FG bans purchase and distribution of bags & T-shirts at government workshops and conferences

The Federal Government has banned the purchase and distribution of conference bags, T-shirts and other souvenirs at events such as Conferences and Seminars funded by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Finance, Salisu Dambatta today July 31st.
According to the statement, the ban was in continuation of the on-going cost-cutting and efficiency drive in the utilization of public funds by the present administration. The statement reads in part 

 “The directive which is a recognition of the fact that in a period of lean financial resources unnecessary expenditure on overheads such souvenirs are luxuries that the government must eliminate. 

This will enable release of funds for infrastructure and services such as health and education that would have direct positive impact on the well being of the citizenry and promote economic development. The directive also contained specific guidelines that would reduce the cost of printing Invitation Cards, Programme of events, Brochures, Folders and Note Pads. Among the guidelines are that they should be in black and white and limited to only one page and in the case of Brochures they should be streamlined to contain only essential information”it said. Also, the statement said the printing of unnecessary publications and books of short shelf life which have no real value to the concerned public institutions or the citizens has also been banned. “MDAs were encouraged to save costs by uploading such publications on their websites which has the added benefit of wider visibility” the statement read

Linda Ikeji 

Jibrin On Channels TV. Talks About Budget Padding (Pics)

Embattled Speaker Dogara's problems due to alleged padded budget is set to be worsened as Jibrin Abdulmumin is set to reveal more secrets.Earlier,Jibrin expressed optimism that EFCC and ICPC will effect the arrest of Speaker Dogara and the 11 others to commence prosecution in earnest.

Below is what he shared on social media today....

'With Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV in a NO HOLDS BARRED interview.It's on today at 8pm.If you miss it,you miss out!'

'Today, all eyes on the electronic media in the struggle to liberate the House from corrupt Speaker Dogara&co. A must watch! Details later'

Source: http://www.trezzyblog.com/2016/07/dogaras-problems-worsen-as-jibrin-set.html

Fani-Kayode: Nigeria's 3rd Mahdi & Last Of Amalekite Kings

NIGERIA'S THIRD MAHDI AND THE LAST OF THE AMALEKITE KINGS

Forgive me for my curious silence over the last few months but this was due to circumstances beyond my control. 

As you know I was locked up in President Buhari's gulag and I was not allowed to write from there. 

Needless to say I missed all my readers. I have chosen to share my views about our nation today because I am aware of the fact that President Buhari has not finished with me yet and I may be picked up and thrown into detention on other trumped up charges very soon. This government will do and say anything to silence my voice but they shall not prevail.

Whatever the case my safety, life and future lies in the hands of God and not theirs. Despite the obvious dangers and various warnings that I have received from both my persecutors and well-wishers I shall continue to write as long as God gives me life and liberty. 

It is not what happens to me that matters but rather what happens to Nigeria and the millions of ordinary people that are suffering in our country from the daily oppression of our modern-day slave masters. That aside, permit me to share my views.

A couple of weeks ago a 73 year old Christian grandmother was beheaded in Kano because she asked some muslims to stop washing their feet in front of her door before their prayers.

A few days later a female pastor of the Redeemed Church of God was hacked to pieces by a mob of muslims in the Kubwa district of Abuja simply for doing her morning cry of evangelism and urging the people to give their lives to Christ.

Not too long after that two hundred muslim youths burnt down a Catholic Church and attacked worshippers in Niger state claiming that they had no right to go to church on a friday because it was the muslim day of worship. 

A few days later a Christian traditional ruler in Plateau state was matcheted to death by a group of Muslim militants and Fulani herdsmen. 

Such attacks are now common place in our country and they are no longer isolated events. 
Worse still cases of institutional racism and religious bigotry are on the rise because our government appears to be encouraging it. Permit me to share one example.

During my prolonged detention at the EFCC a group of cell mates were conducting an all night christian prayer. All of a sudden the cell guards burst in and screamed at them saying that this "nonsense" must stop and they must go to sleep immediately. 

The inmates complied sheepishly out of fear and the prayers stopped. It was one a.m. in the morning. I was in the opposite set of cells but I heard all the noise and warnings of the guards. 

I sent for one of them and I asked him why he stopped the inmates from doing an all night prayer. His response was that that was efcc policy because the prayers were too loud and they may be planning an escape. I told him that all he had to do was to ask them to lower their voices.

And that God and prayer was all they had. I also told him that if the inmates that were praying
were muslims he would not have ordered them to stop. He stormed off in anger.

The efcc has become a tool of oppression in the hands of the core muslim north who are using it to crush dissent and silence the opposition. 

This assertion is confirmed by the fact that 98 per cent of those that are detained be the efcc for 2 days or more are southerners and middle belters whilst 98 per cent of those that run the agency at the top are from the core muslim north. 

Worse still the lingua franca of the agency is hausa whilst the overwhelming majority of detainees are christians both in Lagos and Abuja. Core northern detainees are treated like royalty whilst Middle Belt and southern inmates are treated like filth.

Just as the Nigerian military was an institution that was designed and used to suppress and intimidate all the so-called lesser ethnic groups in Nigeria between july 29th 1966 and May 29th 1999 so it is with the EFCC today.

That is how emboldened the hegemonists in our midst have become and that is the level of barbarity that we have descended to as a nation.

Yet it gets even worse. Just a few weeks ago, the Minister of Internal Affairs told a bewildered nation that the Sultan of Sokoto (the leader if rhe Muslim community in Nigeria) "directed" him to declare a particular day of the week a public holiday. Without any hesitation he complied with despatch and, with pride, he announced it to the public. Welcome to the Islamic Republic of Nigeria where the caliphate rules. 

Is it any wonder that every single one of the numerous security and intelligence agencies in our country except for one is headed by a northerner? 

Whether it be the army, the navy, the air force, the police, the Department of State Security (DSS), the EFCC, the National Securiry A'dvisor's Office or the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), they are all headed by individuals that are from the north.

The only exception to the rule is the Nigerian Iintelligence Agency (NIA), the agency which is responsible for external intelligence and international espionage and which is headed by a southerner. 

Can such a state of affairs be justified under any circumstances? Are southerners and Chrustians not Nigerians as well? Are they not qualified to head more security agencies? 

Does the concept of Federal Character have any meaning in President Buhari's Nigeria? For how much longer will our people tolerate such reckless impunity, racism and injustice from those who believe that they are the Boers and supremacists of what is fast turning into apartheid-Nigeria?

My father's generation fought the battle for independence from our erstwhile British colonial masters. 

It was indeed my father, Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode, that succesfully moved the motion for Nigeria's indepence in Parliament in 1958. 

The battle that must be fought today by my genertion is the battle for independence from the sons of Futa Jalon: our internal colonial masters who are relentless in their quest to subjugate and enslave others and who believe that they were born to rule. 

This quest for expansion and domination and this insatiable desire to islamise our nation is best reflected by the words and actions of the three Mahdis of the north. 

The first was Usman Dan Fodio, the second was his great grandson Sir Ahmadu Bello and the third is Muhammadu Buhari. The hegemonists must be stopped. It is our duty to either restructure or break Nigeria and to ensure that Buhari is the last of the northern Mahdis through a peaceful and democratic process.

Consequently the prayer is no longer "God bless Nigeria" but rather "God break Nigeria". It is no longer "God defend Nigeria" but rather "God restructure Nigeria". It is no longer "God deliver Nigeria" but rather "God deliver us from Nigeria". 

It is no longer "God preserve Nigeria" but rather "God redefine Nigeria". It is no longer "God remember Nigeria" but rather "God dismember Nigeria". 

We must break our chains of oppression because no one else will break them for us. We must reject slavery. We must rise up and resist our oppressors. 

We must break the yoke of servitude and set ourselves free. For this great cause no price is too high to pay. If it means laying down our lives or suffering the bitter pain of persecution then so be it. 

No price is too high to pay and no mounatain is too high to climb for attainment of freedom and the restoration of our self respect and collective dignity. No matter what it takes we shall carve out and build our own nation and we shall be free.

The heavy yoke of the last of the Amalekite kings must be broken. The rulership of the third and last Mahdi must be brought to an end in a free and fair election. That is the challenge that we face today. 

That is the great work that the Lord would have us complete. That is our duty and our calling: to bring the unbelieving pagans to heel and to pull down the evil structures of caliphate power.

Those that joined forces with the internal colonial masters and helped to enslave their own people shall pay a heavy price for their treachery, collaboration and betrayal. 

Our new nation has no room for such people. They will be herded into labour camps and ultimately deported. They are a shameful eyesore: animals with no sense of dignity and pride. They are not fit to live amongst us.

Yet blessed are the courageous and faithful who speak nothing but truth, who despise the oppressor and who champion the cause of the oppressed. They shall flourish like the palm tree in season and their seed shall excel. 

Blessed are those that are persecuted for their faith and that are regarded as the "hewers of the wood and the drawers of the water": so-called ethnic inferiors in their own nation. 

They shall inherit the land and, in the fullness of time, they shall be liberated from their tormentors and they shall rule over their adversaries. 

That is the promise of the Alpha and the Omega and the Ancient of Days. That is a sure word from He that is known as the Lord God of Hosts and the Man of War. That is the counsel of the God of All Flesh: the Adonai, the Elohim and Jehova El Shaddai. None can resist Him.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154335404272210&id=62188827209&refid=17&_ft_=top_level_post_id.10154335404272210%3Atl_objid.10154335404272210%3Athid.62188827209%3A306061129499414%3A2%3A0%3A1470034799%3A-1068569690350480324&__tn__=%2As

SALARY: Hope no state will claim economic recession is the reason they can't pay salaries.(Big July FG Allocation)

BREAKDOWN OF FEDERAL ALLOCATION TO THE
VARIOUS STATES FOR THE MONTH OF JULY
2016 BY FAAC
Thirty-six states of the Federation and the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, collectively
smiled home in the month of July when they
pocketed a whopping N673.324billion as their
share of statutory allocation and first tranche of
the excess crude earnings distribution for the
period.
This was revealed in a document from the office
of the Accountant-General of the Federation
titled: Distribution of Statutory Allocation and
Excess Crude Proceeds to the three tiers of
Government in July 2016, a copy of which
THISDAY got yesterday.
The report showed that five of the states: Rivers,
Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Kano, catapulted
themselves to the two-digits wrung with each
carting home between N10 billion and N25 billion.
Similarly, Nasarawa and Ekiti States received
N4.508 billion and N4.732 billion respectively.
Other states which also got huge amounts from
the distribution include: Ondo with
N9,060,035,806.15 Lagos state got
N8,299,806,965.06 Kaduna state got
N7,654,995,396.83 Imo state got N7,366,417,410.
84 Borno state got N7,276,602,098.96 Niger state
got N7,151,791,231.47 Jigawa state got
N7,048,660,361.35
Leading the pack, Rivers state got a grand total
of N25,883 billion which is made up of N10.138
billion from 13 per cent derivation, N12.803 billion
from excess crude, N1.39 billion from statutory
allocation and another N1.5 billion excess crude
for local governments in the state.
Similarly, Bayelsa state received N7.97 billion
from the 13 per cent derivation account as well
as N10 billion from excess crude account. The
state also had its accounts credited to the tune
of N538 million for its councils and another
N597.7 million excess crude for the same councils
in the state.
In total, the state smiled home with a whooping
grand total of N19,197,410,863.92. In the same
vein, Delta State which garnered a total of
N18.622billion, had its share broken down thus:
13 per cent derivation N6.977 billion; excess
crude N8.734 billion; statutory allocation for local
governments N1.379 billion and excess crude
distribution to the councils N1.531 billion.
According to finance ministry officials, what is
being paid as proceeds of the difference between
the budgeted volume short fall from a current
Niger Delta situation where Nigeria is only
producing about 2 million barrels of crude oil per
day instead of the OPEC allocation of 2.5 barrels
per day matched against excess earnings of over
70 dollars per barrel when the budgeted reference
price is 35 dollars.
THISDAY checks reveal that this is the first of
such payments as states will continue to enjoy
this windfall over the next several months. The
fourth highest beneficiary and another oil
producing state of the Niger Delta, Akwa Ibom,
has its breakdown as follows: statutory allocation
N6.458 billion, excess crude distribution N8.065
billion, statutory allocations for state councils
N1.569 billion while the excess crude account for
councils was credited with a whopping N1.738
billion. In total, the state got N7,831,804,082.85.
The only non-oil producing state that garnered
over #10 billion was Kano. It got N10.776 billion
and was distributed as follows: statutory
allocation N2.44 billion; excess crude N2.7 billion,
statutory allocation for its 44 councils, N2.669
billion and excess crude to same accounted for
N2.959 billion.
Conversely, the FCT, Gombe, Ebonyi, Nasarawa
and Ekiti States went home with the least
allocations of between N73.3 million and N4
billion . While the document further showed that
the FCT got its accounts credited to the tune of
N673.324 million, Gombe State became richer
with M4.435 billion lumped into its accounts.

source: ThisDay

Plot to overthrow Buhari: DSS arrests alleged mastermind

The Department of State Security Service, DSS, yesterday, unveiled the Niger Delta militant, who allegedly  threatened to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari and bomb key public institutions, including Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. The service, in a statement  by Tony Opuiyo, gave the name of the suspect as Jones ABIRI,  aka General Akotebe DARIKORO, who was arrested in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. DSS described  DARIKORO as the leader of the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), which, according to it, has been orchestrating “separatist tendencies in connivance with other criminal gangs in the Niger Delta region”. The agency said  DARIKORO, “who operates under the pseudo name of  General-Kill and Bury”, had confessed to some criminal activities committed by the  NDLF,” including the vandalism of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw LGA and bombing of oil pipeline belonging to Shell Development Company (SPDC) at Brass creek on 8th July, 2016, all in Bayelsa State”. Other atrocities said to have been committed by the suspect include issuance of threat messages to managements of NAOC and SPDC demanding for the payment of  N500m and N250m respectively, and threatening to launch missile attacks against selected targets in Abuja including the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock. It  said DARIKORO is also the mastermind of the recently circulated hoax of planned overthrow of  BUHARI and his administration. “ Similarly, on 21st July 2016, one Stephen MAMAYEBO, aka OSCAR, a suspected militant was arrested at OMPADEC Primary School in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. MAMAYEBO was arrested in connection with the kidnap of an expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company and subsequent murder of two (2) soldiers, namely Garba UMAR/Sgt and Bashir KABIRU/Pte, along Ogbia-Nembe road on 5th April, 2016,” the DSS added. “ Furthermore, on 20th  July, 2016, at Travelers Mosque, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State, the trio of Ismaila  SHUAIBU, Kabiru NASIRU and Inusa ABDULLAHI were arrested during a tactical raid  by this Service. “The trio were members of a notorious kidnap gang which has been terrorizing innocent citizens along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, and other environs within Kaduna State. “On 22nd July, 2016, about 1730 hours, at Total Petrol Station, along Aba road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, one Chukwunyere Austin OKWAA was apprehended by the Service. OKWAA has been issuing death threats against the former Acting-Managing Director, NDDC, Ibim SEMENITARI (f). “ In continuation of its fight against terrorism, on 21st July, 2016, this Service apprehended one Bulama Mohammed RAMAT aka Muhammad Bashir MUHAMMADU at Jabi Motor Park, in Utako, Abuja. “ Prior to his arrest, MUHAMMADU was planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs, in collaboration with other elements of an extremist cell of the Boko Haram group. “On 22nd June, 2016, a raid on suspected criminals/miscreants hide-outs behind Ado Bayero Quarters at Naibawa area of Kumbotso LGA of Kano State, resulted in the recovery of one (1) AK-47 rifle with 28 rounds of live ammunition. Other items recovered during the operation are one (1) Browningmodel pistol with two (2) rounds of live ammunition and a P5 pistol with ten (10) live rounds. “Also, on 22nd July, 2016, the Service apprehendedone Saidu YAHAYA, during the screening of prospective Hajj pilgrims at the Muslim Pilgrims Board in Jos, Plateau State. YAHAYA has been under the radar of the Service as a black-market and illegal gunrunner who has been supplying arms and ammunitions to criminal and ethnic/religious bigots in Plateau, Taraba, Benue and Nassarawa States. “ In another development, on 19th July, 2016, one Samson Chijioke NZEGWU was arrested at Obuofia village, in Nkanu-West LGA of Enugu State. NZEGWU is the ring-leader of a criminal-syndicate which has been using cloned/forged paraphernalia of the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Lawrence UGWUANYI, to defraud members of the public. During his arrest, the sum of One Million Naira, three (3) laptops, ten (10) different mobile phones, and other incriminating items were recovered from him. “ On 17th July, 2016, at Idi-Mango Ore area in Odigbo LGA of Ondo State, one Esan Abiodun CHRISTOPHER aka MAIYEGUN was arrested by this Service. CHRISTOPHER is a member of the Reuben AKINBEHINJE-gang which masterminded the kidnap of two (2) Catholic nuns and their driver in Akure, Ondo State. The suspect was apprehended while coordinating plans to hijack fuel-supply tankers in Oyo State. He is currently under detention with five (5) other members of his criminal gang, with whom he had masterminded the hijack of several fuel tankers in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and Kogi States respectively.” The DSS asked Nigerians to remain vigilant and report all suspicious persons, parcels or vehicles to the nearest security formation for necessary actions.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/plot-overthrow-buhari-dss-arrests-alleged-mastermind/

INEC office set ablaze in Rivers as Wike says not intimidated

Ahead of July 30th elections in Rivers state, some hoodlums have set INEC temporary office ablaze. However, Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike, while addressing newsmen on the development said Rivers state remains un-intimidated. Wike who also said that he predicted earlier that some persons are not happy and are bent on seeing that peaceful elections are not held in the state however said he had mandated the security operatives in the state to bring to justice those behind the act.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/video-inec-office-set-ablaze-rivers-wike-says-not-intimidated/

Sunderland sign former Man U/Everton coach David Moyes on 4 year deal (photos)

Sunderland FC have signed former Man U, Everton and Real Sociedad coach David Moyes as it's new coach on a 4 year deal.
David Moyes was signed to replace Sam Allardyce who was on Friday appointed the New England coach.


Club Chairman Ellis Short said Moyes was the club's 'number one managerial target for the last five appointments'. 

 'We are absolutely delighted to welcome David Moyes to Sunderland, who was by far and away our first choice. 

'He is a man whose football pedigree speaks for itself and is someone I have long admired. I have spoken with him on many occasions and I have always been hugely impressed. He was my number one managerial target for the last five appointments, but his desire to honour existing contracts meant we were not able to bring him to Sunderland previously. To be able to finally welcome him as our manager is fantastic news for the club. 

'The fact that David has committed to a four-year deal is a clear demonstration of his belief in what he can achieve here. It is our aim to become a better, stronger and more stable football club and with a manager of David’s calibre and experience at the helm, we have a fantastic opportunity to begin looking upwards, rather than downwards every season.'

David Moyes, out of work since being sacked by Real Sociedad last November said; 'I am delighted to have joined Sunderland. I am relishing the challenge and excited by the opportunity.

'I have taken over a big British club, with a great support and I’m looking forward to working in the Premier League again. I look forward to continuing the good work done by Sam.'

Photos: Slain RCCG preacher Eunice Olawale laid to rest amidst tears

Husband and children of Abuja based RCCG evangelist, Eunice Olawale, wept profusely as she was laid to rest in Abuja on July 23rd. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and media aide to President Buhari, Femi Adesina attended the funeral. Olawale was hacked to death while preaching on July 9th. At the funeral, the Secretary to the Federal Government, Lawal David, announced that no stone would be left unturned as their “unmask the people who perpetrated this crime.” Other notable dignitaries at her burial include a representative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Pauline Tallen; former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwezili; and Representatives of Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigerian (PFN). More photos after the cut.































Linda Ikeji 

Jibrin On N40bn Budget Allegation: I’m Ready To Provide Evidence Against Dogara

Abdulmunin Jibrin, former chairman of house committee on appropriations, says he is ready to substantiate his allegations against Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the federal house of representatives, and three other leaders of the house.

Following his removal as chairman of appropriations committee, Jibrin had accused Dogara; Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker; Alhassan Ado Doguwa, house whip; and Leo Ogor, house minority leader, of padding the 2016 budget with N40 billion.

In a statement released through his lawyers on Friday, Jibrin urged the lower chamber to institute a special investigation so that he would have the opportunity to “testify and provide evidence against them”.

“The above quartet have resorted to blackmail our client into silence and to further harass his person and family using the instrument of the obstructive coercion and perversion of due process by deploying, albeit illegally some elements of the Nigeria Police,” read the statement.

“You will recall that our client is in dispute with the said quartet over his refusal and inability to admit into the National Budget of 2016, the sum of about 30 Billion Naira at the behest of these quartet and also his refusal to cover up the decision of Speaker Dogara and others’ unilateral decision to distribute to themselves 40 Billion Naira out of the 100 Billion Naira allocated to the entire National Assembly in addition to what our client considers as wasteful projects of over 20 Billion Naira to their (quartet) various constituencies.

“We now have it on good authority that these quartet acting in concert are at the moment using some elements within the police to monitor, harass, intimidate and hound our client into an unwarranted detention with the purpose of inhibiting his right to move freely and to express himself as contained in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“The purpose of their antics is to upturn the narrative and paint our client as the black sheep in the flock, and cleverly presenting themselves as transparent angels.

“Accordingly, we have made appropriate representations to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies in the Country drawing their attention to this unwarranted and ill-intentioned steps taken by these quartet and not to allow themselves (security agencies) to be used to execute the personal objectives of these quartet; more so appropriate legal action has been taken by our client, as a law abiding citizen, to protect his fundamental rights as guaranteed by our laws.

“Finally, we hasten to advise Speaker Dogara and the 3 other principal officers mentioned here not to descend to the narrow aim of dragging the institution of the House of Representatives into their personal fight and to note that by virtue of the institution he leads and as a lawyer, he should act within the confines of the Rule of Law and allow the House of Representatives to institute a special investigation into this matter where our client will have the opportunity earlier denied him by the quartet to testify and provide evidence against them because he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.”

https://www.thecable.ng/jibrin-on-n40bn-budget-allegation-im-ready-to-provide-evidence-against-dogara

LASU To Scrap Part-time Program. Releases 47,583 Satellite Campus Results

LASU Releases 47,583 Satellite Campus Students’ Results. 

The management of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has announced the release of the results of a total number of 47, 583 students of the external system. The release of the results, according to the institution, is aimed at addressing the many contradictions confronting the institution and its external system (satellite campuses), particularly the backlog of results of many students.

Announcing the release yesterday on the campus, the Chairman of the task force on the university’s external system, Prof. Cordelia Nwabuko, said the results, which have since been uploaded on the institution’s website, involve all the students that have passed through the system since its inception, including those who have already graduated.

While urging all concerned individuals to visit the website to check the status of their results, she added that efforts were still on to address all the cases concerning students’ results and graduation, as the campuses would be formally closed as instructed by government at the end of the current 500-level students’ programmes.

She said; “As at today, July 22, over 254,391 visits to the newly designed website dedicated to addressing the external system issues have been recorded, and their complaints and responses are currently being analysed. More than 5,509,863 scores of each student sorted so far have been extracted and uploaded.

“Apart from the 2,500 results cleared and presented for convocation in April, another 1,071 students’ results have been cleared and will be presented to the Senate for approval in the next few days, while another 2,000 results will be ready for Senate consideration in August. So we appeal to all concerned students to check for updates and send responses.”

https://newtelegraphonline.com/lasu-releases-47583-satellite-campus-students-results/

See What This Corps Member Invented That Has Got Him Recognized By NYSC

A Corps member who has been specially recognized after fabricating an effective driver training workshop -where one can learn how to drive without necessary being in a vehicle. His work was inspected by the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Sule Kazaure, BOI’s Waheed Olagunju and other NYSC officials.

Hillary Clinton picks Tim Kaine for running mate

Hillary Clinton on Friday tapped Tim Kaine, a popular Spanish-speaking senator from the swing state of Virginia, to be her running mate in the White House showdown against Donald Trump. “I’m thrilled to announce my running mate, @timkaine, a man who’s devoted his life to fighting for others. -H,” the presumptive Democratic nominee tweeted. The 58-year-old senator swiftly tweeted his response, saying: “Just got off the phone with Hillary. I’m honored to be her running mate. Can’t wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!” Kaine, an experienced foreign policy hand who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, could help Clinton bring in two key voting blocs: Hispanics and the battleground state of Virginia. Politically a middle-of-the-road Democrat, he is also seen as helping the former secretary of state win over votes from reluctant independent male voters. Widely seen as a safe choice for Clinton in a brutal election race, Kaine emerged as a frontrunner in the veepstakes because he ticks so many boxes. Clinton put out a series of tweets heaping praise on the senator, known for his affable manner as well as his expertise on matters of defense and foreign policy. “@timkaine is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it,” Clinton wrote. “@timkaine’s guiding principle: the belief that you can make a difference through public service.” One of the tweets included a five-point graphic highlighting the senator’s youthful spell on a Jesuit mission in Honduras as well as his track record in fighting homelessness, discrimination and gun violence, in expanding early childhood education and in fostering a positive business environment in Virginia. The pick comes just days before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where Clinton — and now Kaine — next week are to be elevated as the nominees to the party’s presidential ticket.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/hillary-clinton-picks-tim-kaine-running-mate/

Amuneke leads hungry F/Eagles against Sudan

After a week headlined by the rejection of an offer to manage the Super Eagles by Frenchman, Paul Le Guen and a muted strike action by members of the junior national team, the Flying Eagles, the hierarchy of the Nigeria Football Federation will today descend on the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos to watch the the coach Emmanuel Amuneke tutored team take on their Sudanese counterparts in the second leg, final round of the 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, which the Nigerian team are the defending champions. Amuneke There was so much uncertainty surrounding the match as the players who have been playing and winning without allowances or bonuses threatened to down tools if the backlog of their allowances were not paid. It took the intervention of the NFF Vice President and Chairman of Lagos FA, Seyi Akinwunmi who doled out a princely N5m to the team for them to agree to appear for today’s match. With their minds set for the encounter, which they won the first leg with a 2-1 margin, the Amuneke wards have promised to outscore their visitors and qualify for the tournament on a high. Captain, Kelechi Nwakali has hailed the depth of quality in the team stressing that that he remains confident their strength is not about individual players like himself and Victor Osimhen. The Arsenal FC target added that despite winning the first leg 2-1 they will not underrate their Sudanese opponents or show any sign of complacency as they hope to put up a compact team effort and consolidate the good result in Sudan.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/amuneke-leads-hungry-feagles-sudan/

Sam Allardyce named new England coach

Sam Allardyce is the new manager of the England National football team. He was appointed today after days of negotiations with the English FA and he's been tasked with restoring the football glory once associated with the English team as the F.A don't want a repeat of the awful showing at Euro 2016 were England exited at the hands of minnows Iceland.

"I am extremely honoured to be appointed England manager especially as it is no secret that this is the role I have always wanted," Allardyce told TheFA.com. "For me, it is absolutely the best job in English football. I will do everything I can to help England do well and give our nation the success our fans deserve.

"Above all, we have to make the people and the whole country proud. I know we have talented, committed players and it is time for us to deliver."

In taking the reins of his country, the 61-year-old is handed his first opportunity to represent England, having never won an international cap during a two-decade playing career. 'Big Sam', as he has been known throughout his managerial career, took the role after steering Sunderland clear of relegation from the English Premier League.

Nuhu Ribadu leaves PDP, rejoins APC

There have been rumors that he left PDP and re-joined APC, a party of which he was a founding member. He has just released a statement confirming the rumors. Read his statement below

I have finally heeded the calls on me to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party of which I was a founding member. I re-registered as a member of the APC on Thursday through the party’s online portal. After that, the leadership of the party in my Bako ward of Yola South Local Government Area visited me in my Yola residence to welcome me back to their fold.
My decision to return to the APC was triggered by my believe that all politics are local. Almost everyone around me, and with whom we started my political journey believed the time had come for us to make sacrifices and make concessions. That is in addition to the unbelievable love that my friends in the APC have showered on me in the past months. They demonstrated in words and action that they wanted me back home. I also did a deep and long reassessment of the circumstances that warranted my exit from the APC in the first place. I left the APC in 2014 owing to fundamental disagreements with the ways the chapter of the party in my state was run after it fell into some hands. Some colleagues and I tried hard to save the then APC administration from an orchestrated impeachment plot which was unfortunately carried out with active collaboration of some ranking APC members in the state. However, events in the last 15 months have addressed many of the issues and healed some of the wounds. More so, with the genuine and sincere invitations I received since last year to retrace my steps into the party, I decided to return after consulting family and political associates at all levels. I would like to appreciate all those members of the party who privately and publicly prodded me to return to the party. My appreciation also goes to the leadership of our party, from my ward in Bako to the national leadership, for the enthusiasm they showed in having me back. NR

Naira Sinks To N375 Per Dollar - The Nation

There was confusion in the market yesterday as the naira slumped to a new low in both the official and parallel markets, exchanging at N292.90 and N375 to the dollar. 

The local currency however closed at 292.90 to the dollar on the interbank rate after just one transaction was carried out, with dollar supply drying up and no intervention by the CBN, traders said. Traders had expected the CBN to intervene to ease dollar shortages, but that did not materialise. 

The naira’s free fall surprised many stakeholders, whose thinking is that the new flexible forex policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would stabilise the currency. 

Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) President Aminu Gwadabe said commercial banks were playing big in the parallel market, manipulating naira rates against the greenback. He told The Nation that most lenders keep two books – one for the official rate and the other for dispensing dollar in the parallel market. 

“Demand at the parallel market is rising seriously. The banks are now playing big in the parallel market and there is basically no operating rules in the market. It is a market of who is who controlled by the banks,” he said. 

The BDC chief said CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele should call an emergency meeting of all stakeholders on the fate of the local currency. To him, this is the only way out because “things are getting out of hand” as the market liquidity has dropped. 

Nigeria has been grappling with a currency crisis since crude oil prices dropped by about 43 per cent from an average of $100.35 throughout 2014 to an average of $57.20 for the first six months of last year. It is now around $48.09 per barrel.
Specifically, the drastic fall in the price of crude oil, which constitutes the largest component of Nigeria’s forex reserves, has cut dollar earnings from about $3.2 billion monthly to about a billion dollar for the same period. This has negatively impacted on the value of the naira.
The woes of the naira will worsen in the coming months, with the local currency expected to exchange for N390 to the dollar at the close of the year, a report by Renaissance Capital (RenCap), an international investment and research firm, said.
Currency traders introduced a maximum resale premium on dollar trades to try to boost liquidity while investors have welcomed the removal of currency controls but many are still steering clear until the economy shows signs of a concrete recovery.
“Most investors would like to see a more liquid forex market before resuming purchases of local assets,” said Samir Gadio, head of Africa strategy at Standard Chartered Bank.
“Given the significant discount of naira-settled futures, a number of offshore financial institutions and hedge funds could be tempted to get involved in the foreseeable future.” 

http://thenationonlineng.net/market-confusion-naira-exchanges-n373-dollar/

Tweet from Sahara Reporters

FG, states, LGs share N559bn

For the first time in many months, the nation’s revenue made a significant rebound with federal, state and local governments, yesterday, sharing a total of N559 billion. The amount represented accruals into the Federation Account and proceeds from Value Added Tax in the month of June. The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, who disclosed this at the end of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting in Abuja, said all tiers of government were glad that the revenue was looking upward. This month’s net distribution was N 263. 904 billion above last month’s N305.128 billion. The Federal Government got a total of N209.460 billion; states N133.671 billion; while local governments received N100.759 billion. The nine oil producing states got extra N 18 billion as 13 per cent derivation from oil revenue. The minister said the improvement in revenue was due to more tax receipts by the Federal Inland Revenue Service and duties by the Nigeria Customs Service, adding added that the Excess Crude Account had jumped to $3.09 billion. Adeosun said in spite of declaring the economy technically in recession, there was a hope of a rebound. She said the high revenue also was indicative that the reforms of the present administration were working and would return the nation to the path of growth.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/fg-states-lgs-share-n559bn/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

RNC 2016: Donald Trump to accept nomination

The final day of the Republican National Convention: Introduced by his daughter Ivanka, Donald Trump will formally accept the GOP nomination to be candidate for President.

FG In Talk With Niger Delta Militants – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday confirmed that his administration is currently engaging Niger Delta militants in talks in order to end the spate of violence being experienced in the region.

He said the talks are being done through oil companies and law-enforcement agencies and are meant a to find a lasting solution to insecurity in the region.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President spoke while granting farewell audience to the outgoing Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zinner, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Buhari also told his guest that the Federal Government is studying the instruments of the Amnesty Programme inherited from the previous administration with a view to carrying out commitments made that were undelivered.

“We understand their feelings. We are studying the instruments. We have to secure the environment, otherwise investment will not come. We will do our best for the country,” the President was quoted as saying.

Buhari thanked the German government for its continuing support to Nigeria in the efforts to tackle insecurity and the ongoing rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced citizens in crisis areas in the North-Eastern parts of the country.

He also thanked Nigeria’s neighbours for their firm and unflinching support in the war against terror.

The outgoing German Ambassador noted that bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany “had improved very much in the last 12 months of this administration.”

He expressed the readiness of Germany to assist Nigeria in the rehabilitation process in the North East to help displaced persons return to their villages. He also expressed the eagerness of German businesses to invest in the country, now that “conditions for investment have been put in place”.

The German Ambassador reiterated the standing invitation of Chancellor Angela Merkel to Buhari to visit Germany.

http://punchng.com/buhari-confirms-talks-niger-delta-militants/

Photos: Meet a male Accounting graduate who hawks food in a wheelbarrow in Ekpoma, Edo State

A Facebook user, Daniel Usifoh, a male university graduate who makes a living by selling cooked food at a motor park in Ekpoma, Edo State. What he wrote after the cut...

"I saw this man on my way to PH hawking cooked food in wheelbarrow this morning in Ekpoma, Edo State. I was moved to patronize him even when I was never hungry. Guess what...... he is an accountant, he graduated 4yrs ago but never got any job. He decided to go catering school. Today he stepped out in the streets of Ekpoma where he graduated from to do his first personal business ever. I asked why he decided to go this way and his response was WOW. He said "bros wetin I go do na, hence there is no job anywhere and I am the first son of my parent I decided to go this way rather than becoming an armed rubber to take care of those who took care of me from childhood before they die in regrets". You know what..... he is an Igbo man... I respect his courage...."

Linda Ikeji

Sacked House of Reps Appropriation chairman calls for Dogara's resignation, says he tried to allocate N40bn to himself & others

Former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, who was sacked by Speaker Yakubu Dogara over alleged padding of the 2016 budget, has released a statement in which he alleged that Dogara and some other lawmakers tried to allocate to themselves 40billion naira out of the 100billion allocated to the entire National Assembly. He called for Dogara's resignation. Read the full statement after the cut...

  

"I am obliged to make further statement after listening to the full statement of Speaker Yakubu Dogara on why I had to leave as Chairman Appropriation. It is a fact I went up to the Speaker and told him clearly I wanted to leave. He confirmed this in his statement but it appeared he wished he had fired me instead of my personal decision to step down.

Thereafter I proceeded to my office. I was therefore not surprised when an aide of mine walked into my office to inform me that the Speaker had announced my departure. I was relieved and went straight to address the press and released a statement. It was only later in the evening while monitoring the news that I watched the full statement he made on the floor. Speaker Dogara’s statement was a complete misrepresentation of the facts, false, mischievous, unfair and a calculated attempt to bring my name to disrepute, blackmail, silence and use me as a scape goat.

The plan is to execute it just before the recess so that by the time we return I would have been buried and the issue forgotten. Mr Speaker, this issue will never be swept under the carpet. We are closing for recess with it and we shall commence the next session with this issue. This was the last option they had after every attempt to find something to nail me failed. It is a known fact that I am a very blunt person by nature. I don’t know how to pretend. I don’t do eye service neither will I ever be a sycophant. I don’t give returns. I just do my job faithfully and dedicatedly. My offence was asserting my independence and insisting that we do the right thing at all times and expose corrupt people in the House.

Lately I openly disagreed with some principal officers on the issue of immunity for Lawmakers and budget issues. I still maintained I will never support immunity. I strongly believe with every conviction that in cleaning up the budgeting system and considering what transpired during 2016 budget which I have all the facts documented, Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun, Whip Doguwa and minority Leader Leo Ogor should resign. These members of the body of principal officers were not comfortable with my independent disposition and my refusal to cover up their unilateral decision to allocate to themselves 40billion naira out of the 100billion allocated to the entire National Assembly.

The four of them met and took that decision. In addition to billions of wasteful projects running over 20 billion they allocated to their constituencies. They must come out clean. My inability to admit into the budget almost 30 billion personal requests from Mr. Speaker and the 3 other principal officers also became an issue. I have every documented evidence to this effect. After the submission of the first version of the budget which was returned by Mr. President, I briefed members in executive session and told them as agreed at our pre budget meeting with chairmen and deputy chairmen of standing committees, we simply adopted their reports with little amendments. No body faulted my submission.

Members insisted they must know how the N100 billion was allocated. I told them the truth. Since after that meeting, Mr Speaker with the suport of the three other principal officers effectively blocked me from briefing members, ensured I was not at the last executive session and refused to investigate issues I raised that I believe must be addressed if we intend to build a better budget system for the House. I gave Mr. Speaker statistics of 2000 new projects introduced into the budget by less than 10 committee chairmen without the knowledge of their committee members he did nothing about it because he was part of the mess yet he is talking about improving the budget system. I did nothing wrong. I worked within the rules of the House and instructions of Mr. Speaker. During the budget period, Mr. President graciously granted myself and Sen. Goje audience.

It was a very good meeting. Speaker Dogara took it extremely personal that we saw the president without his knowledge and went on to scuttle all our efforts to help the president during the budget process because he wanted to be seen by the president as the only good man. He forgot that he sees heads of MDA’s daily which he enjoys doing more than his job as Speaker for reasons best known to him anyway, without Mr. President’s knowledge. That is how petty and narrow minded Dogara can be. A coward, hypocrite and pretender of the highest order. Mr President must be very careful with him. He wines with Mr. President and dines with Mr. Presidents enemies. I am glad that I am finally free from his emotional blackmail of constantly trying to make me see my appointment as appropriation chairman as a favour.

He has failed to realise that I came a long way and even attained chairman finance when he was chairman House services before this appointment. Seeing as the Speaker claimed that they have taken the decision or were going to take decision to replace me, he now has a responsibility to tell the world why they took or were going to take such decision. I challenge them to tell the world why? I will be releasing a more detailed statement in due course.

Meanwhile, I intend to explore all internal avenues of the House to brief my colleagues in detail and testify against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority leader Leo Ogor on why they should resign. If I am not allowed to exercise my privilege, I shall consider legal options. I can no longer bear the brunt of abuses and baseless allegations keeping quiet all in the name of “confidentiality” expected of an appropriation chairman. I will not allow anybody no matter how highly placed to destroy my life as intended by the full statement of Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Now Nigerians will see clearly the ulterior motive behind the desperate moves for immunity for principal officers of the National Assembly."

Linda Ikeji

EFCC Kicks Against Bail For Agbele, Files appeal

THE Economic and Financial Crime Commission has said it will immediately appeal the ruling of a Federal Capital Territory High Court which on Thursday granted bail to Abiodun Agbele, an ally of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose.

Agbele is being investigated by the EFFC for a range of alleged criminal infractions bordering on fraud and money laundering.

Justice Olukayode Adeniyi in a ruling which the Commission described as “shocking”, offered bail to Agbele and ordered the EFCC to pay the suspect N5 million as compensation for unlawful detention.

Adeniyi said the failure of the EFCC to charge Agbele to court, since his arrest on June 27, amounted to an abuse of his fundamental rights.

But the Commission described Justice Adeniyi’s conclusion as “curious” against the background of the information presented to the court, which included the fact that the suspect is being held with valid remand warrants issued by competent courts.

The EFCC, however, said it is filing a motion for a stay of execution of the ruling.

http://mezietimesng.com/efcc-kick-against-bail-for-fayoses-ally-files-appeal/

Tinubu, Melaye agree to sheathe swords as Saraki wades in

STRONG indications emerged, yesterday, that reconciliation was under way between  the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos Central) and her colleague, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) following the intervention of  Senate President, Bukola Saraki. A source told Vanguard that Saraki met with both Tinubu and Melaye separately for a period of two hours each to nip in the bud the worsening crisis between the two senators, who are of the same political party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. According to the source, Saraki first met with Senator Tinubu for two hours before meeting with Senator Melaye and the meetings took place in his new Senate wing office. Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Dino Melaye The Senate President was said to have told them that they should stop the war of words and sheathe their swords for the unity of the Senate, just as he was said to have also urged them to look at their individual integrity as well as that of the Senate. Senator Saraki was said to have told them that as members of the same party, it would not augur well for the party, its leadership and members because people look up to them. At the end of the meeting, Vanguard gathered that both Senators Oluremi Tinubu and Dino Melaye agreed to put the problem behind them for national interest. Before Saraki’s intervention, the flaming squabble between the two senators got messier, yesterday, as more people got entangled, joined to fight proxy wars for the duo. Fighting for Tinubu A four-man delegation of the Lagos State House of Assembly stormed the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja in support of Tinubu and accused the Senate leadership of a conspiracy of silence. Armed with a petition they submitted to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the Lagos legislators called for immediate sanctions to be meted out on Sen. Melaye on account of his alleged derogatory statements against Mrs Tinubu. Led by the Deputy Speaker of the assembly, Wasiu Sanni, the lawmakers exonerated Mrs Tinubu of any wrongdoing, saying while she is highly-respectful, “she does not take sh.t”. Sanni, who addressed journalists after a closed-door meeting with Chief Odigie-Oyegun, urged Mrs Tinubu not to give in to the “uncouth” behaviour of Senator Melaye. Sanni, who came in company of Desmond Elliot and two others said: “We are here to pay solidarity visit to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, that we condemn the act, she should not be intimidated and she should not yield to verbal assault. “But let me say this, that Senator Oluremi Tinubu that we know, was the First Lady of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. Some of us are like sons or brothers to her husband Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and in Yoruba land, if you are a son to a woman’s husband you are supposed to be her son; she respects us and always addresses us as ‘Sirs’. So she is a woman that is courteous but she does not take nonsense, she does not take sh.t.” When asked to justify their protest and the allegation that a sum of N75 million was paid to stage the protest, the lawmaker said: “I am the Deputy Speaker. Hon. Yinka and Hon. Desmond Elliot are here; we are buoyant enough to sponsor ourselves and we all represent Lagos Central Senatorial District where Oluremi Tinubu is representing. It is a cause that we too are convinced that we must fight and thirdly, yesterday we went on recess. We are not resuming till August 29.” On the allegation that Senator Oluremi Tinubu was fond of causing trouble in the senate, the deputy speaker said: “For us, these are mere allegations unproven; this is something the senate could deal with in their way and manner. It is not out of place for the Committee on Rules and privileges to be told to investigate if they feel  strongly about it. That is the issue for the Senate.” Members of Lagos State House of Assembly led by their speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, also stormed the National Assembly to protest the alleged verbal attack on Tinubu by Melaye. They were accompanied by some stalwarts of APC from Lagos State, including a former Senator, Munirudeen Muse. Speaking at the meeting, Muse, who condemned Melaye’s utterances, however, encouraged Tinubu not to be discouraged in her pursuit of “qualitative legislation for the development of the country.” In her response, Tinubu vowed to sustain the tempo of criticism of events and activities in the Senate which she feels are not healthy for the country. Also, a group of women stormed the National Assembly, yesterday, to protest Senator Melaye’s alleged misconduct. The women said they were carrying out the action to denounce the utterances of Senator Melaye against Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Melaye and Tinubu engaged in a verbal war during a closed door session penultimate Tuesday. It was alleged that Melaye threatened to beat up Senator Tinubu at the closed session. The protesters, who wore T-shirts with inscription that read: “No to impunity for gender based violence”, were heard chanting, “Stop violence against women.” They carried placards that read: “Support Gender Equality Opportunity Bill”, “A Senator is a Senator, women are not threat objects”, Senate Ieadership’s silence in the face of violence against women is conspiracy”, “Say no to impunity” among others. Addressing journalists, Woman Leader of the South-West APC, Mrs. Kemi Nelson, urged the Senate to take a disciplinary action against Melaye. Nelson, who denied allegations that they were given N75 million for the protest, said: “This is impunity and it has to be stopped, we must be accorded our right.” In like manner, students, on the banner of National Union of Lagos State Students, NULASS, yesterday, gave Senator Dino Melaye an August 1, 2016, ultimatum to apologise to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, or be declared a persona-non-grata in Lagos. The students, in a press statement signed by their National President, Daniju Sultan, titled, An affront, not only to Bourdillion,” condemned Senator Melaye for his action on the floor of the red chamber; and urged him to render an unreserved apology to Tinubu. “We, hereby, demand for a formal apology from Senator Dino Malaye to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Lagos Central Senatorial District, and the entire people of Lagos State for such outrageous and ridiculous statement and act on or before 1st of August 2016 or we declare him persona non grata in Lagos State.” Kogi women back Melaye However, a group, under the aegis of Kogi women, in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, berated Senator Oluremi Tinubu over her alleged attack on Melaye. The Kogi women demanded an apology from Senator Oluremi Tinubu and her husband, Bola Tinubu. Spokesperson of the group, Funmilayo Olumodeji, told newsmen at a media briefing in Lokoja that as, women, they were disappointed in Mrs Tinubu’s pride and arrogance. Olumodeji, who called on the national leader of APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, to caution his wife against the use of vulgar statements on her colleagues, alleged that the same senator was reported to have embarrassed the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, among others, on several occasions without being cautioned. She said:  “The same woman also slapped Senator Rafiu Ibrahim from Kwara State, nobody demanded any apology or response from her. The same woman deliberately sat on the Deputy Senate President’s seat to unnecessarily cause uproar and nobody demanded an apology from her. “A woman was killed in Kano recently and she could not raise her voice in the red chamber in defence of womanhood. Just last week, a woman preacher was killed and we did not hear her voice” She also condemned the action of women who protested on behalf of Remi Tinubu, alleging that they were sponsored. She said contrary to the earlier stand of commentators and women groups on the issue, it is Senator Tinubu that ought to apologise to Dino Melaye. “We, therefore, demand that Senator Remi Tinubu should, as a woman, mother and wife, be courteous  enough to apologise to Senator Dino Melaye.” Steer clear of matter, Commonwealth party advises IG Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Liberation Party, TCLP, an organization which sole aim is to oversee government affairs in all 54 Commonwealth countries, has asked the Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, not to intervene in the matter involving senators Remi Tinubu and Dino Melaye, following the former’s request to that effect. Instead, the United Kingdom-based organization advised that the matter which it noted, happened in Senate executive session, be left for the legislature to handle, in line with its mechanism of handling such issues. Chairman of TCLP, Prof. Alexia Thomas, who is also a chieftain of the Commonwealth Treaty Alliance Commission, tasked the Police boss to ensure that police officers were not deployed to the Senate based on Mrs Tinubu’s complaint to the police, saying any such act would violate the principle of independence of the legislature. In a statement, released in Abuja, Prof. Thomas stressed: ‘“The Inspector General is advised that no police officers are allowed into the Senate because Remi Tinubu undermined the powers of the House and took matters to the police without first and foremost complaining to the Senate.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/saraki-wades-into-tinubu-melaye-squabble/

Avengers warns NUPENG, PENGASSAN, foreigners to leave oil fields

NIGER  Delta Avengers, NDA, has denied claims by the Nigerian Navy that it arrested the group’s logistics supplier, saying its operatives were intact adding that the militants were winning the war. Militants vs Buhari The militant group in a statement by its spokesperson, self-styled Brig. General Mudoch, said: “The news that the Nigerian Navy has arrested Niger Delta Avengers’ logistics supplier is the biggest joke of the 21st  century. “The Nigerian Navy cannot arrest any of our operatives until we bring down the economy of this country.” Meanwhile, the Avengers has warned NUPENG, PENGASSAN and foreigners to “leave all oil fields and terminals in the Niger Delta because it is going to be dirty very soon. “As it is now, any Tom, Dick and Harry is a suspect of Niger Delta Avengers. The Nigerian Navy has lost its sense of professionalism. The Nigerian military arrested students in Oporoza and called them Niger Delta Avengers. Any criminal caught is a member of NDA, even their business partners (illegal oil bunkers) with whom things went sour, are NDA members. Sea pirates are now Avengers. “We want to make this clear. All Avengers operatives are intact, our intelligence agencies are all intact and our operational teams are in high spirit because we are winning the war. The Nigerian Navy cannot arrest any of our operatives until we bring down the economy of this country. “When Avengers carry out any major attack, they (Nigerian military) will deny it. First is the blown NNPC pipeline and second, the 48-inch ExxonMobil pipeline blown by NDA. ExxonMobil and the government denied it only for Exxonmobil to declare force majeure a few days after the attack. We want the public to know that the Qua Iboe export pipeline is down right now.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/winning-war-avengers/

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says Hillary Clinton is to blame for BH's kidnapping Of Chibok schoolgirls

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie suggested during a speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, was to blame for the kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok by extremist group, Boko Haram.


According to him, by not adding Boko Haram to the terrorist watch list, every region of the world has been infected with her flawed judgment. Also referencing the #BringBackOurGirls campaign that drew attention from all over the world, he said,


“What happened because of this reckless action by the candidate who is the self-proclaimed champion of women around the world? These terrorists abducted hundreds of innocent young girls two years ago. These schoolgirls are still missing today. What was the solution from the Obama/Clinton team? A hashtag campaign!”

Watch the video below. (starts from 4:12).

Linda Ikeji

Stephen Keshi to be buried July 29th

The burial of former Super Eagles captain and Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, who died on June 8th has been slated for July 29th at his hometown, Illah in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. According to the Delta State Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah who is a member of the Keshi burial committee,‎ Keshi's funeral ceremony will commence on Thursday July 28th and end on Sunday July 31st.

The funeral would kick off in Edo State on Thursday July 28th with a requiem mass at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road, Benin-City, from 9:00 am, followed by lying in state at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, also in Benin-City, by 11:00am.

There will also be a novelty match by All Stars as well as a session of tributes in honour of the late soccer star at the stadium.

“The same day, his remains will depart Benin-City for Asaba, Delta State, from 1:15pm. On arrival, there will be lying in state ceremony at Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Indoor Hall, Asaba, from 3:15pm, followed by a novelty match by All Stars and Tributes at Stephen Keshi International Stadium, Asaba, from 3:30pm”Ukah said The service of songs/vigil Mass will the same day hold at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Illah, by 6:00pm, according to the obsequies release. On Friday, July 29th, his body will leave Asaba for his hometown, Illah by ‎7am.

There will be a lying in state at his family home, Ukpologwu Quarters, Illah, from 8:30am. A‎ Requiem Mass will take place at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Illah, by 10:00am followed by interment at his family compound, Ukpologwu Quarters, Illah, from 12:30pm.

A thanksgiving will be held at the Evangelist Catholic Church, Illah on Sunday July 31st.

Linda Ikeji

Halliburton: Aisha Buhari Sues Fayose

President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, has sued Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State for claiming that she was involved in the Halliburton corruption scandal.

Mr. Fayose had in June said Mrs. Buhari was the “Aisha Buhari” named in a U.S. court document, alleged to have been involved in a bribery case involving a convicted former U.S. lawmaker, Williams Jefferson.

The governor, in what appeared to be an error, referred to the scandal as the Halliburton corruption case. The Halliburton case is different from the Williams Jefferson scandal.

But Mr. Fayose insisted he was right despite Mrs. Buhari’s denial and threat of legal action,
The court summons, dated July 20, 2016, was exclusively made available to PREMIUM TIMES.
As governor, Mr. Fayose has constitutional immunity against criminal prosecution.
More details coming.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/207263-breaking-aisha-buhari-sues-gov-fayose.html

Sterling Bank's Talk To Buy Keystone Ends, Plans Bond Issue

Sterling Bank Plc has ended talks to buy rival Keystone Bank Limited after finding it an unsuitable fit and is now focused on raising funds as it considers other acquisitions, its chief finance officer, Abubakar Suleiman, said on Tuesday.

“We reviewed Keystone Bank and concluded the strategic fit was not strong enough. We will continue to evaluate all the options. As new candidates come into the market, we will also review them,” Suleiman, told Reuters by phone.

Sterling Bank said in February it was aiming to buy one or two mid-sized lenders as sharp falls in the value of the naira and increased regulatory pressure forced banks to recapitalise. Keystone Bank is the last of Nigeria’s nationalised lenders, which state-backed “bad bank” AMCON is seeking to sell.

Suleiman said Sterling’s strategic plan was still to acquire a rival in Nigeria but that any move was likely to come after studying the impact of last month’s 30 per cent fall in the value of the naira.
The central bank ditched its 16-month old peg of N197 to the dollar in June to allow the currency to trade freely, in an effort to resolve a chronic dollar shortage that has stifled economic growth.

However, dollar shortages remain as Nigeria suffers from a plunge in oil prices which has battered its currency and stoked inflation to an almost 11-year high. Analysts see the slowdown as catalyst for mergers.

Sterling has completed book building for a N35 billion bond sale, its first tranche of a debt programme, Suleiman said, but added that the bank will raise only 20 per cent of that amount to gauge appetite once it receives regulatory approval.
Bond yields in Nigeria are currently below inflation at 16.5 per cent in June. The most liquid 5-year government bond traded at a yield of 15.17 per cent on Tuesday.

“Once we see that the structure is acceptable and yields are moderate, we will complete series one this year. If the market remains turbulent, we will do it next year,” Suleiman said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/07/20/sterling-bank-ends-talks-to-buy-keystone-plans-bond-issue/

Buhari Nominates Ndoma-Egba And Ekere For NDDC Chairman & MD

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated.Mr. Nsima Ekere and Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, as the Managing Director and the Chairman respectively of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)..

This is contained in a letter sent to Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday by the President.

Mrs Ibim Semenitari is currently acting as MD of the commission.

A Presidency source told THISDAY that the letter may be read on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/07/20/buhari-nominates-ndoma-egba-ekere-for-nndc-top-jobs/

Photos: Kogi women say Melaye won’t apologise to Tinubu

The war of words between Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Sen. Dino Melaye and Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who represents Lagos Central Senatorial District, took another dimension on Tuesday, as some women under the aegis of Kogi Women Support Dino, KWSD, threw their weight behind Melaye, saying Senator Tinubu must apologise to him for purportedly calling him a thug and dog. This came as women rights group, Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre, WARDC, had weekend asked Melaye to apologise to Tinubu or risk  “Occupy National Assembly” by well-meaning Nigerians. Also, yesterday, some women drawn from the three senatorial districts in Lagos State. under the aegis of Concerned Group, urged the Federal Government to direct relevant security agencies to institute criminal action against Melaye should he fail to tender public apology to Tinubu, for purportedly threatening to beat her up, as well as impregnate her. But in a swift reaction today, the KWSD, insisted that Tinubu must apologise to their son, Melaye, adding that Lagos isn’t superior to Kogi.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/photos-kogi-women-say-melaye-wont-apologise-tinubu/

Ekiti govt didn’t spend N22m on Ozekhome – Fayose’s aide

Special Assistant to the governor of Ekiti State on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has described claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State that Governor Ayodele Fayose was spending the state’s money to prosecute his legal matter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying “the allegation is a continuation of the APC’s life of disparaging eminent Nigerians that are not dancing to the destructive tunes of the party.” Olayinka, who challenged the APC to publish their facts, added that..

“The APC beer parlour jesters in Ekiti must have taken their lamentation over their loss of power to a psychotic level that anything will make meaning to them no matter unreasonable.” He said;

“Ekiti State government did not, and will not spend any N22 million on Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) because the government is not being ran like the APC government of Dr Kayode Fayemi that plunged the State into debt.

“The reality is that, those evil men in the APC that won’t even mind to malign God are seeing Chief Ozekhome as an uncompromising lawyer, who will not blow hot and cold at the same time. They see Chief Ozekhome as a lawyer that will not join them to defend their regime of impunity and for that they have opted to malign him as they have done to others.

“While we are confident that Chief Ozekhome will take them one legally, we make bold to say that at no time was the eminent lawyer travelled to Ekiti by air, not to talk chattered flight.”

Linda Ikeji