Help, Fraudsters Have Invaded Abuja, Forging My Signature, Phone Numbers, Others – FCT Minister

May 18, 2015

FCT-minister-Bala-Mohammed — FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed

Minister of the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has lamented the invasion of Abuja by fraudsters and scammers who have been duping people, including his friends with forged signature and phone numbers of his.
Senator Bala, who had earlier today, gathered top operatives of the FCT administration at his Gwarimpa residence to intimate them about the dangerous development, also spoke through his special assistant on media, Nosike Ogbuenyi in a statement today.
At the meeting today with the minister, for what was termed ‘Operations Briefing Session of the FCT Administration’ held at the Banquet Hall of his Life Camp Gwarinpa official residence, were the Minister of State, Permanent Secretary, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mandate Secretaries, Directors, Special Assistants and other senior officials.
The minister alerted them about the development which he described as worrisome.
Nosike, in a statement later, said that some of the scammers have gone to the extent of cloning the Minister’s telephone numbers while some of the criminal elements have resorted to printing fake Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) for the purpose of extorting money from gullible people.
“The attention of the FCT Administration has been drawn to the unlawful activities of some mischievous elements using the name of the Hon. Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed to dupe unsuspecting members of the public including his friends.”
The statement said that the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have already been alerted about the criminal activities of the fraudsters even as Nosike confirmed that one of such fraud stars has been arrested.
The statement asked members of the public to be wary of such criminally-minded elements in the society who have been going around duping unsuspecting members of the public. [myad]

Falana, Fayose Throw Gutter Language At Each Other

Greenbarge Reporters

May 18, 2015

Lagos constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana and the governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose are on each other’s throat over the rising cases of kidnapping in Ekiti state lately.

Falana had, yesterday, fingered governor Fayemi as the brain behind the increasing kidnapping cases, but Fayose, today, fired back by describing the lawyer as a hypocritical political
merchant, who would always keep silent whenever APC controlled States are
involved.

Falana had said that governor has been providing cover for armed gangs to operate in the
state, but the governor responded that such a comment is ridiculous and nonsensical.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti today through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor wondered why the Lagos-based lawyer would always stand truth in the head.

“Is this not hypocrisy? And Falana did not find it important to ask those All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled states what they have done with their workers’ salaries if truly he is a human rights activist as he claims to be.

“Hypocrisy has made Falana not to say a word on the collapse of the judiciary and the legislative arms of government in some APC controlled States. Or is the judiciary in Rivers State working? And has Falana said a single word on the collapse of the judiciary in Rivers State?”

He advised Falana to live up to the meaning of his name by minding his own business, even as he wondered why the lawyer would be pretentious about some issues and acted to be a defender in others not involving his friends and paymasters.

“Falana should be ignored because he is fond of beating about the bush and his utterances are always dictated by the percentage of stomach infrastructure from his paymasters.

Falana, while addressing the governor’s ‘Save Our Soul’ message to the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, had yesterday, blamed governor Fayose for the increasing rate of kidnapping in the state. He added that the governor had encouraged violence in the state since he became governor.

“Last week, Mr. Ayo Fayose, the governor of Ekiti state was reported to have sent SOS to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, over the increasing wave of kidnapping sweeping across the state.

“In urging the police chief to attend promptly to the concern expressed by the governor, I am compelled to point out that the state government has itself to blame for deliberately providing official cover for armed gangs and other criminally minded individuals who have taken over the monopoly of violence in Ekiti state. For instance, the House of Assembly complex has been occupied by armed lumping elements since November last year with the connivance of the state government.”

“In the atmosphere of impunity which currently obtains in the country, the well known armed thugs operating in Ekiti state have been granted immunity by the federal government. Hence, police officers are under strict instructions not to arrest or prosecute any of them.”

He said that the maintenance of law and order in the state was flawed partly due to the ongoing strike by industrial workers.

“Finally, the Governor should emulate his colleagues in a number of states who have succeeded in persuading judicial workers to call off their strike”, He continued.

“A state where judges are beaten up by thugs and courts are locked up indefinitely cannot genuinely guarantee law and order.” [myad]

Jonathan Sends Saratu Packing From Investment Promotion Council

Greenbarge Reporters

May 18, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Saratu Umar.

Saratu was replaced by Uju Hassan-Baba who will be working on acting capacity.

This is coming on the heels of the spate of sacking and replacement of public servants by President Jonathan who has less than two weeks to leave office.

Only a couple of weeks ago, the President had sacked the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sulieman Abba and appointed in his place Solomon Arase. He had also recently removed the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abdullahi after appointing Sanusi Lamido in his stead.

Jonathan had also sacked Gbenga Elegbeleye, the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC).

Meanwhile, the President has appointed Mrs. Uju Aisha Hassan-Baba as replacement for Sara Umar. Mrs. Hassan-Baba, according to a statement from special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, served previously as Director-General, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice in Anambra State and Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. [myad]

Jonathan Goes To Ghana To Attend ECOWAS Meeting

Greenbarge Reporters

May 18, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan leaves for Ghana tomorrow to attend the 47th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

A statement from special adviser to President Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati today said that the summit will receive reports on the current situation in Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau and deliberate on issues of democratic consolidation and regional peace and stability.

ECOWAS will mark its 40^th anniversary during the summit.

The statement said that President Jonathan will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali; House of Representatives Majority Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande and some of his principal aides.

It said that Jonathan will be expected back to Nigeria at the conclusion of the one-day summit. [myad]

I Took Ill And Was Miraculously Healed When My Husband Lost Election, Dame Patience Confesses

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2015

Wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience has confessed that she suddenly took ill and was miraculously healed in German hospital immediately after her husband lost the March 28 election to General Muhammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC)

Dame Patience who spoke today at a thanksgiving service in honour of the first family, to commemorate their time in the chapel, expressed gratitude to God that she had been completely and miraculously healed from an ailment that made her undergo surgical operations four times in a German hospital. This, she emphasized, happened immediately after her husband lost the presidential election on March 28.

The first family bade farewell to the congregation, whom they asked to forgive them if they had erred or failed in any way during their time in office. This is even as Dame Patience said that she had never dreamt of becoming First Lady in her life.

The special session was also meant to serve as a handover service to the incoming Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was, however, not present at the event.

The chaplain, Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba, said that he would miss the friendly nature of the first family and was sure that this would be the same feeling for other members of the congregation, whose lives the first family touched in one way or the other. [myad]

Bad State Of Economy: El-Rufai Asks Nigerians To Pity Buhari And Him

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2015

Kaduna State Governor-elect, Nasiru El-Rufai has asked Nigerians to pity General Muhammadu Buhar and him as they prepare to face the onerous challenges of mending the battered economy.

According to him, those who have been congratulating him and the President might not have known the enormity of the challenges they are facing, alleging that the state of economy in his state and at the federal level has become so bad ‎that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government had to obtain loan to pay salaries.

El-Rufai who spoke at a special reception for elected officials by Kaduna Peoples’ Association (KAPA) and Special prayer for them by APC Yoruba Political Forum at Arewa House in Kaduna today said that Kaduna State is currently in debt to the tune of over N90 billion.

The governor-elect, however, assured that his government would not share the public fund to any persons or group, no matter how highly placed they were.

At the Yoruba Political‎ Forum’s parley, El-Rufai said: “when people call me to congratulate me or come to congratulate me and General Buhari, I always tell them, thank you, but what we need is your sympathy and prayers.

“This is because, I and General Buhari are taking over bankrupt governments; it is so bad that, the Jonathan administration is finding it difficult to pay salaries, in fact, they had to obtain loan to pay salaries.

“In the case of Kaduna State, ‎the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s government has incurred debt to the tune of over N90 billion, and this may get to N100 billion before May 29. Therefore, what you have done is exactly what we need to succeed”.

He assured that his government will not segregate and discriminate among indigenes and settlers.

El-Rufai thanked the Yoruba community for living peacefully in Kaduna as well as supporting him and General Buhari during their elections. [myad]

Buhari Drops ‘General’ From His Name From May 29

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2015

The Official Portrait of Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

President Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari has announced that as from May 29 when he assumes office as President, he would drop the title, ‘General’ from his name.
A statement from his Media team today, signed by the Director in the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the President-Elect, Mallam Garba Shehu also released the official portrait of the President elect and his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
The one paragraph statement reads: “From May 29, 2015, the President-elect and Vice-President-elect are to be respectively known and addressed as Muhammadu Buhari, President, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.” [myad]

Abuja Electricity Company, Kogi Govt Partner To Channel Excess Power From Dangote’s Obajana Plant

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2015

The management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Kogi State government are exploring the possibility of accessing the excess power being generated by the Dangote Group at its cement plant, located at Obajana in Kogi State.
The Dangote Group is said to be currently generating electricity in
excess of the requirement of its cement production plant in
Obajana area of the state.
At a meeting held in Abuja mid last week, the AEDC management and the Kogi state government resolved to work together towards getting the Dangote Group to sell off the excess energy to the Disco, in order to help boost power supply to various parts of the state.
Present at the meeting held at the AEDC office in Abuja were the
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Neil
Croucher, while the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Professor Olugbemiro Jegede led the state government’s delegation.
Others at the meeting include Engineer Abimbola Odubiyi, Executive Director, Regulatory and Stakeholders Affairs, AEDC; the company’s Chief Finance Officer, Mr. Andrew Atterbury, and its Executive Director, Technical Services, Engineer Joe Chiyassa, while Professor Jegede
was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to the Kogi State
governor on Power, Dr. Paul Attah.
Both the AEDC and the Kogi government state were hopeful that such surplus energy, once accessed from the Dangote Group, will help significantly to enhance electricity supply in various parts of the State.
Mr. Croucher used the opportunity of the meeting to reassure the
government and people of Kogi State that the AEDC does not bill its unmetered customers arbitrarily even as he revealed his company’s plans to roll out its mass metering
project for its customers in Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger states, as well as
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The AEDC boss advised those who
cannot wait for the company’s metering plan to take advantage of a scheme put in place by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) called CAPMI.
The CAPMI-Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation-is intended to speed up the metering project nationwide by allowing
customers to advance money to the Discos to meter their premises,
while the latter reimburse such customers in various installments.
Earlier in his remarks, Professor Jegede extended Governor Idris Wada’s appreciation to the management of AEDC for delegating a high-powered team led by an executive director, to an earlier meeting held with representatives of the state government in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
At the meeting held in Lokoja, various issues of mutual interest
between the state government and the company were discussed, with a resolve to review progress made in implementing resolutions passed at that forum after one month. [myad]

2015 Kogi Guber Poll: 9 Aspirants Emerge In Central Under APC

Greenbarge Reporters

May 17, 2015

Even before the release of time-table by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the governorship election in Kogi state later this year, no fewer than nine aspirants have emerged in the Central Senatorial District of the state, seeking the ticket of All Progressives Congress (APC).
On the list of the aspirants, in the election that may hold in November or December 2015 is the former Managing Director of the Daily Times Plc, publishers of Times group of newspapers, Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo. Dr. Adinoyi-Ojo was also special adviser on media and publicity to the former Nigeria Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Dr. Adinoyi-Ojo who is a Journalist, Play write and currently lectures media art at the Abuja University, was on the shortlist for the 2010 Nigeria Prize for Literature. He also contested the governorship of the state under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2011.

Also on the list is also a veteran Journalist, renowned public relations and advertising expert and former Deputy Director (Media and publicity) in the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON), Prince Emman Otu- Adeku Omadivi.
Prince Omadivi, who has a Master’s Degree in communication art from the premier University of Ibadan, is currently Chief Executive Officer of Spotlight Communications Limited in Abuja.
He was born on December 22, 1955 and at different times, worked with the Kwara State Ministry of Information and Kwara Broadcasting Corporation.

Also in the contest is the former Assistant Chief Accountant in the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commissions (RMAFC) in Abuja, the Nigeria Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, popularly called FairPlus.
He was born on June 18th 1975, at Okene in Kogi state, studied at the Faculty of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State where he bagged a Bachelor of Sciences, Accounting (B.Sc Accounting). He went on to obtain Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the same Faculty of Administration of the same ABU.
Alhaji Yahaya Bello who is a member of various professional bodies, including Chartered Fellow, Association of National Accounts of Nigeria (ANAN) in 2004, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria (ICPAN) in 2002: Member and others, founded and financed the Kogi Youth Arise Group (KYAG) that successfully mobilized and delivered Kogi state for APC (Buhari/Osinbajo presidency 2015).

Other aspirants are as follows:

Alhaji Sadiq Adabara

Alhaji Aliu Akaaba

Alhaji Rasheed Bello

Alhaji Sufiyanu Atta

Mr. Lamidi Itopa

Major Hitler Aliu. [myad]

Governor Oshiomhole Says His New Wife, Lara, Is Mother Of His House, Children

Greenbarge Reporters

May 16, 2015

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state has described his new wife, Lara Forte as mother of his house even as she has also accepted to be the mother of his children who were born for him by his late wife, Clara.

Governor Adams told newsmen shortly after the wedding yesterday that his new Lara Fortes is “understanding, caring and a loving lady.

“She is very humble. She appreciates the nature of my job and life; that I return home late, sometimes 3am. She understands my weaknesses; she is more or less the mother of the house, the one that has accepted to be the mother of my children.
“I am happy that all my children are at home with her and accept her as their mother even though she is not old enough to be their mother. She has accepted to fill that gap” he said.

Governor Oshiomhole expressed joy with his family for the support given to him to remarry, adding: “this is something that one is happy about. I am also happy that I have friends across all political divide. The occasion reminds me that across all divides, we have friends and well-wishers.” [myad]

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