Nobody Loves President Buhari More Than Me, Senate President, Saraki Claims

June 28, 2015

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has made it clear that no one loves President Muhammadu Buhari more than him, even as he confessed that he quit his presidential bid in the 2015 election for the President.

Saraki said that he contributed immensely to the emergence of Buhari as President and contributed greatly to his victory in the presidential election held on March 28, 2015.

The Senate President, who spoke to select journalists in an interview in Abuja yesterday, also denied having plans to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the ongoing crisis in the party over his leadership of the Senate.

“I was the first person that stepped down his political ambition, once General Buhari announced that he was going to contest the presidential election. And since then, prior to the period of election, I worked tirelessly to support his emergence.

“Even some of my friends who are not supporting me now are doing so because I did not support them in their presidential ambition and that I supported President Buhari. That is why I find it funny that the same people are now claiming to love Buhari more than me. It is a very funny world.

“These are people that I was begging to leave the stage for Buhari to run since all of us are young. They are now the one going round to say that Saraki did not like Buhari but time will tell.”

This is Saraki’s first personal response to the ongoing crisis that is trailing his controversial emergence as the President of the Senate on June 9. Saraki had led a faction of APC senators, under the auspices of the Like Minds Senators, to defy the party’s choice of Ahmad Lawan as the Senate President.

In what many have described as a ‘coup’, the pro-Saraki group had allied with the opposition lawmakers in the Peoples Democratic Party to make Saraki leader of the upper chamber of the legislature in the absence over 50 APC senators.

Explaining what happened on the National Assembly leadership election day, Saraki said he smuggled himself into the chamber on the day the 8th Assembly was inaugurated when he became aware of an alleged plan to abduct and prevent him from standing for the Senate presidential election

The Senate President also defended his absence from the International Conference Centre venue of a proposed meeting between President Buhari and APC lawmakers on the day of the election.

He insisted that he did not receive any invitation for the meeting.

“As regards the meeting, on the morning of the inauguration, I didn’t finish meeting until 4am of that day and I had got information that efforts would likely be made to make sure that I didn’t get access into the chambers.

He said the plan before was that senators-elect should go to the Transcorp Hilton Hotel around 8:00am and 9:00am to proceed to the National Assembly.

The Senate President said he was, however, advised against going to the chamber at the scheduled time as there were plans to stop him from being part of the day’s proceedings.

Saraki said he got into the National Assembly Complex as early as 6:00am and stayed in a car in the car park from then till quarter to 10:00am. He noted that all through the period, there was no communication to him.

“So, anybody who said they spoke to me to go the ICC was not true because I didn’t even know what was going on. All I was monitoring was how people were arriving at the complex. It was at quarter to 10:00am that I got information that the Clerk to the National Assembly had entered the chamber.” [myad]

Otuoke University Vice Chancellor In Trouble; Asked To Refund Millions Of Naira Overpaid Salaries

Greenbarge Reporters

June 28, 2015

Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Otuoke (FUO), Bayelsa State, Professor Mobolaji Aluko is in trouble with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, which has directed him to refund over-payment of salaries running into millions of naira.

The Commission also directed the Registrar of the university, David Suowari, to refund cumulatively the sum of N130,692.71 per month in excess of his due salary.

The over-payments were said to have been discovered during the commission’s visit to the institution on May 12, 2015 to carry out inspection of FUO’s remuneration practices vis-a-vis the extant government’s pay policy.

The VC and the Registrar were accused of appropriating certain allowances to themselves that were not approved by the government.

These concerns were raised in a letter from NSIWC to Aluko, signed for the Chairman of the Commission by the Director of Compensation, Chike Ogbechie.

The commission said: “The findings of the inspection in respect of your institution (Federal University, Otuoke) were as follows:

“The Vice-Chancellor was being paid total emoluments of N1,970,476.76 monthly, whereas he should not earn more than N922,810.23 if he were paid furniture allowance en bloc earlier, or N1,043,176.79 if he were being paid furniture allowance.

“Much of the difference was attributed to certain allowances which were not approved by the government.”

In the case of the Registrar, the commission said the Registrar was being paid N130,692.71 in excess of his due salary of N502,580.25.

The commission also said the university disaggregated its staff salaries, against government’s policy of pay consolidation.
The NSIWC, therefore, directed the university to stop “the wrongful practices” and comply with relevant rules and rates, adding: “we hereby direct the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar to refund the cumulative overpayments made to them.” [myad]

Kidnapped Kogi High Court Judge Freed, But Yet To Be Released To Family – Police

Greenbarge Reporters

June 28, 2015

The Kogi High Court Judge, Justice Samuel Obayomi, who was abducted on May 25, has been released by the kidnappers, after spending 34 days in their custody, but as at today, he is yet to be released to his family as the police have taken him to a safe place.

Obayomi, who is a resident High Court Judge of Ebogogo in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, was abducted at about 8:45am on his way to the office by the gang, who were reportedly all dressed in black.

During the kidnap operation, the judge’s police orderly, Usman Musa, was shot dead on the spot while the kidnappers drove the judge away in his Toyota Yaris car. The gang later demanded N150m ransom for the judge’s release.

In protest against the continued captivity of the judge, lawyers in the state withdrew from court sessions. This was even as the state Governor, Captain Idris Wada, promised a bounty of N5m to anybody with useful information leading to the rescue of the judge.

Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah also confirmed the release of the judge and expressed gratitude to God.

“We thank God for his release but I cannot give you more information than you already have,” he said.

It would also be recalled that before his abduction, the Judge had just been discharged from the hospital, after three months on admission, following his involvement in a fatal automobile accident. [myad]

Igbo People Jubilate As Government Lifts Embargo On Importation Of Textile, Furniture Products

Greenbarge Reporters

June 28, 2015

Igbo people under the auspices of Ndigbo Cultural Society of Nigeria (NCSN) are obviously jubilating over the federal government’s move to unban the importation of textile and furniture products into the country.

The group, in a statement signed by its President, Chief Udoka Udeogaranya in Lagos, commended the government for what they called this laudable decision which was announced on June 22 by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko.

Dikko, who spoke at the official launch of the implementation of Economic Community of West Africa States, (ECOWAS), Common External Tariff, (CET), said that Nigerians could now import textile materials subject to payment of right duty.

The statement from the Ndigbo said that the decision clearly showed that Nigeria could no longer play local politics with issues bordering on the economy.

“With Nigeria dwindling oil fortune, state governments of the federation are unable to pay salaries and federal government in dire need of funds for capital projects.

“This sound economic decision clearly underscores that Nigeria can no longer play local politics with issues bordering on the economy,” it said

The group called on those asking for a reversal of the policy to put the nation first.

“Unionists crying foul over this sound policy should try to accept reality and put the nation first before their interest.

“They should understand that for a thriving manufacturing sector to exist, the country will have to provide the necessary infrastructure.

“We will need a constant electricity supply, good transportation networks, solid financing and near perfect security system.”

The group said that it is not in doubt that the informal sector of the country was responsible for well over 98 per cent of economic activities of Nigeria.

The group, therefore, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to make policies that would be of good to the people. [myad]

PDP Describes Buhari’s 30 Days In Office As Motion Without Movement

Greenbarge Reporters

June 28, 2015

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, at age 30 days, as a case of motion and no movement, even as it asked Nigerians to pray for the President.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said that the need to pray for President Buhari has become imperative because it has been a very sad story that having been elected March 28, he is yet to decide on key appointments such as ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), a Chief of Staff and advisers in key sectors of the economy.

According to PDP, the APC is yet to get its bearings right, adding that the new administration is showing no inclination towards implementing its numerous campaign promises for which they were voted into office at the centre.

“After a careful evaluation of the first 30 days of President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC)’s administration, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes that it has become obvious that Nigerians need to join hands in prayers to save the government from further inaction and dithering.” [myad]

India Offers To Make Nigerian Nollywood Money-Spinning Industry

Greenbarge Reporters

June 28, 2015

India, believed to have made huge money from film making since 1913, has promised to assist Nigeria develop its film industry for the purpose of making good revenue.

The country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Ajjampur Ghanashyam, who made this promise in Abuja today, said that India would partner Nigeria to develop the film industry to the level of viable industry.

Ghanashyam said that the Nigeria’s film industry had the potential to contribute more to the nation’s economy, saying: “`Nollywood may be relatively a recent phenomenon compared with the Indian film industry but there is scope for both of us to develop concepts from each other.”

He called for more training for the operators of Nigeria’s film industry adding that the Federal Government should create an environment conducive for proper funding of the industry.

Ghanashyam said such efforts could include making access to loans for film makers to be easier.

“In our own case, the government made the Bollywood industry to be an industry; they can raise a bank loan for making a movie.

“Initially accessing loans was not possible for film makers, they were dependent on anybody who was willing to give them the money but that has changed”, he said.

Ghanashyam said with good funding, the quality of films would improve, a development he said, would have a multiplier effect not only on the industry but the entire economy.

“Indian Film Industry started 1913. We had our centenary about two years ago. We have made about 78, 900 movies in 18 languages, that is why the Indian film makers are called the dream merchants.

“Here we make a movie with 20,000 to 50,000 dollars. You can’t make a movie with less than 50 million dollars in Hollywood.” [myad]

Armed Robbers In Military Uniform Snatched Editor’s Car After Throwing His Kid Out

Greenbarge Reporters

June 28, 2015

Five armed men wearing army camouflage yesterday snatched the car of one of the editors of PREMIUM TIMES, Sani Tukur, after throwing his kid who was sleeping out. The robbers also ordered the wife of the victim and other children out of the car before they drove it away the Toyota Camry, 2007 Model.

Tukur, who is the director of the North for the online publication, said the incident occurred Saturday evening at about 9 p.m., along the Airport Road in Abuja.

He narrated his ordeal thus: “We were returning from the National Mosque: my wife and our children. We had gone to offer the Isha/Taraweeh prayers when the ugly incident occurred.

“They used the car they just snatched from another victim to block my way, and when one of them alighted from the car and I noticed that he was wearing an army uniform and thought they were on official patrol.

“They used to station some soldiers at the exact spot we were robbed whenever the President is coming back from a trip. So, I never knew they were armed robbers until the others also came down and I noticed that some were only wearing military jackets, but normal trousers.

“All of a sudden, the first one that came down pointed his gun at me and asked me to come down. When he noticed that I was not alone, he also asked my wife and children to come down immediately.

“One of the kids was already sleeping at the back seat and before he got into the driver’s seat, one of the robbers picked up the kid and threw him to the hard surface. He sustained some minor injuries to the right side of his face.”

Tukur said he already reported the incident to the Divisional Police Headquarters at Lugbe, Abuja.

The stolen car has a colour of gold, with registration number ABJ 143FE. [myad]

Buhari Combs Banks In The World For Nigeria Looted Funds

Greenbarge Reporters

June 27, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari is believed to have begun the vigorous search in many banks across the world for looted Nigerian funds for the purpose of recovering and repatriating them.

It was learnt on good authority that among the countries where the President is beaming his searchlight, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and other European nations where it believes corrupt officials had been stashing away public funds.

The President had, on his first day in Aso Villa office, said that he inherited an almost empty treasury from his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, and made it clear that his administration would recover all the looted funds stashed in foreign banks by corrupt Nigerians.

“The next three months may be hard, but billions of dollars can be recovered, and we will do our best,” the President was quoted as saying in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

Some of the countries where looted funds from Nigeria had been kept in the past include Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Others are France, Germany, British Virgin Islands and other tax havens spread across the globe.

Adesina, who confirmed this to newsmen at the weekend, said the search for the looted funds would not be limited to these countries, but anywhere in the world where they may be hidden.

“The search will not only cover UK, US, Switzerland, Germany and other known havens for Nigerian looted funds, but will cover everywhere under the sun. Anywhere and everywhere that the looted funds are, we have an assurance from the United States of America to assist us to repatriate these funds from anywhere under the sun.” [myad]

Governor El-Rufai Gives Instant Jobs To 2,250 As Health Inspectors Across Kaduna

Greenbarge Reporters

June 27, 2015

Governor Nasiru El-Rufia of Kaduna state has directed the office of the Head of Service, to employ 10 persons each from the 255 wards in the state, to work as Health Inspectors.

The governor also ordered that over 1,000 others should be engaged in a proposed fertiliser plant that would be built in the state soon, saying that this is part of measures aimed at reducing idleness among the youths in the state.

The governor who addressing residents of Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, organised by office of the Special Adviser on Political Matters, expressed worries over the high rate of unemployment in the state.

He reiterated his commitment to fulfilling all his campaign promises, including that of creating employment opportunities through public and private partnership for youth and women across the 23 local government areas of the state.

According to him, talks are on with some investors to build world class industries in the state that would employ a sizable number of people in their workforce as soon as possible.

Governor El-Rufai said that the on the ongoing verification of civil servants in the state was aimed at fishing out ghost workers in the state workforce, explaining that it is not targeted at sacking any worker, as being alleged by some people.

In their separate remarks, the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress appealed to the government to make the verification of civil servants stress free.

The leaders also asked the Governor to implement the Housing and Transport Policy for Civil Servants, in order to ameliorate their sufferings. [myad]

The Fear Of Buhari Keeps Lobbyists For Ministerial Posts Away

Greenbarge Reporters

June 27, 2015

About three weeks after Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as President of Nigerian, the usual lobbyists for the ministerial positions appear to have disappeared.

According to political analysts, potential ministers are even afraid of being appointed ministers by President Buhari, knowing that it would not going to be business as usual, even as the President had sounded a note of warning during his inauguration on May 29 that he was for everybody and was for nobody.

It can be recalled that in the recent past, lobbyists for the ministerial positions would inundate the President immediately after his inauguration, with top political gladiators sending their nominees to the President.

It is noted that top leaders of the new ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Musa Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha and others have maintained a reasonable distance from the President in order that they are not embarrassed.

There are indications that the President would not follow any dictation from any of the party leaders in the choice of his team, with the understanding that he would not like his government to fail in delivering the promises he made to Nigerians. He is fully conscious of the fact that the buck stops at his table.

It is understood that Nigerians, especially those in the opposition, would not take any excuse from Buhari in particular for any kind of failure in the affairs of the government. [myad]

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