Ex Minister Bello Adoke Lands Into EFCC’s Trap From Dubai

December 19, 2019

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke has arrived Abuja from Dubai, UAE.

Adoke arrived today, December 19 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 3:45 pm.

He was immediately whisked away from the foot of the aircraft by security operatives and taken to the office of Interpol in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The former AGF is facing charges bordering on alleged abuse of office and money laundering with respect to the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI.

Adoke was previously held by the Interpol on arrival in Dubai on November 11 for medical purpose.

The Interpol acted on an arrest warrant issued by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

Although the warrant was vacated, Nigerian authorities failed to alert the Interpol on the development, prompting Dubai police to allow Adoke return to Nigeria on his own accord.

Impeached President Trump Still Brags

Greenbarge Reporters

December 19, 2019

President Donald Trump, impeached by the U.S House of Representatives is still bragging that the Senate will set him free of all the charges.

The White House hit back at lawmakers today, December 19, describing the act as “illegitimate articles of impeachment” saying that the president would be acquitted in the Senate.

“Democrats have chosen to proceed on this partisan basis in spite of the fact that the President did absolutely nothing wrong,” spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement, calling the votes in the House of Representatives an “unconstitutional travesty”.

“The President is confident the Senate will restore regular order, fairness, and due process, all of which were ignored in the House proceedings.

”He is prepared for the next steps and confident that he will be fully exonerated,” the statement said, referring to the upcoming trial in the upper chamber.

The Senate will require two-thirds of votes to remove Trump from office, something that has never happened before.

The House of Reps, had approved the first article of impeachment, charging the president with abuse of power, by a vote of 230 to 197. Of the 233 Democrats, 228 voted in favor, along with the House’s one Independent.

Two Democrats opposed the measure. No Republicans voted in favor. Trump faced charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress after a fast-paced inquiry into allegations he pressured Ukraine into investigating his political rivals.

Trump Impeachment now heads to the Senate for a trial likely in early January to determine whether Trump will be removed from office or acquitted. A U.S. president has never been removed from office via impeachment. Both Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached, but were later acquitted in the Senate. President Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached and face trial over the Watergate scandal.

Investigators say President Trump withheld some $400 million in military aid from Ukraine while he pushed Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to dig into former Vice President Joe Biden and Biden’s family as well as probe a conspiracy theory about the 2016 election.

Gov Ihedioha Vows To Rebuild Ruined Imo State

Editorial staff

December 18, 2019

Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha has vowed to rebuild the state, which he said, was ruined by the immediate past administration.

The Governor, who spoke today, December 18, at the swearing in of Chairmen and members of Imo State House of Assembly Service, Imo State Civil Service, Imo State Law Reform and Local Government Service Commissions at Sam Mbakwe Exco Chambers, said that his administration is out to build effective institutions and structures that would deliver the dividends of good governance to the people.
He recalled that in the last eight years, there were concerns over the near absence of effective institutions and structures for good governance across board in Imo State.
“We witnessed, firsthand, the ugly consequences of governing by discretion and the manifest disdain for processes and time tested tenets of public service
“Our task in the Rebuild Imo Agenda, includes, to leverage our abundant human capital and natural resources to build a State anchored in good governance, wealth creation, rule of law and sound management of state resources.”
He charged members of the Commissions and Boards who constitute the apex human resource policy- making bodies for all professional staff of the relevant arms, the executive, the legislature and the local councils, “to superintend over all cases of appointment, promotion, capacity building, discipline and severance of the concerned personnel.
“To the sworn-in Chairmen and members, you have been called to service at a very crucial time in the life of this administration. A time when we are working to restore the faith of our people in government.”
Governor Ihedioha noted that the people of the State want a system that works for them and not exploit them; that serves them and not lord it over them; and that delivers quality service and not half measures
While charging members of the Commissions and Boards to hit the ground running towards modernizing the service, the governor said, he looks forward to a professionalized as well as performance driven workforce committed to excellent service delivery.
He reminded that the various accolades we have won in the brief period of this government present a huge burden upon us all.
“We hope you would bring value into the Rebuild Imo team, and make us shine more and more unto a near perfect system. We have been painstaking in your various selections, bearing in mind your impressive track records and leadership experiences. We sincerely hope that you would justify the confidence reposed in you.”

Republican Congressmen In US Fight To Save President Trump From Impeachment

Editorial staff

December 18, 2019

The House of Representatives today, December 18, fought back the first two of what may be a string of Republican efforts to block the impeachment of President Trump and is now expected the impeachment vote will go ahead.

Earlier in the day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tapped a veteran Democrat, Diana DeGette, to preside over the historic debate after the house rejected back-to-back motions proposed by the Republicans to scuttle the vote.
The House voted 226 to 188 to block a motion to adjourn without considering the articles of impeachment and then voted 226 to 191 to put aside a Republican resolution condemning the inquiry as an illegitimate and unfair violation of House rules.
The second resolution, introduced by Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republican leader, outlined a litany of complaints about the way the inquiry was run by Representatives Adam B. Schiff of California and Jerrold Nadler of New York, the Democratic chairmen of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees.
Their “abuses of power,” as Mr. McCarthy’s resolution put it, echoing one of the charges against Mr. Trump, “willfully trampled on the rights of the minority” and “brought dishonor and discredit upon the House of Representatives.” Democrats moved to table the resolution, and the vote unfolded along party lines.
“It’s going to be a lot of walking up these stairs today, I think,” Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat, said as he climbed the steps from his Capitol office to vote on the first of the procedural votes called by Republicans.
The House will spend much of the rest of the morning debating the rules for the debate itself before taking up the two articles of impeachment themselves around midday.
Democrats assert that Mr. Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors by pressuring Ukraine to tarnish Democratic rivals to aid his re-election campaign while Republicans argue that the majority was engaged in a partisan witch hunt against a president they fear they could not beat at the polls.
The House plans to vote by the end of the day.
In a letter on Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited all Democratic members to be present on the floor on Wednesday as the chamber convened to debate the articles at what she called a “very prayerful moment in our nation’s history.”
• Early in the morning, the House debated the rules that the House Rules Committee hashed out on Tuesday with a vote expected around noon.
• This was the first procedural vote by the full chamber to lay the groundwork for formally impeaching Mr. Trump. The rules call for six hours of debate, equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, on the articles.
• Republicans opened the day with the first of what may be a series of parliamentary moves to register their opposition and slow the process, which could lead to multiple procedural votes that don’t amount to much like the one to adjourn. The votes everyone is waiting for — on the two articles of impeachment — are expected Wednesday night. House leaders anticipate two separate votes on the two articles to begin at 7:15 p.m Washington time and wrap up about 20 minutes later.
• The House may also vote to empower Ms. Pelosi to name impeachment managers, whose identities are likely to become public in the coming days. The managers are House members who act much like prosecutors in the impeachment trial that is to follow in the Senate, presenting the findings of the House inquiry to their colleagues across the Capitol.
• Senators will decide whether to acquit the president or to convict and remove him from office, which requires a two-thirds vote, or 67 senators if all are present.

Corpse Of 6-Year Old Boy Found Buried In Church, Pastor Arrested

Editorial staff

December 18, 2019

Corpse of a six-year-old boy was said to have been found buried under the alter of a church in Akure, Ondo State.

The discovery of the corpse today, December 18, is said to have led to the arrest of the founder of the church, Prophet Alfa Babatunde.
The pastor is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Information had it that the boy was declared missing a few weeks ago.

His corpse was exhumed in Sotitobire Miracle Church in Akure, leading to the angry youths burning it down in protest.

Imo Senator, Benjamin Uwajumogu, Is dead

Editorial staff

December 18, 2019

The Senator representing Imo North Senatorial District, Benjamin Uwajumogu, is dead.

His death was confirmed to journalists outside the Senate chamber on Wednesday by the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, Rochas Okorocha.

He was said to have slumped in the toilet while taking his bath and rushed to a private hospital in Apo, Abuja where he died

Details later…

African Dev Bank Grants $5 Million To Elumelu Foundation

Editorial staff

December 18, 2019

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a grant of five million dollars to enable the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme to scale up its outreach and impact to 1,000 select youth entrepreneurs.

The grant follows the signing of a letter of intent between the Bank and the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, which took place during the launch of the foundation entrepreneurship programme.
The partnership would foster future collaboration focused on strengthening small to medium-sized enterprises as well as talent and skills development for Africa’s youth.
The partnership is expected to support 3,050 young entrepreneurs across 54 African countries.
The Bank’s participation would enable an additional 1,000 entrepreneurs to benefit from the entrepreneurship Programme, which provides much needed opportunities of curbing the tide of unemployment and inequality facing the continent’s youngest citizens.
The programme aligns with the Bank’s 10-year Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy launched in 2016 to support the creation of 25 million decent jobs across the continent.
The strategy is also expected to equip 50 million young African people with employable skills that would enable them access economic opportunities and realise their full economic potential across the continent.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation would deliver business training, mentoring, access to networks, markets and capital for business development to selected youth-led start-ups in order for them to grow and create jobs.
The Entrepreneurship Programme had demonstrated a strong alignment with the Bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund objectives to build the African youth entrepreneurship ecosystem by scaling innovative youth led start-ups, expanding youth market opportunities and improving youth access to finance.
Other development partners involved in supporting the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme are Agence Française de Développement, the German Agency for International Cooperation, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
They partners would also work to provide more business opportunities to youth entrepreneurs across the continent.
In 2017, the Bank established the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund, in partnership with the governments of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands.
The fund is a grant vehicle managed by the Bank to support the African entrepreneurship ecosystem directly and indirectly by leveraging on the Bank’s instruments. Its interventions will equip Africa’s youth with the right tools to establish start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises.

CBN Invests N69 Billion Into Edo State Oil Palm

Editorial staff

December 18, 2019

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has invested N69 billion into Edo State Oil Palm Programme.

The apex bank’s governor, Godwin Emefiele, said, at the launch of the programme in Benin City, that Edo with Nigeria’s largest oil palm plantation, is the best place to invest, if the country must revive its oil palm industry.

Emefiele disclosed that the CBN will make available N69 billion funding facility required for the ESOPP, adding that Edo State government has made available 120,000 hectares of land for the project and that the state has already benefited over 80 per cent from the apex bank’s N30 billion agriculture intervention for states.

Emefiele said: “I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for showing the required commitment and leadership in developing the oil palm sector in Nigeria. When we contemplated on reviving the oil palm sector in Nigeria, he was the only one that came out aggressively from the South-South and South-East governors and made available 120,000 hectares of land for this project.

“The first Ethanol plant developed in Nigeria is in Edo State and the CBN disbursed about N8bn to support the project about a week ago. When I met with the governors, I told them that it is better to work together and rediscover our states and make them viable again.

“I will say equivocally that with the effort of Edo State Government in cassava, oil palm, rice value chain, and the support entrepreneurs in the state are receiving through CBN intervention, I have no doubt in my mind that Edo State will be economically viable in another 3 years.”

The CBN governor also warned that the bank will deal ruthlessly with smugglers of palm oil in the country if they fail to stop their illegal operations.

“I use this opportunity to advise those economic saboteurs who still think they will hide under the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme to sabotage the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria. We will do our best to revamp this sector, including directing all banks in Nigeria to close the account of any company, person, staff, owners, top management and supply chain enablers involved in smuggling.”

He maintained that his government is committed to diversify the state’s economy, achieving economic prosperity, creating jobs and improving the lives of the people. “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has invested N69 billion into Edo State Oil Palm Programme The apex bank’s governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the launch of the programme in Benin City, said Edo with Nigeria’s largest oil palm plantation, is the best place to invest, if the country must revive its oil palm industry. Emefiele disclosed that the CBN will make available N69 billion funding facility required for the ESOPP.

Emefiele said that Edo State has made available 120,000 hectares of land for the project and that the state has already benefited over 80 per cent from the apex bank’s N30 billion agriculture intervention for states. Emefiele said, “I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for showing the required commitment and leadership in developing the oil palm sector in Nigeria. When we contemplated on reviving the oil palm sector in Nigeria, he was the only one that came out aggressively from the South-South and South-East governors and made available 120,000 hectares of land for this project.

“Edo State has the largest oil palm plantation in Nigeria and in reviving the oil palm industry in Nigeria Edo State is the best place to start. The CBN has disbursed about N30 billion naira to entrepreneurs in the oil sector in Nigeria in the last one year and out of that amount, about N25 billion has been channeled to support companies into oil palm plantation in Edo State. He continued, “The first Ethanol plant developed in Nigeria is in Edo State and the CBN disbursed about N8bn to support the project about a week ago. When I met with the governors, I told them that it is better to work together and rediscover our states and make them viable again. “I will say equivocally that with the effort of Edo State Government in cassava, oil palm, rice value chain, and the support entrepreneurs in the state are receiving through CBN intervention, I have no doubt in my mind that Edo State will be economically viable in another 3 years”.

The CBN governor also warned that the bank will deal ruthlessly with smugglers of palm oil in the country if they fail to stop their illegal operations. “I use this opportunity to advise those economic saboteurs who still think they will hide under the ECOWAS trade liberalisation scheme to sabotage the effort of the Federal Government of Nigeria. We will do our best to revamp this sector, including directing all banks in Nigeria to close the account of any company, person, staff, owners, top management and supply chain enablers involved in smuggling.”

Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki said the project is in line with his administration’s agenda to harness the state’s rich human and natural endowments to achieve economic growth and wellbeing of Edo people. He maintained that his government is committed to diversify the state’s economy, achieving economic prosperity, creating jobs and improving the lives of the people.

“The focus on the oil palm sector alone can stimulate and drive the economy of any state as it has done to Malaysia and Indonesia. This programme will enable us move from complaining and talking about what we have lost to concrete action towards regaining what has been lost.”

Obaseki said the ESOPP will leverage on what the CBN has initiated, adding: “Ours is to remove the critical risk in the oil palm sector by solving the biggest hindrances to plantation farm in Nigeria and making land available to farmers.”

He said his administration has provided about 120,000 hectares of land for oil palm development in the state.

“Successful implementation of the programme will create over 600,000 more jobs as well as 25,000 hectares of forest cover. This programme will cost us about $600 million, which is approximately N200bn. The money is there globally as money is not out of reach with investors on ground.”

The governor said that he is setting up the Edo State Oil Palm Programme implementation office, noting that consultants, surveyors, community relations experts will be trained to review and ensure guidelines are strictly followed.

“I thank the CBN governor for stimulating the agricultural sector, creating the platform for our dream to come true. As a state, our goal is to be that trigger state for oil palm in Nigeria as the nation needs millions of lands for oil palm. We will stand as a stimulant for other states”, Obaseki added. Earlier, Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Programme, Prince Joe Okojie said the 120,000 hectares of land for the programme was made available by the four Local Government Areas in the state.

According to him, while Ovia North East provided 25,329 hectares; Ovia South West had 36, 759 hectares; while Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode provided 51,000 and 23, 000 hectares of land of land respectively.The focus on the oil palm sector alone can stimulate and drive the economy of any state as it has done to Malaysia and Indonesia. This programme will enable us move from complaining and talking about what we have lost to concrete action towards regaining what has been lost.

Obaseki said the ESOPP will leverage on what the CBN has initiated, adding, “Ours is to remove the critical risk in the oil palm sector by solving the biggest hindrances to plantation farm in Nigeria and making land available to farmers.”

He said his administration has provided about 120,000 hectares of land for oil palm development in the state.

The governor said he is setting up the Edo State Oil Palm Programme implementation office, noting that consultants, surveyors, community relations experts will be trained to review and ensure guidelines are strictly followed.

To Be Released Or Not: Court Decides Sowore’s Fate Next Monday

Editorial staff

December 17, 2019

The Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed Monday, December 23, to rule on a suit filed by Omoyele Sowore, Convener, #RevolutionNow, to demand his unconditional release from the Department of State Service (DSS)’s detention.

Sowore, in a motion ex-parte number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1409/19, filed by his lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, before Justice Inyang Ekwo, demanded for unconditional release in pursuance of the release order made by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on Nov. 6.
After Justice Ojukwu had fixed Feb. 11, 2020, as next adjourned date, operatives of the DSS rearrested Sowore shortly after a court proceeding at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Dec. 6, barely 24 hours of releasing him and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, from custody.
Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, had, on December 13, announced his take over of the prosecution of Sowore in the charge of treasonable felony levied against him.
While Sowore is the applicant in the suit, the Director-General of State Security Service and the AGF are 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.
However, Marshal Abubakar, who represented Falana today, December 17, sought “an order for the production of the applicant for unconditional release in pursuance of the release order made by this Honourable Court on the 6th November, 2019.
Abubakar said thatthe continued detention of the applicant regardless of the release order made by the court on November 6 was “unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.”
He said such action violated “his fundamental right to personal liberty guaranteed by Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
He reminded that Sowore was arrested in Lagos on the August 2 without a warrant of arrest and was detained from the said date till August 7 without a court order in violation of his fundamental right to personal liberty guaranteed by the constitution.
“On September 21, this Honourable Court per Hon. Justice Taiwo Taiwo made an order mandating the respondents herein to release the applicant forthwith.
“On Sept. 21, charges were filed against the applicant by the 2nd respondent herein and this Honourable Court per Honourable Justice ijeoma Ojukwu made an order for the release of the applicant upon meeting the conditions of bail.
“The respondents herein have neglected, refused and or failed to comply with the said release orders,” he told the court.
Justice Ekwo said it would be unfair to deliver ruling on the matter without hearing from the other parties.
The judge, who adjourned the hearing on the case until December 23, ordered the applicant to put the respondents on notice.
The judge said: “And upon the court having taking notice that the 1st respondent has joined issues with the Applicants on the substantive application and that the 1st & 2nd respondents are not represented in court.
“It is hereby ordered as follows: an order is hereby made that the Deputy Chief Registrar (Litigation) of this court to bring this case and the next date of Hearing to the notice and attention of the 1st & 2nd defendants.
“An order is hereby made remitting this file to the Hon. Chief Judge for assignment of this case to vacation Judge for Hearing on the next date of hearing within the vacation forthwith.
“Case adjourned until Dec. 23, for hearing of the substantive application.”
Source: Vanguard

Atiku Angry With Reps For Throwing Out 6-Year Single Term For President, Others

Editorial staff

December 17, 2019

Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election in Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed displeasure with members of the Federal House of Representatives over what he called “the speed” with which they rejected the six-year single term proposal for president, governors and parliamentarians.

Atiku, who is the former Vice President of Nigeria, in a statement today, December 17, reacting to the rejection of the bill by the House, said that he is disappointed by the fact that the lawmakers have thrown away the baby with the bath water at the expense of the larger interest of the country.
“In view of the challenges facing our current democratic order, especially the culture of rigging that subverts the will of the people, six-year single term would have ended such untoward practices in our electoral process.
“The desperation for second term by the incumbents is the main reason why they go for broke and set the rule book on fire, thereby making free and fair elections impossible by legitimizing rigging at the expense of their challengers that have no access to public funds.”
Atiku said that a situation where the incumbents deploy more public resources to their second term projects than using the funds for people’s welfare encourages massive rigging that undermines electoral integrity.
“Six-year single term would remove such desperation and enable the incumbents concentrate on the job for which they were elected in the first place.”
He regretted that eight-year term of office rewards incompetence because, according to him, even incumbents that have failed would use their access to public funds to return to power by fair or foul means.”
“I don’t agree with the logic that eight years would give elected leaders better opportunity to fulfill their campaign promises. An inherently incompetent incumbent will perform below average even if you give him/her 20 years in office or give him or her $20 billion dollars.”
According to him, it is not how long a man spends in office, but how well he is adequately prepared for the job.
He argued that the desperation for second term is not necessarily driven by patriotism or the passion for service, but by the obsession with the greed for power for its own sake.
“Second term obsession rewards incompetence by allowing failed incumbents to be reelected regardless of their performance record. It also denies political parties the opportunity to replace failed incumbents with better candidates within the parties in the name of right of first refusal.”
The former Vice President noted that the rejection of the six-year single term was a mistake because little attention was paid to its merits, adding that eight years tenure of four years each sacrifices merit because the incumbents are automatically entitled to reelection regardless of their performance records.
Atiku is however of the view that current holders of the offices under the proposed constitutional review should not be entitled to a six-year term at the expiration of their second term.

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