodun Omoleye, the centre said it was pleased to have the President back on his desk hale and hearty after unpleasant rumours on his health left Nigerians distraught on the consequences of his long absence in the polity.

He also praised Nigerians for their prayers, noting that the President's return is a prayer answered for a purposeful and disciplined leadership to restore hope and redirect the country towards economic prosperity.

"The return of the President hale and hearty to his seat is a testimony that God loves Nigerians and wants Nigeria to continue to enjoy the disciplined leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to help restore hope for economic recovery.

"Therefore, the restoration of the President's health is a collective victory over the clouds of uncertainties that hanged over the nation's push for economic recovery and fight against corruption, which are the antidotes to our current socio-economic challenges.

"With the President back on his seat, we urge Nigerians to re-dedicate themselves to the service of the nation in honesty, commitment and discipline required to put the nation on economic sound footing where Nigerians can develop their potentials for collective development and progress of the nation," Omoleye said.  

He said even though the President had a large heart and had forgiven those who wished him dead, he warned "evil-wishers" to change their ways so that they too could enjoy the mercy of God like the President in times they need divine help.

"What we saw in the miraculous recovery of President Buhari is a testimony that no human being can change what God has sealed and it is a proof the evil can't triumph over what God has sealed.

"God loves Nigerians and President Buhari's recovery is a testimony that God's purposes in the lives of Nigerians cannot be reversed by a tiny band of evil-wishers who, in their pursuit of private comfort, will stop at nothing to sabotage the collective destiny and aspirations of the entire country," he said.

 Omoleye, who also urged Ekiti people to turn out in large numbers tomorrow for a solidarity rally for the Nigerian Leader, said the President's recovery had raised hope for unrelenting fight against corruption,  economic recovery and jobs creation among  unemployed youths.

He also urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President and support him in his transformation agenda to restore hope and spread prosperity among dispossessed Nigerians.

Biodun Omoleye

Director

August 20, 2017

Only One Company is Authorized to Mine, in Zurak – Minister

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said that only one company has mining lease to carry out mining activity in Zurak, Wase Local Government of Plateau State.

The Minister stated this during a meeting with leaders of the community shortly after 16 Chinese and 8 Nigerians were arrested for illegal mining in the area and the shutting down of two companies notorious for illegal mining.

The Minister who reiterated government’s commitment to discouraging the activities of illegal miners and its environmental degradation, urged the community and its leadership not to collaborate with unauthorised persons or groups carrying out illegal mining in their domain.

The Minister said; “The minority in your community are colluding with these criminal gangs that have taken over your land, enough is enough.

“In our record, and by the special grace of God and the authority of Mr. President, it is my duty to sign all mining licenses in Nigeria, no one else has that authority and I can tell you as I stand here that only one company has a mining lease in the whole of these area.

“That company is called Tongay, there is no other company, whether it is called solid unit, or it’s called geotess or it’s called anything”, the Minister added.

The Minister’s position was contrary to claims by one of the companies shut in the wake of the visit by the Minister and the National Security Adviser, Brig. Gen Babagana Munguno to Zurak that it had a valid license.

Dr Fayemi insisted that his office never authorised Dan China’s company to carry out mining activities in the area.

http://www.minesandsteel.gov.ng/2017/08/21/only-one-company-is-authorized-to-mine-in-zurak-minister/

While The President Was Away

Posted By: Dapo Olufade 



In this report, Dapo Olufade takes a look at what happened while the president was on medical leave.

RUMOUR. Controversy. Threats. Countermands. Emotion. Fury. Theatrics.

None was in short supply in the country in the 103 days President Muhammadu Buhari spent in London, attending to his health.

Dutifully dispensing them at measured intervals were the politicians, political jobbers and mischief makers.

Once a controversy appeared to have served its course and began to wear out, another would suddenly pop-up, sending the populace into a fresh frenzy.

First was the storm over his Eid el Fitri message on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on June 25.

How dare he address Nigerians in Hausa, many charged, after demanding that he should say something, just anything, to assure the nation that what they were hearing about him was not true.

The Sallah message broadcast was preceded by a statement issued by his media team.

The presidency only released the audio in an apparent response to distrustful Nigerians who had not heard from Buhari for nearly two months.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State categorically declared the audio message a fraud.

Buhari, according to him, could not have spoken the words contained in the tape because he had it “on good authority” that the President had been “on life support since June 6.”

He told reporters at a so called ‘world press conference’ in Ado Ekiti that he had in his possession 11 photographs  of the President on life support in a London hospital, and would release them to the public ‘soon’.

He said: “The audio message does not represent the truth as our President does not only have voice impairment; he has been on life support since June 6, 2017 at a West-End, London Hospital.

“Of a fact, our First Lady, Mrs. Aisah Buhari was not allowed to see her husband during her last visit to the United Kingdom if only she will be courageous enough to admit.

“Only three Nigerians who are of the President’s cabal are allowed access to the President. I will keep their identities for now.”

As if taking a cue from Fayose, an online publication ran its own account of Buhari’s “bad condition.”

He was not allowed to see “his wife (Aisha) during her recent visit to the United Kingdom,” it said quoting presidency sources.

It also said Buhari had “not spoken to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for several weeks following his departure from Abuja for a second round of medical treatment.

“The sources gave the example of Wednesday last week when members of Buhari’s cabal called the Acting President and asked him to await a call from the ailing President, pointing out that no such call was received except one that was just a few seconds of hellos before the person hung up the phone.”

In a follow up story on Osinbajo’s visit to Buhari in London in early July, the online publication reported that the meeting “lasted for five minutes only according to Presidency officials in the know of what transpired between the two leaders at the Abuja House in London.”

It also said Buhari “has a major difficulty speaking audibly as his treatment continues.”

A few days later, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and Governors Umaru Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), and Yahaya Bello (Kogi), visited Buhari in London in a bid to put a lie to speculations about the President’s health.

Former Aviation minister and PDP member, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode refused to be persuaded by the photographs of the meeting that went into circulation.

Like Fayose before him, he said they were manipulated.

His ‘sources’, he claimed had told him that the photographs were old ones, taken when Buhari was breaking the fast with the people seen in the photographs.

He had another evidence of the ‘deception’: drinks on the dining table were Nigerian products.

He said: “I have been reliably informed that the picture was taken in Abuja some time back and not yesterday in London.

“Quite apart from that, even though the picture was meant to have been taken in London curiously all the drinks on the table are Nigerian products and Nigerian-made.

“Did the Governors take all those drinks along with them to London when they went to see the President?

“What was the purpose and point of this fake photo-shoot and this strange breakfast meeting? What was the purpose and objective of this monumental fraud and deceit?

“Whatever the answers may be to these questions the curtain must be brought down on what can only be described as a puerile and nauseating conspiracy.

“For those who still believe that the meeting actually took place there are some nagging questions that need to be answered.

“For example why were the Nigerian and foreign media not allowed to cover the proceedings and participate in this celebrated photo-shoot and merry London feast?

“Why did the Villa press corps not take one of their own camera men to London and make a short video of the event?

“Why was the whole event shrouded in so much secrecy? Why is it that only one picture was taken? Why were more pictures not taken? Why was Buhari not put on audio tape and recorded talking to his guests?”

The answer soon came when a delegation of APC and PDP governors left for London to visit Buhari.

Others,  including the Archbishop of Canterbury, members of Buhari’s Media team, Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and the General Overseer Worldwide of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Adejare Adeboye took turns to bid Buhari get well soon.

In early July, the Senate sparked a controversy of its own when some members moved to make Senate President Bukola Saraki Acting President of the country.

The Red Chamber had, on resumption from a three week recess, received a letter from Osinbajo seeking the confirmation of Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, as Director General of National Lottery Regulatory Commission.

Incidentally, Osinbajo was briefly out of the country that day, prompting Senator Eyinanya Abaribe (Abia South), to say the country had no President or Acting President at that moment.

Saraki appeared to have read the mood of the majority of senators and of the nation and tactically ruled him out of order before the situation could degenerate

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and some Northern youths would not allow the politicians monopolize the limelight.

Kanu, in utter violation of his bail conditions, addressed rally after rally in the South East, insisting that he and the Igbo must get out of Nigeria.

He shut down major towns in the South East on May 30 to mark Biafra day and vowed to stop the November 18 governorship election in Anambra, unless there is a referendum on the future of ‘Biafra’.

In early June, 16 northern youth groups emerging from a joint meeting in Kaduna gave Igbo residing in North up to October 1, 2017 to vacate the region.

In no time, fresh agitation for Nigeria’s restructuring swept through the country.

Even, the North which many Nigerians see as being afraid of restructuring told everyone who cared to listen that it is ready for it.

The Governors of the Northern states and the traditional rulers met in Kaduna and resolved to set up a committee to harmonize the views of the people for action at the appropriate time.

But the hatred sparked by the quit notice has been a little difficult to suppress.

Acting President Osinbajo met with leaders from the North and the South to douse the tension, only for some hate songs to emerge in parts of the country.

There was also a threat by Niger Delta militants to resume hostilities by the end of September if the federal government failed to fulfil its promises to the region.

A similar threat by Niger Delta elders to pull out of further talks with government prompted a peace meeting in Abuja with Osinbajo leading the government delegation.

Agreements were reached, compromises made, and peace returned.

For now, the sticking point in the social sector is the ASUU strike launched last week.

Government has admitted responsibility for failing to meet its part of the agreement earlier reached with the lecturers and now hopes that the teachers will return to the classrooms this week when all the issues in contention will have been sorted out.

http://thenationonlineng.net/while-the-president-was-away/

Anambra Lawyers Blast Nnamdi Kanu, Blame Him Over Ekwulobia Crises

The Anambra State Lawyers in Defence of Democracy [ASLADD] have come down very heavily on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB for attempting to affix culpability on it for the crises that occured at Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area where the Nigerian Police reportedly had a clash with the IPOB who were said to be awaiting the arrival of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for a rally scheduled to hold in the town. Below is the press release by ASLADD as made available to odogwublog in Awka today:

EKWULOBIA CRISES: IPOB IS CONFUSING APPLES WITH ORANGES

The attention of the Anambra State Lawyers in Defence of Democracy [ASLADD] has been drawn to a statement released by Emma Powerful for the IPOB on the clash that was reported to have occurred between the Nigerian Police and some IPOB members at Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. In the said press release, the author labored strenuously to share the culpability of the crises between the DPO of Ekwulobia Police Station and “individuals hiding under non-existent Anambra Lawyers”.

We start by saying that the Anambra State Lawyers in Defence of Democracy [ASLADD] is composed of eminent Legal Practitioners from Anambra State who practice both within and outside the shores of the state. Without mincing words, the foremost consideration that propelled the coming together of these fine minds is to robustly protect democracy in Anambra State which has come under a massive threat by the extra-legal and anarchist method introduced by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in his push to carve out an imaginary fiefdom for himself where delusively he would be presiding over his serfs like a feudal emperor who must not be opposed by his subjects without fatal consequences. 

It is rather ridiculous that the author of the IPOB statement claimed that our group is both “faceless” and “non-existent” and yet he labored profusely to apportion blame and culpability to a “non-existent” group. This is purely an inverted logic. It is a matter of ordinary knowledge that lawyers in every society [by virtue of their professional calling and standing] are public figures. True indeed, the Convener of this august assembly is Mr. Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi. This is a gentleman committed to the defence of human rights, rule of law and constitutionalism. It is on record that our Convener stood tall and firm in robust defence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu since he was arrested in 2015. As a matter of fact, it was our Convener who put up a pro-bono appearance with Mr. Vincent Obetta on the 17th day of December, 2015 before the Honourable Justice A.F.A. Ademola where the Mr. Nnamdi Kanu was granted bail for the 2nd time.

The records of proceedings in charge no: FHC/ABJ/383/2015 would reveal that our Convener has put up many pro-bono appearances in defence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu before the Honourable Justices; A.F.A. Ademola, A.R. Mohammed and James Tsoho. Our Convener has equally on different occasions backed up his courtroom support with strongly-worded letters to President Muhammed Buhari, Chief John Oyegun, National President of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation urging them to see good reasons why the order of court granting Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Rtd. Colonel Dasuki and El-Zakzaki bail ought to be respected in total obeisance to the dictates of rule of law and for the preservation of our constitutional democracy.

These tons of letters are readily accessible as they were well published and documented at the offices of their recipients. This is quite apart from the numerous legal articles contributed by our Convener aimed at rallying the support of human rights activists to have Mazi Nnamdi Kanu freed from Kuje. While still in prison, our Convener has had to visit and meet with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on more than five different occasions all in a bid to strategize on how to use the instrumentality of the law to set him free from the gulag. What has our convener not done to have Mazi Nnamdi Kanu breathe the air of freedom he is enjoying today even at a great personal risk [even at a time when even the highest political office holders in the South-East region were shy of identifying with Nnamdi Kanu’s ordeals]. We challenge the IPOB to controvert these hardcore and overwhelming facts. It was William George who once rightly posited that “ingratitude is a crime more despicable than revenge, which is only returning evil for evil, while ingratitude returns evil for good.” 

While Immanuel Kant [German Philosopher] appreciates that “Ingratitude is the essence of vileness”, James Thomas [Scottish Musician] rightly concludes that “Ingratitude is treason to mankind”. It is not surprising to us that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu does not brook the word “gratitude” in his vocabulary of living just as he has sufficiently demonstrated that those core values handed down to us by our forebears that characterize Igbo civilization have evaporated from his menu of manners.

It is therefore rather unfortunate that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu [a huge beneficiary of our legal prowess and professional benevolence] could turn around and accuse our noble body of being responsible for Ekwulobia crises. Yes we dared to challenge him on the futility of his attempt at truncating Anambra election where he has no legitimate interest in whatever becomes the outcome of that democratic exercise. In our considered view, his home state [Abia], with deep humility and respect, needs more help to rescue her from dilapidated infrastructures than our dear Anambra State that currently shines the light in most indices of governance. All this madness being orchestrated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is ultimately aimed at possibly setting the polity ablaze [using the fuel of hate and intimidating speeches] in the phantom hope that the weighty criminal charges hanging on his neck would drown in the ensuing melee. In achieving this devious intention [which is a mere fishing expedition in the desert], Mazi Nnamdi Kanu would not mind using as many uniformed and less-privileged compatriots as are available as his canon-fodders.

We are compelled to state for the umpteenth time that we shall never fold our alms and watch Mazi Nnamdi Kanu pull our sacred constitution apart, pollute the system with rotten speeches of putrid hatred, acrimonious vituperations and denigrating venoms while pouring acerbic expletives on the foundations of our democracy in a manner that is capable of bringing an organised society to a perilous end. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be rest assured that if we could use our legal arsenal to rescue him from the Kuje gulag after waging a very deadly and fierce legal battle on his behalf against the Federal Government of Nigeria [amidst all odds], we equally have more than what it takes [in our legal armoury] to decisively end his impunity and defend democracy [from his tyranny, imposition and buffoonery] in Anambra State which is our primary constituency. Participating in an election is purely discretionary on the part of the citizens. But we can never accept a situation where Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB is deploying violent means to scare law-abiding Anambrarians away from the polls even to the point of the Kanus repeatedly issuing assassination threat to our Convener for which human rights communities around the globe have adequately been put on notice. 

We hereby re-iterate our call on the relevant authorities to urgently commence a high-powered clinical investigation into the activities of the IPOB. Biafra is a sacred ideology which is not commodious enough to admit acts of outlawry, criminal intimidations and charlatanism under its canopied ambience.

In signing off this statement, we find it so unfortunate and discomforting that the conducts of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has forced us to address him in the very words we addressed President Muhammed Buhari when we wrote him on the 6th of January, 2016 condemning his refusal to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu despite an existing Court Order. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should listen to this:
“Sir, all the existing Supreme Court authorities and our penal books lean heavily in support of the long-established postulation that disobedience of Court Orders (otherwise called contempt of Court) is an abomination of the rankest specie just as it is an anathema in every democracy worth the name as it holds the key to the floodgates of anarchy and societal destruction. Condemning this cancerous vice, our own Supreme Court, in the case of Hart v. Hart (1991) 21 N.S.C.C. (Pt. 1) 184 at 199, had these unkind words for those who disobey Court orders (contemnors);
“I would like to state that obedience to Orders of Courts is fundamental to the good order, peace and stability of the Nigerian nation. The ugly alternative is a painful recrudescence of triumph of brute force or anarchy, a resort to our old system of settlement by means of bow and arrows, machetes and guns or, now, even more sophisticated weapons of war. 

Disobedience to an order of Court should, therefore, be seen as an offence directed not against the personality of the Judge who made the Order, but as a calculated act of subversion of peace, law, and order in Nigeria society. Obedience to every Order of Court is therefore a duty which every citizen who believes in peace and stability of the Nigerian State owes to the nation. To allow Court orders to be disobeyed would be to tread the road toward anarchy. If orders of the Court can be treated with disrespect, the whole administration of justice is brought into scorn…If the remedies that the Court grants to correct wrongs can be ignored, then, there will be nothing left for each person but to take the law into his own hands. Loss of respect for the Court will quickly result in the destruction of our society.”

How time flies! The same impunity and disobedience of Court Order levied against our president last year is what Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is gleefully practicing today. If Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had obeyed the Ruling of the Court anchoring his bail to many conditions [most of which he has violated even though he earlier agreed to them], the Ekwulobia tragedy would not have occurred. It was in the process of disobeying the Court Order [banning him from organizing and/or attending rallies] that Ekwulobia tragedy eventuated. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, his IPOB and the whole world can now see where the culpability of Ekwulobia tragedy lies. Unlike Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB that offered no word(s) of sympathy, encouragement and condolence to the deceased and victims of the 6th August gruesome, mind-boggling and ghoulish butchery at Ozubulu, we [on our part] humbly pray the Good Lord to show mercy to the victim(s) of Ekwulobia tragedy, graciously lift the light of His countenance upon the departed and grant the dead a kind admittance into his kingdom. 
Ozoemezina!.
18th August, 2017.

Video Of President Buhari Addressing The Nation: Nigeria’s Unity Not Negotiable

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said the federal government would not tolerate separatist movements and inflammatory statements that threaten Nigeria unity and stability.

“Nigeria’s unity is settled and not negotiable,” Mr. Buhari said in a nationwide broadcast to the nation Monday morning, two days after returning to the country from the United Kingdom.

The President had been in London for 103 days to treat undisclosed ailment, before returning to Nigeria on Saturday.

In his broadcast, he said his government would not “allow irresponsible elements” to threaten Nigeria’s unity and stability.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2_2kYW4eBA

Designer Accused Musty wears of Intellectual Theft

A creative designer popularly known as Toluwah as accused Musty wears of stealing her designers and photo work. On her Instagram posts and tweets, she lamented bitterly and call on Nigerians to help her fight the injustice. Attempts to reach Musty wears was proven abortive as at the time of compiling this our story.
Findings made it known that stealing of one's intellectual properties (plagiarism) is a jailable offence.

Below is the lamentation of the cheated designer
"

So I will have like 100 tabs open in my brain at a time, i don't sleep earlier than 1a.m on most days and someone will steal your ideas, your images and even use your face to promote the theft. Yo man, you can take my captions, sew my styles but not my pictures no I won't take that. This Musty clothing has been making money off my designs. No credit whatsoever
@st.toluwah_studios took those pictures
@st.toluwah_clothiers made those cloths you can't rub me off both mhen, he even watermarked my picture like really.
This Girl won't take such, I know how hard I work.😢😢
I won't let this slide, @musty_clothing take my pictures down. Make your own clothes get models to advertise for you NOT MY PIX NOT MY CLOTHES NOT MY FACE. And when you see a TOLUWAH product stay away, run from it.
#saynotoplagiarism
#becreative #sweatforyourmoney #stopmakingmoneyoffpeoplessweat #stopstealingideas"

Why 22 Nigerian airports still lack ICAO certification

In spite of Nigeria being reffered to as the West African hub in the aviation sector, none of its 22 airports are yet certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

This is mainly because policy makers in the country have failed to pay proper attention to most of the international standard requirements of the body since 1980.

Disclosing this on Friday, in a phone-in programme on Radio Continental, Lagos, two experts, namely Group Captain John Ojikutu, (rtd) and a former Director of Operations with the defunct Nigeria Airways, Captain Dele Ore, said until Nigeria accords aviation regulator, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) its independence in decision making, the international agency would have no authority to base its certification of any of the airports on.

But they said that experts have already advised the government to put plans in place towards ensuring that it secures certification for at least two of the country’s major airports: the newly renovated Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja, as the ICAO inspectors are expected to visit Nigeria mid of June 2017.

Said Ore, “What the regulators are interested in is not the airport buildings, because they are seen as mere shopping malls. Rather they are after the functionality of the aviations facilities, including navigational aids, aeronautics devices and illumination on the runways.

“But what has been regarded as important in most developing countries, especially Nigeria is undue emphasis on building structures, but what the inspectors are after is the safety measures in the airports.

“Until recently most airports in Nigeria were not allowing planes to land or take off from its airport from 6pm, because of poor lighting of the runways, but it calls them international airport.”

Answering a listener’s question on the financial difficulties that the sector is passing through, Ore, who is the former Chairman of the Aviation Round Table, a think tank for the industry, regretted that the operators missed the opportunity given them by the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, which in 2013 doled out a N34 billion life-line to the operators.

“The irony is that rather than utilize the money to turn their airline around, they used greater part of it in settling some old debt with banks, as against re-negotiating the loan servicing, and today the same banks are still after the operators for the balance of the loans whereas the sector is becoming insolvent.”

On his part, Ojukutu frowned at attempts to have any private airline fly the Nigerian flag, by way of meeting up with the country’s Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), without such airline first being asked to get quoted on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

“There are two sides to the coins,” the former Air Force officer said, adding “rather than government floating another national carrier at this time, it could jolly well encourage merger of the airlines and ensure that one or two of such merged companies have their shares, which Nigerians could buy, as investors, before they are allowed to fly the national flag.”

Ojikutu insisted that the government should have an aviation policy, as contained in the Aviation Act of 2006.

“The NCAA should no longer be subordinated to the ministry, just like ICAO does not take orders from any government.

“The law establishing NCAA makes its chief executive officer independent of the Minister, but rather, he is a consultant to the minister on aviation matters.

“But we need the officials in the agency to understand this and take up regulation duties professionally, as the Act stipulates”.

On the safety of Nigerian Airspace, Ojukutu said there have been some improvements, as per having some navigation instruments in some places, but stated that the air controllers (ATCs)s are still being over tasked.

“The standard practice is that at no time will less than four ATCs be on dirty, meaning that a maximum of three hours is supposed to be spent on the control room, but in Nigeria, an ATC spends more than six hours.”

Ohanaeze says INEC’s voters registration mere cosmetics, urges Southern govs’ to discuss north’s dominance

Home » Politics » Ohanaeze says INEC’s voters registration mere cosmetics, urges Southern govs’ to discuss north’s dominance

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has described the provision in each local government

with one registration machine as deliberate attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disenfranchise many Nigerians of voting age.

The goup which stated this on Friday, while condemning the ongoing national voters’ registration exercise, further harped on the need for southern Nigeria governors to regularly meet to assess and proffer
solutions to emerging national issues.

According to Ohanaeze, the ongoing voters’ registration is too cosmetic and different from the last registration exercise of 2014, which ensured that every voting centre in Nigeria had a machine configured to it.

The group said that the present INEC has continuously shown that it was bereft of good initiatives.

This was contained in a statement the group issued in Abakaliki after its National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting at the Enugu National Headquarters.

The statement had the president general of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo Jnr, positing that it was proper for all southern governors to meet and look at how political issues in the country affect the government and people of that part of Nigeria.

He said that a formidable and virile bloc of governors of the southern divide will reposition them as an indispensable body in the growth of the nation’s economy.

He said, “The deliberate and continuous lopsided federal appointments in favour of the North, the blatant, incessant and unfettered destruction of farms, rape of women and killing of innocent Nigerians
by herdsmen among other issues demand that Nigerians of all walks of life rise up in defence of their right to life and human dignity.”

Again kidnappers of Igbonla Model College students reduce ransom, now want N100m

Once again, the kidnappers of six pupils of Igbonla Model College, Epe, have reached out to concerned parents informing them that the ransom for the release of their kids has been reduced from N600 million to N100m.

Reports say two of the parents were contacted by the kidnappers and were informed about the ransom reduction.The militants also advised them to inform other parents about the reduction and even advised them to put pressure on the Lagos State Government to help them raise the sum.

“I was contacted at about 7.30pm. I was told to tell others that the ransom has been reduced to N100 million. They asked if I had anything to say. But when I requested to hear from my son, he said that was not the important issue,” said one of the parents who spoke to the kidnappers on phone.

Continuing, the parent added that; “I told them we have been able to raise N380,000 and he asked if I was bargaining crayfish with him. He spoke in pidgin saying we should go and meet Ambode for assistance or else our children will remain with them until we are ready. He hung up before I could utter another sentence.“

However, the police have continued to assure concerned parents that their children will be released.

“We will get the children. We already know where they are. We are only being careful of their safety, that is why we are biding our time. We have done it in time past and this will not be different,” a police source said.

London under siege, 6 killed after car and stabbing attack

The city of London came under siege again after assailants ploughed into pedestrians before embarking on a stabbing spree which claimed the lives of no less than six victims.

The incident which occurred close to the Borough Market area saw the attackers’ van plough into unsuspecting pedestrians on London Bridge before the attackers numbering up to three stabbed innocent bystanders.

Reports say the attackers were shot by the police after killing six people, and wounding 30 others in the attack which occurred in a busy area with many restaurants and pubs.

Read also: Hate crimes on the rise in the UK after Manchester attack

“Armed response officers then responded very quickly and bravely and confronted the three male suspects who were shot and killed on Borough Market,” Mark Rowley, Britain’s top anti-terrorism officer said.

“Sadly, six people have died in addition to the three attackers shot by police,” he added.

The attack is coming about two weeks after a suicide bomb attack at the Manchester Arena on May 22 that killed 22 people and injured dozens of others.

N’Assembly members to buy N50m Abuja flats

Members of the National Assembly are currently subscribing to a mortgage facility that will make each lawmaker cough out N2.5m every month, SUNDAY PUNCH has reliably learnt.

It was gathered that the lawmakers are buying flats in an estate close to Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja at N50m each, while payment for each unit will be spread over 20 months.

The Senate had, at the resumption of plenary on April 4, 2017, entered an executive session, where the mortgage facility was discussed behind closed doors.

“An estate developer brought the idea, believing that payment for the facility will be secure, being that members of the National Assembly will have regular income during the two-year payment period. It is a smart move for the developer,” a senator who was at the meeting told our correspondent.

The source said the legislators were facing accommodation challenges in the Federal Capital Territory.

He said, “The Chairman of Senate Services Committee,Ibrahim, Gobir, announced that some estate developers wanted to sell housing units and those interested would pay in installment.

“You will put your name down if you are interested and N2.5m installment will be deducted from your account monthly for 20 months. It is more like the federal mortgage facility.”

According to him, several senators who were governors of their states had acquired houses in choice areas in the country’s capital.

Punch, May 4, 2017

IGP visit Gov Rochas Owelle Okorocha

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni paid a courtesy visit to Imo State governor, Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday 2nd June, 2017 in Imo State government house.

Constituents to recall Dino Melaye

Residents of Kogi West Senatorial District on Friday marched in protest to INEC office in Lokoja to demand a recall Of their Senator, Dino Melaye.

The constituents, who carried placards with anti-Dino inscriptions, said they want him recalled as they can no longer stand a 'fraudulent senator'.

They also listed several atrocities allegedly committed by Dino Melaye including Thuggery, continuous flow of irresponsible utterances, certificate scandal, insulting Buhari, Sultan of Sokoto, Bola Tinubu and the questionable source of his wealth.