Ministers: Senate clears Orubebe, Allison-Madueke, five others

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the re-appointment of Mrs. Diezani Allison–Madueke, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufai and four other ex-ministers, into President Goodluck Jonathan’s new cabinet.
All the seven nominees screened by the Senate were confirmed fit to serve as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The others cleared by the upper legislative chamber are Mr. Emeka Wogu, Sen. Bala Mohammed, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (retd).
The screening of the other 27 other nominees continues on Thursday (today). Jonathan had on Monday sent a list containing 34 names to the Senate for approval as ministers.
At the screening of the nominees on Wednesday, Wogu, a former Minister of Labour, told the Senators that the Revenue Allocation Formula was due for a review. He also said the N18,000 minimum wage already signed into law was implementable, but added that states could dialogue with the respective labour unions for agreeable positions.
“The country needs a new revenue formula. It is however the responsibility of the National Assembly to amend the Act,” he told the Senate.
Another cleared nominee, Orubebe, said development of the Niger Delta would be fast tracked if more funding was made available to the ministry in charge.
According to Orubebe, the East West and Coastal Roads were major projects that could transform the region.
“We have a reasonable peace in the region; the framework for its development is complete. What is needed now is funding,” he said.
Former Minister of Heath, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who also faced the Senate screening, defended the National Health Bill recently enacted, saying that it would bring succor to the Nigerian people.
He argued that although some groups had issues with the bill, it would be necessary to allow the operation of the Act until such a time when amendments could be done on it.
“The bill certainly cannot satisfy everybody. It is my view that we should move on with implementing the law and we may subsequently amend those areas we find problems,” he said.
He blamed the travelling of notable Nigerians outside the country for medical treatment on the lack of facilities, skills, and incessant strike actions by medical workers.
The exercise is coming on the heels of protests against and criticisms of some of the nominees, especially from their home states.
In Lagos, a retired judge, Justice Ishola Oluwa, faulted the nomination of the former Minister of Finance, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, as the Lagos State’s representative in the federal cabinet.
“The point is that, as it stands now, Lagos State has no representative in the federal executive council. Aganga is from Sabongida Ora in Edo State. He cannot represent Lagos State. I am not against his nomination, but he should not represent Lagos,” the 93-year-old Oluwa said.
The judge has an ally in the Lagos State Indigene Alliance which said that it had sent a petition to the President on Aganga’s nomination. In Ondo State, members of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday protested the nomination of Mrs. Mobolaji Johnson as the state’s representative in the federal cabinet.
The party noted that Johnson could not represent Ondo because, she was “from Lagos by marriage.” The woman is married to the son of a former military governor of Lagos State, Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson (retd).
Chairman of the Interim Committee of the PDP in the state, Prof Olu Agbi, told journalists in Akure, the state capital, that the party had nothing personal against Johnson but that a well-known politician should be appointed from the state as a minister.
Agbi therefore urged Jonathan to appoint a full indigene as a representative of the state in the federal cabinet to “avoid the total annihilation” of the party in the state.
Meanwhile, a cross-section of groups and individuals continued to voice their opinion on the ministerial nominees of the President.
The Campaign for Democracy and the Congress for Progressive Change criticised Jonathan’s ministerial list, saying it was not “encouraging.”
The president of the CD, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said that the list was full of PDP members.
She said, “The list is not encouraging. One had expected that the list would have more technocrats than PDP members. As it is now, there are more PDP members than technocrats.
“Although the President is a product of the PDP, he should be able to shed the toga of the party. Appointments should not be for rehabilitation.”
National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said the list comprised the same “non-performing” people.
“We should not expect a fundamental shift from the cluelessness of the last year. Indeed, tough times lie ahead. You cannot do the same thing, the same way all the time and expect different results. I’m afraid it is the same of the same,” he said.
A Lagos-based constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itsay Sagay, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the phone, said he did not know most of the nominees.
He knocked the list for not having the name of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia, on it. He said the omission was tragic.
Sagay said, “To be frank with you, I don’t want to speak on something I’m not sure about. I don’t know most of the people on the list. But Ajumogobia’s name is not there and I find that to be a major tragedy because he is the finest and the most effective Minister of Foreign Affairs we have had in the past in the history of this country. So why should he drop somebody who was so perfect for the job. It doesn’t make sense to me at all,” Sagay said.
Another Lagos-based lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, critisised the list for containing “regular politicians.”
“I am disappointed with the fact that the list is filled up with regular politicians. Though we expect that once a party wins an election we expect it to form government. But we are looking for people who are credible from civil society, from the academics, to, at least, act as fresh impetus to the administration. The list that we have today, except with some few exceptions is unable to take Nigeria to the next developmental level. So I’m quite disappointed,” Aturu said.

By Niyi Odebode, Oluwole Josiah, Sunday Aborisade, Tunde Odesola, Ade Adesomoju

Courtesy Of: Punch

Daily Times: Court orders IG to produce Anosike brothers

A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, to produce the Anosike brothers – Fidelis and Noel – in court on July 24 to face charges of theft and fraudulent acquisition of the Daily Times Nigeria preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC was to arraign the accused persons on Tuesday on a 40-count-charge bordering on stealing over N1.72bn belonging to the DTN and fraudulent acquisition of the company from the Federal Government.
But the absence of the Anosikes in court stalled the arraignment on Tuesday.
The trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru, subsequently ordered the IGP to produce the accused persons on the next adjourned date, July 24.
According to the charges the EFCC filed against the accused persons and their company, Folio Communications Limited, they committed the offences between February 2005 and January 2010.
The EFCC alleged that they fraudulently acquired the Daily Times of Nigeria by false representation, falsely claiming to have the means of acquiring the company.
It alleged that the accused persons first mortgaged the Daily Times Nigeria’s assets and then selling off its properties to acquire the controlling 56 per cent of its shares from the Bureau of Public Enterprises.
The 56 per cent of the total shares standing at 140,252,900 of the total 233,754,840 shares of the company and valued at N70m, EFCC claimed, was fraudulently obtained by falsely pretending to possess the means to pay for the acquisition.
The commission alleged that the accused persons had, with the intention to defraud the Federal Republic of Nigeria, falsely claimed that the net worth of prospective shareholders was N6.1bn and that their company, Folio Communications Limited, had a 5-year-turn-over of the sum of N4.1bn.
The Anosikes also allegedly stole a total sum of N1,727,458,500, part of which were said to be proceeds they got from selling DTN’s stake in Naira Properties, owners of Nigeria Stock Exchange
The EFCC said the accused stole millions of Naira from the DTN’s account with the Oceanic Bank, Zenith Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank.
They are also to face charges of stealing about N190.9m realised as rent of various properties of DTN.
By Ade Adesomoju                             Courtesy Of: Punch

Corruption: EFCC vows to get ex-governors

Some ex-governors currently walking the land free had better enjoyed their freedom for now because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has vowed to go after them soon.
Contrary to the widespread belief that the anti-graft agency had let go of the 2007-2011 set of governors, head of the body, Mrs. Farida Waziri, said on Wednesday that corruption investigators would soon swoop on the ex-governors.
Only the ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, and his deputy, Usman Nafada, were arrested among the top functionaries of the last administration.
Waziri, who spoke in Abuja when the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists visited her at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency, denied that her agency was selective, adding that she was only bidding her time to prepare watertight cases against the former governors.
“Nothing has been swept under the carpet. It’s like they say, once beaten twice shy. We are still working. We want to do a proper job of investigation before we arrest and prosecute,” she said.
The EFCC had, few months before the May 29 end of tenure of some governors, sent operatives after some of them. The states are Ogun, Abia, Imo, Nasarawa, Oyo, Gombe, Zamfara, and Kano.
While the ex-governor of Imo State, Ikedia Ohakim, handed over government to his successor, Rochas Okorocha, three days before May 29 and hurriedly left the country, Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State travelled out of the country on the eve of the inauguration of his successor, fuelling speculations that they were running away from anti-graft operatives
But Daniel returned to the country three weeks after, saying he had only gone for a “deserved rest.”
In a country noted for official corruption at a large scale, only few state chief executives leave office without the need to face anti-corruption investigators and courts. Most of the governors that left office in 2007 had either been tried and convicted, or are still undergoing judicial trials for corruption charges.
For example, Former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, has known no peace since he left office in 2007. He has been charged for all manner of corruption and economic offences, including money laundering. And his trial has traversed about three continents---Africa, Asia and Europe.
He was a few days ago extradited from Dubai in the United Arab Emirate to London for the resumption of his corruption trial. He had escaped further trial by EFCC, which accused him of the alleged illegal disposal of 528 million shares belonging to Delta State in Oceanic Bank valued at about N44b, to Dubai last year only to be tried in the UAE country and extradited to London.
Ibori’s next door neighbor, Lucky Igbinedion faced a 156-count charge of money laundering, corruption and other economic crimes committed while in the saddle as the governor of Edo State. In a bizarre plea bargain, the EFCC slashed his alleged offences to only one. He was convicted on the one-count charge and Justice Abdullahi Kafarati of Federal High Court, Enugu, fined him N3.5m to the amazement of many.
Also, ex-governors of Abia, Plateau, Enugu states, Orji Uzor Kalu, Joshua Dariye, Chimaraoke Nnamani, among others, were grabbed and arraigned for sundry corruption charges immediately after their tenure expired in 2007.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s predecessor as governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was also detained in London on charges of money laundering in September 2005. At the time of his arrest, Metropolitan police found about £1m cash in his London home. Later they found a total of £1.8m ($3.2m) in cash and bank accounts. On his return to the country, he was impeached and in July 2006, he was found guilty of corruption by the court in Nigeria and sentenced to two years imprisonment.
By Olamilekan Lartey                   Courtesy Of: Punch

Bankole’s family denies accused

The family of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, has said one Toyin Bankole, currently undergoing trial in an Abeokuta court for an alleged visa – related offence is not related to the former lawmaker.
In a statement by the former speaker’s younger brother, Mr. Ayo Bankole, the family stated that Toyin Bankole was not a member of the family.
“The family had ignored newspaper reports initially, but it has become necessary to make the clarification as the erroneous report persisted and was beginning to take a life of its own. We had hoped at the outset that our hardworking press men and women would check thoroughly and correct the misrepresentation of facts. This unfortunate linkage has caused the family and the former Speaker a lot of embarrassment.
“The misinformation has also spread through the Internet and we have read with dismay the unfortunate comments by Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora, which was predicated on inaccurate information,” he said.
By Agency Reporter                           Courtesy Of: Punch

Warning strike: Reps seek dialogue with electricity workers

The House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday seeking to dialogue with the National Union of Electricity Employees in a bid to stop the warning strike by workers in the power sector.
It asked the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to “enter into dialogue” with the union over the issues agitating the workers.
The union had threatened to embark on a strike on Wednesday to protest the alleged non-implementation of 50 per cent salary increase workers in the power sector.
The House, however, believe that such a strike was unnecessary and costly for the nation as it could ground the economy completely.
The sponsor of the motion, Mr. Tajudeen Yusuf, told the House that the strike also had a link with the apprehension of the workers over the deregulation of the power sector.
The immediate Chairman of the House Committee on Power, Mr. Patrick Ikhariale, observed that “the 24-hour warning strike will cost us a lot of money.”
He said, “The greatest fear of these workers is the Federal Government’s plan to privatise the power sector.”
However, Ikhariale observed that the apprehension by the workers was needless as privatisation would lead to more jobs and competitive pay.
Citing the case of the deregulation of the telecommunications sector, Ikhariale argued that the workers would later appreciate the intention of government.
According to him, the power sector reform has come a long way “and we cannot at this stage begin to talk of abandoning it.”
Ikhariale recalled that deregulation started in 2002 with the splitting of the former National Electric Power Authority.
He added that the development gave birth to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and 18 other companies.
The lawmaker told the House that the essence of the dialogue was for both government and the union to resolve any pending issues in their negotiations.
By John Ameh                       Courtesy Of: Punch

Lagos Assembly screens nominees

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday started the screening of prospective cabinet members of the state, whose names were submitted to the House last Friday by the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.
The sitting, which was presided by the Speaker of the house, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, started at 12pm and was adjourned till Thursday.
Out of the 37 names on the list, 13 persons were screened and confirmed on Wednesday, including former commissioners, Tunji Bello and Ben Akabueze.
By Agency Reporter                 Courtesy Of: Punch

Oyo probes Alao-Akala’s contracts

Oyo State Government on Monday inaugurated an eight-member committee to investigate all the contracts awarded by the administration of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala.
Inaugurating the committee in Ibadan, the deputy governor, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo, said the probe was in tandem with the government’s determination to encourage due process and transparency in the conduct of its business.
Alake-Adeyemo however said the committee was not targeted at any person or group, adding that it was not designed to witchhunt any government official either serving or retired.
The deputy governor stated that the committee, which was headed by Mr. Oluremi Osiberu, had eight weeks to submit its report.
He said the committee was empowered to ascertain, among others, the level of commitment of the past administration to various contractors handling various projects across the state.
Its terms of reference include: identifying all outstanding contracts; examining the extent of compliance with due process while awarding the contracts; and establishing or verifying the extent of completion of each contract.
The committee is also expected to recommend appropriate sanctions to those found culpable and advise on payment for genuine ones.
The deputy governor explained that the findings of the committee would go a long way in assisting the government to establish whether the contracts were awarded in conformity with the Public Procurement Act and determine those areas that require urgent government attention.
He urged members of the public to support members of the committee to carry out their responsibilities judiciously.
By Olalekan Adetayo             Courtesy Of: Punch

FG will endorse review of revenue formula – Ajimobi

The Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi, on Wednesday expressed optimism that the Federal Government would yield to the pressure of state governors for a review of the revenue allocation formula.
The governor, in company with his Ogun State counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, said this while addressing journalists at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
While expressing support for the review, Ajimobi said most of his colleagues were working towards improving their internally generated revenue, to complement federal allocation.
“Definitely we need a review of the Federal (revenue allocation) formula, and I honestly believe that the Federal Government will agree to our demands because our new President is very reasonable and is very supportive of all the States,” Ajimobi said.
As for internally generated revenue, he said, “I think that most state governments are now doing everything possible to restructure and ensure that we improve on our IGR. And in terms of reaching out to businesses, we are trying to improve our industrial base which will in turn improve on our IGR. Hopefully, we are trying to block all the leakages, which will improve on our IGR within the next couple of months.”
For about four months now, governors in the country have sustained agitation for a review of the federal revenue allocation formula. They based the calls on claims that the Federal Government was wasting funds needed by state and local governments in the country. There have also been reports of governors lobbying the Nigeria Labour Congress to support them in their quest to have the revenue formula reviewed.
By Okechukwu Nnodim                   Courtesy Of: Punch

Police fault Tokyo’s claim on Oyo NURTW casualties

The Oyo State Police Command has faulted the claim by a faction of the proscribed state council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers that the leadership crisis rocking the union has so far claimed over 200 persons.
The faction led by Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a Tokyo) had on Tuesday brandished the casualty figure in a memorandum it submitted to the judicial panel of enquiry set up by Governor Abiola Ajimobi to investigate the crisis.
But speaking with journalists at the police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan on Wednesday, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adisa Bolanta, challenged the faction to shed more light on its claim or stop insulting the sensibilities of members of the public.
He said that the claim was diversionary and aimed at attracting underserved public sympathy to the proscribed union.
The Police boss vowed that notwithstanding the union’s “cheap blackmail,” the command would go all out to ensure that Akinsola and Mr. Mukaila Lamidi (a.k.a Auxilliary) earlier declared wanted in connection with the violence were apprehended and brought to justice.
By Agency Reporter                               Courtesy Of: Punch

When newspapers became ministerial list

The desperation for political offices in the country seems to know no bounds. Every Emeka, Muhammed and Omotayo wanted to be a minister. Before the ministerial list was sent to the senate on Monday, the jostling for the high offices was taken to such a ridiculous extent that President Goodluck Jonathan must have been forced to make up his mind and put an end to the shenanigans of opportunistic politicians.
The story was told of a man who stormed the Department of State Security headquarters last week to be screened as a ministerial nominee. When asked how he got to know that he was a nominee, he replied that he read it in the newspapers. Pray, when did newspapers become the ministerial nominee list? The poor man was, of course, asked to disappear.
By Adelani Adepegba                    Courtesy Of: Punch

Mimiko denies nominating minister for Jonathan

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on Wednesday, denied media reports that he nominated a member of the Peoples Democratic Party for President Goodluck Jonathan to consider as Minister.
He pleaded with those peddling the rumour to leave him out of issues pertaining to the PDP.
Mimiko, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi, was quoted as having nominated one Mrs. Omobola Olubusola Johnson to be considered as a federal minister.
But the governor insisted in the statement that he never nominated the woman whom he described as “a total stranger.”
Mimiko in his statement said, “I want to place it on records for the umpteenth time that I am a member of the Labour Party and that I have not and would not go to the PDP.
“It would be tantamount to disservice, and pure mischief for anybody to say that I would be nominating a supposedly PDP member for consideration as an aide to a PDP-led government.
“In the first place, the woman in question is unknown to me, she is not a member of LP and I do not belong to PDP. So it would be wrong to insinuate with glee as the media report had it that I nominated her for Mr. President to be considered as a Minister or for whatever position.”
The governor said he had never sopken to the President about the issue as being speculated in the media.
By Sunday Aborisade                           Courtesy Of: Punch

Ogun lost N23bn to poor land management – Amosun

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Wednesday, lamented that over N23bn was lost by the state through the mismanagement in land allocations by the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel.
Amosun, who also reiterated his vow to reverse the concessioning of the state’s assets granted the immediate administration, regretted that due diligence and processes were not followed in land allocation in the state.
Addressing the people of the state during his state- of- state address to mark his 30 days in office at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, the governor wondered why the Daniel administration did not adhere to the Land Use Act which makes it mandatory for every state to have a Land Use Allocation Committee.
He said, “There was clear breach of the extant laws and an unacceptable abuse of official position by the concentration of such committee powers in the hands of one individual in the last eight years.
“For example, there is the case of a publishing company which was allocated 41hectares. The revenue that ought to accrue to Ogun State from the huge land allocations was at least N33.8bn, if we use the Land Bureau rates.
“Curiously, for the entire period of eight years, the last administration posted a meagre N10.9bn for land allocation and N577m for land ratification.”
On the concessioned assets of the state, Amosun said some of the most painful of them were the Gateway Hotels and Ogun House on Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the governor, the Gateway Hotels was valued at N1. 41bn in 2009 but was handed over to a private firm to manage for 25 years at a meagre N300m.
He said, “In this case, Gateway Holdings had no clue of this invidious concession that was entered into on May 2, 2011 in the tail end of the last administration’s days. To underscore the insincerity of the past administration in this regard, May 2, 2011 was a public holiday.
“When it is considered that like in all other cases, no valuation was embarked upon, only N10m was paid as concession fees for a concession that is supposed to last for a period of 25 years. Against the back drop of very hazy obligations that will bring no benefit to the state, one will not fail to wonder the motivation behind this mindless exercise of power.”
The governor, who did not mention how much was paid for the Ogun House that was concessioned to an individual for 50 years, added that the Gateway Trailer Park was one of the worst cases of abuse of power that any administration could commit.
“I will not rest until all those assets are reverted to Ogun State. We will pay them their money back if necessary as we cannot just allow the state to be signed away. Our solace is that almost all the properties concessioned did not follow due process,” he stated.
Amosun also disclosed that about N2bn was being deducted from source from the state’s monthly revenue through an irrevocable standing payment order entered into by the previous administration.
He added that with the situation on ground, the state government had no alternative than to borrow to pay workers salaries.
By Francis Falola                          Courtesy Of: Punch

Ogun: Five killed in bank robbery

A gang of armed robbers on Wednesday attacked a major commercial bank in Ewekoro killing two persons and injuring several others before carting away an undisclosed amount of money.
The armed robbers, who were said to have invaded the bank with an explosive substance suspected to be dynamites also blew up the doors of the bank and a part of the building ib their desperate attempt to enter the bank.
The armed robbers, according to an eyewitness, Mr. James Akingbola, also raided a filling station around the area where three persons were reportedly shot dead and an undisclosed amount of money carted away.
Akingbola revealed that the two persons killed in the bank attack were members of the National Youths Service Corps with one serving with the bank and the other a guest.
The robbers, who were said to have arrived at the bank in a new unmarked Toyota Hummer SUV shot indiscriminately holding members of staff and customers of the bank hostage.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the armed robbery attack on the bank.
“I also heard that a gang of armed robbers launched an attack on a bank in Ewekoro. I have been making frantic efforts to get the details of what really happened,” he said.
By Francis Falola                          Courtesy Of: Punch

Ministers: PDP kicks against Jonathan’s list

There appears to be disquiet in the Peoples Democratic Party over President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to appoint several technocrats, who are non-PDP members, as ministers.
THE PUNCH learnt in Abuja on Thursday that the issue formed the sole agenda of the party’s National Working Committee meeting on June 15.
An NWC member, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said that most of his colleagues did not understand why Jonathan went outside the PDP to pick technocrats when the party’s list of nominees included many technocrats.
He disclosed that when the NWC’s complaint reached Jonathan last week, he quickly summoned the party’s Acting National Chairman, Dr. Haliru Mohammed, to the Presidential Villa for a discussion.
According to him, Mohammed, on his return, informed the NWC members that the President had difficulties in accommodating the list presented to him by the PDP.
In attendance at the meeting were Alkali; the National Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje; the National Auditor, Dr. Samuel Ortom; the Acting National Youth Leader, Alhaji Garba Musa; and the Deputy National Secretary, Dr. Musa Babayo, in attendance.
The National Vice-Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Yusuf Ayitogo; the National Treasurer, Mr. Williams Makinde; and others also attended the meeting.
Mohammed and the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Alkali, are among the NWC members on the ministerial list expected to be submitted by Jonathan to the Senate today.
Some states were reported to have forwarded the names of 10 nominees to the President to pick from.
At a point, Jonathan, who was also disturbed at the deluge of requests, had described those lobbying for ministerial positions as self-seekers. He promised to disappoint most of them.
The President’s desire to engage technocrats to achieve his election promises was said to have led to the drastic pruning of the list sent to him by the PDP.
It was learnt that although most of the NEC members who attended the June 15 meeting supported the idea of including technocrats in the cabinet, they were opposed to the domination of the federal cabinet by those they referred to as ‘outsiders.’
Our source also disclosed that the NWC members pointed out that all the ministries had enough technocrats to render the necessary advice to their ministers to achieve the President’s development agenda.
He said, “All I know is that the NWC members supported the President’s decision to bring in technocrats into the government. But they did not like the idea of bringing in many technocrats from outside the party.
“They believe that the PDP has enough technocrats with experience in diverse areas and the capacities to handle the specialised ministries.
“In fact, most of the members also argued that the entire ministries have enough technocrats to guide the actions of the ministers who are just political heads.”
However, the PDP position negates the spirit behind the consultative meeting Jonathan had on June 1 with leaders of other political parties. The President had at the meeting solicited the cooperation of the political party leaders by serving them notice of his intention to form an inclusive government.
The President had said, “I want to plead with you that I will not want to run a government of opposition party or main party. I want us to collectively run a Nigerian government, a government that will take the interest of the country at heart and work towards solving our problems, the problems that are dear to our people.
“As we want to start a new government, I am going to consult various groups and professional bodies and I think the first group I should consult is the political family.
“No matter who the President is, no matter who the governor is, what Nigerians are interested in, is to have food on their table, there should be infrastructure, there should be security and there should be good governance.
“I know that the ruling party alone cannot make this possible.”
Meanwhile, the party Zonal Legal Adviser for the North Central, Mr. Kabir Usman, has been included in the list of ministerial nominees.
It was gathered that Usman, who will take Kogi State’s slot might be made a Minister of State because of the inclusion of a former Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Adoke (SAN), also from Kogi State, in the list.
A source in the Presidency said that Usman was nominated by the state chapter of the PDP while Adoke was among the few nominees from the President.
It was further learnt that the issue of who takes the ministerial slot for Niger State has pitched Governor Babangida Aliyu against a former Minister of Information and a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Prof. Jerry Gana, and other top politicians in the state.
Our correspondent gathered that the rift might have threatened the chances of a former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Nuhu Zagbayi, from making the cabinet.
While Aliyu is said to be pushing for the nomination of a former Minister of Youths, Sports, and Social Development, Mr. Sani Ndanusa, Gana is believed to have a preference for Zagbayi.
However, Zagbayi is believed to have been screened by the Ministerial Screening Committee of the State Security Service and the Nigeria Intelligence Agency.
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja                            Courtesy Of: Punch

Bankole demands apology from EFCC for ‘public humiliation’

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to apologise to him for the public humiliation and denial of personal liberty the anti-graft agency has caused him.
Bankole equally said on Thursday that the EFCC should apologise to him for “unlawful detention and discomfort to his person and family since Sunday, June 5, 2011.”
The embattled ex-speaker equally contended that no court had the jurisdiction to try him for anything done while carrying out his official duties as the Speaker.
The embattled former Speaker stated this in an application filed by his lawyer, Mr. Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), to quash the charges of illegally obtaining N37.7bn loan leveled against him before Justice Suleiman Belgore of an Abuja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The apology, he stated, was hinged on the facts that the accused/applicant has been condemned, vilified, demoralised and branded a villain in the public domain as the charges against him were leaked by the Prosecution to the public before arraignment and after arraignment the Prosecuting Counsel granted television interviews where he condemned the Accused/Applicant.
He claimed that the suffered deliberate harassment, intimidation, indignity, humiliation and persecution instead of prosecution when the bail granted him by the Federal High Court on June 13, 2011 was rendered ineffective by the adoption of serial prosecution.
“The EFCC acted maliciously, recklessly and with impunity in the manner it treated the accused/applicant before and during the arraignments,” he added.
By Friday Olokor, Abuja                                Courtesy Of: Punch

Feud in Senate over Majority Leader slot

With four days to the resumption of plenary by the Senate, a feud between two zonal caucuses within the upper chamber is brewing over the Peoples Democratic Party’s decision to zone the Senate Majority Leader position to the South-South.
The North-East senators had on Wednesday rejected the zoning arrangement, alleging that it amounted to marginalisation of the zone.
They also threatened to make the Senate ungovernable should the Senate failed to cede the position, which is third in the hierarchy of the Senate, to the zone.
They also accused the PDP and the Senate leadership of trying to ‘Christianise’ the Senate, as all its top officers, namely, the President of the Senate and his deputy are Christians.
Spokesman for the caucus, Senator Heinekin Lokpobiri , in a statement on Thursday, said the posturing of the North-East senators was an attempt to arm-twist the Senate into changing the decision of the party.
He accused the North-East caucus of trying to “northernise the National Assembly,” stating that the that the zone had themselves to blame if they felt marginalised, since they allegedly traded off of the position of the Deputy Speaker.
Lokpobiri said, “The North-East zone got the position of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives but they traded it off on the floor of the House so why should they turn round to blame anyone.
“We are not prepared to join issues with any group or any of our colleagues but they should not take us for granted. We shall mind our business but let nobody insult our sensibilities.”
By Oluwole Josiah, Abuja                         Courtesy Of: Punch

Reps promise to reduce cost of governance

The House of Representatives on Thursday admitted that it had a “very poor perception” before Nigerians and assured that it would rebuild its image.
As a first step to achieving this, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said that the House “shall heed” the cry of the electorate to slash the prohibitive cost of running governance in the country.
The speaker spoke in Abuja when he received the national executive council members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on a visit to his office.
He said, “We are very conscious of our poor perception by members of the public and are determined to rebuild our image.
“As a first step towards this rebuilding exercise, we shall heed the cry of Nigerians for a review of the running cost of governance in Nigeria.”
The poor perception of the legislature had stemmed from the frequent squabbles among lawmakers over money and other personal gains to the detriment of Nigerians.
For example, each member of the Sixth House, took home over N28million every three months as official running cost, excluding salaries.
But, they further incurred the anger of Nigerians when lawmakers unilaterally jacked up the figure to N42m without recourse to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
In a bid to keep up with the expanded allowances, the House, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, took various loans totaling over N38billion from commercial banks.
The immediate Speaker, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, and his Deputy, Alhaji Usman Nafada, have already been charged to court by the anti-graft agency in connection with the loans and other alleged corrupt decisions of their leadership.
Only RMAFC is empowered under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to fix the emoluments of political office-holders, an indication that lawmakers acted in breach of the law by raising their allowances.
Late last year, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Sanusi Lamido, had complained that about 25 per cent of Federal Government’s overhead budget was used in maintaining the National Assembly.
Tambuwal seized the opportunity of the visit of the NUJ officials to speak on how the House would redeem itself.
His comment also implied that the recurrent expenditure of all arms of government would be pruned down to place emphasis on higher budgetary allocations to capital projects.
The 2011 budget for instance, has a deficit of over N1tn, due largely to bloated recurrent funding of ministries, departments and agencies of government.
The speaker also asked President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a presidential task force on the “Speedy and Effective Implementation of the Freedom of Information Act.”
By John Ameh, Abuja                                 Courtesy Of: Punch

Senators decry high cost of governance

The Nigerian Senators’ Forum on Thursday decried the high cost of running government activities, saying there was an urgent need to reverse the trend.
The forum, which comprises former and serving senators, met in Lagos and said there was a high rate of poverty in the country despite that government activities gulped a lot of money.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the lawmakers said the Federal Government should immediately reduce the huge number of political appointees as this had been responsible for huge financial resources committed to paying political office holders.
The forum also blamed the decay of infrastructure across the country on corruption among public office holders.
The senators said the larger percentage of the national budget was spent on recurrent expenditure, making the execution of development projects impossible.
The forum said the constitution of a national conference had become imperative in order to evolve a new constitution to replace the 1999 Constitution and called for the entrenchment of true federalism as opposed to what it called “unitary system of government that is being practised.
“There is the need to fashion a new constitution because the present constitution was inherited from the military. Greater progress can only be made when there is true federalism,” the communiqué said.
South-West Vice-Chairman of the forum, Senator Omololu Meroyi, who noted that the role of the forum would neither be sectional nor partisan, said, “We owe it a sacred duty to express views and correct situations that might arise in the course of events that may adversely affect our nation or that may portend evil to our people.”
By Kemi Obasola                           Courtesy Of: Punch

N35.5m fraud: Court remands Abiola’s son in EFCC custody

A Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Thursday ordered that Deji, the second son of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola, be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The accused was alleged by the anti-graft agency to have defrauded a businessman, Mr. Jide Jose, of about N35.5m.
Deji, who stood in the dock throughout the court proceedings could not be arraigned.
His lawyer, Mr. A.B Kasumu (SAN), objected to his arraignment, arguing that they were just notified of the process.
The EFCC, alleged that Deji collected N35.5m in 2008 from the complainant, Jose, under the pretext of helping him to import printing machines from Switzerland.
According to the EFCC, Deji never supplied the machines to the complainant but converted the money to his personal use.
During Thursday’s proceedings, EFCC lawyer, Mr. Omeiza Adebola, asked the court to compel the accused to take his plea and be properly arraigned.
Adebola further said the matter had been before the court since September 2, 2010, insisting that the charge should be read to the accused person.
Deji’s lawyer said his client had been enjoying administrative bail granted him by the EFCC and had come to court on his own volition.
He pleaded with the court to grant his client sufficient time to consult with his lawyers before taking his plea as guaranteed by the right to fair hearing.
Before adjourning the case, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo acceded to Kasumu’s request that the accused person be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
The judge adjourned the matter to June 30 for arraignment.
By Ade Adesomoju                      Courtesy Of: Punch

Again, court grants Atuche bail for N50m

For the second time in less than a month, the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Thursday granted bail to former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bank PHB Plc, Mr. Francis Atuche.
The trial judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, granted the bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum.
Justice Okunnu, however, turned down the prayer of the accused to predicate the bail on the conditions earlier given by the Federal High Court, Lagos as did Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, earlier.
Atuche is facing another two separate charges on theft before Justice Onigbanjo and had been granted bail on May 25.
Justice Onigbanjo had granted him bail before he was re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Okunnu, alongside his wife, Elizabeth, and a former Financial Officer of the bank on June 8.
In granting the bail, Justice Onigbanjo said the charges before him and the ones the accused was facing at the FHC were substantially similar.
But Justice Okunnu had earlier ruled that the charges were different and also stated in her ruling on Atuche’s bail on Thursday that she could not import the bail terms given by other courts.
In granting the former Bank PHB chief bail, she said, “I believe I should exercise my discretionary power to grant the defendant but on the following terms.”
The terms as stated by the judge included the sum of N50m bail with two sureties in like sum.
She further ruled that the two sureties, who must be gainfully employed, must be resident in Lagos.
One of the two sureties, she added must be a member of board of director of a financial bank or other reputable firm in Nigeria which had its head office either in Lagos or Abuja with one of them having a real property in Lagos worth N50m.
Among other conditions, she barred him from traveling abroad till the final determination of the case without an express leave of the court.
By Ade Adesomoju                        Courtesy Of: Punch

Minimum wage: Don’t set Nigeria on fire, labour warns govs

Nationwide strike appears imminent as state governors and labour maintained their different positions on the implementation of the N18,000 national minimum wage.
While the governors said on Tuesday night that states, at the moment, lacked the resources to pay the new wage, labour advised them on Wednesday to cut down on the cost of governance in other to overcome the challenge.
The governors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, had after their meeting in Abuja, called on the Federal Government to remove the fuel subsidy.
They argued that the over N693bn the Federal Government claims it spends annually on fuel subsidy could be shared to enable states to have more money.
But the Nigeria Labour Congress advised the governors against setting the country on fire by their non-willingness to pay the new wage and the call for an end to fuel subsidy.
To the NLC, subsidy removal was a direct invitation to anarchy similar to the uprising in the Arab world.
The NGF Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who read a statement at the meeting, said that the governors agreed that the amended Minimum Wage Act, which was signed by President Goodluck Jonathan in March, was a valid law.
He, however, added that the NGF had noted that the implementation of the new wage would pose “considerate challenge to a number of states.”
Amaechi said that the governors had mapped out some measures to resolve the challenges facing the implementation of the wage.
According to him, the forum will have a dialogue with labour “in a holistic manner so that they can agree to a common implementation framework.”
The governor, who reiterated the NGF’s call for the review of the revenue allocation formula in favour of states and local governments, had on June 3, lamented that many states were not buoyant to shoulder the responsibility imposed by the new wage.
He said, “There are states that are receiving over N1bn and their salary is about a billion. How will they manage?
“There are states that are receiving N2.5bn and if you have a minimum wage of about N4bn, how will they manage? Where will they get the N1.5bn to augment?
“There must be a solution that allows small money in the hands of state governors so that they can afford to pay this minimum wage.”
Besides calling for a review of revenue allocation formula and “immediate removal of the petroleum subsidy,” Amaechi said the governors had resolved to set up “a committee to determine the financial implications and work out details of implementing the new wage.”
He added that the NGF would “examine the realities this law (the minimum wage Act) had imposed on states and its implications for workers.”
Reacting to the governors call for fuel subsidy removal, the NLC, through its Acting General Secretary, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, said that it was an indirect appeal for an increase in the cost of pump prices across the country.
It said, “It is bait that the Federal Government should not take. There is a lot of problems in the country, our leaders must learn from the protests that have been sweeping through North Africa and the Arab world.
“Our governors must not set the country on fire. We advise them to pay the minimum wage religiously because the implementation date is April 1, so that they do fall into a lot of arrears.
“So the campaign about new revenue allocation formula and the removal of petroleum subsidy are diversions. We have to resist it.”
The body expressed surprise that the governors were calling for fuel subsidy removal at a time “the standard of living of Nigerians has dropped sharply.”
The congress asked, “How can they be making such a call when Nigerians cannot have kerosene to buy?
It added that “it was not in the interest of the country for any group of people to multiply the problems of Nigerians by hiking the prices of petroleum product, which they claim to be withdrawal of subsidy.”
Stating that “the Nigerian system is sufficiently heated up there,” the NLC warned that , “the NGF must not compound the problem by campaigning for the removal of subsidy.”
The NLC President, Mr. Abdulwahid Omar, and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Mr. Peter Esele, had earlier on Wednesday reacted to Amaechi’s disclosure on Tuesday night that the NGF would engage workers in a dialogue.
They warned in their separate reactions that Nigerian workers would not accept anything less than N18,000 minimum wage.
Reminding the governors that since the new minimum wage had become a law, they stated that the N18,000 agreed by the Federal Government, the organised labour and other stakeholders, was not debatable.
Omar, who addressed the opening session of the National Constitution Review Conference of the Radio Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union conference in Awka, Anambra State, said that states should not claim that they lack the resources to pay the new minimum wage.
What they need to do, he stated, was to cut the excesses in governance so that they could save enough money to pay the wage.
“The current national minimum wage of N18,000 is the law of the land and it was negotiated,” he added.
The NLC President said even though states were free to negotiate with their workers, they must realise that the benchmark remained N18,000 per month.
Omar pointed out that in accepting the minimum wage, labour was conscious of the survival of the national economy.
He said, “Let them call and sit down with the workers so that they can come up with a possible table for salary payment.
“What anybody cannot afford to do is to go below the minimum wage. Give what belongs to us to us and continue with governance.”
Speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone, Esele urged states not to contemplate debating the N18,000 new wage.
He explained that the payment of the wage should be based on law and not the states’ ability to pay.
Esele, therefore, warned that governors would be encouraging lawlessness if they maintained their position that their states could not pay the new wage.
He expressed surprise that most of the governors were saying that they would not pay the new wage except the Federal Government increased their states’ monthly allocations.
The TUC leader said, “One thing is very clear; the governors, who say they cannot pay the new minimum wage, are encouraging lawlessness. They should know that the minimum wage issue is no longer an issue for debate.
“The issue is now a matter of the law and the most important thing is for them to start thinking of how to pay their workers based on the new wage.”
He said that labour unions in the country were already meeting on the matter and would soon make their resolutions public.
Explaining that governors were voted into power based on the provisions of the law, Esele wondered why they (governors) would not want to obey a law backing the payment of the new wage.
He advised that the issue of paying the minimum wage should not be linked to an increase in revenue allocated to the states.
Esele also called on the states to manage the issue of the new wage well to avoid any problem with labour unions.
“If the governors and governments don’t manage this issue of N18,000 minimum wage well, then they should wait for a maximum damage,” he added.
But the Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum, Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State, who attended the National Constitution Review Conference of the Radio Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union conference, said that states were not against the minimum wage.
Obi said that what the governors were asking for was to negotiate the rest of the wages based on the income that each state was getting.
“Some of the governors saying they cannot pay mean well. But they want a dialogue,” he said.
By Niyi Odebode, Fidelis Soriwei, Sunday Ojeme, Emmanuel Obe and Chukwudi Akasike       
Courtesy Of: Punch

Force HQ blast: Police recant, say suicide bomber not responsible

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, has described the June 16 bomb blast at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, Abuja, as a wake-up call to the police.
Ringim dismissed speculations that the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber, stressing that until investigation was concluded, no one could state categorically what went wrong.
He said, “Let me start by correcting the report about the fact that it is suicide bombing. Investigation has not been concluded to confirm the motive as to whether it is suicide bomb or time bomb or otherwise,” he said.
The IG, in his first media briefing after the incident on Wednesday, also denounced as untrue, reports that the alleged suicide bomber visited his residence.
Ringim assured journalists that they would be given updates on the probe of the bombing that led to the death of eight people and destruction of 73 vehicles.
“Investigation into the bomb blast is on course and when there is development members of the media will be updated about the investigation but you will be patient and not allow your report to jeopardize our work,” he said.
The police had, shortly after the blast, attributed the incident to a suicide bomber.
Ringim, who spoke after meeting with top police officers condoled with the police force and the families of those that lost their loved ones to the blast.
He stated that necessary strategy must be put in place by the police in collaboration with other security agencies to secure the country.
The IG explained that he invited the senior police officers to the meeting because of their years of experience in law enforcement.
Ringim said, “We invited you (senior police officers) here to share the experience of the last bomb blast as well as to afford you the opportunity of having a first hand look at the totality of the damage caused by the blast and also draw some lessons.
“We sincerely believe you have a lot of contribution to make to our efforts to chart a new course.
“The last blast was certainly a big wake-up call and we must rise to the challenge.”
Ringim, who declined to entertain any questions after his short address, had kept journalists and the senior police officers waiting for about four hours.
Also on Wednesday, the Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said that military option was not the best solution to the problem caused by the militant Islamist sect, Boko Haram.
By Adelani Adepegba and Emeka Ezekiel, Abuja                            Courtesy Of: Punch

Dimeji Bankole arrives Lagos aboard chartered jet

Embattled former Speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday night arrived Lagos from Abuja aboard a chartered jet, a Hawker Sidley 125.
This is believed to be probably his first visit to Lagos after series of unpleasant experiences in the hands of the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Dressed in his usual white native attire, Dimeji disembarked from the HS 125 plane, which touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, at about 8.02pm.
He was accompanied by some of his aides. The former speaker, however, refused to grant interview to a few journalists, whohad approach him for comments at the Presidential Lounge.
He left in a convoy of three cars, including a black Peugeot 605 car in which he was being driven.
Bankole, as Speaker of the House, was usually flown in one of the aircraft in the Presidential fleet.
By Oyetunji Abioye                         Courtesy Of: Punch

Ministerial list may arrive Senate on Friday

After weeks of delays and apprehensions, indications are rife that the long awaited list of ministerial nominees will reach the Senate latest on Friday.
Our correspondent learnt that the leadership of the Senate was concerned over the delays in the submission of the names for the screening.
A Senator, who is privy to the politics surrounding the selection process, told our correspondent that the President was under severe pressures to either include or drop some names.
He said, “I can tell you the President is under severe pressure. He has continued to include and drop names every now and then because of the pressure. That is what is delaying the submission of the list.
The constant changes is delaying it.
“But I can tell you that the list should reach the Senate unfailingly by Friday, just before we resume plenary. We do not have the names yet; I can confirm that we do not have the list here yet.”
The Senate earlier ruled out the possibility of shortening its three-week break for the screening exercising after predicting that the President might not be ready with the list before the resumption date of June 28.
By Oluwole Josiah, Abuja                               Courtesy Of: Punch

Jonathan appoints Otunla as new Accountant-General

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Jonah Otunla as the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The approval was announced on Wednesday by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi.
Afolabi, in a statement made available to our correspondent, said the appointment of the new Accountant-General would take effect from July 1, 2011.
Meanwhile, the President also confirmed the Acting AGF, Mr. Aderemi Ogunsanya, as a subtantive AGF until June 30 when he will retire from the service.
Ogunsanya had served as the acting Accountant-General of the Federation after the retirement of Ibrahim Dankwabo in December last year.
Otunla was born on June 12, 1955 and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 1979.
He was confered with a Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, amongst other professional qualifications.
Otunla started his career as an Account Management Trainee (Audit) with the then Lever Brothers Nigeria Plc (now Unilever) from 1980 – 1989.
He then moved to the public service at the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (World Bank Assisted) – 1989-1997, from where he rose to become the State Accountant-General (1997-2004).
In 2004 he transferred to join the Federal Civil Service in the Office
of the Accountant-General of the Federation and had served as Director, Commercial/Finance, National Hospital,
Abuja; Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigeria Immigration Service; Ministry of Defence and at the Federal Ministry of Education
By Agency Reporter                   Courtesy Of: Punch

Sacking: Oyo, Alao-Akala in war of words

Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State on Wednesday and his successor, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, engaged each other in a war of words over the recent sacking of some top government officials.
Alao-Akala had in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, described the development as callous and a signal of intimidation to other civil servants.
He said, “While former Governor Alao-Akala retained all the 16 permanent secretaries he inherited and promoted more into that hierarchy, Ajimobi promptly retired two young permanent secretaries and the newly appointed Accountant-General of the state in a most bizarre manner, calling them to the office and telling them ‘You are sacked.’
“Our people should brace up for more of such infraction on the fundamental rights of our people.”
But in a swift reaction, Ajimobi said his administration had excellence as its watchword and as such, “would not suffer fools gladly, in the name of continuing with a tradition of keeping dead woods and those who will not benefit the state.”
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Dr. Festus Adedayo, the governor explained that one of the permanent secretaries retired voluntarily and the other one’s services were found not to be needed by the state government.
He explained further that in the case of the latter, there was a brotherly discussion of the issue between her and government and an agreement reached on why government, in the interest of the people, must appoint a more competent hand into the office.
He said, “The fact that Alao-Akala inherited 16 permanent secretaries and didn’t find anything wrong with their output is not an indication of benevolence. It may signal a deficiency.
“This was vivid in the quality of institutions the former governor left behind in Oyo State. Governor Ajimobi will promote excellence in civil service but will not, in the spirit of keeping with a tradition of incompetence, reward mediocrity and downgrade excellence.”
By Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan                          Courtesy Of: Punch

NURTW: Tokyo seeks N200m from police for defamation

A factional leader of the proscribed Oyo State Council of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (a.k.a. Tokyo, has dragged the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Baba Bolanta, to court for alleged defamation of character.
Akinsola is demanding N200m damages from the police boss for linking him to the recent violence unleashed on the state by some persons suspected to be members of the union.
Tokyo, who had been declared wanted by the state police command alongside another factional leader, Mr. Mukaila Lamidi (a.k.a Auxilliary), made known his latest step in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the state capital, on Wednesday.
He said he took objection to Bolanta’s decision to paste his (Akinsola’s) photographs in strategic places in the metropolis, claiming that he was being wanted over the violence.
He said the action was illegal, saying that the police boss was looking the other way while the real culprits were going round town with weapons.
He said, “Bolanta has no moral justification to declare me wanted. His action is illegal as I am not a criminal. I did not commit any crime. I am suing Bolanta for defamation of my character to the tune of N200m.
“Bolanta should stop spoiling my good name by his sponsored publications. Has Bolanta ever seen me leading any thug to kill anybody at motor parks?”
Meanwhile, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala has accused Governor Abiola Ajimobi of political vendetta.
In a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, on Wednesday, the former governor said the judicial commission of enquiry set up by the state government to probe the NURTW crisis was aimed at indicting him and the police.
He said, “The statement credited to the panel’s chairman that it would step on big toes is an unguided pre-emptory statement that suggests that the assignment of the panel is a ‘wuruwuru to the answer’ arrangement.”
But Ajimobi, in a statement by his Senior Special Adviser on Public Communication, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said Oyelade and his principal were apparently being haunted by the ghost of their days in office and were afraid that judgment day had come.
“Specifically, to douse their apprehension, the commission will not be the voodoo type that was the pastime of the Alao-Akala years. It will conduct a scientific public sitting by receiving testimonies of the years of the locusts where people were cut down in their prime, in the name of politics. To pre-empt the commission’s report as Alao-Akala is doing is cowardly,” he said.
By Olalekan Adetayo, Ibadan                                 Courtesy Of: Punch

FG not showing seriousness on 2009 agreement – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it is still not satisfied with the Federal Government, in spite of the passage of a bill by the National Assembly extending retirement age of professors from 65 to 70 years.
The union had in 2009 entered into an agreement with the Federal Government on reversing the decay in the university system, funding for research and development and upgrading of programmes and facilities.
The parties had also agreed on the extension of retirement age of professors from the existing 65 years to 70, as well as university autonomy among other issues.
The President of the union, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos that the union was insisting on the total implementation of the agreement to avoid any form of breakdown in the education sector.
“Information made available to us from the National Assembly has it that it had just passed the bill on retirement age for lecturers in the professional rofessional cadre.
“I think by this action, government has just started. It is just scratching the surface of the issue and this to a large extent does not show any form of seriousness in taking the sector to its premier position,” he said.
Awuzie said the passage of just the retirement age of professors bill alone, coupled with the low amount allocated to education in the 2011 budget showed that the repositioning of the sector was going to take some time to achieve.
He said, “In 2009, just 13 per cent of the total budget was approved for the education sector and there was an agreement with government that with time, it would gradually progress to 26 per cent before 2020.
“But subsequently, it reduced drastically from the 13 per cent in 2009 to six per cent in 2010, leaving every one to wonder if we are indeed serious with taking the sector to another level.
“Funding is a very critical element in running a university and with the quality of funding we are getting, we would hardly achieve qualitative teaching and learning; whether there is an increase in staff welfare or not.”
He added that governments must be alive to their responsibilities in tackling challenges in the sector holistically, if they desired to rank among the world best economies.
According to Awuzie, the implementation of these provisions is crucial for the ability of the universities to survive and realise the goal of the agreement to reposition the universities in an effort to meet international standards.
The ASUU president said the universities, among other challenges, were losing their most senior academics in the professorial cadre by way of retirement, search for greener pastures and death.
By Agency Reporter                                     Courtesy Of: Punch

Shake-up in Ogun civil service, AG, others retired

A major shake-up in the Ogun State Civil service has claimed eight permanent secretaries including the Clerk of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Demola Badejo, and the immediate past Accountant-General of the state, Mr. Babatunde Salau.
Although no details of the compulsory retirement were made public by the state government officials, investigations by our correspondent, however, revealed that the retirement was part of the ongoing mass purge in the state public service.
Those who were affected apart from Badejo and Salau included the erstwhile Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Babajide Oyeti, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Seyi Banjoko.
Others include Messrs. Jide Oyenuga, Kehinde Ogunfowodu, Moshood Opebiyi and Mufutau Lawal.
Sources close to the Oke-Mosan Governor’s Office also revealed that the state government had commenced the downward review of salaries of permanent secretaries who at the twilight of the administration of immediate past governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, were allegedly given an undue upward review of salaries.
The Amosun-led administration in the state was allegedly irked by the fact that some of the affected officials were said to have been promoted outside the state Civil Service guidelines and procedure, a development that had generated unnecessary controversy among other colleagues.
Our correspondent learnt that the salary review was as a result of the current financial position of the state.
The retirement of the affected permanent secretaries had become a subject of discussion among top civil service staff in the state and the affected officials were said to have received the news with shock.
One of the affected officials who spoke in a telephone interview with our correspondent confirmed the development but added that the state government had not issued official letters to the affected staff.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, took his plight as an act of God and declined to comment further on the issue.
Reacting to the development, the state government, through the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communication, Mrs. Funmi Wakama, denied knowledge of the retirement.
Speaking to journalists on telephone, Wakama said, “I am not aware, but I will try to get across to the governor who is currently attending a meeting of the Governors’ Forum in Abuja.”
By Francis Falola, Abeokuta                                      Courtesy Of: Punch

EFCC asks judge to disqualify self from ex-banker’s trial

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday asked a Lagos High Court judge, Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, to disqualify himself from further hearing of the two cases involving former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bank PHB Plc, Mr. Francis Atuche.
A counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Sebastine Hon (SAN), told the court to hand-off the prosecution’s two separate applications in the cases, one involving Atuche and Mr. Funmi Ademosun; and the other involving the ex-bank MD and Mr. Lekan Kasali.
The EFCC’s applications came on the heels of the refusal of the Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Inumidun Akande, to re-assign the cases to another judge, as the commission had requested in a petition.
In the applications dated June 22, the EFCC asked for an order of the court, presided over by Justice Onigbanjo, to disqualify itself from further presiding on the cases or any other application pending before it.
In one of the applications, EFFC asked the court to give an order “that this Honourable Court presided over by Honourable Justice Onigbanjo to excuse, remove and or disqualify itself from presiding over, sitting upon or hearing to determine or continue to preside over the determination of charge No. ID/150C/2011.”
The EFCC said it would not get justice from the judge.
Justice Onigbanjo adjourned the matters to September 19 after Atuche’s lawyer, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), and other defence lawyers requested for time to respond to the EFCC application.
The anti-graft agency had, in a petition dated June 8, asked the CJ to re-assign the two cases to another judge, claiming that Justice Onigbanjo had earlier in a ruling on the accused persons’ application for bail made comments that amounted to prejudging the substantive suit.
The anti-graft agency, in the petition, had alleged that Justice Onigbanjo’s comments that the two cases involving Atuche and two others were substantially similar to the case with Suit No. FHC/L/396C/09 the EFCC preferred against Atuche at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The CJ, responding to EFCC’s petition in a letter dated June 15 and signed by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the High Court, A. Ipaye-Nwachukwu, stated that the rulings on which their petition was premised only formed part of the rulings of the court.
By Ade Adesomoju                           Courtesy Of: Punch

Boko Haram: Jonathan meets security chiefs

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday met with the heads of the country’s security establishments over the growing threats to national security by a radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram.
The meeting, which held behind closed doors was said to have reviewed “the developments surrounding Thursday’s bomb blast at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja.”
Before the meeting, there was apprehension in the Force headqurters over the job of Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim.
This was sequel to rumours that Jonathan might sack the IG and some other police chiefs over the lapse(s) that led to the blast.
Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the incident that led to the death of eight people and destruction of 73 vehicles in the police headquarters’ car park.
A source in the Presidential Villa, who asked not be named, told one our correspondents, that the meeting between THE President and the security chiefs also considered ways of addressing the activities of the Islamist group.
He said, “The meeting deliberated extensively on whether the incident (Force headqurters bombing) was actually a case of suicide bombing, an accidental detonation of the explosive by the carrier, or a deliberate detonation by somebody else who was within the police headquarters at the time of the incident.”
Options being canvassed by the government in addressing problem include a “carrots and sticks” approach that involves dialogue with a promise of amnesty to Boko Haram members or heightened security surveillance and armed confrontation.
The security chiefs at meeting were Ringim, the National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi (retd.); the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Mohammed Umar.
Others were the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sa’ad Ibrahim; the Director-General State Security Service, Ita Ekpenyong; the Nigerian Intelligence Agency counterpart, Olaniyi Oladeji; and the Commissioner of Police, Borno State Command, M. D Abubakar.
Before Jonathan’s meeting with the security chiefs, there were rumours in Abuja that the IG and some police chiefs might be sacked over the activities of Boko Haram.
There were two conflicting claims on why Ringim was in Presidential Villa ahead of most of those that attended the meeting with the President.
While one had it that he was summoned over the Force headquarters bombing, the other claimed that he was only there for the security chiefs meeting with Jonathan.
The IG’s absence at the Police headqurters led to the postponement of the conference of senior officers till Tuesday evening.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Olusola Amore, had told the officers and journalists, who came for the meeting at about 11.16 am that the IG had gone for “a crucial meeting.’’
Amore later appealed to the journalists to excuse the gathering for the senior officers to discuss some issues.
Findings revealed that Azazi later met with the Federal Bureau of Investigation team probing the blast. He was said to have been briefed by the US team on the progress so far made.
Jonathan also held discussions with some state governors, especially those from the South- South.
The governors included the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Timipreye Sylva (Bayelsa); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).
Details of what transpired at the closed door consultations were not disclosed, but it was gathered that matters to be considered by the governors at their meeting today were raised.
It was also learnt that issues relating to the appointment of new ministers were part of the agenda of the consultations.
The nomination of the would-be ministers had been a source of crises in some states.
In separate interviews with journalists after the meeting, Amaechi and Ahmed condemned the activities of Boko Haram, particularly, the bomb blast at the Force headquarters.
Amaechi said, “The people of Rivers State condemn the bomb blast; it is disastrous and I think we should do something to ensure that it does not repeat itself.
“It is becoming a little bit worrisome that our brothers who call themselves members of Boko Haram can go to the extent of making us lose innocent lives. We condemn it in its totality.”
Shedding light on how officers of the police force in Rivers State recently rescued some kidnapped members of the National Youth Service Corps, Amaechi said, “There is nothing special about the police in Rivers State, it is just that we have been blessed that those who work in our state could become part of us and will readily want to defend their ‘brothers and sisters.’
“I am not saying the police here (Abuja) are not committed, but there could be security slip not because it was intentional but because they have looked at it that those coming to the police Headquarters are innocent Nigerians, who have one business or the other to transact and it has nothing to do with the capacity or competence of the NPF.”
On his part, Ahmed advised that relevant authorities should first address the issues that make Nigerians a willing tool of terrorist groups.
After all the governors left the Villa, THE PUNCH gathered that a meeting of the National Economic Council, scheduled for Wednesday(today), might not take place.
The NEC comprises the 36 state governors and relevant Federal Government officials, including some ministers and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
By Ihuoma Chiedozie and Adelani Adepegba                      Courtesy Of: Punch

Principal offices: Reps set to defy PDP again

Feelers from the National Assembly on Tuesday indicated that members of the House of Representatives were still unwilling to yield to pressure by the Peoples Democratic Party to allow it decide how the remaining positions for principal officers in the House would be shared.
With the position of speaker taken by Mr. Aminu Tambuwal (North-West) and deputy speaker given to Mr. Emeka Ihedioha (South-East), there are four other key offices up for grab.
They are the positions of House Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Whip.
The PDP had opposed the emergence of Tambuwal and Ihedioha on the excuse that lawmakers disregarded the zoning arrangement of the party.
By its zoning decision, the party had originally zoned the position of speaker to the South-West and the deputy speaker to the North-East.
However, after the lawmakers jettisoned the zoning policy by overwhelmingly voting for Tambuwal/Ihedioha on June 6, the pair later apologised to the party and begged for forgiveness.
Reports indicated that the condition the party gave for accepting the apology was that it would decide how the remaining offices and key standing committees of the House would be shared.
This decision was said to have been taken in a bid to placate aggrieved zones that had lost out in the power equation and redeem the zoning policy of the PDP.
Investigations by THE PUNCH, however, showed that the House was not about to defer to the party.
It was learnt that just as they did in selecting Tambuwal and Ihedioha, many lawmakers were bent on deciding who filled the vacant positions, not the PDP.
A series of meetings held by lawmakers at various caucuses since the House went on vacation two weeks ago had reportedly failed to resolve the issue. Majority of the lawmakers complained about what they described as the “PDP’s meddlesomeness.”
An influential member of the House confided in The PUNCH in Abuja that his colleagues were not interested in “any zoning arrangement by the PDP.”
The House member said, “The PDP should allow us to run our affairs; they should concentrate on how to manage the party, not the House.
“Zoning will not work because it is against the principles of democracy. We have argued over and over that it (zoning) has no backing in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This is an independent House; in a democracy, there is separation of powers.
“The PDP must come to terms with the fact that whatever it says outside does not change how we plan to take our decisions on the floor of the House.
“We have started a revolution in the House and there is no going back on it.”
Findings on Monday showed that three of the front runners for the position of House Leader for instance, were from the South-South, the zone that produced President Goodluck Jonathan.
A former chairman of the Committee on Power, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu (Delta State) and a former Chairman of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, Mr. Leo Ogor (Delta State), are in the race.
A third aspirant, Mr. Friday Etulah (Edo State), is also said to be in the race, an indication that the South-West and North-East were left of out of the calculations.
But, the PDP said that it was not aware that its lawmakers in the House were bent on working at cross-purposes with it.
According to the National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Alkali Rufai, the PDP is yet to be informed that the House is not ready to cooperate with the party.
“I am not aware of it. How am I sure that it is from them? Okay, I will make some calls and get back to you,” Rufai said.
When he was contacted again, the publicity secretary replied, “I am just hearing this from you. I cannot be too sure that your facts are right.
“I have not heard it from any other place. I have no further comment at the moment until I get details. But I want to say categorically, that there is no division within the National Working Committee on any matter at the moment.
“Contrary to insinuation, we are not in any crisis.”
Investigations also revealed that plum committees like the Committee on Appropriation might go to the North-West.
As lawmakers intensified scrambling for committee positions, The PUNCH learnt that a powerful legislator from the North-West, who campaigned vigorously for Tambuwal’s emergence, was angling to be chairman of the committee on appropriations.
Sources close to the Selection Committee chaired by Tambuwal, confided in THE PUNCH that many ‘ranking’ lawmakers were lobbying to head top committees like Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream); Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream); Committee on Gas Resources; Committee on House Services; and Committee on Defence.
These committees and others like Committee on Finance, Committee on Education, Banking and Currency, Committee on Customs and Committee on Communications are perceived by lawmakers to be “juicy”, a reason which explains the alleged scheming for their membership.
A source close to the leadership confirmed to one of our correspondents on Monday that members were being considered for the committees but declined to speak on the likely chairmen.
He said, “The Selection Committee has been working; they are working on the various committees and picking members.
“As for the chairmen, I don’t know anything about that; I can’t speak on that.”
By John Ameh and Fidelis Soriwei                      Courtesy Of: Punch

New senators face accommodation problems

Although the Senate is scheduled to resume plenary on Tuesday, June 28, new senators may not be ready for work as they are currently grappling with the problem of securing residential accommodation in the nation’s capital.
It was gathered that the lawmakers were faced with the burden of raising millions of naira being demanded by house owners in choice places, while getting accommodation in areas with adequate security was almost impossible.
Senator Smart Adeyemi, who heads an ad hoc committee of the Senate in charge of allocating offices to senators, confirmed the problem, saying it had become discouraging to the lawmakers.
He, however, noted that the office accommodation was ready and was not a problem as members were already getting their allotments.
Adeyemi said, “The problem facing new senators now is accommodation. It is not easy to get accommodation in Abuja right now. Do you know how much it costs to pay for a good accommodation in this city?
“That is why the sale of the Apo Legislative Quarters was a serious mistake. Where were you journalists when the government sold those quarters, now lawmakers can’t find accommodation. That is the huge problem right now.
“It is also very expensive to stay in a hotel in the city. It is very expensive. The new lawmakers are very disappointed.”
He also said besides getting good accommodation, it was important that lawmakers resided in secure place given the fact that comments made by a legislator on the floor could result to attacks from evil people.
Asked what solutions were available to the lawmakers’ problems, Adeyemi said there was no solution for now, wondering how the new lawmakers would cope when they resume next week.
The legislative quarters were sold to sitting members by the Obasanjo administration in line with the monetisation policy of the government, with the exception of the quarters of presiding officers.
Adeyemi recommended that the only solution to the problem was the reversal of the sales of the quarters, while the government should refund the monies of the buyers.
By Oluwole Josiah                         Courtesy Of: Punch

Legislators don’t receive jumbo pay – Ndoma Egba

FORMER Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, on Tuesday defended the controversial allowances popularly known as jumbo pay being received by federal lawmakers.
The Senator said what Nigerians had continued to describe as jumbo pay was what other arms of government, such as the judiciary and the executive receive as overheads.
He argued that as a Senator of the Federal Republic Nigeria, he had not received any jumbo allowance as he had documentary evidence to prove that he was not being paid any jumbo package.
Ndoma-Egba spoke on the controversial issue while delivering a keynote address entitled on ‘The Nigerian Legislature: Reconnecting with the Public and Challenges of Perception’ at an induction/interaction session for elected members of the Delta State House of Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said federal lawmakers were perceived negatively because of public misinterpretation of the overhead cost of the National Assembly and the negative lifestyle of some members of the legislature.
He said the recorded incidents of military intervention in the politics of the country and the suspension of the executive arm of government for 28 years did not help matters as it had whittled down the magnitude of importance of the legislature before the public.
Ndoma-Egba, who said public perception of lawmakers in the country was unfavourable and even hostile, added that legislators were not assessed and judged by their primary responsibilities but by issues that were extraneous to their role as lawmakers.
He said, “Speaking for myself as a senator, I don’t earn any jumbo pay. I have my pay slips. Now the matter is in court so I will not comment much. What has been ascribed to the legislators as jumbo pay is what in other arms of government you refer to over heads.
“The cost of running the institution is said to be part of my salary and allowance.
“A number of factors are responsible for this hostile perception. Some of the factors are self-inflicted and others are historical. In 1999 when the senators were to move to their Apo quarters, the FCDA proposed to furnish the houses with N12m each and the senators said no that amount was too high.
“Give us N3.5m and we will renovate our houses by ourselves. What went to the public? They said the lawmakers wanted to steal N3.5m. Nobody ever spoke about the people who proposed to do the renovation for N12m. So the image stocked.”
Also, the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, decried the high turnover of lawmakers in the April general elections.
Uduaghan said it was pertinent for lawmakers to spend long periods in the house to garner experience which was important for the development of legislative arm of government and the actualisation of the desired development in the country.
The Delta State governor also urged lawmakers across the country to give the deserved attention to the high expectations of their constituents in the performance of their legislative functions in the country.
By Fidelis Soriwei                      Courtesy Of: Punch