Nigerian pensioners, under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, staged a protest today, leading to the blockage of the entrance to the National Assembly complex. They were protesting over the none implementation of the 53.4 percent increase in their entitlements.

In the protest that lasted for over four hours, most lawmakers and visitors going into the complex could not gain entrance and had to go back as the protesters insisted that if they didn’t get their money, there would be no entry and exit from the complex.

The situation was brought under control with the appearance of the Senate President, represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petition, Patrick Ayo Akinyelue; Senators Kabir Marafa and Gbenga Ashafa.

The senators pleaded with the protesters that the leadership of the Senate would look into the matter immediately they return from recess which will begin this week.

They told the pensioners that all stakeholders would be summoned to look into the matter with a view to addressing the situation.

The legislatures however frowned against blocking the road or entrance saying it will not solve the problem but urged them to be patient while the matter would be addressed in due cause.

The leader of the protesters and Deputy National President of NUP, Mr. Musa Ayuba, told journalists that the grievances of the union include non-compliance with the constitutional provision which stipulated that once workers salary were reviewed, pensions should also be reviewed.

According to him, the recent increment which stood at 53.4 per cent for the pensioners is yet to be implemented even though the ex-servicemen have since started enjoying the increment.

Ayuba said the dialogue facilitated  by Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria led to the formation of a high-powered committee chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim which led to the suspension of an industrial action by NUP.

He however regretted that the various meetings and decisions arrived at by the committee based on the pensioners problems as enumerated before President Goodluck Jonathan have not been fruitful. [myad]

Embattled governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Hamman Nyako (rtd) has made it clear that he would not resign even as he gave an insight into why members of the state House of Assembly are after his job.
Nyako who answered reporters’ questions today after attending the launch of the steering committee of the Safe School Initiative at the Presidential Villa.
Governor was insisted that he would not resign even as he said that the impeachment has not reached a crisis point.
Nyako claimed that the state is calm, adding that the issue was before the court.
“I expect the lawmakers to obey the rules in anything they do. Well, it is in the court and the court said it was not well done. “We are hoping that if they want to do it, they will do it by following the normal process in whatever they want to do.”
Asked to confirm if he had tried to reach out to President Jonathan to come to his aid, the governor simply said: “not yet. It has not reached that crisis point.”
He however did not rule out the possibility of calling for help from the President when the need arises, expressing hope that the man would step in since the state had also been there for the President, he too would intervene when it matters.
“We have supported him all this time; he has supported us and in situations like these when Mr. President’s support is required, we will seek it.”
Nyako said he was not considering the resignation option, describing the suggestion that some former Heads of State had spoken to the President on his behalf as “excellent”
On the root cause of the crisis, he said:” Adamawa is a very interesting place. If I tell you we have 87 ethnic groups and the two religions are fairly balanced,  It means that being sensitive to each and everyone of us is very important. It is a place of intellectualism; everybody has his own point of view and you have a group of people who share a certain point of view. And until it changes, they will maintain that point of view. But we have been peaceful somehow and we will remain peaceful.”
On rumoured plans to defect back to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Nyako noted that:  “Quite frankly, you know how I joined the PDP and partisan politics in the first place. It is not really my field. My field is known. You know what I was before. We are straightforward; have two distinctions: loyalty and disloyalty; two separate pieces. But one of the interior politicians told me that there are a lot of things in between loyalty and disloyalty which up till this moment I have not appreciated. So, for me, disloyalty with this type of attitude with Nigerian politics of today you are likely to step on toes of a few.”
The Adamawa governor who was among the G5 governors who decamped from the PDP to the APC some months back, has been faced with a serious impeachment threat from members of the State House of Assembly for about two weeks.
While he has put in several measures to ward off the threat, the lawmakers and Chief Judge of the state had proceeded with the impeachment processes, relying on allegations of fraud and nepotism leveled against him.

[myad]

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that his government is mobilising resources to provide safety environment for children in the Northern part of the country to go to school and gain education.
He regretted that Boko Haram insurgency has presently scared a lot of children, especially female ones from going to school.
The President, who inaugurated a steering committee on Safe School Initiative at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today said that the initiative is a response to Chibok girls who were abducted in April by Boko Haram.
He said that stastitic showed that school drop out at basic education is too high, “and in some states it is up to 70 percent.
“In Borno state, children, especially girls are not going to school because of Boko Haram attacks. It is so unfortunate.”
President Jonathan vowed to deploy political, economic and security as part of the wholistic measure to bring Boko Haram insurgency to an end.
“We need to cushoin the effects of Boko Haram on victim through support fund and others which will be launched soon.”

President Goodluck Jonathan, today, swore-in four new ministers who were cleared by the Senate last week even as he allocated portfolio to them with the former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau being assigned to the ministry of education.
The President, who performed the swearing-in of the ministers shortly before the beginning of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also made some minor cabinet reshufflement.
The new ministers and their portfolios are: Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau-Education
Dr. Stephen Oru-Niger Delta Affairs
Mr. Adedayo Adeyeye -Minister of State, Works Dr. Abdul Bulama-Minister of Science and Technology.
President Jonathan directed the erstwhile Minister of State, Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, to take over as Minister of State for Finance. Yuguda will also continue to supervise the Ministry of National Planning until a substantive minister is named.
The President warned the new ministers that their appointments were not enviable, saying that they were being brought in at a time when Nigerians expected a lot from them.
He advised them to perform not only to satisfy him but all Nigerians.

[myad]