SARAKI MOBILISES SUPPORT FOR PDP IN KWARA

Former Kwara State Senator, Gbemisola Saraki, has begun to mobilise support for the Peoples Democratic Party in the state in order to strengthen the party after a massive defection of a faction of the PDP to the All Progressives Congress.
Saraki formed the Gbemisola Rukayat Saraki platform to increase support for the PDP and the new national leader of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, the state leader of Kwara Democrats, one of the main affiliate groups of the GRS, Aliyu Ibrahim, said the GRS was also to support the programmes and policies of President Goodluck Jonathan.

NO MORE SLEEP FOR YOU, JONATHAN TELLS SERVICE CHIEFS

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday formally decorated the new service chiefs with a directive that none of them should sleep until Nigerians living in parts of the country currently under the siege of terrorists could sleep with their two eyes closed.
Jonathan who said he did not know whether to congratulate or sympathise with the new service chiefs said the war against terror must be won, warning that they must not fail Nigerians.
He said, “None of us will sleep till the Nigerians in Borno State can sleep. That is why I say today is not a moment for major statements.
“We will be having very fine talks from time to time, but definitely Nigerians will tell you what they expect from us, we must not fail this country and I believe this team will work together to be assisted by other intelligence services because the war against terror must be won in this country.”

ARMY HAS BEEFED-UP SECURITY IN LAGOS OVER ALLEGED THREAT BY TERRORISTS, SAYS GOC

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it had initiated measures to boost its capacity to contain all forms of terrorism and insurgency in Lagos.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Umahi Obi, said this at the inauguration of the 65 Battalion Alfa and Bravo Company Offices in Lagos.
The project was sponsored by Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), under the leadership of the Commanding Officer, Lt.-Col. Haruna Dasuki.
Umahi’s declaration came in the wake of the recent security threat by the Boko Haram sect, threatening to infiltrate and unleash mayhem against military formations in Lagos.
“In the army, when we plan for operations or even when we take our threat analysis, we assume the worst case scenario in our plans and we plan from that point of strength.
“We come up with contingencies to deal with the worst situations and if the situation is lighter, it makes it easier for us in terms of executing it.

THE GLOVES ARE OFF: EDUCATING HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, DR. ABDULMUMIN JIBRIN

BY IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU

My initial instinct when I read the House of Representatives Chairman, Committee on Finance, Dr. Abdulmumin Jibrin’s response to my article, “The National Assembly is Partly to Blame”, was to assist him by asking him to refocus his rejoinder and respond to the issues I had raised from an informed and constructive perspective. I must confess, I did call him, but fortunately, he did not pick up my call immediately. By the time he did return my call, I had changed my mind. I decided that the public should get some insight into the quality of the person appointed by the leadership of the House of Representatives to head one of the most powerful and important committees in the lower legislature.

OVER 150,000 NIGERIAN STUDENTS IN GHANAIAN VARSITIES —HIGH COMMISSION

OVER 150,000 Nigerians are currently studying at various universities in Ghana, including some institutions that are obscure and substandard.
Deputy Head Mission, Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, Mr Mohammed Kurmawa, who confirmed this, regretted that some of the private universities were established to defraud unsuspecting Nigerian parents and students.
He spoke when he received a team of National Universities Commission (NUC) and journalists from Nigeria to understudy Ghana University System.
According to him, in 2012 alone, Nigerian students spent about N1.6 billion in Ghanaian universities.
He warned parents against sending their children to some of these “scam universities.”
Meanwhile, Nigerian students in Ghana have accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) alongside other staff unions of destroying university education in Nigeria through protracted strikes.

KANO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RESIGNS, REMAINS IN PDP •ASSEMBLY ELECTS NEW SPEAKER

THE Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, Honourable Gambo Sallau, has resigned his position as the speaker of the House but said he remains a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It will be recalled that on Monday, 27 of the 31 PDP members of the Kano State Assembly defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Sallau, who announced his resignation in a broadcast on a Kano-based radio on Tuesday, said his decision was based on political reasons as he would not defect to another party.

PUPILS WEAR RELIGIOUS REGALIA TO SCHOOL IN OSUN …SING DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS SONGS IN ASSEMBLY

There was confusion at Baptist High School, Iwo, Osun State on Tuesday as some pupils shunned their uniforms and wore choir gowns, white garments, Islamic apparel and other unconventional dresses to the school.
Although no group or individual could be identified as the mastermind of the bizarre dress code by the pupils, there were, however, conflicting reasons for the behaviour.
While some people said the unconventional dresses were a way of registering dislike for the same uniform introduced by the government for all schools in the state, others said some Christians who were opposed to wearing of hijab in schools founded by Christian missionaries orchestrated the drama.

CBN GOV, NNPC GMD CLASH OVER UNREMITTED FUNDS •IT’S NOW $20BN —SANUSI •HE IS IGNORANT OF OUR PROCEDURES —NNPC

GOVERNOR of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Lamido Sanusi, on Tuesday, alleged that the amount due to the Federation Account but which remained unremitted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) amounts to $20 billion.
Sanusi, who stated this during a hearing by the Senate Committee on Finance into allegation of missing $49.8 billion revenue, said the funds were yet to be paid into the Federation Account by the NNPC.
The amount rose from the initial $10.8 billion mentioned by the Minister of Finance as the amount being reconciled by the parties in the oil sector.
According to Sanusi, the total oil lifting by the NNPC amounted to $67 billion, whereas all the payments the bank had got amounted to $47 billion.
But the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, also at the Senate hearing, said the CBN governor apparently made the allegation in error, adding that Sanusi did not understand how the NNPC worked.

NIGERIANS IN UK PRISON KICK AGAINST TRANSFER AGREEMENT

Some Nigerians serving various jail terms in the UK have kicked against the recently signed Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and British governments.
Dr Dalhatu Tafida, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, on Tuesday in London confirmed this in an interview with the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Tafida said that some of the prisoners have expressed concern over returning to the country to complete their terms, citing poor prison facilities and stigma as main reasons.
While explaining the framework of the agreement, the envoy said that the prisoner transfer was not an automatic exercise whereby those in jail would return home immediately.

APC DECRIES ASARI-DOKUBO’S CALL TO WAR, QUESTIONS SSS’ PROFESSIONALISM

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the threat by Mujahid Dokubo-Asari to levy war against Nigeria if President Goodluck Jonathan is defeated even in a free and fair election in 2015.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said despite the attacks by oil militants in the Niger Delta and the ongoing insurgency by Boko Haram in some parts of the north, Nigeria has not witnessed a clearer and louder call to war than Asari-Dokubo’s senseless vituperation since the country’s civil war ended in 1970.
The party was referring to media reports on Tuesday, quoting Mr. Dokubo as saying his group will take up arms if Mr. Jonathan is not returned as president after the 2015 election. The party described the threat as reckless, irresponsible and totally condemnable.

MAN BATTERS POLICEMAN, TEARS HIS UNIFORM

There was drama at Cele Bus Stop, Shasha, a suburb of Akowonjo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria when a 30-year old man identified as Chinwendu Iwechukwu from Imo State, battered a policeman and tore his uniform.
The incident occurred around 8a.m. on Tuesday when the police officer, Corporal Onofe Emmanuel, attached to Shasha Police Divisional Headquarters, was sent to control traffic along Shasha Road caused by a truck parked by the roadside.
On getting there, Corporal Onofe tried to control the traffic by asking the drivers who drove against traffic to reverse and join other vehicles on the right lane so as to pave way for oncoming vehicles to pass.
The driver, whose identity was unknown as at the time of filing this report, was said to have started an argument with the police officer and attempted to hit him if he refused to get out of his way.

APC SENATORS SHUN PARTY, OKAY BUDGET

• Now ready for Appropriation Committee
After four days of debate, All Progressives Congress (APC) senators yesterday ditched party loyalty when the N4.642 trillion 2014 Appropriation Bill successfully scaled Second Reading in the Senate. There was no single voice of dissent when Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who led the session, put the question to his colleagues in the Upper Chamber.
But the budget is not out of the danger zone yet. Minority Leader George Akume warned, saying that “if filibustering does not achieve the desired objective, the party shall resort to other democratic measures.” He didn’t state what the “other democratic measures” were.
Recall that the APC had directed its members in the National Assembly to block all executive bills so as to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the Rivers crisis.
Following this directive, there was anxiety over the fate of the new budget and its consequent effect on the economy.

BALA NA’ALLAH ACCUSES NAMA OF VINDICTIVENESS OVER GROUNDING OF JET

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bala Ibn Na’Allah, has cried foul over the refusal of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to accord clearance to his private jet.
Na’Alla stated this while reacting to the grounding of his private plane by NAMA in Lagos.
Speaking during a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP yesterday, Na’ Allah said he was not informed of NAMA’s decision to ground his jet which is about four years old in the country’s airspace.
Na’Allah contended that under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Act (2006), NAMA does not have the right to ground any aircraft, a task, he said, rightly belonged to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). He, however, called on the NCAA must follow due process before grounding any plane, including an official notification to the owner of the aircraft.
The former chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary further alleged that the grounding of his plane might not be unconnected to a recent interview he granted a private television where he highlighted some of the problems in the industry, including the lack of functional airfield lightning systems in some of the airports.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND CONDEMNS ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE LAW

The Church of England has written to President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him to reverse the law banning same-sex marriage in Nigeria.
It also wrote to the Primates of the Anglican churches worldwide, protesting against the anti-gay law in Nigeria and Uganda.
The Church of England urged the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to safeguard the interest of gays and lesbians.
The letter was written jointly by Archbishops of Canterbury and York and addressed to President Jonathan and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
Archbishops Justin Welby and John Sentamu said the letter was a response to questions about the Church of England’s attitude to new legislation in several countries prohibiting same-sex unions.

FED GOVT TO ISSUE N100B BOND TO COMPLETE LAGOS-IBADAN EXPRESSWAY

The Federal Government said yesterday that it was ready to issue N100 billion road and infrastructure bond for the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Minister of Works Mike Onolememen spoke when he received the Ibrahim Mantu-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reloaded Committee in his office in Abuja.
He told the committee that the bond is to enable early completion of the road.
“Government has made commitment up to N50 billion for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, while N25 billion will be made available in 2014 and 2015.
“This is after the mobilisation of the contractors last year by the Federal Government.
“There are several government institutions, which are also putting up to N17 billion on that road to ensure its timely completion”, he said.

MAN, DAUGHTER CRASH INTO LAGOS LAGOON, WIFE SURVIVES

A man and his daughter on Tuesday morning drowned in Lagos as a Toyota jeep in which they were travelling fell off the Ikota Bridge in Ajah and plunged into a lagoon.
Mr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), confirmed the accident.
He said that the man’s wife was thrown out by the vehicle as it somersaulted before plunging into the lagoon.
The LASEMA official said the accident occurred at about 1.00 a.m., and that the bodies have been deposited at a mortuary while the woman was taken to a hospital.
“We have recovered the dead bodies and have transferred them to the appropriate quarters for the necessary actions.

CLARK TACKLES TINUBU, SAYS YOU CAN’T ESCAPE FROM YOUR SHADOW

Accused him of denying Yorubas of political identity, ripping Lagos off
Ijaw leader and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has upbraided the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, describing him as someone that is afraid of his identity.
Clark also accused Tinubu of denying the Yorubas of their political identity with the formation of the APC.
In a letter addressed to Tinubu by his legal adviser, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, Clark asked the national leader of the APC to answer the following questions: “Why is he not in a hurry to clear questions on his real identity? Is it true that he has no faint trace of the famed Tinubu blood in his veins? Is it true that he is ashamed of his real ancestors and family heritage?

COUNCIL OF STATE WARNS POLITICIANS AGAINST UNGUARDED STATEMENTS

The National Council of State (NCS) yesterday gave a stern warning to politicians to stop making inciting statements, saying such unguarded comments coming from public office holders threaten the unity of the country.
Also, at the NCS meeting which lasted over six hours at the council chambers of the presidential villa, governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside their Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) counterparts as well as other council members unanimously endorsed the proposed national conference billed for next month.
The NCS also approved the appointment of the new chairman for the National Population Commission (NPC), including some new members and some old members who are to be reappointed.Former president Olusegun Obasanjo and former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, were conspicuously absent at the council meeting.
Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam and his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, told journalists after the meeting that all governors, including APC governors at the meeting, endorsed the national conference because it was essential that Nigerians sit and talk about the future of the country, irrespective of political party affiliation.
Suswam said the warning to politicians to beware of inciting statements followed issues raised in this regard by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Dasuki Sambo (rtd).
He added that Sambo also briefed council on the security situation in the country which prompted members of the council to make suggest for some new security measures to be adopted by security agencies.

HOW AL-MAKURA, HIS DEPUTY FELL APART

The cold war brewing between the Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura and his deputy, Damishi Luka Barau, boiled over Tuesday when the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State announced the suspension of Barau.
The Chairman of the APC in the state, Mr Stanley Buba, announced the suspension yesterday in Lafia, the state capital, citing allegation of anti-party activities.
The rift, observers believe, could threaten the strength of the APC in the state.
Stanley while addressing journalists yesterday claimed that members of the party from the deputy governor's Ningo ward in Akwanga had carried out the suspension which is to run till Baura gives a suitable explanation to his comment over the directive by the APC national executive who called for members of the party at the national assembly to block all executive sponsored Bills.
The deputy governor was said to have countered the directive by condemning the action and calling on members of the APC in the national assembly to disregard it for the interest of the country.