Members of Senator Ndume's constituency stage protest over his supension from the senate

Members of Senator Ali Ndume's constituency in Borno state this morning staged a protest over his suspension from the senate. Ndume was suspended by the senate for moving a motion for the senate to investigate Sahara reporters claim that Dino Melaye forged his certificate and Senate President Bukola Saraki purchased a Range Rover Bulletproof SUV without paying the necessary Customs duty.

His suspension for 6 months was announced on Wednesday on the floor of the house, following recommendations by the senate's committee on Ethics and Priviledges.

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Photos: Former president Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience, at a function in Okirika town

The former President and his wife attended a chieftaincy ceremony in Okirika town, Rivers state Saturday. See more photos after the cut...

Between Dino Melaye & EFCC on Twitter and hilarious comments from Nigerians

After Sen. Dino Melaye tweeted that he has info that EFCC was trying to cook up allegations against him, the official Twitter account of EFCC sent out a sub, which many say was to Melaye, and trust Nigerians to have something to say about it. See the responses after the cut...

Ben Murray-Bruce urges federal government to increase minimum wage, says it will reduce corruption

As he shared on his twitter page..

Madagascar FA President, Ahmad dethrones Hayatou

Ahmad Ahmad (2ndL) of Madagascar reacts after being elected the new president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Addis Ababa on 16 March 2017. Madagascar’s football chief Ahmad Ahmad was elected president of the Confederation of African Football today, ousting veteran leader Issa Hayatou after 29 years in office. PHOTO: Zacharias Abubker / AFP

African football heaved a sigh of relief yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when Madagascar Football Association chief, Ahmad, ended Issa Hayatou’s 29-year reign as Confederation of African Football president.

Ahmad won 34 out of the 54 votes cast in the election held inside the African House, where Nigeria’s Amaju Melvin Pinnick also beat Benin Republic’s Moucharafou Anjorin by 32 to 17.

Yesterday’s results heralded a change in the leadership of African football for the first time since 1988, but it had been long in coming.

The result also makes Ahmad, who in his acceptance speech invited every well-meaning football official in the continent to help in rebuilding the body, only the seventh president in CAF’s 60-year history.

This is the fourth attempt by the younger elements in CAF to try to change the leadership of the body since allegations of ineptitude and corruption started surfacing in the hitherto closely-knit executive committee.

Hayatou routinely beat his first challengers, Armando Machado of Angola (2000) and Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana.

At the last elections in Marrakesh, Morocco, Hayatou was returned unopposed because his challenger, Jacques Anouma of Cote d’Ivoire was declared ineligible to contest because he was not a member of the CAF executive committee.

The was a fall out of the CAF constitutional amendment engineered by Hayatou in September 2012, which states that anybody who is not a member of the body’s executive cannot vie for any elective position.

Nobody could challenge Hayatou’s rule, but many were not happy with his iron rule. They found an outlet in Ahmad, who rallied the young elements in CAF to the fight against the Camerounian’s hegemony.

Ahmad said before yesterday’s polls, “Many of my colleagues are demanding for change. And I believe that it is time for change, which is why I have decided to challenge him in the elections.

“We cannot keep complaining about the problems of African football in private and not be prepared to do nothing about it in the open. Why are people so afraid?

“We live in a time of transformation. The majority of federation presidents have changed. There are many more young people than before.”

The 57-year-old Ahmad, a two-time minister in Madagascar, who is currently the vice-president of his country’s senate, had the support of the new leaders in FIFA in his battle for succession.

The argument was that all the confederations’ bosses are less than 60 years, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, 45, and so it was out of place for Africa to be led to FIFA congress by a 72-year-old man, who many believe is close to 80 years.

Infantino had his reason for supporting Ahmad, apart from the age considerations.

The first sign that Hayatou’s reign was coming under its biggest threat emerged when 14 Southern African countries and Nigeria publicly declared support for Ahmad.

Even the last minute efforts to use some governments to force their FAs presidents to vote for Hayatou did not work, as at the collation of votes, Hayatou could only muster 20 out of the 54 votes.

Ahmad told reporters when his victory at the polls was revealed, “I can’t talk at this time. Only one thing – I thank God, I thank my team.

“We worked hard but we won. That was the first step. The second step is to develop African football.

“Some days I thought I would win – today I didn’t (think I would win).”

He added: “When you try to do something, you mean that you can do it. If I can’t do it, I never stand.

“This is sweet victory. When you work hard for years and months and you succeed, that is great.”

While Ahmad and his supporters were jubilating yesterday, Hayatou departed the auditorium humbled. He said, however, “It is not that bad.”

Aside the CAF Presidency, Hayatou also lost his position at Fifa, where he had been the longest-serving executive.

Ahmad has promised to modernise the body and make it more transparent.

Hayatou’s tenure as president will certainly be equalled by no other, as an amendment to the CAF statutes, at last September’s extraordinary congress in Cairo, ensures that his successor can only have a maximum of 12 years in office.

King of Morocco congratulates Buhari on return to Nigeria

The King of Morocco, King Mohammed VI has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his return to Nigeria.

This was contained in a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

According to Adesina, the Moroccan monarch had a telephone conversation with Buhari on Thursday, where he also invited him to Morocco.

The statement read: “His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his successful return from a medical vacation in London.

“In a telephone call Thursday, the Moroccan monarch expressed delight and happiness at the kind of reception Nigerians gave President Buhari when he returned home. He said it was evidence of a leader widely loved by his people.

“King Mohammed VI, who had been in Nigeria on a state visit last December, invited President Buhari to visit Morocco in the same fashion.

“Responding, the Nigerian President thanked the Moroccan monarch for his congratulatory call, and the growing partnership between the two countries.

“Earlier today, a Moroccan delegation made of top government officials had met with senior Nigerian government officials. Both President Buhari and King Mohammed VI expressed happiness at the success of the meeting.”

Buhari returned to the country last Friday, after spending almost 50 days in the UK on medical vacation.

NNPC to intensify anti-corruption drive, says Baru

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru PHOTO: TWITTER/NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has pledged to strengthen the anti-graft war across its value chain to ensure efficiency and optimisation of resources.

The NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Maikanti Baru, said this on Thursday in Abuja in a statement signed by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department.

Baru was speaking when he received a delegation of Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria ( ACAN ) in his office.

According to Baru, the NNPC, as an entity that supports anti-corruption, has appropriate sanctions against staff found to have flouted established process and procedures.

He said the Corporation would work with the management of ACAN, the research and training department of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Tribunal, ICPC, to sustain its age-long tradition.

”We have retired some members of staff and meted out penalties on others who flouted our process.

”NNPC was the first agency of government to form an in-house anti-corruption committee soon after the proclamation of the ICPC Act.

”This action shows our commitment to transparency and openness in all we do; it also shows our zeal to ensure that our staff imbibe the culture of fighting corruption,” the NNPC boss said.‎

He said that the Corporation’s anti-corruption posture had been accentuated with the monthly publication of NNPC financial and operational report in national newspapers, on the NNPC website and other online news portals.

Baru said that the Corporation was prompt in its remittance of oil and gas revenues into the Federation Account.

He also said that the corporation had embraced the practice of conducting open public bid exercises in sourcing service providers and suppliers for operational requirements.

”These open bid exercises are usually covered live by major television networks in the full glare of representatives of the bidding companies.

“Officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Civil Society Organisations and independent assessors are always present at such bids.

”The NNPC is undergoing reforms anchored on full activation of the 12 Business Focus Areas, BUFA, with the cardinal philosophy of engendering an efficient first class oil and gas entity with clear-eyed gaze at transparency and accountability,” he said.

In his remark, Prof. Sola Akinrinade, Provost of the Academy, said ACAN was ready to help the Corporation to boost its anti-corruption quotient with apt capacity building sessions for staff and management.

the guardian

Photos: Pres Buhari receives a "Get Well Soon" card from state governors

State governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, today presented President Buhari a " Get Well Soon" card at the state house Abuja.

 President Buhari returned to Nigeria last Friday following a long medical vacation in the UK. Upon his return, Buhari disclosed that he has never been this sick in his entire life. The governors gave him the card at the National Economic Council meeting. See more photos after the cut.

If Magu is rejected because of DSS allegations, then Saraki should not be senate president- Sen Ali Ndume says

Senator Ali Ndume says if acting EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, can be rejected because of allegations made by DSS against him, then Bukola Saraki should not be the Senate President because he is currently in court answering to allegations of false declaration of Assets leveled against him by the Federal government.


Speaking on Channels TV today, Ndume said there is no justification for Magu's rejection by his colleagues. According to Ndume, himself, his colleagues and the senate president have been alleged to have committed different types of crime but yet they still remain in office. He argued that until such allegations are proven beyond doubts, Magu's rejection by the senate is faulty.

“We have all been accused, I have been accused of sponsoring Boko Haram, the senate president is still going court, same as other members who have cases in court, yet they occupy seats in the senate. So, if you say because of the allegations he (Magu) should not be confirmed, then I should not be a sitting senator and Saraki should not be there as senate president” he said

Boko Haram attacks military location in Damaturu, kills captain, 5 Soldiers

BokoHaram insurgents group has attacked a military location in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital on Saturday, killing five soldiers and a Captain in the process.

Soldiers in Damaturu confirmed the development to our Correspondent on Sunday, saying they lost the officers after Boko Haram militants attacked the 27 Task Force Brigade located in Buni Yadi, one of the Boko Haram strongholds in that part of the state.

The attack on Saturday evening was second since the Nigerian military claimed it has displaced the Boko Haram insurgents at Camp Zairo, said to be the Boko Haram last stronghold.

It will be recalled that since the claim by the Nigerian military over the destruction of Camp Zairo in the Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram militants have made several attacks particularly in Borno, probably to send a massage that, they a very much on ground.

While confirming the attack which occurred on Saturday at a military location in Buni Yadi, the spokesman of the 27 Task Force Brigade, Lt. George Okupe in a text message to newsmen said the attack was successfully repelled by the troops.

According to Lt. Okupe “Buni Yadi came under attack at about 6:15 pm, but troops have successfully repelled the attack. We cannot confirm casualty figure now but things are under control. Details will be made available to you as soon as we are done with all necessary clearance.”

However, soldiers, who claimed they lost an officer and men in the attack told newsmen that, there is no need to hide what has happened; “The attack was a surprise one, and anyone can be taken unawares. The insurgents came from the eastern side of the brigade in large numbers and launched superior fire power on the military formation before they were repelled,” The Soldiers said.

The casualty on the side of Boko Haram is yet to be disclosed, but another military source disclosed that the insurgents also suffered heavy casualty in the attack as many dead bodies were seen scattered in the bush.

Buni Yadi, the headquarters of Gujba Local Government was taken over by the insurgents for almost a year before it was recaptured by the military in May 2015. However, earlier reports from the area suggested that, men with automatic weapons had been seen in large number since the military claimed victory over the Boko Haram militants in Sambisa Forest, where it claimed it recovered the Boko Haram’s leader’s Holy Book and Flag.

"If you like bug my phone" - Wike says his govt will stand with dismissed police officers

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the government and people of the state will stand with the six policemen illegally dismissed by the Police High Command for political reasons because they committed no crime known to law.

The policemen attached to the security team of the Governor were dismissed from the force over allegation of causing chaos during the December 10 legislative re-run election in the state.
The governor noted that the government and people of Rivers State will pursue the matter through laid down legal processes to its logical conclusion. 
He spoke on Saturday in Ahoada East Local Government Area during the defection of Former APC Chieftain and Former Ahoada East Local Government Chairman, Mr Cassidy Ikegbidi.
"They gave me policemen for my protection, but before I knew it, they have dismissed them. They think they are punishing them , but Rivers State will stand with them forever. By the time we finish, they will realise that they have favoured the so-called dismissed policemen. In Rivers State, we don't abandon people. No amount of intimidation, will make me abandon these innocent policemen ".
Governor Wike added: " The Policemen committed no offence. Simply because they followed their boss, they said they should be dismissed. They want to discourage policemen from protecting me. For me, I am not worried. I am a village man and a grassroots politician. Before you kill me, you would have killed so many people ".
He said that Rivers PDP is on ground in the state because it delivers projects to the people .
The governor noted that Rivers people will continue to protect their votes despite the evil machinations of the APC.
"Nobody will intimidate me to change my mind. If you like bug my phone. As far as I will never plan coup, I will never be afraid. A man with the people will never beg those who are bent on intimidating us.
"The blood pressure of APC leaders is extremely high. I will continue to make their blood pressure grow higher. From now on, I have changed my name from high tension to Mr Project. "

Stop beating about the bush, release El-Zakzaky – Shiites tell Buhari

The Islamnic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites, has told President Muhammadu Buhari, to stop beating about the bush and release their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

This message was conveyed by their spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, in a statement released on Sunday.

He called on Buhari to obey court orders and set El-Zakzaky free.

The statement reads: “In his New Year message to Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari, made an unusual call to those he termed the Shia community, whom he referred to as his “brothers and sisters.

“We note the leap in his outlook of the IMN from his infamous “state within a state” gaffe in his maiden Presidential speech to “our brothers and sisters of the Shia Community” all within one year. This is a remarkable feat considering the snail speed his administration has come to be characterized with.

“Beyond this however, the President actually evaded the points at issue. His call that we “must accept the laws of the country” we live in should actually have been echoed to him. Have we not challenged all acts of brutality and extra-judicial killing of our members in our law courts peacefully? Even in the face of extreme persecution and provocation, we have followed the laws of the land, not by taking the laws into our hands, or by employing jungle justice or disobeying any legitimate laws of the country, but by seeking redress in law courts, even as we know of the administration’s legendary disregard for court orders.

“On the contrary, Mr President, you are yet to obey the court order to release our leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, whom you have held in illegal detention, without charges, for more than a year now despite a court order for his release! Mr President, only last week our leading Counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) had written to remind you of that court order through your Chief Law officer, the Attorney-General. Thus, we must ask you to stop begging the question. You should obey the laws of the country you lead by obeying court order to free Sheikh Zakzaky immediately!

“Secondly, Mr President, we are not an “island” by ourselves as your speech portrayed. We are well embedded into all aspects of the society, contributing positively in various ways to its success. We have built bridges across both intra and inter-faith divides. We have been bridging gaps across tribal and regional divides. We have been exposing the evil machination of authorities against its very citizens. Is that not the very reason the authorities seek to curtail what they perceive as our glowing influence and impact on the society? When campaign of blackmail and calumny by government and its protégé failed woefully, your government applied maximum and irrational force in attempt to crush us. Again on the contrary, you are more of an island into yourself, detached from reality. You rely on cooked up reports, which you call “intelligence” based on private prejudices that do not reflect reality to formally crystallize into official resentment and hate for a group and its leadership.

“We take your call Mr President that the law enforcement agencies must treat us “humanely and according to the rule of law” as a confessional statement and an admittance that hitherto, they’ve acted inhumanly like beasts. We wish to remind you what our leader said at the inception of your administration, that you should re-constitute and re-orientate the Nigerian Army in order not to inherit “an army that sees citizens as enemies.” This advice to you to bring change in the way the military operated against civilians and the Movement was widely reported in the media. It is still apt.

“Finally, we call on the President to stop beating around the bush. He must release Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky immediately as ruled by the Court of the land. We expect him to also order for the immediate release of all those who are still being held in various places of detention across the country since the brutal attack on us. We expect him to take bold steps against the officers that massively killed citizens in Zaria, Kaduna, Kano, Funtua and Sokoto since the onset of the attacks on us in December of 2015. We expect actions to address the matter of victims secretly buried in mass graves.

“We demand for payment of compensation for lives and property destroyed in the ill-conceived attacks. We await his words of condolences in relation to those extra-judicially killed since the pogrom started.”

dailypost

Your ‘change’ policies must change in 2017 – PDP tells Buhari

The national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to change his economic policies in 2017.

PDP said only a change in the acclaimed “change policies” could take the country out of economic recession.

National publicity secretary for the caretaker committee headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

Adeyeye said that the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government must scout for competent economic experts to fix the economy.

He said, “We advise the APC-led administration in this year (2017) to urgently employ the services of economic experts to put in place viable policies that will revamp our ailing economy.

“We are presently in recession because of significant decline in government business in both internal and external spheres.

“The Federal Government should increase money supply, cause rise in disposable income (spending) and decrease mindless taxation which have led to high inflation and multiple prices in money market.”

Photo: See punishment metted out to a Boko Haram member by a Chadian Army officer

Jonathan disowns comment on 2019 elections

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has debunked an online report which claimed that he spoke about 2019 elections in a meeting with his kinsmen in his hometown, Otuoke,  Bayelsa state.
A statement issued by Jonathan’s media aide, Mr.Ikechukwu Eze, dismissed the claim as lies, stressing  that the former President was neither in his home state on the stated date nor met with his “kinsmen who paid him an end of year visit”, as claimed in the false report.

The statement said further: “Our attention has just been drawn to a fabricated online publication alleging that the former President Goodluck Jonathan made comments on the 2019 elections, while hosting his kinsmen in Otuoke last Tuesday.

“Those reports are false and bear no truth whatsoever. The former President was not in Otuoke on Tuesday, neither did he make the comments attributed to him. In fact, he has only just returned to his community to spend Christmas having been away for two weeks, so he could not have been hosting anyone there last Tuesday.

“Of what good is it to our national development efforts if some people spend so much energy spreading falsehood about fellow citizens and our nation?

“The former President wishes his fellow compatriots a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year in advance, and advises all to always channel their efforts towards working to attain the nation of our collective dreams.”

Rivers rerun: Governor Wike inaugurates judicial commission of inquiry

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Killings/Violence witnessed during the state's legislative rerun/supplementary elections that held on December 10th. Inaugurating the Judicial Commission of Inquiry today at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike charged the commission to find out the number of those killed and who was responsible for their deaths.


He also charged the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to ascertain the names of those who were killed. The governor stated that it is not within the purview of the Commission to investigate how the elections were conducted.

"This Judicial Commission of Inquiry is not to investigate how they conducted their elections. You are to investigate the murders that attended the elections. Those involved in the killings will face the full weight of the law. This government has the capacity to follow through"he said

He called on members of the commission to stand by the truth and be courageous in the discharge of their assignment. Responding, Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu said that the commission would discharge its assignment within the confines of the law.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry has the following terms of reference:

▪Investigate the remote and immediate causes of the violence during the December 10 , 2016 rerun/supplementary elections in Rivers State.
▪Identify the perpetrators of the various acts of violence and killings in the aforesaid election. ▪Identify the victims of the violence including those killed
▪Identify if property was damaged and the value of any such property
▪Determine if the violence was localised to specific areas within the state or was state-wide
▪Make appropriate recommendations concerning their findings or any other òrecommendations as the commission may consider appropriate in the circumstance and ▪Submit its report to the Governor of Rivers State within one (1) month from the date of its sitting.

Photos: INEC Chairman Yakubu pay condolence visit to IGP Idris over death of police officers in Rivers State

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Mahmood Yakubu and his management team on Wednesday, December 21st, paid condolence visit to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris, for the death of Police officers in the December 10th Rivers re-run election, in his office at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters Abuja.

Meanwhile, the commission has set up a four-man committee to investigate the role of it staff in the conduct of the rerun elections. In a bulletin issued on Wednesday in Abuja, it stated that the committee was expected to submit its report on Jan. 30, 2017.

The committee headed by Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, was also mandated to determine the involvement and possible culpability of INEC officials in the conduct and outcome of the elections and "recommend appropriate sanctions against officials involved in any infractions and commendation for exceptional performance"

Other members of the committee includ AVM Ahmed Mu'azu, INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Jacob Jatau, FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner and Omoloja Tajudeen, INEC Deputy Director(Discipline)

More photos below...

No sense in running a central Federal government- Atiku Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said that operating a central Federal government is overburdening to the economy and has caused the Federal government not to meet up with some of its obligations. He inquired if it still makes sense to run such a government. He share his opinion in a series of tweets. He called for restructuring of government at all levels.  See more after the cut.

Federal High Court orders EFCC to immediately defreeze Fayose's bank accounts

Read the statement below...

Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti has ordered that Governor Ayodele Fayose's accounts in Zenith Bank be defrozen with immediate effect. The accounts were frozen by the EFCC in June, this year. However, in his landmark judgment today, Justice Taiwo Taiwo described the EFCC action as illegal, wrongful, unlawful and unconstitutional.

The judge said the EFCC action breached the governor's fundamental rights to fair hearing, as the commission did not make him a party to the proceedings for the interim freezing of the account. He said that the EFCC suppressed facts by not disclosing to the court that granted the interim freezing order that the two accounts that were frozen belonged to Governor who enjoys total constitutional immunity.

Justice Taiwo also said that the EFCC did not provide any credible evidence empowering it to carry out the freezing of the accounts using Zenith Bank as a proxy, whereas, Zenith Bank is a mere custodian and not the owner of the accounts, which evidence has shown belong to the Governor. The judge ruled that being a person covered fully by Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, no legal proceedings can be instituted against Governor Fayose.

He also said that any law including some sections of the EFCC acts like Sections 28, 31, and 44 that expropriate citizens rights must be construed strictly and usually in favour of citizens whose properties have been confiscated. Governor Fayose's Counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), hailed the judgment, describing the judge as courageous and firm.

He said the judge, by the judgement laid to rest all the abracadabra of the EFCC in illegally, wrongfully, unlawfully and unconstitutionally going about on a rampage freezing Nigeria citizens accounts with reckless abandon. Ozekhome also said that Justice Taiwo further restored the hope of Nigerians in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and woman and the guardian sentinel of the civil rights, liberties and freedoms of Nigerians.