I haven't failed against Boko Haram- Buhari

In a fresh interview with Al Jazeerah, President Buhari says he has not failed in his war against Boko Haram despite some recorded incidents of attacks by the sect members in some parts of Nigeria

“I have not failed. When we came in Boko Haram was effectively in 14 local governments. Nigeria has 774 local governments. They hoist their flags and they said they had a certain caliphate but today they no longer to hold any local government.
They have reverted to improvised explosive devices blowing soft targets, and that will be a kind of terrorism which will be difficult to eliminate because it is technological, but they cannot hold any local government again. They are using technology but they cannot carry out organised attacks, overrun police post, attack military installations, they cannot do that now.”he said

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Check Out the N5.6m Wristwatch Senator's Daughter Got from her Mum as Gift

Deola Smart  is Senator Smart Adeyemi's daughter. He was elected Senator for the Kogi West constituency of Kogi State back in 2007. Deola Smart is also dating Tonto Dikeh's ex-boyfriend, king of diamonds, Malivelihood.

Check out the $19,000 Rolex wristwatch her mum recently gifted her.

 Deola shared the pic and said:

    When your ggifts you a £19k Rolly

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BETTER!! Petrol to sell for N86 per litre from January,1 2016 – FG

The Federal Government, yesterday, stated that effective January 1, 2016, petrol, would be sold at N86 per litre by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Retail stations.All other oil marketers would sell at N86.50 per litre.The new stance was made known in Abuja during a news conference by the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed.
He said the revised template,would be reviewed on quarterly basis and which would soon be presented to oil marketers.He said

“Since 2007, while crude oil price had been moving up and down, the template remained the same. This had made it necessary for us to introduce a mechanism whereby the template would be sensitive to the price of crude oil.
“However, the template is not static, as there would be a quarterly review and if there is any major shift, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources would be expected to call for a review, either upward or downward, depending on the market condition.

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Youth Group Blasts Fayose, Calls Him A Social Disgrace To Ekiti

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose

Some youths from Ekiti state have described their state governor, Ayodele Fayose as a social disgrace to the common pride of the people of the state due to his unwholesome behavior.
The youths, under the aegis of Ekiti Kete Youth Forum, EKYF, said Ekiti State used to be known for academic and moral values, even before its creation and was endowed with professors of local and international reputes, youths with academic and moral backgrounds, but that it is disheartening and regretting that the state has lost its pride under Fayose.
EKYF, in a statement issued its Director of Publicity, Tope Idowu condemned Fayose’s idea of mocking the sensibility of Ekiti people, especially the less educated by taking the advantage of their status and celebrate poverty for them like Christmas instead of eradicating it, under the deceit of “Stomach infrastructure.”
“It is unheard of that Governor Fayose, instead of facing serious governance, has rather become common in the market as a seller of pepper, meat, fish, palm oil and so on. An act which has not only denigrated the highly esteemed office, but also deceitful as it aims at distracting the people from noticing his criminal tendencies towards serious governance.
“Since Fayose resumed office as the Governor of Ekiti on16 October, 2014, Ekiti has always been in the news for wrong reasons, due to series of shameful and uncultured acts being exhibited by Mr. Fayose on a daily basis, as he has also neglected his responsibility as a governor of a state and unofficially assumed the responsibility of the spokesperson of the opposition party (People’s Democratic Party) in the country.
“We are not unaware of what can least be called the highest level of irresponsibility on the part of the Governor, the idea of importing Sex Workers from Canada, South Africa and Ghana everyday for all night-party in the government house and these girls path everyday with thousands of U.S dollars, while the workers go home every month without being paid their due entitlements,” the statement said.
“We also lament the high level of unemployment of youths in Ekiti State, as it is most unfortunate that Mr. Fayose has not created any meaningful job opportunity for youths in the state since he became the Governor. Rather, he derives pleasure engaging them in immoralities and mobilize them as praise singers and social media propagandists by giving them peanuts, thus subjecting them to financial slavery and moral relegation, while his sons are flexing exotic cars which they bought with the commonwealth of Ekiti people,” it stated.
The youths also condemned the inability of Fayose to meet up with his obligations as the governor by paying the arrears and the salaries of the workers, even after getting bailout from the federal government.
They said the fact that Ekiti State is only a civil service, and that the civil servants were not being duly paid and businesses not moving, “yet Mr. Governor is less concerned about their welfare, this has informed our strongly condemning his idea of imposing heavy tax on the governed even with their small scale businesses, the tipper drivers and meat sellers who are struggling to feed their families.
The group also said the recent act of insubordination exhibited by the Governor in the House of Assembly while presenting the 2016 budget, calls for serious condemning, as it was a clear mockery of the legislature, which is a reflection of his lack of regard and respect for the legislative arm since he resumed office in 2014.
“After critical rumination over these reasons, we are of great concern over the humiliation and shame that the style of leadership of Mr. Ayodele Fayose has brought upon the people of Ekiti within his short time in office, we hereby pray that as a matter of urgency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission wades into the financial situation of Ekiti State, and conducts a financial auditing from the 16th October, 2014 till present the present month, and asks questions on how the fund Ekiti State government got from the federal government as bailout was appropriated or misappropriated.
“We also call on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to conduct a serious search on the Mr. Fayose, and his personal business associates. As we are not unaware that Mr. Fayose most times acts under the influence of hard substances (drugs) and his involvement in illicit business transactions. We pray that quick medical attention is granted to Mr. Fayose, as we are of strong believe that he is psychologically unstable, thus requires psychiatric attention,” they said.

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Man treks from Lagos to Lokoja for Kogi gov-elect,Yahaya Bello (Photo)

 The trekking trend seems to have resurfaced after a man trekked to Lokoja in honour of the governor -elect, Yahaya Bello .

 Mr Isa Mukaila who had promised to trek in solidarity with Alh. Yahaya ,from Lagos to Lokoja,was received by supporters of the governor -elect in Lokoja, Tuesday. Mukaila told newsmen that his late mother’s wish was to see an Ebira person become the governor of Kogi State in her lifetime.
To honour her, Isa trekked from Lagos to Lokoja, an adventure which took 14 days to accomplish.Alh. Yahaya Bello is expected to receive him later today.

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Fighting To Defend The Naira

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is saddled with various functions and apart from being the lender of the last resort as well as the manager of the macro economics of the county, it holds the obligation of protecting and if need be defending the legal tender of the country.
The mandate given to the apex bank by Section 12 (1)-(5) of the CBN Act, 2007 (Amended) is to maintain Nigeria’s external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal currency, the naira.
This mandate the bank has tried to fulfill, putting in place policies that are targeted at protecting the value of the naira against external forces, inflation, speculators as well as any other action that could endanger the currency.
However, some still find loops in all these efforts of the CBN to satisfy their “selfish” desires which in eventuality leads to bad news for the local currency. As bad as it goes, the actions of these individuals have almost led to the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy. Asides the dollarisation of the economy, it had also led to the depletion of the external reserves and consequently the weakening of the naira.
An import dependent economy, Nigeria’s major source of income and foreign exchange (FOREX) is oil and the earnings which is monetised monthly and shared among the three tiers of government, thus the FOREX becomes the property of the CBN. It is shared among the three tiers of government and cannot be spent a second time except if importers buy back the dollar with naira.
This is, however, not the practice in other economies as manufacturing companies and other economic agents earn FOREX and use it to further their production. Most of their earnings are either reinvested within the economy or distributed as income to investors. Such earnings aid companies to expand their production, create new jobs, and ensure real economic growth.
The reverse is the case with Nigeria because the country imports virtually everything it needs. As a result, for every naira spent in the country about 90 kobo goes out for importation, meaning that only about 10 kobo is spent locally as it is significantly import-dependent.
To preserve the reserves and spur the growth of the local industry, the CBN had in June this year cut 41 items off the list for foreign exchange and also taken steps to rein in the pressure on the naira. It had placed increased restrictions on the activities of bureaux de change (BDCs), leaving the legal FOREX market only for those with genuine need for FOREX.
However, in recent days, the value of the naira has gone berserk. Although it still remained stable at the interbank as well as relatively stable at the BDC end of the FOREX market, the value of the naira at the black market had reached an all time high, selling at over N280 to the dollar. The value of the local currency at the interbank market had hovered around N199 to the greenback at the interbank market as the CBN rate hovered between N196 and N197. Officially, the BDCs sold the dollar at around N203.
Due to Nigerians high appetite for imported products, the pressure on the FOREX market is being accentuated by the increasing demand for foreign currencies by importers of all manner of products in the country. These importers who have been excluded from the official and legal FOREX market have resorted to the black market, driving down the value of the naira at that end of the market. These importers do not earn the FOREX but require a huge amount of it to sustain their trade.
An importer of shoes from the United States, Obiageli, told LEADERSHIP that she gets her FOREX from street hawkers and there has been a steady rise in the value of the greenback driving up her cost. While she might get up to $4,000 at N203 at the BDC end of the FOREX market, she has to source for it at a market where she does not contribute any. She is just one out of many that seek the scarce FOREX to import goods that could be made in the country, thereby exporting jobs.
A FOREX black marketer, Jubril, explained that in the past weeks he has been short of FOREX as there is a rising demand and almost a stop in the supply.
“It is hard to get someone to sell dollars now and almost everybody wants to buy,” he said.
This had prompted the apex bank to stand firm on its decision of preserving the value of the naira. According to the CBN governor Godwin Emefiele, “Despite the significant reduction of FOREX inflow into the country, we continue to see the importation of items such as eggs, tomatoes, tomato purri, rice, fish, margarine, and oil palm. But we know that Nigeria can produce some of these products if we set our eyes on doing so.
“Nigeria cannot continue on this path of importing everything and anything. Indeed, it is both unacceptable and unsustainable and that was the reason we decided at the central bank to prohibit items we can produce here from accessing FOREX from the central bank,” he said.
To ensure that these importers do not get their FOREX from the BDCs, the CBN had directed that every Bank Verification Number (BVN) of BDCs’ walk-in customers be presented and verified before the consummation of any transaction. More recently, the CBN revised the operational guidelines of BDCs to ensure that they do not at anytime sell FOREX to street hawkers or any way partner with them. The CBN had required BDCs to close all their branches within 90 days and demanded that every walk-in customer with more than $10,000 declare the source of his money asides the international passport, visa, and BVN requirement.
A source within the apex bank said that the revised guideline which takes effect from January 2016 is targeted at cutting the BDCs off from the street hawkers.
“Some BDCs hide under these multiple branches to sell the foreign exchange they get from the CBN to the street hawkers and that is what the CBN is trying to curb,” the source stated.
For a former executive director at Keystone Bank, Richard Obire, growing the Nigerian economy is paramount, and the CBN’s stance on FOREX management will encourage importers to look inwards and begin local production as the prices of the affected items would shoot up in the market because of the high cost of buying FOREX from the black market.
Stating that in the long run, the benefits of the CBN’s decision would outweigh whatever temporary pains it may have caused at the moment, he said that “those who decide to produce those goods locally and export them will earn foreign exchange instead of depleting the reserves. In the short-to-medium terms, it will be painful but subsequently, it will improve the overall economy.”

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Photos: Goodluck Jonathan & wife make a rare public appearance

Former president Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience pictured together today. The photos were shared on his official twitter account....another photo after the cut...

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Tweet Of THe Day!

As seen on twitter today, by JJ. Omojuwa...


Who agrees with Omojuwa?

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It’s too early to judge Buhari — Mudiaga-Odje

 

Warri based constitutional lawyer, Dr Akpo Mudiaga-Odje in this interview bares his mind on the APC led government insisting that it may be too early to assess the Buhari administration. Excerpts:

By Festus Ahon

What is your assessment of the President Buhari’s led administration?
Even though, it may be too early for a holistic appraisal, nevertheless it points towards a government that would be responsible to the people’s yearnings and aspirations.
Indeed, we are passing through very difficult times in terms of insecurity, economic challenges, including scarcity of petroleum products. It will surely take time to heal these wounds inflicted on our dear nation by previous administrations.

What is your take on Buhari’s appointment of himself as petroleum minister?
In retrospect, we challenged the erstwhile President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR when he appointed himself as the Minister of Petroleum. We challenged it up to the Court of Appeal in Abuja.
Interestingly, whilst we were at the Court of Appeal, and due to the pressure brought upon him by the case and the people, Chief Obasanjo promptly appointed Prof. Edmund Daukoru now a Royal Majesty in Bayelsa State, as a Minister of State for Petroleum. That case has now been reported as Austin Ayowe & Ors. Vs. The President & Ors. (2006) All FWLR (PT. 334) 1967
Though we lost on grounds of locus standi, the pressure arising from the legal action prevailed on OBJ to do the needful.
On the President Buhari scenario, he has appointed a Minister for Petroleum, be it a Minister of State or not, because he is recognised under the Petroleum Act and Section 147 of the 1999 Constitution of the FRN (as amended).
Under Section 5 of the Constitution, General Buhari has a right and duty to supervise his Ministries and by extension control and manage the Ministry, provided however, that he has a Minister duly appointed at all material times relating thereto.

Looking at the crop of Ministers he has appointed, do you see any good prospect for Nigeria under Buhari’s government?



 
Relatively speaking, I do believe that from the background of some of the ministers, its very apparent and real that they will impact positively in the administration of the Nation.
It has a blend of old hands and new technocrats which is good for us. However, it may be too early to give an informed assessment of them since, they just started work.

Again, the Urhobos have no minister in the Federal Government?
It’s very sad if not frightening that the Urhobo Nation which produces economic wealth no matter how small to the Federation Account, cannot have a Minister to partake in the Federal Executive Council as to how the commonwealth of the Nation is shared.
In terms of population, we are the fifth largest in Nigeria, we host oil and gas flow stations including the Otorogun Gas Plant.
We have a reservoir of eminent, cerebral and proficient professionals, politicians and      scholars per excellence both here and in the Diaspora.
Accordingly, I urge Mr. President to do the needful timeously by appointing a Minister from any of our eminent sons and daugthers of Urhobo Nation.
It is in the light of the above, that I commend the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his wisdom and magnanimity in appointing many qualified persons of Urhobo extraction into his Administration. It is very commendable and encouraging.

Don’t you see it as a ploy to undermine the Urhobo Nation which is the 6th if not 5th largest ethnic group in the country?
Yes indeed if an ethnic Nationality that is qualified to have a slot as a Minister in Nigeria and its not given that slot, surely it will undermine that ethnic group. A point of reference is Section 55 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that:
“The business of the National Assembly shall be conducted in English, Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba…”
This section does not recongise my Urhobo language, yet my village, Evwrein in Ughelli North hosts a flow Station which produces over eleven thousand barrels of crude oil to the Nigeria State.
My oil and gas resources are a blessing to Nigeria, whilst my language is an abomination in the National Assembly.
The National Assembly was built from our resources. The Constitution was also printed with our resources. Yet my language cannot be spoken in the National Assembly.
Be that as it may, we the Urhobo people must now come together in our collective history to unite and speak with one voice! A house divided against itself cannot stand!
As long as we remain disunited, our fighting and staying power becomes weaker and weaker by the day.
So in as much as we are justifiably agitating for representation at the federal level, we must close ranks because when Mr. President decides to give us a ministerial slot, we must be prepared to speak and choose one person with one voice!
It is on this note, that I advise the Urhobo Nation to start to reach out to our brothers from other minority ethnic groups, such as the Itsekiris, Ijaws, Ibibios, Aniomas, Isokos, and others, to forge a common front with us as we agitate for both political and economic relevance.

What is your reaction to the emergence of a new Olu of Warri?
Firstly, we share in the mourning with the Itsekiri nation of the departed Ogiame Atuwatse II; whilst at the same time we congratulate them on the nomination through overwhelming proclamation and acclamation of the entire Itsekiri nation of the new Olu of Warri.
The unity, swiftness and reverence with which the Itsekiri people selected their new king is worthy of commendation and it is shining example to all other tribes, especially the ethnic minorities, that once a tribe speaks with one voice, nothing, I say nothing can ever stop their progress and development.

Do you have faith in Buhari’s corruption crusade?
Faith in Mr. President’s corruption crusade? I think faith is too strong for me at this point in time, I think whether I have confidence in President Buhari’s corruption crusade? Yes!
For now, his body language is encouraging towards the fight against corruption, however let it not be selective.
We must commend him for his patriotic stand before and now on the fight against corruption and urge all Nigerians to support this fight for a better Nigeria.
The appointment of the proficient and well respected international scholar, teacher and lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay SAN as the chair of the presidential Advisory Committee on corruption is a big plus for President Buhari and the fight against the incubus of corruption in Nigeria.
However, for Government to fight corruption frontally the institutions responsible for investigation, arrest and prosecution of corrupt persons must be urgently reformed, funded and made more potent in that respect.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO "DADDY CHANGE" .Check out President Buhari's 73rd birthday cakes

Zahra Buhari (pictured at the bakery) helped out with the concept, according to frostcakes/Instagram. See more photos after the cut...

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Kate Henshaw Appointed Special Adviser To Cross River Governor

Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade on Wednesday, approved the appointment of Senator Florence Ita-Giwa as the Chairman of the Cross River Ports Authority.

Ayade who made several appointments into key boards and parastatals, also appointed Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw as his Special Adviser, Liaison, Lagos.

Meanwhile fans of the popular actress have taken to Twitter to rejoice her new appointment.

See some of their tweets :


Congratulations my sister @HenshawKate on your latest and well deserved appointment. Enter madam Special Adviser liason to Governor Ayade

— #JusticeForAbians (@maryikoku) December 16, 2015

The appointments were made known in a press release signed by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Media & Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita.

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Muhammadu Buhari Celebrates His 73rd Birthday Today

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI @73 born on
(17 December 1942 ),
Happy Birthday, Mr. President
Wish U Good health ,strength and wisdom as you rebuild Nigeria and return her lost Glory


GOD BLESS PMB & PYO



GOD BLESS MY PARTY APC



GOD BLESS NIGERIA



#HappyBirthdayBuhariAt73

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Buhari: I got 2 cars from Jonathan, denies collecting Dasuki’s $300,000

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has denied receiving any monetary compensation from the Office of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, in the aftermath of the attack on his convoy in Kaduna last year.
Buhari, in a statement last night by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Mr Femi Adesina, was reacting to an online publication that he received $300,000 and five Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) as compensation from the NSA Office.
Adesina said while it was true that one armoured SUV and one untreated SUV were sent to Buhari in the aftermath of the attack, the vehicles were in keeping with his entitlements as a former head of state under the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (And other Ancillary Matters) Decree of 1999.
The presidential spokesman stated that Section 3, Sub-section 1 of that Decree provides that three vehicles will be provided for former heads of state and replaced every four years. He said Buhari had in keeping with his austere, spartan and frugal disposition, shunned most of his entitlements as a former head of state, but was prevailed upon by his supporters to accept the two vehicles for his personal safety in the aftermath of the dastardly attempt to assassinate him.
According to Adesina, it is preposterous to think that Buhari will allow his acclaimed reputation of honesty and incorruptibility to be tarnished by accepting a questionable monetary compensation from a discredited regime. 
“We unequivocally deny that President  Buhari received $300,000.00 or any monetary compensation whatsoever from the Jonathan presidency or any of its officials, in the aftermath of that attack, or at any other time since then.
“While it is true that one armoured SUV and one untreated SUV were sent to the president in the aftermath of the attack, the vehicles were in keeping with his entitlements as a former Head of State under the Remuneration of Former Presidents and Heads of State (And other Ancillary Matters) Decree of 1999,” he said

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I won’t stop my opposition to Buhari, Obasanjo - Fayose

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State is seen as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman as he continues to criticise the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government. In this interview in Lagos, he gives an insight into issues that make him pitch tent against the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. Excerpts:
  

You appear to be determined to conduct election into local government areas in Ekiti State. What stage are you in the process?
We are expecting judgement this week concerning local government election. I've said it times without number that I will go on with that election except if the court says stop‎, then I will obey.

A military panel was set up to look into activities of military personnel during last year’s Ekiti and Osun states governorship elections. What is your view on the panel's investigation so far?
You will recall that after I won the election, there was this effort to stop the swearing-in that generated a lot of controversy; even before and after the elections. There was one story of photo-chronic military rigging and all that. You will equally recall that there were four elections after mine; the presidential, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections. They all followed the same pattern even when military men were not enough for the whole country. They followed the same pattern. It is good for anybody to complain about the elections. But you can't win an election if you are not on ground. That's what happened in Ekiti State.
What they are doing now is that they went to Kaduna, after all submissions, they now want to say the military rigged Ekiti election. They are releasing their report very soon. Knowing that military report holds no water in law, the attorney-general would want that report reviewed and approach the Supreme Court to review their position, which is not known in law.

Are you surprised that the military panel was set-up?
To my surprise, I later learnt that they set up a panel to look into activities of some military men during the elections in Ekiti and Osun. That is their choice. After all, Dr. Kayode Fayemi conceded defeat to me. Yet, the party still went ahead to challenge it up to the Supreme Court and we still won. The Supreme Court dealt properly with the issue of impeachment and it did not raise issues of whether the elections were won or not. It talked about the issue of certificate that was raised in 2002. It equally raised the issue of non-qualification as a result of impeachment. The court dealt with it all and it was a landmark judgement already reported in all law journals.

But your voice was singled out at a meeting with some PDP chieftains held prior to the election strategising on how to go about and win the election by all means?
An online newspaper generated the report of a conversation and I came out to say that I was part of the conversation. I was the complainant in that conversation. If they now set up a military committee to look into the Ekiti and Osun elections that were adjudged to be free and fair, the Americans and international observers made it very clear that they recommend Ekiti elections for subsequent elections. That military panel was selected for this hatchet job. The same military handled elections in Ekiti and Osun. The PDP won in Ekiti, but the APC won in Osun, heavens did not fall.  They have a target. But we are waiting for them.

You have been critical of the present government and that of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. Why are you so interested in criticising these people?
I have been very critical of this government and I will continue to be critical of any government in Nigeria because democracy is about opposition and the government in power. I have no regrets and I am not sorry about my actions. I did not start after Buhari's election, I started before the elections. I actually told Nigerians not to vote for him (Buhari). I advertised to ensure that people will not vote for him and I am still not sorry for that. I still maintain my stand because I envisaged this disobedience to court orders and dictatorship. Forget about those who rule Nigeria, but we must be ruled by the rule of law. We must appreciate that the hope of the common man is the judiciary and every order issued by the court must be respected by every Nigerian.
As for Obasanjo, we are living testimonies of his misrule. Obasanjo is an expired man today, and I am still making impact. He goes to Aso Rock to beg every week. How many times did Buhari visit him when he was president in Aso Rock? Buhari did not step into Aso Rock throughout Obasanjo's tenure, not even at Council of State meetings. What is Obasanjo looking for in the villa? He is going about asking the president to make this one a minister, that one minister.

The Kogi State election and its experiences are still very fresh. What is your opinion about the conclusion of this election?
It doesn’t matter which party I belong to, but Nigerians, their votes and views must be respected. When a man ‎did not participate in an election and he is the beneficiary of that election; that is injustice. I don't know whether they announced the winner on the basis of that supplementary election. At the point when the election was held, it was believed that all the procedures leading to an election have been observed and there must be somebody declared winner at the end. If a man is dead, he doesn't enjoy democracy and votes from an election. Automatically, election came, processes followed and a winner must be announced. Idris Wada was supposed to be announced. Now that you have equally chosen not to announce Wada, I don't know how you brought somebody else who did not participate in the elections.
I must commend James Abiodun Faleke. I am not saying he is the winner. But we must commend him for standing out in the midst of this darkness. God uses a man for a purpose in a given time. Faleke is being used for a purpose in this period of this democracy. We will continue to remember Buhari for his past antecedents and his current attitude to undermine our democracy. If you look at the way things are going on in this country presently, I am sure those who had promoted Buhari would have a rethink.

The N2.3bn arms deal has been generating varied reactions. What's your take on this issue?
I agree with them. We should all fight corruption. I want to remind them that when the third term agenda came up, Obasanjo gave N50 million to each of the senators and the House of Representatives members. All I am saying is that the security votes under the National Security Adviser (NSA) is part of the prerogative of the President at a given time to stabilise the country. While I am not saying it must be misused, I am equally saying what goes around must come round. I am saying it very expressly that during the election in Ghana when Obasanjo was there, a lot of things went wrong which needed to be open for the public to see, like the on-going arms deal investigations.
President Buhari must be bold enough to go beyond Jonathan's and let us look at all the NSAs in office in the last 16 years. He should go a little further. The Halliburton case is still there. Why is the president shying away to look in there?  I am telling you, corruption is even higher under Buhari than ever before.
There are 16 things that will happen in the country in 2016. I am going to publish it later. There would be so much of disobedience to court order, there will be removal of the oil subsidy within the first quarter of 2016, corruption under Buhari will be on the increase, poverty in this country under Buhari will be like never before. I want to equally establish that power generation under Buhari will be at its lowest ebb in 2016; our earnings will be critical and worse. I can't remember others as I speak but I will publish them later. We cannot continue with this propaganda. I want to say that Buhari should make public, in the last 16 years, finances under the NSA. Who is fooling who?

Are you not afraid of your safety as you continue to attack the present and past president of the country?
My brother, forget that one! This year, I am 55, I will be 56 next year. If I die today, I have five sons. They will do a big party. People will console them that your father lived an exemplary life - he was governor twice. They will still move on and enjoy my wealth. Those things we fear most happen to us eventually. I am not a coward, life is not about how many years you live, but what you stand to represent. Within or outside Ekiti, I don’t use siren.  I don’t carry policemen or SSS about. I don’t need them. If you come, you are only wasting your time because I have nothing to hide. There is even no money for anybody to steal.
The very day the Buhari-administration faces me, his government will come down, quote me. The very day Buhari singles me out, I am a child of destiny. Any government that confronts me will come down, it will not stand the test of time. Why would you muscle everybody because we are opposed to you? I am in the PDP. I will never go to any other party. I am Ayo Fayose. I was governor without a godfather. I was there for three and a half years before Obasanjo took me out. I am back now. There is no lion again in Nigeria. We own this country together. I am Ayo Fayose. I am from Ekiti popularly known as Osokomole.

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Blame naira fall and bad economy on the last administration- Lai Mohammed

 
Minister of Information Lai Mohammed has asked Nigerians to blame the last administration for the continued fall of the Naira and the current state of the economy. Lai Mohammed stated this in statement he released yeterday December 13th. According to him, some members of the former ruling party turned the CBN into their ATM or piggy banks. He said if the party had won the Presidential election, Nigerians economy would not have survived one more month ...

 

“Some people still have the temerity to insult a government that is working hard to turn things around for the citizens, who are bearing the brunt of such mismanagement. It is now clear to all Nigerians that if the PDP had won the last general elections, Nigeria’s economy would not have survived one more month, considering the battering it received under the immediate past Administration. It is therefore unconscionable that those who should show contrition and humility to avoid public disgrace are the same ones pointing accusing fingers at the Buhari Administration.”he said

Lai Mohammed described the comments credited to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu which stated that ‘businesses may collapse in the next six months because the Buhari Administration has mismanaged the economy’ as the clearest indication that the PDP and its leaders are still in denial of the massive destruction they inflicted on the Nigerian economy. According to him, Ike Ekweremadu (Senator) complained about the depreciation of the naira without telling Nigerians, who ‘dollarized’ the Nigerian economy by bribing many individuals and groups with dollars during the last elections, thereby causing a downward drift on the local currency.

Lai added that the Senate deputy President failed to tell Nigerians which government presided over the frenzied mop-up of dollars, either for ‘arms – gate’ or for slush fund purposes from the CBN to a point where it almost ran out of the hard currency.

He said that though the Buhari Administration met an economy that was in coma, it has refused to use that as an excuse for inaction, hence has been working hard on measures that will turn the economy around and greatly offer relief to Nigerians by lifting millions, not thousands of people out of poverty through a massive social intervention policy. 

He further noted that the outcome of the months of hard work will manifest soon in the 2016 national budget that will give succor to millions of Nigerians, who are reeling from the fallout of the mistake of the immediate past Administration which has turned the country into a cash market.

He advised the leaders of PDP and members of the immediate past Administration, who are involved in the emerging cases of looting spree to urgently return to government coffers, the funds they have taken from the treasury. 

”They are lucky that Nigerians are not as reckless as they are, otherwise they would not be able to walk around freely; not even to have the confidence challenge the Government which inherited their rot or the citizens suffering the consequences. They looted the billions of naira that were allocated for the fight against insurgency, causing many innocent and patriotic soldiers to die needlessly. Yet, they are not remorseful. They looted the treasury to influence the last elections, doling out money as if it was going out of fashion, yet they have continued in brag. In the latest revelation, a Minister under the immediate past dispensation admitted to sharing 600 million naira to six Chairmen of the Contact and Mobilization Committee of the PDP for the last general elections, 300 million naira to an account given by a former PDP Chairman, 200 million naira to a PDP governorship candidate and 100 million naira to a former PDP Governor. This is just one case out of many, yet these revelations are but a tip of the iceberg of what Nigerians will hear in the days ahead.”he added

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What Soyinka failed to say about Jonathan, Buhari

By Ignatious Okpanachi

In a recent interview he granted Channels Television, Prof Wole Soyinka’s attempt at assessing the last general elections and the outcomes, where he praised the Buhari administration to high heavens and concluded dogmatically that Nigeria would have collapsed if former President Goodluck Jonathan had won the 2015 polls, muddled up his own public record and left our own W.S. punching below his weight.
It simply showed that every star has its skyline, every sprinter has his track and every sage, his sphere. And for an intellectual, it becomes even more lethal, to venture into an unknown turf without the benefit of rigor and diligent research. If that happens, any attempt to dominate spaces clearly outside one’s scope, easily betrays the true motive of the intrusion. He will either be struggling to maintain his standing on a strange ground or be fighting piteously to cover up his predisposition.
Granted that the interviewer overreached himself by taking Soyinka out of the familiar terrain of literature and art to demand of him, on the spot analysis of politics. Even then the Nobel Laureate couldn’t have offended any soul if he had limited himself to the exercise his God-given freedom of judgement where he had quickly expressed his fondness for President Muhammadu Buhari, over  Jonathan.
But it then became an act of hubris when Soyinka, apparently blinded by the bravura of his conviction, failed to rise to the occasion to dispassionately volunteer his views when challenged to assess the seven months of the Buhari administration, even after he had glibly put a nail on the possibility of Jonathan continuing in office, without giving credible reasons for his strange conclusions.
While comparing the two presidential candidates for the 2015 elections, Soyinka had said: “I became convinced that if this country underwent four more years under President Jonathan, the country would run aground completely.” Haba Professor! Where is the empirical evidence that supports such indiscreet generalization?
Prodded on to justify his choice, amidst the worsening misery of the last six months and the dismal growth prognosis stemming from the new administration’s obvious lack of vision and economic direction, Soyinka simply affirmed that Buhari’s performance in office so far” has proven that there is such a thing as a born-again democrat.”
And to think that this defence is coming not long after Soyinka described Buhari as a “devil for whom in my calculation, no spoon existed long enough to justify the risk even of an impromptu snack.”
A friend who was reviewing this interview with me did not waste time in agreeing that Soyinka’s position didn’t add up and insisted that, for once, Soyinka has allowed his prejudice to colour his intervention on a burning national issue. He drew my attention to the fact that the Nobel laureate who placed a blanket condemnation on the last administration had on the same breath praised the outcome of Jonathan’s National Conference as the best so far in the country’s history, and had even gone ahead to urge Buhari to implement its recommendations.
If it was convenient for Soyinka to isolate the National Conference as a plus, why did he withhold from telling the nation that the few measures being implemented by this government are policies of the past administration? Beyond the on-going arrests of corrupt politicians, the only far-reaching, sustainable anti-corruption measures so far adopted are the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Intergrated Personnel & Payroll Information System (IPPIS)which tracks ghost workers and checks other leakages in public services. Incidentally these were programmes introduced by those Jonathan put in-charge at the finance ministry.
Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Agriculture Minister Chief Audu Ogbe and Power, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola, who are the only ministers in the new cabinet to have taken the lead in speaking about their programmes, have all indicated that they would go on with the Jonathan policies. While Amaechi had vowed to continue with the rail projects in continuation of Jonathan’s rail restoration programme, Ogbe did not pretend that this government has an alternative to the globally acclaimed Agriculture Transformation Agenda, which brought this country close to self-sufficiency in food production. On his part Fashola, a very practical and goal-oriented man in the corridors of power, who unfolded his plan only last week, had praises for Jonathan’s reforms in the power, and transport sectors. He even went ahead to boldly proclaim, against the run of public opinion, that Jonathan constructed more roads than any other administration.
Soyinka will soon discover that he would be standing alone in praising the Buhari government, especially as he deliberately failed to raise the red flag on obvious and avoidable sloppiness on the side of the new government. Is Soyinka happy with the excruciating but unending fuel situation, spiraling decline in naira value, prevarication and tardiness on the issue of subsidy, embarrassing lack of economic blueprint, constant demonisation and criminalisation of Nigeria and Nigerians at international fora, as well as Buhari’s abhorrent disdain for those he governs, who only get to hear about his plans and decisions from those he addresses while abroad? Juxtapose those with the method of the Jonathan era and please help spot the difference.
It is within the boundaries of Soyinka’s rights to brand anybody a born-again democrat. But any fair assessment should have admitted that this toga first belonged to Jonathan who organized world acclaimed free and fair general elections in both 2011 and 2015 and the isolated state government elections. I believe that Soyinka would have seen that Buhari’s INEC has failed in organising credible elections in just two states-tiny Bayelsa and Kogi- the results of which have remained inconclusive. It is a defect that even Buhari himself has admitted, supporting the position of local and international observers that the elections were flawed.
Soyinka is so precious to us that we wouldn’t want him to be stained by the murky waters of politics. Next time he wants to run commentary on our leaders, he should be honest enough to state facts as they are, without allowing his preferences to alter his wisdom. Less he would be running the risk of reducing himself to the status of a lawyer, who otherwise would have been celebrated for his brilliance, but who is now only perceived from the prism of the client that hired him.

Source: Vanguard

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Woman wins seat in Saudi election

Officials say Salma bint Hizab al-Oteibi has been elected to Mecca council, with votes still being counted in first ever poll open to female voters and candidates


A Saudi woman has won a seat on Mecca’s municipal council in Saudi Arabia’s first ever elections open to female voters and candidates, the country’s election commission has announced.
Salma bint Hizab al-Oteibi was elected to the council of Madrakah, a region in the holy city of Mecca, the official SPA news agency reported, citing election commission president Osama al-Bar.
She was running against seven men and two women, he said.
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with some of the world’s tightest restrictions on women, including a ban on driving.
It was the last country to allow only men to vote, and polling stations were segregated for Saturday’s election.
Among the 6,440 candidates were more than 900 women, who overcame a number of obstacles to participate in the landmark poll.
Female candidates could not directly meet any male voters during their campaigns.
Female voters said registration was hindered by factors including bureaucratic obstacles and a lack of transport.
As a result women accounted for fewer than 10% of registered voters. Few female candidates were expected to be elected.

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Petition to ban Donald Trump breaks records as he pledges ‘mandatory death penalty'

Petition to ban Donald Trump breaks records as he pledges ‘mandatory death penalty
To continue his streak of terrible ideas, Donald Trump has just said he would bring in mandatory death sentences.

At the same time, a petition to ban the presidential hopeful from entering the UK became the most signed government petition in British history.
Wading even further into legally-murky waters, Trump claimed that if he were elected he would sign an executive order mandating the death penalty for all people convicted of killing policemen.
He made the comments while accepting endorsement from the New England Police Benevolent Association on Thursday evening.
‘One of the first things I do, in terms of executive order if I win, will be to sign a strong, strong statement that will go out to the country – out to the world – that anybody killing a policeman, policewoman, a police officer — anybody killing a police officer… the death penalty.
‘It’s going to happen, OK?’
The Donald vs The UK
This death penalty plan comes after a barrage of disturbing comments about Muslims, London and the UK over the course of this week.

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Nigerians will beg PDP to return in 2019 – Ekweremadu

Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu on Saturday in Enugu expressed worry over the poor situation of the country’s economy, hinting that business may collapse within the next six months.
Ekweremadu, who spoke at the meeting of the South-East caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, had shown that it was not a good manager of the economy, stressing that “there has been an unchecked downfall in our currency; Naira has depreciated to the point of N260 to a dollar; it has never happened in the history of this country”.
This is also as a motion for vote of confidence was passed on him and the members of the South-East Zonal Working Committee of the party. The motion moved by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chuchu Onyema, was seconded by the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Azubuike.
The meeting was equally attended by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State as well as the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State and several National Assembly members.
The Deputy Senate President in his speech, cautioned that if something was not done urgently, the Onitsha and Alaba markets would close down in the next six months because the traders would run out of stock.
“So many people are worried over the situation of Nigerians in the hand of the APC; I don’t know what will happen between now and 2019”, he stated, adding “unless APC changes their style, Nigerians will be begging PDP to come back”.
On the fight against corruption, Ekweremadu accused the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of adopting a selective-approach in its anti-corruption war.
According to him, “the fight against corruption is selective, most of them media orchestrated; we are prepared to join hands with the government to fight corruption but it must be done in a very civilized way. Even the international community is no longer taking us serious”.
He equally called on Buhari’s government to urgently address all cries of injustice in the country, noting that “there is a lot of complaints in this country and there is no way injustice and peace can co-exist. Government should address complaints no matter where it is coming from. It should be ensured that everybody has a sense of belonging”.
Commenting on the recently conducted Kogi State governorship election, the Deputy Senate President said the substitution of late Abubakar Audu would not stand.
He said, “what happened in Kogi is totally unacceptable; no court will accept that; there is no way somebody will run election without a running mate; it will not stand; PDP will retake Kogi State”.
Also speaking, PDP national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh accused the APC of running a government of falsehood and propaganda, which he said was bound to fail.
He slammed the government for engaging in what he called “imaginary convictions”, stressing that “you cannot convict people in the media; the people who have refunded money should not only be named but should be tried publicly and jailed”.
On the on-going pro-Biafra protest, Metuh urged security agencies to respect the people’s rights.
He observed that the right to peaceful protest was protected under democracy and stressed that instead of flexing muscles with innocent and un-armed protesters, security agents should move to the Sambisa forest and battle the Boko Haram sect.
Earlier, the zonal vice chairman of the party, Col. Austin Akobundu, (Rtd.) had in his opening remarks stated that “notwithstanding the apparent victories we achieved at the last general elections in the zone, it is glaring that our party now faces more challenges than it has ever experienced since its formation”.

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Lagos Shuts Down Churches, Mosques

The Lagos state government has closed about 53 churches, mosques and hotels in the state due to noise pollution and environmental offences.

 
The Punch reports that some of the religious centres were operating inside residential apartment which has been a sort of worry and constituting nuisance to the people.

Adebola Shabi who is the general manger of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) said complaints from residents and neighbours necessitated the closure of the centres.
He said: “In recent times, most of the petitions kept coming to us. It was as if we are not working at all. That was why we shut the facilities.”

Shabi said that the centres had already been served notice before the exercises were carried out. He noted that some of the religious centres operated in makeshift locations and the level of noise pollution they were causing was enormous.

“You cannot have makeshift structures and say you want to be conducting services or vigils there. Definitely, you will be disturbing your neighbours. So, the government won’t allow the use of makeshift structures as a church or mosque.

“Nobody is allowed to make a noise above 55 decibel during the day in residential areas and only 45 decibel is allowed in such areas at night. In industrial areas, 90 decibel of noise level is allowed during the day, while the noise rate must not exceed 80 decibel at night.”

He noted however that people were getting to understand the issue of noise pollution and that the tolerance level had increased. He said religious centres now understood the need to comply with the directives.
He also explained that the hotels were closed because they did not submit environmental report.
He also said the use of pit latrines would not be accepted as the government would not allow improper sewage disposal.

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