Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts

APC Blames PDP For Aregbesola's Failure to Pay Osun Workers' 6 Months Wages

The Osun Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC has fingered the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Governor Rauf Aregbesola's failure to pay state employees for the past 6 months.

PUNCH reports that spokesperson of the APC in Osun State, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said this in a statement.

He said, ''The long and difficult battle to defeat the forces of evil that have squandered the nation’s wealth has just ‎been won comprehensively. This has now paved the way for a new, progressive and responsible APC government to take over the affairs of the country and end the suffering which PDP’s corruption, mismanagement and treasury looting have brought on Nigerians including workers in the state of Osun.

''This is a pleasant transition moment that requires sober, intelligent and calculating responses from all stakeholders in the state of Osun, so that we do not turn victory into sorrow by engaging in actions that will create more problems than solutions.

''Alhaji Mohammadu Buhari has promised to solve this problem, it is our duty to exercise patience and trust the integrity of the new President to deliver on his promise. Labour and civil servants should give the new leader a breathing space to demonstrate his integrity and progressive credentials, which is not in dispute, except in the evil consciousness of the PDP leadership in the state.

Permanent Secretary Suspended For Embarrassing President Jonathan

Ambassador Danjuma Sheni, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been suspended for embarrassing President Goodluck Jonathan.

The part of the embarrassment involved his alleged role in the controversy over the invitation of Nigeria’s envoys from South Africa few weeks after the diplomatic row between Nigeria and Morocco on issue of telephone conversation between Jonathan and King Mohammed VI.

A Source who spoke anonymously on the suspension said, ''The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been suspended and queried for embarrassing the President by not clearing from him before inviting the Charge d’Affaires. The President on Monday directed the Head of Service to query him and he has 24 hours to respond to the query.

''You will recall that that was the second embarrassment, this one came shortly after the Morocco saga. The permanent secretary was to be dismissed immediately, but for the civil service rule. Even at that, there will still be further consequence.

''As at now, a new permanent secretary has been redeployed to the ministry to replace him.”

APC reverses Buhari on AIT, says all accredited media free to cover President-elect’s activitie

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has reversed the controversial decision taken by President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to bar the Africa Independent Television, AIT, from covering his activities.

The party said all accredited media organizations in the country, including the AIT, are free to cover the activities of the president elect.

AIT journalists were on Monday denied access to Mr. Buhari’s temporary office when they showed up to cover his official engagements.

His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, cited family and security concerns for the decision.

“AIT has been asked to stay aside based on security and family concerns. In addition, Buhari has decided that they will have to resolve some issues relating to issues of standard and ethics.

“We will be talking with them to try and resolve the matter, but for now the station has been asked to stay aside, because like I said there are some family and security concerns. They have been asked to step down their coverage until we resolve the matter with them on ethics and standard,” Mr. Shehu said.

However, the party in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, said the incoming Buhari Administration would not discriminate against any media organization, irrespective of its role during the electioneering campaign leading up to the recent polls.

The statement however enjoined all media organizations to observe the highest level of professional standards in carrying out their duties.

”There is a Code of Ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria, and this demands every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out their duties.

”There must be repercussions, within the realms of the law, for media organizations which have wantonly breached the Code of Ethics of the journalism profession and turned themselves to partisans instead of professionals. But such repercussions will not include barring any accredited media organization from covering the activities of the President-elect,” the APC said.

A lot of Nigerians had condemned Mr. Buhari’s decision to bar the AIT from his activities.

Majority of those who spoke on the matter considered it an infringement on press freedom.

Some however view the decision as payback to AIT after they ran a series of documentaries maligning Mr. Buhari during the electioneering campaign prior to the election.

A UK-based activist and strong supporter of Mr. Buhari, Kayode Ogundamisi, described the decision as a “disappointing”.

Writing on his Facebook page, Mr. Ogundamisi said although it is understandable for the President-elect to feel aggrieved about the activities of AIT, there was no basis for Mr. Buhari to ostracize the television station.

“News of General Buhari barring AIT is disappointing, the decision should be reversed, whoever advised the General to bar the organisation does not wish him well,” Mr. Ogundamisi said.

Also, an Abuja based lawyer, Abdul Mahmud, in a telephone interview, told PREMIUM TIMES that the decision to bar AIT was strange.

He said Mr. Buhari promised Nigerians change and that if he felt his fundamental rights were infringed upon, there were a lot of channels open for him to seek redress.

He said Buhari should have approached the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission or even a competent court of law.

Mr. Mahmud also said Mr. Buhari would be taking off on a wrong footing by declaring a media war.

“I have not seen anywhere in the world where the government wins the war against a big media outfit. In the short term, the government will be successful, but once the government starts making mistakes, other media houses will be drawn into the war to support the media group being ostracised by the government,” he said.

Mr. Mahmud also faulted the decision of Mr. Buhari on the grounds of privacy, as the place of his present abode, the Defence House, is an official building that is owned by Nigerian taxpayers.

However, some Nigerians also said Mr. Buhari acted within his right to stop the AIT from covering his activities.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, Bashir Yusuf said the change Nigerians voted for is a change from having things done on the basis of “business as usual”.

Writing on his twitter page, Mr, Yusuf said right to free speech stops where one’s right to privacy and safety starts.

“When people voted for change, were they told AIT and the media will be exempt? That business as usual can proceed in the name of free speech?

“In the US they have barred media organisations from covering the White House on ethical grounds. Now AIT is involved, the heavens is about to fall.

“I am of the view that AIT and NTA’s licences should have been revoked a long time ago. They have serially violated the Broadcasting Code.

“It’s a fallacy that because you have the money to set up a private TV station, you are a defender of free speech and can invade my privacy,” he said

Basketmouth blasts Petroleum Minister Diezani Madueke Allison over Asylum Rumors

Basketmouth took to his Instagram page to blast Petroleum Minister, Mrs Allison-Madueke Deziani following she allegation that tried to flee the country to avoid being prosecuted over fraud,(ASYLUM) especially in the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission (NNPC).

Allison-Madueke who denied committing any crime, saying she only stepped on big toes during her tenure. I don't think she has been able to convince many Nigerian including basket mouth.

Buhari is Prepared to Grant Amnesty to Corrupt Politicians -Fayemi

Dr. Kayode Fayemi has disclosed that Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria's president-elect will grant amnesty to politicians who return their loot.

Fayemi who is a former Governor of Ekiti and head of Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign made the disclosure during BBC Hardtalk.

Fayemi said, ''Corruption is not going to be dealt with by punishment alone. It is also going to be dealt with by incentives to those who are prepared to have a conversion. If you come voluntarily and say, look, I have stolen some money and I am prepared to return the money, Gen. Buhari would not say no to that''.

''Returning the funds is a form of justice to Nigeria because those funds will now be available for the teeming population. There would be a range of options for dealing with corruption but that does not mean that justice will not take its full course.

''Buhari said he would not interfere with the judicial process and that if anyone is found guilty of malfeasance or corruption then that the law would take its course. Buhari didn’t mention any individual but anyone who is found guilty or who behaved badly in terms of corruption would be brought to face the law'', Fayemi said.

Forensic Audit Report Prepared without Bank Statement, says PwC

The forensic audit report on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) compiled by PricewaterHouseCoopers (PwC) was done without bank statements, the report said.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), according to the report, shunned the auditors’ request for the bank statements.

PwC stated in the revenue section of the report that “up till the time of writing this report, our request for bank statements from CBN was not responded to,” PwC said in the revenue section of the report, which depicts the NNPC as an organization with chaotic procedure.

As a result of this “limitation”, PwC said it “relied on the account statements obtained from other stakeholders to carry out our independent check on the remittances made”.

PwC was engaged to carry out the forensic audit with a letter dated 5 June, 2014 by the Ministry of Finance in the wake of the missing $20 billion allegation by the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano.

The audit report, though called “forensic”, may not be considered a detailed financial audit of Nigeria’s carbon deposit industry activities because PwC was quick to state that it “examined crude oil production records only rather than crude oil and gas as per the signed contract”.

This review addressed three key areas, namely the outcome of the Senate Committee hearings, the total crude oil liftings by NNPC from all terminals in the period and the total revenue generated from crude oil from January 2012 to July 2013. The audit report disclosed that the activities of the NNPC led to the under-valuation of $32,909,590 relating to 13 liftings (equity and domestic crude) during the review period.

These differences, the report noted, resulted in value loss to the federation. One of such differences is the under-valuation of $1,503,540.

PwC stated that “of the $33 million, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD) of the NNPC agreed that for two liftings (with an under-valuation of $1,503,540), they had made valuation errors by computing the amounts due using a different pricing option in one case and a wrong Official Selling Price (OSP) in the other”.

The auditors added that there was another under reporting to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) of $2,107,275. According to the report, ”for four other liftings with differences totaling $2,107,275, the unit prices on the schedule received did not agree with our recomputation. We checked the liftings to COMD’s valuation documents and observed that the prices agree with our recomputation but were just different on the schedule provided. However, the different valuations on the schedule were also used in the monthly FAAC reports; as such, the errors resulted in lower remittances to FAAC”.

There were other accounting infractions discovered by the auditors. According to PwC, “the total cash remitted into the Federation accounts from crude oil liftings for the period under review amounted to $50.81 billion”. “We were able to trace $49.33bn of this amount to the FGN bank accounts. The balance of $1.48billion was also traced to the FAAC report for subsequent months. $3.81billion is the difference between $50.81billion and the $47billion amount reported by the Senate Reconciliation Committee. This difference was as a result of the following:

FIRS remittance – We verified additional $1 billion revenue generated by FIRS, which was not reported by the Reconciliation Committee. We also traced the payment of this amount to the CBN/FIRS JP Morgan account.

Other third party financing remittance – $1.37billion was received from the third party financing arrangements. The arrangement with TEPNL resulted in the payment of $211million to the Federation from the USAN Field TMP project which represents Royalty and Profit oil, while the sum of $1.16billion was received from MPNL from the Satellite Field and Reserve Development projects.

NPDC remittance – Cash payments of $1.7billion representing Petroleum Profit Tax and Royalties had been remitted.

Equity crude and DPR royalty oil remittance – The remittance received from Equity crude sales, and in favour of DPR royalty oil, was $0.16 billion higher and $0.42billion lower than the Senate Reconciliation Committee figures respectively.”

The forensic audit report noted that “Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited, in its submission to the Senate, reported revenue figures of $518million and $859million in respect of the Reserve Development Project (RDP) and Satellite Field Development Project (SFD) respectively. Total E&P reported a revenue figure of $1.053 billion7 in respect of the USAN project. These amounts represent royalty and profit oil due to the Federation Account from these third party financing arrangements. The total revenue generated from third party financing arrangement was $2.43billion and not $2 billion reported by the Reconciliation Committee.”

With regards to undisclosed remittance to the Federation Account, out of the total revenue reported by MPNL, $1.158billion had been remitted to the Federation Account as at November 2013. This was confirmed by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation at the presentation to the Senate Committee.”

However, PwC traced these payments to the CBN/NNPC JP Morgan account. The total of $858,750,972 relating to SFD had been remitted while $300,000,000 out of the $518,069,354 relating to RDP had been remitted. The balance of $218,069,354 was withheld to service the project finance cost and subsequent remittance of the net amount, in accordance with the contract terms.

In respect of the USAN project handled by Total E&P Nigeria Limited, $193,478,061.15 and $17,943,616 totaling $211,421,677, being Royalty and Profit Oil was remitted to the Federation account.

There were cash payments of $863 million by NPDC to FIRS not captured by Reconciliation Committee. PwC noted that “NPDC was yet to be assessed for tax by the FIRS. However, the company made several cash payments during and after the period which amounted to $863million. These payments were confirmed by FIRS to have been received. We also traced the payments to CBN/FIRS bank statements with JP Morgan.”

“For the period under review, NPDC made several payments to DPR based on self-estimated royalty. We traced several cash payments made by the company to CBN/DPR JP Morgan account statement, to the tune of $839 million but this was also not captured by the reconciliation committee.

Fayose, APC, PDP lawmakers hold peace meeting tomorrow

Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers and seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers are to meet tomorrow to resolve the raging impeachment crisis rocking the state.

The meeting is at the instance of the state’s elders led by an eminent lawyer and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola.

The peace meeting is scheduled to hold at ABUAD and will bring the warring factions together in a face-to-face interactive session for the first time since the crisis erupted last November.

Fayose, in a statement he signed on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, has pledged his readiness to be committed to peace moves.

The governor said he was committed to the peace move to end the crisis and restore the state to the path of peace, prosperity and development.

He said the peace of Ekiti State is far above all interests and therefore everyone should support the elders’ peace efforts.

His words: “Ekiti elders, under the leadership of our highly respected legal icon Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), called a meeting between the two factions of the House of Assembly to resolve political crisis and I have no objection because the peace of Ekiti is far and above all other interests.

“The meeting is scheduled to hold at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti at 11am tomorrow.

“I, therefore, call on everybody to support this peace move and no one should do anything to undermine it.

“Knowing how agitated and concern the people of Ekiti have been on this crisis, I wish to urge our people to give this peace effort a chance.

“I urge security agencies to see to it that adequate security is provided before, during and after the meeting.

“I thank Ekiti people for their unflinching support for the government and appeal to them to continue to maintain peace, bearing in mind that no society can progress in an atmosphere of rancour.”

Fed Govt declares Friday public holiday

THE Federal Government has declared Friday as public holiday to mark the 2015 Workers’ Day.

Making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, congratulated the citizens for their resilience and commitment in the face of the challenges of daily living.

He enjoined them to sustain the support for President Goodluck Jonathan in his efforts to build a stable, peaceful and economic vibrant nation.

The Minister, according to a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji, wished all workers a joyous and peaceful celebration.

Hausa Community Says Fayose Not Oppressing It

The Ekiti state Hausa community has rejected ever accusing governor Ayodele Fayose of supposedly clamping down on them and crippling their businesses in the state for not voting for the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan during the March 28 presidential election.

In a comment issued by its leader, Alhaji Musa Kanga, they said barring of selective display of goods, mainly on highways, by the government should not be linked to politics.
The community distanced itself from the rumour, saying it was targeted at making friction between the government and the Arewa people who have co-existed in a mutual manner since Fayose came on board last year.

The body was responded to the rumour hovering around that the barring of products from being exhibited on Fajuyi- Adebayo-Opopogbooro road, a place dominated by Hausa traders by the state government, was a campaign against Hausa people for voting Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari during the election.

The Hausa community said: “Anybody, irrespective of tribe or State of origin contravening environmental law should be sanctioned according to the law.
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“That the government decided to act to prevent violation of the law, such should not be linked to politics or be perceived to translate to a clampdown on Hausas for not voting President Jonathan during the presidential poll.

“Election has come and gone and the governor must be allowed peace of mind to govern the State properly.”

Peter Ayodele Fayose was the PDP flag bearer in the 2014 Governorship election in Ekiti state slated for June 21, 2014. He won the election and has been declared by the electoral commission as the new governor.

APC lawmakers at the Ekiti state House of Assembly have served Fayose an impeachment notice, and have given him 7 days to react. This would make him the first Nigerian governor to be impeached twice in office.

Babatope gets knocks for backing illegality

The 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the Ekiti State House of Assembly have criticised a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, for calling them charlatans.

They slammed the exTransport and Aviation minister for backing the impeachment of Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi and opposing the impeachment proceedings against Governor Ayo Fayose.

The lawmakers’ comments followed Babatope’s interview in a national newspaper yesterday.

They said a senior party leader should not be speaking from both sides of the mouth in his analysis of political events in Ekiti.

In a statement yesterday by Special Adviser (Media) to Speaker Adewale Omirin, Wole Olujobi, the lawmakers advised Babatope to take a break after the defeat his party.

Slamming the PDP leader for calling them charlatans, the lawmakers said it was regrettable that Babatope could succumb to partisan emotions while his country crumbled under the weight of illegal acts of brigands.

The statement said: “A question mark is being put on Babatope’s integrity. As a leader, he supported the impeachment in Ondo but he is now calling Ekiti lawmakers names for questioning Fayose.

“Babatope’s past role in Ekiti is still fresh in our memory, as he was alleged to have participated in the supervision of thugs to unleash mayhem on our members.

“We want to ask Babatope where was his integrity and clarity of thought when he kept quiet when Govenor Ayo Fayose invaded the court and beat up a judge.

“What did he say when Fayose froze the Assembly’s accounts, seized the Speaker’s vehicle, cut electricity supply to his house, locked him out of his house and office and seized his official car?

“ What did Babatope say when Fayose suborned seven PDP members to illegally pass the budget, approve commissioners and special advisers, revoke the Local Government Law, State Transport Management Agency and Social Security Scheme laws without recourse to the Assembly through revocation bills?

“It is quite unfortunate that a supposed progressive elder statesman in the twilight of his political career threw away all he attained as a progressive and is frolicking with wolves.”

I’m ready for probe after tenure, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said he would be ready after leaving office for any probe of his administration’s activities.

President-elect Muhammadu Buhari plans to revisit the $20b “missing” oil money when he gets into office.

Besides, All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman Lai Mohammed has alleged massive looting by government officials.

But, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said he is not afraid of any investigation after leaving office.

He noted that investigations will not be out of place since Jonathan’s Administration also reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office.

He said: “As Alhaji Mohammed threatened in his statement, the incoming administration will be perfectly within its rights to review all actions of the present government as it may deem fit.

“We see nothing wrong with that. After all, the present Administration reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office with resultant benefits for policy and project implementation.”

Abati added that President Jonathan ordered the immediate release of the report of PriceWaterCooper’s investigations into the alleged unremitted $20 billion to the Federation account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

He said: “President Jonathan is also deeply concerned by the continuing suggestions that his administration still has anything to hide about the unproven allegation that about $20billion is unaccounted for by the NNPC during his tenure.

“To lay the matter to rest, President Jonathan in line with Section 7(2) of the NNPC Act, has directed that the full report of the PWC Forensic Audit of the NNPC accounts be released immediately to the public so that all Nigerians will be properly informed on the matter.”

Denying the allegations by Mohammed, Abati said: “We have noted with concern the allegation by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that officials of the Federal Government are engaged in “last minute looting of the nation’s resources, rushed privatisation of key institutions and hurried recruitment into the public service”.

“We also consider as most unfortunate and uncharitable, the suggestion by Alhaji Mohammed that the Jonathan Administration is trying to ‘tie the hands’ of the incoming government merely by continuing to discharge its constitutional responsibilities until the end of its tenure.”

“The Jonathan Administration which continues to do its best to ensure a smooth and peaceful handover of power to the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, deeply regrets the unfairness and combative frame of mind reflected in Alhaji Mohammed’s statement.”

According to him, President Jonathan has done his best in the past five years to discharge his constitutional responsibilities for good governance and effective leadership of the nation.

Abati said: “Without any prejudice whatsoever to the freedom of the incoming administration to do as it pleases, within the confines of extant laws when it assumes office, the Jonathan Administration will continue to discharge its responsibility to govern until May 29, 2015.

“In continuing to fulfil the obligations of his office however, President Jonathan has not, and will never condone any form of unscrupulous conduct on the part of state officials.”

He maintained that President Jonathan will never authorise any attempt to create any problems for the incoming administration, stressing that the outcome of the March 28 presidential elections does not imply a cessation of governance.

How Amaechi Intends to Stop Wike's Swearing in -PDP

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Rivers state chapter says the State Governor Chibuike Amaechi and All Progressives Congress, APC are plotting to secure a Court Injunction in Awka, Anambra State to stop the swearing-in of Rivers State Governor- Elect, Chief Nyesom Wike on May 29, 2015.

This revelation is contained in a Statement issued today in Port Harcourt by Emma Okah, Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of PDP Campaign Organisation, Rivers State.

According to Okah, the plot is to shop for and buy a judge outside Rivers State who will agree to do the dirty job since the judiciary in the State has been paralysed by the Amaechi administration.

The PDP further accuses Amaechi and the APC of leaving no stone unturned in planning to carry out the Governor's threat that he will not handover to Chief Wike.

''However, in the face of this provocation, the PDP urges the people of Rivers State to remain calm as their Gov-Elect will be sworn in on May 29, 2015, as ordained by God like his colleagues in other States. The wish of the enemies of Rivers people to cause constitutional crisis and chaos is not the wish of God for Rivers State, noting that light will surely triumph over darkness'', the PDP statement concluded.

Is The Old Dictator Back? The Truth About Buhari's AIT Blacklis

News that General Muhammadu Buhari has banned AIT from making coverage of his activities has been greeted with social media outrage, with the general color of discussion suggestion that we may be seeing a whiff of the old dictator.

A cursory examination of the news says that adverse security reports and ethical issues facilitated the decision/action against AIT.

AIT officials, when informed of the blacklist, refused to budge, saying they were yet to be 'formally informed,' and also, they couldn't leave, as they had a job to do.
“Yes, we were told but we cannot just leave; we have a job to do. In any case, we have not been officially informed about what we have done wrong,” one of them said.

Is this a full-ban? Will AIT no longer be able to report ANYTHING with the word 'Buhari' in it? And what's the linear distance between this development and, say, a full ban on social media across Nigeria tomorrow?

Today, however, a spokesman for the president-elect has explained that the APC has been asked not to cover Buhari's personal life. Basically, they are asked to stay away from his life and family (the reason is not far-fetched; the news station dragged the entire institution of journalism in the mud and then through a guillotine during the March 28 elections. One might say Buhari is just getting warmed up as he preps to get his pound of flesh. Others might describe the president-elect as being petty.)

Whatever the case, the spokesman has said: “AIT has been asked to stay aside based on security and family concerns. In addition, General Buhari has decided that they will have to resolve some issues relating to issues of standard and ethics.

“We will be talking with them to try and resolve the matter but for now, the station has been asked to stay aside because, like I said, there are some family and security concerns.

“They have been asked to step down their coverage until we resolve the matter with them on ethics and standards.”

Hate campaign: Buhari fights back, bars AIT from covering his activities

President-elect, General Mohammadu Buhari may have just started a revenge mission on the African Independent Television, AIT when, Monday, the security men attached to him barred the station’s correspondent, Bebei from covering Buhari’s functions.

Vanguard gathered that directive was discreetly given to the correspondent by an official at the Defence House where the crew had gone to cover the visit of Cuban ambassador to Buhari.

Constitution: Mark faults FG’s court action

Senate President, David Mark, on Monday faulted the Federal Government for dragging the National Assembly before the Supreme Court over some sections of the Constitution Amendment Bill.

Federal Government had invoked the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to scuttle the ongoing amendment process of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly.

The government contended that the National Assembly did not comply with the constitutional procedure of altering the constitution before transmitting it to President Goodluck Jonathan for assent.

Significant among the items that scaled the amendment hurdle at both chambers of the National Assembly are the creation of constitutional role for traditional rulers, electoral reforms, separating the offices of the Accountant-General of the Federation and Accountant-General of the Federal Government, separation of the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and making aspects of the Constitution relating to the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter II, which deal with political, economic, social, educational and cultural objectives, enforceable and granting state legislatures financial autonomy, among others.

But Jonathan declined his assent to the bill.

He was said to have accused the NASS of having arrogated to itself the power to pass any constitution amendment without the assent of the President.

He was also said not to be comfortable with aspect of the amended Bill capable of eroding presidential powers should he assent to the bill.

In the suit already lodged at the registry of the Supreme Court, the Federal Government prayed the apex court to hold that due process was not followed by the lawmakers during the amendment process.

Mark, who spoke while answering questions from journalists at the induction course for elected and returning federal lawmakers in Abuja, said he could not understand the rationale behind the said suit.

Mark said: “The President has taken a Bill to the court and you heard people saying it is a Bill at the moment, unless it is signed, I really don’t see why they are in court. But anybody can go to court, so I can’t stop you from going to court, can I?”

On his part, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said the National Assembly is not aware that the Presidency has taken the legislature to court over the 4th alteration to the Constitution.

Ekweremadu, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said that the National Assembly has not been served any court process regarding the constitution alteration.

‘We didn’t recall SA ambassador,’ Minister denies reports

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro has denied reports that Nigeria recalled its High Commissioner to South Africa.

Acting High Commissioner in Pretoria, Martin Cobham and Deputy High Commissioner in Johannesburg, Uche Ajulu – Okeke were summoned back to Nigeria on Saturday, April 25, 2015.

Obanikoro however stated on April 26, that the envoys hadn’t been recalled as widely reported.

“Please disregard rumours and reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recalled its High Commissioner to South Africa,” the minister stated via Twitter.

“The MFA summoned the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa for consultation. He was not recalled,” he added.

SA doesn’t deserve to be a leader,’ Ex-President responds to xenophobic attacks

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has responded to the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Obasanjo expressed his opinion on the issue on Saturday, April 25, 2015, while speaking at the Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, Texas.

The former President stated that if South Africa can’t accommodate other Africans, then it doesn’t deserve its leadership role in the continent.

“The xenophobia incidents in South Africa are really unfortunate,” Obasanjo said.

‘South Africa is one of the most developed countries in Africa and will continue to be one of the leaders of Africa. If a country that is a leader in Africa can’t accommodate other Africans then it doesn’t deserve to be a leader,’ he added.

Meanwhile Nigerians in SA are said to have lost about N84 million to the incident which left seven foreigners dead and many others displaced.

‘Governor lied, court didn’t stop impeachment,’ APC lawmakers allege

The impeachment saga in Ekiti State is ongoing as the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers have accused Governor Ayo Fayose of lying that an Abuja court had stopped proceedings against him.

The lawmakers further urged the court to find Fayose guilty of contempt for misrepresenting the facts of its ruling.

The comments were made on Saturday, April 25, 2015, via a statement released by Wole Olujobi, the media aide to Speaker, Adewale Omirin.

The statement reads:

“It is incredible that the governor and the PDP lawmakers could manipulate the press again to mislead the public that the ruling by Justice Evoh Chukwu was in their favour.”

“While the judge clearly ruled that it could not stop Fayose’s impeachment without hearing from the APC lawmakers, the governor’s storm troopers went to town in a contempt of court to turn full circle the ruling by the judge.”

“He first raided the courts and chased the judges under their tables and subsequently closed the courts. After that, he closed the House of Assembly and chased the lawmakers out of town.”

“Fayose is now creating for himself a reputation as an enemy of the state who within few months killed all democratic institutions and their supporting structures in Nigeria in a mindless pursuit of power.”

The statement further urged the court to cite the governor and his officials for contempt for the “thoughtless manipulation and misrepresentation of the ruling to put the court in bad light.”

Earlier reports had it that after two denials, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had finally stopped impeachment proceedings against Fayose.

The case has been adjourned till May 13, 2015.

Governor Mimiko appoints new deputy

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state has appointed a new deputy governor.

Commissioner for Agriculture, Lasisi Oluboyo was nominated by Mimiko today, April 27, 2015 following the impeachment of former Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi.

Olanusi was impeached earlier in the day by 24 out of 26 members of the State House of Assembly.

The former deputy governor had been accused of gross misconduct by the Assembly after his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March

President prays for Buhari’s incoming government

President Goodluck Jonathan has prayed for the incoming government of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan also urged Nigerian leaders to be ready to make sacrifices for the growth of the country.

The President made the comments on Saturday, April 25, 2015, while speaking at the fifth presidential prayer breakfast held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“We continue to pray for the country and of course, we pray for the incoming government and also pray for us who are leaving to have the opportunity to serve humanity in different phases,” Jonathan said.

“I remember in 2009 when I visited the Nordic countries, they told me they were celebrating 200 years of peace that has enabled them to develop. Nigeria was 49 years as an independent nation in 2009. If the Nordic countries, well developed technologically and otherwise, it means crisis really retards development,” he added.

The President also said that despite the many problems faced by Nigeria, the country would overcome.

“So we have challenges, today we are talking about Boko Haram in the north, kidnapping in South-South, South-East. At times you are forced to think that the nation is ending, definitely this country will overcome this challenge. That is the reason for these prayers. Just like prayers helped Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, our constant prayers will help us rebuild this nation,” Jonathan said.

“For me, I have to thank God and Nigerians for the privilege and opportunity given to me this past 16 years. I served my state as a deputy governor and governor for eight years. From government house in Yenagoa and then I came here to the state house, Abuja served the country as vice president and a president. That is a reasonable length of time and so I have to thank God, first because if God did not will it, it won’t have happened,” he added.