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.

Nepal Earthquake: Death toll rises to over 3,000

The body count from the deadly Nepal earthquake now stands at over 3,000 people.
According to BBC, at least 3,617 people are now known to have died from the disastrous earthquake which struck Nepal on Saturday, while over 6,500 people were injured.
In a related development, dozens of people are also reported to have been killed in neighbouring China and India. Also over 200 climbers were rescued around Mount Everest which was struck by deadly avalanches following the deadly Nepal 7.8-magnitude quake.
In the Nepal capital, Kathmandu, vast tents were set up for those displaced by the disaster and those who were too afraid to return home or fear of being struck by the strong aftershocks which still continued.
Officials have warned that the number of casualties could rise as rescue teams reach remote mountainous areas of western Nepal.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Dhading district which is about 80km from Kathmandu, people were camped in the open as the hospitals were overflowing. Reports say there was no power either while shops remained shut.
Also reports say that in some villages of more than 1,000 homes, nearly all have been destroyed by the earthquake while a senior official in Gorkha district, the location of the earthquake's epicentre reported that 70% of the houses were destroyed.
Rescue operations have also continued amidst fears of disease outbreak as water becomes a scarce commodity and people shelter out in the open with very little protection. To this end, cremations have been taking place since the morning as authorities are keen on disposing of bodies as quickly as possible to prevent a health hazard

‘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.

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