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Ekiti Governor Suspends SSG Over ‘Incompetence’

Mohammed Useni
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Ekiti Governor Suspends SSG Over ‘Incompetence’

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has suspended the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Modupe Alade, for alleged incompetence.

This was conveyed in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday.

Fayose, according to the statement, said the suspension would last for three months.

It said the governor directed Head of Service (HoS), Dr Gbenga Faseluka, to oversee the office pending her resumption.

11 Years After The Abolishment Of Tollgates On Federal Roads, Senate Seeks A Return

Mohammed Useni
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11 Years After The Abolishment Of Tollgates On Federal Roads, Senate Seeks A Return

Eleven years after the abolishment of tollgates on federal roads, the Senate yesterday urged the Federal Government to reintroduce the revenue generating measure to boost the nation’s revenue profile.

Apart from generating additional income for the country, in the face of progressive dwindling oil revenue, the Senate wants the tollgates restored so as to generate revenue for road maintenance.

The parliamentarians argued that the tollgate scheme was in tandem with globally accepted best practice. The Red Chamber took the decision after the adoption of recommendations of its Ad hoc Committee on Works, which investigated the total collapse of federal roads in Nigeria and prevalent gully erosion sites.

The committee was headed by Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue, APC), who is now the Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing. President Olusegun Obasanjo had, in 2004, ordered the dismantling of tollgates across the country, citing loss of revenue to government and poor maintenance of the roads.

Also, sequel to the adoption of the report, the Senate mandated the Federal Government to make provisions for repair of major highways in the 2016 budget, lamenting that the state of the roads across the country was deplorable and therefore, needed urgent intervention.
The Senate also urged the Muhammadu Buhari administration to introduce weighbridges to protect roads and to discourage overtaxing highways that were not constructed for ferrying heavy vehicles and trucks. The committee further recommended that there should be rehabilitation and constant maintenance of existing roads infrastructure.

The Upper Chamber further invited the management of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to brief it on the state of Federal Government’s concessioning and ways of exploring Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements in road construction.

In his contribution, Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’ Allah (Kebbi/APC), urged government to partner with the private sector in order to develop the roads. In his remark, Senate President Bukola Saraki said, “government alone cannot fund road construction.”

MTN Nigeria CEO, Michael Ikpoki Quits

Mohammed Useni
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MTN Nigeria CEO, Michael Ikpoki Quits

By Chris Nomjov

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, Michael Ikpoki has resigned. The company’s head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Akinwale Goodluck has also resigned with immediate effect.

Ikpoki has been replaced by Ferdi Moolman as MTN Nigeria CEO while Goodluck has been replaced by Amina Oyagbola as its head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs.

Below is the press statement released by the Telecoms giants,

“MTN Nigeria’s CEO Michael Ikpoki and the head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Akinwale Goodluck have tendered their resignations with immediate effect,” the company said in a statement Thursday morning.

“They are replaced by Ferdi Moolman as MTNNigeria CEO and Amina Oyagbola as its head of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs. Mr Moolman was previously COO at MTN Irancell and most recently CFO at MTN Nigeria.A Nigerian national, Ms Oyagbola also retains the position of MTN Nigeria’s Head of Human Resources. She formerly headed regulatory affairs at the Nigerian operating company.”

The company also said it has received a formal letter dated December 2 from the NCC informing it that, “after considering the Company’srequest, it has taken the decision to reduce the fine on the MTN Nigerian business from the original N1,040,000,000,000 (One Trillion, Forty Billion Naira) to N674 Billion Naira which has to be paid by 31 December 2015.”

The fine relates to the late disconnecting of 5.1 million MTN Nigeria subscribers in August and September 2015.

Aremu Challenges Governors Who Cant Pay Minimum Wage To Resign

Mohammed Useni
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Aremu Challenges Governors Who Cant Pay Minimum Wage To Resign

By Chris Nomjov

Governors who can’t pay the #18,000 minimum wage have been asked to apdicate their seats. Former NLC Vice President, Issa Aremu made this declaration while speaking at the 18th Joint Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said that such governors have no reason to lead the people, or remain in office.

Presenting a paper titled, “Government Patronage of Made-In-Nigeria Products, A Panacea For Industrial Growth and Development”, Aremu noted that one of the ways Nigerians would judge the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari and all the 36 state governors, would be their ability to resuscitate the collapsed industries in the country and create more jobs.

The issue of N18,000 minimum wage has been in the news lately, with Governors suggesting a cut in the present minimum wage, owing to present economic realities. However, Labour in various quarters, has spoken against, such policy contemplation.

Aremu expressed worry that the nation might be in for more trouble if the alarming rate of unemployment is not properly addressed.

The former NLC Vice President also identified lack of road infrastructure as one of the factors that led to the collapse of the industries.

He appealed to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, to do his best possible, to reinvent the nation’s roads.

#BayelsaDecides Advantage Sylva As Six Parties Step Down For The APC Flagbearer

Mohammed Useni
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#BayelsaDecides Advantage Sylva As Six Parties Step Down For The APC Flagbearer

By Chris Nomjov

Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Timipre Sylva has gained considerable momentum in the forthcoming Bayelsa gubernatorial polls, as six political parties have stepped down for the former Governor.

Speaking in Yenagoa the state capital, Chairman of the Labour Party, Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and the United Democratic Party (UDP) all threw their weights behind the candidacy of Mr Sylva.

According to them, their decision is borne out of their love for the state and the need to have a leader that understands the yearnings of the people of Bayelsa.

They urged Bayelsans to vote for Mr Sylva to actualize the dream of a prosperous Bayelsa State.

 

Buhari Departs Abuja For South-Africa Ahead Of The China-Africa Corporation Forum [Photos]

Mohammed Useni
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Buhari Departs Abuja For South-Africa Ahead Of The China-Africa Corporation Forum [Photos]

President Muhammadu Buhari departs Abuja for South-Africa ahead of the China-Africa Corporation Forum in Jonannesburg.

While at the #FOCAC summit in Johannesburg, President @MBuhari will follow up his meeting with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping..which took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in November in New York.

President Buhari had indicated to Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader at the bilateral meeting in New York that he wanted China to re-commence stalled rail projects under new terms that would see China providing nearly all the financing required.

Garba Shehu said PMB is taking particular interest in the coastal railway project stretching 1402 kms linking Lagos in the West with Calabar in the East; a project that is expected to be financed with 12 billion U.S Dollars Chinese loan and which will create about 200,000 jobs

Another rail project that will be up for renegotiation is the $8.3bn Lagos-Kano standard gauge modernization project,.of which only a segment, Kaduna-Abuja has reached completion stage.

President Buhari is also expected to discuss ways of removing all obstacles in the way of the 3,050 MW Mambila Power Station.

The Mambila Power Station is considered a strategic project which was conceived in 1982 but has not taken off.

The Chinese President had informed PMB of the willingness of his country to finance the whole project through a special loan agreement and the Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, President Buhari is expected to return to Abuja on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Buhari Departs to JB 4Buhari Departs to JB 3Buhari Departs To JB 1

“I Didn’t Receive A Dime From Dasuki, ex-Gov. Bafarawa Denies Collecting N4.6 billion For “Spiritual Purposes”

Mohammed Useni
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“I Didn’t Receive A Dime From Dasuki, ex-Gov. Bafarawa Denies Collecting N4.6 billion For “Spiritual Purposes”

-The ongoing investigation into the $2.1 billion arms deal involving a former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki? and some of his associates took another twist Thursday, with the former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa exonerating himself of any wrongdoing.

There has been a chain of revelations as to how the money was dispensed, with the ex-governor’s name featuring prominently as collecting about N4.6 billion for “spiritual purposes”.

An aide of the former governor who served under him as a Special Adviser on Youth and Students Matters, Alhaji Akibu Dalhatu told Vanguard Newspapers yesterday that his boss has no such financial dealing with the former NSA nor did he collect any money from him for any purpose.

“The former governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa did not receive any money from Col. Sambo Dasuki for any arms deal or for any purpose” Dalhatu said.

Dalhatu who said had visited the former governor at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters, added that his boss was never arrested at home or anywhere else as has been alleged in some quarters. He said Mr Bafarawa merely honoured an invitation extended to him by the anti-graft agency.

“The truth is that Governor Bafarawa went to the EFCC to honour an invitation made to him by the agency while he was abroad. He had informed them through a letter by his lawyers that he was abroad and would honour their invitation on return. Governor Bafarawa went to the office of EFCC with his lawyer and an aide” he said?

He was however quick to lament what he described as orchestrated media campaign aimed at tarnishing the image of the former governor noting that it “appears that the media is being used to play out a script that has been written long before now”

“We have seen deliberate falsehoods published in the newspapers and social media platforms, designed deliberately to tarnish the image and person of Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa. Some of the writers and media outfits have access to Governor Bafarawa and his media advisers. It would appear that the media is being used to play out a script that has been written long before now” he added.

Babies Are For Sale In Nigeria For $4 000-5 000, In-depth Story Exposing Nigeria’s Baby Farmers

Mohammed Useni
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Babies Are For Sale In Nigeria For $4 000-5 000, In-depth Story Exposing Nigeria’s Baby Farmers

The third season of Al Jazeera’s award-winning Africa Investigates series continued last night with Nigeria’s Baby Farmers, where journalists Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Rosemary Nwaebuni went undercover to buy a baby in Nigeria.

UNESCO first reported on cases of ‘baby harvesting’ in Nigeria in 2006. “Here, childless marriages are sometimes seen as shameful, or even troubled by witchcraft,” says Anas. “At the same time, single mothers are frowned upon and abortion is illegal. Legal adoption takes a long time, so some couples try a short cut. And some unscrupulous people match the unwanted babies with childless couples for money, against the law.”

Anas and Nwaebuni pose as a couple who have been unable to have a child in 12 years of marriage, and who are now being pressured to divorce by his parents.

Equipped with a secret camera, they visit private clinics and orphanages to find out how easy it is to buy a child illegally, with no questions asked.

They are offered a baby at Destiny’s Child orphanage in Ulakwo by Ada Ezeoyi, for $4 000 for a girl or $5000 for a male child.

They are also offered a baby by Basic Clinic and Maternity Home in Imo State, owned by Doctor Ohaeri. They are asked for a similar figure.

They also expose unethical medical practise by Akinbode Damilola, a so-called miracle doctor who operates from a pharmacy in Delta State offering bogus fertility treatments.

“We were not able to care for a stranger’s child ourselves, so we backed out of the deal,” says Anas. “Our investigation has shone a light on parts of a sinister network. It involves genuine doctors and cynical staff in orphanages, who will sell vulnerable children to the highest payer. We have passed our evidence on to the authorities so that justice can prevail.”

Africa Investigates is a groundbreaking Al Jazeera series that gives some of Africa’s best journalists the opportunity to pursue high-level investigative targets across the continent – using their unique perspective and local knowledge to put corruption, exploitation and abuse under the spotlight. Previous documentaries in the series have won One World Media and Mohamed Amin Africa Media awards.

Nigeria’s Baby Farmers repeats on Al Jazeera English on 4 December 2015 at 04:30, 5 December at 17:30, and 6 December at 06:30 CAT.

Watch and embed the full documentary below…

Play

Tension Heightened In Bayelsa As Dickson Is Killed Two Days To Guber Elections

Mohammed Useni
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Tension Heightened In Bayelsa As Dickson Is Killed Two Days To Guber Elections

Tension heightened Thursday among among members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the killing of Diseye Dickson, the deputy ward chairman of APC, Ward 1 in Odi, Kolokuma-Opokuma council area of then state by unidentified gunmen.

The deceased, Diseye Dickson was reportedly shot dead at Odi community at about 11pm Wednesday by the gunmen allegedly clad in military uniform.

But the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state through the Sylva/Igiri campaign Organisation alleged that the killing was carried out by suspected thugs hired by the PDP.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the Sylva/Igiri campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, in a statement said, “As at this morning, the corpse of Mr. Dickson, was still lying in a pool of his own blood where he was killed. Do note that this is the second killing being carried out by the PDP since the campaigns started.

“Recall that Mr. Andrew June, a ward chairman of our party in Ekeremor LGA was macheted to death.We condemned this act of desperation by the PDP to continually attack and intimidate our supporters.”

“This killing is wicked, unwarranted and provocative. The APC and the campaign organization has repeatedly called on the police and other security agencies to step up their patrol to forestall any further attack on the APC members. Killers of these people must not be allowed to go unpunished.”

EFCC Arraigns Akpobolokemi, Ex-NIMASA DG And Nine Others For Alleged N1.153bn Scam

Mohammed Useni
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EFCC Arraigns Akpobolokemi, Ex-NIMASA DG And Nine Others For Alleged N1.153bn Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today December 3, 2015 arraigned a former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi; and seven other staff of the agency including Captain Eziekiel Agaba, Executive Director, and their two companies before Justice Salihu Sa’idu of the Federal High Court Lagos on a 30- count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraudulent conversion of funds and Money Laundering.

In a statement issued by Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media & Publicity of the commission made available to NewsWireNGR, Others are Ekene Nwakuche, Felix Bob-Nabena, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Governor Amechee Juan, Ugo Frederick, Timi Alari, Alkenzo Limited and Penniel Engineering Services Limited

The accused persons allegedly conspired to convert and launder several sums of money running into billions of naira under the guise of providing security intelligence around the Maritime domain.

A committee on intelligence was established by the agency under the watch of Apobolokemi with the second accused person, Captain Agaba as chairman. The committee allegedly received a total sum of N1, 153,000,000 (One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Three Million Naira Only) between December 2013 to July 2015.

In disbursing the sum, the accused persons allegedly conspired and hired companies which investigation revealed were neither registered nor have requisite capacity to provide such services.

Investigation further disclosed that most of the companies contracted were either nominated by the accused persons or are directly owned by them.

One of the counts read, “that you Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Captain Eziekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Felix Bob-Nabena, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Governor Amechee Juan, Ugo Frederick, Timi Alari, Alkenzo Limited and Penniel Engineering Services Limited on or about 20th of December 2013 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit; conversion of the sum N1,153,000,000 (One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Three Million Naira Only) property of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency which sum was derived from stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18a of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.

After listening to the charge, the accused persons pleaded not guilty. Prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo prayed the court to remand the accused person in prison and fix a date for trial.

Counsels representing the accused persons: Joseph Nwobike SAN for the first and forth accused persons, Lanre Olayinka for the second and ninth accused persons, Pascal Made for the third accused person, C.A Nmarkwe for the fifth accused, Kayode Omoya for the eighth accused, Ige Asemundara for the sixth accused and E.O Ogbebor for the seventh and tenth accused persons filed bail applications praying the court to admit their clients to bail.

In opposing the bail application for the first accused person, Oyedepo filed a counter affidavit praying the court not to grant the defendant’s application. He argued that the first defendant had jumped the administrative bail granted to him by the Commission. He further added that someone who could not honor administrative bail should not be trusted to honour bail granted by the court.

Oyedepo also told the court to refuse the bail applications of all the other accused persons based on the severity of the proof of evidence before it.

Justice Salihu however admitted the first accused person to bail in the sum of N100,000, 000 and two sureties. One of the sureties must have a landed property in either Lekki, Ikoyi or Victoria Island. The other surety must be in either Federal of State government employment not below the rank of Director.

The other accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N50, 000,000 each with one surety in like sum. One of the sureties must be in either Federal of State government employment not below level 16 and the other must have a landed property within Lagos.

Justice Salihu adjourned the case to January 29, 2016 for the commencement of trial and ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Ikoyi prison pending perfection of their bail terms.

Buhari, Saraki In Closed-Door Meeting At The Presidential Villa

Mohammed Useni
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Buhari, Saraki In Closed-Door Meeting At The Presidential Villa

Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki on Thursday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

They both held a closed-door meeting that lasted almost one hour. The meeting was described as private according to DailyTrust reports.

The Senate president arrived the Presidential Villa without his usual retinue of aides.

Saraki left the State House without speaking to journalists. The Presidency did not issue any statement on the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has on Thursday, December 3, set February 5, 2016 as the date for judgment in the appeal of Senate President Bukola Saraki against the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The Chief Judge of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, who led a panel of seven judges, announced the date after hearing the brief of the counsels to the plaintiff and the respondent.

The senate president had recently lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging the Appeal Court judgment that ruled in favour of the continuation of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT over alleged false assets declaration.

Saraki is facing 13 count charges bordering on false assets declaration at the tribunal when he as governor of Kwara state in 2003.

Breaking: Embattled Sambo Dasuki Denies Implicating Anyone… Says Not all Funds Are For Arms Procurement

Mohammed Useni
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Breaking: Embattled Sambo Dasuki Denies Implicating Anyone… Says Not all Funds Are For Arms Procurement

Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has denied ever making statement implicating anyone or group in the allegation of $2billion arms purchase deal brought against him by the federal government.

Dasuki, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji, a senior advocate said he never made such statement or name anyone to EFCC and wondered ?where the authors got their information from.

“I was with Dasuki yesterday and wish to make categorical statement that my client never made any statement of such nature or naming anybody or group in any statement.

“Quote me anywhere, Dasuki has not done anything like that. It is absolutely untrue. It is the figment of the imagination of the authors aimed at creating falsehood for reasons best known to them and Nigerians shou?ld disregard them.

“They are just out to scandalise the man, bring his image and character into disrepute so that his friends and well wishers can run away from him. They want him deserted and that will fail”, Raji said.

Meanwhile, PRNigeria has gathered that not all funds in Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) are related to arm procurement as being alleged.
The ONSA manages several funds for national security and other special interventions which are not related to Boko Haram or arm procurement. They include recurrent expenditures and miscellaneous expenses under Special Service Office (SSO) to fund special projects and programmes including capacity building, refreshment, travelling, office maintenance, crisis communication and supports to special causes and Non-Governmental Organisations.

“Most of the figures being bandied were taken from the special funds meant for the purposes that they were spent and not on the so-called arm-deal.”

“All over the world, there are lots of expenditures of national security and sensitive matters that are not ridiculed in the Press.”

During today’s proceedings in court, the federal government appointed a private legal practitioner, Mr. Oladipupo Okpeseyitan, SAN, to prosecute Dasuki.

Okpeseyitan after announcing his appearance told the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola that he had filed a motion for stay of execution of the ruling of the court which granted Dasuki permission to seek medical treatment.

He applied to the court to put the ruling on hold pending the outcome of the appeal in the matter.

Raji in his reply told the court that he had just been served with the motion in court, adding that he needed time to respond to the motion.

The case has been fixed for December 8, 2015 for hearing.

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