Former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and a onetime minister of foreign affairs, Chief Ojo Madueke is dead. He was 71.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary Board of Trustee (BoT) died in Abuja on Wednesday evening after he collapsed at theay from the United States (US).

Madueke had also served as Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Culture under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He worked as the deputy director of PDP presidential campaign 2011 Goodluck/Sambo ticket. He was nominated for the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), but was subsequently dropped following criticism by eastern people.

Previously, Maduekwe had been appointed Culture and Tourism minister by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. He was appointed Minister of Transport in 2001.

In this position, he advocated greater use of bicycles, although critics said that the roads were unsafe for cyclists and Maduekwe himself was pushed into a ditch by a bus while he was cycling to work. [myad]

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir Lawal, has made it clear that the trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu as well as others is not the same thing as the trial of the entire National Assembly as the two leaders would want the world to believe.

Babachir, who reacted to statements credited to Saraki and Ekweremadu, described the remarks by the two leaders that there is now a cabal running the government of President Muhammadu Buhari as uncomplimentary, adding that rather than drag the entire National Assembly structure into the case, it must be stated that only Saraki, Ekweremadu, a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and a Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Ben Efeturi, are the only ones on trial.
In the statement he personally signed, Lawal said: “Since the arraignment of the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki and, his Deputy Senator Ike Ekweremadu before the Federal High Court on Monday, June 27, 2016, the two leaders of the Senate, have issued two separate press statements conveying messages that are far from being complementary to the person and government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Senator Saraki in his statement clearly insinuated that Mr. President is not in control of his administration and that a cabal now runs the federal administration. On the part of Senator Ekweremadu, he insists that President Buhari is exhibiting dictatorial tendencies that can derail our democracy.
“From their statements, the two leaders of the Senate also gave this erroneous impression that by their arraignment, it is the entire Senate and indeed, the Legislative Arm of Government that is on trial. They want the public to believe that their prosecution is utter disregard by the Executive Arm of government for the constitutional provisions of separation of powers and that preferring the forgery case against them is a vendetta exercise.
“Since this case is in court, the Judiciary should be allowed to do its job. However, it is important to emphasize that this case involves only the four accused persons and should not be presented to the unsuspecting public as involving the entire Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The complaint leading to the forgery investigation was reported to the Police by some aggrieved Senators who specifically accused certain persons. It is not the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is involved and definitely not the House of Representatives. To bring the National Assembly as a body into this court case is totally unwarranted. It can only be for other purposes and reasons outside the investigation and legal proceedings.
“A case of forgery is usually preferred against individuals. This is not different. As was the case with a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who was accused of certificate forgery, what he did was to resign, honourably. The matter did not even go to court. In that particular case, it was never orchestrated as a matter for the National Assembly. The individual involved did not drag the entire Legislature into the matter.
“Meanwhile the separate statements by the Senate President and his Deputy are indeed contradictory. While Senator Saraki believes Mr. President has abdicated his powers and that a cabal is in charge of Federal Administration, Senator Ekweremadu says President Buhari has become a dictator.
“Our democracy is still evolving and being deepened. The provisions of the separation of powers are entrenched in our Constitution and should guide everyone in our conduct. The rule of law is indeed supreme. This particular case is before the judiciary and is not being decided by the Executive Arm of Government. All that has transpired is still within the confines of our laws. These are the rights to accuse, to be investigated and be arraigned before the court. To impute other considerations to the process is unfortunate. We should allow the process to take its course, in consonance with the dictates of the law and total obeisance to the cardinal democratic principle of the separation of powers.” [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari is sadi to be disturbed by and angry with the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima over the multiple deaths of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in some camps.

The President summoned the Governor for some explanations but when the governor arrived at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Wednesday, he was directed to see the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

Alhaji Shettima who emerged from the office of the Chief of Staff less than 30 minutes after he went in refused to speak to Journalists who had approached him for comments on his mission at the Presidential Villa.

The governor, who looked disturbed, simply walked pass the news men, mumbling that the visit was a private one.
Recall that Doctors Without Borders- (Médecins Sans Frontières), MSF, an international humanitarian aid organization last week, released a statement alongside photographs of grossly malnourished stating that about 24,000 IDPs needed urgent medical attention.

The organization also said that at least 30 people, mostly children are dying every day.

The report, it was gathered, infuriated President Buhari who felt that despite huge funds being spent by the different levels of government as well as donor agencies and philanthropists for the camps and the IDPs, there was poor result to show for it. [myad]

The Lagos State Government has shut down 70 churches, 20 mosques and about 11 hotels, club houses and beer parlours in a move aimed at reducing noise in the state.

The General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Bola Shabi, who made this known, said that henceforth, the state government would no longer allow make-shift buildings to be used as places of worship.

Speakers of a religious outfit, Shabi said: “Precisely about 70 churches, 20 mosques and about 11 hotels, club houses and beer parlours were shut and we’ve given them some directives to follow.

“We’ve been so strict now that we are not going to even allow make-shift churches in the state any longer.

“What I mean by make-shift, using tents and uncompleted building, we are not going to allow that any further in the state.

“But I will strongly tell you that the level of compliance is more on the mosque area, because immediately you shut them, they instantly bring down their speakers or reduce the noise they make.’’

Shabi said that LASEPA planned to reduce noise in the state to 70 percent and to zero per cent by the year 2020.

“As at today, we are only able to reduce the noise level to about 35 per cent. That is not a pass mark yet. So, until we reach that target of 70 to 80 per cent, we will continue the enforcement. Enforcement is a continuous exercise and we have set a target for ourselves. We want to ensure that Lagos is noise-free by the year 2020. With our status as a mega city, by year 2020 we will be free of noise.” [myad]