PDP Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus Lands In EFCC Net: PDP Kicks

February 24, 2016

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Uche Secondus even as the PDP lamented what it called: the “oppressive and unfair” treatments against its key leaders by the Federal Government.

The Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujiaren, confirmed the arrest today, saying “It is true; he is right now in our office for interrogation.“ That was about 4:30pm today.

Earlier, the Director, New Media of the PDP Adeyanju Deji, had announced Secondus’s arrest through his twitter handle @adeyanjudeji.

According to Adeyanju, the EFCC had asked Secondus to return some buses he received from an unnamed person.

Secondus was the Acting National Chairman of the PDP until Monday last week, when he handed over to the newly appointed party National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, recently regained his freedom after a protracted incarceration by the anti-graft agency. He was accused of receiving N400 million from a former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.

In a statement today by the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon, PDP alerted the nation that the arrest and detention of its Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus by the EFCC is part of the grand script by the APC-led Federal Government to decimate the opposition.
“We are also aware that plans have been perfected by the Federal Government to arrest and detain the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and other leaders of the party on imaginary charges.” [myad]

Robert Mugabe’s 92nd Birthday Celebration Costs Uganda N250 Million

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

Robert Mugabe who has been in power in Zimbabwe for 36 years, turned 92 this week and staff at his office presented him with a huge cake to mark the occasion.

A bigger party is expected tol be held this weekend in the city of Masvingo featuring a huge 92kg cake and the whole party costing £550,000 (over N250 million).

The ‘thank you’ bash for the world’s oldest head of state will see banners and billboards carry the slogan ‘Thank you, Bob, for giving us a voice to be heard.’

Mugabe’s birthday has been a public celebration since 1986 and while officials are reticent to disclose costs, past festivities have been said to run up to $1million (about 450 million) for the transportation, accommodation and feeding of thousands of guests.
The state-run Sunday Mail published a 16-page supplement to celebrate this year’s occasion with posters in the newspaper reading ‘Mugabe’s birthday is like that of Jesus Christ.’

With Zimbabwe in the midst of a drought that has left over 3million people reliant on food aid supplied mainly by the United States and the European Union, opponents of the president have criticised the lavish celebrations at a time of hardship but supporters insist they must party on.
Ruling party members and business people paid between $5000 and $100000 for a table of 10 at a sold-out dinner this weekend to raise funds for the festivities.

Outside the banquet, some Zimbabweans were bitterly critical of the birthday plans.

‘Maybe they have no shame, openly feasting amid such hunger,’ said Denias Munongoza, 27, a college graduate who sells cigarettes and condoms to feed his family. ‘This year the president should have said `no.”

‘Mugabe and his cronies are planning to feast instead of attending to the resuscitation of the comatose economy and addressing the effects and impact of the drought,’ said Obert Gutu, spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change-T.

The Fall Of Oil: We Are Returning To Farm, Buhari Tells Saudi Oil Sheikhs

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration is fully committed to increasing the productivity of Nigeria’s agriculture and solid minerals sectors to save the nation from the harsh effects of lower crude oil prices.

Speaking at a meeting with leading members of the Council of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh, President Buhari said that with declining revenues from crude oil exports, Nigeria’s hopes of economic resurgence now lie in the rapid development of its immense agricultural and solid mineral resources.

The President, who extended an invitation to Saudi Arabian businessmen to invest in both sectors, said that his administration will welcome greater foreign investment in support of its efforts to rapidly diversify the Nigerian economy.

Buhari said that Nigeria had regrettably depended too much on crude oil exports to the neglect of other resources and is now paying a harsh price for failing to diversify its economy early enough.

“With the downturn in the global prices of oil, we now have to prospect our solid minerals. We have to return to agriculture. Mining and agriculture are our hopes now. We will welcome investments in these areas. We will appreciate an in-flow of more resources and expertise to help us achieve our objective of economic diversification,” the President said.
The governors of Osun, Ogun, Katsina, Borno, and Zamfara states, who were part of the President’s delegation, took turns to address the Saudi Arabian businessmen on investment possibilities in their states, assuring them of good returns.
The Chairman of the Council of the Saudi Arabian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Dr Abdulrahman Al Zamil said that agriculture was a very important area of investment for its members, adding that they were already in Brazil, the United States of America and Sudan, “where we have huge farms.”
Dr Abdulrahman Al Zamil who announced their willingness to invest in Nigeria, said that the Saudis were the leading investors in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya and Ethiopia. [myad]

MTN Stops The Fight, Pays $250 Million: We’ve Not Received Such Payment, Nigeria Government

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

South African telecommunications firm, MTN has withdrawn its lawsuit against Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over a $3.9 billion fine and paid $250 million towards a possible settlement.

This is even as the Nigerian government denied the knowledge of the payment of such amount of money, which sought to over-ride the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on it by the Nigerian Communications commission (NCC).

MTN, which makes 37 percent of its sales in Nigeria, said it would withdraw its court challenge in an effort to reach an amicable settlement and make a “good faith payment” of $250 million towards a possible settlement.

“This is a sign that the fine could be reduced much further. There is some sort of negotiation taking place and the parties are migrating towards a common ground,” Reuters quoted Dobek Pater, managing director of Africa Analysis, as saying on the matter.

The original penalty was based on fining the company $1,000 for every unregistered SIM card in use.

The Special Assistant to the Minister of Communications, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare, said that the payment has not been made official, saying: “I can confirm to you that the situation is still being studied. To the best of my knowledge, the amount announced is not the fine they are expected to pay. Federal Government is still studying it.

‘‘They decided to go to court and never wanted an amicable settlement. If they now want settlement, there has to be an official statement on that soon,’’

MTN Group had gone to court to challenge the legality of NCC to impose such a huge fine on it but failed to argue its case to logical conclusion.

Not satisfied, the telecom company also went further to hire a former U.S. attorney general to help challenge the propriety of the fine. The former U.S. law enforcement officer, Eric Holder is said to have pleaded with Nigerian officials last month on behalf of the telecoms company without any fruitful outcome.

After hearing the case, the presiding judge in January gave the two parties a two month period to settle out of court. A judge in Lagos also had last month gave both parties until March 18 to reach a settlement, after MTN had asked the court to arbitrate over the dispute, saying the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had no legal grounds to order the fine. [myad]

Oyegun Vows APC Will Win FCT Area Council Polls, Come March 19

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has vowed that his party will win landslide in the forthcoming elections into the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said that he would throw the full weight of the party’s machinery for its candidates in all the area councils in the capital city.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed March 19 for the election of chairmen and councilors into the six area councils of the capital city

Chief Oyegun who spoke when the minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello paid him a courtesy visit at the National Secretariat of the Party in Wuse II, Abuja, assured that the APC would work very closely with the minister and the entire FCT Administration to make Abuja work.

The APC Chairman accused the previous governments of plunging the nation into a sorry state of the economy, coupled with the falling oil price. He argued that if the previous governments had diversified the country’s economy all these years, the situation would have been better today.

Speaking earlier, the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello promised to work closely with the chairman in his efforts to deliver the desired Change Agenda of the Federal Government.

He reminding the chairman of the forthcoming area councils’ elections and called for the support of the Headquarters of the to ensure victory at the polls.

“We are also here to pay homage as loyal Party men and to tap from the wisdom of its leadership which transcend several decades.” [myad]

Abba Moro May Cough Out N677 Million Immigration Applicants Fee

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

The immediate past Minister of Interior, Abba Moro may be forced to refund to applicants who sought for recruitment into the immigration that resulted into chaos and deaths of over 20 people in 2014.

Information has it that already the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has prepared a case file for the prosecution of the former minister and others, including Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, F O Alayebami, Mahmood Ahmadu (at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited.

The suspects may be charged on an 11-count charge bordering on obtaining, by false pretence, procurement fraud and money laundering.
The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that a breakdown of the money implied that N1,000 was allegedly extorted from each applicant through e-payment for the online application.
The statement reads: “The accused are alleged to have contravened the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 in the contract awards by not following the necessary procedure laid down by the government. The award of the contract to Drexel Tech Nig Ltd had no prior advertisement, no needs assessment and a procurement plan was not carried out before award of the contract.
“The contract was awarded through selective tendering procedure by invitation of four firms without seeking approval of Bureau for Public Procurement contrary to sections 40, 42 and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under section 58 of the same act. “Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited, the company that provided the online enlistment and recruitment services, is said to be unregistered and had no legal capacity to enter into the said contract.
“There is also said to be no budgetary provision for the exercise in the 2014 federal capital budget, hence the applicants were made to bear the responsibility of funding the project without approval of the board, contrary to section 22(5) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.
“One of the accused, Mahmood Ahmadu (who is at large) in connivance with Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd, lavished the total of N423, 800,000.00; part of the N676,675,000, gotten from the applicants on the following: the sum N202, 500, 000, in purchase of a property in a choice area of the federal capital territory; N120, 100,000, used in upgrading a property in Abuja, while the total of N101, 200, 000 was converted to United states dollars for personal use.” [myad]

Buhari Angry, Admits 2016 Budget Was Padded, Vows To Deal With Culprits

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

For the first time since the news burst, President Muhammadu Buhari has admitted that the 2016 budget he presented before the joint session of the National Assembly was padded even as he vowed that all those involved in it will face the most severe punishment.

Addressing the Nigerian Community in Riyadh, Saudi Arabian capital, President Buhari condemned the distortion of the budget proposals by what he described as “entrenched interests.”

The President said that the unauthorized alterations had completely changed the document from the one he presented to the National Assembly, adding: “the culprits will not go unpunished. I have been a military governor, petroleum minister, military Head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund, never had I heard the words “budget padding.”

“Our Minister of Budget and National Planning did a great job with his team. The Minister became almost half his size during the time, working night and day to get the budget ready, only for some people to pad it.

“What he gave us was not what was finally being debated. It is very embarrassing and disappointing. We will not allow those who did it to go unpunished,” President Buhari vowed.
The President assured members of the Nigerian community that his administration was working diligently to fulfil its campaign promises, particularly on security, unemployment, and corruption.

He reaffirmed his government’s zero tolerance for corruption, even as he said that the war against corruption is a monumental task that he is determined to tackle successfully.

“We have zero tolerance for corruption and other unethical practices. We will deal decisively with anybody found wanting,” he promised members of the Nigerian community.

President Buhari also used the opportunity of the gathering to brief Nigerians in Saudi Arabia on his administration’s efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria.
“Our armed forces have done a great job of dealing decisively with Boko Haram. We are collaborating with our neighbors in the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force to handle security threats in the sub-region and we have significantly destroyed the capacity of the insurgents,” the President said.
He also spoke on efforts being made to diversify the Nigerian economy, stressing that more opportunities are now open for local and foreign investors in the country. [myad]

Abuja Disco Raises Alarm Over Rising Vandalization Of Its Equipment

Greenbarge Reporters

February 24, 2016

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has raised alarm over the rising cases of vandalism of various electricity equipment in its Distribution Network, especially in Wuse and other parts of the Abuja City Centre.
A statement by the Company’s spokesman, Ahmed I. Shekarau, revealed that no fewer than 10 different power system equipment were vandalized and in most cases carted away by unknown persons in less than one week in Wuse area under its FCT Central Region.
The statement listed some of the wrecked power systems to include a feeder pillar which was vandalized and taken away from No.2, Bangui Street, Wuse II; the low voltage side of two transformers which were vandalized along Monrovia Street, also in Wuse II, with all the bus bars, feeder pillar units and low voltage cables taken away by the vandals.
The statement said that a feeder pillar was completely disconnected and taken away along Durban Street, Wuse II; while approximately 3 x 150mm2 XLPE cable of an 11KV transformer on Sheraton Hotel feeder was vandalized in the early hours of Saturday, 20th February, 2016.
AEDC said that in the early hours of February 23, vandals removed two feeder pillars, one around OAU Quarters (behind AP Plaza) in Wuse II, and another along Blantyre Street also in Wuse II, and made away with both equipment.
The Company appealed to all members of the public to be vigilant over power system equipment that deliver electricity to them, and to also report any suspicious movements around such facilities to security agencies. [myad]

Federal, State, Local Governments Share N370.4 Billion For January

Greenbarge Reporters

February 23, 2016

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has declared that N370.4 billion was shared among the federal, state and local governments as revenue for January 2016.
Adeosun, who addressed newsmen on the outcome of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting, said that the shared amount comprised of the month’s statutory revenue of N290.9 billion.
The minister said that there was an exchange gain of N3.4 billion, which was proposed for distribution.
The minister said that the money shared included the N6.3 billion that was refunded to the federation account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
“Therefore, the total revenue distributable for the month of January, including VAT of N69.7 billion, is N370.4 billion.”
In December 2015, a total sum of N387.8 billion was shared to the three tiers of government as revenue even as the January allocation shows a decrease of N17.4 billion.
Giving the breakdown of revenue among the three tiers of government, Adeosun said the Federal Government received N137.5 billion, representing 52.68 per cent, while states got N69.7 billion, representing 26.72 per cent.
The minister said that the local governments received N53.7 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent of the amount distributed.
She also said that N22.4 billion, representing 13 per cent derivation revenue, was shared among oil producing states.
Adeosun added that the country generated N173.7 billion as mineral revenue and N117.3 billion as non-mineral revenue in January, a decrease of N40.9 billion and an increase of N16.9 billion respectively from what the country generated in the preceding month.
She announced that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECC) was $2.25 billion, adding that acts of vandalism on oil pipelines, among other factors, had continued to negatively impact on oil revenue generation.

“The shut-in and shut-down of production for repairs and maintenance continued during the period under review.
“However, there was a slight increase in production of crude in December 2015 but the resulting income was marginal due to a 10 per cent drop in crude oil prices.
“The drop in the average price of crude oil from $43.40 in November to $39.04 in December 2015 resulted in a revenue loss of $22.55 million.” [myad]

GTBank Sponsored Lagos International Polo Tournament Ends In Style

Greenbarge Reporters

February 23, 2016

After a successful two-week of exciting polo, music, fashion, champagnes and cocktails, the 2016 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament finally came to a grand close on Sunday, February 21 at the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi, Lagos.

From thrilling performances by players and music stars, to the dazzling GTBank Lounge where guests were treated to epicurean cuisine and vintage wine, the 2016 NPA Lagos International Polo Tournament lived up to its billing as the best tournament ever. Elite, stylish and extravagant are few words that describe this year’s event, as the social scene at the annual Lagos polo tournament was as much of a show as the game on the pitch.

Following a two-year hiatus, the organizers set out to host an event second to none and unparallel on every front. The game attracted everyone from big name politicians, aristocrats, traditional leaders, sport lovers and the full panoply of professional players from Argentina, Syria and South Africa.

An exciting first stage of the high-class tournament came to a close on Valentine’s Day with Lagos Shoreline emerging the biggest winner by clinching the Open Cup at the expense of Lagos Caverton while Lagos dominance of the first stage was highlighted once again by Sao Polo’s win of the Dansa Cup against STL in an all-Lagos final. Lagos Shoreline defeated Lagos Caverton 9-8 to emerge champions of the Open Cup while Lagos Sao Polo beat STL 5-4 1/2 to win the Dansa Cup. The Kola Karim-led Shoreline also added the Oba of Lagos Cup, which they won by beating Lagos Ashbert.

The second stage of the tournament kicked-off on February 16th with three matches in the Low Cup. However, the highlight of this stage was the prestigious Majekodunmi Cup, which is the most-lucrative trophy in Nigerian sports, as it worth N25m for the winners. Fifth Chukker Polo emerged winners of the prestigious Majekodunmi cup having defeated Ironclad/Trojan in the final. In the Low Cup final, Aerovote defeated Lagos Zippy while the last match of the day saw Kano Titans beat Kano Keffi Ponys in the Majekodunmi Subsidiary final to clinch the Governor’s Cup.

Commenting on the GTBank sponsored NPA 2016 Lagos Polo tournament, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc said: “we are proud to partner one of Nigeria’s oldest and most reputable Polo Clubs in delivering an event that is second to none on the Country’s social and sporting calendar, and one that provides a platform for us to connect with our customer segment that play and enjoy the “Sport of Kings.”

Segun Agbaje said that from its profound origins rooted in noble values to the naturally evolving symbiosis between player and horse; Polo reflects pure passion, quality, competitiveness and fair play.

Guaranty Trust Bank plc is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, most especially in sports education. The GTBank Masters Cup as well as the Principals Cup tournaments in Lagos and Ogun states are some of the projects the bank has taken up in this regard. [myad]

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