A 30 year old lawyer, Abimbola Adeyinwolu and her 40 year old boyfriend, Adeola Ikumola, have been arraigned in an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos for allegedly defrauded their overseas friend of N4.6 million.
Zanfara State Governor, Abdulaziz YariGovernors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) have bought into the idea of financial autonomy for States legislatures and judiciary, which according to them will ensure sustainable democracy in Nigeria, apart from ensuring highest level of transparency and openness in governance.
CBN Governor, Godwin EmefieleThe Senate has confirmed Mr Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for a second term of five years.
This followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions presented by Senator Rafiu Adebayo during Thursday’s plenary.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged the CBN governor to use his second term to improve Nigeria’s economy.
Emefiele’s reappointment came one day after the Senate Committee cleared him during a screening session where he was and asked some questions relating to the nation’s economy.
The Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions has expressed satisfaction with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and its Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for contributing immensely to the stability of the Nigerian economy, in spite of the recession the country witnessed in 2016.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim Adebayo spoke today, Wednesday, during the committee’s screening of Emefiele for a second term following his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari for a second and final term in office as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Senator Adebayo, while grilling the nominee on the state of Nigeria’s economy, said that the reappointment of Emefiele was an indication that the President recognized the Bank’s contribution to the health and stability of the economy.
Adebayo, who also dismissed recent allegations of fraudulent activities in the CBN through a leaked audio tape, expressed satisfaction with the presentation of Emefiele even as he charged the CBN Governor and his team of Board and Monetary Policy Committee members not to be deterred but rather redouble their efforts at ensuring the promotion of a sound and stable economy
Other senators who took turns to speak also commended the CBN Governor on the successful reforms carried out during his first tenure, and called for greater improvement in the areas of foreign exchange management, development finance and access to credit among others. They also sought clarification on the issue of foreign exchange windows
In his response to the questions, Emefiele said that more needed to be done to get Nigeria to the desired heights, even as he promised that the impact of the Bank’s development finance interventions would become very visible within the next two years.
Alluding to the pace of development in some Asian countries that were Nigeria’s peers at independence in 1960, Emefiele promised to implement the Bank’s policies for the betterment of the Nigerian people, who are at the heart of the Bank’s vision of a people-centred Central Bank.
The screening exercise followed the call by the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, to the committee at the plenary on Tuesday to carry out the screening and report back to the Senate within one week.
Emefiele was appointed as CBN Governor on June 2, 2014, is due to end his first tenure on June 2, this year.
President Muhammadu Buhari last week transmitted a letter to the Senate requesting that Mr. Emefiele be confirmed as CBN Governor for a second and final term of five years.
Meanwhile, it is expected that the Senate will confirm the nomination of Mr. Godwin Emefiele as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria next week after receiving the report of the Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions.
Atiku AbubakarDefeated Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the just concluded election in Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has bore his fangs on President Muhammadu Buhari who he said is a desperate dictator and information minister, Lai Mohammed as a liar.
Reacting to Lai Mohammed’s earlier statement indicting the PDP candidate and his party of carrying the act of opposition politics beyond ordinary, Atiku said that it is not surprising that such a despicable lie is emanating from Lai Mohammed, President Buhari’s aptly named Minister of Information.
Atiku wanted to know why the desperation on the part of the Muhammadu Buhari government to rope in the Peoples Democratic Party and its Presidential candidate in phantom plots, adding that President Buhari wants to replay the Phantom plot saga of his now deceased mentor, who threw former President Olusegun Obasanjo in jail after falsely accusing him of treason in order to perpetuate himself in power.
The full text of Atiku’s statement goes thus:
My attention has been drawn to accusations by the Muhammadu Buhari led administration against the candidate of the Presidential Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 elections and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, alleging that he has made treasonable statements.
It is not surprising that such a despicable lie is emanating from Mr. Lai Mohammed, President Buhari’s aptly named Minister of Information.
Lai Mohammed is so associated with lies that even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said, on Monday, May 13, 2019, as follows:
“People like Lai Mohammed, Abba Kyari, Adamu Adamu they are usually very well behaved during the Ramadan. But I’m not even sure that that is true anymore.”
When we have a situation where even those who employed him know that Lai Mohammed is a liar, who will even lie during the holy month of Ramadan, then why should Nigerians be surprised at this latest lie?
Mr Lai Mohammed is only being clever by half when he says “It beggars belief that a candidate who prides himself as a democrat can so allow desperation to becloud his sense of propriety to such an extent that he will be associating with anti-democratic forces or making inflammatory statements.”
Atiku Abubakar is a man of peace and a thoroughbred democrat. It is preposterous that those who threatened to ‘soak the dog and the baboon in blood’ are now audacious enough to point the finger at lifelong democrats. Truly, if the farmer does not raise the alarm on time, the thief will accuse him of being a thief.
How can a man who wined and dined with Nigeria’s most brutal dictator, how can a man who overthrew a democratically elected President and held a grudge against him even in death (as evidenced by the empty condolence register he left in Sokoto, last year) accuse a man who has never been as much as associated with such tendencies, of being an anti-democrat?
We want to know why the desperation on the part of the Muhammadu Buhari government to rope in the Peoples Democratic Party and its Presidential candidate in phantom plots? Obviously, President Buhari wants to replay the Phantom plot saga of his now deceased mentor, who threw former President Olusegun Obasanjo in jail after falsely accusing him of treason in order to perpetuate himself in power.
Could it be that they are now aware that the electoral fraud they perpetrated during the last Presidential election is about to be exposed beyond a shadow of a doubt?
If anybody is “beating the drums of war”, it is precisely those who have issued statements threatening Nigerians and foreigners alike with “body bags”.
For the avoidance of doubt, let me inform the minister of disinformation that Atiku Abubakar resisted the Abacha dictatorship, of which President Muhammadu Buhari was a prominent member, and it is his resistance and the sacrifice of his co-travellers, like chief MKO Abiola and Alex Ekwueme, amongst others, that gave rise to the democracy that the current government is now trampling on.
Mr. Lai Mohammed is advised to face the cesspool of corruption that has been exposed in his ministry by the investigative website, Premium Times, which revealed that Mr. Mohammed’s fingers may be stickier than sticky glue.
CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF LT GEN TY BURATAIThe Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai has fingered some politicians defeated in the just concluded general elections of being responsible for the current heightened security situation in parts of Nigeria.
Buratai, a lieutenant-general, who spoke today, Wednesday in Maiduguri when he received the House Committee on Army led by its Chairman, Remande Shawulu, at the Theatre Command, said: “the myriad of security challenges we are facing now in the North West, North Central and other parts of the country, I want to believe and rightly so, is the fall out of the just concluded general elections.
“There are several political interests, politicians in particular not happy with their defeat and therefore, trying to take revenge, sponsoring some these criminal activities.
“There are strong political undertone, strong political influence. So, I will use this opportunity to call on the honourable members here to prevail on some of these politicians to look at national interest first before any other political or sectional interest.
“We have some strong evidence but we are still being cautious so that we don’t get it wrong.
The army chief advised those politicians against doing anything to aggravate the security challenges.
Earlier, Shawulu said that the committee was at the theatre for its usual oversight function.
He paid tribute to officers and soldiers, who had died in the course of the counterinsurgency operation. He said they sacrificed their lives for the security and peace of the North East and country at large.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee visited the Maimalary Military Cemetery, where three personnel killed by IED on Monday were buried and 7 Division Military hospital to empathise with wounded soldiers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized the international passport of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CAN), Alhaji Mohammed Ataba Sani Omolori after being subjected to six hours interrogated yesterday, Tuesday. The interrogation was said to be part of the moves to effect changes on the mode of conducting the election into the leadership of the National Assembly.
It was gathered the EFCC invited the CNA on issues related to records of finances of the Assembly as well as the inauguration of the ninth National Assembly.
It was gathered that Ataba Omolori who was not seen at the National Assembly the whole of yesterday, was interrogated by the officiers of the EFCC from 11am to 5pm.
Apart from initial questions on records of finances of the National Assembly, it was gathered that Ataba Omolori was asked a specific question on the method of election of the presiding officers of the ninth National Assembly, just as he was said to have been asked which of the rules he would use for the election.
The high point of Omolori’s stay at the EFCC was the seizure of his international passport.
Prior to Ataba Omolori’s invitation, the former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa, was equally quizzed.
It was gathered that Clerks, Desk officers and other key officials of the National Assembly including the Clerk of the Senate, Clerk of the House of Representatives as well as their deputies were also invited to the commission today, Wednesday.
When contacted, authorities at the EFCC confirmed Ataba Omolori’s interrogation.
source: NAN.
Acting IGP, Mohammed Abubakar AdamuThe Nigeria Police Force has announced the discovery of plots by those it called ‘subversive elements masquerading as climate and environmental activists’ to commence massive and coordinated attacks on oil installations across the country, especially in the Niger-Delta region and adjoining States.
The plots which, according to a statement today, Wednesday by the Force’s spokesman, Frank Mba, are politically motivated and are aimed at sabotaging oil installations with intended negative consequences on national security, economic development and global oil market.
The statement said that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed A Adamu, has ordered Commissioners of Police nationwide, and particularly in designated States to intensify their surveillance missions around oil facilities and other critical national infrastructure.
“The Commissioners of Police and other field Commanders have also been directed to put in place proactive measures aimed at neutralizing these subversive threats and bringing the plotters to book.
“The IGP warned of dire consequences for persons or group of persons who may want to resort, to the use of violence or threat of violence, in advancing their political or economic goals.”
The police advised the citizens to remain vigilant and to report all suspicious characters and plots to the law enforcement agents.
The statement quoted the police boss that he is committed to ensuring the adequate security of lives, the protection of national assets and the protection of the sanctity of our political freedom and democracy.
Federal Government of Nigeria has warned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and it’s Presidential candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar not to allow desperation to lead them into playing the game of oppression beyond the acceptable norm and practice.
Speaking to news men today, Wednesday, shortly after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, information minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed described PDP’s brand of opposition politics as posing a great threat to Nigeria’s Democracy.
He stressed that the Federal Government strongly decried the increasingly
unpatriotic and desperate opposition politics being played by the PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Lai Mohammed said that “such dead-end opposition could be toxic for the nation’s democracy, if left unchecked.
“Never in the history of politics in Nigeria has an opposition party and its presidential candidate exhibited the kind of desperate tactics being deployed by the duo of the PDP and its flag-bearer, especially since President Muhammadu Buhari overwhelmingly defeated Atiku to win the 2019 presidential election.
“Either by themselves or via their proxies, the PDP and its presidential candidate are doing everything possible to sabotage the Buhari Administration, generally overheat the polity and make Nigeria seemingly ungovernable, especially through their public utterances and
their poorly thought-out press releases before and after the 2019 general elections. Unless they quickly retrace their steps, they may,
sooner than later, overreach themselves.
“For those who may be quick to accuse the government of crying wolf, the pre-election statement credited to the former Vice President, that unless Nigerians vote out the APC Administration, killings by herdsmen will continue and ultimately spark a series of ethno-religious crises that will be irreversible, is looking more like a Freudian slip than anything else.
“Also, in recent times, the PDP has taken its desperation to a new low by attacking the judiciary, an action many see as indicating a reversal of the party’s hitherto self-assured stance that it has a solid case against the election of the President. And either by coincidence or orchestration, a faceless group emerges from nowhere calling for an overthrow of a democratically-elected government, a totally egregious act of treason.”
The minister wondered how Atiku who prides himself as a democrat can so allow desperation to becloud his sense of propriety to such an extent that he will be associating with anti-democratic forces or making inflammatory statements.
“For acclaimed democrats, there are acceptable channels of seeking redress after an election defeat. Even President Buhari himself went to court three times to challenge election results.
“What is not acceptable is to either resort to self help after an election defeat, or to embark on a journey of subterfuge and sabotage
while also mounting a legal challenge or pretending to do so. Worst still, painting the judiciary bad for whatever reason is anti-democratic and unconscionable.
“We want to urge the main opposition party to stop beating the drums of war, concentrate on the legal challenge by its candidate against the
election of President Buhari if indeed they have any faith in the country’s judiciary, and
desist from unnecessarily overheating the polity.”
Kano State High Court has suspended the appointment of four new Emirs by ordering Governor Abdullahi Ganduje who appointed them, and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll, to maintain status quo in respect of the interim order issued against the governor on May 10.
Justice Nasiru Saminu ordered all the parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending the hearing of motion on notice stressing that the appointment end installations were invalid,
Ganduje had over the weekend installed the emirs after a quick passage of the bill creating four new emirates by the Kano State House of Assembly.
The governor on Tuesday presented staff of office to the emirs and charged them to work for the good of the public.
Ganduje has been accused of executing a personal vendetta against the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, in order to reduce the emir’s influence.
Ganduje is also facing another suit brought against him and the state government by four kingmakers over the same matter.
