For The Record: Obasanjo’s Open Letter To Buhari

Dear President and General Buhari,

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI

APC Will Die In Edo If Obaseki Is Forced Out — Idahosa

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Charles Idahosa, has said APC will die a natural death in the state if Governor Godwin Obaseki is forced out of the party amid the crisis rocking the state House of Assembly.

Idahosa who said this, yesterday, while speaking with journalists in Benin on the raging crisis in the party, said he and many other party members would leave with Governor Obaseki if he was forced out of the party by a supposed godfather.

BREAKING: APPEAL COURT UPHOLDS TRIBUNAL’S JUDGMENT NULLIFYING WIKE’S ELECTION

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the judgment of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which nullified the election of Nyesom Wike as governor of the state.

The five-man‎ panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice M.B Dongban-Mensen in its judgment dismissed the appeals filed by Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, against the judgment of the tribunal on the grounds that they lacked merit.

‎In the judgment read by the Presiding Justice, Donghan-Messen, the appeal court held that the tribunal was right to have held that the All Progressives Congress and its governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, had satisfactorily proved their petition that the poll was conducted in substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

APC, PDP SENATE CAUCUSES TO SHARE C’TTEE CHAIRMANSHIP POSTS EQUALLY

There seems to be no end in sight on the crisis of confidence rocking the Senate, as a fresh discovery  showed that the amended Senate Standing Rules 2015 prescribes equal committee chairmanship positions for each of the six geo-political zones of the country.
This provision, which is found in Section 3(iv) of the2015 Senate Standing Orders, does not exist in 2011 edition used during the seventh Senate. This implies that the zones controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will chair almost the same number of committees in this eighth Senate with those controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

HOPE DIMS FOR SECOND NIGER BRIDGE

• Julius Berger vacates site, sacks 50
Construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd., has stopped works on the ongoing second Niger Bridge project. New Telegraph learnt that the company had in the last one month sacked over 50 workers on the site due to financial constraint.
The construction company had earlier stopped work on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway due to paucity of fund. Our correspondent, who visited the project site at the Asaba and Ogbaru end of the bridge, reports that some of the heavy duty equipment working on the site have disappeared while only few security personnel and some foreign nationals were seen loitering at the site. The plant house along the expressway has also been shut.
Only security personnel were seen at the entrance of the plant. A source stated that there is funding gap for the project. The source said: “Oga, I don’t know what is happening; you can see the workers are no longer here.

I CHOSE NEW SERVICE CHIEFS ON MERIT, SAYS BUHARI

ABUJA— In an apparent bid to re-jig the nation’s security apparatus in the wave of growing insurgent attacks and suicide bombings, President Muhammadu Buhari, 45 days after assuming office, yesterday sacked all the service chiefs and appointed replacements whom he said were chosen on merit.
The new security helmsmen are Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Chief of Defence Staff); Major-General T.Y. Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air Vice-Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff). The rest are Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan (Chief of Defence Intelligence) and retired Major-General Babagana Monguno (National Security Adviser)
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.

FG REVOKES TOMPOLO’S MARITIME SECURITY CONTRACT

The presidency has ordered the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to discontinue payment for the provision of platforms for security of the nation’s waterways to Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Limited (GWVSNL), New Telegraph has learnt. The move is meant to channel the money paid to the private firm to strengthen theNavy and marine police to secure the nation’s waterways.
A source at the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT), who does not want his name in print, disclosed this to our correspondent in Lagos yesterday. The $103 million (N21 billion) maritime security contract was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan and awarded by NIMASA in 2011, shortly after the Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, was appointed to head the agency.

WE’LL COMPEL NIGERIA TO ACCEPT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE – US

AHEAD of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s meeting with his United
States, US counterpart, Barak
Obama at White House on July 20,
Washington yesterday said it would
mount pressure on Nigeria to accept
same-sex marriage.
The meeting is at the instance of
Obama. Ambassador Susan Rice
confirmed Obama’s invitation to
Buhari via her twitter handle; @
AmbassadorRice when she tweeted,
“we announced @WhiteHouse visit
next month of Nigerian President
Buhari, who was inaugurated in
May after a historic election.”
Since Obama’s invitation was
announced, Nigerians have been
apprehensive that Obama could
use the forum to prevail on Buhari
to reverse Nigeria’s anti-gay
law signed by former President
Goodluck Jonathan in January 2014.

NAIRA DROPS TO 241 AGAINST DOLLAR

The naira hit another record low of 241 against the dollar at the parallel market on Monday as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s restrictions on foreign exchange sale fuelled unofficial trade in dollars, Reuters reported.
The ban on importers from accessing the Nigerian foreign exchange markets for the importation of 41 items had led to the volatility of the naira-dollar exchange rate at the black market.
Since June 23 when the new forex rule became operational, the naira has fallen by 10.5 per cent from 218 to 241 against the greenback.
Foreign exchange dealers said the artificial scarcity of the United States currency still pervaded the market.

I DIDN’T WITHDRAW $1BN FOR JONATHAN’S CAMPAIGN – OKONJO-IWEALA

The immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Monday denied withdrawing $1bn from the Excess Crude Account to finance the campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement by her Media Adviser, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, the former finance minister described the allegation by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State that she spent $1bn out of the ECA to fund the re-election bid of Jonathan as a “ludicrously false statement that has unfortunately become a trademark of the Governor in his public campaign of falsehood.”
The statement said the comment by the governor was “just another example of the numerical diarrhea that seems to have afflicted His Excellency in recent times in his effort to damage the reputation of the former minister.”
It reads in part, “He has, within the last few months, asked Dr Okonjo-Iweala to explain all kinds of totally wild and unsubstantiated figures, ranging from $30bn, $20bn, $2.1bn, N720bn and now $1bn.

IF WE DON’T KILL NNPC, NNPC ‘LL KILL US — EL-RUFAI

The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Monday called for the scrapping of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, saying that the corporation has over the years constituted itself as a parallel government.
Speaking at this year’s Wole Soyinka Media Lecture series to mark the 81st birthday of Professor Wole Soyinka, in Abuja, Mal. el-Rufai also advocated the privatisation of the nation’s four refineries and the removal of fuel subsidy by the Buhari administration.
According to El- Rufai, with the ‘death’ of NNPC, it would allow for the coming on board of a brand new Company that would be commercialised and Capitalized, adding that the action has become imperative against the back that NNPC has over the years constituted itself as a parallel government, a country on its own, with Nigeria another country different from the Corporation.

AMBODE RESCUES ACCIDENT VICTIM IN LAGOS

In what could be best described as a show of concern, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Mondayalighted from his vehicle to assist in the rescue of an accident victim.

The victim, Miss Anukam Angela, who was driving alone in a wine-coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number EKY 415 CG, at about 8:15am, lost control and ram into the median of
the road along Osborne Road, Ikoyi before the vehicle somersaulted.

Worried by what could have befallen the occupants of the car, Governor Ambode who was heading to the office, through the direction before the incident occurred, ordered his convoy to stop at the scene so as to enable him access the situation as well as help rescue the passengers.

OSHIOMHOLE: NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA SPENT $1BN ON GEJ’S CAMPAIGN

Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo state, has alleged that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, immediate past minister of finance, expended $1 billion on the re-election bid of former president, Goodluck Jonathan. Oshiomhole, who has been attacking the former minister in recent times, described her as a “pathological liar”, re-emphasising the point of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that revelations of the rot of Jonathan’s government would be released in the coming weeks. On Sunday, Lai Mohammed, spokesman of the APC, had asked Nigerians to await “shocking revelations” about Jonathan’s government. Oshiomhole accused Okonjo-Iweala of being inconsistent in the attempt to cover up her alleged excesses, asking her to explain to Nigerians how the excess crude account was reduced to $4.1 billion from $10 billion.

FORMER PRES. GOODLUCK JONATHAN SPOTTED AT BANK IN ABUJA

The former President was seen at the Gwarimpa branch of First Bank where he went to process his BVN

BUHARI NAMES NEW SERVICE CHIEFS, NSA

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the appointments of new service chiefs and National Security Adviser for the country.
Their appointments, which was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, followed Buhari’s sacking of the former occupants of the offices earlier in the day. 
The new appointments, according to the statement are:
1. Maj.-Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin – Chief of Defence Staff
2. Maj.-Gen. T.Y. Buratai – Chief of Army Staff
3. Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas – Chief of Naval Staff
4. Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff
5. Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan – Chief of Defence Intelligence
6. Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.) – National Security Adviser

BREAKING: BUHARI SACKS SERVICE CHIEFS

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday relieved the nation’s service chiefs of their appointments.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this while speaking to State House correspondents on Monday.

Adesina, who did not give more details, added that the Presidency was preparing a statement on the sacking, which would be made available to newsmen.

Their replacements had neither been named as of the time of writing this report.

BAILOUT: BUHARI IN TROUBLE

• Senators Are Spoiling For War With President Muhammadu Buhari Over Constitutionality Of Release Of Money Shared To States As Bailout
The National Assembly may be spoiling for a constitutional war with President Muhammadu Buhari as the opposition lawmakers vowed to tackle the Presidency over the reported N713 billion bailout given to some troubled states.
The lawmakers also argued that it would be an impeachable offence for the president to cut down his cabinet , insisting that the president by the provision of the 1999 constitution was required to appoint a minister from each of the 36 states of the federation. Already some PDP senators are working on a motion of urgent public importance to specifically draw the attention of the senate to the alleged breach of the constitution by the president. This may top the agenda when the senate resumes session next week,

OKONJO-IWEALA MUST APOLOGISE TO NIGERIANS OVER ILLEGAL WITHDRAWAL OF $2BN FROM ECA – FALANA

Human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on former minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to apologise for lying to Nigerians over the illegal withdrawal of the sum of $2 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).
According to Falana, having admitted that the withdrawal of the sum of $2 billion by her was authorised by President Goodluck Jonathan and not by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) as she had previously claimed, she ought to apologise to Nigerians.
The Lagos lawyer, who made this demand in a press statement he issued in Lagos yesterday, also said that the former minister should stop denying her “principal role in the gross mismanagement of the neo-colonial economy of the country and take responsibility for her actions instead of resorting to shifting blame”.

LOBBY TO OUST CUSTOMS BOSS BEGINS

• Ex-president, APC chief sponsor different candidates for post
The race to succeed the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abdulahi Dikko Inde, has begun amid uncertainty over his tenure. Although it is unclear if President Muhammadu Buhari would remove him just as he is expected to oust other heads of arms of the military and paramilitary agencies, New Telegraph gathered at the weekend that some influential people have lined out their preferred candidates they would want the president to pick as Inde’s successor.
It was learnt that a former president and an influential member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were pressuring the president to unseat Dikko, whose tenure was renewed in 2013. The duo, a source confided in New Telegraph, is pushing forward different candidates as a replacement for Inde.

REASON GBAJABIAMILA CAN’T BE MAJORITY LEADER

• N’Assembly leadership crisis delays constitution of committees
An ego war, arising from a spurned offer, which has pitted House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, against his rival for the speakership, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, is at the heart of the current impasse over the emergence of principal officers, New Telegraph has learnt.
Sources said at the weekend that the failure of Gbajabiamila, who lost the speakership to Dogara by marginal votes of eight, to yield to the demand of having Dogara as his deputy when the odds favoured the former Minority Leader to emerge as speaker, is at the root of the current impasse in the House. Despite a directive by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Gbajabiamila should be the Majority Leader, the speaker and his supporters have kicked against it.