FG WON’T INTERFERE WITH NATIONAL CONFAB – JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday insisted that the Federal Government has no intention of interfering with the structure and processes of the proposed national dialogue.
He made the remark while speaking with leaders of Ohaneze Ndigbo and the South-East Geo-Political Zone at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Jonathan, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that his administration had left it to Nigerians to determine the framework, content and process of the dialogue.
He said: “If you listen to the radio, watch television and read online, you will realize that Nigerians are talking. We listen and read the commentaries. But all the discussions and ideas need to be harmonized. We must come to a point where we can move in one direction.’’

APC SUPPORTERS, POLICE CLASH AS RIVERS DPO ESCAPES LYCHING

An attempt by the police to disrupt a rally organised by the All Progressives Congress in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State was resisted by supporters of the opposition party on Monday.
The APC supporters had earlier cautioned security operatives, who had earlier made an effort to stop party faithful from entering the Rumokoro Civic Centre, venue of the rally.
But the mammoth crowd at the rally became restive and uncontrollable when the Divisional Police Officer, Special Duties in Rumuokoro, Mr. Allwell Okwuonu, made his way to where some of the APC leaders in Obio/Akpor were seated.
Okwuonu came when the leader of the party in Obio/Akpor and Chief of Staff, Government Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, was making his remark.

JONATHAN’S BODY LANGUAGE ON ANTI-CORRUPTION DECEPTIVE -TAMBUWAL

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday said President Goodluck Jonathan had not shown the correct body language in the campaign against corruption in the country.
He faulted the President’s penchant for setting up panels and committees to probe corruption allegations, instead of referring such matters to the anti-corruption agencies.
Tambuwal, who spoke at an event organised by the Nigerian Bar Association to mark the 2013 International Anti-corruption Day in Abuja, challenged Jonathan to show the political will to fight corruption by referring such allegations to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

PDP CRISIS: JONATHAN SUMMONS TUKUR, NWC MEMBERS TO AN EMERGENCY MEETING

ABUJA- PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan Monday night summoned the national Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC to an emergency meeting at the Presidential villa, Abuja.
Vanguard gathered that the meeting which also had in attendance the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih was called to brainstorm on the outcome of Sunday meeting of PDP governors and the subsequent one the President had with the governors as well as some members of the G5 who dumped the PDP for All Progressives Congress, APC.
The president on Sunday held a meeting with the PDP governors alongside the Governor of Sokoto state, Aliyu Wamakko and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State who dumped PDP for APC
More details soon
Source: Vanguard

APGA TO CHALLENGE OKOROCHA’S DEFECTION TO APC

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said it would soon file a suit to challenge the defection of Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo to the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Alhaji Sanni Shinkafi, the National Secretary of APGA, announced this to newsmen shortly after attending INEC/political parties meeting in Abuja on Monday.
Okorocha defected to the APC while celebrating his two years in office in May, saying, ``the APC had the potential to push the state nearer to the `federal eye.’’
Shinkafi explained that it was ``morally wrong’’ for an incumbent governor to dump a political party under which platform he came to power.
According to him, the defection of elected political office holders to other political parties is a wrong signal in democracy.

LICENCE WITHDRAWALS LOOM AS NSE SANCTIONS 53 STOCKBROKING FIRMS

No fewer than 53 stockbroking firms at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) are at risk of being sanctioned for failing to regularise their licences, BusinessDay has learnt.
Some of the stockbroking firms so listed are those that were de-registered last year (December 24, 2012) by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
A source close to this development confirmed to BusinessDay that this regulatory move now by the Nigerian Stock Exchange could lead to withdrawal of the affected stockbroking firms’ operating licences.
Our source at the Nigerian Stock Exchange , described the development as “a lingering regulatory issue”, observing that some of the stockbroking firms had been facing operational challenges –“which made us request they should come and let us know what the issues are”.

‘I COME TO LAGOS TO BUY BABIES’

Detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, western Nigeria have intensified efforts to recover all the stolen babies allegedly bought by an Onitsha-based human trafficker who was arrested in Lagos last Monday for purchasing a stolen two-year old baby.
This followed the confessional statement made by the trafficker, Mrs. Grace Onye, 52. Onye told the police that she specialises in the illegal business of buying babies in Lagos for sale to those who required them.
In her confession, she admitted that it was not her first time of coming to Lagos to buy babies, adding that she had been coming to Lagos to buy babies in the past three years. She told the police that she sold all the babies to those in need, especially barren women.
She was arrested along with her customer, 45-year old Mrs. Ngozi Ikeh who is barren and needed a child.

FG SUMMONS VCS, ASUU TO ABUJA

Following the refusal of university lecturers to resume classes at the expiration of the 9 December ultimatum, the Federal Government has summoned all Vice Chancellors of federal and state universities to a crucial meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
Also invited to the meeting were members of the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) On Needs Assessment Report for inauguration.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has a representative in the IMC.
A statement signed by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Julius Okojie, on behalf of the Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyeson Wike, published in a national daily today, called on Vice Chancellors to come to the meeting with a list of their prioritised projects based on Needs Assessment Report for funding.

CRUSADE TO CLOSE DOWN BEER PARLOURS KICKS OFF IN LAGOS

A crusade to shut down beer parlours, reduce crime and depopulate the kingdom of darkness in Ogba area of Lagos, western Nigeria, is underway, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, MFM, said at a press conference on Sunday.
“We want to close down beer parlours in Ogba environment. We want to convert beer parlours into our praying centres,” said Pastor Aderemi Oseni, the Regional Overseer of MFM Region 32 Ogba, Lagos, who addressed journalists in his church.
“At the end of this crusade, the kingdom of Satan would have been completely depopulated, ” he said, adding that the crusade will take place between 19 and 21 December at MFM Regional Headquarters at 9, Ajayi Road, Ogba.
Sensitization campaigns have already begun and a march around Ogba area took place on Sunday.

‘I ONLY CAME TO INFORM JONATHAN OF OUR DEFECTION TO APC’, SAYS WAMAKKO

• Akpabio: Losing Wamakko to APC is not an issue
The Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko yesterday explained that he was at the Presidential Villa to formerly inform President Goodluck Jonathan of the defection of himself and the other four governors to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wamakko, who arrived for the meeting at the First Lady Conference room with his Kano State counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, stayed for the about
five hours meeting with President Jonathan and other fourteen PDP governors.
Speaking with State House correspondents when the meeting ended around 2.45a.m., he said that the forum provided him the opportunity to say the truth concerning their grievances which led to their defection.
But he did not respond to the question whether he was pressurized to return back to the PDP by the President.

DROGBA, EBOUE FACE SANCTIONS FOR MANDELA TRIBUTE

The Turkish Football Federation has summoned Ivorian internationals Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue for paying homage to Nelson Mandela after a league game, news reports said Sunday.
Drogba, who plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray, removed his club shirt after a match on Friday against SB Elazigspor to reveal a T-shirt that read "Thank You Madiba".
His teammate Eboue also honoured the South African anti-apartheid hero, who died aged 95 on Thursday, with a T-shirt that said "Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela".
The federation said the two players faced disciplinary action for breaching a ban on wearing political slogans and messages on T-shirts, according to the Milliyet and Hurriyet daily newspapers.
Source: Thisday

CALLING TEACHER NICKNAME NOT ENOUGH TO FLOG MY CHILD — EBONYI COMMISIONER

The commissioner for Culture and Tourism of Ebonyi State Mr Hyacinth Ikpo has declared as illegal the flogging of his child for calling a female teacher with Urban Secondary School Abakaliki-Mrs Thelma Nweke by nickname.
The commissioner’s child was said to have engaged in acts of indiscipline and ridiculing of the teacher by drawing cartoon image on the board and labeled it the teacher’s name.
It was gathered that when the teacher came to the class to teach her subject, she saw the drawing on the board with her name, and inquired who made the drawing.
After several threats to punish the students, they confessed that the drawing was done by the Commissioner’s child and consequently the school authority ordered her to flog the child but she declined which prompted another teacher to flog the child.

N5.1BN PROJECT SCANDAL ROCKS NPA

Investigations have revealed that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is currently engulfed in a N5.1bn contract scam over the complete rehabilitation and expansion of its headquarters building in Marina, Lagos. According to investigations, the complete rehabilitation and expansion of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), headquarters building in Marina,, Lagos was awarded at the rate of N5,001,785,839.05 to Messrs. Sageto Nigeria Limited on the December 22, 2010 with an 18-month completion mandate, while Messrs. AIMS Consultant Ltd bagged the consultancy job for the project. However, three years after the contract was awarded to both firms, the project is barely 50 per cent completed. According to a source who preferred not to have his name in print as he is not authorised to speak on the issue, "the NPA headquarters rehabilitation project has become another means for successive NPA management to siphon money.

INTIMIDATION, THREATS CAN’T MAKE US GREAT, SAYS JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that intimidation and threats by some politicians in the country cannot make them great like great leaders across the globe like the late Nelson Mandela.
He made the remark while making a tribute to late Nelson Mandela during the special inter-denominational memorial service held in his honour at the Aso Villa Chapel in the State House, Abuja.
Unlike Mandela, he pointed out that many politicians in Nigeria resort to intimidation, threats and show of force in their communication.
According to him, it would be difficult for a politician to be truly great than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

NYAKO, MARWA, GUNDIRI IN BRAWL OVER APC STRUCTURE IN ADAMAWA

The interim National leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, headed by Chief Bisi Akande has halted an anticipated Press conference in Yola convened by two former gubernatorial aspirants and their supporters, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, of defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and Mr Markus Gundiri of Action Congress of Nigeria ACN.
Journalists who were already at the venue of the Press Conference expecting the organisers to give reasons for convening the conference were stunned when the news reached them that the national leadership of APC has instructed the two aligning groups not to go ahead with the press conference.

FG MOVES TO IDENTIFY B’HARAM EXTERNAL SPONSORS

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that his administration is working assiduously on some available clues to identify the external sponsors of the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
He said the recent large scale attack in parts of Maiduguri, Borno State, including the Air Force Base, had further confirmed the government’s suspicion that the sect enjoyed international backing.
He spoke with the News Agency of Nigeriaand France 24 Radio at the close of a two-day summit on peace and security in Africa, hosted by President Francois Hollande in France on Saturday.
Jonathan, who said the insurgents arrived in Maiduguri with between 15 and 20 vehicles, each mounted with rocket launchers,added that he had approved N1bn for the rehabilitation of detention camps of insurgents across the country.
He stated that Nigeria was seeking the collaboration of friends of the nation to unravel the foreign sponsors of the insurgents.

KWANKWASO, WAMAKKO ATTEND PDP GOVS’ MEETING WITH JONATHAN

Two Peoples Democratic Party governors who had defected to the All Progressives Congress made a surprise appearance at a peace meeting called by President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday.
The two governors are Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State.
Kwankwaso and Wamakko were driven into the premises of the First Lady Conference Hall, Presidential Villa venue of the meeting in the same car at about 9pm.
They arrived about an hour after one of the aggrieved PDP governors, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, arrived the venue.
Aliyu, and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), were already seated at the venue when Kwankwaso and Wamakko arrived.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, who also arrived before them went to confer with the President inside his residence before joining them at the venue.

FG MOVES TO AVERT CAR PRICE HIKE

The government may have tactically bowed to pressure in its imposition of 70 per cent duty on imported cars as it okays a concessionary duty for some dealers, RASHEED BISIRIYUreports
The Federal Government is considering a new measure to avert a possible increase in the prices of vehicles in 2014 as a backlash of its new automotive policy.
Our correspondent learnt on Sunday that a concessionary import duty for some car dealers had been approved in principle.
As part of measures aimed at encouraging local production and assembling of new vehicles, the Federal Executive Council had last month approved the new national automotive policy, which imposed a higher import tariff on fully-built vehicles.
But auto dealers and concerned economists warned that the imposition of a 70 per cent duty on imported cars would shoot up vehicle prices by about 60 per cent and disrupt the nation’s economic activities.

REPS TO JONATHAN: ACCEPT $79 BENCHMARK OR FORGET 2014 BUDGET

ABUJA—Indication emerged last night that the House of Representatives would not change its position on the $79 per barrel as the oil benchmark for the 2014 budget.
Findings by Vanguard revealed that the Presidency was upset with the resolve by a majority of the lawmakers to ensure that the $75 oil benchmark being proposed by the Federal Government did not see the light of the day.
It was learnt that in a bid to checkmate the stiff opposition to the $75 per barrel being tabled by the government, some lawmakers loyal to the Presidency had been trying to lobby their colleagues to support their position.
The lobby, however, appears to have failed to sway the majority, Vanguard was told last night.

PDP CRISIS: TUKUR MUST GO, PDP GOVERNORS TELL JONATHAN

ABUJA-STRONG indications emerged Sunday that the days of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Alhaji Bamanga Tukur are numbered as the governors elected on the platform of the party yesterday resolved that he must go if there must be peace in the party.
Rising from a three-hour meeting held at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, the PDP governors came to a conclusion that the PDP national Chairman must go as the only solution to the political logjam in the PDP. The governors argued that since he became chairman of the party in 2012, the party has not witnessed peace because of his administrative style which does not go down well party members.

CONFAB: JONATHAN TO NOMINATE 120 DELEGATES

LAGOS — President Goodluck Jonathan is to nominate 120 members to the proposed national conference scheduled to take off early next year, the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue has recommended.
The Senator Femi Okurounmu led-committee, according to the recommendations proposed to the President, wants the national conference to run for six months well ahead of the commencement of campaigns for the next general elections.
The Okurounmu committee according to findings has also recommended that President Jonathan forwards an executive bill to the National Assembly for constitutional amendment to allow the incorporation of referendum in the constitution.
The constitutional amendment sought by the Committee through the bill, it was learnt at the weekend, is to enable issues and outcomes of the proposed National Dialogue be subject of a referendum.

MY LOYALTY IS NOW WITH NPDP – NDUME

The senator representing Southern Borno Senatorial District, Muhammed Ali Ndume has said that he preferred to be with the new-PDP than being where he suffered political persecution.

Ndume who made this assertion yesterday in a chat with journalists in Maiduguri  also explained that his recent romance with the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, should not be mistaken for a shift in political camp.

The senator revealed that though he was not contacted by some of his colleagues who are now members of the nPDP before he was conscripted into the group, he still appreciates being on the splinter group.

ASUU STRIKE: AJASIN VARSITY VC, DVC RETURN TO LECTURE ROOMS •UNILAG’S FACTIONAL ASUU RESUMES TODAY

Students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, have commended the leadership of the institution for exhibiting exemplary leadership even as the Vice Chancellor, Professor Femi Mimiko and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Rotimi Ajayi, returned to lecture rooms apparently to make up for a shortfall in the number of academic staff that have resumed work.

Professor Mimiko, last week, was said to have taken POS 204 (International Relations), while Professor Ajayi taught PHY 102 (General Physics). It was reported they would take the courses throughout the second semester.

Some of the students were said to have considered themselves privileged to have been taught by the Vice Chancellor and described the gesture as a symbol of dedication and humility.

NJC REJECTS AMAECHI’S NOMINEE AS AG CJ

A major constitutional crisis may be brewing in Rivers State judiciary as it has reportedly remained without a functional Chief Judge since November 20th when the three-month acting tenure of Justice P.C.N Agumagu expired.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) had rejected Agumagu since his nomination by Governor Rotimi Amaechi in August, recommending Justice Daisy Okocha in his stead.

Amaechi disregarded the council’s directive by appointing Agumagu who is the president of the state Customary Court of Appeal in acting capacity for three months as specified by the law.

IGP ESTABLISHES INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE, PROMOTES 100,000 OFFICERS

The Nigeria police force has set up an intelligence institute in Ishare, Kwara State, the first in West African sub- region.
According to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammd Dahirum Abubakar, the institute was key to crime management, adding that intelligence officers had before now trained abroad.

Speaking at the “Scorecard: An evening with the Inspector General of Police” organised by the Delta State government in collaboration with the Nigeria police force in Asaba, at the weekend, Abubakar said no force could be effective without a strengthened intelligence machinery.

ABIA DESTROYS ‘BABY FACTORY’

HOUSE number 101, Okigwe Road, Aba, Abia State’s commercial city, was a beautiful five-storey edifice admired by all.
Bathed in colourful paints and surrounded by high walls, which hid the ground floor from prying eyes, it was a testimony to the city’s struggle to catch up with others of its stature.
But the edifice came crumbling at the weekend when the state government sent a bulldozer to bring it down.
The building was allegedly used by a doctor to harbour expectant teenagers and effect the adoption of babies through illegal means.
The demolition, which lasted for more than two hours, was supervised by the Commissioner for Physical/Urban Planning, Elder Godwin Nna and a combined team of security agents.

ALLEGED N62B FRAUD: OKOROCHA ACCUSES PRESIDENCY OF SHIELDING OHAKIM

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has accused the Presidency of frustrating efforts by his administration to probe his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim, for alleged financial fraud.
The governor, who spoke at a media chat with select reporters in the Government House, Owerri, said the Presidency, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has shielded Ohakim from being prosecuted for his alleged financial offences.
He said: “I have submitted my reports to the EFCC, the ICPC and other anti-graft agencies, but it appears that people, who have relationship with the Presidency, cannot be probed. I don’t know why my predecessor has not been probed. But the EFCC invites us everyday. The whole thing has been politicised.”

UI, OAU ORDER RESUMPTION OF ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

Authorities of the University of Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife have ordered the reopening of their institutions for academic activities.
While OAU directed that academic activities should start on Monday (today), UI said full academic activities would begin on January 4, 2014.
This was contained in separate statements by the Director, Directorate of Public Communication, UI, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, and Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr. Biodun Olarenwaju.

WE DIDN’T PRINT N5,000 NOTES, COINS – CBN GOV

LAGOS—The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN weekend, refuted the rumour that it had printed the controversial new N5,000 notes and coins that the law makers had earlier stopped it from printing.
The CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, disclosed this while responding to a question on the scarcity of lower denomination and increase in the volume of dirty banknotes in the economy after the 5th Bankers’ Committee retreat held in Calabar.
He said “as a result of all the noise around N5, 000 notes and coins, that process was stopped. We did not print the new notes. I know some people think we have already printed, but we did not print the new notes and we did not award the contracts for the new notes. We have re-ordered banknotes and I think they have started arriving and probably you would have seen some improvements on that by now.”

TRADITIONAL WORSHIPPERS FAULT CAN OVER ATTACK ON AREGBESOLA’S EDUCATION POLICY

Traditional Religious Worshippers in Osun State have warned the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) against attack on the merger and reclassification policy of the government of Osun State.
The worshippers at a press conference addressed yesterday by their President, Chief Idowu Awopetu in Osogbo noted that CAN should be cautioned to desist from action that could derail the laudable programme of government aimed at transforming education to a greater height in the State.
Awopetu said it was wrong for CAN to claim ownership of any public school in the State since it is a matter of public knowledge that since the takeover of ownership of schools by the government in1975, government also took over the responsibility of staffing, administration and provision of infrastructure in the schools.

MILITARY JUSTIFIES KILLING OF OKADA RIDER

Commanding Officer of 222 Battalion, Lt. Col. Victor Ibeh, has said the killing of an okada rider, Dafe, by some soldiers at Ughelli on Thursday was justifiable, saying that late Dafe wanted to disarm a soldier and another soldier shot at him in the head, which resulted in his death.
Ibeh, who said this during a press briefing at Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North Local Government, at the weekend, stated that the action of the soldier that killed Dafe was justifiable because the late Okada man wanted to disarm the soldier.

E X C L U S I V E: SENIOR JUDGES SOAK UP N14 BN YEARLY

. Judiciary staffers fight salary disparity
Judicial officers gulp at least N14 billion in salaries and allowances yearly, according to a Daily Trust analysis of official records for the first time bringing to light government’s spending on senior judges at state and federal courts.
Salaries and allowances of politicians, especially lawmakers, have come under intense scrutiny in the past, resulting in calls for reductions, but the Judiciary has so far been spared similar scrutiny.
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) released the details of judicial officers’ emoluments to Daily Trust, following a request filed under the Freedom of Information Act.

CORRUPTION DROVE ME OUT OF PDP – BELLO

Kanti Bello, an engineer, represented Katsina North Senatorial District (between 2003 and 2011) in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, first as member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and later as member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His membership of the ruling PDP paved the way for him to become the Senate Chief Whip in the 6th National Assembly. However, he is now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and in this interview Bello explained why he left the PDP. He also spoke on other issues. Excerpts: