Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Quote by B.F. Skinner

“A failure is not always a mistake. It may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying.”

-B.F. Skinner (1904-1990), American psychologist

Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Photos: EFCC arrests Bayelsa governor’s ex-Aide for offering N10m bribe to EFCC official

A former Senior Special Assistant on Media to Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has been arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The suspect, Abnedgo Don- Evarada, was arrested on Monday April 25th in Port- Harcourt, Rivers State for offering a bribe of N10million to the EFCC's Zonal Head in Port- Harcourt, Mr Ishaq Salihu.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was conspicuously absent on Tuesday, when Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja over the 2016 budget.

Saraki and other principal officers of the Senate were scheduled to meet with the President in a bid to sort out grey areas of the 2016 budget originally on Friday but was reportedly put off till Tuesday because one of the principal officers meant to be at the meeting was out of town.

The immediate past Governor of Bauch State, Isa Yuguda has left the PDP. The former governor who spoke in Bauchi on Saturday, April 23 said his decision to leave PDP was informed by the $2.1bn arms scandal.

"I wish to tender my resignation as a member of the PDP effective from today, Saturday, 23rd April, 2016. My decision was informed by the shocking revelations on the embezzlement of $2.1bn meant for the procurement of arms to fight insurgency and reduce the sufferings of the victims of the insurgency," the statement reads.

National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, is presently at the Intensive Care unit of the National Hospital Abuja after he fell off his chair at the party's National secretariat in Abuja today April 26th. According to some members of the party, Metuh arrived the secretariat and was about to take his seat at a meeting convened by the ‎party National Chairman, Alimodu Sheriff when he suddenly slumped and fell off the chair. He was immediately rushed to the National Hospital where he is being treated at moment.

Concerned by untold suffering as well as hazard emanating from the activities of black marketers, especially those who sell petroleum products inside plastic containers/jerry-cans, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase, has directed all Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and FCT/State Commands Commissioners of Police to arrest anybody found selling petrol and other petroleum products in plastic container.

The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today called for an end to the violence that has been recorded in various parts of the country, that have been attributed to nomadic cattle herdsmen.
Speaking at the Senate Plenary on Tuesday, April 26th, 2016, the Senate President urged the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, to fast-track the execution of the report of the Senate Public Hearing aimed at addressing the herdsmen crisis.

Read the article below:

Potter Stewart, a renowned Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court who played a significant role in the interpretation of Civil Rights laws, coined the basic phrase: “Fairness is what Justice really is.” This phrase, conceived to propel the notion of every individual’s equitable right under the law, demonstrates that an unbiased legal system is a necessary component for justice to be dispensed.

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, has denied contacting native doctors to kill his boss, Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The Deputy Governor made the denial on Monday in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, saying that the allegation was being fuelled by mischief makers and blackmailers who are bent on destroying his cordial relationship with the governor.

Odubu equally raised the raised alarm that some people are bent on destroying his image and worsen the crisis between him and the Governor by circulating offensive fliers in Benin.

The Federal Government will require about N2trillion to complete no new fewer than 226 ongoing road projects across the country.

The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola made the disclosure in Lagos while speaking at a Town Hall meeting organized to brief the public on the activities of the government in the last 11months.

He, however, said the total amount allocated to all the sectors under his ministry in the 2016 budget was less than N500billion, stressing that the government did not have enough resources to complete all the projects at present.

The Lagos State Government on Monday announced plans to upgrade the network of roads in Ikeja to improve and boost the economic stature of the seat of Government to world class standard and to reduce traffic gridlock around the corridor to the barest minimum, just as it revealed readiness to expand the Awolowo Way with an elevated highway from the Ikeja Airport Hotel to Alausa.

Speaking at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre to commemorate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s one year in office, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson said the elevated highway was designed to decongest the traffic gridlock along Allen Round-about, Kudirat Abiola Round-about and Agidingbi Road-about.

The Niger State governor, Abubakar Bello has said that the joint account operated by the state and local governments is a fraud, and an avenue to perpetrate corruption.

He stated that the Joint State and Local government accounts (JAC) should be abolished, as it deprives the local governments from embarking on any meaningful developmental projects.

There have been several calls in the past for the JAC to be abolished to ensure the sovereignty of local government administration in the country, and forestall abuse of funds, especially by state governments as allocations meant for local government areas would go directly to LG accounts without any interference by state governments.

Read his article below:

Everything that I said about President Muhammadu Buhari and his APC during the Presidential campaign has come true.

In less than one year I have been proved right in my continuous assertion that when it comes to running the affairs of our country President Goodluck Jonathan is by far the better man and the PDP by far the better party.

Residents of Jigawa state came out in their numbers to participate in PDP's registration exercise which took place in the state yesterday April 25th. The party Chairman, Alimodu Sheriff, Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike and other party chieftains were at the registration exercise. Continue to see more photos

Quote by Mary Anne Radmacher

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying 'I will try again tomorrow.”

-Mary Anne Radmacher, American author and artist

Monday, 25 April 2016

Don’t expect any change until 2016 budget is signed — FG warns

Nigerians may have to pray more for the 2016 budget impasse to go away quickly, as the Federal Government warned on Sunday that Nigerians should not expect change from the present administration until the 2016 Appropriation Bill, which had been passed by the National Assembly, was signed into law.

According to the government, the Buhari administration was still running the country with the 2015 budget of former President Goodluck Jonathan of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

President Buhari through a statement by the Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu appealed to Nigerians to be patient with him over the difficulties in the land, adding that the change he promised will be achieved soon.
As part of the change, the President ordered the release of 10,000 tons of grains from the national strategic grains reserves to help alleviate hard times people were suffering.

The statement reads in full...

Fresh revelations have revealed how the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President of the 8th Senate caused the on-going budget impasse.

According to investigations, the political crisis that came up with having a an opposition figure as deputy president of the Senate led to the crisis currently delaying the signing of the 2016 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The presidency, sources said, vowed not to have anything to do with Ekweremadu, who it believed usurped a position that should have been occupied by an All Progressives Congress, APC Senator.

Knowledgeable sources at the National Assembly reveals that in the past, an ad-hoc committee, led by the Deputy President of the Senate and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives supervised works on the budget.

A new document has come to life showing details of how the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki allegedly transferred $3.47 million to the United States of America.

The money was allegedly transferred by the Senate President using his credit card in 40 instalments over a duration of four years.

According to the document obtained by Premium Times, Saraki made the transactions through Guaranty Trust Bank, GTB between 2009, when he served as Kwara State governor, and 2012 when he served as the senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, to accounts owned by him in the US.

It was also showed that some of the companies owned by him also transferred thousands of dollars to the same accounts during the period. The companies are Carlisle Properties and West Gate Ltd.

The Senate President is currently facing a 13-count charge filed against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT over allegations of false declaration of assets.

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has accused the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of diversion of petroleum products meant for the state, thereby contributing to the lingering fuel scarcity being experienced in the state. According to Vanguard, the Publicity Secretary of APC in Ekiti state, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement released yesterday April 24th, that Fayose and his aides in connivance with some NUPENG officials, were allegedly diverting the daily petroleum supply meant for the state to other states.

This is an independent report written by a Lagos lawyer. Read below...

At the ongoing cross-examination of the star witness in the trial of Senator Bukola Saraki, Mr. Michael Wetkas, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has admitted, based on questions from Saraki’s counsel, that the EFCC did not investigate the accuracy of some of the exhibits presented as proof in the trial of the Senate President.

Saraki’s defense team, led by a former Attorney-General of the Federal, Mr. Kanu Agabi, have poked several holes in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) case against the Senate President in their thorough scrutiny of Mr. Wetkas’ testimony.

Quote by Karen Salmansohn

“What if I told you that 10 years from now, your life would be exactly the same? I doubt you'd be happy. So, why are you so afraid of change?”

-Karen Salmansohn, best-selling self-help author

Friday, 22 April 2016

Some of the IDPs are orphaned children and they don't know where they came from - President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has begun the process of putting together comprehensive data on all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Nigerian refugees with a view to speeding up their resettlement.

The President stated this while receiving the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, at the Presidential Villa, on Thursday, April 21.

Ripples Nigeria has learnt that what began as an innocuous award to Deputy Senate President,Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday has created serious unease in the camp of Dr Bukola Saraki, incumbent leader of the Senate, who is currently facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false declaration of assets.

The award, ‘Anti-corruption Ambassador,’ which is now mired in controversy was reportedly cooked for Mr Ekweremadu by the Liaison Officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the National Assembly, Mr Sulaiman Bakari. The agency has since denied the said staff, leaving the Deputy Senate President thoroughly embarrassed and feeling that he may have been scammed.

''The truth is like a lion. You don't have to defend it. Let it lose and it will defend itself''- St. Augustine. For the last few weeks I have been the subject of absurd and outlandish headline stories in various newspapers who have accused me of being a fraudster and who have claimed that funds were transferred into my bank account by the former National Security Advisor, Col. Sambo Dasuki and by the Governor of the Central Bank Bank of Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari who spoke when he received the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday said that his administration has begun the process of compiling the data of the Internally Displaced and refugees in order to quickly resettle them. Adding that the process is being done by designated Federal Government agencies, the military and other security agencies. He said:

The present Senate serving the Nigerian people runs the risk of being remembered as the worst since 1999. Public Relations Consultants and media officials of this particular Senate have done their part flooding both the print and the online media with details of how productive the Bukola Saraki-led Senate has been, and they have been quite aggressive in telling us about 30 important Bills which when passed, will change the face of Nigeria and deliver change.

Witness against Saraki admits to errors in investigation - Report

Report sent in by witnesses at the on-going Saraki trial at CCT. Read below...

Prosecution Witness 1, in the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s (CCT) trial against the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, today admitted that Dr. Saraki was not interrogated by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), in-line with the procedures established by the laws that institute the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.

Answering questions on cross-examination by Saraki’s counsel,Paul Usoro (SAN), Michael Wetkas, the first witness, who is also an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, maintained that the Senate President was never given an opportunity to confirm nor deny the allegations against him by the CCB, because it was the EFCC that had conducted the investigations relating to the claims, not the CCB.

Quote by Thomas A. Edison

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
-Thomas A. Edison

SALARY ANALYSIS IN NIGERIA

Divide your SALARY by 30 days and see what you get (i.e. the number of days in a month and see the funny thing about your salary plan).

For example,

(1) An average level-12 worker in the state government civil service earns N60,000.

And this translates to N60,000 ÷ 30 = N2,000 every day. This is LESS THAN the amount made daily by an AVERAGE HAWKER in the city.

(2) A freshly EMPLOYED GRADUATE BANKER in most NIGERIAN BANKS earns an average of N120,000 monthly.

So every day, you get N120,000 ÷ 30 = N4,000 as the daily value for your work-life. By implication, this is LESS THAN the amount earned DAILY by an AVERAGE DRIVER in d city and in some villages.

House Rent in Port Harcourt: HOW IT AFFECTS YOU

While Port Harcourt City may or may not be expensive to you, depending on your pocket, it is popularly known as an expensive city to live in. This article addresses this issue in terms of cost of house rents in Port Harcourt and its environs and how it affects you. If you want to move from your present location to another location, which area will you re-locate to and what are the factors you will consider? Maybe you are new in Port Harcourt and considering where to live, this article will help you to decide. Is this rent too high considering the economic situation in the country? What do you think can be done? This writer wants to know your opinion.

Factors responsible for considering houses to rent are availability of water and light, new or old house, environment and accessibility. Below are types of houses in Port Harcourt and its environs, location and average rent per year.

Type of House Location Average Rent/Year (N)

One Room: Mile 1 60,000

One Room: Mile 2 60,000

One Room: Mile 3 60,000

One Room: Mile 4 78,000

One Room: Mgbuoba 60,000

One Room: D/line 72,000

One Room: Eliparanwo 60,000

One Room: Woji 60,000

HBD To Me

From this Infant to this Man that I am today, O My God How Great Thou Art? I thank You for bringing me thus far, and I know You’ll never leave me even when You take me to the destination You have destined for me. Wishing myself many memorable and healthy years ahead. Amen!

Monday, 18 April 2016

An Article by Femi Fani-Kayode: The National Grazing Reserve Bill: The greatest evil of all

On April 18th 2016 Mr. Okonkwo Afamefuna wrote the following on his Facebook wall.

"I decided to read a copy of the National Grazing Reserve Bill and I was surprised at what I saw. The Bill creates a council to be chaired by a Chairman to be appointed by the president. The council shall have the power to take your land anywhere the land is located in the country and then pay you compensation.

Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works, Housing and Power, has written an article on the benefits of Buhari's recent foreign travels. Read below:

In making this public intervention, I seek to highlight the benefit of global relationships and cooperation in a world that is changing daily as a result of globalization and trans border economics, social and even criminal activities where no one is safe, except all are safe, and to leave the dispassionate observer his opinion after deep reflection on the value, or lack of it, of the President’s foreign trips.

Justice Danladi Umar of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT has ruled that the on-going trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki will from now be conducted daily. At the resumed hearing today April 18, 2016, Justice Danladi Umar based the decision on provisions of sections 376 and 315 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

“Let me state it here for both the prosecution and the defence that the trial of the defendant shall proceed on a day-to-day basis till the conclusion of this matter and it will begin from 10am to 6pm”he said

He said the court would on each day of the trial go on break at 1pm and 4pm.

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."

-Thomas Jefferson

Sunday, 17 April 2016

EFCC arrests 5 INEC officials for N650m bribe during 2015 elections

The Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Cross River State, Gesila Khan and four other staffs that are linked with purported N650.9 million bribe collected during the 2015 general elections.

EFCC sources revealed on Saturday that sensitive INEC election materials for the 2015 presidential and senatorial polls were also found in the residences of some of the suspects, as well as a number of documents on financial and landed properties.

Some of the documents are receipts of purported payments made into their accounts, when they were in charge of elections in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

Khan, who was the REC in Rivers State during the last general election, purportedly pocked N185, 842,000 out of the sum.

The faiths of Ali Modu Sheriff, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remain as national chairman of the party is getting murky, as obstruction to his ambition is becoming sophisticated by the day.

On one side, former ministers of the party have echoed their stand that they would not admit Alli Modu Sheriff remaining as national chairman of the party after May 21, 2016.

According to them, it would be dangerous for the party if the former governor is endorsed to maintain the position, even as they stated that they were ready to work with anyone else, as long as it is not Sheriff.

Nigeria is not the only country where nomadic pastoralists herdsmen come and go. In Kenya, they have the Maasai herdsmen who have been herding cattle around the Nile Valley area from the days of Joseph in ancient Egypt. Other nations have their own form of pastoralists too. But never in the history of the 20th and 21st Century has the world encountered a scenario such as that which stares Nigeria in the face, whereby Fulani pastoral Herdsmen simultaneously and nationally and almost systematically are wiping out indigenous Nigerians for the benefit of their cattle.

Quote by Denis Waitley

Forget about the consequences of failure. Failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success.

-Denis Waitley

Reuben Abati: The President As Chief Diplomat

I read an interesting article recently in which the author, objecting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent travels abroad pointed out that Presidential spokespersons since 1999, including this writer, have always justified such trips using essentially the same arguments. The fellow quoted copiously and derisively from my State House press statements and an article by me titled “The Gains of Jonathan’s Diplomacy”.

Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna state governor, has shutdown the Government House Clinic in Kaduna and reassigned its medical personnel to public hospitals. A report issued by the media aid to El-Rufai, Samuel Aruwan today April 17, 2016 states that the decision to shutdown the government hospital and move its personnel were taken to boost the healthcare system in the state.

The drugs and equipment in the clinic have also been moved to the Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital, Tudun Wada, Kaduna while Government House staff have been directed to henceforth use the Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital for their medical needs.

Safety Alert/Tips: Headrest of car seats

The headrest of car seats is deliberately kept detachable and sharp so that it could be used to break open the glass of car in case of fire and emergency. The car's glasses too are kept easily breakable from inside. Very few people know about it and thus can't save themselves in case of emergencies.

Please share it with as many possible and educate.

MOUNTAIN MOVING FAITH

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built.

Take Note:

1. It is very difficult to strike a giant in battle, but easy to strike them in their comfort zone.

2. The true strength of a giant unveils during the worst times of battle, for whenever there is comfort; even giants are tempted to sleep.

3. As a giant, be very watchful in your comfort zone, for true giants are always watchful, during worst times of battle and best and comfortable times.

Friday, 15 April 2016

Presidency says PMB's visit to China yields billions in investment for Nigeria

Press report from the Presidency:

President Buhari has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of his working visit to China, which has yielded additional investments in Nigeria exceeding $6 billion USD. President Buhari believes that the several agreements concluded with the Chinese during the visit will have a huge and positive impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.

In the power sector, North South Power Company Limited and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed an agreement valued at $478,657,941.28 for the construction of 300 Mega Watts solar power in Shiriro, Niger State. In the solid minerals sector, Granite and Marble Nigeria Limited and Shanghai Shibang signed an agreement valued at $55 million for the construction and equipping of granite mining plant in Nigeria.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will not continue with the usual conventions in picking candidates that will represent the party in elections at all levels in coming elections.

According to the party, it is abandoning such form of selection for the option A4, and it is applicable to presidential candidates, as well as those for governorship, senatorial and House of Representatives among others.

Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the Party, made this known when he received the former chairman of the National Patriotic Party of Ghana, Peter Mac Manu at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja on Friday.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Minister of Finance, has discredited reports attributed to her in regards to how lack of political will of Goodluck Jonathan's administration negatively affected the country's savings. Below is a report issued on Friday by her Media Adviser, Paul Nwabuikwu:

"Some recent media reports have distorted comments made by former Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala regarding how lack of political will negatively impacted national savings over the past few years.

Contrary to the slant given by these loud headlines, Dr Okonjo-Iweala did not indict the Jonathan administration in which she served.

Read the press report from Ekiti state governor below:

Mr Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State Governor, has hailed the international community, especially the United States of America and the United Kingdom for joining lovers of democracy in Nigeria to speak out against the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Buhari's use of State security apparatus to oppress opposition.

He called on the British Government to investigate the allegation of the use of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians with a view to preventing continuous use of fund belonging to the country wrongly. Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Governor Fayose said the international community must focus attention on Nigeria under President Buhari, saying; "rights of Nigerians are now being trampled upon with impunity."

Bukola Saraki, Senate President this morning lost his bid to halt CCT from going on with his trial. Justice Abdul Kafarati of the federal high court, Abuja, terminated Saraki's Fundamental Human rights suit challenging the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try him over purported false declaration of assets while he was Governor of Kwara state.

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, said the hardship Nigerians are facing at the moment will soon be a thing of the past. He said this at a town hall meeting in Enugu yesterday April 14, 2016,

“There will be employment, school meal programme, scholarship and expansion of small-scale investments in the country, and many more. Our message is that the hardship will soon be a thing of the past. The President is committed to strengthening the electoral process and the Nigerian economy” he said

Senator Abaribe: Senators fear Gender equality bill will turn women to prostitutes, lesbians

According to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who represents Abia South Senatorial District in the senate, many senators turned down the Gender Equal Opportunities Bill because they feared it will turn some women to prostitutes and lesbians.

The bill which was turned down by the senate on March 15th, was designed to address women's freedom of movement, female economic activity, girls' access to education, equal rights for women in marriage, divorce, property/land ownership and inheritance, appropriate measures against gender discrimination in political and public life and prohibitions of violence to women.

The Commonsense Senator posted this on his Facebook wall yesterday.

Arase cautions policemen not to detain suspects while carrying out their investigation

Solomon Arase, the Inspector-General of Police, on Thursday April 14, 2016, warned operatives of the Edo State‎ Police Command to avoid detaining suspects indefinitely while still conducting their investigation on a case. Arase who gave the warning while speaking to officers and men of the Command during an official visit to the state, also frowned at operatives of the Force interfering in civil offences relating to land matters and the criminalisation of such matters.

According to him, the police must abide by the Nigerian constitution

As the world marks the second anniversary, since the kidnap of about 219 female students from a secondary school in Chibok, Bauchi State, political leaders have offered more assurances that they will be rescued alive, and reunited with their families.

A video made public yesterday as proof of live showed some of the girls, who were identified as girls from the Chibok community, prompting renewed calls for their rescue by many who felt the government was not doing enough to bring them home.

Labels