Anenih Describes Threat To Impeach Buhari As Ill-Advised, Asks PDP Members To Stay Clear

July 20, 2016

Apostle of ‘No Vacancy in Aso Rock’ in the heydays of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, Chief Tony Anenih, has described the alleged move by National Assembly to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari as an ill-advised venture, even as he asked the PDP lawmakers to stay clear of such move.
Anenih, who was once the chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), specifically called on the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to stop the party’s caucus in the National Assembly from such move.
He asked them not to participating in the alleged “ill-advised adventure” of removing President Buhari from office.
Anenih, in a four-page letter to Makarfi, dated July 15, 2016, said that the time is neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the President.
He asked Makarfi to personally lead the process of consultation with PDP members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty.
The letter, titled: “THE PDP CAUCUS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE THREAT TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI” reads:
“I am constrained to write this letter by my love for our great country and my long years of involvement in the pursuit of peace, co-existence and national development.
“I am concerned about the noises coming out of the National Assembly to the effect that some of our distinguished Senators and Honourable Members are contemplating a move to impeach the President.
“I feel even more disturbed that the PDP Caucus is being rumoured to be actively involved in this plan to “go for the jugular” of the Executive. The rumoured role of the PDP Caucus is, indeed, the main reason I have chosen to write this letter to you.
“I wish to appeal to you to use your noble office as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of our great party to dissuade our party members, in the National Assembly, from embarking on or participating in this ill-advised adventure. I am persuaded, Sir, that the time is neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the President.
“I do not doubt that the National Assembly may have its grouse against the President, but I am sure that the options of consultation, dialogue and negotiation have not yet been exhausted. We should all assist in persuading our members to persevere in the pursuit of these options.
“I do not believe an attempt at impeachment, at this time, is in the best interests of the party, or the country. Such a move will create tension, instability and even crisis in our body-politic. It will unleash all those fissiparous forces which, in the last few months, have begun to gain momentum.
“Fundamentally, as the main opposition party, I believe the PDP should concern itself with an inward review of why Nigerians lost faith in us and in our party’s vision for Nigeria; our focus should therefore be on trying to figure out how we can once again regain this trust.
“As a party in opposition, what I expect is constructive criticism of the ruling party when it goes wrong. Playing an active role in the internal power struggles between factions of the ruling party is an unnecessary distraction, and an exercise that appears to promote personal agenda rather than the National Interest.
“I am not unaware that the times are hard; that Nigerians are groaning under the weight of unpaid salaries and astronomical increases in the cost of living, that ballooning security problems are increasingly threatening to rip apart the fabric of our national existence, and that Nigerians feel more divided today than they have ever felt, but it would be unfair to blame this President or this Government for all of these problems. Instructively, none of these problems was floated as justification for the threat of impeachment by the National Assembly.
“On the economy, it is a well known fact that all oil-producing countries are suffering from an economic down-turn because of the radical drop in the price of crude oil. As a mono-product economy, dependent on crude oil, there is no magic bubble that could have insulated us completely from the systemic shocks caused by the attendant loss of revenue.
“Rather than seek scapegoats, the situation demands that all our institutions, political parties and leaders should set aside all partisan interests, and work together to wade through these difficult times.
“It is, therefore, my wish and prayer that you, personally, lead the process of consultation with our members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty.
“May God continue to bless you with the wisdom to lead our party to its manifest destiny.” [myad]

African Women Group Describes Dino Melaye As Medieval Man

Greenbarge Reporters

July 20, 2016

The Coalition for Women Advancement in Africa CoWAA) has described the attitude of the representative of Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, towards his female counterpart from Lagos Central, Senator Oluremi Tinubu as having portrayed him as a medieval man.
The women group noted with emphasis that Melaye’s attitude is suggestive of medieval men who lack respect for the women in their lives and women all over the world.
“It is now glaring why the issue of rape and violence against women are treated with levity since a federal lawmaker could threaten to use rape as a weapon of retaliation against a female colleague whom he felt insulted him.”
In a statement in Abuja, CoWAA’s Executive Vice President, Jummai Samuel, asked Melaye to tender an unreserved apology to Senator Oluremi Tinubu over the insult he directed at her last week in the National Assembly.
She said that Melaye is symptomatic of an emerging undesirable breed of men that objectify and belittle women contrary to the global trend of promoting equality.
Jummai said that Melaye and his likes pose great threats they to women advancement in Africa.
“Even if his colleague, Senator Oluremi Tinubu had offended him, the Senate has Rules he could have used to seek redress without resorting to the caveman approach he adopted.”
She also quarrelled with a newspaper columnist, Sonala Olumhense over his assault on the wives of the Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, even as he asked both men to respect women.
Olumhense had in his article ridiculed the wives of Buratai with suggestions that they are not independent enough to own property or contribute to their family’s investment.
Jummai said: “while the rudeness of Senator Melaye’s puke inducing rant may be shocking the greater worry should be the dangerous premise put forward by Sonala Olumhense, who suggested that women are mere fixtures in marriages and that they are not capable of being economically productive to the point of owning businesses or contributing to the family.
“If Mr. Olumhense had bothered to do a little fact checking, he would have possibly learnt more about one Sana’armu Micro Finance Social Scheme and a Buratai Farm. The COAS’ wives are brains behind these ventures even if as respectful women they make their husband the symbolic head being the head of the family.
“The way the Senator and the Columnists went after wives should make every Nigerian woman worried that the trend is now for those who want to hit at males they have issues with is to attack their wives. We find this unacceptable and condemnable. It is a practice that must not be encouraged.”
Jummai demanded apologies from both men with the explanation that it was necessary to discourage other menfolk from following in their infamous footsteps.
“Senator Melaye and Mr. Olumhense must tender unreserved apologies not just to the women they have slighted but also to all Nigerian women since their crime went beyond the individual women at which they were targeted and extended to womanhood.” [myad]

Promotion Galore In Police: Another 51 Elevated To Asst. Inspectors General, Commissioners

Greenbarge Reporters

July 20, 2016

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 22 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police.
The Commission also endorsed the promotion of 29 Deputy Commissioners of Police to the rank of Commissioners of Police.
This was contained in a statement issued by Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of the Commission in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ani said the affected 29 Commissioners were screened by a panel headed by the Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, and other members of the Commission.
He said that the promotions were based on the recommendation of availability of vacancies in the AIG and CP cadres of the Force occasioned by the recent Force reorganisation.
He said that it was also based on the need to put structures in place in the various Zonal Commands.
The spokesman said that the commission also considered the issue of seniority and diligence to duty of the Officers.
“Majority of the new AIGs had already been posted to zonal commands and other police formations while nine of the CPs had been posted as command CPs.”
Ani said that Okiro asked them to quickly settle into their new positions and ensure that there was improved service delivery in their duty posts.
Okiro reminded them that they were holding the new offices in trust for the people of Nigeria and should not disappoint them.
He promised that the commission would continue to ensure that Police promotions were regular and based on merit.
Shortly after the appointment of the acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the PSC made appointments into the DIG and AIG cadres. [myad]

Minister Pledges To Fast Track Take Off Of Abuja Technology Village

Greenbarge Reporters

July 20, 2016

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has pledged to fast track the take off of the Abuja Technology Village.
The minister, who spoke when he and the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye paid an unscheduled visit to the site along the Umaru Musa Expressway, said that the project is part of the efforts being made to provide employment for the residents and enhance economic activities in the capital city.
The Abuja Technology village is being conceived to attract huge investment into the Federal Capital Territory.
The minister said that when operational, the Village would deepen economic activities and compliment government efforts in the provision of skilled and unskilled employment opportunities to the populace.
Muhammad Bello said that the project has been subdivided into five clusters to enable the FCT Administration handle a cluster at a time for quick realization of the project and easy management.
“I assure you that the FCT Administration will try its very best to look at it and we hope that at least cluster number two of the five clusters becomes operational as quickly as possible.
“The project is now going through the most critical and final stage and it is very important for us to look at it critically and understand the concept, the challenges and above all where we want to go.”
He expressed appreciation to the Managing Director of the Technology Village, Ms. Hauwa Yabani, and her team, for the good work they have done as well as for the investments in the Village over the last eight years. [myad]

Flood Ravages Parts Of Jos, Plateau

Greenbarge Reporters

July 20, 2016

Hundreds of residential buildings were submerged and thousands of residents displaced by flood caused heavy rainfall in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, who visited some of the affected areas, reports that properties and farmlands worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Alhaji Alhassan Barde, the Executive Secretary, Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who also visited the affected areas, expressed concern at the level of destruction.
Barde said: “The destruction is massive; we have carried out on-the-spot assessment of the situation and I can tell you that it is bad.”
He listed Rikkos and Gangere in Jos North Local Government Areas as worst hit by the flood.
“Houses, vehicles and farmlands have been submerged and a mass of people displaced.
“We even went to Rayfield and specifically to a community called Yingi.
“The destruction there is something else.”
He said that he would present the report on the level of damage caused by the flood to the Deputy Governor, who is the Chairman of SEMA Governing Council.
The Executive Secretary said the situation had raised humanitarian issues, which needed quick attention to avoid crisis.
He said the SEMA had stepped up operations to rescue those that might have been trapped in various houses.
Barde added that a temporary camp had been established for displaced persons at Rikkos Community Primary and Secondary Schools.
“SEMA is gearing up efforts to provide foodstuffs, bedding’s, medical needs, security and other necessities at the camp,” he said.
Barde advised those residing in flood-prone areas to vacate as quickly as possible.
He said the flood was caused by human activities and negligence.
He said that lack of proper drainage, indiscriminate disposal of waste, building and farming on flood-prone areas were the some of the human activities responsible for the flood.
Barde urged relevant government agencies like Jos Metropolitan Development Board, Ministries of Works, Lands and Environment to activate emergency laws and compel residents to obey them.
NAN. [myad]

I Was Not Summoned To APC Headquarters, Atiku Clarifies

Greenbarge Reporters

July 20, 2016

Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has clarified that he was not summoned to the national secretariat of the party, and that his visit to the place on Monday was voluntary.
A statement by his media office in Abuja on Tuesday, quoted Atiku as saying that his visit to the party secretariat was not a response to summon by the leadership of the party as widely reported.
“My visit to the national secretariat of our great party was to rub minds with the party hierarchy, and it was of a routine kind as a chieftain of the party.
“I was neither summoned nor queried by the party on any issue as being speculated. Rather, my visit was at my own behest.
“As a party chieftain, I owe it a duty to my party to appraise challenges within the structures of the party and also proffer suggestions on how to manage those challenges. I urge you all to discountenance any malicious insinuations about my visit to the party secretariat.” [myad]

Oshiomhole Cries Out: Thieves Have Come To Govern Edo

Greenbarge Reporters

July 19, 2016

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has cried out that those who looted the nation’s treasury and have confessed to stealing public funds are now offering themselves to govern Edo State.

He said that such self-confessed treasury looters will be rejected at the polls on September 10 by the people of Edo State.
Governor Oshiomhole who received his Lagos counterpart, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday, at the Edo state government House in Benin said: “I know there are a lot of people who don’t quite understand what is going on. Our party inherited a federal treasury that was completely bastardized, emptied, emptied from the vaults to soak away pits, to farm houses, and even in Edo here, the people who are asking for Edo votes are those who have already made statements to EFCC that they collected N500 million, N700 million: that is already N1.2 billion.
“And their leader confessed in his own right that he collected N300 million from money meant to secure Nigerians against terrorism called Boko haram.
“And it is people who diverted such money, who collected it and they have owned up to it in black and white in their hand writing that are asking Edo people to surrender the state.
“So for us, our campaign message is cut out for us.
“The choice is between a bunch of people whose philosophy is ‘share the state money’ and those who believe that the state money belongs to the people and the task is for the governor to manage it in a way that will deliver prosperity to the people.”
Governor Oshiomhole commended Ambode for taking his assignment as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for Edo State governorship election very seriously.
“For us in Edo, it is clear that you have taken this assignment seriously. It is one thing to accept an assignment, but the passion with which you have accepted it, and to the extent to which you are determined to go to ensure that we do everything we need to do to continue to retain the governance of this state.
“Under your leadership, I have no doubt. We couldn’t have had a better campaign organization. So, I thank you for that.”
Oshiomhole, who introduced the governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki, and his running mate, Philip Shaibu, to Governor Ambode, said: “We have a credible messenger that you are going to be able to help us to market, and we also have a compelling message to put across to Edo State. And we believe the election will be won on the basis of the pedigree of the political parties, the pedigree of the individual and what the two parties have to show to the people.”
On his part, Ambode said that Lagos and Edo States will immediately develop a major commerce and economic relationship as soon as Obaseki emerges as Governor of Edo State, saying this will ensure that Edo State develops at a faster pace.
“I have come here this afternoon to accept physically the daunting task which has been laid upon me by our national party and appointing me as the chairman of the gubernatorial campaign committee of the gubernatorial election coming up in Edo State.
“I am very pleased and humbled by that appointment. And I have come here, firstly, to apologize for not being around on Saturday when the committee was inaugurated because of some exigencies, and to show my presence a few days after, and my commitment to ensure that our gubernatorial candidate not only wins the election, but he is able to show his footprints just like what the present governor has done, that the APC and the change mantra is really in totality about what we want governance to be in Nigeria.”
Ambode promised to establish bilateral relations between Lagos and Edo State: “What I can promise your Excellency is that we have decided that we will bring the whole machinery of the Lagos model to Edo State. In addition to that, we believe strongly that Edo State has the potential of becoming a giant in Africa also, and this relationship is beyond the fact that it is historic, we also want to use this platform of this campaign to start a major paradigm shift in terms of economic and political relationship between Edo State and Lagos State.
“If we are to look deeply, we believe strongly in the potential of Edo State which actually lies in the symbolic relationship that it can have with Lagos. And that is why I am personally taking this responsibility of being the campaign chairman to ensure that beyond the campaign and the success of the election, a major commerce and economic relationship commences immediately with the in-coming governor, and also to let us actually start to have bilateral economic and political relations that will be of benefit to the people of Edo State, firstly, and then to the improvement of the economic growth of Edo State.
“I like to also say that what we have ahead of us as a party, that is, APC, is beyond ordinary election. We need to take Nigeria out of its doldrums, and the only party that can do that is APC, of which we are happy to be aligned with your state and other progressive states in the country. And that is why we are here as brothers, we offer ourselves and we will continue to also send the same message across board across all the progressive states.
“On a personal note, I am very proud of all the things you have done for Edo State and even this country Nigeria, and I can say the few achievements I have actually attained in Lagos State were driven and inspired by the kind of energy you bring to governance, and I am very proud to be associated with you and the government of Edo State.” [myad]

Buhari Charges Nigeria Olympic Hopefuls To Avoid Shameful Acts In Brazil

Greenbarge Reporters

July 19, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has charged athletes and members of the Team Nigeria who are due to leave shortly for Brazil for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, to avoid things that would bring shame to Nigeria while taking part in and outside the games.

“The menace of drug use in sports is threatening the core foundation of sports and has led to embarrassing situations as well as sanctions of some great sporting nations. I therefore urge you to keep the integrity of our nation intact by competing clean and fair at the Olympic Games.

“Please bring as many medals back home as a result of your efforts and endeavour. But remember it is more important to compete and acquit your country as a fair sporting nation than to bring a pack of medals as a result of bending the rules and denying the Games of fair competition.”

President Buhari spoke on Tuesday when he officially unveiled the qualified athletes of Team Nigeria to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games which takes place in Brazil from 5th to 21st August. Nigeria has 49 qualified male athletes and 29 female athletes, bringing the total of 78 athletes in 10 sport disciplines.

“As the Federal Government formally hands over our athletes and officials for the Rio Olympics to the Nigeria Olympic Committee today, I want to charge all athletes and team officials going to the Olympic Games to be worthy ambassadors of our great country, both on the field of play and outside the sporting arena. The eyes of the global community are on you and as such, you should desist from acts that could dent the image of our great country, Nigeria.

“You are very aware of recent doping allegations which cast aspersions not only on the individual athletes but on their home countries. Please keep Nigeria clean.”

President Buhari who congratulated the athletes for their outstanding performances, at their various qualifying championships, which have led to the qualification of a sizeable number of them who will fly the national flag at the premier global sporting occasion, assured them that the government would take adequate care of their financial and other needs.

“We are all aware of our nation’s dwindling revenue and the current global economic challenges. It is therefore imperative that funds provided for the Games are utilized judiciously. “In this regard, any official who has no business at the Games should stay at home to cheer the team from here and if they must travel to the Olympics, they should do so at their own expense.”

The President assured the athletes of the support of over 170 million sports-loving Nigerians who he said are solidly behind them as they depart to bring glory to their fatherland in Rio.

“Therefore, Go for Gold in Rio! Go Team Nigeria! Go!” [myad]

Don’t Hasten Me To Punish Innocent Minister, Buhari Cautions Media

Greenbarge Reporters

July 19, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has cautions media practitioners in the country not to rush him into punishing his minister on account of unfounded allegations of wrong doing.

The President, who reacted to unnamed online medium which he said raised unfounded allegation against the minister of state for Petroleum resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu on the issue concerning the phony investigation over crude oil swap deals, made it clear that he is committed to probity, accountability and integrity but that such would be based on facts and figures.

“Terrible and unfounded comments about other people’s integrity are not good. We are not going to spare anybody who soils his hands, but people should please wait till such individuals are indicted.”

A statement by the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina quoted Buhari as promising that transparency remains his government’s watchword, which he said would never be trifled with.

The President appealed to discerning Nigerians to therefore, ignore orchestrated attempts to sully the integrity of ministers and other senior government officials, who are being tarred with the brush of corruption without any concrete evidence.

“President Buhari appealed for decent and civilized comments, particularly when it has to do with the integrity of those who are serving the country.”

The online media was said to have alleged that Kachikwu, who is the immediate past Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and currently the minister of State for Petroleum, is being investigated over crude oil swap deals and gas lifting during his tenure as GMD of the petroleum corporation. [myad]

Orange, Sonatel Acquire Airtel 100 Percent

Greenbarge Reporters

July 19, 2016

Orange company and a Senegalese Sonatel have announced the joint acquisition of of 100 per cent of the mobile operator Airtel in Sierra Leone.

Commenting on the acquisition, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Orange group and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orange Middle East and Africa, Bruno Mettling, said: “we are pleased to announce that the acquisition of the mobile operator Airtel in Sierra Leone has been finalized. This new acquisition, which will be consolidated by Sonatel, will further strengthen Orange’s strategic position on the African continent.”

The acquisition deal was announced on Tuesday by Orange, saying that it has obtained all the official approbations necessary to complete this transaction after the signature of an agreement with Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) BV in January 2016.
Airtel is the leading mobile operator in Sierra Leone with over 1.3 million customers (on the basis of active customers within a 30-day period) for a total population of 6.3 million people.
With a mobile penetration of around 50 per cent of the population, Sierra Leone offers considerable growth potential, particularly at a time when significant investments are underway to extend the operator’s 3G network.
This network, which already offers good coverage in Freetown and other major towns in Sierra Leone, is set to provide internet access to customers living outside major urban areas.
The investments planned in the coming years will enable customers in Sierra Leone to benefit from the support of the Sonatel group and take advantage of the Orange group’s expertise and momentum in terms of innovation and development of the digital ecosystem.
Following the recent launch of operations in Liberia and Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone becomes the 21st country in Africa and the Middle East to join the Orange group. [myad]

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