Oct 07 – Oct 11 News

October 07

Kogi Elections: Plot To Disqualify Musa Wada Ongoing, 20M

Bribe agreed - PDP
Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in
the state has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to use the state judiciary to disqualify its
governorship candidate, Musa Wada by ensuring that his name does not appear on the ballot papers.

The plot, PDP said through a statement signed by Faruk Adejoh Audu, the Head of the Muda Audu
Campaigns in the state, named both the state government and the PDP Vice Chairman Ogugu Ward 3,
Olamaboro Local Government Area, Mr. John Abraham as the main culprits.

The party said that the Kogi State government, and the All Progressives Congresses (APC) have
perfected plans to use the Kogi State judiciary to disqualify Audu for the violence that took place
during the PDP governorship primary election that resulted in one death and injuries to many in the
state.

PDP in Kogi state said that the pliant ward chairman of PDP, Mr. Edward Onoja, who is from the same
local government area with the running mate of Governor Yahaya Bello, was induced with the sum of
N20 million to agree to be used as a litigant to undermine the primaries of the PDP.

“As at the time of the conversation, this rural PDP executive member of humble means has already
been generously given the sum of one million to meet four lawyers including a Senior Advocate of
Nigerian(SAN) hired by Bello’s government to execute their atrocious plot. We challenge the outgoing
government to deny these revelations.

“We heard of this plot immediately it was hatched and expected that they will go to court and serve us
with the processes to enable us join issues immediately, but it’s now obvious that there’s a sinister twist
to even this craven process because whilst there’s been reports of the suit in the media since almost
three weeks ago, we have neither been served nor have we been able to confirm in what court it was
instituted or if it was instituted at all”.

PDP in the state further stated that the Bello campaign has continued to boast and threaten that the PDP
will not have a candidate at the polls until the court has decided.

According to the statement from PDP in the state, “the latest of these threats was the one uttered by the
campaign Director General, Former Senator Representing Kogi West District, Mr. Smart Adeyemi at a
press conference in Lokoja on Friday.

“This is the third time Mr. Adeyemi is openly bragging that the PDP candidate will be excluded from
the ballot because its primaries were flawed. Before him, Mr Bello’s running mate had equally bragged
in a WhatsApp chatroom that the PDP will have no candidate because the primaries were inconclusive.

“The lynchpin of their desperate confidence is based on the sporadic gun attack on the venue of the
primaries when the process was drawing to a close.

“If anyone ever doubted those behind the criminal attack which took place unchallenged in the
presence of security agencies and less than half a kilometre from the Kogi State Department of State
Services (DSS), Mr. Adeyemi and Mr. Onoja seem to have not only confirmed the involvement of the
outgoing government but they have also betrayed the motive of the vicious gun attack”, PDP stated.

PDP said that the attack was to prevent the Kogi PDP from presenting a candidate because the window
for primaries in INEC timetable ended on September 5, a date which would have been impossible for
the party to plan and hold another primaries if their gun attack had been successful in aborting the
process.

PDP said, “rather than hide their face in shame for this failed criminal act, the desperate APC lords of
violence have been unwittingly advertising their culpability in the dastard enterprise. What is unfolding
from the gun attacks, to the clandestine litigation, the bravado of Mr. Adeyemi and Mr. Onoja declaring
inconclusive a process certified even by INEC is a clear picture of a very petrified candidate Yahaya
Bello who having squandered his tenure inflicting poverty, hunger and violence on the people and
attracted ill-will is now desperate to use subterfuge to eliminate every viable opponent from the ballot,”
PDP explained.

Fact Check: Under Buhari Nigeria Records Worst “ease Of

Doing Business” Performance
FACT CHECK: UNDER BUHARI NIGERIA RECORDS WORST “EASE OF DOING BUSINESS”
PERFORMANCE IN HISTORY
-
In 2017 Nigeria recorded a catastrophic hike in the index following Buhari taking over power, dropping
23 points from a rank of 147 in 2014 to 170 in 2015. Since then the country has maintained a poor
performance on the metric till 2018 when there was an improvement to 145 mirroring the position in
2014.

On the average, Buhari has recorded an Ease of Doing Business of 160 with a low of 145 and high of
170, which is in contrast to the average of 136 under Goodluck Jonathan, with a low of 125 and high of
147. Late Yar’Adua had greater numbers, averaging 109th position, with a low of 108 and high of 112.

October 08

Umahi Reappoints Emmanuel Uzor As SA Fruits, Food

Management
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi has reappointed his former Chief Press Secretary,
Emmanuel Uzor who was sacked recently.

However, he is now Special Assistant on fruits/food market management.

Umahi said, his reason for reappointing his former CPS was because he want him (Uzor) to continue
with his government as a result of his loyalty.
The governor made this known at the exco-chambers, Government House Abakaliki during the
swearing in of his special Assistants.

He said: “I needed you to continue with the team because I consider what happened as a mistake. South
East governors support livestock but it is not compulsory for every state.
“I want us to have a vegetable markets, we can set up a place where we can store our vegetables and
fruits. We will also build a cool room for our fish and by so doing, you get something to be doing
there”.

Also innugurated is Mr. Emeka Andrew Nwankwo as Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT.

Umahi also made a minor reshuffle that includes Mr. Emmanuel Igwe who was formerly Special
Assistant to the Governor on Project Documentation but is now reassigned as Special Assistant to the
Governor on Parks Development.

Also Mr. Francis Nwaze who was the Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media is to become
the Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media and Project Documentation.

Buhari: Few People In 5 States Control Nigeria’s Wealth

94m Nigerians poor – Oxfam

Our population a liability – Sanusi

President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that while Nigeria’s wealth is concentrated in the hands
of a few people living in 4 or 5 states and the FCT, about 150 million others are languishing in poverty
in the remaining 31 states.

He, however, noted that with the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections, and the commitment
and vision of those who emerged winners, policies are being put in place that focus on delivering
prosperity to all Nigerians through enhancing security and eliminating corrupt practices in the public
service for an improved economy.

Buhari, who addressed delegates at the opening session of the 25th Nigeria Economic Summit
(NES#25) in Abuja, said, “A significant proportion of Nigeria’s prosperity today is concentrated in the
hands of a few people living primarily in 4 or 5 states and the FCT. Some of the most prosperous
Nigerians are here in this room.

“This leaves the remaining 31 states with close to 150 million people in a state of expectancy and hope
for better opportunity to thrive. This, in the most basic form, drives the migratory and security trends
we are seeing today both in Nigeria and across the region.”

President Buhari said he was more committed to driving economic prosperity as opposed to economic
growth. He noted that a prosperous country is one where majority of the citizens have an acceptable
standard of living and a decent quality of life as opposed to a society with a few wealthy people.

Buhari also said in addressing population growth, security and corruption matters in developing
economies, policies and programmes must focus on promoting inclusivity and collective prosperity.
“During the elections, almost all candidates proposed their vision for the economy and for the country.
Our party, the All Progressives Congress, put before the country policies that focus on delivering
prosperity to all Nigerians through enhancing security, eliminating corrupt practices in public service,
supporting sectors that will create jobs, and promoting socially-focused interventions to support the
poorest and most vulnerable among us,” he said.

The 2019 NES#25, has as theme ‘Nigeria 2050: Shifting Gears’. Those attending include captains of
industry, high profile federal and state government officials, the media and other relevant stakeholders.

Huge population a liability – Sanusi

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, while speaking during a panel session of the summit, said
Nigeria’s huge population was currently a liability to the country, but quickly added that it could be
turned into assets. The session focused on how demographic realities could be transformed into social
and business opportunities as well as the implications on internal migration, sustainable peace and
security. “People talk that our population is an asset but we are yet to get there. Nigeria’s population is
currently a liability because most of the root causes of problems such as kidnapping, armed robbery,
Boko Haram, drug addiction are all tied to the population that we have and the question is how do you
turn that into a productive one,” Sanusi said.

Summit gaining success – Ighodalo

Earlier in his remarks, chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit (NESG), Dr. Asue Ighodalo, reeled
out some of the summit’s previous successes to include the recommendation that caused the GSM
revolution, the Pension Reform Act and the reforms in the agriculture among others. He said Nigeria
needed to rethink its development trajectory even as the NESG recommended a 31-year economic
development plan to end in 2050. He said the private sector was determined to lead the new vision if
only government would provide the right enablers.

He also made a case against the perpetual deficit budget traditions. “Between the last summit and now,
the real GDP growth rate improved marginally, but remained below our projections. “We recorded a
GDP growth rate of about 2% in the first half of 2019, and a decline in headline inflation from 15.1%
to 11%.

However, the rate of inflationary decline has slowed considerably, largely as a result of food inflation,
which remained sticky at 13.2%.” The NESG chairman said this had resulted in continued erosion of
the real income of most people. “As such, there is an urgent need to address not just our perennial
revenue-expenditure mismatches, but our overall productivity and growth as a nation.”

94.5m Nigerians live below poverty line – Oxfam

Elsewhere, Oxfam International has said about 94 million Nigerians live below the poverty line. The
Country Director, Mr. Constant Tchona, who gave the breakdown yesterday in Abuja, said at least
2.969 million Nigerians have been added to the growing extreme poverty rate in six months, between 8
April 2019 and 7 October 2019. He said the figure now adds to the 91.5m Nigerians living below the
poverty line thereby making the number of Nigerians living below the line to be 94.470m. Tchona was
speaking at the opening of the Oxfam’s Annual Programme Quality Review (PQR) Meeting themed
‘On the Road To Becoming an Influencing Hub’, meant to provide information on progress made on
various programmes being implemented by Oxfam in Nigeria to participants and other programme
stakeholders.
He, however, noted President Buhari’s intention to “lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty over the
next 10 years and set them on the path to prosperity” to “fundamentally shift Nigeria’s trajectory and
place it among the world’s great nations.”

According to Tchona, the 94.5m Nigerians living below the extreme poverty line was based on the
latest World Poverty Clock report. He said those Nigerians living below poverty line depended on less
than $1.90 daily benchmark or N684 daily. He said, “the number of people that live below extreme
poverty level as at April was 91,501,377, making Nigeria the world capital of poverty. As if that was
not bad enough, at the moment, six months later, the number has jumped up to 94,470,535 people.
“What this means is that we have added 2,969,158 people more into extreme poverty.

By comparison, this number is more than the population of Gambia and Cape Verde combined.” He
noted that at the current rate, Nigeria was not only off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), but many now believe that up to 25 per cent of the world’s extreme poor will live in Nigeria
by 2030. The Worldometer puts Nigeria’s total population at 200,963,599 people (about 201m), and is
to become the world’s third largest country by 2050,” Tchona said. He said if this comes to pass,
Nigeria will shock the world if it achieved the SDGs.

Kogi 2019: PDP Cautions APC Against Ethnic Politics Ahead Of

Kogi Guber Poll
According to the opposition party, the people of the state are determined to vote him out on Saturday,
November 16
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain
from playing the ethnic card ahead of the gubernatorial election in Kogi state.
The opposition party told the ruling party to get ready to face the consequences of poor governance it
foisted on the people of the state since 2016.

The warning was given in Lokoja by the national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan.

Ologbondiyan gave the warning in Lokoja, during the inauguration of the PDP's governorship
campaign committees, in Lokoja.

He described the APC administration under Governor Yahaya Bello as a complete failure and
embarrassment to the people of the state.

Ologbondiyan said: “The people of Kogi state have suffered enough under Governor Yahaya Bello and
the APC. Many of our citizens have lost their loved ones and their breadwinners; they have lost
husbands, wives children and other loved ones, to the excruciating hardship caused by non-payment of
their salary and pensions by Governor Bello. There is no way he can be re-elected."

He advised Governor Bello to start preparing his handover notes, saying the people of the state are
determined to vote him out on Saturday, November 16.
Kogi 2019: PDP Cautions APC Against Ethnic Politics Ahead Of
Kogi Guber Poll
According to the opposition party, the people of the state are determined to vote him out on Saturday,
November 16
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain
from playing the ethnic card ahead of the gubernatorial election in Kogi state.
The opposition party told the ruling party to get ready to face the consequences of poor governance it
foisted on the people of the state since 2016.

The warning was given in Lokoja by the national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan.

Ologbondiyan gave the warning in Lokoja, during the inauguration of the PDP's governorship
campaign committees, in Lokoja.

He described the APC administration under Governor Yahaya Bello as a complete failure and
embarrassment to the people of the state.

Ologbondiyan said: “The people of Kogi state have suffered enough under Governor Yahaya Bello and
the APC. Many of our citizens have lost their loved ones and their breadwinners; they have lost
husbands, wives children and other loved ones, to the excruciating hardship caused by non-payment of
their salary and pensions by Governor Bello. There is no way he can be re-elected."

He advised Governor Bello to start preparing his handover notes, saying the people of the state are
determined to vote him out on Saturday, November 16.

Bisi Fayemi Says She Was Sexually Harassed In The University

Bisi Fayemi, wife of the Governor of Ekiti State Kayode Fayemi, has narrated how she was sexually
harassed in the University, in reaction to BBC's hour long #sexforgrade documentary which exposed
randy lecturers in some Universities in Nigeria and Ghana.

Bisi said she was luckier than some of the victims because hers didn't go far, but she noted it was an
unpleasant experience.

The Ekiti state First Lady who has already opened a register to name and shame sex offenders, stated
that watching the video made her realize that it is time to speak up and speak out for sexual abuse
victims and not silence them because the culture of silence has endured enough. She added that most
lecturers feel they are entitled to the body of their female students.

“I cried because what this young women have experience is the story of many of us who
passed through higher institution in this country,” she said.

“I was educated here in Nigeria and I too was a victim of sexual harassment during my
university days. I was luckier than these victims. It didn’t go that far but it was extremely
unpleasant and of course back in the days when all these things happened you can’t tell
anyone because if you do even up till now people ask you to keep shut.

“You know people don’t talk about things like this. I was watching the documentary and
 there were three words that came to me, one is voice, it is time to speak up and speak out
and for those who do we need to stand with them and stand by them and not silence them
because the culture of silence has endured enough.

“Another word that came to me was accountability, we need to be accountable whether

there are parents, guidance or teachers or leaders in any form through out the different
section of society. We have to be accountable for the well being and health of the young
people in our care, from when our children come to say mummy, uncle so so and so
touched me and instead of asking further to find out what’s its all about, we should act.

“There has to be accountability and the third thing that came to mind was justice, justice for
victim or I choose to call them survivors and so those of us who have worked in the
women’s whether at international level or Africa or national air in Nigeria, we know that we
have many law and policies in place that are supposed to guard against things such as this
but this law sometimes means very little because there is inadequate political" she said.

MASSOB: Don’t Build Toll Gates In South-East Else We Will

Dismantle It
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has
warned the Federal Government not to build toll gates in the South-East region.

The Federal Government recently made known it decision to reinstall toll gates on federal
roads across the country.

In a statement by its spokesman, Uchenna Madu, the secessionist group vowed to dismantle
any toll gate sighted in the Igbo predominantly area.

Describing the policy as a wicked plot against the people of the region, the group said
available data before it indicates that the region will have more toll gates than other regions,
despite the deplorable state of federal roads in the area.

“The six states of South-South will have 21 toll gates; South-West with six states will have
22 toll gates; five states of the South-East 56 totaling 99 toll gates from the 17 southern
states,” the group said.

“The seven states of North-West will have 12 toll gates; nine toll gates in six states of
North-East; while six states of North Central will mount 14 toll gates totaling 35 toll points
from 19 northern states.

“MASSOB observes that South-East with only five states have 56 tollgates, which is more
than the entire 19 states of the Northern region with 35 tollgates. Even the Northern region
that claim to have the highest population, yet, it will pay the lowest tollgate.

“Igbo states are higher with 21 tollgates and this is in conformity that Igbo land is under
siege and exploitation.
 “South-East has more Police checkpoints than any other region; has the greatest number of
dilapidated federal roads; has the smallest land mass and the shortest distances from one
point to the other when compared with other zones, and also has the worst road network in
Nigeria.

“Igbo land and Biafra can never be an experimental ground for exhibition of wickedness,
malice, hatred, genocides, police extra judicial killings, military terrorism, political
subjections and unprovoked massacre of innocent and armless citizens.

“MASSOB condemn and insists that there will be no toll gates in Biafra land as wickedly
proposed by the Nigeria government. MASSOB wonders how establishment of these toll
gates in Nigeria will ever work,” the statement added.

Lagos Workers Push For N50,000 Minimum Wage

Workers in Lagos State, yesterday, said they would receive nothing less than N50,000, even as the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) demanded payment of N30,000 national wage by October end.

Addressing workers who gathered in front of the Lagos State House of Assembly after a peaceful
march from Ikeja under bridge, NLC Lagos State Chairman, Funmi Sessi, said the special nature of
Lagos called for the new demand.

She explained that the fresh demand was coming as part of the workers request to mark the World Day
for Decent Work which is celebrated every October 7 worldwide.

The workers had marched through Obafemi Awolowo way to the Alausa Secretariat brandishing
placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Employers: Respect workers rights to join union’; ‘We have the
right to good wage, decent work’; ‘No to wage poverty, yes to living wage’; ‘Invest in care economy,
promote universal health care for children and elderly.’

The NLC chairman insisted that Lagos State workers presently faced more hardship to get to work,
hence the reason why N30,000 could no more be acceptable.

“For a simple reason, Lagos is a special state, transportation and house rent are higher and so many
hazards on the roads. When you go to work, market, it’s not the same as Ogun State. Rent in Lagos has
been increased by 400 percent, transport, 200 percent.

“Our demand is that no junior worker besides the N50,000 minimum wage should go home with less
than N15,000 hazard allowance.”

She claimed workers were not well remunerated, noting that things have continued to deteriorate.
“The leaders are only enriching themselves.

When Senate and House of Representatives members collected their N30 million and N25 million
welcome packages respectively, do you hear any news? But to pay N30,000 minimum wage which
took two years to negotiate has become a problem.”

The NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba, represented by the Congress Deputy General Secretary,
Ismail Bello Deputy Majority Leader, Olumuyiwa Jimoh and Special Assistant to Lagos State on Civic
Engagement, Adebowale Aderemi both assured the workers that their messages would be delivered to
the governor.

Gov Badaru's Three Wives Get Special Advisers To Be Paid By

The State
Jigawa state governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, has appointed a special assistant to each of his
three wives. Of the 51 Special Assistants that were appointed by the governor, there is also a special
assistant for street light as well as for population control.

According to a copy of the lists of the appointees obtained by Daily Trust, indicated that Sa’adatu
Bashir Muhammed, is a special assistant to the first wife of the governor, while Mariya Muhammed
Muktar and Aisha Garba are special assistants to the second and third wife respectively.

Hassan Usman Bulama and Surajo Musa Gwiwa are Special Assistants to the governor on Street light
and population control.

The responsibility of all the aides to the governor was clearly stated with the exception of the three
special assistants to the governor’s wives. Daily Trust reports that official responsibilities assigned to
the offices of the wives of the governor are also yet to be made public.

"It's Fake News, I Didn't Order Security Agents To Shoot

Anyone" - Gov. Umahi
"It's Fake News, I Didn't Order Security Agents To Shoot Anyone Who Blocks My Convoy" - Umahi

The Ebonyi State Government under the leadership of Governor Dave Nweze Umahi, has stated that it
is now privy of an online publication report titled: ‘Umahi to Ebonyians: Block my convoy again, get
killed’, which was filed and credited to Oswald Agwu of the Eagle Online, and circulating on the social
media.

In a statement made available to Igbere TV on Tuesday, Mr. Francis Nwaze, the Special Assistant to the
Governor, on New Media and Project Documentation, said that the title of the publication was designed
to portray Governor Umahi in a bad light, over an incident where his life was in obvious danger.

The statement reads in full:

His Excellency, was approaching the State capital, Abakaliki, when he encountered a barrier set up by
unknown persons, at Onicha Local Government. According to unconfirmed reports, the barrier may
have been set up to curb traffic flow towards the venue of a wake keep ceremony.

His Excellency had observed the very slow response of the community, in dismantling the barricade for
the Governor’s further movement. Suffice it to say that, the Governor was in the very know that such
was a usual practice in Igboland.

In the long wait, miscreants approached one of the Governor’s security vehicles, and made away with a
firearm to the amazement of Security Detail.

In displeasure, the Governor who was irked by the disrespect and dishonour extended to the Office of
the Ebonyi State Governor, condenmed such act of brigandage and criminality, calling for the
prosecution of the culprits, and with no references to the good people of Ebonyi State.

It is unfortunate that the online publication chose the title: ‘Umahi to Ebonyians: Block my convoy
again, get killed’, in flagrant disregard to the essential professional codes of Journalism practice.

His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, FNSE, FNATE, will never address Ebonyi people in such a
language, more so, in a circumstance of misconduct creditable to a few disgruntled criminals within a
community.

The Ebonyi State Government urges the Editorial Board of the online publication, to uphold the highest
standards in the filing of reports prior to circulation in the social media.

The Ebonyi State Government and the Office of the Governor, has been inundated with calls for the
contextual clarification of the online report, and ceases this opportunity to assure the good people of
Ebonyi State, that the Governor was simply worried that ordinary law abiding citizens may be in more
danger, if an elected Governor was subjected to the inhuman treatment from some criminal youths.

His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, further reiterates his call to Security Agencies, to
apprehend all those who were involved in the forceful withdrawal of firearms belonging to security
details attached to the Governor, for onward prosecution.

Furthermore, the Ebonyi State Government wishes to emphasise that in line with extant regulations, the
Executive Governor is protected by the Nigerian State, and attacks or threat to the safety and security
of life of the Governor, will be resisted by members of Security Agencies deployed to ensure his safety.

Note must be made that the entire Security Detail of an elected Governor, is controlled by the Aide de
Camp, who may discretionally apply brute force or otherwise, at the face of threat to life of the
Governor. This is applicable to all elected Governors of States in Nigeria.

Stay with Igbere TV. Africa's No1 Community TV.

How I Escaped IPOB Attack In Germany - Ohanaeze Ndigbo

President
President-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, has condemned the attack on Ike Ekweremadu in
Germany
- Some members of IPOB had in August attacked Ekweremadu during his visit to Nuremberg,
Germany

- According to the Ohaneze leader, it is a sacrilege in Igbo land for a young man to attack somebody
who is old enough to be his father
Barely seven weeks after the former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, was attacked in
Nuremberg, Germany, the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, has revealed how he
escaped assault by members of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).
Speaking on Channels TV on Monday, October, the Igbo leader said he would have also been with
Ekweremadu in Germany but his visa was delayed.

He said: " I was supposed to be there with Ekweremadu, but my visa came late. And I persuaded
him to go because all the disparate Igbo communities in Germany were coming together."

Legit.ng reports that he described the attack as

“un-Igbo, uncivilised," adding that the earlier those tendencies are stopped, the better for the people of
the southeast.

Nwodo further explained that it is sacrilegious for a young man to attack somebody who is old enough
to be his father in Igbo culture.

"What does the Ekweremadu attack portray? First, it shows 'we are people who do not respect our
culture'," he said.

The Igbo leader, however, noted that it would be wrong to categorise all the members of IPOB as
terrorists because of a single action.
"It cannot be said that all of IPOB are terrorists because they did this in Nurnberg but the
encouragement by their leadership gives a vicarious liability for such a senseless act," he added.

Awolowo Talks About The Western Vs Eastern Rivalry [historic

Video]
It seems like the rivalry didn't start today. Even in the days of the Legendary Obafemi Awolowo, the
rivalry had always existed.

In this interview, the Late Awolowo made his opinion about the strength of a united Nigeria known.

He also addressed how politically savvy, most Nigerians had become.

You may watch the short clip below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy0pnRQEg_w

Bad Roads: Aba Women Protest, Issue 90-Day Ultimatum To

Ikpeazu
BREAKING!!! Angry Women Shutdown Aba Over Bad Road, Issue 90 days Ultimatum to Ikpeazu
(Happening Now)

By Wisdom Nwedene

Angry women numbering hundreds, on Tuesday, shutdown Aba over bad roads in Abia State, Igbere
TV reports.
Igbere TV reports that the women issued 90 days ultimatum to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to fix the bad
roads.

Recall that Igbere TV had reported that angry traders, on Tuesday, stormed Government House In
Umuahia, Abia State over alleged plans by the government to take over popular market, Ahia Gate.

Igbere TV correspondent monitoring the protest said armed policemen are currently controlling the
angry traders.

Chibok Girls: PDP Bot Chairman Urge APC To Stop Attacking

Jonathan
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Walid Jibrin, on Monday,
urged the All Progressives Congress to stop attacking former President Goodluck Jonathan.
A former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, in his recently published memoir,
‘For the Record’, had accused Jonathan of “sleeping on the wheel,” while terrorists were busy
abducting the Chibok schoolgirls.

Jonathan, in his response, countered Cameron and insisted that his government sought help from the
UK, the United States and Israel and engaged in other security measures to rescue the girls.
He also denied that his government was corrupt.

However, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement, accused
Jonathan’s government and the PDP of negligence over the rescue of the schoolgirls.

But the PDP BoT chairman, in a statement, urged the APC to leave Jonathan alone, adding that the
former president, by conceding defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari, who was the APC presidential
candidate in 2015, saved Nigeria from calamity.

Jibrin said, “Jonathan saved Nigeria by conceding defeat in 2015 and therefore should be praised and
never be disgraced by anyone. Jonathan and Mrs Patience Jonathan should be saved of any blame.

“The former British prime minister has taken the matter too far in his book. The Nigerian insecurity
problems are serious to single out one particular individual for blame.”

But the Buhari Media Organisation said the rejection of foreign help to rescue the abducted Chibok
girls by Jonathan reflected the nonchalance and irresponsibility that brought Nigeria into the mess the
country found itself.

The BMO asked the former president to apologise to the nation and stop grandstanding on an issue
where he was indeed caught sleeping at the wheel.

Its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, in a statement, stated that history would
judge Jonathan for allegedly treating governance as a matter of ego, without respect for lives and
property, as well as his disservice to Nigeria.

The statement said, “What other proof do Nigerians need to know that if Jonathan had been allowed an
extra week in power, the country would have been in a worse state than Venezuela?
“Nigerians must appreciate the rescue mission embarked upon by the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration in the last four years. The country was a mess; governance was on auto-pilot with a
President who was lukewarm towards his duties.

“The revelation by Cameron in his book shows how the country was being managed by an incoherent
leadership intent on driving her to either a deliberate or an irresponsible crash and wreckage.

“Which sensible President and leader would ever miss.”

Lagos State Tops The 2019 List Of Cities With Lowest Quality
Of Life
The Former Capital Of Nigeria, Lagos State is now the number one city with the lowest quality of life.

According to the Spectator Index via their twitter handle, they listed 10 cities with the lowest quality of
life.

See post below...

Cities with the lowest quality of life, 2019.

1. Lagos
2. Beijing
3. Manila
4. Dhaka
5. Jakarta
6. Mumbai
7. Rio de Janeiro
8. Cairo
9. Shanghai
10. Sao Paulo

(Deutsche Bank)

Eko Oni Ba Je

Source: https://ngg.ng/2019/10/08/lagos-state-tops-the-2019-list-of-cities-with-lowest-quality-of-life/

Kukah - Sanusi Fighting For His Life For Unpopular Opinions

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, on Monday said that the Emir of Kano
Muhammadu Sanusi II is fighting to keep the throne because of his unpopular opinions.

He said this on Monday at a panel session held as part of the activities for the 25th Nigerian Economic
Summit.

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, had created four new emirates in a bid to reduce
Sanusi’s influence.

Kukah said, “The emir is here, he is still fighting for his life because of the position that he has taken
and all of you sitting here know that it has literally become a matter to a particular course because the
things he is saying are not popular.”

He called for more investments in education.

He said,  “The money that comes from the centre to our states, who is it meant for?

“When you say education is on the concurrent list, I worry that many of our states are providing
opportunities for incubators of hatred to grow.

“If you take northern Nigeria where there is no single Christian or woman in the state assembly, women
are lucky if they become commissioners for women’s affairs.”

Kukah said he understood the importance of education, adding that this was why he had so far
established five secondary schools.

He said 60 per cent of the students in his schools are Muslims.

The cleric added, “I have five secondary schools and I have to rely on the little collection that I receive
in my church to send children to school and in many of the schools, 60 per cent of the children are
Muslims.”

#SexToyShop Assault: Sen. Abbo’s Fate Nears, As Senate

Receives Report
The Senate on Tuesday received the report of the Bipartisan Ad-hoc Committee on the alleged assault
on a woman at a intimacy gadget shop in Abuja, by Senator Elisha Abbo.

The report was presented to the Senate by Senator Samuel Egwu, Chairman of the committee.

Senator Mohammed Sani seconded that the Senate do receive the report of the Bipartisan Ad-hoc
Committee on the alleged assault by Senator Elisha Abbo, as the report was laid.

The Nigerian Senate had set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the allegation of assault against
Senator Abbo (Adamawa North – PDP).
The committee was chaired by Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North – PDP). Members are Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos
Central – APC), Matthew Uroghide (Edo South – PDP), Stella Oduah (Anambra North – PDP), Dauda
Haliru (Bauchi Central – APC), Danladi Sankara (Jigawa North West – APC) and Mohammed Sani
(Niger East – APC).

In a viral video being shared on social media, the lawmaker was caught assaulting a woman during an
altercation inside a intimacy gadget shop in Abuja.

According to a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, Abbo assaulted the woman after she
supported the shop owner whom the lawmaker had accused of insulting him.

The incident reportedly happened on May 11, 2019 exactly one month before the 41-year-old lawmaker
was sworn into the 9th Senate.

The emergence of the video has led to widespread outrage, with many Nigerians calling for the
lawmaker to be suspended by the Senate, and prosecuted by the Police.

2020 Budget: Buhari Presents Appropriation Bill To NASS

President Muhammadu Buhari presents the 2020 Appropriation budget to the joint session of the
National Assembly on Tuesday.

The annual budget presentation which is always performed by the President makes the Parliament
appropriate and approve allocations to the sectors of the economy as envisaged by the executive.

The Nigeria Senate on Thursday last week passed into law the Medium Term Expenditure Framework
(MTEF) for 2020 – 2023 to the tune of N10.727 trillion passed into law.

However, Constitutionally, the MTEF is the basis with which annual budget is prepared by the
Executive. It, therefore, means that today’s presentation of 2020 budget is in consonance with the laid
down procedures of how the nation’s financial structure is laid.

Meanwhile, Today’s presentation of the 2020 budget by President Muhammadu is coming four months
into the implementation of the 2019 budget.

It is ridiculous with the level of implementation of the last year which is sacrosanct continues to agitate
the minds of some political analysts as well as financial experts.

EFCC Re-arraigns Atiku's Son-in-law, Abdullahi For $140,000

Money Laundering
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Thursday, October 8,
2019, re-arraigned one Abdullahi Babalele before JusticeChukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High
Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of
$140,000.00.
.
Babalele, a son-in-law to a former Vice President and People’s Democratic Party( PDP) candidate in
the 2019 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, allegedly persuaded one Bashir Mohammed, a Bureau
De Change(BDC) operator, to make a cash payment of the sum of $140,000 without going through any
financial institution, an offence contrary to Section 18(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act,
2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Abdullahi Babalele, on or about the 20th day of February, 2019 in
Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, procured Basir Mohammed to make a cash
payment of the sum of $140,000.00 (One Hundred and Forty Thousand United States
Dollars) without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorized by
the Law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(C) of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. .
.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court of the existing bail
earlier granted the defendant and applied for the commencement of the trial.
.
.
“My Lord, one of our witnesses is present in court,” Oyedepo said.
.
Counsel to the defendant, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, informed the court about an application before the
court for the release of the international passport of the defendant.

Igbos Should Go To Hell, They Have Lost The War And

Defeated-junaid Mohammed
Nobody Will Beg Igbos Not To Secede If Denied Presidency In 2023–Junaid Mohammed

- Elder statesman and Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed, on Tuesday said the Igbos are
free to carry out their threats of secession if denied the Presidency in 2023.

He admonished politicians from the South-Eastern part of the country who are nursing the idea of
becoming President in 2023 to perish the thought.

Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Junaid said currently the South -East has not put forward a
credible person who is qualified to lead Nigeria.
” I challenge Igbos to secede if they are denied Presidency in 2023. If they don’t secede, let them
go to hell. They have tried secession before but they were defeated and failed and they lost over
one million people”.

“If they want to secede again because of 2023 politics, they are more than welcome. You think anybody
will beg them not to secede?” he asked

Budget 2020: Buhari "I Have Cold Because I'm Working Hard"
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday has said that he is suffering from cold.

He, however, attributed his ailment to his hard work as the President of the country.

Buhari disclosed this while presenting the 2020 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National
Assembly in Abuja.

Immediately after observing protocols and before presenting the details of the bill, the President
apologised for his voice.

He said, “Before I proceed to read the details of the budget, let me apologise for my voice.

“As you can hear in my voice, I have cold because I am working hard.”

The comment attracted loud laughter and applause from all those inside the chamber, including the
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila,
federal lawmakers, state governors, members of the Federal Executive Council and leaders of the ruling
All Progressives Congress, among others

Fashola And Amaechi Ministries Received The Highest

Allocation In 2020 Budget
Budget 2020 Allocations for some MDAs.

Education: N48bn

Power: N127bn

Agriculture and Rural Devt: N83bn

Works and Housing: N262bn

Transportation: N123bn
UBE: 112bn

Defence: N100bn

Zonal Intervention Projects: N100bn

Water Resources: N82bn

Niger Delta: 81bn

No New Projects In 2020 Budget - The Nation Newspaper

THE Federal Government may have halted new projects in 2020 budget in favour of completion of
ongoing and abandoned projects, according to feelers from the Ministry of Finance.
Besides, there is a stoppage to purchase of vehicles.

The budget estimate is likely to be submitted to the National Assembly next week after President
Muhammadu Buhari’s return from his state visit to South Africa.

It was learnt that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been given a budgetary
ceiling for their capital expenditure needs in the 2020 budget.

Each of them has been given an envelope detailing what their capital expenditure covers, a source said
on Tuesday.
The source added that because the Federal Government had resolved to complete ongoing and
abandoned projects, the MDAs have been directed to remove the purchase of vehicles from their
budgetary requirements.

But, military establishments may be exempted because they require operational vehicles to tackle
insurgency and insecurity.
MDAs that have capital expenditure requirements higher than their approved ceiling, have been asked
to adjust their budget or give convincing reasons why their demands should be accommodated.

Since the MDAs got their envelopes, ministers, permanent secretaries and top military and para-
military chiefs have been visiting the Ministry of Finance and the Budget Office to defend their capital
budget requirements.
The Federal Government has pegged capital expenditure for MDAs at N1.01 trillion exclusive of
capital in statutory transfers.

The Wednesday (today) deadline given to the Senate Committee on Finance to submit its report on the
2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) is no
longer feasible, it was learnt on Tuesday.
The panel, which has since embarked on back-to-back meetings since the document was referred to it
last Wednesday by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, is yet to receive presentation from
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to enable it conclude its assignment on the MTEF/FSP.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Solomon Adeola, disclosed on his twitter
handle on Tuesday that the panel would be taking submissions from relevant agencies Wednesday
(Today).

Adeola twitted that: “Shortly after the @MBuhari Broadcast, I headed for office in Senate to continue
work on (MTEF/FSP) 2020-2023 as Chairman of Sen Cmtee on Finance.
“I was joined by Sen Ayo Akinyelure, a member, to prepare for invited FG agencies’ presentation
tomorrow. All hands/ sacrifices on deck,” he said.
The Senate had on September 25 received the 2020-2022 MTEF/FSP from President Muhammadu
Buhari and on September 26, referred the document to its committee on Finance to report back on
Wednesday October 2.
In the document, the Federal Government proposed the sum of N10.002trillion as the 2020
Appropriation Bill and the sum of N2.45trillion for debt service for next year.

It also proposed to borrow N1.7trillion.

“2020 Budget Will Be Passed By December” – Senate President

“2020 BUDGET WILL BE PASSED BY DECEMBER” – SENATE PRESIDENT
-
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has made it clear that the National Assembly will return
Nigeria to to a January-December budget cycle.

He also assured that 2020 budget will be passed by December this year in line with the National
Assembly’s readiness to accelerate work on the Appropriation Bill being presented by President
Muhammadu Buhari.

Shettima Yerima: Tinubu Is The Last Person North Will Hand

Over Power To
Following national discourse on rotational presidency and statements from certain quarters in the north,
especially the political elites, fears of a renege on the hitherto, “Gentleman’s Agreement”, seems to be
rife.

In an exclusive interview with the National President Of The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima
Shettima, he told Independent that the north is of the feeling that the rotational presidency issue should
be jettisoned.
Shettima who asked if the rotational presidency issue is constitutional stated that, “As you may know,
time and event, changes a lot of things. Naturally, you will agree with me that we are practicing
democracy and you will also agree with me that the North has faced a lot of challenges and as such,
you cannot leave your house in hunger and take the little you have and give it out.

“So, we will ensure we lobby and work with progressive Nigerians towards this, considering the fact
that we are faced with a lot of challenges; insecurity, unemployment rate is high and so many things
were not done.

The entire government and administration of

President Muhammadu Buhari, favours the Southwest and other parts of the South. The North has
nothing to show for it. So, you should not have expected that the North will just fold its hands and
allow things to just go like that and allow this opportunity slip off our hands. No, it is not right.

Asked if this new decision by the northern elites will not cause a rift between President Buhari and his
bosom friend, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom a lot of nigerians believe will be considered as the
next President of Nigeria, the President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum retorted; “Asiwaju is
even the last person that the North will even consider.

Women Storm Aba In Support Of Ikpeazu, Lampoon Anti-

Governor Protesters
Aba women, on Tuesday, stormed various streets in Abia State to show their support for Governor
Okezie Ikpeazu.

Igbere TV correspondent monitoring the development said the protesters carried placards with
inscription such as,

'Our Governor Is Working'.

'Aba Women Support Ikpeazu'

'Aba North Support Ikpeazu'.

The women also lampooned some women who had earlier stormed Aba protesting against the governor.

The women described them as ‘detractors’and cautioned them against working for the interest of the
state.

Speaking with Igbere TV correspondent, one of the protesters, Ijeoma Obinna said Ikpeazu is working.

“Our governor is working and should be allowed to continue his good works. I want to tell you that the
women who protested in the morning were paid to do such”, she added.
Igbere TV had reported that angry women numbering hundreds, on Tuesday, shutdown Aba over bad
roads in Abia State.

The women issued 90 days ultimatum to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to fix the bad roads.

Nigeria To Increase Taxes On Deepwater Oil Production -

President Buhari
Lagos, Nigeria — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Tuesday his government is pushing for
a quick amendment of fiscal terms in existing production sharing contracts between foreign oil
producers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, which could see tax credit received by the
foreign companies scrapped and royalty payments increased.

Buhari, while submitting a budget proposal of Naira 10.73 trillion ($33.8 billion) for 2020 to the
parliament, said the review of the PSCs had become necessary to shore up government revenue that has
been hit by the decline in oil output and the slump in global crude prices.

The 2020 budget which was based on oil production of 2.18 million b/d -- compared with a target of
2.3 million b/d for this year, the president said -- was adopted as a more realistic projection after
Nigerian output has averaged only 1.86 million b/d so far this year.

The government's bid to earn more revenue this year from proceeds from restructuring its equity
interest in joint ventures with foreign partners also failed to materialize, Buhari added.

Nigeria previously announced in 2015 it wanted the PSCs law, which applied to deepwater oil
operation. According to Buhari however, lawmakers failed to conclude deliberations on the bill when it
was submitted in 2018.

"I will re-forward to the National Assembly very shortly, the Deep Offshore Act and Inland Basin
Production Sharing Contracts Act," Buhari said. "I seek your support to pass it into law as soon as
possible."

The president said Nigeria expects to earn an additional $500 million from the review of the taxes on
the PSC in 2020, rising to $1 billion in 2021.

Nigeria introduced the PSCs in 1993 to help solve NNPC's inability to fund its share in joint-venture oil
operations. Output from the PSC fields, including Bonga, Erha, Agbami, Akpo, Usan and Egina, have
sustained Nigeria's oil output, in the face of decline from fields jointly owned with foreign partners due
to unrest and attacks on facilities.
Buhari indicated the government would continue with the amnesty program for repentant militants in
the Niger Delta, home to key oil infrastructure, saying Naira 65 billion has been provided for this in the
budget.

GASOLINE SUBSIDIES

The president was, however, silent on the provision for subsidies on gasoline imports, fueling
speculation the government may abolish fuel subsidies that have been a drain on its finances.

The government had provided $1 billion to subsidize gasoline imports in 2019.

Nigeria had capped the pump price of gasoline, which is bought on the wholesale market on a dollar-
denominated basis, at Naira 145 ($0.40) per liter since 2016. The government then pays a subsidy,
which is the difference between the landing cost and the regulated pump price.

But private fuel marketers, who have stopped importing the fuel into the country, have demanded that
the government abolish the subsidy and allow free market prices.

PDP Tasks NASS To Redirect 2020 Budget

Press Statement

PDP Tasks NASS to Redirect 2020 Budget

…Challenges Buhari to Make Presidency Allocation Public

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) laments that the N10.7 trillion 2020 budget presented by
President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly will further impoverish Nigerians and
mortgage the future of the nation.

The party urges the legislature to redirect the fiscal proposal to serve the interest of majority of
Nigerians.

The party notes that the core of the budget remains hazy, showing streaks of padding, fraudulent
duplications, replete with false performance indices, deceptive projections and inexplicable expenditure
assertions which create openings for continued looting of our national patrimony by leaders of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) and persons close to the Presidency.

The PDP insists that it is inexcusable that despite the huge natural resources at President Buhari’s
reach, he articulated a N10.7 trillion budget that is completely lacking in concrete wealth creation
strategy but relies on further squeezing of Nigerians through excruciating taxes, levies and agonizing
tolls.
The party described as unacceptable that the budget is skewed to serve the interest of the opulent, as
projects that have direct bearing on the wellbeing of the masses were not substantially accommodated
in the overall expenditure profile.

The PDP says such cannot happen under the Atiku Abubakar economic recovery blueprint for which
Nigerians voted massively the PDP in the 2019 Presidential election.

The party also criticized the Buhari administration for not being transparent in the mammoth
allocations for alleged vague projects, particularly the ministries of works and housing as well as
transportation, where allegations of diversion of public funds were endemic in the last budget.

Standing with millions of Nigerian youths and women, our party rejects the paltry budgets of N48
billion for education and N46 billion for health and urges the National Assembly to review the
allocations in the interest of Nigerians.

Furthermore, the PDP notes, as unacceptable that President Buhari, in his budget speech, could not give
account of his handling of the 2019 budget and had to resort to lame excuses and unsupported figures,
particularly on the various unimplemented subheads in critical sectors of the economy

Moreover, Mr. President failed to explain why his administration has remained hugely corrupt and how
his Presidency depleted our foreign reserves to an all time low $41,852 billion, accumulated huge
foreign and domestic debts and kept the naira at its knees at about N360 to $1USD under his watch.

The party also challenged the Presidency to make public the details of the Presidency allocation for
Nigerians to see the billion being spent to finance the opulent lifestyle of the Buhari Presidency, despite
Mr. President's claims of prudence and sacrifice.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

Ndi Igbo United Forum Warns Chief Nnia Nwodo To Stay Clear
From Politics
NDI IGBO UNITED FORUM a social political group stand firmly to say that they disassociating
themselves from what OHANEZE NDI IGBO President Chief Nnia Nwodo said on Channel Television
on 7th October 2023 were he said

“That Igbos can’t produce Nigeria Presidency come 2023.and that Ohanaeze stands for restructuring”.
NDI IGBO UNITED FORUM want to tell the world that the best thing that will happen to Nigeria
Nation is to support Igbo Presidency come 2023.

Chief Nnia Nwodo should know that Ohaneze Ndi Igbo is a social cultural group and Should be
apolitical. He should know the function of a group he represent.

We want Chief Nnia Nwodo to know that he is going against the Aim and objectives governing
Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo.

His speech on Channel Television against Igbo Presidency is a slap to the entire Igbo nation

We urge him to go back to channel television and tender Public appology to the entire Igbo nation

NDI IGBO UNITED FORUM are calling on all Igbo’s wherever they are to rise to stand firm to
actualized Igbo Presidency come 2023.

We should join hands as other ethic group elders are supporting Igbo Presidency 2023.

We believe that Igbo Presidency will be the final solution for Nigeria problem as a nation.

We also call on Chief Nnia Nwodo to stop sabotaging the effort of the entire Igbos due to his selfish
reasons and focus on How to build the Igbo Culture.

*Sign*

_Hon Agu Chineme,Akidi Ndi Igbo_

*Acting National Publicity Secretary*

Boniface Igbeneghu Of UNILAG Attempts Suicide Over Sex For
Grade Scandal
BBC Africa Eye’s on Monday released a documentary targeted at lecturers in some West African
universities harassing their students for sex in exchange for grades. After collecting dozens of
testimonies from female students, BBC Africa Eye sent an undercover journalist, Kiki Mordi disguising
as students inside the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana.

The story of one UNILAG senior lecturer and pastor at Foursquare Gospel Church, Dr. Boniface
Igbeneghu, caused serious buzz on social media after he was caught on tape soliciting intimacy from an
undercover journalist who posed as a 17-year-old minor seeking admission in the school.

Boniface came under attack on social media as social media users flocked his facebook timeline using
all sorts of language against him.A close family friend has confirmed that the lecturer was admitted to
the hospital after he drank rat poison in an attempt to kill himself. In the late hours of Monday evening,
Dr. Boniface was found on the floor unconscious with bubbles in his mouth, he was then rushed to
Reddington Hospital the family friend said.

Yam, Egg, Milk, Fish Exempted From VAT — Highlights Of

2020 Budget
On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2020 appropriation bill of N10.33 trillion to
the national assembly.

The appropriation bill also comprises statutory transfers of N556.7 billion, non-debt recurrent
expenditure of N4.88 trillion and N2.14 trillion of capital expenditure.

We bring you key other highlights of the budget below:

WORKS GETS LION SHARE, NIGER DELTA MINISTRY GETS LEAST

The ministry of works and housing got the highest allocation among the ministries with N262 billion,
followed by ministry of power which has N127 billion, and transportation with N123 billion.

The social investment programmes including the N-Power scheme and the school-feeding initiative
among others got N30 billion while the ministry of Niger Delta affairs got least allocation with N24
billion (this is, however, aside the N62 billion budgeted for the amnesty programme). You can check
out other MDAs allocations here .

CAPITAL PROJECTS GET N2.46TRN

Buhari said the federal government hopes to spend a total of N2.46trn on capital projects during the
2020 fiscal year, inclusive of N318.06 billion in statutory transfers.

“Although the 2020 capital budget is N721.33 billion (or 23 percent) lower than the 2019 budget
provision of N3.18 trillion, it is still higher than the actual and projected capital expenditure outturns
for both the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years, respectively,” he said.

PRIORITY FOR ONGOING PROJECTS

The president said the emphasis of the 2020 budget will be the completion of “as many ongoing
projects as possible”, rather than commencing new ones.

“MDAs have not been allowed to admit new projects into their capital budget for 2020, unless adequate
provision has been made for the completion of ALL ongoing projects,” he said.
“Accordingly, we have rolled over capital projects that are not likely to be fully funded by the end of
2019 into the 2020 Budget. We are aware that the National Assembly shares our view that these
projects should be prioritised and given adequate funding in the 2020 Appropriation Act.”

ESTIMATES BASED ON VAT INCREASE, OVERHEAD COSTS AT N426.6BN

The 2020 appropriation bill is proposed based on the planned increase of the VAT rate from 5% to
7.5%, while the overhead costs are projected at N426.6 billion.

Buhari said the additional revenues will be used to fund health, education and infrastructure
programmes, with 85 percent going to states and local governments.

“Additionally, our proposals also raise the threshold for VAT registration to N25 million in turnover per
annum, such that the revenue authorities can focus their compliance efforts on larger businesses,”
Buhari said, adding that this is to enable proper growth of MSMEs.”

FISH, YAM AND BREAD AMONG ITEMS EXEMPTED FROM VAT

Buhari said some of the items which will be exempted from the VAT, in addition to the
pharmaceuticals, educational items, and basic commodities already excluded by the VAT act, include
brown and white bread, cereals, fish of all kinds, flour and starch meals.

Others are fruits, vegetables, roots (yams etc), herbs. salt, milk, meat and water.
BUDGET DEFICIT OF N2.18TRN, GDP GROWTH RATE AT 2.93% AND N2.45TRN FOR DEBT
SERVICE

The appropriation bill further proposes a budget deficit of N2.18 trillion in 2020, including drawdowns
on project-tied loans and the related capital expenditure.

“This represents 1.52 percent of estimated GDP, well below the 3 percent threshold set by the Fiscal
Responsibility Act of 2007, and in line with the ERGP target of 1.96 percent,” the president said.

The president also said the federal government is setting aside N2.45 trillion for debt service during the
2020 fiscal year, out of which 71 percent is to service domestic debt which accounts for about 68
percent of the total debt.

He said there is an expected GDP growth of 2.93% in 2020, “driven largely by non-oil output, as
economic diversification accelerates” with inflation expected to remain slightly above single digits in
2020.

MDAS PROHIBITED FROM SETTING UP NEW LIASON OFFICES

Buhari said he has directed the stoppage of the salary of any federal government staff that is not
captured on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform by the end of
October 2019.

The current administration had introduced the platform to help manage personnel costs among other
reasons.

He added that the proliferation of zonal, state and liaison offices by MDAs will no longer be tolerated
as part of efforts to “sustain our efforts in managing personnel costs.”

“All agencies must obtain the necessary approvals before embarking on any fresh recruitment and any
contraventions of these directives shall attract severe sanctions,” he added.

Farmers/Herdsmen Clashes: Sanni Bello Meets European Union

The executive Governor of Niger State, Sanni Belllo, on Tuesday, met with members of the European
Union Countries in Nigeria in order to find lasting solution to the reoccurring Farmers/Herdsmen
clashes in the state, Igbere TV reports.

Igbere TV gathered that the meeting which lasted over an hour behind closed doors bothered on
developing modern ways of cattle rearing in order put an end to the violent clashes which had led to the
deaths and destruction of properties.
“Top of the agenda was on the modern ways of rearing Livestock and the efforts the state government
is making towards addressing the conflict between herdsmen and farmer”, Niger State Governor Sanni
Bello said.

Briefing the press after the closed door meeting ,Bello added that; “I gave them (European Union) a run
down of the issues and ways to address them and generally we came to an agreement with regards to
what the issue were and we solicited for support from the European Union on how to support our
herdsmen and Government, to see that get an everlasting peace with that regard.

Speaking on the areas of intervention of the EU, The Governor said; “The areas will be technical with
regards to the areas of modern ways of handling cattle, migrating our local breed to better ones that will
provide more milk and beef.

‘To be profitable we identified that we need cattle that will give you 20 litters of milk per day or 600 kg
of meat within 18 months so, with time there will be some technical discussions on the right step to
take.

The essence of the meeting was basically to listen to us and our challenges which they have heard and
we shall be expecting their feedback.
On Education he said; “Asides livestock we need to emphasize more on technical education because
what we lack are skills. We have too many graduates that have no jobs unfortunately everyone wants
white collar job.

“The way forward is to engage people to engage more in skill acquisition and to do that it means that
we have to develop our technical schools and to reequip them to meet modern requirements so that they
function properly.

On his part Ketil Karlsen Ambassador Head of EU Delegation to the Federal Representative of Nigeria
said that the EU were committed in working with the Governors in the Northern Region to end the
violent clashes.

He said:

“We had a very rich dialogue, he told about his experiences in making sure that we can curb those
clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

“This is what the European Union had followed closely and very supportive of the development of
livestock transformation plan and it’s good to see how that is transforming into implementation on the
ground. We have carefully taken note there are a number of EU companies engaging and finding
business models.

“The forward of having more efficient milk production, having grazing opportunities and livestock
opportunities in Nigeria so, we believe that this must be part and parcel of the solutions looking ahead.
And also we are in the shorter term by making sure that there are opportunities for all and mediation
efforts are needed so that we overcome the clashes that we have seen between herdsmen and farmers.
The EU is loyally supporting the Government of Nigeria and State level engagements to see that
solutions are found.

"The European Union is looking very carefully into what should be our priorities for the future and
currently we are implementing programmes in Nigeria in the other of 600-700 million Euros and now
we are in between phases.

"I am confident that Education will be one of them as we look ahead in making sure that Nigerians
acquire the necessary skills, education for the girl child also is a vital priority in this country."

Stay with Igbere TV. Africa's No1 Community TV.

October 09

2020 Budget: CUPP Says Budget Is Just A Heavy Travel Bag

Which Is Empty
The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has described the 2020 appropriation bill presented to
a joint session of the National Assembly as a heavy travel bag but empty in substance

The coalition said the budget is the final weapon to consolidate Buhari next level of economic ruins,
poverty, looting and visionlessness

It further described the budget as a ‘come and chop’ document that is high in volume and empty in
substance.

CUPP, in the statement signed by its Spokesman, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, pointed out that the
inclusion of over 7 percent VAT increment in the budget is designed to inject poverty into the blood of
Nigerians by taxing them to death.

It said that the 2020 budget proposal is impossible to achieve because the nation is already broke and
looting of fund is part of the All Progressives Congress, APC’s daily life.

The CUPP said it is heading to court to challenge the move to increase VAT and inclusion of the
proposed increment inside the budget

The statement added, “The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), having listened critically to
President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2020 Appropriation Bill as presented to the joint session of the
National Assembly on Tuesday, regrets to inform Nigerians that the days of the nation’s suffering are
not any way close to an end. The president has by today’s budget presentation shown that he has no
formula to save the nation’s economy from the impending final ruins that his mismanagement has
caused.

“Opposition parties see this fiscal document as empty document that is not worth the paper on which it
was written. It is full of rhetoric; Buhari’s appropriation bill can best be described as a heavy travel bag
that is empty in substance or value.

“The CUPP notes that this document is a final weapon to consolidate Buhari’s next level of economic
ruins, poverty, looting and visionlessness. It is a come and chop document meant to further impoverish
many and prosper the privileged few.

“The Opposition rejects the inclusion of the illegal proposed increment in VAT as part of the 2020
budget expected source of funding. This has shown that the budget is built in the sky with no serious
source of funding except taxing the people to death.

“The opposition coalition has, therefore, resolved to head to court this week to stop the planned
insensitive move to tax the suffering citizens of Nigeria to death with the proposed increment in VAT
from 5% to over 7%. The president should not force the suffering citizens to bear the consequences of
his leadership failures.”

Igbo Presidency Waste Of Time, Won’t End Biafra Agitation —

Nnamdi Kanu
Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, has said that those clamouring for
Igbo Presidency in 2023 are wasting their time.

Kanu said this in a live broadcast on Radio Biafra, monitored by Akelicious, on Monday, October 7th,
2019.

Akelicious recalls that several Igbo groups including the Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, had called on
other ethnic groups in Nigeria to support the Igbo presidency project, saying that it would end the
agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra.
Speaking in his latest broadcast, Kanu stated that “the idea that the Igbo presidency will end the
agitation for Biafra is nonsense.”

He said that presidency coming to the Southeast will not make the lives of those living in the region
any better, arguing that the North has the presidency but still has beggars, banditry and camps for
Internally Displaced Persons, IDP.

“Having the presidency will not make your life better, the North has the presidency but has beggers,
banditry, and IDP camps,” Kanu said.

The IPOB leader further said, “Igbo presidency is a dream, it’s like second Niger bridge and Ogoni
cleanup.”

2020 Budget: APC Mocks Saraki, Dogara, Says Era Of

‘adversarial Atmosphere’ Gone
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has lauded the commitments of both the executive and legislative
arms to ensure budget passage is returned to January-December cycle.

The ruling party however, made a veiled reference to the 8th National Assembly co-led by Senator
Bukola Saraki and Rep Yakubu Dogara.

APC observed that the conduct of the 9th Legislature during the presentation was a “departure from the
usual tensed and adversarial atmosphere of the previous four years.”, Daily Post reports.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC National Publicity Secretary, in a statement noted that with the early
presentation by the President, the lawmakers have close to three months to consider and pass the
budget.

It read: “The proposed 2020 budget is targeted at consolidating on the gains the current administration
has made in revamping our power, rail and road infrastructure; diversification and retooling the
economy; social intervention programmes targeted at the poor; fight against emerging crimes,
insurgency and rehabilitation, rebuilding of the North East particularly through the newly-established
North East Development Commission, among other critical interventions.

“According to the President in his budget speech, tagged “Budget of sustaining growth and job
creation”, there is a renewed government’s commitment to plugging revenue leakage with the
continued strict implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
“We congratulate the leaders of the two chambers of the 9th National Assembly, Senate President
Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for creating a
convivial environment for the budget presentation exercise,.

“The Party is confident that the patriotic disposition of the leaders and members of the 9th National
Assembly would ensure a cordial relationship with the executive arm, which would surely translate to
good governance and proper implementation of the administration’s Next Level plans for Nigerians.”

Police Intensify Patrols As 150 Gunmen Attack Sokoto Villages

Following attacks by unknown gunmen on some villages in Sokoto, the state Police Command
yesterday said it has intensified patrols along the affected axis. About 150 gunmen attacked Tarana
Mahuta and Bagurba villages of Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State and stole cows. Police
Public Relations Officer in Sokoto, ASP Muhammad Abubakar Sadiq, confirmed this yesterday.
He added that the gunmen carted away an undisclosed number of cows from the villagers at gunpoint.
ASP Sadiq, however, said special forces were deployed with a view to retrieving all that the criminals
took away.

Jonathan, Others Manipulated 2014 Confab Report — Junaid

Mohammed
Jonathan, Others Manipulated 2014 Confab Report — Junaid Mohammed

Junaid Mohammed, a Second Republic federal lawmaker, on Tuesday said the 2014 national
conference convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan was a fraud which was allegedly
manipulated by the former president and some other people in order not to favour the North.

Jonathan, who lost the 2015 presidential election handed over the report to President Muhammadu
Buhari. However, Buhari has refused to implement it saying it will be kept in the archives.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Daily Independent on calls by some Nigerians that the report
of the conference be implemented, Junaid, who was also a delegate to the conference, said many of the
issues that were rejected during the conference were smuggled into the final report of the conference.
“Those saying that the report should be implemented have they read the report? Has anyone of us who
attended the conference told Nigerians what aspect we want to be implemented?

“I was at the 2014 national conference. I represented Kano State which is one of the two biggest states
in the country. I had been involved in several conferences in the past and even after the 2014
conference, we also had another one here in Kano concerning the state.

“As far as I am concerned, that 2014 confab is a fraud. What they are purporting to be the report is a
fraud. Most of the issues that we discussed which were rejected was brought back into the final report
through the backdoor. They did that with the full cooperation of the then President Goodluck Jonathan.
“But we defeated every issue they brought even though we are in the minority. If you want to have a
constitutional conference, one, it must be representative of the whole country. People don’t feel
unnecessarily marginalised”, he said.
Junaid said it was absurd that the Northern region, which he said has the highest population and has
always been in the majority even before 1914 amalgamation was treated as a minority at the
conference.

According to him, despite being accorded the minority status, the North defeated others in most of the
issues discussed at the conference.

“The North has been in the majority of Nigerian population even before 1914. You cannot have a
constitutional conference in which the North has been reduced to a minority and you say you are
holding a national conference. How is that possible? In spite of this fraud, we still defeated them.

“It was one of the gimmicks employed by former President Goodluck Jonathan and we know that. In
fact, the idea in the North was that we should boycott the confab.

“But we thought that may affect the unity of the country and we don’t want to be held responsible
historically for that. So, that was why we went, we saw and we defeated them”, Junaid said.
However, responding to Junaid’s claim, Afenifere, pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, challenged
him to mention some of the rejected issues discussed at the conference that was smuggled into the
report through the backdoor.
Yinka Odumakin, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, said Junaid displayed brazen disregard for
the truth, character and integrity through his utterances.

“Can Junaid mention such items? One is amazed at how some of our compatriots display brazen
disregard for the truth, character and integrity when they push sectional and parochial agenda no matter
the level of facade they wear.
“I put it to Dr. Mohammed that he is not a witness of truth until he points out those items”, he said.

‘You Have To Provide Your Identity Cards’ - Army To Nigerians

Army to demand identity cards from Nigerians

Nigerians will henceforth be requested to carry identification cards to prove their identity to the
military as the Nigerian Army begins quick profiling of citizens under a new military exercise,
codenamed: Operation Positive Identification.

The exercise, according to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, is to uncover
those with questionable identities.

He said the operation will also stop dislodged and fleeing insurgents from accessing peaceful zones.
Buratai, who gave the hint during the launching of routine military exercises, Crocodile Smile IV,
Egwu Eke IV and Ayem Akpatuma II, said the operation, which is currently taking place in the
Northeast, will be extended to other parts of the country.

The COAS said the operation is meant to curtail the movement of bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers,
ethnic militia and other criminals.

Buratai, who was represented by Chief of Training and Operations in the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. E.
O. Udoh, stressed that the exercises became “necessary owing to the myriad of emergent threats that
are burgeoning across the geo-political zones”.

He added: “As part of its constitutional roles, the Nigerian Army, acting in aid of civil authority, is
poised to combating these threats.”

2020 Budget Is A Budget Of Bankruptcy ― Odilim Enwegbara,

Economist
Economist and public affairs commentator, Mr Odilim Enwegbara has described the 2020
Appropriation Bill as “a budget of bankruptcy”.
Reacting to the Bill presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday, Enwegbara
wondered if Nigeria had not “come to the point of agreeing that this business of federal government
running Nigeria’s economy should be finally brought to an end?

“For how long do we have to have such a prodigious federal government, a government that can’t stop
its borrowing spree?

“For how long should we allow this government to continue to borrow its oversized consumption,
where less than two million government workers have directly and indirectly be responsible for 90% of
the country’s annual spending?

“For how long should the federal government has to decide where and why road or water etc. should be
constructed in Nigeria?”

According to him, debt service to revenue ratio is currently approaching 80% with domestic debt
approaching 70% of the country’s overall debt stock.

Allow Southerners Leave Nigeria: Fani Kayode Appeals To FG

Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has appealed to the Federal Government to allow the
Yoruba and Igbo people to leave Nigeria.

The former minister expressed that Nigeria is making it difficult for people who want to leave Nigeria,
the same way the European Union is blocking Britain from leaving the union.
He challenged the federal government to conduct a referendum to determine who stays or leaves the
country.

See his tweet below:

@realFFK
Europe is making it difficult for the UK to leave just as Nigeria is making difficult for Biafrans and
Oduduwans to leave. If those that want to stay in Nigeria in SE and SW are more than those that wish
to leave then let there be a referendum. I challenge the FG to allow one!

Ikpeazu Declares ‘Operation Zero Potholes’ In Abia State

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has declared operation zero potholes in the state.
The declaration is coming on the heels of media tour of the completed and ongoing sites in the state.

The governor has directed contractors handling the projects to work mostly in the night to ensure
minimal disruption of traffic.
Also, contractors handling some of the projects in the state have been given between October and
November to deliver the projects or risk sanctions.

This is as the contractor handling Okpu – Umuobo – Mgboko Obingwa Road has been directed to
resume work immediately to ensure completion before the end of first quarter of 2020.
The affected projects were Osisioma Junction – MCC Junction of Aba – Owerri Road; Obikabia –
Umuene Road; Afo Ibeji Umuahia palliative work; Aba Road Umuahia; Osusu Road; Abiriba – Nkporo
Road.

While the state Ministry of Works has also been directed to execute extensive palliative maintenance
work on Ururuka Road within 10 days to ensue free flow of traffic on all segments of the road, the
contractor handling Osisioma flyover was directed to immediately commence sucking out the water at
the road median preparatory to final phase of work on the project.

Femi Fani-Kayode: 2020 Budget Is Shallow, Inexplicable,

Confusing, Uninspiring
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described the speech by President Muhammadu
Buhari as a flop and the 2020 budget as shallow.

President Buhari on Tuesday presented the 2020 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly.

Fani-Kayode, a popular critic of the Buhari-led administration, said the budget “itself is shallow,
inexplicable, confusing and uninspiring.”

He tweeted:
 The budget speech was a flop and the budget itself is shallow, inexplicable, confusing and
uninspiring.
May God deliver Nigeria from @MBuhari and his @OfficialAPCNg.

Presidency 2023: Don’t deceive yourselves,

North will never support you, Fani-Kayode tells
Igbos
Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has also joined the debates on the clamouring of Igbo
Presidency in 2023.
Fani-Kayode on Tuesday said the north will never support the idea of Igbo Presidency come 2023.
He added that the Igbo do not need Presidency at the moment but emancipation.
Fani-Kayode on his Twitter page wrote: “If you believe that the north will support an Igbo Presidency
in 2023 then you still don’t understand the injustice that Nigeria represents.
“The north will NEVER support an Igbo presidency and that is the tragedy of Nigeria.
“The entire south needs EMANCIPATION and not Presidency.”
Meanwhile, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has said Igbo Presidency
will not end the ongoing Biafra agitation
Kanu maintained that those clamouring for Igbo Presidency in 2023 were wasting their time.
The IPOB leader further stated that the: “Igbo presidency is a dream, it’s like second Niger bridge and
Ogoni cleanup,” hence will not stop Biafra agitation.

NERC Gives 60 Days Notice Of Intention To Cancel Licences

Issued To Discos
Notice of Intention to cancel Licences issued pursuant to Section 74 of the Electric Power Sector
Reform (EPSR) Act.

NERC gives 60 days notice to 8 Discos to explain why there licencees should not be withdrawn. Find
link for further details..

https://www.nerc.gov.ng/index.php/component/remository/Advertisements/Notice-of-Intention-to-
cancel-Licences-issued-pursuant-to-Section-74-of-the-Electric-Power-Sector-Reform-(EPSR)-Act/?
Itemid=591
No Apology For Appointing My Daughter As Aide – Gov. Okowa
The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa has said that he has no apologies for appointing one of his
daughters as an aide.

Okowa, who spoke at a media quarterly briefing in Asaba, the State capital on Tuesday, said his
daughter was eminently qualified for the position.

He said the PDP will continue to work towards achieving a situation that keeps the people United,
realizing that working together makes the party stronger.

According to him, “It is not true that I have two of my daughters appointed. I have only one appointed
and she is rightfully qualified.

“I do not have any daughter in social media. The one appointed for girl child education is rightfully
qualified.

“I do not have any apologies for that because I know the quality of the daughter that I have.”

Okowa also said the choice of who becomes the next governor of Delta State in 2023 will be
determined by God.

“I am not God. I don’t make a Governor. Nobody makes a governor. It is only God that can make one.

“The important thing is we want to ensure there are unity and equity and we will continue to work
towards achieving a situation that keeps us United as Deltans realizing that working together makes us
stronger as a people,” he said

Budget: National Assembly Sets November 28 Target For

Passage
The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Benjamin Kalu, made this
known when he addressed journalists after the budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He stated that the lawmakers had the desire to reverse the budget calendar to January-December.

Kalu said, “We are committed to realising this switch from what it used to be to what it ought to be –
January-December budget calendar. Luckily enough, the House has inaugurated all the standing
committees. The House, in order, to achieve this objective of reversing the calendar will be suspending
the plenary – not suspending the House – to enable us to go into our various committees to interact
with the MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies. To achieve that, we have set up a road map.”

The House’ spokesman said while the appropriation bill was presented on Tuesday, the House would
debate the general principles of the budget on Wednesday and Thursday, after which it would be passed
for second reading and referred to the standing committees, also known as Sub-Committees on
Appropriations.

Kalu also said the House would adjourn plenary on Thursday till October 30, 2019, to allow the
committees to hold budget defence sessions with Federal Government ministries, departments and
agencies.

Obaseki Suspends Another Council Chairman Over Corruption

Allegations
THE Chairman of Esan West local government area, Hon Patrick Aguinede, has been suspended from
office over allegation of corruption.

Edo, Obaseki
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State
This brings to three the chairmen that have been suspended from in the last three months. The others
are Alhaji Aremiyau Aligamhe Momoh of Etsako East and Hon Yakson Musa of Etsako West local
government area.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Mr. Monday Osaigbovo, said Governor
Obaseki has always warned them on his zero tolerance for corrupt practices.

Osaigbovo said Aguinede was suspended for a period of two months to allow an investigation into
allegations made against him.

He said one of the allegations was that an estate agent petitioned Aguinede that he bought a house for
him for N30m and Aguinede refused to pay his agency fees.

Osaigbovo said Aguinede was alleged not to have remitted complete money collected as Internally
Generated Revenue.

“The statistics he gave as the number of tricycles and motorcycles operating in Esan West is 3000. If he
collected N150 each from them, that amounts to N9m monthly but Aguinede was remitting the only
N4.5m.

“The Governor always warned us that anybody caught would not only be sacked but be prosecuted.”
Responding to the suspension, Aguinede said he has accepted it in good faith but said that the issue of
buying a house for N30m was not a government matter because he was rich as far back as 1988.

He said he would appear before any panel set up to investigate the allegations.

State Of Faulks Road Aba Constructed @ 6.8 Billion

In 2016 the Abia state government, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu flagged off the reconstruction of the Faulks
Road Aba which happens to be the busiest Road in Aba at the cost of N6.8 billion for just 4.7
kilometers of road, a road that is just a few street . Setraco Group was to handle the project.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/06/26/ikpeazu-sets-aside-n6-
8bn-to-tackle-faulks-road-aba/amp/

The road link the rest of Aba to the popular Ariaria market and various huge business are located
around that road.

Here are the pictures i took few days ago precisely on the 23rd of September 2018. I guess the road has
been completed because no single contractors are on the road.
Omo-Agege Presents Sexual Harassment Bill To Senate
Subsequent to the BBC sex for grade documentary indicting university professors of sexually
molesting their students, the Sexual Harassment Bill, 2019 (SB. 77) sponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-
Agege has been read for the First Time on the floor of the Senate.

According to the Deputy Senate President, “I am wholly convinced that the unique student-educator
relationship of authority, dependency and trust should never be violated.

By the maxim of ‘loco parentis’, educators are like parents. They owe a special fiduciary duty of care
to students under their authority - students who trust and depend on them to shape their future career
paths. It must therefore be extremely offensive to a reasonable mind where an educator treats students
as ‘perquisites’ of his office. As a father, it is an issue that I cannot just accept. It is a shame on our
conscience as a people. We will stop it. ...”
The Prevention, Prohibition And Redressal of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions
Bill, 2019 which is co-sponsored by 106 other senators specifically makes it a criminal offence for any
educator in a university, polytechnic or any other tertiary educational institution to violate or exploit the
student-lecturer fiduciary relationship for sexual pleasures.

The Bill imposes stiff penalties on offenders in it's overall objective of providing tighter statutory
protection for students against sexual hostility and all forms of sexual harassment in tertiary schools.

The Bill provides a compulsory five-year jail term for lecturers who sexually harass students. When
passed into law, vice chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics and other chief executives of
institutions of higher learning will go to jail for two years if they fail to act within a week on
complaints of sexual harassment made by students.

The Bill expressly allows sexually harassed students, their parents, or guardians to seek civil remedies
in damages against sexual predator lecturers before or after their successful criminal prosecution by the
State.

The Bill also seeks protection from sexual harassment for prospective students seeking admissions into
higher educational institutions, students of generally low mental capacity and physically challenged
students.

The Bill also stipulates as offences solicitation of sex or sexual advances by lecturers which result to
intimidation, hostile or offensive environment for students. It makes provision for “institutional
disciplinary procedures” to be followed by any sexually harassed student to report or submit a formal
sexual harassment complaint within a tertiary institution to the administrative head of the institution.
Administrative heads of tertiary academic institutions are mandated under the bill to protect students
who made sexual harassment complaints from any form of victimisation in their learning.

Senator Omo-Agege believes that students, regardless of age are incapable of giving voluntary consent
to unwelcomed sexual advances or demands for sexual favours by lecturers in any student-lecturer
fiduciary relationship. A lecturer occupies a position of huge public trust in a student-lecturer fiduciary
relationship. That relationship is a delicate one. We know of students with strong character who reject
demand for sexual favours and are punished by making them fail in exams that they ordinarily passed.
That should never happen. Senator Omo-Agege believes strongly that as parents, legislators owe our
children a solemn duty to pass very tough and clear laws to protect our children against sexual perverts
masquerading as teachers.

Buhari And Economic Advisory Council In Close Door Meeting

Members of the economic advisory council are currently in a closed-door meeting with President
Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.
This meeting is the first since the inauguration of the advisory council.

President Buhari last month replacedthe Economic Management Team, headed by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo, with the Economic Advisory Council which is mandated to report directly to him.

The eight-man economic advisory council is headed by Professor Doyin Salami with Dr Mohammed
Sagagi as vice chairman while the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Development Policy, Dr
Mohammed Salisu, is the secretary.

Appointed as members of the council is the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),
Professor Chukwuma Soludo, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Financial
Derivatives Company Limited, Mr Bismark Rewane.

Other members of the committee are Professor Ode Ojowu, Dr Shehu Yahaya, and Dr Iyabo Masha.

The Council will advise the President on economic policy matters, including fiscal analysis, economic
growth and a range of internal and global economic issues working with the relevant cabinet members
and heads of monetary and fiscal agencies.

BBNaija: CLO Tells Buhari To Abolish Big Brother Naija

Reality TV Show
Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has urged President Buhari and the National Assembly to abolish
the Big Brother Naija reality TV show.

According to the organization, the reality TV show has no benefit in the transformation and talent
discovery in Nigeria.

A statement issued by the chairman of the Anambra state chapter, Vincent Ezekwueme, also called on
religious leaders and moralist to speak against the evils in the society.

CLO stated that their call is quite timely towards the protection of national interest, morality and the
future of Nigerian youths.

Ezekwueme said, “The show has painful, shameful, negative and devastating impact on our youths,
culture and society. Wealth without wisdom is one of the worst blunders of the world.

“The Minister for Information and Culture should constitute men of impeccable integrity to unravel if
the show is in tandem with culture, traditions and believe of Nigeria in order to restore morality, core
value system and good orientation.”
The Big Brother Naija reality TV show ended on Sunday, 6th of October with Mercy emerging winner.

She went home with the prize money of N60million, an SUV and tickets to travel abroad.

Taraba University Expels Student For Criticizing Governor

Ishaku On Facebook
The Taraba State University has expelled a 100 level student of the university for consistently
criticising the state governor, Darius Ishaku (PDP) , on Facebook.

Joseph Israel, who was admitted to study Chemistry but later switched to Laboratory Science in the
state-owned university, had his admission withdrawn on the excuse of not signing a matriculation oath
form.

A letter dated September 20, 2019, signed by the Deputy Register Academic, Yakubu Fwa, addressed to
Mr Israel accused the student of failure to attend students’ matriculation ceremony and refusal to fill the
matriculation form.

“Further take notice that the withdrawal of the said admission is hinged on your inability to complete
the registration processes of Taraba State University, Jalingo, as approved by the relevant university
regulation and which makes you a ghost student”, the letter partly reads.

But a local activist, Jen Jibrin, told PREMIUM TIMES, that reason given by the institution was a
smokescreen to ‘deal’ with the student who is a well-known online critic of the governor.

A run through Mr Israel’s Facebook page shows his strident criticism of Mr Ishaku’s leadership.

On April 26, the student posted: “FACR: If Gov Darius sells seven cars in his convoy alone, he will
solve the problems of Taraba State University”.

Nigeria Approves $2 Billion Bakassi Deep Seaport

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the construction of Bakassi Deep Seaport which is
currently ongoing. Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade announced the report and said that the
approval has paved way to launch the port on a commercial scale.

“We have got the official approval for the Bakassi Deep Sea Port Outline Business Case which means
that the Nigerian government has now officially recognized the Bakassi Deep Sea Port and has given us
the impetus to go for the full business case,” stated Prof. Ben Ayade.

Bakassi Deep Seaport

- Advertisement -
The Bakassi Deep Seaport is to become the second trade port in Nigeria, after the Apapa port and
would be the maritime gateway for the country’s landlocked northeast. This is because the rest of the
ports are oil terminals.

The project development is supported by the interim transaction advisors, The Infrastructure Bank,
and China Harbour. The project entails an evacuation corridor and a six-lane highway linking the port
with the north. The proposed six-lane highway spans 162 miles across the length of the geographical
space of the state from Bakassi in the South up to Northern part of the state which borders with Benue
state in North Central Nigeria.

The 20-metre-deep harbour will cost approximately US $800 million and will be built via a public-
private partnership (PPP). Upon completion, the Bakassi port will reduce congestion faced in Lagos
ports and the Onne West Africa Container Terminal in Rivers State. It will also aid in the transportation
of farm produce from the north to other parts of the country.
“The outline business case proposed a 20-metre-deep harbour for transnational shipping, making it “the
deepest seaport in Africa,” said Governor Ayade.

There'll Be Another Civil War If Nigeria Breaks Up With Biafra

–Emir Of Argungu
Alhaji Samaila Muhammed Mera, the Emir of Argungu, has warned that Nigeria risks another
devastating civil war if the calls for the country’s break up are not halted.

The first class monarch and foremost traditional ruler said the nation is better off as one entity.

The monarch pointed out that if Nigeria was separated today, each of these ethnic groups would start
rising against each other, waging supremacy war and this would lead to another civil war.

He said, “I am not a constitutional lawyer or politician. Whatever restructuring would take place in this
country, my sincere advice is that we are better off to remain one Nigeria than divided into pieces,” he
was quoted by Sun.

“I keep on telling my friends in the South-East, South-South regions of Nigeria that it will be a sad day
for me whenever any one of them would have to collect visa before they could visit me. There is
strength in number, unity.

“We are over 150 million now in term of our population and there was a forecast that before end of this
century, Nigeria’s population would exceed 300 million making us the most populous nation behind
China and Indian.

“If you look around the world today, the most successful nations are those with highest population.
Like I said, our problem is that we are not patient with our leaders.

“Just imagine, if Igbo break away, how many land space do they have? The same thing with Yoruba,
the same thing with us in the Northern region.

“Every part of this country has something to offer to other regions. We are better the way we are now.
Whatever our grievances are, let us embrace dialogue and address our differences.

“Whenever I hear our people are agitating for Biafra here, another region calling for break up, I feel
sad.

“We must not forget what happened to Albania, Yugoslavia, and others when they separated into seven
nations.

“Their country was the most vibrant nation in Europe in term of economy. But today, they are small
nations with inadequate resources to cater for their citizens.

“This should be a big lesson to us. If we break up, all of us would suffer for it, because we have many
ethnic groups and tribes across the country.

“If we were separated today, each of these ethnic groups would start rising against each other, waging
supremacy war.

“May God forbid, that would be the beginning of civil war. Instead, we should continue to pray for our
leaders, unite for the country’s survival and development.

“We need to fully tap our potential. We were made to understand that Zamfara state is the richest state
in Nigeria in term of gold deposits.

“Have we fully utilized this potential? Also Kebbi state is blessed with gold and other mineral
resources.

“In fact, each state across Nigeria has two or more natural resources that could change the economy of
this country for better. We were also told that there are large deposits of gas in the Northeast.

“Let us bring all these potentials out, utilise them and I am optimistic that all these threats of breaking
away, restructuring and others would be history in our country.”
President Inaugurates, Sets Agenda For Economic Advisory
Council
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja administered oaths of office on members of the
newly constituted Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), and also set an agenda of what
they should accomplish in the shortest possible time.

Speaking at a meeting with the 8-man Council chaired by Prof. Doyin Salami, President Buhari
charged them to focus on developing reliable data that will properly reflect what is happening in the
country.

The President who called the task before the PEAC ‘‘most important national assignment’’, said:

”As you develop your baseline study, I would like you to focus on primary data collection.

” Today, most of the statistics quoted about Nigeria are developed abroad by the World Bank, IMF and
other foreign bodies.

” Some of the statistics we get relating to Nigeria are wild estimates and bear little relation to the facts
on the ground.

” This is disturbing as it implies we are not fully aware of what is happening in our own country.

” We can only plan realistically when we have reliable data. As you are aware, as a government, we
prioritised agriculture as a critical sector to create jobs and bring prosperity to our rural communities.

”Our programs covered the entire agricultural value chain from seed to fertiliser to grains and
ultimately, our dishes.

”As you travel in some rural communities, you can clearly see the impact. However, the absence of
reliable data is hindering our ability to upgrade these programmes and assure their sustainability. ”

The President also used the occasion to set agenda and expectations from the Council, constituted on
September 16, 2019, to replace the Economic Management Team (EMT).

On the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs), the President told members that his administration was
working to measure the impact of the programme targeted at improving the well-being of millions of
poor and vulnerable citizens.

As such, the President said he had directed the new Minister for Humanitarian Affairs to commence a
comprehensive data-gathering exercise in all Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the North
East.

” Today, we hear international organisations claiming to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on IDPs
in the North East. But when you visit the camps, you rarely see the impact.

” In 2017, when the National Emergency Management Agency took over the feeding of some IDPs in
Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the amount we spent was significantly lower than the claims made by
these international organisations.

” Therefore, actionable data is critical to implement effective strategies to address pressing problems
such as these humanitarian issues.

” I, therefore, look forward to receiving your baseline study as this will help us shape ideas for a
sustainable and prosperous future, ” the President said.

On his expectations from the council, the President urged them to proffer solutions on how to move the
country and economy forward.

The President directed the Council to coordinate and synthesize ideas and efforts on how to lift 100
million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years, working in collaboration with various employment
generating agencies of government.

”I am told you worked throughout last weekend in preparation for this meeting.

”I have listened attentively to findings and ideas on how to move the country and the economy forward.

”Yes, Nigeria has exited the recession. But our reported growth rate is still not fast enough to create the
jobs we need to meet our national ambition of collective prosperity.

”Reason being we had to tread carefully in view of the mess we inherited.

”Many of the ideas we developed in the last four years were targeted at returning Nigeria back to the
path of growth.

”I am sure you will also appreciate that during that time, our country was also facing serious challenges
especially in the areas of insecurity and massive corruption.

”Therefore, I will be the first to admit that our plans were conservative. We had to avoid reckless and
not well thought out policies.

”However, it was very clear to me after we exited the recession that we needed to re-energise our
economic growth plans. This is what I expect from you, ” he said.

President Buhari also assured the Council that the Federal Government will ensure that all their needs
and requests were met before the next technical sessions in November.

He said all key ministries, departments and agencies will be available to meet and discuss with them on
how to collectively build a new Nigeria that caters for all.

”Now, no one person or a group of persons has a monopoly of knowledge or wisdom or patriotism.

”In the circumstances, you may feel free to co-opt, consult and defer to any knowledgeable person if in
your opinion such a move enriches your deliberations and add to the quality of your decisions, ” he
said.

Chairman of Council, Professor Salami, said the mandate was about ”Nigeria first, Nigeria second, and
Nigeria always, ” adding that it was about Nigerians, not as numbers, but as people.

He added: ”Our goal is that the economy grows in a manner that is rapid, inclusive, sustained and
sustainable so that Nigerians will feel the impact. ”

Abaribe Says NASS Might Have To Takeover Government

Economic Policy Direction
A Senator belonging to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that the
administration of President Muhammadu Buhari might soon be toppled.

Mr Buhari had on Tuesday presented the appropriation bill for next year to the joint session of the
National Assembly.

Mr Buhari who proposed a N10.33 trillion budget tagged the financial document that of “fiscal
consolidation to strengthen our macroeconomic environment; investing in critical infrastructure, human
capital development and enabling institutions, especially in key job creating sectors.”

One assumption of the budget is that Nigeria will use nearly a quarter of the budget (N2.5 trillion) to
repay debts the government owes locally and internationally.

The budget was also prepared on the assumption of $57 per barrel with crude oil production of 2.18
million barrels per day.

At the debate of the bill which began Wednesday, Senator Enyinnanya Abaribe, representing Abia
South senatorial district, said the executive has failed and there is need for it to be taken over and the
economic policies of the present administration redirected.
“I want to suggest a name to those who wrote this speech for the president that this is nothing but a
budget of taxation,” Abaribe said before being interrupted by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who
cautioned him to stop the attack.

“I just want to appeal to you to talk to what was read in the budget speech,” the top lawmaker advised
his colleague.

Continuing from where he stopped the Abia lawmaker who is the Minority leader of the upper
legislative chamber, re-emphasised the proposed name he gave to the budget and described it as
unsustainable.

“This is a budget that is based on taxation. Its is based on 7.5 per cent increase in VAT, based on several
other increases,” he said querying, “How would you talk about job creation when you do not invest in
what will create jobs? Debt servicing as a component is higher than capital expenditure. Two trillion for
capital expenditure, 2.4trn for debt servicing.

Abaribe added that it is time for the red chamber to take over from the executive whom he said have
failed. He also pleaded with his colleagues to look at facts before accepting the bill.

“The projected growth that they put in the budget was 1.9 per cent, less than the population growth of
2.6 per cent. So, if we look at it globally, we are still struggling. We may have to take over and direct
the economic policy of this government. having seen that they have not done anything and they have
failed.

“I know that you have promised the executive that we are going to work very well with the executive to
produce the budget but I plead with my colleagues to look at the facts. You cannot run away from facts.

“The facts say this is not a sustainable budget. The facts say that if we need to change, we must be able
to look at the critical fundamentals of this budget speech and make adjustments as due,” he added.

I Will Do My Best To Carry Nigerians Along In Our

Programmes - Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he would his best to carry all Nigerians along during this
last tenure.
He made this known on Wednesday, October 9, as he received some ministers who served with him
when he was the military head of state between 1984 and 1985.
According to a statement signed by his media aide, Femi Adesina, he also applauded the military for
making Abuja the capital of the country.
During the meeting also, there was a minute silence for those who had passed on among the ministers
that served under him when he was a military administrator.
President Buhari also appreciated the ministers for how they have always “consistently” being in
“touch”.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the former minister of external affairs, who also led the team, said that
they have come to congratulate the president on what he has achieved in areas of security, anti-
corruption, education, foreign affairs, among others.
Gambari also spoke about the opportunity the president gave them to serve without interference even
though his leadership was firm.
“We were appointed 35 years and nine months ago. Eighteen of us were sworn in. Your leadership was
firm, but you also gave us free hand to operate. You knew what each person was doing. We will never
forget the opportunity you gave us. We remain patriots,” he said.

Fayemi: We Can Do Away With Senate

Kayode Fayemi, the governor of Ekiti state, says Nigeria can scrap the senate as all the country really
needs is a unicameral legislature.

Speaking at the just concluded 25th edition of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group conference, the
governor said Nigeria has to look into the size of government.

“We do need to look at the size of government in Nigeria and I am an advocate of a unicameral
legislature. What we really need is the house of representatives because that is what represents,” he said
at a session monitored by TheCable.

“You have three senators from little Ekiti and you have three senators from Lagos state. It’s a no-
brainer that it’s unequal, I guess the principle is not proportionality but that if you are a state, you get it
automatically but I think that we can do away with that. There are several things that we can do away
within the government.

“The Oronsaye report that proposed mergers of several MDAs that are doing the same thing is
something that the government should pay serious attention to and reduce the resources being expended
on them.”

Nigeria’s national assembly consists of a senate with 109 members and a 360-member house of
representatives.

HOW GOVERNORS SPEND SECURITY VOTE

Defending the security vote spent by governors, Fayemi, who was also a former minister of mines and
steel, said: “Security vote exists in various forms and not just in Nigeria. They may not call it security
vote, they may call it contingency vote.

“The important thing is the government utilises a wide range of mechanism to guarantee security in a
state and it is not just ammunition and weapons that I am talking about. Even keeping the touts in check
is a security challenge in many states and managing that process may cost you money that you cannot
necessarily show the auditors.

“The other element which states don’t get credit for is what we do for the federal police. Nigeria is the
only federation in the world that I know runs a centralised police force. You have federal police that is
not being funded properly by the federal government so the responsibility for funding those guys that
are posted to your state is on the state. You buy uniforms, ammunition, pay allowances, do life
insurance, buy vehicles; that is not provided for and that is security vote because we are expected to
protect the citizens.

“Let me also say this, you will not hear it out there from anybody. When people are kidnapped and their
relatives are harassing the governor or security institutions to track down the victims.

“We track them down, we know where they are. What you hear us say outside is that we don’t pay
ransom and we stick by that. We don’t pay ransom, we don’t bribe kidnappers but we get those people
released.

“I will not go into the ugly details but we spend money in ensuring that we get abductees and victims
out of harm’s way because ultimately that is what the victim wants us to do. The parents don’t want to
hear the story that we don’t pay a ransom. You just have to whatever you have to do to ensure that we
get our citizens out of danger.”

Fayemi was on the panel alongside Babatunde Fowler, executive chairman of the Federal Inland
Revenue Service (FIRS), Jordi Borrut Bel, Nigerian Breweries MD, and Eme Essien, country manager
of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

EFCC Recovers N65M From Zamfara INEC Office

Operatives of Sokoto zonal office on today recovered money to the tune of N65,548,000 only.

The money which comprises 81 bundle of N1000 notes, 97 bundle of N500 notes and 96 pieces of
N500 notes.

The monies were stacked in two fire proof safes during a search conducted in offices of the HOD
Accounts and Cashier of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Zamfara state.

The money is suspected to be 40% illegally deducted on funds released to INEC Zamfara office to cater
for the rent of Canopies, Tables and Chairs and also funds for RAC (Registration Area Center) and
movement of men and materials to Polling Units, by the HOD Accounts & Cashier.

The raid followed a petition by one of the INEC ad-hoc staff during the 2019 presidential and
gubernatorial elections in Zamfara State.
The staff alleged that the Adhoc INEC officials were denied payment of their N6,000 movement
allowances each for the two elections.

The suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is completed.

Budget 2020: Gabriel Suswam Expresses Worry On VAT,

Ekweremadu Lauds Buhari
The Senate has began debate on the general principles of the 2020 Appropriation Bill of N10.33
trillion.

The lawmakers took turns debating the Bill at plenary on Wednesday.

Out of the N10.33 trillion in the 2020 Budget, N556.7 billion is for Statutory Transfer, while N2. 7
trillion is for Debt Service.

Contributing, Sen. Gabriel Suswam (PDP-Benue) said that the budget was very ambitious as it was
intended to address infrastructural deficit.

He said that the economy had contracted to a level that the senate needed to critically address some
very “germane and pregnant issues.”

“Along with the appropriation submitted by the President, is a financial bill that has five thematic areas.

“I am worried about the area that talks about revenue. I am worried with that because Value Added Tax
(VAT) that had been moved from 5 per cent to 7.5 per cent is one of the sources that we intend to raise
revenue to finance critical areas of education and the health.

“In the same budget that we proposed 2.93 Gross Domestic Product Growth, we have also taken these
policies, policies that will further contract the economy.

“This is because if we say that VAT will be moved from 5 per cent to 7.5 percent, the exemptions from
the VAT are small because most of the aggregate economic activities are small business enterprises.”

He explained that most of the small business enterprises would be unable to address the issue of 7.5 per
cent VAT.

“The 7.5 per cent VAT is on the high side and has exemption only on food items.”
On sectoral allocations, Suswam said that the money for the education and health was insufficient.

He said that to address infrastructure from holistic point of view, “outside of roads and power;
education and health allocation should have also been enhanced.”

Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation Sen. Jibril Barau (APC-Kano) said that the sectoral
allocation of N262 billion to Works and Housing, showed that government was serious about providing
the necessary infrastructure to drive and sustain the economy.

He said that government was serious to actualise its long term objective of diversifying the economy.

Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (PDP-Enugu) said that he was pleased with the emphasis on road sector
development and the marginal increase in Human Rights Commission’s allocation.

“These are indeed very commendable steps.

“The President has done his best in the presentation of the Appropriation Bill pursuant to Section 81 of
the Constitution.

“Now the job is left for us to consider and make appropriate adjustments.

“We cannot blame the President or anybody else to fail in this responsibility of adjusting the proposal
where necessary.

“Once the budget is passed, the rest is implementation.”

He said that in order to ensure full implementation of the budget, revenue generation must be
emphasised and certainly not at the expense of ordinary Nigerians.

Ekweremadu said that there was the need to block all leakages.

“I am happy that the Federal Government is now clear on its position on IPPIS that government
agencies must be captured under IPPIS.”

He further said that there was the need to show more interest in mineral sector development.

“We need to remove so much emphasis on oil and gas and see what we can do to take advantage of all
the deposits of solid minerals in the country.”

Senate Minority Leader Eyinnaya Abaribe said the budget was a budget of taxation going by the
proposed increase in VAT from 5 to 7. 5 per cent.
In his remarks, President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan, mentioned that the debate on the budget would
continue on Thursday.(NAN)

Buhari's Nepotism On Steroids! By Dr.farooq Kperogi

The Personal Chief Security Officer (PCSO) to Buhari by the name of Abdulkarim Dauda was
supposed to retire this year, but his service has been ilegally extended till 2023, as this secret memo
shows.
Note that he is Buhari's biological relative. He is Mamman Daura's nephew. In other words, he is the
son of Mamman Daura's brother. Recall that Mamman Daura's father, called Dauda Daura, is Buhari's
half-brother from the same father. (Mamman Daura is Nigeria's de facto president for whom Abba
Kyari acts.)
Abdulkarim Dauda has had one of the fastest promotions in the history of the Nigeria Police. In 2015
when Buhari came to power, he was only a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), but he rapidly rose to
the rank of Commissioner of Police in just 4 years.
That means he went from Chief Superintendent of Police to Assistant Police Commissioner, to Deputy
Police Commissioner, and to Police Commissioner in the space of just 4 years!

Alhaji Bukar 'Modu China' Wanted Boko Haram Chief Driver

Arrested By Army
Gallant troops of the Nigerian army says it has arrested four 10 Boko Haram terrorists on Wednesday,
October 9, in Borno state.

This Army made this known in a statement released via its official Twitter account.

The Army working in conjunction with members of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), on clearance
operations effected the arrest on the terrorists in Pulka Borno State.

It was gathered that one of the arrested terrorists identified as, Alhaji Bukar Modu alias Modu China
(Chief Driver), was declared wanted on Serial 89 of NA wanted list.

Details later…

Senate To Reduce Political Parties From 91 To 5

The Senate, yesterday, said that it would reduce the number of political parties participating in elections
in the country from the current 91 to five through legislation. The Senate stated this at a meeting with
the leadership of INEC led by its chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in the National Assembly,
Abuja.

The apex legislative chamber expressed dissatisfaction over the number of political parties fielding
candidates in the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states. In particular, the
Chairman of the Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Kabiru
Gaya (APC Kano South) and former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West),
said that the number of political parties that would be contesting elections was unwieldy and a
contravention of the amended Electoral Act.

Ekweremadu expressed serious concerns over the number of political parties, which he insisted was a
breach of the 2010 electoral Act (as amended). The former Deputy Senate President said that by virtue
of the electoral Act, political parties, which failed to win a seat in the general elections should be
deregistered. This prompted the committee chairman to query the INEC chairman on why such “failed”
political parties would be allowed to appear on the ballot papers in Bayelsa and Kogi states.

He said: “Those parties that didn’t perform shouldn’t be on the ballot. The existing electoral act as
amended has precluded participation of parties that didn’t perform in the last elections.

Why are you putting them in the ballot in the forthcoming elections?” Gaya hinted that his committee
was determined to reduce the number of existing political parties to three or five. “We need to amend
the act to reduce the political parties to a maximum of five. This committee is really committed to
reducing the number of political parties to save tax payers money,” he insisted. The INEC chairman, in
his defence, said that the commission was in a dilemma to take decisive action to deregister political
parties as a result of pending electoral litigations which could alter its judgement .

He said: “The Commission had systematically deregistered many parties under the electoral act. But
the parties insisted that the electoral act is inferior to the Constitution. “Again, at what point can we say
election has been concluded? Is it after we have issued Certificate of Return or after the courts have
concluded judgements on petitions arising from elections?” Earlier, giving an update on his
Commission’s preparation for the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections, Yakubu said that all non-
sensitive materials had since been deployed and all other arrangements would be made for credible,
free and fair elections in the two states.

Kogi 2019: Ondo APC Sets Up Panel To Support Bello

Few weeks to the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State, the All Progressives Congress in
Ondo State, said it would set up a committee that would work for Governor Yahaya Bello to win his re-
election bid.

The Chairman of the party in Ondo State, Mr Ade Adetimehin, said the party would join hands with the
Kogi State chapter to ensure victory for the party.

Adetimehin stated this during a meeting between the APC’s State Working Committee and leaders of
the Igbo, Hausa, and Ibira communities in the state, at the state party secretariat in Akure, Ondo State,
on Wednesday.

Adetimehin said, “The state would constitute a comprehensive committee of members from the State
Executive Committee, and representatives of the various communities in the state that will join our
brethren in Kogi State.

“The entire duty of the committee is to boost the morale of the party members in Kogi, work
assiduously with them to retain the state for our dear party.”

The party chairman, who assured the non-indigenes that they would be carried along in the scheme of
things, said the APC-controlled government had given a sense of belonging to them.

He added, “Appointing special assistants to Mr Governor from all the communities, appointing
supervisors and executive members of the party are all done to promote oneness.

“There can’t be us without you; you are very important to us. I urge all to imbibe the culture of always
defending the good image of this party; let us not destroy ourselves behind each other.”

He said the Ondo APC regarded the non-indigenes as fellow citizens of Nigeria and the state, adding
that “we feel you are entitled to whatever benefits available

Benin Republic Asked Their President To Resign Due To The

Border Closure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qhuecZUOjk

Junaid: North Will Remove Any President Who Attempts To

Implement 2014 Confab
Junaid Mohammed, elder statesman and Second Republic federal lawmaker was a delegate
to the 2014 National Conference convened by the Goodluck Jonathan administration. In
This interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, he spoke on why the recommendations of
the conference can’t be implemented and other issues. Excerpts:

insecurity in their states, some governors have been negotiating with bandits and in some
cases, giving them money. Do you think this is a right approach?

It is not. I believe it is a very dangerous trend. It shows that the governors are not sincere
and they have underfinanced the security system even though they make billions of naira in
the name of maintaining security. Essentially, they have been stealing the money which was
earmarked for security. So, I don’t accept the idea of negotiating with bandits. It is a bad
idea and I believe instead of paying off the bandits, they can finance the police and assist
the DSS and other security organisations. It shows what will happen in the state if
governors are allowed to set up their private policemen. It is going to be disastrous and
make Nigeria ungovernable.

Some Nigerians are calling for the implementation of the 2014 national conference as a
way of addressing some of the challenges facing the country. What is your take on this?
 Those saying that, have they read the report? Has anyone of us who attended the conference
told Nigerians what aspect we want to be implemented? I was at the 2014 national
conference. I represented Kano state which is one of the two biggest states in the country. I
had been involved in several conferences in the past and even after the 2014 conference, we
also had another one here in Kano concerning the state. As far as I am concerned, that 2014
confab is a fraud. What they are purporting to be the report is a fraud. Most of the issues
that we discussed which were rejected were brought back into the final report through the
backdoor. They did that with the full cooperation of the then President Goodluck Jonathan.
But we defeated every issue they brought even though we are in the minority. If you want
to have a constitutional conference, one, it must be a representative of the whole country so
that people don’t feel marginalised especially those who are in the majority in the country.
The north has been in the majority in the country even before 1914. You cannot have a
constitutional conference in which the North has been reduced to minority in the country
and you say you are having a constitutional conference. And in spite of that,we still
defeated them.

In fact, I want somebody from the South to become the President and attempt to implement
the report of the 2014 conference; we will kick him out in no time. You cannot be a
democrat and pretend that it doesn’t matter who are the people who constitute the majority
in the country. Democracy in itself means credible free and fair election. Whatever we do,
that principle must be represented. If they want to try it, let them try it. It is one of the
gimmicks that Jonathan attempted but he failed. In fact, initially, the idea in the North here
was that we should not attend the conference but we thought doing so may lead to the
break-up of the country and we don’t want to be held responsible historically for that kind
of very serious step. So, we went, we saw and we defeated them.

Do you think it is morally right for a northerner to aspire for the Presidency in 2023 after
President Buhari must have completed his two terms if he survives the judgment of the
Supreme Court?

What do you mean by morally right? Politics and morals are two different aspects of human
endeavour. First and foremost, if you know my history, from the Second Republic, I have
never supported the idea of zoning or rotation. Though many Nigerians accept the idea of
zoning or rotation, I don’t. But at the same time, the South East has not accepted the
principle. PDP accepted the principle because they want everybody to have the opportunity
to steal public money. They want it to go round. If Nigerians are serious, if a party because
of zoning should put forward an unpopular or unacceptable candidate, they should simply
refuse to vote for him. But in a democracy, saying we should dedicate certain positions to
some people in what is supposed to be a democratic free and fair election is wrong.

Herdsmen In Oyo Reject State's Anti-grazing Bill

Herdsmen in Oyo have rejected the proposed anti-grazing bill in the state House of Assembly.
The herders pleaded with the people of the state not to allow the bill sail through, adding that it
was a ploy to punish them.

The herders spoke through the national chairman of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association
of Nigeria, Alhaji Sale Bayari.

Bayari who delivered an 18-page position paper delivered during the session kicked against the
bill and its sponsors. He was speaking at the public presentation of views and observation on the
Grazing Regulations Bill 2019 held in the state capital, Ibadan.

“It is impossible in our country for any peasant small scale herdsman or rancher to go into
ranching,” he said.

According to him, the sponsors of the bill did not probe into the detailed history of the herdsmen
and his cattle rearing culture, tradition and hereditary attachment to his means of livelihood,
rather than the ‘business’ angle to it.

He further said the bill failed to take into consideration small scale herdsmen, unlike the
commercial livestock farmers. He asked rhetorically how a herdsman owning 50 cows or less
could afford to lease a plot of ranch to keep and graze his livestock and buy feed for the animals.

His words: “From our calculations, one cow will eat grass, drink water, drugs and other
maintenance costs to the tune of N1, 500 a day.” “We shall continue to be law-abiding citizens of
this state and here undertake to ensure that we fish out all the bad elements among us that are
distorting the peace and tranquility of Oyo state,” he promised.

Meanwhile, leader of the Yoruba people, Professor Banji Akintoye, on Tuesday, October 8, called
on the southwest people to stand up and defend their land.

Akintoye made the comment when he led a delegation to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu
Adetunji, saying his mission as a leader of the race is to ensure that the Yoruba takes back its
pride of place.

October 10

Obiano Inaugurates Cctv Surveillance Cameras In Anambra

Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano will on Friday inaugurate super smart closed-
circuit cameras (CCTVs) in three cities of the state. According to the governor,the CCTVs are to
be installed in Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha, while it will be installed in other cities of the state later.
The government in a statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment,
Mr. C.Don Adinuba, said the state is committed to using advanced technology to protect lives and
property.

“The Government of Anambra state has decided to fight crime with the latest technology anywhere in
the world,” he said. According to Adinuba, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu
Abubakar, is expected to grace the commissioning of the Anambra State’s technology-driven security
initiative, the Smart City project, known as the second phase of Operation Kpochapu (Operation Wipe
Out Crime).
He said, “The Smart City Security Project was inspired by the governor’s visit to Massachusetts,
United States, in October, 2018, when he toured places like the Cambridge Innovation Centre, Boston
University and Industrial Video and Control in Boston. He was impressed among other things, the
sophisticated surveillance cameras from Industrial Video and Control, developed in conjunction with
researchers at the Cambridge Innovation Centre and other research centres in Massachusetts.
These products proved effective in helping the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to identify the
two brothers from originally Kyrgyzstan, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, that on April 15, 2013,
bombed participants in the annual Boston Marathon, killed three persons and injured many others,
including 16 who lost their legs”.
According to him, the advanced surveillance cameras from Industrial Video and Control are not yet in
some American cities and even states. “Governor Obiano felt that they should be installed in Anambra
State so that it will remain Nigeria’s safest state and as a result attract considerable investments. To
operate effectively for 24 hours daily, these gadgets require electricity which unfortunately is not
always available in Nigeria.
The governor consequently opted for the solar-powered type,” he added. Adinuba further stated that
109 vehicles have been procured and equipped with state of the art electronic devices to work in unison
with the super smart gadgets.

Adamu Adamu Says Teachers To Get Free 1GB Data

Minister of Education Adamu Adamu has said that public schools teachers would be given 1GB
(Gigabyte) data free to enable them to access and browse the internet always, Igberetv reports.

Speaking at the occasion marking the World Teachers Day Celebration on Saturday in Abuja the
Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who represented the Minister of
Education said the ministry was working with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
and other stakeholders to provide at least 1GB of data free to each public school teacher to
browse the internet in order obtain materials for education of pupils and students.

He revealed that government was also working to obtain life insurance policy for all public
school teachers and that families of all insured teachers would be given benefits upon the death of
the holder. The benefits are: N1 million for male teachers, N1.2 million for female teachers while
science teachers would get N1.5 million, he said.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami who represented
President Muhammadu Buhari, said the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Young Teachers: The
Future of the Profession,’ highlighted the need for attracting and keeping the brightest minds and
young talents in the teaching profession. He said that teachers are paramount in the educational
development of the nation and promised that the federal government will partner with the state
government to achieve quality education for Nigeria schools.
Jorge Luis Escandón Hernández: Mexican Mayor Tied To Truck,
Dragged
Angry farmers in Mexico abducted the mayor of their village and dragged him through the streets
after claiming he went back on key campaign promises.

Police intervened to free Jorge Luis Escandón Hernández, who suffered no major injuries after
the ordeal.

A group of protesters armed with clubs and rocks detained the mayor of Las Margaritas and tied
him to the back of a pickup truck and dragged him through the streets, according to local news
website El Heraldo de Mexico.

Footage of the attack shows the man being dragged along a road, with a mob running after him.

It was the second attack by farmers demanding that he fulfil his campaign promise to repair a
local road and bring drinking water and electricity to the community of roughly 500.

In an earlier incident four months ago, a group of men ransacked his office after turning up there
and finding it empty.

Eight hours after the incident, the mayor appeared on the central square in Las Margaritas and
gave a speech, holding leaders in the Santa Rita community responsible and saying he would not
be intimidated.

Mayors and local politicians in Mexico are routinely targeted by drug gangs when they refuse to
cooperate or accept bribes.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said 10 people were injured in the incident and 11 were arrested.

Mr Hernandez said he views the attempt as abduction and attempted murder and will press
charges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOWeh1uGU7o

Fulani Herdsmen:Despite Being Northern State,Benue A Bad

Brother,Neighbour To Us
“Despite Benue state being a northern state, it has been a very bad brother and neighbour
of the Fulani herdsmen."

The National Chairman of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria, Alhaji
Sale Bayari, has slammed Benue State for being a bad 'brother' and 'neighbour' to Fulani
herdsmen while commending Oyo State people for accommodating them.

Bayari stated this during a public presentation of views, observation of the proposed grazing
regulations bill 2019 by the Oyo State House of Assembly.
The presentation was held at the house of chiefs, Agodi, Ibadan.

Bayari said, “From our calculations, one cow will eat grass, drink water, drugs and other
maintenance costs to the tune of N1,500 a day.
“Despite Benue state being a northern state, it has been a very bad brother and neighbour of the
Fulani herdsmen.

“Ironically, it is Oyo state among Yoruba states that have been and remained our home
truly as Nigerians due to the wonderful warm and receptive nature of the great descendants
of Oduduwa that the Fulani herdsmen have come to see and accept as their beloved great
grandfather too due to their accommodating spirit, nature and character of the people of
the Southwest.

“We shall continue to be law-abiding citizens of this state and here undertake to ensure that we
fish out all the bad elements among us that are distorting the peace and tranquillity of Oyo state.”
The parliament had proposed the bill as a way of finding a lasting solution to violent clashes
between farmers and herders in the state.

The speaker of the house, Adebo Ogundoyin, noted: “There is a need for us to continue to live in
peace and harmony, Fulani and the farmers have been living together for a long time ago and
nobody ousted his or her boundary or herders grazing their cattle in a way that will destroy farm
input."

Abdulkarim Dauda's Retirement Year Extended By 3 Years By

Buhari - DailyNigerian
President Muhammadu Buhari has secretly extended the service of his Personal Chief Security
Officer, Abdulkarim Dauda Daura, DAILY NIGERIAN has gathered.

Mr Dauda, a commissioner of police with service number P.NO. 23853, is to retire this year,
having enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Officer on January 1, 1985.

His father, Alhaji Dauda Daura, a groundnut merchant in the colonial era in Kano, was Mr
Buhari’s elder brother with whom young Buhari once stayed.

Nigeria’s Police Act says an officer is expected to retire from service after 35 years or when he
attains the age of 60. The Act does not exclude an officer who has not attained the age of 60 but
has served for 35 years from retirement.

But according to a Police Wireless Message, which means ‘secret memo’ in security
communications, sighted by DAILY NIGERIAN, the president has extended his service to May
13, 2023 — two weeks to the expiration of the president’s term.

By 2023, Mr Dauda would have served for 38 years.

The memo reads: “The President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and Chairman
Police Council has graciously approved the extension of service of CP Abdulkarim Dauda to 13th
May, 2023 when he would have attained sixty (60) years of age. COMPOL INFO-TECH only
and amend your records please.”

The memo was signed by Usman Alkali Babe, the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of Police
Force Secretariat, where the memo emanated from.

Mr Dauda’s promotions from chief superintendent of police to commissioner were also subject of
controversies.

A ranking police officer who spoke to DAILY NIGERIAN in confidence said, “the speed he got
to commissioner from chief superintendent just between 2015 and 2019 is unprecedented in the
Nigerian Police Force. The promotions were illegal. They only gave him favours because he is
related to the president.”

In March 2018, while still a deputy commissioner, he was exposed in a leaked audio begging
former chairman of Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, to expedite the promotion of former
police spokesperson, Moshood Jimoh.

In the same audio, Mr Okiro told him, “even your own, Even your own, I am putting you for
CP“.

Barely four months after, he was decorated by the president as a police commissioner.

Spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force Frank Mba could not be reached for comment at the time
of filing in this report.

A source at the force headquarters who confirmed the authenticity of the signal, however said Mr
Mba was away in Awka for a training, and therefore his lines are “hardly reached”.

There Is No Fund To Rehabilitate Enugu Airport's Runway —

Fg
The gullible South East folks and their Southern counterparts would explain this one way.
Buhari has subtly closed the only international airport, which the South East has, and only
upgraded from being a local airport by Goodluck Jonathan adminstration.

Suddenly, the Nigerian government of Muhammadu Buhari could not find fund to do the runway
of Dr Akanu Ibiam International Airport. What a joke he is making of the Igbo and their people.
I wonder how these so-called Igbo leaders reason and sleep at night with obvious derelictions
connected to them.

So, the money for a runway for the only and not even an international standard airport, which is
the only one funded by the immediate past adminstration is nowhere within the coffers of the
federal government of Buhari, but the same willingly pledged N1bn to Miyetti Allah.
I love the fact that Buhari is poking into the eyes of the Igbo people in such brash manner to let
some morons who refused to see or hear or read the handwriting on the wall, to at least, read, see
and comprehend.

The man has been bold enough to show the South East region that he can do anything he wants
with them and there is nothing anyone, except Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB can do.
Where is the second Niger bridge their vuvuzelas trumpeted just during the election campaign.
The few morons in the region, who have failed to see, hear and read, jumped up and danced.
To fool some gullibles, he closed down Akanu Ibiam International Airport and approved Ebonyi
state to build an international airport in the state.
Usually, International Airports are built by the federal government, but the people of South East
must build their own with their own state resources.

It took the federal government, with the help of oil money from the old Eastern region, days to
upgrade Kaduna airport before the runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport’s runway
was to be rehabilitated.

But now, it comes to rebuilding a single runway at Enugu Airport, the same government of
Buhari has no more funds to do that of Enugu.
I still wonder why other Nigerians get obnoxiously angry that the Igbo feel not part of this
country and say that the region is grossly marginalized.
I love what Buhari and his cabal are doing, they make the job of those pushing for Biafra very
simple and easy.

Buhari Accuses World Bank, IMF, Others Of Publishing

Inaccurate Data
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with the newly constituted Presidential
Economic Advisory Council (ECA).

Mr Buhari played host to the ECA when the members of the council visited him at the
presidential villa in Abuja.

The body was constituted last month with the mandate to advise the president on matters relating
to the economy.

After the gathering, the president accused the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund
of publishing inaccurate statistical data about the country.

Buhari also said he has mandated his economic advisory team with the new task of having proper
statistics gathering mechanisms.

Both the World Bank and the IMF have in recent times lamented the debt profile of Nigeria in
relation to GDP.

The World Poverty Clock also described Nigeria as the World Poverty Capital, a designation
rejected by the Buhari administration.

The statistics regarding the high unemployment rate and poverty released by the National Bureau
of Statistics which is a government agency, have also been rejected by the Buhari administration.

ALSO READ: Don't build toll gates in South-East else we'll dismantle it - MASSOB dares FG
The statistics regarding the human rights records which was released by Amnesty International
have also been rejected by the government.

“We must domesticate our policies to reflect our local realities. While we very much welcome the
cooperation and support we are getting from our friends abroad, it is important to make it clear
that Nigeria can only truly move forward with homegrown solutions,” the president said in series
of tweets Wednesday.

“This must extend to data collection as well. Today, most of the statistics quoted about Nigeria
are developed abroad by the World Bank, IMF and other foreign bodies. Some of these statistics
are wild estimates that bear little relation to the facts on the ground.

“We can only plan realistically when we have reliable data. As a government we are taking very
serious steps to improve the quality of data available for policymaking, and today I charged the
Presidential Economic Advisory Council to prioritize the collection of Primary data,” Buhari
added.

N135m Recovered From Nigerian Army General

Maj-Gen. Hakeem Otiki, the military officer standing trial for allegedly stealing and diverting
Nigerian Army’s cash has pleaded not guilty after being arraigned before a court martial.

It was however learnt that N135 million, said to be part of the missing money was recovered
from the Nigerian army general who is pleading with the tribunal to allow him travel for medical
treatment at Florida in United States (U.S.) and also to unfreeze his account which was placed
under Post No Debit (PND) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Otiki ran into trouble after his escorts he instructed to guard one Alhaji Abo Aliu who was
transporting N100,000,000.00 and $86,000.00 from Sokoto to Kaduna, robbed him of the money
between Funtua and Zaria.

Alhaji Abo Aliu and his friend were taken to a nearby forest, dispossessed of their phones and
robbed of the money meant for furniture purchase.

“In the course of the investigation, the team sent a letter to the General financial intelligence unit,
requesting to connect the accused senior officer’s phone number with his bank details. We also
wrote a letter to the Army intelligence, their tech unit, requesting a forensic analysis of the phone
of the accused. The team also wrote a letter to the CAC.

“The team travelled from Abuja to Sokoto but before the travel, the team recorded the statement
of the accused. After the initial statement, on the 19/07/19, he requested to make another
statement and the request was granted. He has two statements made on the 19/07/19.

“On the 24/07/19, the team invited the officer for interrogation, on 06/08/19, the team recorded
another statement of the accused. On 08/08/19, there was another session with the senior officer
(another question and answer session).

“On 14/08/19, there was another question and answer session with the accused senior officer.

“The team proceeded to Sokoto on the 25/07/19, where the team interviewed principal staff
officers and other witnesses at Sokoto i.e S.D Headquarters. While in Sokoto, the team obtained
documents important to this case, the team equally collected a committee report on barracks
administration as well as executive summary from the committee.

“The team also inspected some of the projects that were ongoing at the division. Documents like
the Harmonized Terms and Condition of Service of officers and the manual of collection of
Armed forces 2018 were collected too. We also obtained authority from the collection of arms
and ammunition from the commissioner of arms.

“Furtherance to the investigation, the team got hold of some monies that were carted away by the
‘accused’. The team recovered ?15,382,000.00 and $6,600. Furthermore, another sum of ?
20,000,000.00 was also recovered in the course of this investigation.

“Another sum of ?100,000,000.00 was equally recovered in the course of the investigation" one
of the investigators said.

General Otiki who is currently trying to secure a nod to travel out for a spinal cord surgery on or
before October 15, has Okechukwu Ajunwa, Femi Oyebanjo; Mike Kebunko and Kenneth
Anyang on his defence team.

Speaking on behalf of their client, the defence team said “He has been detained and underwent an
excruciating condition at the detention; as a result, he suffered severe pains in his lower back.
After medical examinations, it was reported that he needs a spine transplant.

“The right to life is sacrosanct as granted in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, it is the only right that
cannot be restored once it is lost. I refer this court to the case of Alhaji Toyin Jimoh vs. C.o.p
(2006) 22 WRN, 77 at 85-86.

The prosecution objected to his request, arguing: “We have listened to the defence’s application,
we are still saying that his application is hinged on nothing, there is nothing before this court, my
learned counsel is not a medical doctor and such documents means nothing before this court.

“Fundamental human rights are subject to certain conditions. First, I refer this court to Section
122(6) and 122 (e) Armed Forces Act, Chapter A20, Laws of the Federation, 2004. Secondly,
these conditions amongst other things are to ensure the safety of the person standing trial. EFCC
can arrest him if released."
Shehu Sani Tackles Buhari Over Accusation Against World
Bank
Shehu Sani, a former Senator has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over the latter’s
accusation against assessment of some foreign bodies.

Mr Buhari while playing host to his Economic Advisory Council (ECA) accused World Bank,
International Monetary Fund and other international groups of publishing inaccurate statistics
about the country.

One of the damning statistics is that of World Bank Poverty Clock which opined that the
acclaimed giant of Africa is the headquarters of poverty in the world.

The submission did not go down well with the administration of President Buhari which rejected
and continues to kick against statistics of both foreign and local bodies.

The government which prides itself as seriously fighting corruption also kicked against the report
of Transparency International which said the country is now more corrupt under Buhari than it
was during previous administrations.

It has also rejected the submission of Amnesty International that the All Progressive Congress led
administration has severally trampled and violated human rights in the country.

ALSO READ: World Bank, IMF, others statistics fake, give us real facts - Buhari mandates ECA

“Today, most of the statistics quoted about Nigeria are developed abroad by the World Bank, IMF
and other foreign bodies. Some of these statistics are wild estimates that bear little relation to the
facts on the ground,” the president said on Wednesday.

Reacting to the remarks of the president, the former lawmaker wondered why the Nigerian leader
is criticising the World Bank which he has been consistently borrowing from but continues to
reject the verdict of the financial institution.

“You want World Bank money,You don’t want World Bank assessment,” Mr Sani said in a tweet
on Thursday.

Italy Reduces Size Of Parliament 'to Save €1bn In A Decade'.

How Far Nigeria?
Italy's parliament has voted to cut the number of representatives in both houses by more than a
third.

The lower house approved a law to reduce the number of MPs from 630 to 400 and senators from
315 to 200.

The reform was a manifesto promise of the populist Five Star Movement, the main party in Italy's
governing coalition.
They say it will streamline parliament and save hundreds of millions of euros in salaries and
expenses.

However, critics say the move will weaken democracy and increase the influence of lobbyists.
The new law is potentially subject to a confirmatory referendum as it makes changes to the
Italian constitution.

"It's done! Promise kept" a blog post from Five Star said after the vote in the lower house on
Tuesday.

In a post on Twitter, Five Star said the bill - which was supported by almost all parties - would
save the country €1bn (£897m) over 10 years

"It's the day we've been awaiting forever," Cabinet Secretary Riccardo Fraccaro said, according
to Ansa.

"After almost 30 years of broken promises, the cut in MPs and senators is a reality. A new
political season is starting, now the citizens are at the centre."

The new law should come into effect after the next elections which are due in 2023.

A governing coalition between Five Star and the far-right League party broke down in August.
Last month Five Star entered into a new coalition with the centre-left PD and made the new law a
condition of its alliance.

The government's other main objective is to pass a budget to block a rise in VAT (sales tax),
which is set to kick in on 1 January if the government fails to reach its debt-reduction target.

2023: APC, PDP Should Zone Presidential Ticket To South-

east - Group
Press Release by Coalition Of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL)

We demand that the highest office in the country, which is office of the president be zoned to the
South East geo-political zone by APC and PDP after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari
in 2023.

The refusal of any big political party to zone the presidency to the South East in 2023 simply
means swimming against the tide of the core vinculum of our democracy in Nigeria.

Those who are clamouring that the North should take the presidency after 8 years of President
Buhari are not patriotic, they place their personal gain and aggrandisement above the survival ,
progress and success of the country.

The zoning arrangement was borne out of doctrine of necessity designed as democracy bond with
the sole objective of creating a sense of belonging , harmony , happiness, peace and unity for our
dear country Nigeria.

Zoning of the presidency has its moral weight. Zoning of the office of the president to the South
East in 2023 is very important to preserve the corporate entity of Nigeria and also calm down
political tension.

Elder statesmen and Nigerian Patriots knew that the best thing to do is order to keep the peace
and unity of this country what to create the zoning arrangement by proclaiming that the highest
office , which is office of the president , should navigate between the South and the North . It
started with the south West in 1999, in 2007 Alhaji Musa Yar'adua's mantle. After the unfortunate
exit of President Yar'adua , President Goodluck Jonathan from South South took the mantle and
handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari from the North whose tenure will end in 2023.

Now the rightful zone that deserves the seat is South East geo- political zone after the tenure of
president Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. The zone not occupied the elevated office and 2023 is the
ample time to right the wrong.

A Nigerian President of Igbo Extraction will take Nigeria to greater heights because the Igbo man
will bring his entrepreneur spirit to bear and he sees every where he finds himself as his
constituency. He is not tribalistic. He believes in ideals of a United Nigeria.

Zoning when it was introduced in 1999 did the magic of strengthening the bonds of amity and
peaceful political transitions , why should it be thrown away now that it is the turn of the South
East zone.

The 20 years of Uninterrupted democracy in this country Nigeria is as a result of zoning

arrangement . Despite our different languages , religion and tribes , we are able to remain one
simply because of the zoning of the office of the president. Different geo-political zones feels
secured , recognized , respected and an integral part of the country. It gave self esteem to different
geo-political zones in the country.

Those who think zoning is not important or no more needed are deceiving themselves . We
cannot jettison a political arrangement that is working because of the personal interest of very
few individuals.

We therefore call on other geo-political zone to support the aspiration of brothers in the South
East in order to move the country forward.

IMF Says Nigerian Govt May Put Its Central Bank In

Trouble
Going by the conclusion of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Amine Mati,
Senior Resident Representative and Mission Chief for Nigeria, the apex bank,
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may be in trouble.
The team whose report is coming on the heels of the 2020 budget proposal presentation by
President Muhammadu Buhari, suggested that “over-optimistic revenue projections – leading to
higher financing needs than initially envisaged – resulted to overreliance on expensive borrowing
from the CBN to finance the fiscal deficit.
“The current account’s shift to a deficit is expected to persist while the pace of capital outflows
continues to weigh on international reserves.”

This was further reinforced by Bloomberg’s analysis of Nigeria’s projected and actual income
between 2015 to 2018. The analysis confirmed that Nigeria has been unable to meet its income
target. The government was only able to collect 58% of 2019 revenue as at June. This was due to
shortfalls in both oil and non-oil earnings with the government takings from crude sales 49%
below target.

In 2016, Nigerian Government projected revenue to be N3.86 trillion but actual revenue was
N3.19 trillion and ever since then, the margin has grown wider. 2017 projected revenue was
N5.08 trillion but only generated 2.78 trillion; 2018 expected income was N7.17 trillion but
actual income was N3.96 trillion.

IMF expressed concern about the current policies, but was optimistic about growth in the oil and
agricultural sectors.
“The outlook under current policies remains challenging. Growth is expected to pick up to 2.3
percent this year on the strength of a continuing recovery in the oil sector and the regaining of
momentum in agriculture following a good harvest.”

$9.6bn Judgment: FG Pays £250,000 Cost To P&ID

The Federal Government has paid £250,000 to Process and Industrial Developments Limited as
ordered by Justice Christopher Butcher of the Commercial Court in London on Thursday,
September 26, The PUNCH has learnt.

The money was ordered to be paid to P&ID as its running cost at the September 26 hearing of the
London court.

The government, it was further learnt on Wednesday, appealed against the order of the same court
which asked that a $200m security payment be made into its account within 60 days as a
condition for a stay of execution of the $9.6bn judgment earlier given in favour of P&ID.

Justice Butcher had at the September 26 proceedings granted Nigeria leave to appeal against the
$9.6bn awarded in favour of P&ID over an alleged breach of a gas supply contract tagged Gas
Supply Processing Agreement.

In granting the leave, the court had ordered Nigeria to pay the £250,000 cost to P&ID within 14
days.

Our correspondent learnt that Nigeria was able to beat the 14-day ultimatum which elapsed on
Thursday (today).

It was gathered that the payment was made through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), confirmed the development to
our correspondent in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

Malami said although the government had appealed the order to pay $200m into the court’s
account and applied for stay of execution, it paid the £250,000 cost out of respect for the court.

The minister said, “You know that there are two sets of money involved. There is the $200m
security payment and there is also the £250,000 cost.

“The $200m security payment has not been paid. We have appealed against the order and we
have also applied for stay of execution of the order.

“But we have paid the cost, which is £250,000, to P&ID. The Nigerian government paid that cost
out of respect for the court.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had last Wednesday said the
government had directed its lawyers to seek the leave of the Court of Appeal to appeal against the
ruling of Justice Butcher.

Apart from the $200m, the minister said the government would be able to seek a refund of the
£250,000 it was asked to pay to P&ID when the appeal succeeded.

Mohammed argued that contrary to claims by P&ID and “its cohorts”, the government
delegation’s trip to London was a successful one.

Describing the delegation’s mission as a huge victory, the minister said the firm had every reason
to be worried that the $9.6bn arbitration awarded to it could be overturned.

He said, “The Federal Government has a good chance of being successful in its impending
appeal, otherwise the commercial court would not have allowed the appeal.

“Please note that Nigeria will be able to demand a refund of the £250,000 to P&ID when the
government wins the appeal. This fact is being hidden by those who have been spinning the
London judgment in their own favour.

“On the $200m payment as a condition for the granting of the stay of execution, Nigeria has
instructed its lawyers to seek the leave of the Court of Appeal to appeal against that payment.

“Nigerians should be assured that the Federal Government is taking all necessary steps to
strongly avail itself of all defences customarily afforded to sovereign states under the United
Kingdom Sovereign Immunity Act to fight and upturn any enforcement of the award.

“In the words of Mr President at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York last
week, we are giving notice to international criminal groups by the vigorous prosecution of the
P&ID scam attempting to cheat Nigeria of billions of dollars.”

The $9.6bn award arose from a dispute concerning the 20-year GSPA between P&ID and Nigeria,
through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Under the agreement signed in 2010, P&ID was to build in the Niger Delta region a gas
processing plant for the refining of natural gas, also known as “wet gas” into “lean gas” which
would be used by Nigeria to generate electricity.

The two parties subsequently approached an arbitration tribunal in London which on January 31,
2017 issued a final award of $6.56bn damages with accumulated interests jacking up the worth of
the award to US$9.6bn in favour of P&ID.

P&ID subsequently approached the London court to enforce the final award as a judgment or
order of the court.

Edo 2020: Oshiomhole Not Promoting Godfatherism In Edo

- Chris Azebamwan
The State Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mr
Chris Azebamwan has exonerated Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, APC National Chairman of
all godfatherism allegations in the Edo political space.

In a statement personally signed by him entitled, “Adams Oshiomhole And His Place In History”,
sent to Igbere TV, Azebamwan described the former Governor as a messiah who came to rescue
following the eight years of waste by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.

He lauded the former labour leader and APC national chairman for strengthening the Party in Edo
State and making everyone feel entitled as a stakeholder [in the Party] during his eight-year reign
as Governor.

Describing the current administration in Edo as an offshoot of the political legacies of the
Comrade Governor, the APC spokesman said Oshiomhole’s place in the contemporary history of
Edo State [politics] cannot be overemphasized.

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was elected to the Office of the Governor of Edo State in April
2007 but did not assume office until November 2008 after a long-drawn legal tussle that ousted
Professor Oserheimen Osunbor.

It is a generally held view by the average man in Edo state that the eight odd years of PDP was a
disaster and a dismal failure. The infrastructural framework collapsed. Roads were not motorable
even when they could be accessed. Hospitals became consulting centers. School teachers in some
instances taught under open skies. Salaries for public officers were unpaid and state-owned
investments were looted and stripped of their assets.

This meant that any modicum of effort at delivering on the responsibilities and obligations of
government thereafter, was a major departure from what people had become used to in Edo State.
They had come to expect little or nothing from their government.

Commenting, Azebamwan said, “On assumption of office, Oshiomhole immediately embarked

on urban rejuvenation with massive road repairs and expansion. Inner city roads that were
hitherto in a deplorable state took on a new look. Hospitals were refurbished and restocked, the
moribund intercity and intracity transport agencies were revived and a fleet of the now famous
green “comrade buses” plied the length and breadth of Edo state. Salary arrears were appreciably
paid up.

“He undertook youth employment and empowerment, and he raised the minimum wage of public
sector workers. Dilapidated schools all over Edo State sprang back to life and “red roofs” dotted
the landscape. He renovated the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and initiated the Okpekpe Road
Race to put Edo State back on the global map.

“Oshiomhole galvanised and strengthened the party machinery to enable them reap support at the
grassroots. Everyone began to see himself as a stakeholder in the political process. In the words
of Oshiomhole, “let the people lead.” The people saw the government as theirs and Oshiomhole
was the arrowhead and the rallying point.”

He said the landmark achievements of Oshiomhole were so outstanding that he himself became a
brand. “Such was his phenomenal successes and charisma that in the elections of 2011, the key
campaign slogan of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was that a vote for any of the
candidates was a vote for Oshiomhole”, Azebamwan added.

“This was a measure of the level of trust that he had garnered from the electorate. The candidates
did not need to canvass votes, they simply keyed into the Oshiomhole brand. It was such a sure
bet that some aspirants in the opposition party jumped ship and decamped to ACN just to win
their elections, only to hijack the mandate back to the opposition party once they were elected.

“This was the phenomenon that was Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Support for him was like a
mass movement. It was the same thing in the elections of 2015. So massive and widespread was
his acceptance by party leadership and at the grassroots.”

Unlike that of Governor Godwin Obaseki, Azebamwan said “the leadership (of Oshiomhole) was
not coerced or imposed. It was a voluntary subscription by all and sundry. This wave of general
acceptance of Oshiomhole was what Obaseki rode on to electoral victory in 2016.”

“This is not in consonance with the concept of Godfatherism”, the Edo APC publicity secretary
reiterated.

Buhari, Jonathan Meet In Aso Rock

The meeting started at the President’s office around 3pm.

Jonathan had arrived at the forecourt of the State House around 2.58pm

He was coming to the Presidential Villa for the first time under the second term administration of
President Buhari.

Under Buhari’s first term, Jonathan had come to the Presidential Villa about twice for private
visits.

Before the official announcement of the winner of the 2015 Presidential election by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jonathan had called and congratulated
Buhari.

FG Appoints Adeniran Taiwo As Acting Surveyor-General

Abuja – Surveyor Taiwo Adeniran has assumed office as the Acting Surveyor-General of the
Federation (SGoF) following the recent retirement of Surveyor Kurfi Muhammed.

In a circular with reference: OSGOF/ADM/HON/90/1 dated 7th October, 2019 which directed
the management staff and heads of various units of the office to ensure attendance at the handing
and taking over ceremony, the Director, Human Resource Management, Mr. Igbokwe Felix
Onyehira stated, “I am directed to inform you that Ag. Surveyor-General of the Federation, Surv.
M. K. Muhammed will retire from the service on 8th October 2019, and due to that, he will be
handing over to Surv. Taiwo S. Adeniran.

Surveyor Muhammed in a statement by Abu Michael, Head of Press and Public Relations of
OSGoF emphasized the importance of appointing substantive SGoF from within.

He urged his successor to carry all the staff along in the management of the office to achieve the
success that will be beneficial to the country in general.

In his remarks, Surveyor Adeniran described Surveyor Muhammed as a great leader worthy of
emulation.

He said the task of the OSGoF was enormous and necessary for Nigeria to experience
advancement in all sectors and facets of the economy.

He pledged to work with all his professional colleagues for the good of the country while in
office.

Chukwuma Umeoji Rejects Toll Gates In South East

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Aguata Federal Constituency of
Anambra State, Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji has opposed the Federal government policy to
revive toll gates, across the country, especially in the South East.

Hon. Umeoji through a press briefing at the National Assembly yesterday, suggested that the
policy will worsen the plight of people from the region, who were already under the yoke of bad
roads.

“The South East has the lowest Federal presence compared to other zones. The Federal
roads in the zone have collapsed with a heavy toll on human life, goods and services. The
Southeast has the least allocation of funds for road maintenance and re-construction but
ranks highest in terms of proposed road taxation.
“What is the moral justification for tolling on roads that are not motorable? He queried.
Various government projects are done in total isolation of the Southeast, the railway line project
is structured to exclude the zone he opined.
He alleged that “the zone is completely cut off from land, sea and air. The Enugu Airport is
closed down, the Onitsha inland waterways are not functional. This infrastructural policy is to
punish the South East and stifle development”.
He said the toll gates, would be “theatres of psychological and mental torture on the people and
constitute the arena for humiliation, intimidation and extortion”.

The proposal to return toll gates to every state of the country has been greeted with protests from
some groups around the country since govt’s proposal to bring back to the toll gates.
The policy suspended under the 1999-2007 administration of Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo
until recently, when the government of President Buhari, decided to revisit it.

Jonathan Keeps Mum After Meeting With Buhari

Thursday met behind closed doors with the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan had arrived at the forecourt of the State House around 2.58pm

The meeting, which started at the President’s office around 3pm, lasted for about 8 minutes.

Jonathan however did not speak with journalists on the purpose of his visit when he emerged
from the President’s office.

He went straight to his waiting car after exchanging pleasantries with a presidential staff at the
forecourt of the State House.

Jonathan’s visit to the Presidential Villa on Thursday was the first time under the second term
administration of President Buhari.

Under Buhari’s first term, Jonathan had come to the Presidential Villa about twice for private
visits.

Before the official announcement of the winner of the 2015 Presidential election by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Jonathan had called and congratulated
Buhari.

Jonathan, who was at the helm of affairs during the 2015 elections, had strongly declared that his
ambition of winning the election was not worth spilling of the blood of any Nigerian.

2023: PDP Crises Thickens As Members Plot Secondus

Removal As Party Chairman
Prospective aspirants under the platform of the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic
Party (PDP), appears to have passed a subtle vote of no confidence on its National Chairman,
Prince Uche Secondus, who they accused of making clandestine moves to reserve the party’s
2023 presidential ticket to most recent flagbearer Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

According to an insider in the party who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the political
correspondent of TheNigerian News, “Prince Uche Secondus has stepped on many toes and the
big hammer is about to land on his head.”

He further revealed that some aspirants have voiced their displeasure with the way Atiku has
monopolized the party, stressing that Mr Secondus has literally relocated to Dubai, the residence
of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.

They wondered why it’s National Chairman would abandon the Wadata Plaza office to govern
from Dubai when the party is in urgent need of re-organisation and redirection to tackle its
numerous challenges including the fallout of the both Kogi and Bayelsa states primaries which is
threatening the chances of the party at the November 16th governorship polls.

Another source who spoke in favour of Mr Secondus berated party members who are accusing
the chairman of relocating to the residence of the former vice president in the oil-rich city,
accusing them particularly the governors of starving the party of funds and leaving the role of
proving the resources to run its activities to the Turaki of Adamawa.

He justified the National Chairman’s hobnob with Atiku, noting that the party could not afford
one minute of survival without Atiku.

Another source, a former governor who spoke to our correspondent on the condition that his
name should not be mentioned, disclosed that Secondus has stepped on many big toes including
that of those who staked everything to ensure his emergence as the National Chairman.

He recalled how Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State contributed hugely to singlehandedly
bankroll Mr Secondus to the National Chairmanship position only for the latter to align with
enemies of the party in ensuring that Wike’s candidate, Kingsley Chinda does not emerge as the
minority leader of the House of Representatives.

He further decried the poor management of the crises that followed the emergence of Ndudi
Elumelu as the Minority Leader of the House of Reps against the wishes of the party.

He added that Governor Wike who is protecting the National Chairman has finally left him
making him susceptible to attacks from the prospective aspirants.

Asked who the aspirants who have allegedly ganged up against the National Chairman are, the
source disclosed that they are those who wish for a level playing ground at the PDP primary that
will produce the party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 elections.

He also reminded our correspondent that Governor Wike himself did not support Atiku at the
party’s October 6th Presidential primaries held in Portharcourt.

Our investigation further revealed that some members of the party are not comfortable with the
age of the former vice president and prefers to field a younger candidate.
The likes Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State and former governor of Kano,
Senator Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso among others have been rumoured.

The major sin of the National Chairman according to them, is his alleged plot to deny the
potential aspirants of a level playing and reserve the PDP’s Presidential ticket for Atiku.

He is alleged to have surrendered the party to the ex-number two citizen.

2023: PDP prospective aspirants decry plot to give Atiku automatic ticket, plots Secondus
removal as party chairman, https://thenigerian.news/2023-pdp-prospective-aspirants-decry-plot-
to-give-atiku-automatic-ticket-plots-secondus-removal-as-party-chairman/

Hate Speech: Lai Mohammed Says Online Media Will Start

Paying 5M Naira Fine
Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed on Thursay October 10,
announced that online news platforms will now be regulated as he inaugurated a seven-man
committee to implement reforms in the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Speaking at the event, Lai Mohammed said President Buhari has approved the upward review of
fines from N500,000 to N5 million for hate speech offences as well as the amendment to the
NBC act to enable it to license WebTv and radio stations, including foreign broadcasters beaming
signals into the country. There is also an upgrade of political comments relating to hate speech to
”Class A” offence in the broadcasting code.

“The terms of reference of the committee are as follows; To establish and publish a new
regulation for the licensing of web and internet broadcasters/international broadcasters in
Nigeria,” he said.

“To immediately commence work on all statutory, legal and regulatory framework for
further legislative action on the review of the NBC act by the national assembly.

“To work out the modalities for a competitive and reasonable salaries, wages and other
welfare needs of the staff of the commission.

“To establish necessary protocols for the establishment or appointment of professionals or

technocrats (non-partisan personality) to run the agency, and appointment into the board of
the NBC.

“I have no doubt that this committee, which comprises highly-experienced professionals

and administrators, will carry out a thorough job that will reposition the NBC as an
effective and efficient regulator,” Lai added.
Sex For Grades: Atiku Praises Senate's Reintroduction Of
Sexual Harassment Bill
The runner up of the past Presidential election, under the canopy of the People's Democratic
Party, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the rave of the moment, "Sex For Grades".

Reacting to the news of the Senate reintroducing the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, he said it's a
welcome development.

Read his tweet below:

"I welcome the reintroduction of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, a carryover from the 8th
@NGRSenate. I hope that it will be one among several interventions in addressing the
#SexForGrades scourge and in ensuring that our campuses are rid of predators.-AA"

FG Demands $62bn PSC Arrears From Oil Majors

OPEC grants Nigeria higher production quota

Alike Ejiofor with agency report

The federal government has begun moves to recover as much as $62 billion from international oil
companies, being backlog of its share of income from Production Sharing Contract (PSC).

It is basing its action on a 2018 Supreme Court judgment that would enable the country to
increase its share of income from PSC.
The government accused the energy companies of failing to comply with a 1993 contract-law
requirement that the state receives a greater share of revenue when the oil price exceeds $20 per
barrel, according to a document prepared by the attorney-general’s office and the Justice
Ministry.

The document, seen by Bloomberg, was verified by the ministry, the agency reported wednesday.
Another report wednesday by Reuters also said the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) has granted Nigeria a higher oil output target under an OPEC-led deal to limit
oil supply in a move unannounced by the group, following efforts by Africa’s largest exporter to
tweak the agreement to accommodate its expanding oil industry.

Under the PSC law, companies including Royal Dutch Shell Plc, ExxonMobil Corp., Chevron
Corp., Total SA and Eni SpA agreed to fund the exploration and production of deep-offshore oil
fields on the basis that they would share profit with the government after recovering their costs.

Bloomberg reported that when the law came into effect 26 years ago, crude was selling for $9.50
per barrel.
The oil companies currently take 80 per cent of the profit from these deep-offshore fields, while
the government receives 20 per cent, according to the document.

Representatives of the oil companies were said to have met with the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on October 3.

Malami told them that while no hostility is intended toward investors, the government will ensure
all the country’s laws are respected.

However, the oil companies including Shell have gone to the Federal High Court to challenge the
government’s claim that they owe the state any money, arguing that the Supreme Court ruling
doesn’t allow the government to collect arrears.

“We do not agree with the legal basis for the claim that we owe outstanding revenues,” Shell’s
Nigerian unit said in an emailed response to questions.

Chevron spokesman, Ray Fohr, told Bloomberg that the company doesn’t comment on matters
before the court.
Meanwhile, OPEC has raised Nigeria’s oil production quota target under a deal to limit oil supply
in a move unannounced by the group.

A report yesterday by Reuters quoted sources it identified as OPEC delegates as saying that the
country’s allocation was increased to 1.774 million barrels per day (bpd) from 1.685 million bpd
at the last OPEC meeting in July.

However, the newly approved quota fell short of the 2.3 million bpd projection on which oil
revenue for the 2019 budget was anchored and also below the 2.18 million bpd that the revenue
to fund the 2020 budget, which President Muhammadu Buhari presented to the National
Assembly on Tuesday was based.

The quota increase will mean Nigeria will see an improvement in its compliance with the supply
cut accord, but it is still pumping more crude than the new target according to OPEC’s own
figures and industry surveys.

“It’s happened,” one of the delegates said. “I’ve not heard of any other changes to the
agreement.”

Nigeria has had a dismal record in delivering its share of the cut, overshooting by 400 per cent in
August according to the International Energy Agency. OPEC put Nigerian production at 1.866
million bpd in August – far above the new quota.
One of the OPEC delegates said OPEC granted Nigeria the target revision because of the new
Total-operated Egina oilfield, which started production in January and had not been factored in
when the initial quota was calculated.
Some of the Egina production will also classify as condensates, meaning even more of Nigeria’s
output would not count towards the new cap.

While OPEC has not formally announced the change, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,
Mr. Timipre Sylva, mentioned the new target in a Bloomberg interview last week.

He did not elaborate on circumstances leading to the new target.

The 14-nation OPEC agreed in December with non-OPEC partners, including Russia to curb
crude production by 1.2 million bpd from the start of this year.

OPEC’s share of the cut is 800,000 bpd, with Venezuela, Iran and Libya exempt.

It is not clear whether this figure, or any other countries’ targets, have been adjusted to
accommodate Nigeria’s increased quota.
Nigeria only started participating in the deal in January, having been granted an exemption in
previous OPEC+ cuts due to militant attacks that reduced its output.

IMF Says Nigerian Government Dependent On Expensive

Borrowing
The International Monetary Fund has said that Nigeria’s “over-Optimistic” revenue assumptions
has made the government dependent on expensive borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The IMF stated that plans to increase Value Added Tax and minimum wage would also halt the
current deceleration of the country’s inflation rate.

A statement by the IMF said, “Over-optimistic revenue projections have led to higher financing
needs than initially envisaged, resulting in over-reliance on the expensive borrowing from the
central bank to finance the deficit.

“Inflation will likely pick up in 2020 following rising minimum wages and a higher VAT rate,
despite a tight monetary policy.”

In the spending plan for 2020 released by President Muhammadu Buhari, the government intends
to increase the present value added tax rate by 50 per cent from its present five per cent.

This will force Nigerians to pay more for goods and services, leading to an increase in the rate at
which prices will rise in the coming year.
While noting that Nigeria’s economy was recovering slowly after a 2016 recession, the IMF
stated that bigger deficits make monetary policy complex owing to the government’s reliance on
the CBN for funding.

N601m Traced To Oyo-Ita, Forfeited To FG

Justice Folasade Giwa-Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday ordered the
final forfeiture of N601million linked with the former head of service of the federation, Mrs.
Winifred Oyo-Ita.

The money in two accounts at Zenith Bank was held in trust in the name of Titus Okunrinboye
Thompson.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, convinced the court that the money in
two accounts was a proceed of fraud and on Monday October 7 made a final forfeiture
application before Justice Giwa.

The trio of Titus Okunrinboye, Vincent Odafen and Muara Muhammed Gambo were being
prosecuted by the EFCC for running and operating companies, which were alleged to have been
used to siphon public funds under the façade of contracts or consultancy.

The EFCC on June 28, 2019, applied for interim forfeiture before Justice Giwa, who granted the
application and stipulated that the Commission should place the application in a national
newspaper.

On October 7, 2019, prosecution counsel, M.S. Abubakar, told the court that the Commission had
complied with the judge’s stipulation by advertising the interim forfeiture application in The
Nation Newspaper.

“We have complied and we’re now back to apply for final forfeiture and the affidavit in support
of the motion on notice, as the defendant has not filed any counter,” Abubakar stated.
Justice Giwa, however, asked the prosecution counsel to serve the defendant the notice on
motion.

He also urged Abubakar to make sure that the account number filed by the prosecution for the
forfeiture is thoroughly verified to be a Central Bank account number and must be supported with
documents to ensure that where the funds would be transferred is a genuine federal government’s
account before adjourning to October 10, 2019, for ruling on the final forfeiture application.

At the resumed hearing today, the prosecution counsel urged the court to grant EFCC’s prayers
since there was no counter affidavit against the application.
The motion on notice filed by the EFCC for the final forfeiture reads: “A final order of this
honourable court for forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of funds lying in the Zenith
Bank Account No.208383581 (OKUNRINBOYE TOMSIN TITUS). A final order of this
honourable court for final forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of the funds lying in
the Zenith bank account No. 1004702420(OKUNRINBOYE TOMSIN TITUS). An order of this
honourable court directing Zenith Bank to forthwith transfer the forfeited funds to the Central
bank of Nigeria.”

Justice Giwa granted the prayers of the prosecution and placed an order, directing Zenith Bank to
transfer the forfeited funds into the Cash Assets Final Forfeiture of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

What President Buhari Plans To Lift 100 Million Nigerians

Out Of Poverty - SSA
A Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment Programmes,
Barrister Ismael Ahmed, has revealed the president’s plans to take 100 million Nigerians out of
extreme poverty in the next ten years.

Speaking at a side event of last United Nations General Assembly, focusing on the Multi-
Dimensional Approach to poverty alleviation hosted by the Government of Costa Rica and
Oxford University, Ahmed stated that the President had laid the foundation for making this
possible in the last four years of his administration and thus Nigerians would see a ‘leapfrog’ in
government’s efforts at alleviating poverty.

According to the SSA to the President, “The first four years of President Buhari administration
has been a tedious project of setting up a foundation for the journey ahead. That journey on our
part is to see that we empower the less privileged, the poorest Nigerians, the unemployed, and
provide them with hands up, giving them the opportunity to lift themselves out of their
predicament and empowering them for self-development and fulfillment.”

“The President is committed to this project, and thus has set a mandate of lifting 100 million
Nigerians out of extreme poverty within the next 10 years. It may sound too ambitious to some or
perhaps even outlandish, but with the renewed focus and commitment I have seen from the
President, this is a feat that can be achieved and we must ensure that we roll up our sleeves to do
just that,” he added.

Speaking further on how this would be done, Ahmed said, “We have set targets for ourselves. We
are going to up the numbers by reaching more communities, reaching more people who are
within our purview. Each of the clusters of the Social Investment Programmes has a target of the
number of beneficiaries it must reach within a period of time giving the availability of resources.
We are going to make sure that we do not falter, slow down, relax or give up. We are determined.
“Also, we are going to ensure that we improve on our monitoring activities – this would ensure
that we take stock of where we are and what we are doing at every point in time. If we see that
we are not measuring up to targets then we know that we need to scale up.”

Ahmed also stated that the goal that the President has set is serious business and would be taken
with the utmost regard and consciousness. He went further to state that the Social Investment
Programmes had made a tremendous impact so far, stating that it was the largest social
investment ever seen in Nigeria and West Africa.
“The programmes have reached over 40 million beneficiaries so far. That is both direct and
indirect beneficiaries. Over 12 million are direct beneficiaries. These are real people whose lives
are being changed and transformed for the better.

“Whenever I meet a beneficiary and he or she tells me their story, I am driven to do more. And I
believe that if we have done this much, with the little resources, we can do more with committed
leadership, and steady, strategic and precise targets.

“I have a reason to believe that poverty should not be a permanent feature or an affliction that
must remain with us. The goal set out by the President on lifting 100 million people out of
extreme poverty is a task I am personally committed and dedicated to,” he noted.

Bode George Tells Junaid Mohammed His Utterances

Unbecoming Of A Statesman
Lagos – Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) has cautioned Junaid Mohammed to be mindful of his utterances which may further
threaten the fragile unity of Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Independent, George described as falsehood the statement by
Junaid that the 2014 national conference was a fraud because certain issues that were not agreed at the
conference were smuggled into the final report through the back door.
“Junaid Mohammed must calm down and watch his statements. Those are not words from a statesman.
I am highly disappointed ” he said.

PDP Says Presidency Under Buhari Now A Den Of Thieves

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the arrest of yet another scammer linked with the
Buhari Presidency further confirms that the Presidency under President Muhammadu Buhari has
become a den of thieves.

The party says that the shocking fact that the scammer, Abdulrauf Illyasu, even enjoys an office
accommodation within the safety and cover of the Presidential villa, from where he carries out
his fraudulent assignments, is a hard evidence that the Buhari Presidency breeds and facilitates
swindlers, charlatans and treasury looters.
The PDP however notes that nothing is impossible for a Presidency replete with persons who
thrive in lies, false claims, certificate forgery, bribery, intimidation and recruiting of fraudulent
and corrupt persons as ministers, special advisers and clandestine fronts for financial sleazes.

Our party holds that it is the height of deceit and duplicity that an administration that boasts of
integrity and zero tolerance for corruption could be the very sanctuary of the underworld.

Only last week, a known confidant of Mr. President, Nasir Danu, was arrested at Heathrow
Airport, United Kingdom for alleged international passport scam and money laundering while
allegedly ferrying stolen currencies for persons said to be close to the Presidency.

This is in addition to further allegations that Danu has been fronting for a close relation of the
President for shady oil deals and huge contracts running into billions of naira in major revenue
earning agencies.

The PDP invites Nigerians to note how the Abdulrauf Illyasu and Danu matters remind of the
case of the former aide to the First Lady, Mr. Baba-Inna, who was earlier arrested over
accusations of receiving billions of naira from politicians and businessmen on behalf of the First
Lady.

The party also urged Nigerians to recall the confession of one Amina Mohammed, who while
being paraded by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2018, stated in public that persons
close to President Buhari were involved in serial fraud and looting of public resources under the
cover of the some elements in the Presidency.

The PDP notes as shameful, how the public space has been saturated with allegations of how
individuals and cabal connected to the Buhari Presidency have been hounding government
agencies as well as major domestic and international business concerns for kickbacks while
strangulating those who refuse to accede to their demands.

Today, it is no longer news that the Buhari Presidency holds the medal as the most corrupt
administration in the history of our nation, which had also mastered the act of concealment with
propaganda and deceit.

The PDP reminds Nigerians that the Buhari Presidency has not yet provided answers as to why it
has not investigated and prosecuted persons involved in the N9 trillion sleazy oil contract as
detailed in the leaked NNPC memo.

The Presidency has also not informed the nation why it has not investigated and prosecuted
persons involved in the alleged stealing of over N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil using 18
unregistered vessels since 2017.
Such inaction in the face of huge sleazes points to nothing but complicity in very high places and
Nigerians now know the links as well as those to hold responsible.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

Reps Pass 2020 Budget For Second Reading

The House of Representatives has passed the 2020 budget for second reading.

The House had commenced debate on the general principles of the appropriations act on
Wednesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented a spending plan of N10.3 trillion to the
National Assembly, making next year’s proposed budget the country’s highest ever.

The proposal shows that about a quarter of the sum (N2.5 trillion) will be used for debt servicing,
while capital expenditure is expected to gulp N2.1 trillion which excludes the capital component
of statutory transfers.

A further breakdown presented by the president shows the expenditure estimate includes statutory
transfers of N556.7 billion, non-debt recurrent expenditure of N4.8 trillion and provision for
Sinking Fund to retire maturing bonds issued to local contractors is N296 billion.

The budget was prepared on the assumption of $57 per barrel with crude oil production of 2.18
million barrels per day and the exchange rate assumed at N305 to $1.

Other assumptions include real GDP growth of 2.93 per cent while “inflation is expected to
remain slightly above single digits in 2020.”

Deliberations
On the first day of deliberations, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) raised a point of order stating
that it was improper for the budget to be attended to without its breakdown.

“The budget is very very ‘unripe’ for hearing,” he said.

President Buhari had during his presentation on Tuesday stated that the minister of finance,
Zainab Ahmed, will provide the full details of the budget to the National Assembly

“The minister yet to provide us with the full details that will enable this budget to be ripe for
hearing,” he told the house.

The Speaker then ruled Mr Chinda our of order, stating that the house does not need full details to
debate on general principles.

“What the president laid yesterday was actually in line with our constitution.”

Concerns
During the continuation of debate on Thursday, the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu
(PDP, Enugu), said he commended the fact “that this is one of the time that budget is brought in
early.”

“The capital expenditure has been reduced from 2019, the debt servicing of 2.8trillion,” he said.
“There is no country that can make progress with this. Health budget is (N)48 billion. How can
we make progress? This time, we are putting the cart before the horse,” he said.

“Nigerians are burdened with so much tax, I believe the budget will not work. I believe the
money bill should have been brought before this.

“I was House committee chairman for works, I stated that the commitment of the Ministry is N4
trillion of contract awarded. Any belief that the country will move forward with this budget is a
mirage.”
Another lawmaker, Nnaji Nnoli, (PDP, Enugu) said he was concerned about the aviation sector.

“Out airports are our gateway, I believe our airport should be given attention, I do not believe that
our aviation is getting enough.

“I believe that if we can consolidate the 25 per cent of FAAN IGR to the federal government, that
will help the airports.

“We can have a 10 years plan for the funds to be used by FAAN. We can develop our airport,” he
stated.
Benjamin Kalu, the House spokesperson, said he is in support of the bill “but that will not be
right without speaking on the timing of the budget”.

“It helps the private sector to plan, as they know the direction the policy is going, I commend
them, but we cannot discuss 2020 without discussing 2019.

“One of the man things is the digitisation of tax collection. Over the years, it has been difficult to
meet our tax target, the current budget is proposing a new tax burden.

October 10, 2019Nasir Ayitogo

The House of Representatives has passed the 2020 budget for second reading.

The House had commenced debate on the general principles of the appropriations act on
Wednesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented a spending plan of N10.3 trillion to the
National Assembly, making next year’s proposed budget the country’s highest ever.

The proposal shows that about a quarter of the sum (N2.5 trillion) will be used for debt servicing,
while capital expenditure is expected to gulp N2.1 trillion which excludes the capital component
of statutory transfers.

A further breakdown presented by the president shows the expenditure estimate includes statutory
transfers of N556.7 billion, non-debt recurrent expenditure of N4.8 trillion and provision for
Sinking Fund to retire maturing bonds issued to local contractors is N296 billion.

The budget was prepared on the assumption of $57 per barrel with crude oil production of 2.18
million barrels per day and the exchange rate assumed at N305 to $1.

Other assumptions include real GDP growth of 2.93 per cent while “inflation is expected to
remain slightly above single digits in 2020.”

Deliberations
On the first day of deliberations, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) raised a point of order stating
that it was improper for the budget to be attended to without its breakdown.

“The budget is very very ‘unripe’ for hearing,” he said.

President Buhari had during his presentation on Tuesday stated that the minister of finance,
Zainab Ahmed, will provide the full details of the budget to the National Assembly.

“The minister yet to provide us with the full details that will enable this budget to be ripe for
hearing,” he told the house.

The Speaker then ruled Mr Chinda our of order, stating that the house does not need full details to
debate on general principles.

“What the president laid yesterday was actually in line with our constitution.”

Concerns
During the continuation of debate on Thursday, the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu
(PDP, Enugu), said he commended the fact “that this is one of the time that budget is brought in
early.”

“The capital expenditure has been reduced from 2019, the debt servicing of 2.8trillion,” he said.
“There is no country that can make progress with this. Health budget is (N)48 billion. How can
we make progress? This time, we are putting the cart before the horse,” he said.

“Nigerians are burdened with so much tax, I believe the budget will not work. I believe the
money bill should have been brought before this.

“I was House committee chairman for works, I stated that the commitment of the Ministry is N4
trillion of contract awarded. Any belief that the country will move forward with this budget is a
mirage.”

Another lawmaker, Nnaji Nnoli, (PDP, Enugu) said he was concerned about the aviation sector.

“Out airports are our gateway, I believe our airport should be given attention, I do not believe that
our aviation is getting enough.

“I believe that if we can consolidate the 25 per cent of FAAN IGR to the federal government, that
will help the airports.

“We can have a 10 years plan for the funds to be used by FAAN. We can develop our airport,” he
stated.

Benjamin Kalu, the House spokesperson, said he is in support of the bill “but that will not be
right without speaking on the timing of the budget”.

“It helps the private sector to plan, as they know the direction the policy is going, I commend
them, but we cannot discuss 2020 without discussing 2019.

“One of the man things is the digitisation of tax collection. Over the years, it has been difficult to
meet our tax target, the current budget is proposing a new tax burden.

“What this does to an emerging economy is that activities are reduced which causes
unemployment and low productivity, which is like a cycle that will continue unless there is a
paradigm shift,” he noted.

“The business environment… will it allow things to take place? It is important to copy from
Rwanda. It is the first country that has started the manufacturing of smartphones from scratch.
“I commend the government for the shift to the non-oil sector,” he added.

FG Signs $3.9bn Deal With Chinese Firm For Abuja-itakpe

Railway Construction
The federal government on Thursday, October 10, signed a deal of $3.9 billion with China
Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) for the construction of the Abuja-Itakpe railway.

The Chinese firm, according to Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation, will also handle
the construction of a seaport in Warri, Delta state, Daily Trust reports. S :Ppeaking in Abuja
during the signing ceremony, Amaechi said that the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement
states that Nigeria will take care of 15% of the cost, while CRCC will handle 10% of it.

The minister also stated that the remaining 75% will be borrowed by the Special Purpose Vehicle
(SPV) which the federal government will pay back in a period of 30 years after which it will take
back ownership of the assets.

He said: “We will give them a sovereign guarantee and they will give us a performance bond that
protects our sovereign guarantee

When they finish construction, they will manage for 30 years. “The entire railway for now in
Nigeria is constructed 100 by CRCC. I think that the good working relationship we have had with
CRCC is the reason we have not been able to engage other companies.”

Jonathan To Lead AU Election Observer Mission To

Mozambique
Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has been nominated by the African Union (AU) to lead
the continental body’s Election Observation Mission to Mozambique’s scheduled October 15
general elections.

In view of this, the former President is billed to leave the country on Friday for Maputo, capital
of Mozambique, where he will be overseeing the deployment of the mission’s 40-member team
of observers to different parts of the country.

He is also scheduled to hold consultations with various stakeholders in the country including
government officials, members of the electoral commission, political parties, civil society, media,
members of the diplomatic corps, and other international observer groups.

In a letter of invitation signed by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mr. Moussa
Faki Mahamat, the AU described Jonathan as a man who is deeply committed to peace and
democracy on the continent.

It said: “Given Your Excellency's vast experience and commitment in promoting democracy and
peace on the continent, I would like to invite you to lead the African Union Election Observation
Mission (AUEOM) to the Republic of Mozambique.”

Since leaving office in 2015, Jonathan’s numerous international engagements and peace missions
had involved leading different Election Observer Missions to various African nations including
Tanzania, Zambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and South Africa.

Ikechukwu Eze

Media Adviser
Office of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR

Lagos Assembly Threatens To Arrest Ambode, Four Ex-

commissioners
The Lagos State House of Assembly has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on the former
governor of the state, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and four others who served in his administration
as commissioners.

This decision followed two preliminary reports presented on Thursday by two ad-hoc committees
set up by the House to investigate the 820 buses purchased by Mr Ambode and to appraise the
2019 mid-year budget.

The former commissioners involved are Mr Kazeem Adeniji (Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice), Olusegun Banjo (Commissioner for Budget), Akinyemi Ashade
(Commissioner for Finance), and Wale Oluwo (Commissioner for Energy and Mineral
Resources).

Presenting the preliminary report of a nine-man ad-hoc committee to probe the purchase of the
820 buses, the committee chairman, Fatai Mojeed, said that it was discovered that due process
was not followed.

He added that the former governor used the refund of the Paris Club for the purchase of the
busses without the approval of the House.

He (Ambode) did not inform the House before commencing the purchase of the buses. Over N48
billion was spent on the purchase of the busses and N22 Billion was spent on import duties.

“520 of the buses are still at the seaport,” Mojeed told his colleagues during plenary.

He said the Accountant General of the State told the committee that she depended on the approval
of Mr Ambode for the purchase of the busses and no payment voucher was made available to the
committee.

The lawmaker also explained that they demanded the budget instrument used for the purchase,
but there was no budgetary provision for it.

He added, “They could not produce any newspaper where the purchase of the buses was
advertised.

“The committee invited 20 stakeholders, 16 of them complied while four of them refused against
the constitutional provision.”

The ad-hoc committee chairman on mid-year budget review, Gbolahan Yishawu, alleged that the
former commissioners were invited by his committee but refused to appear without giving any
excuses for their absence.

Yishawu also claimed that the former governor gave some directives on spending without the
approval of the lawmakers.

In their reactions, some members of the House suggested that since the former governor and
those officials who worked with him had been invited by the two committees and refused to show
up, warrant of arrest should be issued on them.

The lawmaker representing Alimosho Constituency I, Bisi Yusuf, told his colleagues that the
House was empowered by the Constitution to issue a warrant of arrest on concerned individuals
for their refusal to appear before the committees.

However, another lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency I, Ibrahim Layode, expressed a

contrary view and urged his colleagues to tread with caution.

He advised that the concerned individuals should be invited through newspaper advertisements,
stating that the former commissioners were likely to come across the publications.

On his part, the Majority Leader of the House, Sanai Agunbiade, said, “I want to observe that if
they have been invited and refused to show up, we should summon them and if they still refuse,
then a warrant of arrest can be issued.
“Now they’ve been invited, we should summon them by using the dailies before going to the
extent of issuing an arrest warrant.”

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, in his remarks noted that the matter was beyond the
issue of an arrest warrant.

“When this House invites people and they refused to show up, it is like setting a bad precedent
for others coming behind.

“The clerk should write them, including the ex-governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and if they
refused, we will do newspaper publications and after that, we will issue a warrant of arrest,” the
speaker concluded.

APC Cannot Score Up To 20% Of Votes In Kogi, Bayelsa –

PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the rejected All Progressives Congress (APC) and their
unpopular governorship candidates cannot score up 20 percent of the votes in the November 16
Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship elections, respectively.

The PDP says the APC will also fail to attain the statutory 25 percent of the votes in two-third of
local governments of the states, as it cannot boast of genuine followership having failed to
consolidate any foothold in the two states.

This is so because it is overwhelmingly evident that the PDP has the highest demography of
members, supporters and volunteers in all the electoral units, wards and local governments, ready
for the polls and not even the APC’s recourse to violence, blackmail, manipulations and rituals
can sway the resolve of the people in both states.

Moreover, there is already a consensus that APC’s candidates; the anti-people Governor Yahaya
Bello of Kogi state as well as unskilled David Lyon of Bayelsa state are no match for PDP’s
versatile Engr. Musa Wada and cerebral Senator Douye Diri’s popularity in their respective states.

For the people of Kogi state, the November 16 election is a determined march for freedom; for
inevitable emancipation from the stranglehold of the repressive, vindictive, exploitative and
corrupt APC administration.

The Kogi election is a direct referendum against Governor Yahaya Bello whose administration
has become synonymous with deprivation, poverty, violence and death, most times by suicides.

November 16 is a date Governor Yahaya Bello must keep with the millions he viciously deprived
of their means of livelihood; a date with millions who have suffered untold hardship over unpaid
salaries and pensions; a date with Kogi youths whose common patrimony he squandered in his
reckless wasteful misgovernance; indeed, nothing will deliver Governor Bello from the crushing
verdict of the ballot box.

Our party therefore counsels Governor Bello to desist from his crude blackmails and resort to
thuggery, as he would soon realize that he is now alone.

In Bayelsa, the APC, having no toehold, is almost non-existent as the people are already rallied
behind our candidate, Senator Diri, in their collective quest to consolidate on the good
governance entrenched by Governor Seriake Dickson.

The APC should know that there is no way the people of Bayelsa will contemplate allowing a
party which has proven to be anti-people, ideologically vacuous and corrupt, to be any where
near their government house.

The PDP therefore counsels the APC to end its pipe-dream of winning in the two states as such is
completely unattainable under the prevailing reality.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

Gov Makinde Blocked 7.6bn For The Development Of

Settlements During Past Tenure
Today, we recorded another victory for our people as the Oyo State House of Assembly approved
immediate access to N7.6B meant for the development of farm estates in Akufo and Eruwa farm
settlements in Oyo State
_
This brings a logical conclusion to a battle that took us from the judiciary to the legislature.
Before assuming office in May 2019, I had applied to the Oyo State High Court to get an
injunction restraining the previous administration from accessing these funds, a few days to the
end of their tenure
_
The previous administration borrowed the money from the CBN for the purchase of "agricultural
equipment" which they wanted to purchase towards the end of their tenure. Oyo State has already
started repaying this loan which we have been unable to access until now
_
The farm estates will serve as pilots of our Private Public Development Partnership (PPDP) Farm
Estates and will eventually generate funds to develop the other seven farm settlements in Oyo
State. This is a deliberate plan aimed at creating sustainable development in the state.

Security: South-west Governors Pool 100 Vehicles For

Regional Patrol
Governors of the five South-West states have concluded plans to donate 20 patrol vehicles each
to their proposed regional security outfit, Amotekun. Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who
disclosed this, said the joint patrol team was to ensure the security of the entire South-West
region.

Abiodun, according to a statement on Monday, spoke during a stakeholders’ dinner/fundraiser

organised by the Ogun State Security Trust Fund Board on Sunday. Ogun was said to have,
during the fundraiser, raised about N1bn to fight insecurity.

Abiodun said, “In conjunction with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission,
the five South-West states have agreed to set up a joint patrol team that will be called Amotekun.
Each of the states is required to donate at least 20 patrol vehicles, communication equipment and
personnel to the task force. The personnel will be recruited from the police, army, vigilance
groups and hunters.”

As part of measures to check insecurity, Abiodun said Ogun State would soon start residents’
registration to enable it to plan properly. The governor decried the lack of communication system
for security agencies in the state, noting that it was bad that the lack of a proper communication
system had stalled proper communication between security chiefs in the state.

He said, “It is shameful that our security agencies do not have a communications system or
equipment within the state, meaning that the Commissioner of Police cannot speak with his
counterparts in the military, Department of State Services or worse still, he cannot speak with his
Area commander, Divisional Police Officers of police stations across the state. Their vehicles are
not functioning very well; no tracking devices, no enough finance; so, we are looking at
correcting those anomalies with our security trust fund.”

Edo 2020: Obaseki Suspends Ogbemudia, 4th Council Boss

In One Month
The Chairman of Egor Local Government Council in Edo State, Mrs Eghe Ogbemudia has been
suspended from office, Igbere TV reports.

Eghe, daughter of former military governor of Old Mid-West (Bendel) State, late Samuel
Ogbemudia, was suspended from office on Thursday, October 10.
Although details of the suspension was still sketchy as at press time, her Chief Press Secretary,
Stanley Atafoh confirmed the development in a chat with our correspondent.

“Yes, the information is true. My boss, Hon. Eghe Ogbemudia, the elected Executive Chairman,
Egor Local Government Council, was this evening informed of her suspension from office”, he
told Igbere TV.

When asked the reason behind the suspension, the CPS said, “I am yet to be informed on what
ground was she suspended on (sic). I hope to get the true information as soon as it is made
available.”

Igbere TV, however, reliably gathered that the Council Boss was suspended on the orders of
Governor Godwin Obaseki for opposing his re-election bid in the Edo State 2020 election.

The Council Chairman is said to have repeatedly refused to openly declare support and endorse
the Governor, like her counterparts in other Local Government Councils did.

A top aide of the Governor who craved anonymity, also accused Ogbemudia of identifying with
the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a pressure group opposing Obaseki’s re-election bid.

“Yes, she was asked to step down following a petition that she is a member and secretly financing
the activities of the dissenting group, EPM”, the source said.

The government functionary revealed that the group and its members have equally been marked
for sanction by the leadership of All Progressives Congress in Edo State.

The suspension of Ms Eghe Ogbemudia from office as Egor Council Boss, ahead Edo 2020
election, brings the total number of Council Chairmen suspended by Governor Obaseki to 4.

Suspension of Council Chairmen Illegal

The suspension of four Council Chairmen from office for whatever reasons amount to acts of
lawlessness, unconstitutional and violation of the protected duties of the Local Governments to
independently administer its affairs.

Governor Obaseki violated a Supreme Court judgment delivered in 2016 where a five-man panel
led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, ruled on an appeal of similar suspension of Local
Government Executives in Ekiti State, deemed the act as unconstitutional and in violation of the
protected duties of the Local Government to independently administer its affairs.

“...Section 7(1) of the Constitution guarantees the system of local government by democratically-
elected local government councils and conferred sacrosanctity on the elections of such officials
whose electoral mandates derived from the will of the people freely exercised through the
democratic process.

“It, therefore, strips the Governor of any power to unilaterally remove elected Local Government
officials or interfere in its dealings without violating the constitution he swore to protect”, Justice
Rhodes-Vivour had ruled.

October 11

Minimum Wage Not General Salary Review, FG Tells

Labour
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the Federal Government (FG) had
yet to commence total implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000 to all categories of
workers because organised labour mistakenly saw consequential adjustment in salary as total
salary review.

Ngige spoke on Thursday when the Director General of the Nigeria Employers Consultative
Association, Timothy Olawale, led a delegation from the association to the minister’s office in
Abuja. Also at the event was the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo
(SAN).

This is coming a few days before negotiation begins again between the FG and organised labour
after labour issued a notice that strike could be imminent if the FG failed to accept its demands
on consequential adjustment in workers’ salary as a result of the new minimum wage by October
16, 2019. According to Ngige, the FG had set up a committee that would prepare the ground for
total salary review, which would be done in 2020, adding that FG’s personnel budget had risen
astronomically from N1.88tr to N3.08tr between 2016 and 2020.

Ngige said, “Today, we are yet to conclude on the matter of the new minimum wage. This is
because in the public sector which is mainly governmental; state, local government and the FG,
there has not been a conclusive end to it. As we speak, the issue of consequential adjustment is
the main issue. The Minimum Wage Act was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on April
18, 2019. From that day, the National Minimum Wage came to effect. All employers of labour in
the public and private sector are expected to obey the law and make sure that the least paid
worker receives N30,000 minimum wage.

“However, the private sector is not really so much in trouble. From N18,000, they (private
companies) have graduated with some paying more than N30,000 as minimum wage. We have
problem with the public service and we are battling to see how we can weather the storm. The
main issue is consequential adjustment and I have talked to the other leg of the tripartite
(organised labour) to understand that consequential adjustment is not synonymous with total
wage review. It is an adjustment that you do consequentially to move the last man on the rung of
the ladder to N30,000. By doing so, you impinge on other salary grade levels and therefore, must
consequentially move them up.

“Consequential movement up does not mean you do a percentage of the former minimum wage
to the present one which is 67%. We have agreed on that but the issue is that they (labour) have
mistakenly bounded the two together; the issue of consequential movement and the issue of total
wage review.”

Busy Fayemi Pushes For Medical Castration As Punishment

For Rape
The Ekiti State First Lady, Mrs Bisi Fayemi is pushing for an amendment of the law so that
rapists in Ekiti state will be punished with medical castration.

In addition to a life sentence, the Ekiti State Government, in collaboration with the office of Wife
of the Governor, is making moves to amend the gender-based law to see that rapists get a more
severe sentence. This is in a bid to deter offenders.

According to Mrs Bisi Fayemi, is seeking amendment of the Gender-Based Violence

(Prohibition) Law, 2011 at the State House of Assembly.

A public hearing on the GBV amendment bill was held at the state House of Assembly on
Thursday, October 10, in the state capital.

At the public hearing, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Wale Fapohunda,
said the amendment to the bill might include medical castration, compulsory psychiatric test and
disqualification of offenders from benefiting from government’s social investment programmes.

Mr Fapohunda said: "We plead with the Assembly to have expeditious and holistic consideration
of the amendment to the bill, because it is to provide legal framework for the present
administration’s zero tolerance for all forms of gender-based violence.

"The increasing cases of rape and defiling of little children in Ekiti require urgent attention.

"The amendment being sought may include imprisonment and medical castration of offenders,
among others not stipulated in the existing law."

Mrs. Fayemi, in her address, said her office has been overwhelmed with complaints relating to all
forms of violence, particularly against women.

She said the amendment of the bill has become imperative to make offenders accountable and to
be a voice for victims.

She added that the worst form of injustice in any society is for offenders to go unpunished.

Mrs Fayemi said: "To make the law effective, we are going decentralise the referral centres and
all the local governments will have one each. You don’t need to come to the state capital before
lodging your complaints.

"The GBV management committee has been brought back to attend to complaints. I felt
distressed to hear when we returned last year that the committee didn’t meet for four years after
we had left.

"I’m not the owner of the law; it is for men and women in Ekiti. We only championed it. It is to
protect us, our families and the society against all forms of discrimination so that we can all live
life of respect and dignity.

"Violence against women keeps increasing in Ekiti. We appeal to the House to pass this law
expeditiously."

Emir Sanusi Cries As He Narrate How A Sick Child Died In

His Mother Arms Over $5
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II got quite emotional during his speech at the United
Nations meeting to reach Sustainable Development Goals in Lagos.

The Kano monarch lamented over the inequality witnessed across the country as he recounted
how a sick child died in his mother's arms at his palace.

According to Emir Sanusi, the mother of the sick child walked into his palace which is just 200m
from a children's hospital in the community to ask for support. However while waiting for her
turn to ask for money to buy a drug which costs less than $5 for her baby, she lost him.

“And how much was this? It was less than five dollars,” an emotional Sanusi said.

He added, “This is what happens every day in this country. Children die because their parents
cannot afford five dollars, that a mother will watch her child die because she does not have five
dollars.”
Budget: Buhari, Osinbajo To Spend N3.3bn On Foreign,
Local Trips
° President , Vice - President ’ s food to gulp N 149m

° Labour sets up team to study FG’ s 2020 budget

Olalekan Adetayo , Olufemi Atoyebi and Leke Baiyewu

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice - President Yemi Osinbajo will spend a total of N 3
.327 bn on foreign and local trips in 2020 .

The figure is contained in the details of the 2020 Appropriation Bill that Buhari presented
to a joint session of the National Assembly on Tuesday .
The item was tagged Travel and Transport ( General) under State House ( President ) and
State House ( Vice -President ) .

In the 2019 Budget , a total of N 1 . 3 bn was allocated for the foreign and local trips of the
President and the Vice -President . While N 1 bn was allocated to the President , N 301. 03
m was allocated to the Vice -President .

A breakdown of the N 3 . 327 bn allocated to travels for the two officials in 2020 shows
that Buhari will spend N 2. 526 bn on his trips while Osinbajo will spend N 801 m on his
trips.

A further breakdown shows that Buhari’ s foreign trips will gulp N 1. 751 bn while N 775 .
6 m will be spent on his local trips for the year .

In the case of Osinbajo , his foreign trips will cost the nation N 517 m while his local trips
will cost N 283 . 97 m .

The figures are outside the N 182 .25 m allocated for travels and transport in the budget of
the State House Headquarters .

Foodstuffs for President, Vice -President to gulp N 149m

Also in the bill , a total of N 149 m was allocated for foodstuffs and catering material
supplies for both Buhari and Osinbajo .

While the President is expected to spend N 98 . 3 m on the item , N 50 .88 m was budgeted
for Osinbajo .

Apart from the N 149 m foodstuffs and catering material supplies bill , the two government
officials will also spend N 43 . 916 m on refreshment and meal .
The President will spend N 25 .652 m on the item while the Vice - President will spend N
18 .264 m on the same item .

This is apart from the N 135 .668 m budgeted for the same refreshment and meal in the
budget of the State House Headquarters . For honorarium and sitting allowance, both of
them will spend N 184 .438 m .

While N 164. 176 m was allocated to the President , N 20 .262 m was allocated to the Vice
-President .

N 478. 313 m was allocated to the same honorarium and sitting allowance in the budget of
State House Headquarters .

Still under the budget of the State House headquarters, a whopping N 4. 062 bn was
allocated to what was tagged “ annual routine maintenance of mechanical / electrical
installations of the villa .” The project is said to be an ongoing one .

N 526. 234 m was also allocated to what is called “ phased replacement of vehicles , spares
and tyres in the presidential , CVU security/ police escort and State House operational
fleets .” The project is also described as an ongoing project .

Apart from these , N 389. 64 m was also budgeted for “ outstanding liabilities on routine
maintenance and other services for 2016 . ”

N 91 . 681 m will also be spent on “ purchase of tyres for bulletproof vehicles , plain
Toyota cars , CCU vehicles , platform trucks , Land Cruiser and Prado Jeeps , Hilux ,
Peugeot 607 , ambulances and other utility and operational vehicles . ”
N 32 . 199 m is budgeted for fuel and lubricants ( general); N 32 .5 m for wildlife
conservation ; and N 45 .4 m for sewage charges.

Reps pass budget for second reading , adjourn to October 29

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives concluded the second reading of the 2020
Appropriation Bill on Thursday and adjourned plenary till October 29 , 2019 .

During the continuation of the debate on the key assumptions of the budget, many
lawmakers criticised various aspects and allocations in the financial proposal .

A member from Lagos State , Babajide Obanikoro , said the amount allocated to health was
grossly inadequate, considering the over 180 million population of Nigeria.

In his submission , Yusuf Gagdi , faulted the borrowing and debt servicing plan . He also
stated that the total amount voted for education, about N 160 bn , was not comparable when
considering other African countries .

“ The capacity of any government is dependent on its own educational system . As the
Giant of Africa , education budget should supersede others in Africa, ” he said.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila , who presided over the plenary , referred the bill to the
standing committees , also known as Sub -Committees on Appropriations .

Addressing journalists after the plenary , Chairman of the House Committee on Media and
Public Affairs, Mr Benjamin Kalu , noted that the lawmakers had been working on the
budget as scheduled .

Kalu also noted that contrary to the public outcry that the National Assembly had become a
rubber stamp of the Buhari- led Presidency , the lawmakers had freely criticised the budget,
showing that they were not an appendage of the executive .

He said, “ Today is Thursday and a lot has happened between Tuesday and today. I want to
say that, just as we promised that we are going to support the executive in realising this
goal of reversing the budget to a January-December calendar . We mentioned that we drew
a road map towards achieving that. In our timetable which we announced here on Tuesday ,
we said we would start debate on Wednesday on the general principles of the budget
estimates , that actually took place . ”

Lawmakers vow to revamp maritime , agric , insurance sectors

In another development , the House Committee on Agriculture in Abuja on Thursday , said

it was ready to assist the Federal Government in the diversification of the economy from
petroleum to agriculture .

The Chairman of the House Committee on Agricultural Production and Services ,

Mohammed Dandutse , stated that the panel was critical to the development and progress of
Nigeria , stressing that the lawmakers would develop a plan to achieve the goal.

“ If you look at it , agriculture is the only substituted means that we can be realistic about to
move this country forward , in terms of employment and industrialisation . If we can have a
plan as a committee , I think we can move this country forward . ”

In another development , the House assured Nigerians and business community of its
resolve towards addressing the various challenges facing the country ’s maritime sector ,
including oil theft , piracy and oil bunkering .

The Chairman , House Committee on Navy, Shaaban Sharada , gave the assurance on
Thursday at the inaugural meeting of the committee.

Sharada said the lawmakers were working towards “ writing the names of members of the
committee in the history of Nigeria by improving the security of the oil and maritime
industries. ”
He added , “ If you look at how the Navy committee in the past had been discharging its
work , we have a lot of things to do to salvage this country from a lot of issues bedevilling
it , ranging from the issue of oil theft , piracy and a lot of bunkering and other maritime
security within our waterways .
“ By the special grace of God, we will do our best to ensure that we add value to the people
of Nigeria and the Nigerian government , as well as Nigeria ’s financial institutions in such
a way that will reduce such menace to the barest minimum . ”

Meanwhile, the House said it would revamp the insurance sector to meet international
standards.
Chairman of the House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters , Darlington
Nwokocha , after a meeting with some stakeholders in the sector on Thursday , said the
lawmakers were ready to boost Nigerians ’ confidence in insurance- related matters .

Nwokocha said, “ The essence is interactive . We want to make sure that all the ministries ,
agencies and stakeholders that are involved in insurance – the insured and the insurer – we
interact with them and engage them . The bottom line is that we want to re -jig everything
concerning insurance in Nigeria . We want to make sure that we put the proper orientation ,
because so many people do not understand what insurance is all about.

“ So, we want to revolutionise insurance industry through the legislative arm . We have to
make the necessary laws and to defend it as well . In that process, we will make sure that
we spread the insurance awareness across the board . One major thing that we want to
ensure is confidence in all aspects of insurance participation . We want to make sure that all
claims , in all ramifications , will meet the global standards. ”

Labour sets up team to study budget

Organised labour on Thursday said it had set up a team to study the 2020 budget presented
by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly , saying that it was expecting
the report of the committee tomorrow .

President of the Trade Union Congress, Quadri Olaleye , told one of our correspondents
that a statement would be released on it after the report is submitted on Saturday .

He said, “ We are not making a comment now because we have a team that is doing the
analysis of the Federal Government budget which President Miuhammadu Buhari presented
to the National Assembly . On Saturday , we will have the full report of the analysis , that is
when we will make general comment on the budget. ”

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Alade
Lawal , said the Federal Government must show if the budget was workers ’ friendly by
accepting labour demands on the consequential adjustment arising from the new minimum
wage of N 30 ,000 .

He said, “ Let me be frank with you , budget is annual ritual . If the budget is workers ’
friendly , let the Federal Government demonstrate it through the consequential adjustment
that we have been negotiating with it as a result of the new minimum wage .”
CNN Adverts: FG Must Punish Dangote, Zenithbank,
Globacom - Bode George
Owners and managers of Nigeria-domiciled companies whose products and services are meant
for Nigerian consumption but are being advertised on expensive foreign media such as CNN and
others have been described as shameless people on mere ego trip.

Such companies must restrict their advertisements to local media and stop frittering away money
in the names of adverts to foreign media such as Cable News Network (CNN).
Speaking with Daily Independent in Lagos on Thursday, Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said paying huge amounts in
advertising local brands on international media does not make any economic, human or political
sense.
According to George, some companies guilty of this are ZenithBank, Dangote and Globacom
network.

He argued that many of the adverts which are being broadcast up to 10 times daily where people
have no need for them is simply an ego trip that must be stopped.
“ Every day, go to see CNN, you see three major Nigerian companies advertising. You see them
showing juju music adverts on CNN advertising Globacom.

“What has Globacom advert got to do with CNN that is being shown all over the world? Are they
using Glo network in Europe or South America?”
“ If these adverts are being shown on local television stations, I can understand. I was with my
friend in Europe and he showed me Glo advert on CNN. Also, Aliko Dangote whose products are
being consumed here will be advertising on CNN a minimum of 10 times a day.

“The same also applies to Zenith Bank. These are shameless people.
“Who are they trying to impress? That money they are throwing at CNN in the name of needless
adverts will send a lot of younger people into good lives here in Nigeria either through job
creation, or support for education or skills acquisition”.
“Those adverts on CNN is a waste of money because that money they are frittering away was
generated here in Nigeria. It’s so demeaning. It doesn’t make any economic, political or human
sense. What is FIRS doing on this? Why can’t Fowler take action? What is CBN doing about
this? For all these adverts, do you think they pay in Naira?”
According to George, despite having a capital base that is bigger than all Nigerian banks
combined, ABSA bank in South Africa does not run adverts on CNN or other foreign media like
Nigerian banks.
He urged the federal government to tax heavily companies who patronise foreign media for
adverts, saying the money generated from the taxes should be used in building skill acquisition
centres all over the country.
“ ABSA bank in South Africa, their capital base is bigger than all our banks in Nigeria put
together. Have you seen them running adverts on CNN? What is going on here? What is this ego
trip for nothing? Are we the only country in the world?”

“Instead of wasting this money on needless adverts on CNN, they should use this money to get a
5G network and improve the useless services we are getting. I have tried to call the owner that
what has these adverts got to do with the whites that you are showing it on CNN and everybody
sees it all over the world, even where the network is not being used? Do they have the network
there?”

“If they don’t know what to do with the money, they should return it to the government to set up
things of benefits for the people in the name of the donor organisation.

“The government must clamp down on them. if they spend one dollar for any advert on
international media, another extra dollar will go to supporting skill acquisition in Nigeria”.
“The government must enforce it. That money they are throwing away in the name of foreign
adverts are generated in this country” he posited.

Senate Defends N125b Budget For National Assembly

• Says hardwork justifies huge allocation
By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh and John Akubo

The Senate yesterday justified the N125 billion proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari
as the National Assembly budget for the 2020 fiscal year.

“The National Assembly has a lot of staff to take care of in both chambers. The number of
committees is large too because of the volume of work. So, there is no way we can operate
with a small budget,” said spokesman of the Senate, Adedayo Adeyeye, in an interview
with The Guardian.

His comment came as Italy’s parliament voted to cut down the number of legislators in both
houses. While the Senate will now have 200 lawmakers from 315, the chamber of deputies
will have 400 as against 630.

“The bulk of this money is spent on issues that promote legislative operations.
Unfortunately, many people believe that legislators take the largest chunk of the money.
Our salaries are open for public scrutiny,” Adeyeye said.

“The truth is: it is either we want to have a working and effective National Assembly that is
properly funded or we do not. Running the system in the National Assembly is very
expensive.”

The spokesman, however, failed to provide details on how the N125 billion would be spent,
declaring that he was yet to get the specifics.
The National Assembly has in the past come under intense criticism over its failure to
release the details of its budget.

Also, the Senate has reintroduced a bill seeking to establish the National Assembly Budget
and Research Office (NABRO).

The Eighth Senate passed the bill on May 3, 2019. Buhari, however, did not assent to it.
The proposed office, among other functions, will report yearly to the Senate and House of
Representatives all items funded in the preceding financial year for which no appropriation
was made by the National Assembly, and all items contained in the Appropriation Act in the
preceding financial year but which were not funded by the Federal Government.

Lawmakers, meanwhile, continued debate on the 2020 budget yesterday with Senator
Emmanuel Bwacha saying the document does not reflect Nigeria’s readiness to diversify its
economy. He also accused his colleagues of being insincere in their handling of the budget.

I’m saying this because, since 1999, budget implementation has not reached 70 per cent.
This is very worrisome. We are discussing the 2020 budget estimates. Is it fair to say that
we have a 2019 budget, which has not been implemented? As we speak now, nothing has
been done. We have the 2019 Appropriation Act and we are discussing the 2020 budget
proposal.

“Oversight functions have become a ritual. We have to take it seriously as a parliament. We

refused to address this aspect of our shortcomings. We are only prepared to speak from both
sides of our mouths. We need to walk the talk if we really want to achieve significant
growth in our economy,” he said.

Senator Christopher Ekpeyong said the planned increase in VAT was incompatible with the
budget. He explained: “If you increase the VAT to 7.5 per cent today for an investor or a
contractor, he will pay educational tax of one per cent, he will pay ITF of one per cent, he
will pay NITTF of one per cent, and some times, he goes behind to pay some percentage to
the ruling party.

“These taxes are not mentioned. What is the result of the product the man will sell? For that
reason, I am not in support of the VAT increase because already the VAT not mentioned is
over 9 per cent and if you now add this to this, you will be having 10.5 per cent as VAT in
the country.”

Similarly, the vice-chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund,

Ojang Sandy Onor, described Buhari’s attribution of low receipts in VAT to the general
election as a cover-up. According to him, the real reason is that the economy is not
performing well.

He said: ‘If yesterday when VAT was five per cent we experienced lower levels of
economic activities, today that VAT is 7.5 per cent, we risk not having economic activities
at all, and the consequences are dangerous.”

But Senator Ajibola Basiru who seemed to support the proposal gave the reason for the lack
 of full implementation of the 2019 budget. “The budget was not fully implemented because
it was passed and signed into law towards the end of the Eighth National Assembly. What
struck me is that the revenue projections and infrastructure show a 70 per cent deficit in the
2019 budget, and in 2020, it has already been highlighted that N2.18 trillion will be the
proposed deficit,’’ he stated.

“People are looking at the allocation to key sectors and the revenue to fund the projects. For
instance, when you talk of the N256 billion being allocated to Works, I have it on good
authority that what is even required to take care of the outstanding in the Ministry of Works
and Housing is in excess of N500 billion. Yet, many people are hailing the N256 billion
allocated for Works, describing it as huge. We should also be looking at the aspect of
progressive taxation.”

Nigeria Endorse $3.9 Billion Abuja-Baru-Itakpe-Warri

Railway Contract With CRCC
The federal government on Thursday acknowledged an agreement with China Railway
Construction Corporation (CRCC) to build the $3.9 billion Abuja-Baru-Itakpe-Warri rail line,
build a new seaport and manage same for a period of 30 years.

The agreement was acknowledged by both parties at the Federal Ministry of Transportation in
Abuja, where the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, noted that with the latest $3.9
billion contracts, the Chinese firm has now been saddled with the responsibility of handling all
rail projects in Nigeria.

The minister said: “The signing ceremony that we had today is the first PPP (Public-Private
Partnership) railway agreement for Abuja-Itakpe or Abuja-Baru-Itakpe and Lokoja and it is
between Nigeria and CRCC.

“The agreement is supposed to be 15 per cent Nigeria equity and 10 per cent CRCC equity and
then we borrow 75 per cent as SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) from the Chinese bank.”

“There is a concession agreement that CRCC will hold 75 per cent. The entire Nigerian railway is
constructed 100 by CRCC.”

He explained that the good working relationship Nigeria has with the company was the reason
other companies have not been engaged by the country.

According to him, the PPP agreement was better than going to borrow the huge sum of money
required for the construction of the new phase of the rail line, adding that: “If we raise our equity,
they will raise theirs. But largely, the funds will come from China.”

The minister noted that the rail line is one of the longest in Nigeria now, stressing that besides the
narrow gauge, is the Itakpe-Warri Rail line, which Julius Berger got close to completion before it
was later abandoned.

He stated that “some of them were vandalized and then we had to re-award it to CCECC to
complete the vandalized areas, complete the project and build a new seaport and operate and
manage them for 30 years to enable the company recover their money.”

Amaechi also called for the localization of railway technology, noting that from the history of
China railway construction, China localized the American technology, adding that the first
American company that started railway construction in China was GE.

He revealed that it was imperative to instruct both CCECC and CRCC to realise the need for
local participation of both Nigerian engineers and contractors.

“We need you to work with us to develop the knowledge of Nigerians; that is why we emphasise
on you building universities and provide us with lecturers until we can train our own lecturers.

“Just like we are holding CCECC on the issue of manufacturing at Kajola, for which we have
awarded them the contract of about $500 million to build for us rolling stock for Lagos-Ibadan,
we will also resume conversation with CRCC on the issue of manufacturing railway components
in Nigeria.”

On his part, the Vice President of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), Wang
Wenzhong, while appreciating the support of the minister and the ministry on behalf of the
300,000 staff of CRCC, congratulated him on his reappointment.

He stated that CRCC is the biggest construction company of China and the biggest railway
company globally

“In 2018, we occupy 55 among the top 500 enterprises around the world. Now we have
businesses and projects in 127 countries all over the world and with a turnover of $110 billion.”

“We pay lots of attention to the development of Nigeria. We also make use of our best resources
in Nigeria. We are going to provide our resources to the development of Nigeria. We also demand
our subsidiaries to work hard for Nigeria. We want all our projects in Nigeria to be the best in
terms of quality and to meet the satisfaction of the people of Nigeria.”

Kogi Will Seize To Exist By The Time Yahaya Bello Ends

Second Term - Melaye
Kogi state, as it is known currently, may seize to exist by the time Governor Yahaya Bello
completes his second term in office if the people of the state allow him, Senator Dino Melaye has
said.
Melaye, who represents Kogi West at the Senate, was said to have made the declaration in Kabba,
a part of the state.
The Nigerian Tribune reports that Melaye also used the opportunity to donate the sum of N7
million to the seven local government areas in the senatorial district.
The senator, who contested for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and lost, urged
them to boost the party's campaign in the district.
He also told Engineer Musa Wada, candidate of the PDP, to concentrate his efforts on the other
senatorial districts maintaining that Kogi West has all it takes to deliver victory for the party.
Sulaiman stating that Musa Wada is yet to impact on the lives of people withing his immediate
circle said the PDP candidate will suffer a ‘bloodied nose’ in the Kogi state's November
governorship election.

Weeks After Resigning From Buhari's Govt, Onigbinde

Honoured By Global Platform
Two frontline advocates of digital government in Nigeria, BudgIT Co-founder, Seun Onigbinde
and Hamzat Lawal, founder of Follow The Money, have been listed by a global policy platform
among the 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government 2019.
Onogbinde is the co-founder of BudgIT, a civic organization that applies technology to intersect
citizen engagement with institutional improvement, to facilitate societal change.
Onigbinde was in the news recently in Nigeria after his appointment as a technical assistant to the
minister of state for budget and national planning was announced.
“This is another challenge for us to intensify our efforts to promote fiscal transparency and
public-sector accountability, as we use creative technology to simplify public information,
stimulating a community of active citizens and enabling their right to demand accountability,
institutional reforms, efficient service delivery and equitable society,” says Onigbinde.
Lawal, an anti-corruption activist who has been listed two years consecutively, says: “I am
honoured to appear again on Apolitical’s Global List of Influential people, along with other
global icons.
“This recognition indicates the need to do more to drive good governance and eliminate
bottlenecks and opacity in government, using technology.”

Lawal’s Follow The Money is using mobile and web technology to close the information gap
between citizens and government, especially in marginalised grassroots communities.
Follow The Money and BudgIT are advocating for more states in Nigeria to sign up on the Open
Government Partnerships (OGP) as a way of advancing anti-corruption reforms.
The list was created from 500 nominations from governments, international organisations, and
academia, including the UN, Harvard, Public Digital and the IADB.
3 Months After 10bn ‘infrastructural Loan’, Makinde To
Borrow 7.6bn To Build Far
The Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday granted Governor Seyi Makinde permission to
access the Seven Billion, Six hundred thousand naira (N7.6B) loan for Akufo – Eruwa Farm
settlement.

This came few weeks after the same assembly approved Makinde’s permission to collect N10
billion Naira loan for infrastructural development.

This was mentioned and approved by the Honourable Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo
Ogundoyin while reading Makinde’s letter.

This approval was sequel to the letter forwarded by the governor and read by the Speaker, Hon.
Adebo Ogundoyin at plenary, today, October 10th, 2019.

After heated deliberations by members on the issue, majority of the lawmakers observing that the
loan facility should spread across farm settlements in the state, the Speaker finally ruled that the
loan would be approved as sent by the governor.

The governor is seeking to access the N7.6 billion naira loan to develop Akufo and Eruwa farm
settlements into farm estates in the state.

The two farm settlements, which are located within Ido/Ibarapa federal constituency are to serve
as pilot projects which will be used to develop other farm settlements across the state.

In their separate reactions, the deputy Speaker, Hon Abiodun Fadeyi and the Minority Leader,
Hon Asimiyu Alarape called for the extension of the loan facility to other areas across the state.

They equally urged the Executive arm of Government in Oyo state to ensure judicious use of the
Agricultural loan to enable it achieve the purpose for which it is sought.

Hon. Isiaka Tunde representing Oyo East/ Oyo West constituency and Hon. Dele Adeola
representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju state constituency also expressed their dissatisfaction on
concentration on the loan to only two farm settlements within only one federal constituency.

They noted that there is need for Governor Seyi Makinde to spread the scope and usage of the
agricultural loan to other zones in the state and not limit it to Akufo and Eruwa farm settlements
alone.

While passing the resolution, the Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin overruled the submission of
other lawmakers, stated that the loan facility would be approved as presented by the governor.
Dickson appoints 60 new aides — five weeks to guber poll
Seriake Dickson, governor of Bayelsa state, has appointed 60 new special advisers.

This development was announced in a statement signed on Thursday by Fidelis Soriwei, chief
press secretary to the governor.

The appointees, drawn from the eight local government areas of the state, Soriwei said would
help the government finish well.

“His Excellency the Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has
approved the appointment of 60 new Special Advisers as part of the deliberate efforts to enable
the Restoration Government to finish strong in the avowed commitment to deliver effective
governance to the good people of Bayelsa State,” the statement read.

The appointment comes weeks to the state’s governorship election fixed for November 16.

Soriwei further said the “governor has directed the caucuses to nominate women for appointment
as special advisers next week, in areas where they have not been considered for appointment.

“However, the government and the party deplore the ungrateful and unpatriotic attitude of a few
appointees who have been sustained and recognised in the midst of far more qualified persons for
over seven years but are falling prey to the antics of the All Progressives Congress which is
inducing party members with money and fake promises.

“While the government wishes them well in their new endeavours, it is pertinent to note that for
every appointee, the PDP has several other more qualified people who are ready and willing to be
trusted with such privileged positions of responsibility.”

Dickson, who is completing a second term, have had over 2000 appointees in his cabinet since he
got reelected in 2016.

Buhari’s Aide, Abdulkadir Dauda: Police Service

Commission To Meet
° Police Service Commission to Meet over Buhari’s Aide

° Says deferment of retirement against service rules

° Ex-DIG Osayande urges compliance with rules of law

Omololu Ogunmade, Kingsley Nwezeh and Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Police Service Commission (PSC) is to meet over the reported extension of the service
of Mr. Abdulkadir Dauda, a police commissioner, and a security aide of President
Muhammadu Buhari, whose retirement was said to have been deferred by the president,
THISDAY learnt yesterday.

A leaked signal reportedly from Force Secretary, Mr. Usman Alkali, an Assistant Inspector
General of Police, to police Department of Information Technology, had conveyed the
president’s decision with a directive to the section to amend its records accordingly.

With the presidential approval, Dauda would now retire in 2023 when he would have been
60 years old.

But the PSC through its spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, said the presidential directive
breached civil service rules that guide the tenure and retirement of public officers,
explaining that an officer was required to leave the service upon attainment of 35 years in
service or 60 years of age, whichever one comes first.

A former chairman of the PSC and retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Mr.
Parry Osayande, has also urged the president to adhere to the rules on the matter.

Dauda, the chief personal security officer to the president, hails from Daura and is billed to
retire on January 1, 2020 when he would have served for the mandatory 35 years in service.
He enlisted in the Nigerian Police Force as a cadet on January 1, 1985.

However, Ani, while responding to THISDAY inquiry on the reported extension of Dauda’s
tenure, said although the commission had not been formally informed on the extension,
public service rules were clear on the period or tenure of service of every civil servant.

He said the commission would soon convene a meeting where it is expected to take a
position on the issue.

Ani, who did not state the date of the meeting, told THISDAY: “The public service rule is
very clear. It is either you attain 35 years in service and you retire, or you do so at the age
of 60. That is what the public service rule says for a civil servant. The commission has not
met to take a decision on this. We just saw it yesterday.

“We noticed that yesterday and he has not formally come before the commission. The
commission will meet and consider what is supposed to be done. The commission has not
as a body met to consider the development.

When they meet, they will take a decision on it.”

However, another source within the commission told THISDAY that Buhari’s action was an
affront to the law setting up the PSC, which gives the commission sole responsibility for
the appointments, promotion, and discipline of all policemen below the Inspector General
of Police (IG).
The source also faulted the claim that nothing was wrong with the president’s decision
since his predecessors such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, now
deceased, extended the tenures of former Inspectors General of Police, Mr. Sunday
Ehindero and Mr. Mike Okiro, respectively.

Ehindero’s tenure was extended by one year on March 20, 2006 to May 29, 2007, while
Okiro’s own was extended to 2010.
Buhari has also extended the tenure of the present service chiefs severally.

But the source said the case of Daura was different as he is still a Commissioner of Police,
who is under the commission, unlike the IG who is under the president.

He cited Section 215, sub 1, paragraph (a) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that: “An
Inspector-General of Police… subject to Section 216 (2) of this Constitution, shall be
appointed by the president on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving
members of the Nigeria Police Force.”

In his reaction, Osayande urged the president to adhere to the rule of law.

He said: “Nobody is indispensable. When you make a law you follow the law. They make a
mockery of the whole thing. It is wrong. This can only happen in Africa, in Nigeria. Let
them do the right thing.”

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY, Executive Director, Rule of Law and

Accountability Advocacy Center, Mr. Okechukwu Nwangwuma, said the extension of
Daura’s tenure was a clear case of nepotism on the part of the president, the police officer
in question being from his town.
He described it as illegal and an act of corruption.

He said: “This one is a clear case of nepotism by the president because one, this man is
from the president’s village. I also heard that this man benefited from multiple promotions.
Now, the civil service rule says 35 years or the attainment of 60 years, whichever one
comes first.

“Now the one that came first is 35 years so there is no basis to extend his service except for
nepotism and this is a government that has the fight against corruption as one of its
signature commitments, so it is clear by this singular act that this government is promoting
corruption. It is subverting basic civil service rules.”

Nwangwuma said the president lacked the powers to extend the service of any police
officer, except the IGP.

Head of the Human Rights Writers Association, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko, said there was
no reason for the extension as Dauda was not indispensable.

“That is an illegality. Is he better than other 200,000 policemen in the country? The
government should not engage in nepotism. The right decisions should be taken at all times.
There are other police officers, who can do this job,” he said.
When contacted, presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, said he would have to
reach Daura first before he could react.

However, he said he couldn’t get through to the presidential aide and promised to reach him
again. But as at press time, he had not got back to THISDAY.

Also, speaking on the issue and those of the service chiefs who are still in service long after
the expiration of their tenure, some lawyers, in separate interviews with THISDAY,
described the action of the president as a breach of the law regulating the employment of
civil servants.

Mr. Akinlolu Kehinde SAN, said since a civil servant was not appointed by the president,
the president lacked power to determine his or her duration in office.

He held that the provision of the law as regarding employment into government offices are
sacrosanct and as such must be strictly obeyed by all.

“Those are statutory regulated appointments; they don’t stay in that office at the pleasure of
the president. They are not appointees of the president, so, why should the president extend
their tenure. It is either you are 60 years old or 35 years on the job and after that you go,”
he said.

The senior advocate, who described the action of the president as illegal, however, noted
that if the president found the service of any civil servant, who is due for retirement
expedient, the only option available to him is to engage such a person on a contract basis.

“If he is retaining them because nobody can replace them, or there is no other trained hand,
or no other competent person that can carry out such responsibility or duties on behalf of
the government, then he can retain them on contract basis.

He explained: “Appointment of civil servants enjoy statutory flavour, there is a set down
procedure of engagement, of discipline and disengagement, which must be strictly
followed.

That is why you cannot just wake up and say that you are retiring somebody if the person
has not reached retirement age or disengage him if they have not gone through the
disciplinary process or any infraction.”

While declining to speak on the consequences of the president’s action, the senior lawyer,
however, stated that it is left to those who have interest in public litigation to challenge it.

Another lawyer, Steve Eke, also said by extending Dauda’s tenure, the president
contravened the law as he lacked the legal power to do so.

Citing the case of the service chiefs who have over stayed in office, Eke said Buhari has
been using his office as president to retain whomever he wants in office.

According to him, “Tenure of offices has been created by status or the law setting up the
 organisation and ordinarily you cannot go beyond what the law stated.

“So to that extent he doesn’t have the power, but if you look at what has happened to
service chiefs, it is the same thing.

“The man is using his office as president to do this extension but the constitution says this
people are due for retirement and you retain them or extend their tenure without amending
that particular law that states the limit of their offices is clearly unlawful, illegal, it is not
supposed to be so.”

However, he added that if Buhari wants to retain the services of Daura, he could offer him a
political appointment after his retirement.

“But as for his tenure as a police officer if he has attained 35 years or the mandatory
retirement age he must go, you cannot stretch his tenure created by law,” he said.

According to him, the retention of the boss of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),
Mr. Babatunde Fowler, is currently a subject of litigation, which if judgment is entered
against him, he can be forced to pay all salaries and emoluments received during the period
outside his tenure.

Similarly, another legal practitioner, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Obasi-Nweze, aligned with the
others on their submissions that the president does not have the power to extend the tenure
of his chief personal security officer for the singular fact that Dauda is not a political
appointee but a civil servant.

He said: “The president does not have the power to extend his tenure because he is not a
political appointee.

“When you are in the civil service there is a time you get to and you must retire, but if it is
an appointment it does not follow that process.

“Once you get to 60 years of age or 35 years of service you must retire and the president
does not have the power to extend it because the law says at that stage you must leave
office.”

We Will Accept Innoson Motors If Offered – House Of

Representatives Spokesman
ABUJA – Members of the ninth House of Representatives will accept locally manufactured
Innoson Motors as official cars if offered to them, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Chairman, House
Committee on Media and Public Affairs, has said.

Hon. Kalu who stated this while briefing journalists on Thursday in Abuja on legislative activities
in the House for the week, also said that issues regarding the need to diversify the nation’s
economy using science and technology featured prominently in the debate on the 2020
Appropriation Bill.

He said comparative analysis of knowledge based economies such as the U.S. and China that
churn out hundreds of thousands of patents on innovations yearly was done, with members
stressing the need to encourage more research and development.

Kalu noted that the executive arm of government was roundly commended for encouraging
patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods by getting the military and some heads of department and
agencies to patronise Innoson motors, a locally manufactured brand in Anambra State, South East
Nigeria.

Asked if members of the 9th House would take a cue from the executive by asking for Innoson
motors as their official vehicles, Kali said, “why not?”

“Members will accept Innoson motors if they are offered to us. If the military is using it and other
government agencies and departments have opted for it, why not us? But you should also know
that we don’t control these things but if they are offered to us, anything that can take us about to
do our jobs, why not?

“These cars are not small vehicles; they are luxury vehicles and can match any brand elsewhere
in terms of comfort and standard. I doubt if Nigeria can even afford them,” he said.

The Reps’ spokesman also applauded the media on its coverage of the budget presentation on
Tuesday by the House, saying, “How you covered the event on Tuesday, even the old woman and
man in the village knew that yes, the President has come to lay the budget estimates. And that
could have only been possible through your reportage.

“Today, we ended debate on the general principles of the Appropriation Bill. And the public must
have by now seen that this 9th Assembly is not going to be a rubber stamp to the executive. So
you saw the level of debate and argument around the budget from members.

“If they were criticism, they were not meant to slight the executive but to point out pending areas
of improvement. And you also know that we cannot effectively speak to the budget estimates
without adequately taking critical appraisals of the 2019 budget as far as implementation is
concerned.”

Buhari Won't Marry Sadia Umar Farouq - Dele Momodu

A former presidential candidate and Publisher of the Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, has
reacted to the rumour making the rounds that President Muhammadu Buhari was set to wed a
second wife on Friday (today).

The rumour emerged from the Aso Rock that Buhari will be getting married in a very quiet
ceremony to Sadia Umar Farouq, the current Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Disaster
Management on Friday.

This is following the continued absence of the current First Lady, Aisha who has been out of the
Presidential Villa since her trips to Saudi Arabia and UK.

According to a source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Ms Farouk is a very close
friend of Buhari and the Villa cabals love her.

But reacting to the claim, Momodu said there would be no such wedding between Buhari and
Farouk.

He tweeted:
I have been inundated with calls, and social media is awash, about the news of the
President’s impending wedding fatiha tomorrow; let me disappoint the rumour-mongers
that nothing of the sort is happening tomorrow, according to my own impeccable sources…
Fingers crossed.

Social media has been awash with salacious tales of President & Commander-in-Chief
taking a new wife today but impeccable sources have dismissed the stories, pics videos,
invitation cards, as handiwork of "irresponsible people seeking to cause confusion in the
seat of government"

Border Closure: Daily PMS Consumption Drops From 60m

To 52m Litres — FG
Few weeks after the closure of the nation’s land borders, daily petroleum consumption had
dropped from 60million litres per day to 52million litres per day, the Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said yesterday.
Sylva said this when he inaugurated a team of 89 persons drawn from five key agencies to ensure
transparency and accountability in the distribution of petroleum products across the country.

He said the team would help to authenticate the actual volume of products imported and
consumed in the country and ensure that the nation attains energy security.

Members of the team were drawn from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,
Department of Petroleum Resources, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, Petroleum
Equalization Fund and the Department of State Security.

2 Repentant Boko Haram Insurgents Enrol In National

Open University
The chairman of the Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria, Professor
Peter Okebukola, says two repentant Boko Haram insurgents have enrolled for degree
programmes at the institution.

Speaking yesterday after a council meeting in Abuja, he said more women were enrolling at the
university than men.

According to him, the university has the largest enrolment so far with 550,000 students out of
which women have outnumbered men.

All African Countries Are Corrupt - Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has stated that all African countries are corrupt and only few
countries in the world can boast of not being corrupt.

Yemi Osinbajo who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Rule of Law,
Office of the Vice President, Fatima Waziri-Azi at the launch of the FLAG’IT App said that
corruption and illicit financial flows out of Africa has led to poverty and lack of development
witnessed across the continent.
“The 2019 Global Corruption Barometer on African citizens’ views and experiences of
corruption highlights that while most of the people surveyed in 35 countries felt that
corruption had increased in their country, a majority equally felt that they, as citizens, could
make a difference in the fight against corruption.

“Only a few countries in the world can claim to have a low level of corruption and none of
these countries is in Africa.

“It doesn’t matter how much revenue a country generates or how transformed it is or how
progressive its plans, corruption will ensure that majority of the people do not benefit from
whatever gains are made, which is why despite the highest oil revenues in our history, debt
doubled and poverty figures rose. This is why the major pillar of this administration’s
socio-economic agenda is the fight against corruption" he said.

Ghost Workers: We Have Been Saving N4.5bn Monthly –

Magu
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim
Magu, on Thursday revealed that government’s involvement of the EFCC in tackling the scourge
of ghost workers in the civil service had led to a redemption of over N4.5 billion naira monthly.

Magu, who made the disclosure while delivering a lecture on “Corruption and Anti-corruption
Strategies in Nigeria: Way Forward,” as a guest lecturer at the Course 28 Study Programme on
National Defence and Security, themed: “Economic Diversification and National Development,”
at the National Defence College, Abuja, singled out the Integrated Payroll and Personnel
Information System (IPPIS) of salary payment by the federal government for praise.

He said the IPPIS was responsible for saving the government of the sum of N4.5billion, monthly,
that would have been wrongfully expended on ghost workers.

“The EFCC has been engaged in eradicating ghost workers from the federal government payroll
which has resulted in saving as much as N4.5 billion naira monthly,” Magu stated, adding that
“the Bank Verification Number (BVN) has been an effective tool in carrying out investigations
effectively, as it has curtailed the opening of fake bank accounts by fraudulent individuals.”

Magu who regretted the effects of corruption in the country, noted that “every paralysis we have
suffered in our economy and polity was caused by corruption, the volatilities and vulnerabilties in
our security architecture are results of corrupt practices of several decades.”

According to him, “Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has lost unimaginable number of lives
to road accidents, diseases, hunger; communal conflicts, kidnappings, armed robberies, terrorism
and a number of other evils that owe direct or indirect percentage to corruption.

The EFCC boss reiterated that the only gateway to development was through fighting corruption.
“If Nigeria breaks away from corrupt practices in government businesses and in the private
sector, we would transform into a model state overnight,” adding that corruption was like rainfall,
“everybody gets affected.”

In further praise of the Buhari government’s efforts at ridding the country of corruption, Magu
noted that “The current government came into power on the backbone of a promise to fight
corruption,” noting that “there have been deliberate efforts to translate electoral promises to
reality through the implementation of policies and programmes, designed to block leakages in
government and enthrone a culture of transparency and accountability in the conduct of public
office.”

The Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral M.M Kadiri in his vote of thanks
noted that “what will keep all of us at peace beyond all of these is if we key into the corruption
fight.”

He observed the need for proper utilisation of funds saying, “we all have a role to play to ensure
that monies meant to be used for public good will be applied according to what and how they
were meant to be utilized.”

Appeal Court Sacks Dino Melaye From The Senate, Orders

New Election
I just lost my election at the Appeal Court and Fresh election ordered. In all things I give God the
Praise. He who started a good thing will definitely complete it. I ask my supporters to be law
abiding as we shall always overcome. To God be the Glory.
https://mobile.twitter.com/dino_melaye/status/1182595991566016513

Rwanda, Public Schools Thrive,while Private Schools Suffer

Setbacks
Many private schools reported a two-thirds decline in student admissions at the close of 2016 as
many enrolled in public schools. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | NATION
Newspeak

Private schools in Rwanda are on the verge of closing down due to low patronage. A report by
Daily Nation says desperate proprietors who face closure of their institutions are now asking the
government to sponsor students in private schools at public rates.

But the government has rejected the idea.

The “problem” started with the government’s twelve-year basic education policy which made
public schools affordable and preferable.

According to the report, the Ministry of Education invested hugely in expanding capacity and
teaching infrastructure at public schools across the country; introduced the school feeding
programme and abolished school fees.

More than 30 private schools are said to have closed indefinitely this year, while others are
struggling to stay afloat after losing students to public schools.

School owners told Rwanda Today that even those that had managed to stay open were struggling
to meet their operational costs.

“We’ve suffered a sharp decline in the number of students enroled, yet the school has
accumulated debt, unpaid salaries and owes arrears to suppliers. It is not clear if the school will
re-open,” said Samuel Batamba, the head teacher at College Nkunduburezi in Gakenke District.

Mr Batamba said the school used to have 900 students but now has only 80 students after it failed
to attract new students while others enrolled in public schools.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, the government owns 460 out of the more
than 1,575 schools in the country.

The rest are run by religious bodies with the Catholic church owning 620 schools, the Anglican
church 279, Adventist church 22 and Muslim schools are at 16. Another 178 schools are run by
parents’ associations and individuals.
The most affected institutions are private boarding schools.

Figures show that students in private schools decreased from 101,510 in 2012 to 79,076 last year
while enrolment in public and government-aided schools almost doubled in the same period.

According to John Gasana, the Vice chairman of the Private Schools Association, competing with
public schools requires huge capital investment to improve infrastructure, equipment and hiring
skilled teachers, something many private schools cannot afford.

Energy Security: Nigeria Ministry Of Petroleum Launches

‘operation White Project
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva has formerly launched
the Operation White Project aimed at entrenching energy security and deepening the drive for
transparency.

In his inauguration speech, he charged the 89 members of the project team drawn from five Key
Agencies, to work assiduously whilst embracing the highest level of accountability, to
collectively succeed and deliver excellently.

Chief Sylva name-checked the leadership that has been consistently provided by the Group
Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari while noting that every organization is as
strong as the quality of its leadership. He further expressed his optimism that the gains of the
Operation White Project will reduce the inflated product consumption figure and ultimately
reduce the subsidy wage bill.

In his response, Mallam Kyari encouraged the team members to deliver on the national
assignment with a deepened sense of patriotism and excellence. He pledged that the project will
monitor and track the entire movement of petroleum products and enshrine visible transparency
across the value chain.

Chief Sylva was taken on a tour of Operation White’s Command and Control Centre by the
Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company and Project Team Lead, Mr.
Bala Wunti who enthused that competence, character and chemistry were key indices embraced
in the selection of the team members.

Emike Ivowi who works as the Technical Assistant to the Managing Director of the Petroleum
Products Marketing Company and serves as an Analyst in the Command and Control Centre,
noted that the team and infrastructure emplaced, will effectively ensure elimination of all
identified bleeding points that account for product losses.

The project membership is comprised of high quality individuals drawn from NNPC, Department
of Petroleum Resources, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, Petroleum Equalisation
Fund (Management) Board and the Department of State Security.

Hate Speech Fine: You Won’t Be In Power Forever – Apostle

Suleman Tells PMB, Others
Johnson Suleman, the general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, has reacted to the recent move
by the federal government to increase the fine for defaulters spewing hate speech.

Information Minister, Lai Mohammed was recently quoted by TheCable as saying President
Muhammadu Buhari has approved the upward review of fine for hate speech from N500,000 to
N5,000,000.

Mr Mohammed was said to have stated this while inaugurating a committee with the sole aim of
initiating reforms and legislative actions to regulate the online media.

Some Nigerians, including the cleric, has reacted to the decision, claiming it aimed at silencing
opposition voices.

For the helmsman of the Christian assembly, the fine should be backdated to 2014 when the now
ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was in the opposing camp.

Their argument is that the present administration rode to power through hate speech thrown at the
then ruling but now opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Just read about N5m fine for hate speech…there is a thin line btw freedom of speech/hate
speech..this is a deliberate attempt to silence people..we could back date its implementation to
2014,” Mr Suleman said in series of tweets on Friday.

“What they should be against is unverified news..fake news been peddled..not ‘speech’..this is
quiet draconian and ill-timed..by stopping fake news,the media will be sanitised..but with
this,every voiced opinion seen as confrontational will be tagged ‘hate speech’.

While warning leaders about power being transient, the cleric suggested that spreading false
information should be looked into rather than silent dissent voices.

“What should be addressed is fake news..lies been peddled.unverified stories..that way,there will
be media-sanity..but with this,every voiced opinion that appears confrontational to govt will be
tagged ‘hate speech’…leaders,always remember you won’t be in power forever,” he added.
Religion Shouldn't Be Tools To Destroy Tradition, Culture-
Gani Adams
Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has warned that religions should not be used as
tools for destruction of tradition and culture of people in Nigeria if the country will join the
league of developed nations of the world.
He said until Nigerians “begin to appreciate what God has done for us in Nigeria, appreciate
humanity and place important priority in sustaining our culture, tradition and other core values of
life, that is when we can continue to enjoy the blessings of God that are bestowed on us as a
people.”

The Yoruba generalismo gave the warning in his address at the 2019 edition of Oro-Ebedi
festival, held on Thursday, at Old NYSC Orientation Camp, Iseyin, Oyo State.
The festival was supported by the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF) and Oyo State Chapter of
the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).

He enjoined the leadership of Islam and Christianity in the six states in the South West of Nigeria
not to use religions as tools to destroy the tradition and culture of Yorubaland.

Adams spoke against the backdrop of objection of leadership of Islam and Christianity to holding
of Oro-Ebedi festival in Iseyin and the insistence of Oro adherents that the festival must be held.

The altercation led to signing of peace accord during a peace meeting convened by
Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr. Shina Olukolu, with a strong warning that any group
that contravened the law would be dealt with.

The Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdul Ganiy Adekunle Ajinese I, and some traditional rulers from
Oke-Ogun zone of the state as well as distinguished son and daughters of Iseyin, graced the
festival

‘’I feel bad whenever I see how some of us are doing everything to denigrate our culture. Some
of us use religions as tools to destroy our tradition. And this is affecting us as a people.

“I want to make it clear today that the Yoruba nation of our dream is a collective responsibility.
Therefore, it is instructive to say it openly that across the length and breadth of the world, history
remains the bedrock of development.

“No nation in the world can make any meaningful progress without a good knowledge of history.
All over the world, people’s culture and tradition take the centre stage.

“You appreciate people most by what they do and how they are able to impact their society. Let
me say it once again that efforts should be made to sustain the cultural identity of the Yoruba
race.”

Adams noted that Olokun Festival Foundation “is poised to promote the tradition and cultural
identity of the Yoruba race. It is our duty to educate and re-orientate our people on the need to
preserve what is truly ours.”

He particularly appealed to indigines of Iseyin to embrace the age-long tradition and culture of
their forebears, adding that there are differences between culture, tradition and religion.

Buhari Laments On The State Of Oil Community Despite

Shell’s 40-year Operation
President Muhammadu Buhari has in a statement reported by NAN says he felt touched and sad
to know that OML-25 host communities are pleading to have primary schools in 2019 after up to
40 years of oil exploration.

Reports has it that President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his displeasure during the official
reopening of the OML-25 Flow Station in Belema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area (LGA)
of Rivers on Thursday 11th September, 2019.

He assured the people through a representative, Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs,
Sen. Ita Enang, of the host communities that the narrative would change.
“We have been to the host communities, and I want to assure you that we have seen your
situation by ourselves."

“I felt touched when in the address by your leaders, they are asking for a school in 2019
after 40 years of producing oil for Nigeria."

“I am also saddened to hear that while producing 44,000 barrels of oil per day for the past
40 years through Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), that you’re now asking
for a hospital."

“I want to assure you that we will not just provide schools, we will provide complete
community life for all the host communities of OML-25,” he said.

According to President Buhari, the Federal Government will work with the state that is
receiving the 13 per cent Derivation, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and
find out what they have particularly done for the communities.

“We will work with the Presidential Amnesty Office and the Ministry of Niger Delta
Affairs; we will redirect the budget so that the oil revenue will take care of the people."

“I felt a lot when I scooped the water that you drink about 30 minutes ago, and the oil from
the water is still on my palms with which I fetched the water."

“On behalf of Nigeria, I apologise to you, this situation in this country under President
Buhari and Ministers of Petroleum Resources and Niger Delta Affairs will definitely
 change for the better for all of us,” he added.

The president in a statement also commended Mr Tein Jack-Rich, President and Founder of
Belemaoil Producing for showing deep interest to impact on the host communities.

“Every community should look for, and treasure their indigenes who care about their
interests."

“I thank you for bringing peace to these communities in effecting the reopening of OML-25
and reconciling the government, NNPC, and SPDC with the host communities for the
betterment of Nigeria.”

“We are here at the right time because the 2020 Budget was submitted to the National
Assembly two days ago."

“We will take it to them to see what is provided for you, and redirect the budget to capture
the interest of oil-producing communities like you that are facing the same challenge,” he
said in conclusion.

Apologize To Nigerians For The Chibok

Debacle – Muslim Group Tells Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Jonathan should apologize to Nigerians rather than try to defend
himself against accusation by ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron that he did not allow the
UK intelligence to rescue the more than 200 kidnapped Chibok girls when it was possible.

That is the view of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

The Islamic group said in a statement by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Friday (today): “The best
Jonathan can do now is to apologize to Nigerians for the Chibok debacle. Jonathan should just swallow
his pride and eat the humble pie. There are no two ways to it. An unreserved apology is what Nigerians
are expecting and we will keep pounding the ex-president until he does the needful.

“We are concerned because that abduction emboldened the insurgents, exposed our underbelly and
endangered Nigerian citizens to more criminalities. It was a huge blow to our security apparatus.
Whatever threatens the safety and security of lives and properties of Nigerians must attract the interest
of every serious civil society group. The Chibok incident opened the floodgate to the frequent
kidnappings in the country today.”
The group also appealed to President Buhari to double the government’s efforts to rescue the girls from
captivity.
“We strongly appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to double government’s efforts aimed at securing
the freedom of the Chibok girls. It is now five and a half years since these girls were taken away. We
are in grief. Our nights are nightmarish. Horrible fears envelop our days. Please bring back our girls,”
MURIC said.
MURIC urged Nigerians to intensify their prayers for both the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu.
It stated, “We urge Nigerians to intensify their prayers for the safe return of the Chibok girls. We must
also remember Leah Sharibu, the lone Christian girl who was denied freedom by the insurgents.”

Ugwuanyi Moves To Restore Enugu Master-plan,

Inaugurates Devt Enforcement Agency
Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Thursday, October 11, 2019 inaugurated the Enugu
Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), aimed at restoring the Enugu Master-plan.

Igbere TV reports that the new ECTDA team has the Governor’s former Senior Special Assistant
on Special Duties, Dr. Josef Umunnakwe Onoh, as the Executive Chairman.

The Authority, according to a statement obtained by Igbere TV, was established following the
amendment of the Enugu State of Nigeria, 2009 Law No.5, for the enforcement of compliance
with appropriate standards in the development of the Enugu capital territory and matters
connected therewith to align it with the desired governance structure.

Inaugurating the 14-man enforcement authority, the governor stated it was constituted in line with
a deliberate choice of the state government to enhance the glory of Enugu as the former capital of
Eastern Nigeria, East Central State, old Anambra and Enugu State as well as the present Enugu
State.

He noted that Enugu state deserves an enhanced serene ambience to be able to offer the full
compliments of urban triangle; a place to live, work and play.

Governor Ugwuanyi, therefore, charged the newly-inaugurated body “to immediately commence
the enforcement of full development control in Enugu Capital Territory in keeping with Enugu
Urban master-plan, relevant extant laws and the need for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem
balance”.

The Governor pointed out that the serenity of Enugu city is one of the state’s greatest assets that
must be jealously guarded, directing that “you must therefore halt and begin to reverse the
contraptions of building approvals pervading Enugu Capital Territory”.
According to him, “Enugu Capital Territory must sustain its ranking as a destination of choice in
real estate investment. We expect nothing less from you.

“I must emphasize, as always, that your loyalty as public officers should be to God and the State.
You must at all times be seen to pursue honesty, transparency, accountability, equity, justice,
fairness and unalloyed commitment to your duty in the course of your service to this state.

“The roles may be different but we are united in the objective - to alleviate the sufferings of our
people and put smiles on their faces, and these we must do in fulfillment of our contract with Ndi
Enugu”.

Other members of the ECTDA include, the Director, Town Planning, State Ministry of Lands and
Urban Development, Mr. Paul Ugwueze; State Surveyor-General, Mr. Godwin Chinyelu Ishiwu;
Director, Construction and Maintenance, State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engr.
Okechukwu David Okpe; Director of Lands, Mrs. Chinyere Justina Ngwu; and the Director of
Traffic/Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer, State Ministry of Transport, Engr. Charles Osita
Ugwuagbo.

Others are, Director in the State Ministry of Environment; Managing Director, State Water
Corporation, Engr. Chidozie Eze; Managing Director, State Waste Management Authority, Mrs.
Amaka Martina Anajemba; Director, State Tourism Board; State Chief Fire Officer, Engr. Daniel
Okwudili Oha; and representatives of Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South local
government areas, Engr. Cyril Mbah, Engr. Anthony Chinweuba Agbo and Surv. Jonathan Onyia,
respectively.

States’ IGR Hits N691 Billion As Osun, Ondo, Others

Recorded Biggest Growth
The latest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) report released by the National Bureau of
Statistics showed that all states in Nigeria generated the total sum of N691.11 billion between
January and June 2019.

According to the Bureau’s report, the IGR generated by the 36 states and FCT rose by 94.2
billion (15.7%) when compared to the N596.91 billion IGR generated in half 2018.

The report also showed that thirty-one (31) states and the FCT recorded growth in IGR while five
(5) states recorded a decline in IGR at the end of H1 2019.

The Breakdown: In half-year 2019, details of the report showed that across the 36 states,
Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos State, generated the biggest IGR of N205.16 billion. This
means Lagos IGR constituted 30% of the IGR generated across states in half-year 2019.
River State ranks the second with the biggest IGR of N75.9 billion
Other states among the top 10 states with the biggest IGR include FCT (N38.5 billion), Delta
(N36.3 billion), Ogun (N29.5 billion), Kaduna (N22.4 billion), Akwa Ibom (N20.4 billion), Ondo
(N19 billion), Kano (N18.5 billion) and Cross River (N16.7 billion).
Meanwhile, Gombe, Yobe and Taraba states recorded the lowest IGR of N2.08 billion, N2.2
billion and N3.27 billion.

IGR Growth: Meanwhile, while Lagos is top in terms of the amount of IGR generated in half-
year 2019, other states recorded the highest growth recorded in terms of IGR generated between
half-year 2018 and half year 2019.

Further analysis showed that Zamafara State recorded the biggest growth in the total IGR in half-
year 2019. Specifically, Zamafara generated N2.65 billion IGR in half-year 2018, while the
state’s IGR rose to N7.21 billion in half-year 2019. This implies that Zamfara recorded a 171%
increase in its total IGR between half-year 2018 and 2019.

Also, Kebbi and Osun States both rank second and third respectively with the biggest growth in
IGR. Specifically, Kebbi generated N2.03 billion IGR in half-year 2018, while the state’s IGR hit
N4.71 billion in half-year 2019. This means the state’s IGR rose by 132%.

On the other hand, Osun State’s IGR rose from N4.7 billion in half-year 2018 to N4.72 billion in
half-year 2019, representing 131% in its IGR increase.

In the meantime, while the decline in the federal allocation has been a critical concern to most
states, the rise in IGR recorded in most of these states is indeed a welcome development, as this
is expected to ease off pressures from the fiscal constraint currently witnessed in the economy.

No Marriage Between Buhari And Zainab Ahmed - Ministry

Of Finance
There have been rumours about President Muhammadu Buhari getting married to a new wife on
Social Media.

Some of the rumours came with videos showing a suppose marriage between the Minster of
Finance, Zainab Ahmed Shamsuna and the president.

However, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in a tweet via it Twitter handle
have asked member of the public to disregard such videos.
The tweet read,
DISCLAIMER: Last night, a dubious video trended purporting a supposed marriage
between the Honourable Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed
Shamsuna & the President Federal Republic of Nigeria. The general public is adviced to
disregard that video in its entirety.

‘cabals Will Determine Igbo Presidency In 2023’

Former chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Anaocha branch, Anambra state, Chris
Adimora on Friday said Igbo presidency would be determined in 2023 by those he referred to as
“cabals.”

He said it would be difficult for an Igbo man to become the president without the cabals’
blessings.

Speaking to newsmen in Onitsha, Adimora maintained that the blessings of the cabals would
speed up the aspirations of the Igbos.

He said, “It is the cabals that will determine whether or not an Igbo man will become a president
of Nigeria in 2023, as is being agitated.

“Once the cabals give their blessing to an Igbo man, the road to the presidency would be an easy
ride for Ndigbo and the presidency will be accompanied by good governance.”

The legal practitioner however advised the cabals to look for a president from the Igbo extraction
who would dismantle the evil forces holding Nigeria down.

His words, “An Igbo man in Aso Rock will dismantle all the retrogressive forces and institutions
that make good governance impossible for the past 59 years but if the cabals insist on not fielding
an Igbo man in 2023, this country will cave in on all of us.

“For instance, the corruption in Customs and Police force, the rot in the civil service cannot
thrive under an Igbo presidency, just as inequity in the system cannot thrive under Igbo
presidency because Ndigbo are known for equity.

“The poor state of road network in the country cannot be allowed under an Igbo man in the Villa
because Igbo men are travelers and they live all over the country. There will be justice in the
system.

“An Igbo man in presidency will champion a rebirth, rejuvenation and bright new day for Nigeria
in all the institution in Nigeria.”
Kogi West: INEC Considers Nov. 16 For Senate Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will explore the possibility of
using the Nov. 16 governorship election to conduct a fresh election for the Kogi West Senatorial
district.

The INEC National Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Nasarawa and Kwara States, Alhaji
Mohammed Haruna, dropped the hint in Lokoja on Friday.

Fielding questions from newsmen on the Court Appeal judgment nullifying the election of Sen.
Dino Melaye, Haruna said that since the governorship election was still 34 days away, there was
possibility for the election to hold same day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullified the
election of PDP’s Melaye and ordered INEC to conduct fresh election within 90 days of its
judgment.
The judgment was on the petition filed by Sen. Smart Adeyemi, the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 26 election.

The INEC national commissioner was in Lokoja for a workshop on fake news organised for
media executives, journalists and bloggers by the International Foundation for Electoral System
(IFES) in collaboration with INEC.

Haruna told the participants to be wary of fake news and its implications, saying that unverified
news should not be allowed space.

Read Also: Kogi 2019: INEC denies recruiting APC members as returning officers
He also enjoined them to support INEC to institute credible electoral process in the country.

On concern in some quarters on the possible manipulation of the card reading machine by
unscrupulous politicians, the national commissioner dismissed it as “practically impossible’’.

He also assured that the commission would allow a level playing ground for all candidates in the
election, but appealed to them to play the game according to rules.

The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Adeiza Jimoh, assured that
journalists would be professional in the discharge of their duties before, during and after the
election.

He commended the IFES and INEC for organising the refresher for his members, saying that the
workshop is timely.
NPA Grosses N300b Revenue From Lagos Port In Two
Months
THE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has raked in over N300billion from the Lagos Port
Complex in the last two months, it was learnt.

The cash was realised between July and August this year.

Speaking with The Nation on the sideline of the quarterly stakeholders meeting organised by the
management of the Authourity in Apapa, Lagos, on Thursday, a senior official of the agency who
craved anonymity, said the revenue excluded the huge cash generated by the NPA from Tin-Can
Island Port within the same period.

According to the official, the NPA generated over $27 million and over N101billion from the
Apapa Port Complex between July and August this year.

The NPA, the official said, also collected over $37 million and over N205billion as revenue from
the port during the same period.

Investigation revealed that the NPA generated $18, 961,146.00 and N78,640,056.35 in July this
year, and collected $20, ,548,691.00 and N171,128,184.00 during the same month.

In August, findings revealed that the agency generated $9, 473,056.35 and N23,116,448.54. It
also collected $17,174,007.00 and N34, 041,947.00 during the same month.

The NPA, it was gathered, raked in over $64million and over N306billion within the two months.

“We are happy that the management was able to generate this huge amount of money from the
Lagos Port Complex in spite of the traffic challenges we face within and around Apapa. It
showed that our Managing Director, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, and her management team are
working

“It is necessary to inform you that the serene environment created by Ms Usman and enjoyed by
stakeholders attracted more importers and increased ship traffic to the ports. This led NPA to
more revenue generation for the Federal Government,” the official said.

It was gathered that 1,259 boxes of overtime cargoes are at the various terminals in Apapa port
and affecting the turnaround time at the port.

Addressing over 1,500 stakeholders at meeting, Ms Usman who was represented by the
Executive Director, Marine and Operation, Mr Davis Sekonte said the Authourity was determined
to make the ports the best in the West and Central Africa sub-region through efficient service
delivery.

“In pursuit of NPA’s mission of safe and efficient service delivery, in a customer-friendly
environment, the Authourity has kept engaging the stakeholders at different for a to share
information, gather intelligence and strategise for improvement across board,” the CEO said.

NPA, the Managing Director said, has embarked on effective management of the Lilypond
Transit Truck Park at Ijora to boost efficiency.

While commending the efforts of the Federal Government in fixing the Apapa ports access roads,
Ms Usman condemned the inadequate provision of equipment by some of the terminal operators
and directed them to do the needful

Ogun Customs Seize 2,251 Bags Of Rice

Despite the closure of the border, the Ogun 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said
it intercepted 2,251 bags of 50kg foreign rice smuggled into the country in September.

It said the rice came in through illegal routes in communities at Idiroko border in the Ipokia Local
Government Area of the state.

The Controller of the command, Michael Agbara, said this on Tuesday while briefing journalists
on the anti-smuggling activities.

He also said within the period under review, 36 used vehicles popularly known as tokunbo and
five motorcycles were impounded from smugglers in the bushes and creeks by operatives of the
command.

Agbara, who described the smugglers as economic saboteurs, listed other seizures as 1,402,185
litres of petrol; 1,010 cartons of frozen poultry products; 32 sacks of footwear; 42 bags of 50kg
sugar; 20 bales of second-hand clothing, and 14 kegs of palm kernel oil.

Others are assorted pharmaceutical products; 23 cartons of tomatoes; 50 litres of kerosene; two
sacks of leather bags; snuff powder, eight sacks of alligator pepper and 11 sacks of household
items, among others.

Agbara said the total value of the seizures was N553.6m while the total payable value was
N667.8m
He said during the recovery of one of the smuggled vehicles, a Mercedes Benz SUV 350ML, by
his operatives at Ihunbo, a community along Idiroko Road, on Monday, an accident occurred in
which a pupil of a community secondary school died, while three others were injured.

#sexforgrades: ''perpetrators Must Face The Consequences

''- Buhari
President Buhari has reacted to the recent high profile revelation of sexual abuse cases in
institutions of higher learning in the country, which was released by the BBC on Monday October
7th.

The documentary which has generated a lot of reactions since its release, showed how male
lecturers in the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana sexually harrass their female
students.

In a series of tweets posted this afternoon, President Buhari said Nigeria needs stricter laws to
protect girls and women from all forms of sexual abuse. He directed law enforcement agencies
and school administrators to ensure that lecturers found guilty of sexually harrassing their female
students face the consequences of their
actions.

“Nigeria needs stricter laws to protect girls and women from abuse. I very much welcome the
National Assembly’s proposed amendments to our laws,
following the recent high-profile revelations of sexual abuse in our institutions of higher learning.

I acknowledge that we need to do more as a country to address incidents of sexual violence and
sexual abuse in our schools; and all forms of discrimination, human trafficking and cultural
practices that violate women’s rights.

I urge our law enforcement agencies and school administrators to take up such cases with every
seriousness, and ensure that perpetrators face the consequences of their actions. The practice of
shaming
and silencing victims must also be discouraged by all” the tweets read

Budget Defence: FG Suspends International Travels For

Cabinet Members, Others
Sequel to presentation of the 2020 Appropriation Bill, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed
the immediate suspension of international travels by all Cabinet Members & Heads of Nigeria
Government Agencies so as to enable Ministers personally lead the process of Budget defence at
National Assembly.
This was made known by Willie Bassey, the Director Information in a statement released on
Friday, October 11th.

According to the Bassey, the suspension of such travels will enable Functionaries and Agencies
of the Executive Arm to provide the required cooperation with the Legislature in order to ensure
timely passage of the Appropriation Bill.

Honourable Ministers who have already secured approval to travel are by this directive, required
to revalidate such approvals with Mr. President after confirming the Schedule of Appearances
with the relevant Committees of the National Assembly.

Furthermore, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been directed to liaise with
the relevant committees of the National Assembly for their Schedules of Budget defence.

Kano 10 Megawatts Power Plant Ready

The Kano state government has vowed to deliver the 10 Megawatts hydro power plant at tiga
dam before the end of 2019
The kano state governor Abdullah Umar Ganduje said the power plant will be used to power
water treatment plant, emergency wards of designated hospitals during the day and street lights
during the Night times

He further reveals that, similar project is on, at Challawa Dam, adding that, "Our priority is to
make sure that problem of electricity supply is washed aside. When investment will also thrive in
the state. We are simply creating more enabling environment for businesses to bounce back."

Abba Anwar
Chief Press Secretary to the Kano State Governor
Friday 11th October, 2019

Nigerian Customs Handover Sized Military Equipment To

US Official
Six mine-resistant multipurpose military vehicles were on Friday in Yola, Adamawa State,
handed over to the Deputy Chief of Mission, United States Embassy in Nigeria, Kathleen
FitzGibbon.

The military hardware were intercepted by joint security operatives on Nigeria/Cameroon border
in Adamawa on August 24, 2019.

Comptroller of Customs in charge of Adamawa and Taraba states, Kamardeen Olumoh, who
handed over the equipment to FitzGibbon, said the directive came from the National Security
Adviser.

He said, “I have been directed by the National Security Adviser to comply, release and hand over
the vehicles to the US official.”
While receiving the equipment, FitzGibbon thanked the Nigerian Government for its
understanding, adding that the military vehicles were heading to Niger Republic for security
mission.

She said, “Nigeria and the United States have good relations and understanding, and the vehicles
were heading to Niger Republic for security mission.”