Buhari Assures That Nigeria Will Respect Ruling Of International Court On Bakassi

July 29, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari has given assurance that Nigeria will respect the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Bakassi Peninsula

Speaking at an interactive session with Nigerians living in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon during his two-day working and friendly visit to the country, President Buhari said his administration would ensure the faithful implementation of the Green Tree Agreement, which regulates the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon.
“Since Nigeria allowed the case to go to court (ICJ), and we lost, we have to abide by it, ” the President said in response to a question from a Nigerian on the issue.
President Buhari, who is on his maiden visit to the country after his inauguration on May 29, said his administration had yet to articulate a foreign policy for Nigeria beyond what was captured in the All Progressives Congress (APC) party’s manifesto.
“However we will make our embassies more efficient and improve our relations with other countries.”
The President urged Nigerians in Diaspora to be law abiding in their host countries and told representatives of the over 4 million Nigerians living in Cameroon to continue to live in peace and harmony with Cameroonians.
On the plight of some 40,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon, who were forced to flee their homes because of Boko Haram terrorists, the President said the Federal government would ensure their safe return and rehabilitation in the shortest possible time.
“We also have about 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria and we have a programme of rehabilitation and reintegration into the society for them, which involves providing shelter and schools to the displaced persons.”
Responding to a question on the voting rights for Nigerians in Diaspora, the President promised that his administration would revisit the issue, which would require legislation from the National Assembly.
Later in a prepared text read to the Nigerian community, the President pledged to do everything possible toward bringing positive change to Nigeria.
“Despite the numerous challenges confronting us, the future of our country is bright.
“You all know very well that your fellow Nigerians are resilient, hardworking and patriotic.
“These qualities have always seen us through our most difficult national challenges and they will do so now.’’
On the fight against Boko Haram, the President assured Nigerians that the current security challenges are not insurmountable, adding that Nigeria is working with all her neighbours, including Cameroon, to fight and stand firmly against all forms of terror and trans-border crimes.
He appealed for patience and vigilance from Nigerians to ensure that youths are not lured into joining “misguided groups.’’
“We are determined to end this callousness against our innocent citizens. The defence of the territorial integrity of Nigeria and the protection of lives and properties of Nigerians and all those who live
in the country are out top priorities.
“We shall explore all reasonable options to enable us to bring this rebellion to an end,” he vowed.
President Buhari will depart Cameroon for Abuja tomorrow after addressing a joint press conference in Yaounde with his host, President Paul Biya. [myad]

Port Harcourt, Warri Refineries Begin Preliminary Operations

Greenbarge Reporters

July 29, 2015

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has announced the commencement of preliminary production of petroleum products the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries after successful test-runs.

The refineries started operation after they were successfully re-streamed within a nine-month rehabilitation exercise that was conducted by its in-house engineers and technicians.
in a statement today, the corporation, said that both plants

A statement by the corporation today said that while Port Harcourt refinery was ramping up its operation to about 60 per cent of its 210,000 barrels per day capacity, the Warri refinery’s production is being projected to hit 80 per cent of its installed 125,000bpd capacity.
The NNPC said the Port Harcourt refinery was projected to boost the nation’s local refining capacity with a product yield of five million litres of petrol per day, while Warri refinery would contribute 3.5 million litres of petrol.
The corporation said that it had to adopt the phased rehabilitation strategy after the Original Refinery Builders, who were initially contacted for the project, came up with unfavorable terms.
“Though a decision was taken in 2011 to rehabilitate all the refineries using the ORB of each of the refineries, we were impelled to switch strategy after the ORBs declined participation and nominated some partners in their stead who came up with outrageously unfavorable terms.”
The NNPC stated that the nominated partners, as sole-bidders, came up with humongous price offers after two years of thorough and exhaustive scope of work definition and price negotiations.
It added that the proxies were also unwilling to provide post rehabilitation performance guarantees.
“The phased rehabilitation strategy which entailed phased and simultaneous rehabilitation of all the refineries using in-house and locally available resources in line with the spirit and letter of the Nigerian Content Law, also involved the use of Original Equipment Manufacturer representatives to effect major equipment overhaul and rehabilitation.”
The national oil firm said the phased rehabilitation programme, which started in October 2014 after the required funding stream was established, created a 70 per cent reduction in costs which helped largely in mitigating the financing challenges of refinery rehabilitation.
It observed that with the successful re-streaming of the PHRC and WRPC, attention has now moved to the 110,000 barrels per day Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company which was billed to come on stream soon.
In a related development, NNPC disclosed that it had successfully recovered the System 2B Pipeline which was breached last week at Arepo, Ogun State.
The corporation stated that its team of engineers, who were deployed to the scene of the incident, were able to access the pipeline after the fire was put out and commenced repair work immediately.
“We wish to announce that the vital System 2B Pipeline which was breached at Arepo last week has been fixed and brought back on stream. Pumping of products through the system commenced on Monday upon successful completion of repair work over the weekend.
“We also wish to call on all those engaged in the criminal acts of pipeline sabotage and oil theft to desist in order to avoid such horrendous deaths as was witnessed in the recent incident.” [myad]

List Of Nigerians Who Stole Oil Is Already With President Buhari

Greenbarge Reporters

July 29, 2015

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari is already in possession of Nigerians who have been stealing oil and blaming it on Niger Delta militants. The list was believed to have been compiled and handed over to the President by the United States of America.

Sources close to the President hinted: “I can tell you that the President already has the list of names of the people engaging in the stealing of Nigeria’s oil. The list, when released by the President, will shock Nigerians. But let’s wait and see first.”

It was leanrt that President Buhari was taken aback when he saw the names on the list and that the list given to the President by the US might compel him to probe the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was gathered the US gave Buhari two separate lists – one listing the names of top government officials who have been stealing the country’s oil, using their high offices to perpetrate the stealing; and the other containing the names of illegal oil bunkerers.

The President had said last week that some ministers in the cabinet of Jonathan were stealing as much as 250,000 barrels of Nigeria’s crude daily. The President is said to have vowed that those whose names appeared on the list would not go scot-free.

“The President will probe all of them and make sure they return whatever fortune they had made from their thievery.”

Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown its support behind the President for the probe of the Jonathan administration in the light of mind-boggling corruption that had been uncovered by the Federal Government.

“Some people have insinuated that the Buhari administration should ignore the massive looting of our patrimony and move on. We say no responsible government can afford to do that, because it will amount to endorsing corruption and impunity,’’ the party said in a statement issued in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The APC said billions of dollars had been skimmed off by “pathologically-corrupt public officials” in the oil sector alone, wondering how the government of the day could meet its obligations to the citizens if it refused to recover the huge funds taken away by thieving officials

The statement reads: ‘‘It is an irony that those who are suggesting that the Buhari administration should turn a blind eye to the incomprehensible looting are the same ones accusing the government of not doing anything.

“It is even a cruel irony that the same party that presided over what is fast emerging as the worst governance in the history of our country is the same one that is daily bad-mouthing an administration that is cleaning up its mess.

‘‘Where does one start from? Is it the fact that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation failed to remit N3.8tn to the Federation Account or the mind-blowing stealing of 250,000 barrels of crude oil per day?

“Is it the fact that the NNPC itself does not know how many bank accounts it had or into which ones the payments for Nigerian crude are made? Could anyone have imagined that a government minister would steal the unprecedentedly-huge amount of US $6bn of public funds as being alleged?

‘‘How does any sane person rationalise the fact that $1bn was unilaterally and illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account just because, as the immediate past Minister of Finance has disclosed, the President ordered the withdrawal? What about the billions of naira waivers recklessly approved to dubious importers by the Jonathan administration?

“Is it not clear now that the stealing and the profligacy – more than anything else, including the fall in oil price – helped to drastically reduce the monthly allocation from the Federation Account from about N800bn to about N400bn , thus pauperising the states and the local governments, and by extension the citizenry?

“Against the background of the stunning revelations, what message will any government be sending to its citizens and indeed the global community by looking the other way, when it could still recover some of the looted funds for the benefit of the people?

“This is why we are supporting the Buhari administration’s probe decision and we are calling on all Nigerians to support ongoing efforts to get to the root of the matter.”

The APC said that it was clear that the Jonathan administration had deliberately delayed giving the then incoming Buhari government the handover notes so as to avoid being asked critical questions pertaining to the looting under its watch.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that it was on the same page with Buhari in the fight against corruption, but that due process must be followed.

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja yesterday, said the clarification became necessary so as to remove any misconception that it was against the decision of the present administration to probe some past officials of government because they were PDP members.

Metuh said: “The PDP supports the decision of the Federal Government to fight corruption in our country.

“However, we make bold to state that it should not be disguised to victimise innocent citizens. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria and no citizen, irrespective of political, religious or ethnic affiliation, should be denied access to due process and the rule of law in the process.

“Furthermore, we make bold to state that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. In that regard, therefore, we advise members of the APC blowing the horn ahead of the cart to keep quiet because many of them have been major beneficiaries of corruption and sleaze associated with themselves and their allies, especially one of them who as a disguised errand boy of a well-known APC leader is a major beneficiary of the largesse of perpetrators of corruption.

“Apart from Mr. President, who for now, is not associated with any sleaze or corrupt activity in this democracy, most APC leaders are still those who as governors, ministers and labour leaders have been the worst corrupt set of Nigerians ever to bestride the political landscape of the country.

“It is a great miscarriage of perception therefore for the APC leaders who are perpetrators of sleaze and corrupt acts to attempt to deceive Nigerians with imaginary holiness in this anti-corruption war by the President.”

Consequently, he called on the President, as the leader of the APC to remove the log in the eyes of his party while “we support his commitment to remove the speck from the eyes of others.” [myad]

Ooni Of Ife, Oba Sijuwade, Dies In London, Aged 85

Greenbarge Reporters

July 29, 2015

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade has been reportedly dead in a London hospital last night, at the age of 85 and seven months. He was born on January 1, 1930.

Reports reaching us indicated that the monarch was flown out of the country since last Friday and subsequently died in the United Kingdom last night.

Already some traditional rulers in Osun state have confirmed that Sijuwade had died.

The spokesperson for the Ooni, Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola, said however, when contacted: “I don’t have anything to tell you immediately.”

One Osun traditional ruler, who asked not to be quoted said: “the Ooni is dead. It is true. He died about two hours ago in the UK. His two oloris (wives) – Olori Moni and Olori Odun – were with him in the UK.

“He travelled out for treatment anytime he fell ill but he couldn’t make it this time. It is sad but I believe it is God’s time. There was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

“Tokunbo, his eldest child, will probably leave for the UK this evening. There is nothing we can do but we take solace in the fact that he lived well. The proper announcement will be done later,”

The traditional ruler’s account was corroborated by another monarch, who explained that the Ooni was indeed flown out of the country five days ago in an air ambulance after he slumped.

There had been fears over the health of the first class monarch since 2013 when he was taken out of the country for medical attention for over a month.

Oba Sijuwade ascended the throne in December 1980.

Born on January 1, 1930, Sijuwade became the fiftieth ruler of the ancient kingdom of Ife, popularly referred to as the cradle and source of the Yoruba, in 1980.

Though he took the name Alayeluwa Olubuse II upon his installation, he dropped “Alayeluwa” from his name a few years back, saying that only God is fit to be called “Alayeluwa.”

Alayeluwa means omniscience.

Oba Sijuwade was reported to have slumped on Thursday and was rushed to Ibadan airport from where he was flown to Lagos in an air ambulance en route to England for treatment but became stable by Saturday.

The flamboyant traditional ruler was crowned king on December 6, 1980 in a colourful ceremony attended by prominent traditional rulers, the Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, Amayanabo of Opobo and the Olu of Warri as well as the representatives of the Queen of England.

It was gathered that the Ife traditional council and the Osun State traditional council would meet today.

A competent source disclosed that emissaries from the two councils would visit the Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, to officially break the news to the governor.

Sijuwade was born to the Ogboru ruling house. The handsome king was a grandson of the Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. He studied at the Abeokuta Grammar School and Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife.

He worked for three years in his father’s business and later did a two-year stint with the Nigerian Tribune, before attending the Northampton College in the United Kingdom to study Business Management.

At the young age of 30, he became a manager in Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian conglomerate. In 1963, he became the Sales Director of the state-owned National Motors in Lagos. After spotting a business opportunity during a 1964 visit to the Soviet Union, he formed a company to distribute Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria. This later became the nucleus of his widespread business empire. He also invested in real estate in his home town of Ile-Ife. By the time Sijuwade was crowned Ooni in 1980 he had become a wealthy man, whose fame and connection was global.

When Sijuwade became the Ooni, he inherited an ongoing dispute over supremacy between the obas of Yorubaland. In 1967 the crisis had been resolved when the late Yoruba sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was chosen as the leader of the Yoruba. In 1976, the Governor of Oyo State, General David Jemibewon, had decreed that the Ooni of Ife would be the permanent chairman of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs. Other Obas led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, said the position should rotate. The dispute calmed down when Osun State was carved out of Oyo State in August 1991, but still persisted. In January 2009, Sijuwade was quoted as saying that Oba Adeyemi was ruling a dead empire (the Oyo Empire, which collapsed in 1793). Adeyemi responded by citing “absurdities” in Sijuwade’s statements and saying the Ooni “is not in tune with his own history”.

It will be recalled that Oba Adeyemi, the Permanent Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, was conspicuously absent from a meeting of Yoruba leaders in April 2010.

In February 2009, Sijuwade helped mediate in a dispute over land ownership between the communities of Ife and Modakeke, resolved in part through the elevation of the Ogunsua of Modakeke as an Oba.

In August 2010 he mediated in the ownership dispute between Oyo and Osun states concerning Ladoke Akintola University, calling a meeting attended by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, governor of Osun State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, governor of Oyo State and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education which resulted in an action plan. [myad]

Nigeria Central Bank Angry With Importation Of Rice At Whooping 2.41 Billion Dollars Since 2012

Greenbarge Reporters

July 28, 2015

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is not comfortable with the high rate of the importation of rice which has cost the country a total sum of 2.41 Billion dollars between 1012 and 2015, even as it vowed that the ban on importation of the community has come to stay.

The Bank’s governor, Godwin Emefiele who spoke today at a stakeholders’ meeting with officials of Paddy Rice Producing states and Rice Value chain investors in Abuja stressed that the bank’s decision to ban foreign exchange for importation of rice; fish and other items would not be reversed.

“Figures available to the CBN show that from the period, January 2012 to May 2015, the country had spent over 2.41bn dollars on importation of this commodity. Unfortunately, this trend has resulted in huge unsold stock of paddy rice cultivated by our farmers and low operating capacities of many integrated rice mills in Nigeria.”

Emefiele said the CBN in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would come up with a comprehensive financing model to support rice millers and other investors in the sector.

He said the bank’s decided to intervene in the sector through funding and other packages because the country would not achieve its true potentials if it imported everything it could produce locally.

“The bank will make funds more accessible to farmers through some of its funding programme such as the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme and the N220bn Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development fund.

“The funds will be made available to rice farmers through the Microfinance Banks at an interest rate of nine per cent and any bank that charges interest above that rate should be reported to the CBN

“We appeal to the state governments to provide lands for the farmers on a large scale and we will work with them to clear some of these impediments.

“We are at a stage where we must feed ourselves and all hands are in deck to ensure this work.’’

The CBN boss said that those that defaulted in the payment of customs duty after bringing in excess quotas of rice into the country at concessionary rates would be penalised.

He said the CBN would take up the issue to the highest level in government to ensure that the money was paid.

“By exceeding their import quota, these importers have flooded the market with rice that is sold below what is produced locally thus, making consumer ignores the locally produced ones.

“We are going to enforce it and we will go to the highest level to enforce this to ensure that they pay and I appeal to them to go and pay,’’ he added.

The governor also assured rice producers that the bank would work closely with the Nigerian Customs Service to address the issue of smuggling.

Also speaking, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi promised that everything would be done to support the CBN intervention.

Bagudu spoke on behalf of the ten major paddy rice producing states, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Taraba, Zamfara, Nasarawa and Niger.

He said the states had enough capacity to produce rice that would help the country attain self sufficiency as well as for export purpose.

He also assured producers that they would expand infrastructure, as well as provide the right atmosphere for people to invest in rice farming.

Sonny Echow, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the ministry was making plans to intervene in rice production in the coming season.

“We are proposing to the CBN to help us set up a fund for rice millers for our rice farmers.

“We will be making that recommendation to the CBN to facilitate a long term fund,” he said.

Earlier, the millers stressed the need to address some of the bottlenecks affecting the increase in rice production in the country.

They also listed some areas where they needed intervention to include: Investment in research, irrigation facility and stable rice policy, as well as the need to tackle issue of smuggling.

Others included bigger fields, funding, access to land, establishment of more rice mills and increase in capacity of existing mills in the country among others. [myad]

Inability To Pay N1.5 Million Rent, Landlord Gives Ekiti PDP Quit Notice

Greenbarge Reporters

July 28, 2015

Ekiti PDP Chieftain

Landlord of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Ekiti State has issued quit notice to the party for its inability to pay the sum of N1.5 million as rent.

The landlord, who was a two-term State PDP Chairman and now a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Ropo Adesanya, is aggrieved that the ruling party in the state allegedly issued him a dud cheque for the rent.

Power supply to the party secretariat has also been disconnected by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company over unpaid electricity bills.

Adesanya was the PDP Chairman for eight years during which Governor Ayodele Fayose won the 2003 governorship election.

Describing the situation as “very embarrassing,” the Acting Chairman of the PDP in the state, Tunde Olatunde, who took over when the Chairman, Idowu Faleye, was purportedly removed, confirmed that the cheque issued to Adesanya was not honoured by the bank.

Faleye, an ally of the governor, purportedly stepped down on May 13 following pressure from members of the State Executive Committee.

Olatunde chairs a faction, which has 14 State Working Committee members and 51 members of State Executive Council, who are the majority and occupying the party secretariat.

He explained that Adesanya had already forwarded a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Etop James, on the alleged issuance of a dud cheque, which he claimed, was “stopped for no just cause.”

He said the cash could not be drawn from the party’s account at an old generation bank despite that the account had about N17m.

Olatunde said, “The truth of the matter is that our party has been ejected for not paying our rent by our landlord, Chief Ropo Adesanya, eight-year party chairman and the man that produced Mr. Governor in his first term.

“We are owing the man N1.5m and we issued him a cheque drawn in our account in an old generation Bank that has about N17m at the time we were using it but mysteriously, the cheque was stopped for no just cause.

“Chief Ropo Adesanya has petitioned the Commissioner of Police for issuance of dud cheque and the Police have confirmed that there is money in that account.

“The twist in the story is that Mr. Governor is saying that Adesanya bought the house nearly ten years ago when they sent him (Fayose) on exile.

“In fact, public power supply has been disconnected from the building and we are suffering despite the fact that our party is in power and presently rules in Ekiti.

“This party has been in power for almost one year now, the government has not funded us. The state exco members have not been receiving their honorarium and the activities of the party have been grounded.”

When contacted on Tuesday, the factional Publicity Secretary loyal to the governor, Jackson Adebayo, said, “I’m not aware of that.”

Olatunde said the party would sue the bank for throwing it into disrepute by not honoring the cheque when it had more than enough to pay in the account.

When asked if the SWC had approached the governor to resolve the issue, he said the governor was aware but had not shown interest.

Olatunde stated that the governor had been operating with the Faleye faction at the Government House, a situation he described as “illegal.”

He added that the SWC members would continue to insist that the party was run in accordance with the party’s constitution despite the present predicament. [myad]

Buhari Needs 100 Days Of Honey-Moon Before Settling To Effect Change – Bola Tinubu

Greenbarge Reporters

July 28, 2015

Former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that President Muhammadu Buhari should be allowed at least 100 day honey-moon before settling down to effect the change in the socio-political and economic systems of the country.
Tinubu, who was answering questions from newsmen today shortly after he had a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja wondered why Nigerians are impatient when they knew that the President was sworn in only on May 29.
“It is an international norm all over the world, there is an honeymoon period, at least minimum of 100 days honeymoon. And you won’t allow honeymoon at all? You said change is not coming, change is not by magic: it is driven by the people, the spirit and the character and the planning.
“You see, we have had so much problems in this country in the past because we ran into policy blind-folded, without adequate and effective planning. You don’t have results unless you plan well. The time it takes you to plan, examine, rejig, re-evaluate is more important than the time you just rush into taking action because you are either being sentimental, being emotional and being driven by other forces that are not expected.
“It is not fair to jump into those conclusions. There must be time to plan, to review and even listen to people. There is a separation between a campaign period, articulating your vision, expressing the promises to Nigerians; there is a time to look at holistically what you inherited, analysis it, di-still and then take action. Even in 100 meters race, there is a time to say on your mark, set, ready, go. So you don’t even want a time to be on your mark, set and go? No no no. You are not bring fair.” [myad]

Yes With Buhari, Nigeria’s Treasury Is Safe, But The System Is Unjust, Says Dangiwa Umar

Greenbarge Reporters

July 28, 2015

Former military governor of Kaduna state, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd) has said that Nigeria’s treasury is secure under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch but that the system
I have no doubt that Nigeria’s treasury is secure under President Buhari’s watch but that what Nigeria truly needs is a just and equitable system.
“There is no doubt that all nations need just rulers to prosper. In Nigeria,the emphasis has been on getting that honest and just ruler. There is no doubt that in General Muhammadu Buhari, we have a relatively honest and just ruler.”
In a statement today, Colonel Dangiwa noted with regret that the Nigerian State as presently politically and economically structured, is aimed at the exploitation of oil and gas resources of the Niger Delta region.
According to him, the Nigerian state exists for the sharing of those assets which he said makes the Nigerian President a defacto Accountant –General.
“If we are to develop, we must do away with this food-is ready system and start practising true federalism as the only way to unleash and unbound the vast economic potentials of all the federating units. Our present system is unsustainable ,more so that oil prices are rapidly declining.

Kogi Guber Poll: Activist Tags Parties That Pick Candidates From East As Enemies Of The State

Greenbarge Reporters

July 28, 2015

The leader of an umbrella body of Ebiraland in Kogi Central Senatorial District, Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), Dr. Abdulrahman Musa Adeiza has cautioned political parties in the country not to pick their gubernatorial candidates for the November 24th governorship election in the state, from the East Senatorial District, against the background of the new spirit of power shift that has engulfed the state.
Dr. Adeiza, in an exclusive interview with Greenbarge Reporters in Abuja, made it clear that any political party that picks its gubernatorial candidate from the East would be declared as enemy of the state, especially the Central and Western Senatorial Districts of the State.
He said that since the creation of the state in 1991, it is a few political clique from the East that have been rotating the governorship position amongst themselves, adding that these few political clique have not even been of benefit to the people they are supposed to be representing, much more the entire state.
The EPA President said that the serious urge by leaders and stakeholders for power shift for the purpose of effecting wide-spread development across the state had led to the formation of Kogi Central/West Forum for Equity and Justice recently, adding that this group are no pushover in the state.
Saying that the struggle for power shift would be waged without any form of violence other than intellectual discourse, Dr. Adeiza accused the succeeding governors of the state, who have been always from the Eastern flank, of marginalizing not only the other two senatorial districts, even including the state capital, Lokoja, but their own people.
“This is the struggle of conscience and not of weapons. We have a structure to achieve our aim. The market women, youths, students, impoverished civil servants, area councils and mass of the people are behind us.”
According to him, while the Kogi Central Senatorial District alone contributed over 70 percent of the revenue of the state, the East which generated less than 20 percent had continually appropriated leadership, insisting that the Kogi Central and Wet are not agitating for governorship position to rehabilitate themselves, but to use it to effect proportional development, “so that whatever is due to the East is given to it, the same way whatever is due to the Central and West.”
Dr. Adeiza asked the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to get ready to investigate every candidate, including the incumbent that would be contesting the November 24 governorship election, even as he made it clear that if the two prominent political parties insisted on picking their candidates from the East, the Central and West would implement the plan B.

Look out for the full text of the interview soon. [myad]

Buhari Moves To Settle Allowances Of Ex Niger Delta Militants, Appoints Amnesty Programme Coordinator

Greenbarge Reporters

July 28, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari has taken measure to address the recent hitches in the implementation of Amnesty Programme for former Niger Delta militants, including the non-payment of outstanding allowances to them.
He has therefore approved the appointment of Brigadier-General P.T. Boroh (rtd.) as the Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme with the aim of quickly looking into the matter.
According to a statement today by special adviser to President Buhari, Femi Adesina, the appointment of Brigadire Boroh takes immediate effect.
“He is to take over the responsibilities of the former Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Niger Delta who also doubled as Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme.”
The President expects the new Coordinator to speedily resolve the issues around the Amnesty programme. [myad]

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