Ibori released from UK prison – Reports December 21, 2016

Ibori released from UK prison – Reports
December 21, 2016

     

The Punch Newspaper is reporting that the former governor of Delta State, Mr. James Ibori, has been released from the UK prison where he has spent four years and eight months.

Ibori, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, was accused in February 2012 of stealing $250m from the Delta State public purse.

Ibori, who was governor of of the state between 1999 and 2007, admitted to fraud totalling nearly £50m.

He was jailed on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, for 13 years by the Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to ten counts of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.

More later

Full breakdown of 2017 budget December 14, 2016

Full breakdown of 2017 budget December 14, 2016
   

Budget size: N7.298tn
(20.4% higher than 2016 estimates)

Assumptions, projections

Benchmark crude oil price – $42.5 per barrel
Oil production estimate – 2.2 million barrels per day
Average exchange rate – N305 to the US dollar.
Aggregate revenue available to fund the federal budget is N4.94tn
Deficit – N2.36tn (about 2.18% of GDP)
The deficit will be financed mainly by borrowing which is projected to be about N2.32tn.
067tn of borrowing will be sourced from external sources while, N1.254tn will be borrowed from the domestic market.
Expenditure Estimates

The proposed aggregate expenditure of N7.298tn will comprise:

Statutory transfers – N419.02bn
Debt service – N1.66tn
Sinking fund – N177.46bn (to retire certain maturing bonds)
Non-debt recurrent expenditure – N2.98tn
Capital expenditure of N2.24tn (including capital in Statutory Transfers)

Recurrent Expenditure

A significant portion of recurrent expenditure has been provisioned for the payment of salaries and overheads in institutions that provide critical public services. The budgeted amounts for these items are:

37bn for the Ministry of Interior;
01bn for Ministry of Education;
87bn for Ministry of Defence; and
87bn for Ministry of Health.
Capital Expenditure: N2.24tn (30.7% of total budget)

These capital provisions are targeted at priority sectors and projects.

Key capital spending provisions in the Budget include the following:

Power, Works and Housing:   N529bn;
Transportation:   N262bn;
Special Intervention Programmes:
Defence:                     N140bn;
Water Resources:   N85bn;
Industry, Trade and Investment: N81bn;
Interior:                     N63bn;
Education                     N50bn
Universal Basic Education Commission: N92bn
Health: N51bn
Federal Capital Territory:   N37bn;
Niger Delta Ministry:      N33bn; and
Niger Delta Development Commission: N61bn;

N100bn provided in the Special Intervention programme as seed money into the N1tn Family Homes Fund that will underpin a new social housing programme.

N14bn allocated as counterpart funding for the Lagos-Kano, Calabar-Lagos, Ajaokuta-Itakpe-Warri railway, and Kaduna-Abuja railway projects.
Statutory Transfers

Budgetary allocation to the Judiciary increased from N70bn to N100bn (to enhance the independence and efficiency of the judiciary)

Ghana: Akufo-Addo wins presidential election, as President Mahama concedes defeat

Ghana: Akufo-Addo wins presidential election, as President Mahama concedes defeat

Ghana's main opposition leader, Nana Akufo-Addo, has won the country's national election after President John Mahama conceded defeat.

Akufo-Addo said on Twitter that Mahama had called him "congratulating me on winning the 2016 Presidential Election".

Crowds of jubilant supporters gathered outside the house of the 72-year-old New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader, who had already claimed victory on Thursday, a day after the voting took place.

Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque, reporting from the capital Accra, described the campaign as "bitterly fought".

Earlier, Mahama had appealed for calm and told his supporters he would respect the outcome of the vote whether he won or lost, in comments aimed at defusing tension ahead of the release of official results of the vote.

"I want to assure the nation that we will respect the outcome of the election, positive or negative, and so let us just be calm," he told supporters gathered outside his house.

Mahama, who came to power in 2012 after beating Akufo-Addo, urged voters to "stay the course", promising to deliver more infrastructure projects.

Why NCC asked big operators to raise data tariffs

Why NCC asked big operators to raise data tariffs

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) approved a new “floor plan”, or minimum pricing, for data services by mobile operators “to address market distortions, unhealthy price wars and value erosion that could threaten the going concern of the service providers”.

In a letter to the big operators, the commission had directed that the floor plan for data should be 0.90k/MB effective December 1, 2016 “pending the finalisation of the study on the determination of cost-based pricing for retail broadband and data services in Nigeria”.

As virtually all the big operators were already charging below the new floor rate, the directive meant an automatic increase in charges for data services.

However, small operators and new entrants in the data market, such as Spectranet, Ntel and Smile, are still allowed to charge below 0.90k/MB.

NCC defines “small operator” as one that has less than 7.5% market share and “new entrant” as one that has operated for less than three years.

The regulator is of the opinion that without a price floor, the dominant operators can engage in predatory pricing to drive down other operators, meaning the industry could be moving towards a monopoly.

DATA CHARGES BEFORE NOW

BIG OPERATORS AVERAGE PRICE/MB
MTN 45 kobo
Glo 21 kobo
Etisalat 94 kobo
Airtel 52 kobo
Average 53 kobo

SMALL OPERATORS/NEW ENTRANTS AVERAGE PRICE/MB
Smile 84 kobo
Spectranet 58 kobo
Natcom 72 kobo
Average 71 kobo

A senior NCC official told TheCable that CDMA operators – such as Multilinks and Starcomms – were muscled out of the by the Big Four because of their market power.

“At the rate they are crashing data tariffs, there is every chance that they will soon kill all the small operators and new entrants. Part of the functions and duties of NCC is to check monopolistic and oligopolistic behaviours in the telecom market,” the official said.

Globacom currently charges 21k/MB apparently because of the economies of scale advantage, compared to Smile which charges 84k/MB, or four times Glo’s rate, in order to break even.

Under the new tariff regime, Smile can continue to charge 84k but Glo will have to move up to 90k/MB – a 328% increase.

MARKET PRICES

The document seen by TheCable says in line with its mandate of promoting fair competition in the industry, the commission monitored activities in the data market segment “and observed that a significant reduction in current market prices for data services; in addition to complaints by subscribers to re-introduce the price floor for data services”.

It gave five reasons for re-introducing the price floor, which was first introduced in 2014 and suspended in October 2015.

The reasons are:

Some service providers were actually pricing their services below cost, a situation which could spell doom for the industry.
Dominant Operators in the wholesale leased line market, who also operate in the retail market embarked on massive predatory pricing, a conduct capable of substantially lessening competition.
The removal of floor price for data resulted in eroding value in the market.
The need to safeguard investment and ensure growth, development and sustainability of the telecoms industry.
It is important to maintain the integrity of the network as operators lack capacity to accommodate the volume of transaction on their network.
It said: “When markets work efficiently, companies provide customers with more choice, lower prices better quality products and services. However, due to market imperfections, market forces alone cannot be entirely relied upon to discipline the operators to ensure efficient market conducts and promote market efficiency.

“It is in recognition of the above that regulatory intervention is required and has become a veritable tool to facilitate competition and create a level playing field between competitors.”

STAKEHOLDERS’ INPUTS

TheCable understands that the big operators made inputs into the decision-making process.

A stakeholders’ meeting with service providers was held in October to discuss “anti-competitive practices” in the data market and to get their comments and inputs on what the price floor should be.

At the meeting, NCC, according to sources in the know, informed the operators on the need to create a balance by ensuring that the interim price floor “is not too low in order to provide a cushion for small operators and new entrant to offer competitive products”.

It also said the price floor “should not be too high to ensure affordability by consumers” and that the rate should be fixed at a level that “will encourage growth, roll-out services and ultimately attract investments into the telecom sector”.

This the interim price floor of N0.90k/MB for big operators is expected to be reviewed after a study on the determination of cost-based pricing for retail broadband and data services in the country.

by TheCable

Gunmen Abduct 7 in Lagos …Target Students in 2-Day Operation

Gunmen Abduct 7 in Lagos …Target Students in 2-Day Operation

Several gunmen dressed in military camouflage have abducted seven
persons in Lagos as they seized a community in Epe by the throat.

Reports say the gang first struck on Sunday at a place called Kodjo Farm at Igbodu, in Epe, where they abducted seven men. Then, they
continued the onslaught today and tried to abduct students from a school.

One of those abducted at Kodjo Farm was identified as a 65-year-old guard called Kakaja Joseph. Four poultry farm workers of the farm and two travellers were among the victims.

The travellers were abducted, when the gunmen embarked on a second operation, during which a transit road was blocked. 

A one-time newspaper reporter who was caught in the melee, called Newsmakers in the heat of the attack when he couldn’t get the police on the phone.

“Gunmen are operating here. They’ve blocked the road. It’s so serious. Get the police, please!” he said. 

He later called back to say that the police arrived and engaged the bandits in fierce battle along a road in a place called Igbodu.

Today, the community witnessed another round of violence, when gunmen descended on Molajoye Community High School and tried to
abduct students during the morning assembly.

 But a joint effort by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), officers from Area N Police Headquarters, the Navy and Army foiled the abduction.

According to eyewitnesses accounts the men stormed the farm at about 8 a.m shooting sporadically. They whisked their victims away in a waiting boat. The gunmen carted away several live chickens and eggs.

Some of those caught up in the Sunday attack said that they slept inside the bush.

A farm worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “After kidnapping the poultry workers, the gunmen went to Molajoye
Expressway and kidnapped two travellers. 

Some of the occupants of the bus sustained injuries.

Mr. Isaiah Joseph, son of the abducted guard, said: “Since our father was kidnapped, we’ve been running from pillar to post, to secure his
release. When he left home on Saturday, we expected him back on Sunday for church service. We waited with our mother, but he didn’t show up. We decided to go to the farm to check on him. We were told by one of the engineers that he had been abducted, along with four workers.”

Joseph said that the management of the poultry had assured them that they would make efforts to secure his release soonest.
“We’re still waiting for him to return, but our major concern is his health. He’s old. We don’t know how they are treating him,” said Joseph.

Mr. Isaac John, an in-law to Kakaja, said the farm management had promised to negotiate with the kidnappers.

He added: “We’re anxious! We don’t know his condition presently. If not because of the economic situation in the country, the old man
wouldn’t be doing that sort of job.”

The Igbodu Community Leader, Chief Oguntayo Abiodun, said: “We were still discussing the kidnap of the guard and poultry workers, when
we got news about the attempted abduction of Molajoye students. On Saturday, there was serious commotion in the community when the
gunmen confronted men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in a gun battle. 

The sporadic shooting lasted for about 29
minutes. We’re appealing to the state government and the police to provide regular patrol of the community. Some of the local vigilante men cannot confront the gunmen because of the sophisticated weapons they carry. Some investors in the community have started relocating due to the incessant abductions of farmers and workers in
the community. Farmers these days fear to go to work.”

Chief Olaitan Oshodiro, the Alashe of Igbodu said: “Those militants, who were dislodged from Arepo, Isawo and some parts of Ogun State, have relocated to our area. We cannot sleep anymore. We’re dying of hunger! We cannot go to farm, so as not to be kidnapped. We go to bed by 6: 30pm these days.”

Mobile Policemen from Mopol 22 and RRS were sighted today patrolling the community. Over five RRS vans were also on ground.

Because of the recurrence of kidnap cases in the Epe axis the Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising of the Navy, Air Force, and the Army, alongside men of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the police, carried out aerial bombardment of the region in August.

Last September, gunmen struck at Epe and abducted three female farmers and a six-month-old baby. The victims were kidnapped on Igbodu-Isiwo Road in Epe.

On November 15, gunmen, allegedly numbering over 40, invaded a farm settlement in Epe, also located on Igbodu-Isiwo Road. 

They abducted four farmers. The men, dressed in military uniform, came through the river at about 10a.m.

The Lagos police spokesperson however debunked the story. She said: “The command wishes to state that this is not only false and
misleading, but a figment of imagination of the writer. Epe axis and Lagos State is totally safe. 

There is no invasion by militants or any other criminal elements on any part of Lagos. 

The command hereby advises anyone peddling this falsehood to desist or be made answerable to the law. Residents of Epe and Lagos at large should disregard this falsehood and carry on their lawful activities, as the
command has devised operational strategies to ensure safety of lives and property during this festive season. 

Members of the public are enjoined to report any suspicious movement to the command through its emergency numbers 767 or 112.”

Media Reports on Ayeni's Encounter with EFCC misleading- Aide

Media Reports on Ayeni's Encounter with EFCC misleading- Aide

Former Chairman of Skye Bank, and the key promoter of NATCOM, the owners of ntel, Dr Olatunde Ayeni, has cleared the air on his recent encounter with the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, describing as total false,  the claim by many online publications, particularly that he was arrested and detained over an alleged 1 billion Naira bribe to a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory over a land deal.

An online newspaper had reported Friday evening that Ayeni was arrested and detained by EFCC over allegations that he bribed a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed, to acquire 54 plots of land in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. Some other online publications reposted the report on their platforms.

But Ademola Adedoyin, Special Adviser, Corporate Communications to the billionaire businessman  disputed the story. "Dr Ayeni was invited by the officials of EFCC in his capacity as the Chairman of Aso Loans and Savings Limited, an Abuja based financial/Mortgage company. The company is just one of the several that has Mr Ayeni as chairman".

Adedoyin said further :" Immediately after the session, Mr Ayeni left the EFCC office. Contrary to the report, it was not a Tunde Ayeni thing. It was an institutional transaction. And i can assure you that whatever the issues are have been trashed out between EFCC and Aso Savings.

" Dr Ayeni is a responsible citizen of Nigeria who has contributed, and will continue to contribute to the development of Nigeria in his chosen areas of business- finance,  real estate, oil and gas, and security. He has not less than 20,000 Nigerians working and earning decent living through his companies. It is therefore not fair for a medium to carry such untrue story that can jeopardize the fortune of several companies, and cause unemployment for the workers.

While Mr Ayeni is working hard in the system to help government solve challenges that the economy of the country is facing, some people still find it convenient to engage in their pull me down syndrome.

Contrary to the false report, no former First Lady has any shares or stakes, directly or through proxy, in Dr Ayeni's business concerns.

I will like to tell Nigerians that these times call for all hands to be at work to move Nigeria forward, not that we should be pulling people down".

Unofficial results of Ondo governorship election from units, wards, and LGAs

Unofficial results of Ondo governorship election from units, wards, and LGAs

(1) FUTA GATE, AKINDEKO HALL..
ACCORD-2
AD-15
APC-35
PDP-20
SDP-2
(2) Elegiri/Ifedore LGA
PDP- 37
APC-23
AD- 6
ADC- 2
PPA- 1
(3) Ward 9 unit 22, Akure south
APC 46
Pdp 43
Ad 16
Result from Ondo Governorship election
(4) Fagun Ondo Ward 11,Unit 1.
Ad: 26
APC: 30
PDP: 104
(5)Akungba LGA Ward 10, Pu 14
Apc 192.
PDP 115,
AD 76
SDP 41
(6)Unit 15b, Ward 7, ONDO WEST.
APC-29,
AD-16
PDP-47
(7)LAGBOJA UNIT 010 ODE AYE WARD2
APC 77,
AD 68,
PDP 91
( Ward 6 unit 1, Akure South, Ilekun Oda Road.
AD 44,
PDP 50,
APC 53.
(9)Unit 3, Ward 11, ONDO WEST (LA 2):
PDP 86,
APC 44,
AD 26
(11)Igboroko II, Ward 3, Unit 11
APC: 113
PDP: 9
AD: 3
SDP:
NCP: 1
PPA: 1
LP: 1
(12) Results in… Unit 17 Igboroko (Ahmadiya grammar school) 2 ward 3 Owo LG.
AD…. 01
PDP…..05
APC….. 262.
(13)Unit 15, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (St. Paul)..
APC-32,
AD-19,
PDP-59
(14)Unit 15a, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (St. Paul)..
APC-13,
AD-24,
PDP-45
(15)Unit 7, ijebu 1 w 4,
APC 200,
PDP 19,
AD 16,
SDP 2,
(16)Akure Sourton ward 2 unit 31
APC-51
PDP-103
(17)Akure Sourton ward 2 unit 32
APC-57
PDP-106
(18)Ondo west LG Ward 7 Unit 34
AD 41
APC 22
PDP 128.
(19)UNIT 35, Ondo west LG Ward 7
AD 15
APC 17
PDP 66
UNIT 36
AD 29
APC 26
PDP 59
(20)Ondo west LG, ward 10, Unit 8a,
APC 28,
AD 28,
PDP 49.
(21)Unit 18 Oke Aro ward 8 Akure South
PDP 94
APC 64
Ad39
Sdp 3
Ppa1
Apga1
(22)Akure south ward 2 unit 027
PDP – 78,
AD – 46,
APC – 79
(23)Oba- Ile 2nd Gate Unit 2 Ballot Box 061056, Akure North
ADC : 3 ,
SDP: 3 .
ACPN: 1
AA; 1
APGA 1,
APC . 67.
AD 34.
PDP 49
(24)Oba- Ile, Akure North Ballot 060888..
AD. 31.
APC 82.
PDP 50.
(25)Igboroko II, Ward 3, Unit 10
APC: 234
PDP: 15
AD: 9
SDP: 3
LP: 2
(26)OBOTO UNIT 2, WARD 7, ONDO EAST:
PDP 87,
APC 42,
AD 32
(27)Unit 18 Oke Aro ward 8
PDP 94
APC 64
Ad 39
Sdp 3
Ppa1
Apga 1
(28)Unit 004I/Oke unit 004
Pdp 72,
Apc 80,
AD 46
(39)ENUOWA/ OBALALU, UNIT 8, WARD 1 ONDO EAST:
PDP 117,
APC 61,
AD 36.
(30)Ward 7, Unit 4 LOMITOTO (ONDO EAST):
AD 34,
PDP 135,
APC 25
(31)Ondo west LG Ward 7 Unit 34
AD 41
APC 22
PDP 128.
(32)Ondo west LG UNIT 35a
AD 15
APC 17
PDP 66
(33)Ondo west LG UNIT UNIT 35b
AD 29
APC 26
PDP 59
(34)Ondo west LG UNIT 36
AD 23
APC 17
PDP 71.
(35)Akure south ward 2 unit 30
apc – 29,
pdp – 71,
ad – 22
(36)Akure south ward 2 unit 33
ad – 48,
apc – 59,
pdp – 106
(37)Unit 13, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (St. Paul)Ballot box 2…
APC-29,
AD-17,
PDP-57
(38)lutitun ward 2, unit 3,
AD-102,
APC 96,
PDP 49,
SDP 37
(39)Unit 3, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (Ansarudeen):
PDP 135,
AS 36,
APC 57.
(40)Adebayo polling unit in Logbosere ward 04 result
APC – 87
AD – 44
PDP – 131
(41)Unit 4, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (Ansarudeen):
PDP 155,
AD 40,
APC 57
(42) Unit 3B, Ward 11, ONDO WEST (LA 2):
PDP 46,
APC 28,
AD 25
(43)Unit 003 Ilepa 2 Ikare.
APC,82
SDP,39
PdP 29,
AD,27
(44)Isuada Ward 9 Unit 18:
APC- 199;
AD- 23;
PDP- 11
(45)Isuada Ward 9 Unit 19:
APC- 68;
AD-17;
PDP-09
(46)Isuada Ward 9 Unit 15:
APC-192;
AD- 14;
PDP- 11
(47)Asuada Palace, Ward 9 Unit 17:
PPN- 1;
APGA- 1;
LP-1;
APA- 2;
PDP- 6;
AD- 9;
APC- 148.
(48)Unit 007,Ilara – mokin ,Ward 1
PDP – 135
APC -55
AD —-30
(49)Ondo west ward 11 unit 8
PDP… 134
Apc….. 70
Ad… 77
SDP.. 1
(50)Ondo West Ward 11 unit 2
AD 23
Apc 39
PDP 76
(51) Jegede wins own polling unit Ward 02, Unit 009, Sacred Heart Primary School
AD 32
APC 77
PDP 184
(52)Lumeko unit 005 Ode Aye ward2
Ad-57,
Apc-139,
PDP-57.
(53)Our result at ONIKOKODIYA:
PDP 90
APC 30
AD 75
ADC 6
APGA 1
NNPP 1
PRP 1
SDP 1
PDC 1
EPC 1
PPA 1
ACPN 1
(54)Ward 9 unit 22, Akure south
APC 46
Pdp 43
Ad 16
(55) Fagun Ondo Ward 11,Unit 1.
Ad: 26
APC: 30
PDP: 104
(56)Akungba LGA Ward 10, Pu 14
Apc 192.
PDP 115,
AD 76
SDP 41
(57)Unit 15b, Ward 7, ONDO WEST.
APC-29,
AD-16
PDP-47
(58)LAGBOJA UNIT 010 ODE AYE WARD2
APC 77,
AD 68,
PDP 91
(59)Ward 6 unit 1, Akure South, Ilekun
Oda Road.
AD 44,
PDP 50,
APC 53.
(60)Unit 3, Ward 11, ONDO WEST (LA 2):
PDP 86,
APC 44,
AD 26
(61)Igboroko II, Ward 3, Unit 11
APC: 113
PDP: 9
AD: 3
SDP:
NCP: 1
PPA: 1
LP: 1
(62) Unit 17 Igboroko (Ahmadiya grammar school) 2 ward 3 Owo LG.
AD…. 01
PDP…..05
APC….. 262.
(64)Unit 15, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (St.Paul)..
APC-32,
AD-19,
PDP-59
(65)Unit 15a, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (St.Paul)..
APC-13,
AD-24,
PDP-45
(66)Unit 7, ijebu 1 w 4,
APC 200,
PDP 19,
AD 16,
SDP 2,
(67)Akure Sourton ward 2 unit 31
APC-51
PDP-103
(68)Akure Sourton ward 2 unit 32
APC-57
PDP-106
(18)Ondo west LG Ward 7 Unit 34
AD 41
APC 22
PDP 128.
(69)UNIT 35, Ondo west LG Ward 7
AD 15
APC 17
PDP 66
UNIT 36
AD 29
APC 26
PDP 59
(70)Unit 20, Ward 7 ONDO WEST (Mr. Governor’s Unit) :
PDP 176,
APC 40,
AD 25
(71)Unit 22, Ward 7, ONDO WEST:
PDP 124,
APC 38,
AD 13
(72)Unit 23, Ward 7, ONDO WEST (Akure Garage):
PDP 178,
APC 45,
AD 38.
(73)Ward 7, Unit 16 result, Holy Trinity Pry. School, Ondo town.
PDP 142
APC 52
AD 66
(74)Alade Atosin Ward 2 unit 7
APC-204
AD-59,
PDP-61
(75)Methodist unit Igbotako ward 2
A P C:77,
P D P:80,
A D:50
(76)Ondo west ,ward 10, unit 10.
AD 42.
APC 46.
PDP 78
(77)Ward 7, Unit 17 result, Holy Trinity Pry. School, Ondo town.
PDP 92
APC 35
AD 60
Void 20
(78)Polling Unit 17 (Ijapo Estate):
SDP = 5.
APA = 1
APGA = 2
ACPN = 1
ADC = 1
AD = 50
PDP = 112
APC = 74
(79)Ondo west LG ward 10, unit 9
APC 50
Ad. 30
PDP 96.
(80)Odigbo ward 8 unit 2
AD:29
APC:66
PDP:27
(81)Odigbo ward 8 UNIT 1
AD:19
APC:45
PDP:45
(82)Akure Alagbaka pry school. Polling Unit
PDP 147,
APC 138,
AD 118.
(83)Ward 8, Zone 2 (3units)
PDP 277
APC-139
AD-95

JUST IN: PMB Signs 8 Bills Into Law

JUST IN: PMB Signs 8 Bills Into Law

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday signed eight bill sent to him by the National Assembly into law.

The senior special assistant to the president on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang made the disclosure to State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to him, the development was unprecedented in the history of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration.

Details later

FG Begins Release of N100bn for Constituency Projects To Lawmakers

FG Begins Release of N100bn for Constituency Projects To Lawmakers

12 N’Assembly finally considers president’s N180bn virement request
House summons DG, Budget Office over remittance directives

The presidency may have finally caved in to the demands by members of the National Assembly for the release of N100 billion meant for constituency projects before they consider and approve any request from the executive arm of government.
Several legislative approvals sought by President Muhammadu Buhari have suffered defeats or delays in recent weeks, particularly the request for the $30 billion external borrowing plan, the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), and virement of N180 billion in the 2016 budget.
THISDAY gathered that so far, about 50 per cent of the constituency funds have been quietly released through the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, National Commission for Refugees and other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government.
Sources told THISDAY that the leadership of the National Assembly secured commitments from the presidency for the release of the funds.
“Recall that the Senate President met with the president several times last week. So the commencement of the release of the funds would smoothen the path for the approvals being sought by the executive,” a source told THISDAY.
The source, however, noted that while the lawmakers may soft pedal on their initial stance, many of them remain sceptical that the funds would be completely released by the finance ministry.
“The sour relations between both arms of government lingers, so both view each other with suspicion and do not trust each other. Many of the lawmakers are however not convinced that all the money will be released, particularly when considering utterances of the executive.
“Maybe only some lawmakers will eventually benefit,” the source explained.
Another source, who confirmed that the constituency funds were being released, however noted that the executive arm of government is currently making efforts to repair its fractured relations with the legislature.
“Before now, only Dogara (Speaker) and Gbajabiamila seemed to be the sort of balancing forces in the legislature, but obviously the Senate carries more weight.
“If the president cannot have his men there, he has to find a way to work with whoever is there. The House alone cannot pass his requests,” the source said.
Indications that the lawmakers may be somewhat appeased emerged as the leadership of the House of Representatives yesterday passed a motion mandating its Committee on Appropriation to consider the request for the virement of N180 billion.
Other committees to which the virement are related to would also serve as sub-committees of the Appropriation Committee to consider the request. These include the Committees on Nigerian Air Force, Youth Development, Niger Delta and Works, among others.
The motion was sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who recalled that the communication from the president requesting the virement of the funds was read on the floor of the House on October 25.
Presiding, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Sulaimon Lasun put the question on whether the prayer should be accepted. The motion was not subjected to debate as is normally the practice.
A few lawmakers uttered the “ayes” and Lasun hit the gravel before allowing any dissenting voice to register a vote.
No protests however followed the action, indicating that some lobbying by the House leadership might have worked.
Gbajabiamila was observed also engaging several members, including key members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in discussions before he read the motion.
The request would however be returned to the floor of the House for consideration of the committee’s report. At this stage, the request could be accepted or rejected.
Presenting the motion, Gbajabiamila stated that N180 billion appropriated for special intervention (recurrent) and special intervention (capital) is to fund some critical recurrent and capital items.
Gbajabiamila added that the request is intended to address shortfalls in the Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation scheme, and military operations in the North-east, among other projects.
“The Nigerian Air Force needs to cover the foreign exchange differentials in the procurement of its critical equipment and augment the contingency vote, and also to provide for the inadequacy in the provision for the NYSC programme in the 2016, among others,” he said.
Gbajabiamila further explained that several MDAs presented issues pertaining to salary shortfalls as it affects those that are not listed on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Also, the House resolved to summon the Director General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, over his directive to heads of agencies of government to remit treasury capital funds already released to them.
The DG allegedly directed the management of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to remit N8 billion to the treasury out of N10.3 billion released for the execution of capital projects, leaving the agency with N2.3 billion only.
He is expected to appear before an ad hoc committee to explain what the House said was a worrisome trend.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Agbedi Frederick (Bayelsa PDP), who highlighted the compelling need for FERMA to repair and maintain dilapidated roads across the nation.
He recalled that the sum of N21.8 billion was appropriated for the agency in the 2016 budget, of which N10.3 billion was released in October.
The lawmaker added that the agency had prioritised its capital projects, and contractors who had submitted tenders were bound to lose by the directive of the Budget Office.
“The directive of the DG, Budget Office of the Federation cannot be said to be virement, as virement can only be approved by the National Assembly, which has not done so in this case,” Agbedi said.
He warned that the planned execution of capital projects by agencies would be crippled if the directive is allowed to stand.
Just like the House, the Senate yesterday also commenced legislation on the president’s request for virement of N180.8 billion from the 2016 budget.
Accordingly, the Senate mandated its Committees on Appropriation and Finance to expeditiously treat the president’s request and submit its report within one week for final approval.
Buhari had asked the National Assembly to approve the virement of N180,839,254,439 billion from N500 billion appropriated for the Special Intervention Programme in the 2016 budget to finance other key projects.

Thisday Newspaper 

Senate begins process of converting YabaTech, Kaduna Poly to varsities

Senate begins process of converting YabaTech, Kaduna Poly to varsities

…Moves to approve money spent by TETFUND

THE Senate has begun the process of converting Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, and Kaduna Polytechnic into city universities.
The Bills, titled City University of Technology Yaba Bill, 2016 sponsored by Senator Gbenga Ashafa, APC, Lagos East and that of City University of Technology Kaduna Bill, 2016, and sponsored by Senator Jibrin Barau, APC, Kano North, were introduced as first reading.
While Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, was established in 1947 as Nigeria’s first higher educational institution, Kaduna Polytechnic was founded in 1956 as Kaduna Technical Institute.
Meanwhile, a bill for an Act to amend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund 2011 and other matters to approve and checkmate the disbursement of funds by the agency, yesterday scaled second reading in the Senate.
Sponsor of the Bill, Senator Jibrin Barau, who noted that the Bill was designed to correct the anomaly in Tetfund Act, however, explained that the spending and disbursements of funds by TetFund was a clear violation of the constitution.
“The tenement of this bill is to correct the constitutional aberration which was capitalised upon in the recent past to divert the fund to other uses.
“It is therefore certain that when the proposed amendment is made to the Principal Act, monies belonging to TetFund shall be duly secured,’’ he said.
In his contribution, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC-Kebbi) noted that it was really a constitutional aberration for money to be spent without the approval of the National Assembly.
He said: “In the past, the executive was in the habit of borrowing money, either from TetFund or from ecological fund and spent it without going through the National Assembly.
He explained that the Bill, if passed, would be “a safeguard against borrowing money from special funds.”

Vanguard 

N2.2bn fraud: Arraignment of Supreme Court registrar, others, stalled

N2.2bn fraud: Arraignment of Supreme Court registrar, others, stalled

The scheduled arraignment of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Ahmed Saleh, along with two other officials of the apex court on charges relating to fraud and receiving gratification was stalled before a Jabi Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday.
The trial judge, Justice Abba Mohammed, had to adjourn the arraignment till December 15 following the absence of the second defendant, Mr. Muhammed Sharif, whom his lawyer, Mr. Garba Tetengi (SAN), said was indisposed and on admission at the hospital.
The Federal Government had on November 3, 2016 charged Saleh alongside Sharif and Rilwanu Lawal with nine counts, including diversion of N2.2bn belonging to the apex court.
They were also accused of receiving gratifications totalling N74.4m from private contractors providing services to the Supreme Court between 2009 and 2016.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Umar, appeared for the prosecution but handed over to Mr. Charles Adeogun-Philips, who will be leading the Federal Government’ team in subsequent proceedings.
The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, shows that Adeogun-Philips born in England 50 years ago,  is a former genocide and war crime prosecutor at the International Criminal Court.
The DPPF announced in court on Thursday that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, evoked his power under section 174(1) of the Constitution to hand over the prosecution of the case to the international lawyer.
Apart from Sharif, the other two accused were in court.
All the three accused, including Sharif who was absent, were represented by lawyers.
The Chief Registrar of the apex court was represented by Mr. Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN) while Lawal was represented by Mr. I.K Sanusi (SAN).
Announcing his client’s absence, Sharif’s lawyer, Tentengi said the defendant was on admission at a hospital and therefore pleaded with the judge to adjourn the case.
Though, Adeogun-Philips expressed reservation about the failure of the defence lawyer to make available any document to show that the defendant was on hospital admission, the judge said the arraignment could not hold since all the accused were jointly charged.
Justice Mohammed adjourned the case till December 15.

Punch

EPL: Seven Man United players to miss Arsenal weekend clash

EPL: Seven Man United players to miss Arsenal weekend clash

Manchester United could be without seven key players for this weekend’s English Premier League crunch clash with Arsenal, with the entire first-choice back-line set to be absent for the Red Devils.
Manchester United’s highly-anticipated home game against Arsenal kicks off at 12. 30 p.m. on Saturday.
Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling are sure to miss the tie with injuries, while Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw are major doubts for the fixture.
Following the injury crisis, Jose Mourinho has called for a review of the team’s medical facilities, with his team languishing in sixth spot after 11 games.
A loss against Arsenal for Mourinho’s men, his first against Arsene Wenger in the league, would be a massive blow to their chances of coming back in the title race.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be absent following a suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Swansea City.
Marouane Fellaini is recovering from a calf injury while Wayne Rooney missed England’s games in the international break following a setback on the injury.
The striker is a doubt for the weekend clash and will be assessed on Friday before a decision is taken on his fitness.
Meanwhile, Antonio Valencia is back in training for the Red Devils, but may be short for the game against Arsenal, while Shaw has reported pain in the leg that he broke last season.
Phil Jones is set to return to the first eleven and is likely to be partnered by Daley Blind at the back, who has previously been used at left-back in the absence of Shaw.
A loss for Mourinho would open up a nine-point difference with the Gunners, who are currently two points adrift of Liverpool at the top of the table.
United have already lost 4-0 to Chelsea and 2-1 to Manchester City this season and will be desperate to avoid another defeat against a top four rival this time around.

NAN

Strike: UI ASUU suspends ongoing examinations

Strike: UI ASUU suspends ongoing examinations

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter, says it will ensure total compliance with the directives by its national body to proceed on one- week warning strike.
The union announced this on Tuesday at a congress held at the Faculty of Arts, presided over by its chairman, Dr Deji Omole,
The union also resolved that the ongoing examinations at the Faculty of Education stand suspended till after the strike.
The congress was attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Idowu Olayinka and some Deans of Faculties.
Omole said that letters of the strike have been sent to the Vice-Chancellor, Deans, Head of Departments and Director of Institutes to stop all academic meetings, lectures, examinations and all board meetings.
He said that it was in the spirit of accommodating Nigerians and letting them judge between the union and the government that the union decided to proceed on one-week warning strike.
In a letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, ASUU UI stated that “We write to inform you that the strike will be total and comprehensive.
“No teaching, no examination and no attendance at statutory meetings of any kind.
“In line with the national directive of the union, our members will henceforth withdraw their services till the end of the warning strike,” the letter stated.

The Nation

Heritage Bank is not distressed, says CBN

Heritage Bank is not distressed, says CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday dismissed reports that
Heritage Bank was in distress and unable to discharge its
obligations to depositors.
The apex bank said in a statement issued by its Acting Director,
Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor,
that Heritage Bank was not in distress.
The CBN called on depositors of Heritage Bank to disregard the
reports and continue doing business with the lender.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the CBN has been
drawn to false and malicious stories on the social media
insinuating that Heritage Bank is under financial distress and
therefore unable to discharge its obligations to its depositors.
“We wish to state that Heritage Bank is not in distress and, as
such, its depositors should go about their transactions without
fear. For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to further state that no
Nigerian bank is in distress.
“The CBN, as the industry regulator, has a duty to depositors, in
particular, and the economy in general, to ensure the soundness
of all financial institutions.
“We, therefore, wish to assure all depositors of the safety of their
deposits.”
The apex bank also said that it would continue to ensure the
soundness and safety of the Nigerian financial system.
Okoroafor added, “The CBN also wishes to state that it will
remain alive to its responsibility of ensuring banking system
stability and soundness through constant monitoring and
supervision of all licensed institutions.
“The CBN wishes to reiterate that the banking system remains
resilient enough to weather the current economic storm.”
In a related development, Heritage Bank on Tuesday night refuted
the claims of its inability to meet its obligations to customers.
The bank said while it acknowledged the challenging operating
environment currently being experienced in all sectors of the
economy, it remained financially stable and had continued to
discharge its obligations to all customers and stakeholders.
Heritage Bank’s statement read in part, “This position is
buttressed by the commendable results posted by the bank in the
past financial year and the last three quarters of 2016, resulting
in shareholders’ approvals to list its shares on the Nigerian Stock
Exchange within one year of its business combination with the
erstwhile Enterprise Bank Limited.
“The bank wishes to assure all customers and stakeholders of
the safety of their deposits and financial transactions in line with
our commitment to a strong service culture and sound corporate
governance practice.”
An online media outfit, Saharareporters , had on Monday reported
that Heritage Bank was currently stuck in a debilitating liquidity
situation.
It quoted sources as saying that the bank was unable to meet
customers’ immediate withdrawal requests and had wiped out all
foreign currency domiciliary accounts through physical theft of
cash by the bank’s directors.
It was further reported that First Bank Nigeria Limited, which
handles Heritage Bank’s universal clearing activities, had
threatened to blacklist the lender and stop further clearing
transactions if its outstanding deficit of over N5bn was not
cleared.
According to Saharareporters , out of about 500 Automated Teller
Machines of the bank in the Lagos metropolis, only 138 were
dispensing cash, adding that the bank lacked the money to feed
the other machines.
It reported that the bank’s situation was further worsened by
boardroom intrigues, tribal politics and ownership tussle.
The report claimed that the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele,
had ensured that these misdemeanours were kept hidden due to
political pressure by the owners of the bank, and because the
apex bank did not want to give the appearance of further distress
in the banking sector following the recent crisis at Skye Bank.

Adeosun set to recover un-remitted N450bn operating surpluses from MDAs

Adeosun set to recover un-remitted N450bn operating surpluses from MDAs

The Federal Ministry of Finance has announced the constitution of a
committee to recover unremitted operating surpluses of agencies of
government, running into N450billion.
The committee led by the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji
Ahmed Idris, is to reconcile the operating surpluses of 31 revenue-
generating agencies of government for the period 2010-2015.
The findings of the committee so far, have shown under-remittance of
over N450 billion, which has accrued within the period.
The Finance Ministry stated that staff of the Office of the Accountant
General of the Federation have critically reviewed the accounting
statements of these agencies, which include the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), Petroleum Technology Development Fund,
(PTDF), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), among others.
The Committee will therefore be inviting the management of these
agencies to explain why their operating surpluses have not been
remitted as mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.
It will be recalled that Sections 21 and 22 of the Fiscal Responsibility
Act 2007, specifically states that:
“21. (1) The Government corporations and agencies and government
owned companies listed in the Schedule to this Act (in this Act
referred of as “the Corporations”) shall, not later than six months from
the commencement of this Act and every three financial years
thereafter and not later than the end of the second quarter of every
year, cause to be prepared and submitted to the Minister their
Schedule estimates of revenue and expenditure for the next three
financial years.
2) Each of the bodies referred to in sub-section (1) of this section
shall submit to the Minister not later than the end of August in each
financial year:
1. An annual budget derived from the estimates submitted
in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section; and
2. Projected operating surplus which shall be prepared in line
with acceptable accounting practices
3) The Minister shall cause the estimates submitted in pursuance
of subsection (2) of this section to be attached as part of the
Appropriation Bill to be submitted to the National Assembly.
22. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any written law governing
the corporation, each corporation shall establish a general reserve
fund and shall allocate thereto at the end of each financial year,
one-fifth of its operating surplus for the year.
2) The balance of the operating surplus shall be paid into the
Consolidate Revenue Fund of the Federal Government not later than
one month following the statutory deadline for publishing each
corporation’s accounts.”
Some of these agencies have incurred huge expenses on overseas
training and medicals, and huge expenses on behalf of supervisory
ministries and/other organs of government involved in oversight or
regulatory functions without appropriate approval.
Other infractions include payment of salaries and allowances to staff
and board members, governing councils, and commissions which are
outside or above the amount approved by the Revenue Mobilisation
and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC) and the National Salaries,
Income and Wages Commission.
The list also includes unacceptable expenses incurred on donations,
sponsorships, etc; unfavourable contract signed for revenue collection
by a third party; granting of staff loans that have not been repaid as
well as sale and transfer of assets to board members, among others.
According to the Finance Ministry, the overall effect of these practices
is that operating surpluses of these agencies are lower than should be.
As a result of this, the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi
Adeosun has directed the Accountant General of the Federation to
issue a circular that will limit allowable expenses that can be spent as
part of measures to ensure these agencies face strict monitoring.
This development is part of the resolve of the Honourable Minister to
ensure that leakages are tackled.

DSS raids: FG Challenges Court's Jurisdiction To Stop Trial Of Indicted Judges

DSS raids: FG Challenges Court's Jurisdiction To Stop Trial Of Indicted Judges

 

The federal government has challenged the jurisdiction of the
Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the prosecution of judges accused
of engaging in acts of corruption.

The government in a preliminary objection to a suit filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, seeking to stopping the Federal Government from arraigning seven judges arrested after a “sting operation” conducted by the Department of State Services, DSS, between October 7 and 8, argued that the high court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain a suit.

It will be recalled that trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole, had on October
28, ordered Ogungbeje to put the respondents in the suit on notice to enable them appear in court to show cause why the
embattled judges should be tried,

The respondents in the case are: President Muhammadu Buhari, the Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura, the Attorney-
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami,
SAN, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the National
Judicial Council, NJC.

The plaintiff had specifically applied for an order of perpetual
injunction restraining the Respondents from arresting, inviting,
intimidating, or harassing any of the judges whose homes were raided
by the DSS.

He contended that the arrest and detention of the judges without
recourse to the NJC, was not only unconstitutional, but also aimed at
ridiculing the judiciary arm of government.

According to him, the action of the DSS is in gross violation of the
rights of the judges as enshrined in sections 33, 34, 35, 36, and 41 of
the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Consequently, Ogungbeje sought 10 separate reliefs from the court,
including award of N50 billion as general and exemplary damages
against the Respondents, as well as another N2 million as cost of the
suit.

He equally prayed the court for an order compelling the DSS to return
to the judges’, money seized from their homes.
Justice Kolawole had at the last adjourned date, declined an ex-parte
motion for an interim order stopping the FG from carrying out any
“untoward action” against the Judges.

Rather, he directed the plaintiff to put all the Respondents on notice
to enable them to appear in court to show cause why prayers
contained in the suit should not be granted.

Meanwhile, challenging the competence of the suit, President Buhari,
via a preliminary objection filed by his lawyer, Chiesonu Okpoko,
argued that the plaintiff did not disclose his locus standi to initiate and maintain the suit.

He insisted that there was no lis (case) between the plaintiff and the
Respondents, adding that “the applicant’s suit as constituted and
conceived, is a mere academic exercise and raises hypothetical
issues.”

President Buhari argued that before the plaintiff could invoke the
judicial powers of the court as enshrined in section 6(6) (b) of the
1999 constitution, he must show how his civil rights and obligations
were affected or would be affected by the act complained of.

Though seven judges were arrested, the plaintiff said he instituted the
action on behalf of five of them who were still serving as at the time
the action was commenced.

The judges on whose behalf the plaintiff is suing are Justices Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Adeniyi Ademola and Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja, as well as Justice Muazu Pindiga of the Federal High Court, Gombe Division.

El-Rufai to Atiku: You are haunted by corruption demons, says ‘I dare you to visit U.S.’

El-Rufai to Atiku: You are haunted by corruption demons, says ‘I dare you to visit U.S.’

This statement is issued in response to the latest falsehoods to
emerge from Alhaji Atiku Abubukar. He has a record of spewing
outright lies and innuendo against my person. As we struggle to build
a law-abiding society and secure progressive outcomes for our people,
we cannot allow the triumph on these shores of those who will have
us move to a post-factual world. Not even from a man as practiced as
Alhaji Atiku is in the dark arts of damaging other people through a
campaign of lies from him and his media machine.
Therefore, I am constrained to provide a response to the fake news
and irresponsible revision of recent history by Alhaji Atiku.
I never had anything to do with the incorporation of Transcorp. Those
that established that company and fronted it like Festus Odimegwu,
Tony Elumelu, Otunba Lawal Solarin and Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke are still
around and alive. As such I could not have and did not offer Alhaji
Atiku any shares in Transcorp. I declined the shares that were offered
to me. Having done that, how could I have offered anyone shares?
In fact, I advised President Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Atiku and then
finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala not to accept the shares that
were then being offered by the promoters of Transcorp. My counsel to
them was based on the grounds that they would face conflicts of
interest when Transcorp bids for privatization assets. At the time Alhaji
Atiku and Ngozi were chair and vice-chair of the National council on
Privatization, and were particularly directly involved in approving the
sales of state-owned enterprises and assets.
It is too late in the day to try to pretend that the fiasco concerning the
attempt by then Senators Ibrahim Mantu and Jonathan Zwingina to
extort money from me for Senate clearance never happened. All Alhaji
Atiku has just done is confirm that he paid the Senators, as I revealed
in Page 139 of my book.
When I published The Accidental Public Servant in 2013, Alhaji Atiku
unleashed his media team in a campaign of vilification. Despite the
viciousness of the attacks, they did not contest or explain away his
shenanigans that were detailed in the book, from the Ericsson
manoeuvre, to the Abuja water treatment plant contract and his
obsession with marabouts and their assurances of the political big
prize. He might also consider a full reckoning for what he and his
acolytes did with public funds in the PTDF imbroglio, rather than
indulging the usual bold face of the Nigerian big-man.
As a federal public servant, my oath of allegiance appropriately stood
with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not the big men whose conduct I
was privileged to witness at close quarters. People like Alhaji Atiku
think that loyalty to them should be the goal of a public officer, and
that it should trump the oath of allegiance to the country.
Our Alhaji Atiku is already running for 2019, and he thinks that he can
make people like us collateral damage in his attempt to rejuvenate his
image. This obsession for power inclined him to support the rebellion
against the party that manifested in the National Assembly, and is
continuing with obvious disrespect for the incumbent president.
Everyone knows that I support and will continue to work for the
success of President Muhammadu Buhari as he leads our country
through tough times.
Everyone is entitled to rehabilitation. But that often requires coming
clean with the people. Can Alhaji Atiku explain the findings in the report
of the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on
Investigations which detailed a pattern of wire transfers of more than
USD 40m from offshore companies like Siemens into bank accounts
controlled by him and one of his wives. The report detailing the US
Senate findings is online, as one of four case histories of foreign
corruption in the USA. Alhaji Atiku should tell a better tale of why he is
avoiding America.
Someone as obsessed by Nigeria’s presidency as he is, should clear
up such matters conclusively. We wait to see how well he does with
that.
Signed
Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai
15th November 2016

Judge, Wife Charged For Collecting N600m Bribe

Judge, Wife Charged For Collecting N600m Bribe

His grandfather, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola was a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, who had a popular street in Victoria Island, Lagos and another highbrow street in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, named after him due to his integrity and services to Nigeria.  His father, Justice Adenekan Ademola also served in the reverred bench. This family name and generational integrity is now dangerously at stake the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN on Monday formally filed a 15 count criminal charge of bribery against a Federal High Court Judge, Justice Adeniyi Francis Adetokunbo Ademola and his wife Mrs. Olabowale Toluwatope Ademola.

Justice Ademola 63, is alleged to have  collected bribes from different litigants to the tune of N597 million in connivance with his wife, Olabowale 59, who also allegedly collected parts of the bribes on behalf of her husband. Justice Ademola is the  grandson to the first Nigerian indigenous Chief Justice of the Federation, Sir Adetokunbo Adegboyega Ademola. His father Justice Adenekan Ademola was also a judge.

Justice Ademola was one of the judges whose house was invaded by the operatives of DSS. He was detained and later released . Upon his release, he alleged that his ordeal was orchestrated by the Minister of Justice, Mr Malami who had an issue before his court when he was a judge at Kano. Malami was also based in Kano as a legal practitioner .

The criminal charge was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and signed by Hajara Yusuf, a Principal State Counsel, on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Malami SAN.

The duo are alleged to have committed the offences between Febuary 2014 and June 2016 contrary to Section 8 of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Act , 2011 and Section 115 of the Penal Code Law .

The defendants allegedly received N30, 000, 000:00 from Messrs Joe Odey Agi Associates between 11 th and 26 th March 2015 and another N40 million between 20 th and 21 February 2014.

Specifically, Justice Adeniyi Ademola was alleged to have received N30, 000, 000 from Messrs Joe Agi Associates between 11 th and 26 March 2015 and his wife also received N30, 000, 000 from Messrs Joe Agi Associates.

According to the prosecution, Justice Adeniyi Ademola on 6th May 2013 received $520, 000:00 from Messrs Johnson & Johnson Solicitors and another N6 million between 25 th of February and 16 th April 2015 from Messrs Johnson & Johnson Solicitors.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola was alleged to have accepted N55, 650, 000:00 from Messrs G.T. J Ademola & Co between 5 th January and 23 rd June 2016.

It was further alleged that Justice Adeniyi Ademola on 20th February 2014 accepted N40, 000, 000: 00 from Vertice Solutions Ltd as well as accepting another N47, 600, 000: 00 from Acardian Energy Services Ltd .

The prosecution further alleged that Justice Adeniyi Ademola on 20 February 2014 accepted N34, 080, 000:00 from Omotayo Babafemi Aliyu and N4, 771, 300:00 from Lawan Suliaman between 21 st February and 7th November 2014.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola was also alleged to have accepted N30, 000, 000:00 from Messrs Joe Odey Agi Associates between 20th and 21 st February 2014.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola was one of the serving Judges who was arrested on 8th October, 2016 by the Department of State Services (DSS). No date has been fixed for trial as the case is yet to be assigned to a Judge.

- See more at: http://gavelinternational.org/judge-wife-charged-collecting-n600m-bribe/#sthash.miFYv9KF.dpuf

FG to rehabilitate Abuja airport runway with N1bn

FG to rehabilitate Abuja airport runway with N1bn

The Federal Government is to rehabilitate
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport
runway, Abuja, with about one billion naira.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that a reliable source from the Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),
disclosed this to aviation correspondents
in Lagos on Sunday.
NAN gathered that the runway had been in
bad state due to overuse and had been a
source of concern to Pilots and Air Traffic
Controllers.
The source said the Minister of State,
Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, had set up a
committee to oversee the work.
“Government is making urgent effort to
start the rehabilitation of the runway at the
Abuja airport and government has
provided funds for the work, which could
start anytime from now.
“The committee is expected to schedule
the maintenance dates, which are
expected to run from days to weeks.
“It is expected to also decide whether the
runway would be closed daily or some
hours of the day so that work could start
on the facility”, the source added.
According to the source, Sirika had
designated Kaduna airport as alternative to
Abuja so that flights would be diverted to
Kaduna while work is ongoing at the
nation’s second busiest airport.
The source further disclosed that the
project had been advertised and Gilmore,
Julius Berger and PW had bided for the
project.
The source said:”After the committee’s
final presentation to the Minister, he will be
expected to discuss with the National
Security Adviser to agree on the date work
would start on the runway.
“The Abuja airport will be certified by the
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.The process
for certification will end by March 2017.
“The airport has been chosen as the pilot
for the International Civil Aviation
Organisation’s No Country Left Behind
campaign.”
The Acting General Manager, Corporate
Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, also
confirmed the rehabilitation plan for the
Abuja airport.
She noted that all efforts were being made
to ensure the runway was restored to
international standard.

NSE Delists 9 Companies From Stock Market

NSE Delists 9 Companies From Stock Market

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), has delisted nine companies from its operations between January and October for mostly failure to comply with regulations.

Delisting involves removal of listed securities of a company from a stock exchange where it is traded on a permanent basis.

Data obtained from the Exchange indicates that the companies include IPWA Plc, G. Cappa, West African Glass Industries, Investment & Allied Insurance and Alumaco. Others are Jos International Breweries, Adswitch, Rokanna and Vono Products Nigeria Plc.

Eight of the companies were delisted for regulatory issues, while Vono Products was delisted because of its merger with Vitafoam.

Uche Uwaleke, head of banking and finance department, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said that breach of post listing requirements, failure to pay the annual listing fee or a company in liquidation were the major reasons for delisting of companies.

Uwaleke said that non-submission of audited and unaudited reports as required by the Exchange increased the chances of delisting.

“Other issues bordering on corporate governance may attract sanctions such as trading suspension which is lifted as soon as the matter is resolved.

“To avoid being delisted, the management of a quoted company should endeavour to comply with NSE post listing requirements,” Uwaleke said.

He stated that delisted companies should be encouraged to list on NASD over the counter platform to provide a secondary market window for the shareholders of such companies.

Uwaleke called on the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) to ensure that shareholders of liquidated companies benefit from its National Investor Protection Fund (NIPF) as a way of compensation.

President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN),Boniface Okezie, said shareholders suffered most whenever a de-list from the Exchange occurred.

Okezie said that market regulators going forward should ensure proper scrutiny of companies before listing and their ability to adhere to post- listing requirement.

He said that shareholders must not bear the pain because regulatory agencies were the ones that approved the accounts that attracted investors

Amnesty International moves to stop Nigerian’s execution in Singapore

Amnesty International moves to stop Nigerian’s execution in Singapore

Amnesty International (AI) has called on the president of Singapore to intervene in the case a Nigerian, Chijioke Stephen Obioha, who is facing death sentence in the Asian country.
A statement emailed to Daily Trust by AI’s Media Manager in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said the execution of Obioha has been set for 18 November after he was convicted of drug trafficking.
The statement added that the convict has applied to the president of Singapore for a new clemency after an earlier one was rejected in 2015.
AI urged the president to immediately halt Obioha’s execution and grant him amnsety, saying drug-related offences do not meet the threshold of the “most serious crimes.”
Obioha, a graduate of Industrial Chemistry from University of Benin, was convicted on 30 December 2008 after he moved to Singapore in 2005, seeking to join a football club.

Heads may roll as FG restructures aviation agencies

Heads may roll as FG restructures aviation agencies

Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has said that restructuring of the agencies under his Ministry was one of the key policy initiatives of the Buhari administration.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja when members of the Senate Committee on Aviation visited the Ministry on an oversight function, Sirika said other key programmes of the regime include safety and security, infrastructure and airport concession, establishment of a national carrier and a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility. Others are establishment of agro-allied cargo infrastructure and establishment of aircraft leasing company. He added that all the projects would be realised through Public Private Partnership (PPP) procurement method.
On the restructuring, Sirika noted that most of the parastatals suffered from manpower imbalance, adding that their operations were not in conformity with the Acts establishing them.
“That is why we want to restructure them so they become more efficient and service-oriented,” he said.
However, fears are rife that the exercise may lead to further sack of workers as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Adamu Aliero, toed the Minister’s path as he insisted some of the agencies were top heavy, a development, he said, gulped a huge chunk of their budgets.
On the performance of the 2016 budget as at November 9, Sirika revealed his Ministry got N19,858,571,749 as appropriation for personnel, overhead and capital, adding that the total amount released stood at N8,457,010,646, while N4,290,948,284 was spent.
He stated that the balance on appropriation was N11,401,561,102 while balance on amount released stood at N4,166,062,362. In his submission, he said the total releases was 43 per cent while the total average performance was 65 per cent.
In his remarks at the event, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Adamu Aliero, lamented that some agencies were over bloated.
“There is one agency that has 10 General Managers. Paying salaries alone could take up to 30 per cent of what was appropriated as capital. That’s not good for this country,” Aliero said.
He expressed joy in the performance of the Ministry with regards to the budget, assuring that his committee would always support the Minister where necessary.

‘8,245 professional drivers in Lagos are visually impaired’

‘8,245 professional drivers in Lagos are visually impaired’

No fewer than 8,245 professional drivers in Lagos, require glasses if they must continue to ply the roads, Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Drivers Institute, Philips Ogunlade has said.
Ogunlade said the institute, which was registered to correct impunity on the roads in state through adequate training for professional drivers had so far trained 206,793 drivers.
The Institute, which also embarked on training of bus conductors recently lamented that the state could not boast of accurate data of drivers and bus conductors.
Though mixed reactions continued to trail the registration of Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria (BCAN), particularly as Lagos Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Tajudeen Agbede, said the move remained “a right step in wrong direction,” but Ogunlade said the step would address key security challenges.
“Security has been an issue. We have seen issues of ‘one chance’. If conductors are provided opportunities to be trained here it gives an opportunity to know them,” he said.
He noted that bad attitude of drivers is causing more harm, stressing that until drivers leart to behave well on the roads, boasting of a safer road may remain a mirage.
“Everybody wants to go at the same but everybody can’t go at the same time. People must learn to be patient,” Ogunlade said.When questioned about public complain that enforcement agencies arrest private drivers, who don’t have the Lagos State drivers’ license, he stated that only professional drivers are mandated to have the license.
The CEO said: “Private owners do come at their convenient to be trained. We also have cases of drivers, who are apprehended for certain offences or another and must come to the Institute. But private drivers are not mandated to get our licence,”
He lamented that the operations of the Institute is currently facing series of challenges, including epileptic power supply and low compliance.

The Guardian 

Ericsson to sack Nigerians as firm ships Jobs to India

Ericsson to sack Nigerians as firm ships Jobs to India

Ericsson Nigeria, telecommunications services provider has served its Nigerian workers sack notice which will take effect by the end of this November.
The affected workers are working in the Network Operating Centre (NOC) of the company and they are required to do a knowledge transfer to the Indians that will take over their jobs.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations revealed that Ericsson carried out similar exercise of sacking Nigerian workers in July this year when some part of MTN managed services handled by Ericsson was moved to India.
Now the Indians want to handle more of the services precipitating the recent sack notice to additional workers.It was learnt that Ericsson Nigeria has sacked more workers in Nigeria than other African countries not because the jobs are not there but because it is easier to get away with such practice in Nigeria and the jobs are now remotely done from India which means money generated in Nigeria are used to enrich India.
Confirming the development in a reply to our email, Johan Jemdahl, managing director, Ericsson Nigeria, said that, “To maintain a leading position, Ericsson is continuously evolving and transforming the way we deliver services, both locally and globally, for the benefit of our customers. Therefore, we constantly review and adjust cost levels as market growth and business needs are changing over time from a global perspective.
“Transformation is about uncovering opportunities to further leverage global skills and scale to increase efficiencies and reduce cost across the business. This is not something that is happening only here, it is something we are doing on a global, regional and local level in our services business. It is part of being a services company. If and when we have information about any measures to take, we will as always inform affected employees first.”

Planning to move Abroad? Canada wants to take in 300,000 immigrants to drive economy

Planning to move Abroad? Canada wants to take in 300,000 immigrants to drive economy

To replenish its aging workforce, the Liberal government in Canada, will from next year, increase the intake of immigrants to 300,000. The move, according to investigation, was to help drive economic growth.
The previous target from 2011 to 2015 was 260,000 and the increase followed what Minister of Immigration, McCallum, called the “special circumstances” of the Syrian refugee crisis. That number will now be the permanent base.
The government’s economic growth council had recommended raising immigration levels to 450,000 over the next five years, but McCallum rejected the target.
There has been much debate over the targeted immigration level at a time when Canada struggles with high unemployment. There have also been questions about the country’s ability to smoothly integrate newcomers into communities.
The minister said other measures would be announced at a later date to streamline the process for economic applicants and to improve the process for permanent residency for international students. He further reinstated that students were among the best candidates to become Canadians, yet they had been “shortchanged” by the system in the past.
Kevin Lamoureux, the parliamentary secretary to the House Leader, said immigrants not only fill jobs that would otherwise remain vacant and help to develop provincial economies, but they also contribute to the character and social fabric of communities. If not for immigration, population of his province of Manitoba would have declined in the last decade.

‘One million tonnes of smuggled rice heading for Nigeria’

‘One million tonnes of smuggled rice heading for Nigeria’ 

Smugglers of foreign rice are beginning to flood Nigerian markets with smuggled products as the Yuletide season approaches and have warehoused over one million tonnes of the commodity in neighbouring countries.
In October, the Federal Government stated that it had restricted the importation of rice to only designated seaports and banned its coming into the country through land borders.
But the commodity has continued to find its way into Nigeria in large quantity through the borders despite the restriction.
In a petition addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria, a body consisting of over 25 million indigenous rice farmers, stated that aside the massive smuggling of the produce into the country, documents at its disposal showed that shiploads of rice were being warehoused in neighbouring countries, waiting to be smuggled into Nigeria.
The Chairman, RIPAN, Mr. Abubakar Mohammed; and the Secretary, who is a former Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), in a joint statement in Abuja on Thursday, said if the development was not checked by the Federal Government, the local rice industry would die and over N200bn worth of investments in the sector would be destroyed.
“Information at our disposal shows massive smuggling of finished rice into Nigeria. Our investigation showed that these products are berthed and warehoused in Republic of Benin, Niger and Cameroon at very little import duties, and then pushed into Nigeria where the perpetrators eventually make unconscionable profit, having paid zero duties at our borders,” they said.
Displaying some documents before journalists, Mohammed said, “For your confirmation, please find attached these documents that show the list of ships carrying these products and their time of arrival at the various ports.
“And please be reminded that among countries in the West Coast of Africa, only the Nigerian market consumes parboiled rice and this list shows that all the ships conveyed parboiled rice.”
The RIPAN stated that although it had sent its petition to the President through the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and had briefed the Nigerin Customs Service on the matter, it was, however, imperative to raise the alarm publicly as the smuggled rice was not safe for human consumption.
“This has been confirmed by different agencies like NAFDAC, the NCS and a few others,” Mohammed added.
The association urged the Federal Government to engage the governments of the neighbouring countries where the commodity was warehoused to fashion out anti-smuggling measures to address the menace in order to save the Nigerian economy and its citizens.
It said, “The NCS should collaborate with the DSS and other relevant security agencies to track unpatriotic elements at the borders and bring them to book in order to deter others from being used by smugglers to smuggle over one million tonnes of rice currently warehoused in these neighbouring countries, with the dubious intention of smuggling it into Nigeria during the festive season.
“For if this is not checked, it will kill the huge investments made by the Federal Government in the various rice intervention programmes and it will also destroy the billions of naira invested by private sector stakeholders in the rice value chain.
“If this massive act of smuggling is not checked by the Nigerian government, it will undermine the zeal and efforts of over 25 million Nigerian farmers across the country who have gone back to farming in response to the present administration’s call for the diversification of the economy through agriculture.”

Punch

DHQ denies plans to hire mercenaries to fight Boko Haram

DHQ denies plans to hire mercenaries to fight Boko Haram

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday
denied plans to deploy mercenaries in the fight
against Boko Haram.
DHQ spokesman, Rabe Abubakar, in a statement
condemned media reports alleging the use of
mercenaries in the war against insurgency.
“The DHQ wishes to state, with emphasis, that the
Nigerian armed forces has the capacity and
capability to clear the remnants of the terrorists
from our land and that is what the military has been
doing,” he said.
Abubakar said it was unnecessary to hire
mercenaries now because Boko Haram had been
defeated.
“It is not necessary or logical to go for mercenaries
after the battle of Boko Haram insurgent had been
won.  The pocket of attacks witnessed in the last
few days by the fleeing Boko Haram terrorist are
isolated cases, though regrettable, that do not call
for serious concern as it is not uncommon
worldwide for such occurrence in any area that was
once infested by terrorist groups,” he said.
“Those peddling rumours on the use of mercenaries
are mischievous. The unprecedented successes
recorded against the deadly Boko Haram sect by the
Nigerian military without seeking external force is
there for all to see.  The DHQ therefore urge our
patriotic citizens to ignore the senseless talk and
dismiss the story in its entirety as it was concocted
to serve inglorious selfish interest.”

Singapore to execute Nigerian for drug trafficking November 18

Singapore to execute Nigerian for drug trafficking November 18

The family of Chijioke Obioha, a Nigerian national
given the mandatory death sentence for possession
of drugs for the purpose of trafficking on December
30, 2008, have been informed that November 18 is
his new execution date.
Amnesty International in a statement Thursday
recalled that on April 9, 2007, Obioha was found in
possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis,
surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams that
under Singapore law triggers the automatic
presumption of trafficking.
Also in his possession were keys to a room
containing additional prohibited substances, leading
the authorities to presuming him guilty of
possession and knowledge of the drugs.
Obioha’s appeal against his conviction and
sentence was rejected in August 2010, but
maintaining his innocence of the crime, he initially
refused to make use of his right to resentencing
which amendments to Singapore’s mandatory’s
death penalty laws made in 2013 allowed for.
“After the rejection of his clemency appeal in April
2015, his execution was set for May 15, 2015. It
was stayed a day earlier to allow him apply for
resentencing.
“His family were only informed on October 25, 2016
that he had resolved to withdraw his application for
resentencing earlier in the year, following legal
advice that he would not qualify as “courier” under
the amended laws.
“Consequently, the Court of Appeal lifted the stay of
execution with effect from October 24, resulting in
the execution date to be set for November 18.
“Chijioke Stephen Obioha graduated in Industrial
Chemistry from Benin University in Nigeria. He
moved to Singapore in 2005, seeking to join a
football club. His family members, who currently
live in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, have been
unable to travel to visit and had limited ability to
assist him.
“Throughout the duration of the proceedings,