I Would Have Formed My Faction Of PDP If Port Harcourt Convention Had Held – Dokpesi

August 20, 2016

One of the strong National chairmanship hopefuls of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Raymond Dokpesi has said that with the intrigues that heralded the botched national convention of the party in Port Harcourt, he would have been forced to form his own faction of the party.
A statement issued by media aide to his Campaign organisation, Omor Bazuaye, quoted him as saying that the closure of the convention ground by soldiers and police afforded members a rare opportunity to resolve the leadership crisis in the party.
According to Dokpesi, the shift in date of the convention assisted in no small measure to prevent a situation that could have further complicated the situation with the kind of factionalisation that could have happened if the convention had gone ahead as scheduled.
He expressed surprise that on his arrival in Port Harcourt, he found out that PDP governors had anointed the former PDP Governorship candidate in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje for the position.
To effect their plot, Dokpesi lamented, the Governors went on to lobby delegates from the North by asking them to obey the “micro zoning“ arrangement which was unilaterally decided by them.
He said that fortunately, delegates from the North refused to be a part of the scheme, insisting that it was Raymond Dokpesi, who had gone round the country they wanted to vote for.
Dokpesi said he had established a special bond with the people across the country, adding that it is absolutely impossible for the conscience of the delegates to be bought at the last minute.
“When they brought the message to anoint Agbaje to the people, everybody started screaming that it was Raymond Dokpesi they want to vote for. So the Northern elders ordered them to go to the field.”
Dokpesi saw a situation where the governors would have caused a lot of confusion as it might not have been convenient for delegates from PDP controlled states to go against the wishes of their governors who were hell bent to install the next Chairman.
Dokpesi described Ali Modu Sheriff’s court as a saving grace from the massive rigging that had been perfectly worked out even as he called on all aggrieved members to use the respite created by the shift in date to resolve the crisis.
“If you listen to Ali Modu Sheriff and the governors, you’ll clearly see the ego at play.”
On his case with EFCC over alleged involvement with N2.3 billion proceeds of money meant for the procurement of arms from the office of ex-National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki and the credibility issues that could come with it, Dokpesi is optimistic that he would come out of it clean. [myad]

Kano Embraces Computer Technology To Fast-track Development

Greenbarge Reporters

August 20, 2016

Kano state government has embraced the world of computer with the purchase and distribution of over 3,500 computers to tertiary institutions in the state to fast-track economic development.
The flood of computers, according to the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, is part of efforts to build IT capacity among youth.
Dr. Ganduje, who opened this year’s Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference at Bayero University, Kano, organized by Center for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD) in conjunction with the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) said that his government is encouraging students to be computer literate.
He said that is also part of broad initiatives to leverage on the ICT sector to fast track economic development even as he said: “the state government would continue to partner with all relevant agencies within and outside the state to support digital innovation by students.”
Governor Ganduje made it clear that his government would continue to enhance efficient and transparent governance, adding that he has institutionalized biometric registration of all civil servants and revolutionized its revenue generation machinery.
According to him, such move wuld enable the state government attain its developmental goals.
The Minister of Communications, Barrister Abdurraheem Abebayo Shittu said that his ministry is committed to providing an enabling environment for Nigerians, especially youths to excel in digital innovation.
He promised that his ministry will support Kano state government in promoting e-governance as well as in maximizing digital opportunities for the people.
The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Professor Umar G. Dambatta, said that the commission will facilitate broadband penetration, centered on competition and inclusive ICT growth.
He advised the Kano state government to expand broad band spectrum infrastructure mainly in rural parts of the state, to promote economic and related development activities.
Highlights of the occasion, whose theme is: “Building a new Nigeria in a digital economy,” include presentation of an award to Governor Ganduje for “Adoption of ICT for Efficiency in Governance.” [myad]

CBN Governor, Emefiele, Emerges President Of Association Of African Central Banks

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin I. Emefiele, has been elected as President of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) for the 2016- 2017 period.
Emefiele was elected at the end of the 39th Ordinary meeting of the Assembly of Governors of the Association of African Central Banks (AACB) in Abuja, the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. The meeting was declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Emefiele as President, now heads the Bureau of the AACB that is made up of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Governor of the Central Bank of Ghana as Chairman of the West African Sub-region; Governor of the Central Bank of Mauritania as Chairman of the North African Sub-region; Governor of the Bank of Central African States as Chairman of the Central African Sub-region; Governor of the Banque de la République du Burundi as Chairman of the East African Sub-region and Governor of the Central Bank of the Kingdom of Swaziland as Chairman of the Southern African Sub-region;
It also includes nomination for Vice President of the AACB that should come from the Southern African Sub-region.
The Deputy Governor of the Banque Centrale de la République de Guinée, Mr Nianga Komata Goumou, on behalf of all the Governors and delegates, expressed gratitude to President Buhari, the Government and people of Nigeria, for the warm welcome and hospitality shown, as well as the excellent measures taken to ensure the success of the meetings.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the Association of African Central Banks feared that the unwinding of unconventional monetary policy measures, adopted during the financial crisis by the US Federal Reserve and central banks of developed countries, could have a negative impact on African countries due to the interconnectedness of economies.
“In this context, African countries face challenges, especially the depreciation of the exchange rate and the decline in capital flows which could result from an exit from unconventional monetary policies in the developed countries.
“On the other hand, the unwinding of unconventional monetary policy could be an opportunity for African countries to develop appropriate measures to strengthen their resilience in the face of exogenous shocks.
“In this regard, the Assembly of Governors stressed that it is necessary for African countries to diversify their economies and improve exports, while limiting imports. It was also emphasised the urgent need for coordination between monetary and fiscal policy.
“The Assembly of Governors chose the following theme for the year 2017 Symposium: “Prospects for monetary integration in Africa: Lessons learned from the experience of monetary and financial integration of Europe”
“The Assembly of Governors of the AACB, otherwise, particularly examined the state of implementation of the African Monetary Cooperation Programme (AMCP). The Governors pointed out the inability of African states to sustainably meet some of the criteria for macroeconomic convergence because of the negative impact of the international environment including the fall in prices of raw materials and commodities. “They called on countries to strengthen efforts at implementing structural reforms, in order to diversify their economies, improve the business environment and promote intra-regional trade, in order to strengthen their resilience in the face of external shocks.
“The Governors also reviewed the implementation of the work programme of the Community of African Banking Supervisors (CABS). This program has helped to set up an intranet platform to facilitate exchange of information between banking supervisors across Africa. To support the actions of the CABS, a project for collecting information on the activities of cross-border banks will be implemented in the coming months. It will allow for the identification of risks associated with these activities.” [myad]

Ghost Did Not Slap Me, Governor Okorocha Protests

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has protested the rumour going round that he had an encounter with a ghost who slapped him at the Government House as a result of which was flown abroad for treatment.

The governor described the rumur as false and wicked even as he denied traveling to India to seek spiritual healing.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said that Okorocha had embarked on the foreign trip to woo investors to the state, saying that the allegation was the handiwork of the opposition party whom he said were able to cover up their shame by fabricating falsehood.

The statement reads: “Finally, they talked about the governor going to India to meet his native doctor. They concluded that bullshit by stating that the imagined attacks would take place before the end of that month (July).

“And knowing the antics of some of the PDP folks in the state, we accused them of being behind the malicious audio because it came twenty four hours after the convincing defeat of the party by APC in the re-run election in Okigwe Senatorial Zone and the three state constituencies of Isiala Mbano, Oru East and Owerri West.” [myad]

I Have Decided To Stop Talking To Press – General Abdulsalam

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

Former Nigeria Head of State, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who had a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, said that he has decided to stop talking to press.

General Abdulsalami, who was accosted by inquisitive news men over what he discussed with the President said: “I came to discuss issues of national interest and international affairs with the President. Both of them are interwoven. I have discussed with the person I came to see and I don’t think I need to discuss it in the news media,”

The former Head of State insisted that he had no reason to disclose what he discussed with President Buharit to the media since he had already met with the person he wanted to see.

Reacting to a claim that he had been silent on national issues lately, Abubakar said he had been busy talking to those that needed to be talked to.

He said that the National Peace Committee for the 2015 general elections which he chairs was still working behind the scene to make sure that there is peace in the country. [myad]

Abuja Electricity Company Lands In Court Over Transformer Explosion

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) Plc has been dragged to a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory by victims of the company’s 750 KVA transformer explosion in Lugbe. They are demanding payment of adequate compensation.

The Registered Trustees of Downtrodden Peoples Employment Foundation Worldwide, Messrs Stephen Gbaera, Ijeoma Onwuannum, Omowumi Adams, Olagoke Ajewole and Oyewole Pelumi, are the plaintiffs.

The plea was contained in a writ of summons filed on August 11 by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Hassan Omolowo, on Friday in Abuja. The other defendants listed in the suit are Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Rural Electrification Agency, Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission and the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency.

The rest are Consumer Protection Council, Minister of Power as well as the Attorney General of the Federation.

The suit had listed Olelewe James, Moses Joseph and Ayiyeli Justina, a mother of three, as those who died from electrocution, caused by the explosion.

According to the process, Stephen Gbaera, Ijeoma Onwuannum, Omowumi Adams, Olagoke Ajewole Oyewole Pelumi, Kayode Akindele, Pius Moses, Peter Destiny and Donald Terlumun suffered degrees of injuries from the explosion. They had asked for special damages for families of the victims and surviving victims and those who lost property in accordance with the traditions of the Nigerian Electricity Sector Industry and International best practices.

They further urged the Court to use its discretion for payment of general damages for the alleged patent gross act of negligence by the first defendant. According to them, the Court should also compel the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth defendants to pay general damages for their alleged dereliction of regulation oversight.

The plaintiffs also sought a declaration that the explosion of the transformer installed at the Angwan Tiv within Tudun Wada village, Lugbe, on July 2 led to the death and injuries of the listed victims.

They further prayed the Court to hold that the incident also led to the loss of property by residents of the village. Besides, the plaintiffs urged the Court to declare that the explosion came as an act of negligence by the first defendant as it failed to respond to several entreaties for the upgrade of the electricity network.

They also sought the Court to declare that the incident reflected the general poor and low standards of electricity equipment operated by the first, second and third defendants. They prayed the Court to further declare that the first, second and third defendants had neither deployed nor adequately invested in the provision of technically safe electrical equipment in accordance with their operating licences.

They sought for a declaration that the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth defendants did not take adequate and practical regulatory steps to ensure the safe, standard and efficient distribution of electricity in the Country.

The plaintiffs, therefore, prayed for an order compelling the first, second and third defendants to ensure their electrical facilities and customers against varied industrial hazards and mishaps in line with industrial Safety Code, among others. [myad]

Ebony Governor Suspends His Commissioner For Taking The State Back To Dark Ages

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi is angry with his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and Rural Development, Barrister Samuel Okoronkwo whom he accused of taking the state back to the dark ages.
Governor Umahi, who angrily suspended the commissioner while declaring open the ITF programme in Abakaliki, also disbanded the state’s Committee on Employment.
“This administration from day one has been built on the principle of justice, equity and fairness. In some of our programmes, we do equality of Local Governments. But in this kind of empowerment, we do equality of wards, so what I expected to see here would have been for them to borrow a leaf from what we are doing to empower about 3,000 of our women and youths.
“We are doing this and everybody is happy. We are called to build Ebonyi State where nobody will say I am from North or South or Central. I think we are succeeding. Anybody that is going to take us back to the dark ages will be resisted.”
The governor directed that the most senior officer in the ministry to take over from Okoronkwo later on Friday evening.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Emma Anya, quoted Umahi as saying: “the Commissioner for Local Government is hereby suspended from office effective from now. And the highest office , a civil servant, should take over and be attending Exco until further notice.”
The governor called on the youth of Ebonyi who are jobless in other parts of the country to return home and find something meaningful to do under his government’s youth-oriented programmes.
“Every Ebonyi youth in other parts of the country especially Lagos should please come back home; we are ready to create jobs for them.
“A day is coming when nobody will be willing to seek political office because of the current reality. One day, there will be no kobo from the Federation Account so it high time we started thinking outside the box.”
The governor said that his administration would create over 100,000 jobs for the youth and women especially in the agriculture sector
He said that the state now focused mainly on mechanised system of farming because “agriculture without technology is death.”
Governor Umahi however promised the trainees of financial assistance to enable them set up their businesses after acquiring necessary skills from the programme.
Earlier, the ITF Area Manager (Enugu and Ebonyi states), Mrs. Linda Egbonu, said the programme was organised to develop the mindset of the youth in areas of entrepreneurship and skill acquisition. [myad]

Niger Governor Surprised That Christian Religion Is Not Being Taught In Schools

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has expressed surprise that Christian pupils in the state schools are not allowed to study Christian Religious Knowledge.

The governor, who received the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state in his office in Minna, directed the Commissioner for Education to look into the matter and report back within two weeks.

“This is not acceptable. What happen to Christian pupils when their Muslin colleague are doing IRK? Will they be playing?

“Commissioner for Education should look into the matter and report back on within two weeks.”

The leadership of CAN had drew the attention of the governor to non-teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in public schools in the state.

CAN therefore appealed to the governor address the anomalies, reminding him that such attitude has been denying Christian children basic knowledge of their faith.

The state Chairman of the association, Rev. Mathias Echoda, told the governor that Christians in the state had embarked on a week-long fasting and prayer that will climax on Sunday.

“We have been praying for our state and for our nation. Christians in the state have been praying since Monday and by Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we will converge at First ECWA Church to round off the week-long spiritual session.” [myad]

Reps Leadership Isolates Jibrin Over Alleged Budget Padding

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

Principal Officers of the House of Representatives have disassociated themselves from the allegation of budget padding against the speaker, Yakubu Dogara by former Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin.

This is the first time the principal officers came out boldly as a body to disown Jibrin since he began his budget-padding allegations against Dogara and three of the principal officers on July 21.

The 10 principal officers of the House signed the document are Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun; Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; Deputy Leader, Buba Jibril; Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase; Minority Leader, Leo Ogor; Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyeama; Deputy Minority Leader, Yakubu Barde; and Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello-Maigeri.

The joint statement by the principal officers, read in part: “The proponent (of budget-padding), the recently sacked Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, sought to make allegations of impropriety against the leadership of the House over the process and content of the 2016 budget passed by the National Assembly and signed into law.

“While the leadership is determined to ensure that absolute diligence, maturity and due process are employed in dealing with the allegations, instead of joining the accuser in a press war, it is important to state, in the interest of the agitated public, that the allegations are wild, baseless and unfounded.

“Good enough, all the said allegations raise issues that can be easily verified and the public will be availed ample opportunity upon the resumption of the House.

“In the meantime, however, the leadership of the House of Representatives wishes to reaffirm that it took collective action, in conjunction with the Senate and a team from the Executive, to rescue the 2016 Budget when it became obvious that the former appropriation Chairman had placed both the document and the process in jeopardy resulting in a spate of agitation from Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“Furthermore, the decision to relieve the erstwhile Appropriation Chairman of his position was a collective decision of the leadership in response to unrelenting pressures from the overwhelming majority of Honourable members who were irked by the former Chairman’s gross abuse of the budget process.

“Both actions were taken in the best interest of the institution and the nation for which we take full responsibility.

“Truth may be slow but it usually always wins the race in the end. We have no doubts.”

This was even as Jibrin said that he stood by his allegations against Dogara, Lasun; Ado-Doguwa and Ogor.

In a statement, Jibrin said that he believed Dogara and the three other officials would soon be arrested by anti-graft agencies and charged for corruption, adding that this would be as a result of the petitions he submitted to the agencies against them.

Jibrin, who insisted that he stood by his allegations, claimed that many Nigerians had expressed support for his campaign and were worried that Dogara had yet to be arrested.

“For the avoidance of doubt, let me restate that I have interacted severally with anti-corruption agencies. It is however heartwarming to know that they are indeed working meticulously on the matter.

“I have little doubt that they will do justice expeditiously and sooner than letter, we will get to the point where every Nigerian is waiting for — the arrest of Speaker Dogara …”

Jibrin alleged that the Speaker had not been charged because he was using his position to obstruct “justice.

“Nigerians must remain vigilant because Speaker Dogara is using his office to obstruct and neutralise investigation.

“He is also using same and the time he has now before the long arm of the law catches up with him to hurriedly clean up the mess on his desk, spend money on all sort of consultants and people he thinks can help him out through subterranean means.

“On our side, while waiting for the response of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, on my letter, we are reaching out to everyone or group that can support this worthy cause against Dogara-Gate, the biggest corruption case in the history of our country.”

The speaker’s office said it had responded sufficiently to Jibrin’s allegations.

“Please, refer to our earlier statements on Jibrin,” the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, said. [myad]

US Secretary Of State, Kerry, To Meet With Buhari, Northern Governors

Greenbarge Reporters

August 19, 2016

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, is scheduled to hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Nothern state governors when he arrived Nigeria on August 23 to discuss US cooperation with Nigeria over Boko Haram, economy and human rights issues.

A statement by the Information Office of the Embassy of the US on Friday in Abuja, said that Kerry would hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Northern Governors.

The statement said that the Secretary will travel to Sokoto and Abuja on August 23 to 24, adding:: “Kerry will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss counter terrorism efforts, the Nigerian economy, the fight against corruption and human rights issues.

“In Sokoto, he will deliver a speech on the importance of resilient communities and religious tolerance in countering violent extremism.

“In Abuja, the Secretary will meet with a group of adolescent girls working to change community perceptions that devalue the role of girls in society. He will also meet with northern governors and religious leaders.” [myad]

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