President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi. A statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said that the sacking of Mr. Akpobolokemi’s is with immediate effect. There was no reason for his sacking, but he was directed to hand over the management of NIMASA and all government property in his possession to the most senior officer in the agency who will remain in charge until a new Director-General is appointed. [myad]
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has approved the registration of a new party, named Democratic People’s Congress (DPC), even as it released the time table for bye-election into the Katsina Federal Constituency. The new party brought the total number of registered parties in the country to 29. According to the statement from the Commission, the approval for the new party came at the end of Commission’s meeting, held on Friday 19th June this year. In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, the party Constitution, Manifesto, Logo/flag and the list of the National Executive Officers were also approved. The letter also stated that the certificate of registration would be issued in due course. A statement signed by the Director for Election and Party Monitoring department, Bala Shittu, said the Katsina the election is scheduled to hold on the 8th of August this year It said that a meeting with stakeholders in preparation for the election was held yesterday, 15th. A breakdown of the other activities in the build up to the elections is as follows: 17th July 2015 – Notice of Election 25th July, 2015 – Political Party Primaries 25th July, –7th August 2015 25th July, 2015 – Collation of CF001 and CF002 27th July, 2015 – Last day for submission of Forms CF001 & CF002 at the NHQ Abuja 29th-30th July, 2015 – Publication of list of nominated candidates for the election 30th July, 5th August, 2015 – Submission of names of party agents to REC 7TH August, 2015 – Last day/time for campaign 8th August, 2015 – Date of Election. [myad]
Nigeria has formally declared support for the agreement between Iran and the six world powers on its nuclear programme which was concluded early this week. At a meeting with visiting Iranian Vice President for Executive Affairs, Mohammed Shariatmadari at the Aso Presidential Villa today, President Buhari applauded the agreement, saying that it was a major step toward ensuring peace and stability in the Middle East. The President said that as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Nigeria looks forward to the faithful implementation of the terms of the agreement by all concerned parties. President Buhari, who received an invitation from the Iranian Vice President to attend an upcoming Summit on Gas Exporting Countries in Tehran, remarked that it was in the interest of developing countries to maximize the use of their natural resources for the improvement of the living conditions of their people. Mr. Shariatmadari congratulated President Buhari on his election and assured him of Iran’s support in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. “The government of President Hassan Rouhani of Iran advocates moderation and departure from any form of extremism,’’ he said.
“My relationship with Mr. President does not hinge on political appointment. Whether or not he assigns me to a particular office, my resolve to ensure that he succeeds remains unshakable. He is a person I highly respect and I am ready to support him throughout his tenure. I am not doing him a person favour, but I consider it as a duty to contribute in fixing Nigeria.” These are the exact words of the former Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazau when he reacted to insinuation in some quarters that he was desperate about holding any political appointments under President Muhammadu Buhhari. General Dambazzau, the first Nigeria army chief to hold a PhD degree, and currently a Senior Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Peace, Democracy and development, University of Massachusetts, Boston, as well as a fellow and Associate of the Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs, Harvard University, went on: “I have immensely benefited from Nigeria after reaching the peak of my career as a General and commanded the army, and acquired the highest educational qualification (PhD), it is only reasonable to consider this opportunity as a payback time.” Media reports had revved up information about the fact that he lost out in the quest to grab the position of National Security Adviser (NSA) in Buhari’s government, a position which was given to retired Major General Babagana Monguno, on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari. According if there was race for the position of NSA, he was not a contestant. “For very good reasons, people may have their expectations, but that should not be translated as mine. Of course I will be glad to work for the President if he assigned me any task or appoints me in any capacity he feels I can contribute towards the success of the government. “This is especially because I was the CPC Chairman of the Security Committee in 2011 and he personally appointed me and also in 2015 as Director, Intelligence and Security of the APC Presidential Campaign Council. “At any rate the President has the prerogative to appoint any person of his choice to any of the available positions, but in the final analysis it is God that determines who becomes what. My prayer therefore is for the Almighty God to guide President Muhammadu Buhari in this very important task of nation-building He has given him.” General Dambazau said that he had built a very good reputation both at home and abroad which he doubted if it can be easily destroyed. “Like I said earlier, power and wealth belong to God and He gives whomever He wishes at the time He wishes.” Before he retired from the army as the 17th Chief of Army Staff in 2010, he was the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Ibadan among other top professional military posts. [myad]
The management of PNO Dynamic Media Limited, Publishers of Prompt News Online, has announced the death of its Sports Reporter, Gracious Akujobi. A statement by the Publisher, Akeem Oyetunji, said Miss Akujobi was on a national assignment as Super Falcons Media officer when she passed away on Wednesday night in Abuja. She had joined the team and other officials in camp on Tuesday night ahead of the team’s Olympics Games qualifier against the Equatorial Guinea. Miss Akujobi, who hails from Imo State, joined Prompt News Online at its inception in 2013, covering the sports beat. She had a brief stint as part-time staff with DAAR Communications, owners of AIT and Ray Power FM and 2muchsports.com. [myad]
A member of the House of Representatives, Iduma Enwo Igariwey, (Peoples Democratic Party, Ebonyi) has made a move at the Federal High Court, Abuja to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from giving out the sum of N413.7 billion to states to pay arrears of salary to government workers.
Igariwey is asking the court to declare Buhari’s approval of the bailout “unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful and null and void.”
He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain Buhari from further allocation, distribution, and disbursement of public revenue from Nigeria’s distributable pool account to federal, state and local government without the prescription of the National Assembly.
The lawmaker, representing Afikpo North and South, joined the Attorney-General of the Federation, Ministry of Finance, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Accountant-General of the Federation and Auditor-General of the Federation in the suit.
Addressing newsmen shortly after returning from court, Igariwey declared that his suit had no political undertones. Instead, he said, it was informed by the need to defend the constitutional provision for separation of powers.
At least 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states owe their workers arrears of salaries. Some had not paid workers for as much as seven months.
Although he sympathized with the plight of such workers, Igariwey said the President had no power to unilaterally disburse money without the approval of the National Assembly.
According to him, the power of appropriation rests squarely with the National Assembly, and the federal government cannot appropriate public funds without recourse to the National Assembly.
“To do so will be for the Federal Government to act in a cavalier or perfunctory manner, and I believe that that is not what the drafters of the Constitution intended when the Constitution of this country was predicated on the separation of powers.
“Section four of our Constitution clearly vests the power of appropriation on the National Assembly. Section five vests the Executive with its own powers and Section six vests the Judiciary with its own powers. So, there is a clear separation of powers,” he said.
Igariwey submitted that Section 160 of the Nigerian Constitution makes it mandatory for the National Assembly to be involved in any form of revenue distribution in the country; the decision of government on the recent bailout, he said, amounted to boycotting the parliament and alienating it in the scheme of things in a constitutional democracy.
“I am doing this because I feel that this is a constitutional democracy. If you allow this kind of thing, no matter the good intention of the Federal Government, the country’s democracy will be threatened,” Igariwey said.
Asked if he took into consideration the possible reaction of Nigerians on the suit, he said, “This is a country of laws. Everything the government does ought to emanate from the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. Every step the government intends to take must be backed up by the Constitution.
“Any day we set ourselves away from the Constitution, we will be inviting anarchy. What I am saying is that you cannot sacrifice constitutionalism on the altar of political expediency.
“The Constitution does not say that our president should be a Father Christmas. Our President is a democratically elected president who swore to abide by the dictates of the Constitution.
“We did not elect an Ayatollah or a monarch who would sit in his office and do good to all manner of men the way he or she desires. Every act of the President, the legislature or the judiciary must emanate from this Constitution and other statutes and legal instruments.
“No matter how well-intentioned the action of government may be, the moment it is not backed up by the Constitution it is a nullity.” [myad]
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku has vouched for the anti-corruption credential of President Muhammadu Buhari which he said he would put into good use as President to cleanse Nigeria of the endemic disease.
Chief Anyaokun who met with the President today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, ahead of the President’s official trip to the United States at the weekend said that he had confidence in Buhari, recalling that the President was well known for his strong aversion to corruption.
“I can tell myself, talking to a President who is very determined to effect a real change in the circumstances of our country and very determined too to bring to bear on his administration the generally perceived attributes of his character, which I believe many Nigerians would support.
“I believe that before he became President, he was known as somebody who has very strong passion for anti-corruption. I believe that he is determined to fight it and he would go a long way in doing so.
“Corruption is a very endemic issue in our society and I’m quite impressed of his determination to do something about it.”
Chief Anyaoku told newsmen that during his close-door meeting with President Buhari, they talked international affairs, particularly the President’s impending visit to the United States.
“We touched on some national issues because of the strong link between foreign policy and domestic issues.
“I put at his disposal the benefits of my long experience on governance matters with heads of governments of the 54-member countries of the Commonwealth and also other issues related to internal affairs.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency has disclosed that the governors of Imo, Nasarawa, Oyo, Borno and Edo states would accompany Buhari on the trip to the United States.
Buhari would leave Abuja on Sunday for Washington DC on the four-day official visit during which he will hold high-level talks with President Barack Obama and other senior officials of the United States government, with issues of security and economy topping the agenda.
The talks will also aim to strengthen and intensify bilateral and international cooperation against terrorism in Nigeria and West Africa, according to an Aso Rock statement signed by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina.
“President Buhari, who will meet with President Obama at the White House on Monday, July 20, will later hold further discussions with the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, and the Deputy Secretary of Defence, Robert Work, on military and defence cooperation.
“The President will also meet with Vice President Joe Biden and confer with the U.S. Attorney-General, Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Secretary of Treasury, Jack Lew, the Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, and the U.S. Trade representative, Michael Froman, on United States support for his administration’s war against corruption as well as fresh measures to boost Nigeria-United States trade relations.
“The President, who will be received by the United States Secretary of State at the State Department in Washington DC, will later hold meetings with the United States Senate and Congressional Committees on Foreign Relations, as well as the Black Caucus of the United States House of Representatives.
“Before leaving Washington DC, President Buhari will address the United States Chamber of Commerce and Corporate Council for Africa.
“The President, who will be accompanied by the Governors of Imo, Nasarawa, Edo, Borno and Oyo States as well as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment, will also host an interactive session with Nigerians in the American Diaspora.
“The U.S. trip will also afford President Buhari the opportunity of a reunion with members of the American War College Class of 1980 in which he was a distinguished participant.
He is due back in Abuja on Thursday, July 23,” the statement from the Presidency said. [myad]
Former Nigeria Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has expressed worry over the generous publicity being accorded the dangerous activities of the outlawed Boko Haram by Nigerian media.
In his Sallah message to Nigerians today from his Minna Hilltop Mansion, Babangida stressed that headlines and lead stories in the national and local media have been responsible mainly for the promotion of the activities of insurgents.
He said that such undue publicity has also been helping to motivate members of the sect rather than de-motivating them, adding that if Nigeria is serious about proper management of information on security issues, story about the idea of taking some Boko Haram suspects and prisoners to Anambra State, should not have been public knowledge.
Babangida lamented that the country has within this period, witnessed what he described as the worst of human follies in the conduct of these avoidable carnage and bloodletting by those “unscrupulous persons that operate under the guise of religion and carrying out havoc to Nigeria and Nigerians sense of nationality.”
The former leader, who said he was confident that President Muhammadu Buhari would end the Boko Haram sect, believed that Nigeria can be greater if the current challenges were solved.
In the message titled: “Let us be Strong and Unite against Insurgency,” Babangida advised President Buhari to ensure that the welfare of Military personnel who have been posted to the states where members of Boko Haram operate were adequately taken care of as such a move would encourage soldiers who would be assigned such responsibilities subsequently.
He stressed that the Islamic religion he was born into 74 years ago preaches peace and encourages everyone to cooperate with another, adding that God should touch the hearts of the insurgents so that the untoward act of bloodletting would permanently cease.
“Let me convey my warm wishes to all Muslims home and abroad for the successful completion of the Ramadan exercise.
“As much as one would have appreciated our efforts as devout Muslims who have observed the obligatory month of Ramadan, the incessant killings and bloodlettings by members of the Boko Haram leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
“For want of no discernible ideology, they have continued to portray Islam in very bad light, making members of other religions to perceive us with scorn. Islam, which I was born into, some 74 years ago, is a very peaceful religion that preaches brotherliness and togetherness.
“It is a religion that encourages love, affection and respect for our neighbours and mankind. It is one religion that has an abiding influence on its adherents to cooperate with one another and promote peace in their respective communities.
“May God touch the hearts of these insurgents so that the untoward act of bloodletting will permanently cease. Happy Eid-el-Fitri to all.” [myad]
Tiv people in Taraba state today stormed the government house in Jalingo with the corpses of two of their kinsmen that were allegedly killed by Fulani herdsmen at Dan Anacha in Gassol local government area of the state.
The Tiv people, numbering more than five hundred, arrived in Jalingo with the bodies of the slain men who were macheted beyond recognition about 2.00 pm to protest the continuous killing of Tiv farmers by the Fulanis.
No fewer than seven people were believed to have been killed since the recent wave of killings began last week while more than 30 that wounded by the herdsmen are currently receiving treatment at First Referral Hospital in Mutum-Biyu, headquarters of the local government.
The protesters were however stopped from entering the government house on the directives of the state governor, Architect Darius Ishaku to forestall attacks that may result in the escalation of the crisis. [myad]
The Presidency has described the claim by a pirate radio station that President Muhammadu Buhari expressed anti-Igbo sentiments in a recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service as a concoction floated by the enemies of Nigeria to cause disunity. Saying that the allegation was completely false, malicious and slanderous, the Presidency said that the voice that was ascribed to President Buhari in the recording repeatedly played back by the pirate radio station is definitely not the President’s and the claim that the station got the recording from a BBC interview is totally untrue. A statement by the senior special assistant to President Buhari on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu today said that the President has not had any interview with the BBC’s Hausa Service since his assumption of office as alleged by the agents of disunity behind the pirate radio station’s inflammatory and divisive broadcasts. According to Garba Shehu, the last interview he had with the BBC Hausa Service, lasting not more than five minutes, was on the day he was declared winner and given his certificate of return as President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission. “Thankfully, the BBC Hausa Service Editor, Mr. Mansor Liman has distanced the BBC from the false interview clip being ascribed by the pirate radio station to President Buhari. “President Buhari is the President of all Nigerians and will continue to treat all citizens on the basis of fairness, equality and equity.” The senior special adviser said that one should be deceived by the pirate radio station’s hate propaganda against the President even as he asked Nigerians to ignore all propaganda designed to sow the seeds of discord among them and promote a separatist agenda against national unity, solidarity and progress. [myad]
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
