Six members of the National Assembly Service Commission have described their colleague, Alhaji Idi Adamu Ningi as a liar, a traitor and a man who cannot stand by his word.
The commissioners, in a counter statement against Ningi’s claim that he did not sign any document disassociating himself from the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori as acting Clerk of the National Assembly, said that they were disappointed at his inability to stand by his word.
The statement reads: ”It has come to our attention that a member of the commission, Idi Adamu Ningi, has denied rejecting the appointment of Mohammed Sani-Omolori as Acting Clerk of the National Assembly.
“It is unfortunate that he could speak from both sides of the mouth, an action which speaks of how much of a liar and traitor he is.
“We expect that a man of his age and standing should know better than to publicly deny a position he had earlier taken in the last meeting, which held between us and the Senate President in the interest of the commission which has been brought to disrepute owing to the crisis rocking the commission.
“More so, to think that Idi Ningi could fall so cheap for financial inducement shows that he is not one to call a dependable ally, neither is he in anyway worthy of confidence. His recant demonstrates a lack of maturity that glaringly tells about his character. He is a betrayer and sellout.” [myad]
One of the Federal Commissioners of the National Assembly Commission, Alhaji Idi Ningi, has revealed how his signature indicating an attendance at a meeting with the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki was turned into a document in which he was said to have disassociated himself from the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Omolori as the acting Clerk of the National Assembly.
Sani-Omolori’s appointment was announced through a letter by the Chairman of the Commission, Adamu Fika, last Wednesday. But Senator, who is also the Chairman of the National Assembly, in a letter to Fika, argued that Benedict Efeturi should have been considered for the position since he (Efeturi) is currently the Deputy Clerk
Sani-Omolori and Efeturi are Clerk to the House of Representatives and Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly respectively.
Ningi, in a statement said that he only signed the attendance register at the meeting held in the residence of Saraki over the appointment of Sani-Omolori and not a document disassociating himself from such appointment
The statement, titled: “I did not sign any protest letter,” reads: “On Tuesday, 26th April, 2016, I was informed of a meeting of the Commission with His Excellency, the President of the Senate in his house at 7pm of that day.
“Myself and one of my colleagues – Alhaji Rufai Tuta arrived after 7pm, having missed our way trying to locate the Senate President’s house. On arrival, we met four of our colleagues already seated – Elder Yepwi, Funmilayo Lamuye, Paul Oweh and Joseph Oru. About five minutes later, His Excellency, the Senate President walked in and after exchanging pleasantries, he spoke about the way the issue of the appointment of the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly was handled by the Commission and essentially expressed displeasure about it. My colleagues, who all spoke before me recalled their contributions at the meeting of the Commission where the decision on the appointment was taken. I spoke last and only offered apologies to His Excellency as it was apparent that he was not happy with the Commission; assuring him that we cannot annoy him intentionally. Mid-way into the meeting, the Deputy Senate President walked in and joined us.
“While I was speaking, one of my colleagues (amongst the four we met at the residence) walked towards my seat with a sheet of paper which he gave to my colleague sitting close to me – Alhaji Rufai Tuta to sign and thereafter gave it to me. I noticed the paper was merely to write our name, the zone we represent and signature to indicate our attendance at the meeting and I signed accordingly.
“I am therefore shocked and surprised to learn that I signed a document. No document was presented at the meeting and I did not sign any document but an attendance sheet.
“I could not have signed any document dissociating myself from the decision of the Commission as I had earlier (on the 19th April, 2016) in a hand written note – attached – expressed my support for the appointment of Alhaji Sani Omolori as the Clerk to the National Assembly in Acting capacity.
“Let me seize this opportunity to express my deep and sincere respect and loyalty to His Excellency, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Deputy President of the Senate – Mr. Ike Ekweremadu and to pledge my unflinching loyalty to and confidence on the Executive Chairman of the Commission – Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika.” [myad]
Republican Presidential hopeful, Donald Trump has made it clear that he is on his way to victory as he hopes to trounce rival Ted Cruz on Tuesday in Indiana.
The billionaire Presidential aspirant is given the “stop Trump” movement a moment of truth in the Midwestern state, where his campaign is struggling to win over voters ahead of a potentially decisive primary.
Trump told CNN today, Monday: “We are going to win.”
The real estate mogul told a rally in Indiana that his campaign was soaring “like a rocket ship,” and that with a new NBC poll showing him 15 percentage points ahead of his main challenger, Cruz.
“If we win Indiana, it’s over,” he said in Terre Haute.
Cruz was counting on Indiana acting as a Trump firewall, blocking him from receiving the 1,237 delegates necessary to secure the nomination at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July. The Texas senator has openly stated that his goal is to snatch the nomination on a second ballot, when most delegates become free to vote for whomever they choose — but which will only be held if Trump falls short of a majority.
Trump has so far amassed 1,002 delegates, according to CNN’s tally. He now needs just under half of the 502 in play in the remaining 10 contests in order to secure the nomination on the first ballot in Cleveland.
Indiana’s winner-takes-all primary could hand the frontrunner 57 in one swoop. With momentum favoring Trump — he has won the last six contests — Cruz put on a brave face, telling reporters “the stakes are enormously high” and that he would stay in the race regardless of the Indiana outcome.
“I am in for the distance,” Cruz said, adding: “as long as we have a viable path to victory, I am competing to the end.”
Should the conservative senator fall short in Indiana, even his supporters see an extremely steep road ahead. [myad]
The Federal Inland Revenue Service has shut down the no fewer than ten companies in Port Harcourt due to their failure to remit their taxes to the Federal Government.
The state coordinator of the Service in Edo and Delta states, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, in a statement today, Monday, explained that the clampdown was in line with the directive of the FIRS management to ensure zero-tolerance for tax defaulters.
Joel-Onowakpo said that FIRS is bent on utilizing all available options to recover all liabilities from defaulting taxpayers, stressing that FIRS would not hesitate to effect the arrest of the chief executive officers and directors of the defaulting organizations.
“This exercise is being carried out throughout the country and will be enforced in all the three states within my jurisdiction starting with Rivers, followed by Edo and Delta states.
“My simple advice to the tax-paying public is that they should quickly go to the FIRS office nearest to them to file their returns, reconcile and pay up any outstanding liabilities to avoid unnecessary embarrassment because FIRS is determined to collect every kobo due to government.
“We want to stop the lukewarm attitude to paying taxes. Time has changed and the attitude towards the payment of taxes must change. Tax is the only sustainable revenue source that can help government fulfill its obligations and must be supported.” [myad]
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has asked the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to stop their demand for 56,000 Naira as a new minimum wage.
The recalled that similar salary increase in the past had not really helped the situation of the average Nigerian worker.
Addressing a congregation of Anglicans in Abuja, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh said that the agitation for salary increase can only be done when there is an improvement in the nation’s economy.
He also advised the federal government to urgently address the issue of armed Fulani herdsmen causing havoc in some parts of the country. He added that it will not augur well for the country if various communities are allowed to resort to self-help. [myad]
The ex Sunderland Cats midfielder, Adilson Tavares Varela, known as Cabral, has opened up on the alleged rape, telling the Hull Crown Court that he had consensual sex with the woman at his flat.
He denied the allegation by the woman that he was “persistent, forceful and aggressive,” adding that he stopped having sex with the woman when she asked him to.
The woman has told the jury that Varela pinned her down on his bed and raped her after they met during a night out in Newcastle.
But the footballer said there was an attraction between them and told the court they kissed and danced together before going back to his home with friends, including retired French international Anthony Reveillere.
He said the woman asked him to go into the bedroom, where they began to have sex.
When asked about her behaviour, Varela said: “It was normal. It was a normal girl who wanted to have sex with me.
“It seemed to me she was used to doing this as she was in no way ashamed.” [myad]
The Federal Government has condemned calls by some individuals and groups in the south-east geo political zone for herdsmen to leave the region.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has cautioned fellow Igbo people, especially the youths in the South East not to take law into their hands by molesting the Fulani herdsmen in their midst.
Ogbonnaya Onu, who spoke today, n Sunday at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi, said that the for the herdsmen to leave South East, with an ultimatum. This is even as he said that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed relevant agencies to take appropriate actions in halting the killings by suspected herdsmen.
The minister, who addressed news men on the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South-East stakeholders meeting said: “this situation is not pleasing to anybody but the Federal Government is desirous to achieve a peaceful, strong and united nation.
“The government appeals to south-easterners especially youths, not to take laws into their hands as a result of the development.
“The people should exercise patience, as the president has categorically condemned the herdsmen’s actions and directed that no effort should be spared in checking the situation.
“The Igbos are known globally to be peace loving and abhorrers of violence, as I enjoin them to maintain such virtue.”
Former Nigeria Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asked Nigeria workers not to lose faith in the ability of the nation under the leadership of President Buhari to surmount the current odds. The former Vice President also proposed a fairer deal for workers in order to reduce the frequency of strikes in the country, which he regrets takes a heavy toll on the economy. In his May Day message to Nigerian workers, the former Vice President noted that notwithstanding the huge challenges the country and its people are facing, it will take the support of everyone working in tandem with the Buhari administration to lift the economy out of the doldrums. He said: “President Buhari alone cannot turnaround the fortunes of the country. It requires everyone – elected and appointed officials, the legislature and the judiciary, the public and private sectors and ordinary Nigerians – working together in faith and commitment to bring about the desired change.” Abubakar noted that President Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, when combined with curbing wastages and profligacy, will free much-needed resources to jumpstart the economy by investing in infrastructure and high jobs yielding sectors, especially agriculture as proposed by the government. The Turaki Adamawa reminded the workers that the envisaged better deal for them is intrinsically tied to increased productivity. He said: “With dwindling revenue from oil, it has become imperative for us to bake a bigger cake that will be big enough for all partakers. To achieve this, we need to be more creative as a government and more productive as a people.” The former Vice President also observed that improved conditions of service for workers would help to reduce corruption and fraud among employees. Abubakar however said it is impossible to convince workers to make sacrifices while the public office holders live a life that is inconsistent with the economic realities of Nigeria. He said: “We all need to make sacrifices in line with the realities of the time. It is not enough to ask workers to make sacrifices while public office holders are ostensibly immune from it. Such a situation promotes industrial disharmony.” [myad]
Governor Yahaya Bello has lamented that the previous administrations in Kogi state used what he called “all sorts of tricks” to short-change the Kogi State Worker. In his message to the workers in the state today to mark May Day, the governor said that his government would not deceive the workers that all is rosy with the state, and for Nigeria. “We inherited a Kogi State in which unpaid salaries and general atrocious working conditions were the norm. “The worst is of course, the scourge of ghost-workers. Thousands of non-existent ‘workers’ paid from Kogi State coffers thus bringing it under undue strain and leaving the real workers either totally unpaid or only receiving meagre percentages of their wages.” Governor Yahaya recalled that during his time as Federal Civil Servant, he was never owed salaries, saying that when he came into Office, Kogi Workers were already on strike for at least six weeks, because they were “fed up with the then PDP Government’s kleptomania, lack of transparency and disastrous policies. It hurt me that a so-called Government could receive all the Federal Allocations due to it and still find the heart to leave workers unpaid. I decided that my Administration will be different. “We remain committed to improving the lot of our Workers by eliminating every scheme in the system designed to exploit and cheat them. “Accordingly, the ghost-worker syndrome is an evil this Administration is committed to eradicating forever. The first line is the Screening Committee we set up soon after our Inauguration, led by Brigadier-General Paul Okuntimo (Rtd). General Okuntimo is a fine officer and an incorruptible gentleman. The Screening Committee is scheduled to conclude her work within the next one week and we shall thereafter expect to have only genuine workers on our payroll. No more will people sit in Pay Offices and fabricate thousands of names, add them to the nominal roll and siphon Kogi State resources with them on a monthly basis. “No more will people sit down in Lagos, Abuja, even abroad, and receive bank alerts for salaries from the Kogi State Government. No more will Kogi State pay salaries to ghost-workers who are ‘serving’ in non-existing institutions discovered all over the state by the Screening Committee. We are dismantling all of that satanic infrastructure. Our people will no longer be robbed.” The governor sounded what he called “a timely warning” to every genuine Worker in the Kogi State Civil Service to ensure they are screened. “If the Screening Committee has somehow missed you, seek them out and do the needful. Once the Screening Exercise is done, we will only be paying salaries to Workers who have gone through the process. If you miss this train, you will have only yourself to blame. “Let me state that nothing happens without somebody knowing about it. We are therefore encouraging whistle-blowing. See something, say something. Everyone is encouraged to reach the Screening Committee or any of my appointees with information that will help us to completely sanitise the system. We will shortly set up a Call Centre so that those who prefer anonymity in this regard can put a call across and not have to fear detection or persecution. “In any case, I personally guarantee protection and maybe, some token reward, to every whistle-blower but only for giving us actionable intelligence. “We want the support of Organised Labour on this, especially the Leadership. This is after all for the overall benefit of your members. If we clean up the Workforce and remove those who should not be there, it is Kogi State, and in particular the Workers, who benefits. The situation in the recent past where some labour leaders have opposed the Screening Exercise under guise of the interests of their members is, to say the least, suspicious and unacceptable.” Governor Yahaya complained that his government has also been inundated with allegations of collusion between some labour executives and the past administrations in cheating the very Workers they represent through corrupt practices. He promised to investigate and that anyone found culpable will have a date with the anti-corruption Agencies. “We are cooking something nice for Kogi People, I know the kitchen is getting hot but I promise you there will be no sacred cows. Let those who cannot stand the heat get out of the kitchen! “Masu gudu, su gudu. The guilty are afraid. Evildoers may run, but they cannot hide. “Like I have repeatedly said, we intend to do things differently. A cardinal principle on which this Administration operates is transparency and open communications. I wish to bring to your notice the following facts: • We have received four federal allocations since our assumption of Office in January, 2016 out of which we paid full salaries for January and March. • In January we received about N2.6bn while our salary bill came to about N2.7bn. We paid full salaries. • In February we received about N2.5bn and applied that the differentials between allocations and wage bills for January and March as well as other pressing needs of the State which has direct impact on the lives of the people, including you, the Workers. You will admit that Kogi State, with a population of about 3.5m people cannot spend all her money to service a Workforce of about 100,000 people. Security, obligations to contractors, rehabilitation of infrastructure, etc are also pressing and unavoidable. • In March our allocation was about N2.3bn but we again paid full salaries to the tune of about N2.9bn. • For April, allocation is about N2bn only. Even though the nearly N900m gap between allocation and wage bill is a huge challenge, we still hope to pay full salaries and even start defraying some arrears incurred by previous Administrations. “We put these figures in the public domain in the hope that Organised Labour will have the information they need to match us good faith for good faith. It saddens Government when industrial action is embarked upon in a capricious manner that seems to say that only the interests of striking workers matter. “We believe that we can always partner together to manage every situation, including tight financial situations, in order to achieve the best results. “I am aware that almost as soon as were sworn in malicious persons serving evil interests both within and without Kogi State filled the media with rumours that we have accessed and frittered away the Bailout Funds. Nothing could be further from the truth. “The reality we met on ground at the CBN was that the previous application made on behalf of the State by the last administration was fraught with irregularities and shoddily done. In a word, it was so badly done it could never be approved. We had to start from scratch. “We are glad to announce that our efforts have paid off. This week we received approval to draw down on the first tranche of our Bailout Funds from the Federal Government. This will amount to about N20bn. “We will draw down on the balance of about N30bn as we meet the milestones for implementation of the first tranche as set by the Central Bank of Nigeria. “I also announce a commitment to use that money for salaries and emoluments of our workers. I am certain that by the time we fully disburse the Bailout Funds, disputes over outstanding emoluments will be over. “I therefore call on the Members and Leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Kogi State University Chapter to call off their ongoing Strike and let our dear Students go on with their education on schedule. “In return, I promise them, and indeed all Workers of Kogi State, that there is now some light at the end of the tunnel. “We are also building momentum on our promises to the people in our manifesto. The promise of a New Direction is not ‘One Chance’ by any stretch of the imagination. Our New Direction Blueprint Team has taken our manifesto and produced the Quick-Wins which we are already implementing. “I will speak more on that during the 100 Days’ events. The main Blueprint which identifies planned developmental strides in every year of our 4-year tenure will soon be ready too.” The governor reminded the people in the state that he is running a government with a 4-year Plan, a Blueprint for Accelerated Development of the State in all areas and socio-economic indices within this current term of office, adding that he is focused on this one tenure. “Those going around scheming against 2019 should therefore leave us alone. We are not open to distractions at any time. Like power, 2019 and beyond lie in the Hands of God. I trust that when the time comes, God and the great People of Kogi will decide who will lead this State further.” Governor Yahaya announced a donation of two brand new buses to the State Chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) respectively. He charged the Leadership of the Unions to deploy these vehicles in the best interests of their members and in service to God and humanity at large. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he foresees great prospects for Nigerian workers.
Addressing the workers today, Sunday, as they marked Workers’ Day said: “I further assure you that working together, this administration will protect workers’ rights and shall promote incentives for great productivity and hence, greater posterity.”
In a lecture with the theme: “The Working Class and The Quest for Socio-Economic Revival,” Buhari, said that government would evolve solutions to the emerging threats to the well-being of Nigerians and the realization of sustainable development. Represented by the Minister Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, the President said: “For us whose main foreign exchange comes from oil, the global decline in the price of oil has further exacerbated our economic crises. “The resultant effect of this are noticeable in government’s dwindling resources, reduction in operational capacities of most companies especially in the oil and gas sector, threats of workforce reduction by multinationals, among others. “These developments no doubt, have socio-economic implication for the economy as well as the working class. “I make no excuses, for this government of the All Progressives Congress is determined to tackle the socio-economic ills head-long.” According to the President, development must be sustainable for it to benefit society in general. Buhari said it was, therefore, the responsibility of those in power to align themselves with the working class, who make development possible, by generating and sustaining the momentum of positive change. He said the present administration would continue to seek the cooperation of labour, so that together “we can attain the enviable heights of progress in our beloved country. “This administration shall effect positive change in the lives of the average Nigerians, to ensure that the downtrodden are elevated. “Most importantly, we will fight the intense pain of corruption which has enriched the very few to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians who groan under the overwhelming weight of poverty resulting from corruption. “In this fight against corruption, I need you all to be very willing partners. “Fighting corruption in the Public Service in particular requires the workers to play major roles by cooperating with the government.” The President also assured workers that the issues and request raised had already been considered and would be made public in the near future. He said: “I request your cooperation and understanding, as partners in progress. “The need to ensure a conducive atmosphere devoid of incessant industrial action becomes paramount to avoid loss of man hours and accordingly promote high productivity.” [myad]
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Six members of the National Assembly Service Commission have described their colleague, Alhaji Idi Adamu Ningi as a liar, a traitor and a man who cannot stand by his word.
