PriceWaterHouse Finds About N300 Billion Missing, Wants NNPC To Refund It

February 5, 2015

PriceWaterHouse Coopers, hired by Goodluck Jonathan government to audit the account of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has come up with a damning report that more than $1.48 Billion (about N300 Billion) was actually missing.
The accounting Firm, which submitted its report to President Jonathan on Tuesday asked both the NNPC and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to refund to the federation account a minimum of $1.48 Billion.
The international audit Firm was last year hired to carry out the exercise following an allegation by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, that $20bn was not remitted to the Federation Account by the NNPC.
The highlights of the report was released by the Auditor General for the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, in Abuja. President Jonathan, whille receiving the report on Tuesday, ordered the Auditor General to tidy up the report for white paper to be issued on it.
Lamido Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano, had written a letter to President Jonathan that $49 Billion was not remitted to the Federation Account by the NNPC, leading to his clash with the President and eventual suspension from office.

[myad]

APC Asks Jonathan Government To Stop The Lies About Railway Rehabilitation

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

Minister of transport, Senator Idris Umar

All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation has described claims by President Goodluck Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that they have resuscitated Nigerian’s railways which they say has been moribund for over 20 years as a hoax and asked the government to stop the lies.
President Jonathan, said the Director of media and publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Garba Shehu in a statement, has repeatedly stated while campaigning for re-election that he resuscitated the country’s railways which he says had been moribund for over 20 years, but that this has been proved to be one of the many lies of the Jonathan government.
“The Director General of his (Jonathan’s) campaign, Senator Ahmadu Ali, even stretches this moribund hyperbole to 35 years,” Garba Shehu said, adding: “the railway lies just seem to keep tumbling out.”
He noted that among the claims which are parts of the Jonathan government’s lies are the President’s statement during his campaign rallies that his government has rehabilitated and built about 3,500 km of railways.
“They have done no such thing as only about 2,000 kilometres have so far been rehabilitated and less than 250 kilometres of new track has been built.”
Garba Shehu said that the quality of work done on these rehabilitations even left a lot to be desired, “because the government had shown a preference towards issuing contracts to their cronies, regardless of whether they had the essential skills or experience.
“A railway expert advises that the real test of the integrity of the more recently rehabilitated track infrastructure is when the rainy season arrives.”
The APC Presidential campaign spokesman said that the huge railway contracts awarded by the PDP-led Jonathan government do not include most of the railway sidings and passing loops, adding that this has effectively limited the capacity of the lines in terms of the number of trains that can run on them at any time, thus making an unviable rail service even more unviable.
“They also do not say why the railway track rehabilitations which were supposed to take 10 months have taken 4 years and counting.”
Garba Shehu referred to the Jonathan government’s claim that it had commenced work on the Lagos-Calabar coastal railway line as “another big fat lie, and asked: “how can they commence work on a project that has no appropriation? How can they commence construction on a project without a signed contract? Or is a memorandum of understanding now a contract?
“In any case, why is the scope of work being described as Lagos to Calabar, when the Lagos-Ibadan part of the route is in another contract (i.e. the Obasanjo Lagos-Kano contract)? Will he pay twice for Lagos-Ibadan? With the addition of Benin-Onitsha to the coastal line, what is the new cost and how is he going to pay for it all? With more loans while the nation bleeds financially?”
The said that all these lies were simply evidence of an overactive imagination.
“One railway project the President and his media personnel have been silent about is the Abuja Rail Mass Transit. “What Mr. President will not tell the people is how many Nigerians truly benefit from the hundreds of billions purportedly spent on the rehabilitation of rail lines and whether value for money has been achieved. What he will not tell Nigerians, is that it costs about N10, 000 per passenger to produce that Lagos-Kano service, which his railway corporation sells at N1,930 per passenger.
“What he will not tell Nigerians is the number of derailments that have taken place on the Lagos-Kano line as a result of poor quality track work.

[myad]

2015: I Have 60 Reasons Why I Will Not Vote For President Jonathan – Wole Soyinka

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has announced that he has sixty reasons why he will not vote for the continuation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, emphasising that whoever have any thought that he would vote for Jonathan “must be living in Sambisa forest.”
Professor Soyinka who spoke today at Lagos Black Festival 2015 said: “I will not vote and I will not encourage ‎anyone to vote for the continuation of this government, simply because your colleagues (students) numbering over two hundred, were kidnapped.”
Soyinka told students at the 2015 edition of Vision of the Child (VOTC), a yearly programme inaugurated in 2012 that Chibok girls, kidnapped on 14 April of last year were sent on a mission to acquire an education but ended up being kidnapped.
“And the government of this nation failed to show leadership.‎ So anyone who says after that event that I will vote or cast my vote or encourage anyone to vote for this regime must be living in Sambisa forest,” Soyinka said, referring to a forest in Borno State where the Chibok girls are believed to be held by Boko Haram.
“There has been a failure of leadership. Our children whom you represent today have been betrayed‎.”.
Professor Soyinka regretted that it even took the Jonathan government ten days to even accept that the Chibok girls were missing, adding: “after that dereliction of duty, after that failure of leadership, after that betrayal for our future, for anyone to think or to put words in my mouth suggesting that I will vote or encourage anyone to vote for this regime is a travesty of intelligence.”
Professor Soyinka laughed off those who had claimed on the social media that he ‎was dead, telling journalists at the event that they should not misquote him. If they do, he added, he will rise from the dead to correct them.
The 2015 edition of Vision of the Child has for theme “The Road to Sambisa.”
This year, a total of 250 student participants from 60 primary and secondary schools within Lagos attended the interview. The age bracket for the participants was 9 to 12 years.
Their entries were assessed by a panel of eminent judges comprising teachers, artists, child carers and social workers.
The finalists will be invited on the 7 March to the National Conversation Foundation Park. Lekki, and provided with brush, paint and easel, and will be required to illustrate their literary presentation in the complementary medium painting.
This year, 60 finalists were drawn from 35 schools within Lagos State, said Foluke George‎, Festival Secretary and Programme Manager for the Vision of the Child.

[myad]

Buhari, Tambuwal, APC Governors Attending Council Of State Meeting In Villa

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

Presidential flag bearer of Nigeria’s leading opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and all the governors of APC made a surprise appearance today at the Presidential Aso Villa, Abuja to attend the Council of State meeting.

Genera Buhari, who is attending the meeting after a long time absence from such meeting, is there in his capacity as former Nigerian Head of State. He was said to have been ushered in to see President Goodluck Jonathan shortly on his arrival at the State Hosuse by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.

Also in attendance at the meeting, which is still ongoing, are all the PDP Governors and other past leaders of the country.

Details later. [myad]

Jega Threatens To Resign If He’s Pushed Too Much

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega has threatened not to stay in office a day longer the moment he is being pushed to do things that is not from his conscience.

Professor Jega who spoke at an interactive session in Chatham House, London yesterday, made it clear that for now he is not under pressure from any quarters on what INEC should do or not do on the 2015 general elections.

“No one can make me do what is against my conscience. I will walk away the day I feel I can’t do the job according to the dictates of my conscience”, he declared.

He added that whatever INEC does are in accordance with provisions of the law, logistics and the exigencies of the issues at hand, explaining that the recently released election timetable was premised on the commission’s capacity and resources.

Professor Jega said due to the enormity of the tasks and challenges involved, INEC is not yet ready to conduct all elections in one day, stressing that the commission would however go a step better in 2015 by staggering the elections over two days instead of the three days as was the case in 2011.

He said that it was logical to conduct national elections – presidential and National Assembly elections in one day and local elections – gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections – on another day, but lamented that whatever the sequence INEC chose to conduct the elections, people would still complain as it is difficult to satisfy everyone.

Professor Jega assured that the 2015 elections would be “much better than 2011” but expressed concern over the “must-win” and “do-or-die” attitude of some politicians whose mindset is to win at all costs.

He also criticized media practitioners in Nigeria for pandering to the propaganda of politicians instead of sticking to the dictates of their profession.

He called on all to support INEC in its onerous task to conduct free and fair elections, stressing that the task of ensuring credible elections in the country is not on the commission alone, but all stakeholders. [myad]

State House Press Corps Declares 3-Day Mourning For Late Dan Idonor

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

State House Press Corps (SHPC), made up of Journalists and special editors covering the Nigeria Presidency for their media organizations, has declared a three-day mourning for the former Chairman of the Corps, Mr. Daniel Ovwigho Idonor who died last week Monday, February 2^nd, in Abuja.
A statement signed by the current chairman of the SHPC, Mr. Kehinde Amodu today said that the three-day mourning period would be observed by members with prayers.
“During the period, which is from Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th February, 2015, members are enjoined to pray for the repose of his soul as well as ask God to grant his family and friends the fortitude to bear the huge loss,” the statement explained.
It also enjoined members of the Corps to visit the immediate family of late Idonor at their Abuja residence even as it commiserated with the management and staff of Frontier Newspapers which the deceased co-established and served as Executive Editor until he died. The SHPC also condoled with Champion and Vanguard Newspapers where he previously worked respectively before venturing into online publication.
“Mr. Daniel Idonor, popularly referred to in the Villa as “Chair” will be remembered for his purposeful and bold leadership during the two terms he served as Chairman of the State House Press Corps.
“The Corps prays God Almighty to grant his soul eternal rest.” [myad]

Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker Off Nigerian Coast, Kill One, Take 3 Hostages

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

Pirates are reported to have hijacked a 15-year-old crude oil tanker, Malta-flagged Kalamos, off the Nigerian coast, taking three hostages and killing the vessel’s Greek deputy commander.

The Greek coastguard confirmed that Malta-flagged Kalamos was anchored and awaiting fresh cargo from Qua Iboe, an oil terminal in Nigeria’s southeastern region operated by ExxonMobil, when it was boarded on Tuesday.

Report says that two of the three hostages are Greek, and that Greeks make up 10 out of the total 23 crew.

A spokeswoman for the coastguard said that the hijacking of the tanker took place in the Gulf of Guinea, which experts have said is the new epicentre of piracy in Africa.

It would be recalled that between January and September last year, the area recorded 33 incidents of piracy and armed robbery.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, the pirates operating off the coast of Nigeria, Togo and Benin are heavily armed and violent, and often hold crews hostage for several days. [myad]

Don’t Leave North In Panic, Governor Okorocha Advises Igbo

Greenbarge Reporters

February 5, 2015

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has advised Igbo People living in the northern part of the country not to leave the North out of panic over the February general elections, assuring that there will be no crisis during and after the elections.

This was even as he blamed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of intruding politics of religion and ethnicity in Nigeria.

Governor Okorocha, who spoke in Abuja after a meeting between leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) and its National Assembly candidates nationwide, dismissed insinuations that the party’s presidential candidate, General Mohammdu Buhari would pursue an Islamic agenda if elected.

According to him, the idea of Islamizing the country was propagated by PDP, which he accused of dividing Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines.

“it is uncalled for to return home. There is no need for it. The elections, as far as we are concerned, will be peaceful. Nigeria and Nigerians are only passing through a challenging period in their political history.

“That does not mean it will bring about crisis. I do not think so. Unless for Igbo who have registered at home. They should come home to vote. But those who registered in the north should stay there.

“Again, this is one of the things we have been complaining about. Since the advent of PDP, this nation has been polarized between Muslims and Christians.

“That is the most dangerous point PDP has introduced in the Nigerian politics. Before now, you do not even know where you come from or who is who. We were all one.

“But when PDP decided to go to churches and other religious houses, they polarized the polity. That is why the only thing they have to say about Buhari is that he will make the whole Christians become Muslims overnight.

“The General was once the Head of State with Idiagbon; very powerful then. With decree in their hands, they could not Islamize anybody. Is it now we have National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly they will do that? It is not possible.

“This is cheap politics by PDP and that is what is creating the tension. Nigerians love themselves and this campaign of hate introduced by PDP is also very worrisome.

“But what is before us now is more than the sentiments of tribe and religion.” [myad]

INEC Indicates There May Be Few Days Extension Of Election In Isolated Cases

Greenbarge Reporters

February 4, 2015

Amidst the agitation amongst some Nigerians for the postponement of the general elections scheduled to hold across Nigeria on February 14 and 28, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given an indication that though there is no plan for postponement of the elections but that there may be a few days extension in some isolated cases.

A statement from the Chief Press secretary to the INEC Chairman, Idowu Kayode said: “INEC has not completely foreclosed the possibility of granting a few days of extension in isolated cases of low percentage of collection after February 8.”

The electoral body had earlier extended the deadline for Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to February 8, almost a week to the Presidential election on February 14.

Kayode, who reacted to report in some media that INEC had agreed to postpone the entire elections, said that it was not true.

“I write to refute your story in Reuters attributing National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Amina Zakari, as saying that the 2015 general elections may be delayed if the number of Permanent Voter Cards collected by voters is too low.
“I was at the Situation Room Dialogue with INEC in Abuja this morning and I know that the Commissioner spoke in regard of the February 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs, nothing about the schedule of the general elections.
“You said she spoke to you ‘on the sidelines’ of the event. Well, I have checked with the Commissioner and she denied that the issue discussed was the schedule of the 2015 elections. You had during the question-and-answer session at the event asked about the notably low level of collection in some states and the implication for voter turnout, which the Commission had missed out in her responses. Later ‘on the sidelines’ she explained to you that the number of PVCs already collected rates highly in comparison to the level of voter turnout historically in Nigerian elections.
“The inference you’ve made for the schedule of elections is entirely yours, and misrepresents the conversation that took place at the event this morning. You will do well to correct the report urgently, please.‎” [myad]

Universities Commission Goes Tough, Says Pass Degree’ll No Longer Qualify Student For Graduation

Greenbarge Reporters

February 4, 2015

National Universities Commission (NUC), the body charged with setting standards for Nigerian Universities has announced the abolition in all the universities, of pass degree for student to earn graduation. The new rule takes effect from the 2013/ 2014 academic session.
Announcing the new standard for graduation yesterday at the 2014/2015 matriculation of 4,133 students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, the Institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdullahi Zuru, said: “this will have far reaching implications on the grading system of students in universities.
“This means that the minimum pass mark for courses in the universities will now be 45 per cent: that is D-grade, instead of the previous 40 per cent which was E-grade. It also means that the minimum class of degree to be earned by students will now be Third Class.”
He emphasised that henceforth, no university student will graduate with a Pass Degree, even as he enjoined the students to work hard to earn their stay in the university.
The vice chancellor also advised them to shun extremism, bigotry, violence, ethnicity, political intolerance and religious prejudice.
Professor Zuru commended the Federal Government and its agencies for fully transforming the landscape of the university.
Earlier, the Dean of Students Affairs, Dr. Adamu Aliero warned that any student that flouted the rules and regulations of the university would be sanctioned.
He assured the students that the management of the institution would continue to accord top priority to their welfare.
In a remark, Mr. Aminu Wushishi, Chairman of the caretaker committee of the students union government, assured that the students would be law abiding. [myad]

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