Prof Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Tunji Abayomi, and others have disappointed.

I was a young man in the secondary School in the 80s when the likes of professor Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Kuti, Tunji Abayomi and hosts of others, were protesting against the then General Muhammadu Buhari's government of high-handedness and human rights abuse.
They fought him on many reasons, although, they didn't stop at Buhari's regime then. Gen Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Sanni Abacha also witnessed their strict resistance against their aberrations.
One of their major fights against Gen. Buhari included an act that amounted to nothing less than judicial murder, the execution of a citizen under a retroactive decree - Decree 20 in  the case of three youths – Lawal Ojuolape (30), Bernard Ogedengbe (29) and Bartholomew Owoh (26). To put it quite plainly, one of those three, Ogedengbe – was executed for a crime that did not carry a capital forfeit at the time it was committed.
This was an unconscionable crime, carried out in defiance of the pleas and protests of nearly every sector of the Nigerian and international community religious, civil rights, political, trade unions etc. Buhari and his Vice, Tunde Idiagbon persisted in this inhuman act for one reason and one reason only: to place Nigerians on notice that they were now under an iron, inflexible rule, under governance by fear.
Since leaving office he has declared in the most categorical terms that he had no regrets over this murder and would do so again. Human life is inviolate.
Buhari specifically forbade all public
discussion of a return to civilian, democratic rule. For example, the septuagenarian, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, went through tortuous judicial processes. He was arraigned and tried before Buhari’s punitive tribunal but acquitted. Dissatisfied, Buhari ordered his re-trial. Again, the Tribunal could not find this man guilty of a single crime, so once again he was returned for trial, only to be acquitted of all charges of corruption or abuse of office. Yet, Ajasin was ordered detained indefinitely, simply for the crime of winning an election and refusing to knuckle under Shagari’s reign of terror. The conduct of the Buhari regime after his coup was not merely one of double, triple, multiple standards but a cynical travesty of justice.

Earlier, in 1977, when Buhari was the Minister for petroleum,  $2.8 billion was discovered missing in the NNPC under him.
The money was said to have been traced to the Midland bank (U.K) fixed account of Buhari who was Minister of petroleum and head of NNPC then. The Senate leader,  Olusola Saraki's committee presented the report to the House towards the end of Shagari's regime but the House decided to act on it after general elections.

However, on December 31, 1983, Buhari was said to have hidden under the political commotion that followed the election results to overthrow the Shagari's​ government.

Olusola Saraki granted an interview to Vera Ifudu, an NTA reporter and told her how the missing money had been traced to Buhari's bank account. Buhari had to sack Vera Ifudu immediately from NTA! She challenged her​ dismissal in court and won. Court also ordered that she should be compensated.
I am sure Prof Wole Soyinka and others still remember all these.

Many years after, this same Buhari was appointed as PTF chairman by Abacha - the maximum ruler and the most despotic in the history of Nigeria, and it was said that he brought his family members as consultants and contractors to the PTF. And in 1999, Obasanjo assumed Presidency and set up an interim management for the PTF to audit its activities. He was shocked by the outcome.

In November 2000, Obasanjo directed that the PTF should be scrapped and its headquarters handed over to anti-corruption agencies. OBJ discovered that Buhari's PTF paid out over 9 billion naira to contractors WITH NO WORK DONE! The rest is history.

With all these anomalies, Prof Wole Soyinka and others whom we were looking up to for directions chose to work for Buhari for President  in 2015. It was a shock to me and many Nigerians who knew what they stood for. when we heard that many of those we so respected and believed in, threw their weights​ behind Buhari and canvassed heavily for him to become elected president. Some of us who knew that Buhari's leopard would not change its spot, canvassed heavily against him, we suggested that if we would want Jonathan to go, that there were more than a dozen candidates to vote for, that Buhari was not the needed alternative, but our leaders insisted on him.
It is painful even now that it is clear that Buhari has not​ only derailed completely, that he has committed many great offences unwarranted of a man of dignity and discipline that he professed. The likes of professor Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana and others have refused to say anything.
At least, they are aware that​ Fulani herdsmen are killing innocent Nigerians and that Buhari has not been able to do much about it.

Since ascending to the presidency, they know President Buhari has proved Nigerians wrong by running perhaps the most lethargic, chaotic, incompetent – and as it is now increasingly becoming obvious, a corrupt administration wrought with infighting, confusing, contest for power and authority and a shocking lack of grasps of the fundamentals of governance and administration. Indeed for the administration, it is now a case of one week one scandal and it is now becoming obvious even to Buhari’s staunchest supporters that this administration is clearly not up to the task of governing a diverse and complex society like Nigeria’s. Yet, the most respected Soyinka and others look the other side.

"Thankfully, evidences of these malfeasance have not come from criticisms of the opposition, who have been labelled corrupt by the administration, but from within the administration itself. It started with the shameful saga between the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) where the DSS caused the Senate, through a damning security report, to reject the nomination of Mr Magu as EFCC Chairman despite the DSS boss being a kinsman of the President who nominated Magu twice for the position.

"Then came the damning verdict from the wife of the president that the presidency has been captured by a rapacious cabal who “do not know our party manifesto, they don’t know what we campaigned for, they don’t have a mission, they don’t have a vision of our APC”. She conceded that “things are not going the way they should,” and that “nobody thought it’s going to be like this”. If Buhari's family could know all these and raised their voice against them, I believe our respected leaders should have done more.

Painful enough, they know that Buhari is not addressing Baru's $26Billion NNPC scam contract.

They heard that President Buhari is sweeping the N233million SGF Babachir Lawal grass cutting fraud, NIA boss $43Million Loot, Gen. Buratai's houses in Dubai and Abba Kyari's N500m MTN bribe, Under his carpet, they are not saying anything about it. It was a thoroughly embarrassed president that eventually ordered the suspension of the secretary to the government of the federation for the same allegations for which he was previously absolved by the president.

President Buhari always travels to UK for medical treatments while also budgeting N3.2b for Aso Rock Clinic which doesn't even have common syringe. They didn't say anything.

President  Buhari claims to spend N1.2Tr on capital projects without evidence of details. They know all these.

They know that, Buhari failed to fulfill his promise to ensure the rescue of the acclaimed missing chibok girls which he now  suspiciously release in batches, from God knows where.
He promised to be Minister of Petroleum for just 18 months but now It's 22 months yet, no substantive Minister. And our Soyinka and others are keeping mute.

Even as Buhari refused to investigate N120Billion bribe and sex for promotion allegations levelled against IGP Idris by Senator Misau. Nothing has been heard from them.

We remember that, Amaechi was alleged to have looted Rivers State treasury to fund Buhari's election and he is indicted by a judicial commission of inquiry, Buhari still appointed him a minister. We had thought that our own Soyinka would have raised his voice against it. But we were wrong.

President Buhari's relations and close aids are being accused of scandalous forex deals with the CBN.

Soyinka is aware that Buhari sends pythons and crocodiles to destroy the South South and South East that produce the crude oil but he sends​ the World Bank to develop the North.

"To make matters worse, the President’s wife and her daughter recently alerted us yet again, to the mismanagement of the budgetary allocation (over N4 billion according to some sources) at the Aso Rock Clinic. Mrs Buhari’s daughter first raised the alarm that despite the huge allocation to the clinic, the clinic couldn’t even boast of common syringe or paracetamol.

"For Mrs Buhari, even though the clinic was supposed to cater for the immediate health needs of the first family, Ministers and Presidential aides, her aides advised her not to use the facility because it wasn’t functional and they advised her to seek medical treatment abroad.
Mrs Buhari was to later express her frustration to the wives of the 36 state governors and wondered that if this kind of graft is taking place right at the seat of power, then what could be happening at the state levels outside the radar of the EFCC could be worse.

"The entire picture being presented by the presidency in disarray and despite his famed integrity and body language that abhors corruption, his aides and close associates are not afraid to perpetrate fraud under his very nose. And we had errorneously believed that our activists would have raised their voices​ against it.

Sadly, Buhari has shown to be a provincial President incapable of calling his aides and close associates to order.
It is funny, very funny that we didn't hear from those we entrusted our hopes in like Soyinka, Falana and others.
Interestingly, Maina isn't the first person that was fired for corruption that Buhari has brought back to government. Here are a few I can remember;
1. AbdulRahman Danbazzau was fired as chief of army staff for corrupt practices in purchasing of arms and has been appointed Minister of Interior by Buhari.
2. Mohammed Barkindo was removed as NNPC MD by the late Yaradua for huge kickbacks from oil and and has been appointed as Nigeria's Secretary General to OPEC by Buhari
3. ACP Zakari Bui, a man accused and dismissed for aiding Boko Haram kingpin Kabiru Sokoto to escape from detention was reinstated and promoted by Buhari.
4. Abdul Rasheed Maina, a man that ran away since 2014 and has been declared wanted by efcc for embezzlement of N2bn pension funds have been reinstated as deputy director ministry of interior.
5. Ahmed Gambo Saleh, Registrar of the Supreme Court,they said he stole N2.2bn belonging to the Supreme court and was caught red handed and fired​, today Ahmed Gambo Saleh has now been appointed the secretary of the committee monitoring corruption trials.

I can go on and on listing names.
Buhari's​ recall on Maina is a sign that any Govt no matter how reckless or irresponsible, can be called to order by Citizen Power. I have no doubt in my mind though that the man’s brazen recall was orchestrated at the highest levels of governance in our country.
I have no confidence also in the fight against Corruption based on many instances of “see no evil; hear no evil” displayed so far by Buhari. If the highest office in the land could have been infiltrated by rats, it’s possible that shady rats in human form also thrive there.
* Timi Sylva was standing trial for fraud, but he allegedly paid the nomination fee for Buhari.
Over 46 houses seized by FG has been returned to him. This is a man with no known business:
EFCC returned 48 houses to Sylvia under a regime fighting corruption.

* $5000 was being given to party members each to vote for Buhari at his party's convention at Teslim Balogun Stadium when it was obvious Atiku might embarrass him.

In the last couple of weeks the integrity of the Federal Government under the leadership of PMB has been put to test with the revelations of the covert operational systems of the government.

All these happened and are still happening while these eminent Nigerians are looking elsewhere.
The question is, can it be said that the energy, the urge and the commitments with which these eminent Nigerians were using to combat misrule, corruption, high-handedness, nepotism and all the anti people vices, gone as a result of old age, or can it be said they are intentionally being indifferent? 
Whichever way it is, the situation as we find ourselves is very painful as Nigerians appear hopelessly abandoned in the middle of the ocean by our human rights crusaders.w

A man can cheat on his woman and still love her

A man can cheat on his woman and still love her but a woman cannot cheat on her man and still love him. I say this because while men do not have sex with emotions, women can't have sex without attaching emotions to it. This is the reason men simply need a place to have sex while women need a reason to have sex.
Most women who take their husbands to court for divorce are those that cheat on their men. A non cheating woman would most likely never take her husband to court for divorce, unless the man exceedingly abuses her physically and emotionally to the point of killing her.

Men don't equate sex with love. A man can have sex with another woman but still doesn't love her. That's why women who fell in love with married men find it difficult to find happiness in those relationships as they are just being used by those married men. But once a married woman starts sleeping with you, she can even narrate some hidden secrets concerning her husband and she will even tell you why she hates him (her husband). She can even accept poison from you to eliminate her husband.

For men, sex and love are two different things. But for women, sex and love are one and the same things. For men, sex comes first before love (infatuation), but for women love comes first before sex (true love). Therefore, once your woman starts having sex with another man/men, her love shifts from you to that man and she can even start giving that man the best food and love than she gives you.

The fact that your man is cheating on you doesn't mean he has stopped loving you. But I can't say the same for women. Once a woman starts cheating on you, she has fallen for someone else and you people will never live the same again. And she can even kill her husband once she starts cheating on him.
If your wife starts cheating, you should be a lucky man not to die in less than 10 years. It has been found that 95% of women who cheat wish their husbands dead. That is the main reason why it is dangerous for a man to continue staying with a wife who cheats on him. That is why it is now encouraged everywhere in the world including in the Bible, for a man to divorce his wife only once she starts cheating on him. Cheating women are more deadly to husbands than ordinary criminals or weapons. There are many cheating women in the world who invite criminals to break into her house at night only to come and eliminate her man and police officers plus relatives can't detect this as the same woman tend to moan more than any person at the funeral so as to attract sympathy and hide her evil acts.

That's why psychologists discourage women,more than men, from cheating.

Women can't handle the emotional conflict that comes with cheating.

That's the reason an observant and intelligent man will notice that his wife has started cheating on him once he starts doing it because most women tend to lose respect for their husbands and try to avoid sex with them in most times.

Cheating Women will even be giving excuses for not wanting to have sex with their husbands. Study has revealed that nearly 90% of women who cheat find it hard to have enjoyable sex with their husbands, again an intelligent man will detect this once his wife's behavior with regard to sex start changing. But a dull man can never detect this and always tolerates fake excuses from his cheating wife until he is completely eliminated.

Women can't cheat on their partners with people they are not emotionally involved with. They attach emotions to everything. That's why you can't always trust their judgment. When a joke is cracked,most women who laugh are not laughing because the joke is funny but because they like the person who cracked the joke. If they don't like you, no matter how funny your joke may be, they won't laugh, but when a man laughs at a joke, it's because the joke is funny, not because he likes the comedian. Men are not always sentimental and emotionally involved.

Study has shown that every relationship begins to flounder once a woman starts cheating. There are many men who cheat on their partners but still show them true love. But it is very hard to find a relationship in which a woman is cheating and things still remain the same.

I repeat, nearly 100% of cheating women wish their husbands quick death or divorce to have unlimited sex freedom while nearly 100% of cheating men can't wish their wives quick death or divorce. That is why most men can't allow their wives to be physically or verbally abused by their girlfriends. Men will always stand for their wives.

A man would cheat but still love and respect his wife, but the opposite is true with cheating women.

Once your wife starts sleeping with other men/man, just know that your death is near.

FOR THOSE STILL GREEKED BY THE TERM, THIS IS THE MEANING OF RESTRUCTURING AS CANVASSED BY SOUTHERN NIGERIA BY Chief Olu Falae

You know I am a leader in the South West and at the National convention, I was elected as the leader of the Yoruba delegation. So, I am central to the Yoruba position. The Yoruba position is my position and it is the same position I canvassed in my book, ‘The way forward for Nigeria’ which I launched since 2005 in Lagos. What we mean by restructuring is going back to the Independence Constitution which our leaders negotiated with the British between 1957 and 1959. It was on that basis that the three regions agreed to go to Independence as one united country. So, it was a negotiated constitution. This is because, if the three regions were not able to agree, there would not have been one united independent Nigeria. But because the three regions at that time negotiated and agreed to package a constitution, that is why they agreed to go to Independence together. When the military came in 1966 and threw away the constitution, they threw away the negotiated agreement among the three regions, which was the foundation of a united Nigeria.

So, the military did not only throw away the constitution but a political consensus negotiated and agreed by our leaders of the three regions in those days. When we say restructuring now, we are saying let us go back substantially to that constitution which gave considerable autonomy to the regions. For example, each region at that time collected its revenue and contributed the agreed proportion to the centre. But when the military came, they turned it round and took everything to the centre. That could not have been accepted by Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe or Obafemi Awolowo.

This constitution we are using was made by late Gen Sani Abacha and the military; and Abacha came from only one part of Nigeria, so he wrote a constitution that favoured his own part of Nigeria. That is why I am saying, let us restructure and go back to what all of us agreed before. That is the meaning of restructuring. The regions used to be federating units, but in today’s Nigeria, they would now be called federal regions because states have been created in the regions. So in the West, you now have federation of Yoruba states which would belong to the Nigerian union at the centre. So, it is not like the region of old with all the powers. No. It is now going to be a coordinator of the states in the zone. That is what we mean by restructuring. And the regions would have a considerable autonomy as they used to have. For example, for the younger people, they may not know that every region then had its own constitution.

There were four constitutions at independence –the Federal constitution, Western constitution, Eastern constitution and Northern constitution. That was how independent they were and every region had an ambassador in London. The ambassadors for the regions were called Agent General so that you do not confuse them with that of Nigeria then called High Commissioner. So, Nigeria had four ambassadors in London. The ambassador for Nigeria then called a High Commissioner was M.T Mbu. The ambassador for Eastern Nigeria then was Mr Jonah Chinyere Achara, Western Nigeria was Mr Omolodun and for Northern Nigeria, it was Alhaji Abdulmalik. There were four of them. That was the kind of arrangement we agreed to, but the military threw it away and gave us this over-centralised unitary constitution. So, we said this is not acceptable any more; we must go back to the negotiated constitution which gave considerable autonomy to the regions, so that they can compete in a healthy manner. For example, Chief Obafemi Awolowo wanted to introduce free education in the West and other regions said they could not afford it, but he went ahead to introduce it in the Western region. He said he wanted to pay a minimum of five shillings a day, while others were paying two and three shillings. He went ahead and passed the law, making five shillings the minimum wage in Western Nigeria.

There was no problem with that. In Western Nigeria, the constitution provided for a House of Assembly and the House of Chiefs. In Eastern Nigeria, there was no House of Chiefs because they did not think they needed one. There was no problem with that and that is the kind of Nigeria we negotiated in London, but that is different from what we have today. So, we are saying let us go back to that arrangement which all of us agreed at independence and not what Abacha imposed on us, which is very partial, unfair and one-sided. That is the meaning of restructuring; it is to restructure unfairness and give semi-autonomy to the federating units.

Chief Olu False is a leading Yoruba leader and was Head of the Southwest Delegation to the Jonathan National Constitutional Conference.

THE FOUR HEADED MONSTER STANDING BETWEEN NIGERIA AND PROGRESS

The America Nigeria Political Action Committee (ANPAC) is calling Nigerians to pay careful attention to these four areas of our Nation that has never been identified as major obstacles to our Nation's progress but is actually more responsible for our lack of growth and development than the three arms of government which we all agree is beyond redemption.

The idea of Nigeria having a system of checks and balances was jettisoned when the lawmakers opted for the illegal 1999 military imposed constitution over the more humane and almost complete 1979 constitution.

The absence of checks and balance is as usual by design and can be thwarted or corrected at every electoral cycle at the ballot box EXCEPT that in Nigeria there is another set of four (4) institutions preventing us from being able to use our rights and freedoms to seek a better life and a better leadership.

Those set of 4 monsters are what we at ANPAC will like to engage with hope that if they become more conventional in the months and weeks to come we can honestly look forward to a sustainable new beginning.

Monster #1 is our Main Stream Media:
The Media in Nigeria despite having an appearance to the contrary is neither free nor independent. In all progressive society the media is always the fourth rail of government, that entity that holds government accountable for their actions.

In Nigeria however this is not so, not by a long shot, our media is bought and paid for by the government in some cases and by government officials in most cases this is why our airwaves are polluted with one government official after another using the media as a propaganda machine to justify illegal actions or to make excuses for failures under there watch.

Ninety percent (90%) of content on Nigeria’s media are about the Government’s position on matters of state the remaining ten percent(10%) is reserved to show case high profile crime and maybe arrests that could be carried out by boy scouts and mostly useless and irrelevant sexually suggestive surveys.

The state of the Media needs to change for better if Nigeria is to remain a democracy. Our media makes Nigeria look like a cesspool of impossibilities nobody is asking questions relevant to democracy.

A free media should be able to tell us by now what the health status of PMB is and should he even consider running again, A real media should be able to tell us exactly what is the salary of our government officials, A real media should find out why is Power failure an acceptable phenomenon in our society, why is it okay for 2,000 children to die within 24 hours of birth daily and why is it acceptable for 47 people to die daily driving on our “express” roads.

We could go on and on, so for starters the media as a matter of solidarity with the people should and must ask every presidential candidate in 2019 what their Plan is for:
Electricity
Economy
Education
Agriculture
Jobs
Healthcare
Law Enforcement
Interstate Transportation
Security

Failure to do this will be a monumental dereliction of duty because if you look at our past elections you will not find a video archive of a candidate making a campaign promise based on his assessment of the cause and effect of the issue at hand, so how do you in the future accuse a candidate of not fulfilling his campaign promises when he really never made any rather his surrogates froth at the mouth promising heaven and earth on his behalf as if the presidency is a team sport.

Now we at ANPAC are not in any way questioning the professionalism or our media types we are just saying that they are also victims of the overall decay of the Nigerian society and unwitting accomplices to the criminal corruption convention the real culprit depriving us of a free Media are in fact the multi-National corporations operating inside Nigeria today......To be continued.

Please watch this space for the continuation of this piece. Next up Monster #2

PS: Forward to everyone in your circle of friends. The more we know the better prepared we are. And for those of you already assisting in sharing our releases, ANPAC will like to thank you for helping us get the word out there, we can feel the impact of your efforts we ask that you please don’t relent, the more people you forward this to, makes it easy for us to let our “emperors” know that a new day has come and we deserve better. God bless you all and God bless the federal republic of Nigeria.

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ABOUT ANPAC
The America-Nigeria political action committee (ANPAC) aims at forging strong bilateral relations between the USA and Nigeria for the purpose of mutual strategic development and advancement of western political principles and agenda in Nigeria.
Based in Houston Texas, USA, ANPAC has as its goals.

1. The general development of the Federal republic of Nigeria as a democratic nation with a free market economy, free media and equal rights and justice for all.

2. Emphasize the need for the American Public, Government and policy makers to understand and operate a foreign policy agenda that will enhance the strategic importance of a stable, economically vibrant and progressive Nigeria. 

3. Forster a strategic transfer of commerce and industry between the two countries particularly in the areas of, technology, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture and urban development.

4. The promotion of a robust partnership between the two countries in the areas of military training, defense hardware, law enforcement and crime prevention initiatives.

ANPAC Commiserate with Tinubu

All Executives and members of America Nigeria Political Action Committee(ANPAC) sympathises with Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the loss of your son Mr Jide Tinubu. May God grant you the fortitude to bear the loss and may his soul rest in perfect peace.

ABOUT ANPAC
The America-Nigeria political action committee (ANPAC) aims at forging strong bilateral relations between the USA and Nigeria for the purpose of mutual strategic development and advancement of western political principles and agenda in Nigeria.
Based in Houston Texas, USA, ANPAC has as its goals.
1. The general development of the Federal republic of Nigeria as a democratic nation with a free market economy, free media and equal rights and justice for all.

2. Emphasize the need for the American Public, Government and policy makers to understand and operate a foreign policy agenda that will enhance the strategic importance of a stable, economically vibrant and progressive Nigeria. 

3. Forster a strategic transfer of commerce and industry between the two countries particularly in the areas of technology, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture and urban development.

4. The promotion of a robust partnership between the two countries in the areas of military training, defense hardware, law enforcement and crime prevention initiatives.

BREAKING | Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Loses Son to Death

Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu Loses First Son To Death, Jide Tinubu Is Dead. Details shortly.....

Governor Fayose can give Nigerians the leadership we deserves – CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commended the courage and the boldness with which Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State openly declared his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election.

The body also advised the governor not to be distracted by people who have nothing good to offer the country.

This was contained in a letter sent to the governor by the Christian body and signed by the National General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Musa Asake.

In the letter dated October 16, 2017 with reference number CAN/GS/IGMAILS/02/017, CAN noted that Fayose’s presidential declaration of September 28, 2017 in Abuja, could only be done by somebody with uncommon boldness and courage giving the harassment and intimidation that would surely follow.

“Unarguably, you have done what many of our politicians, Christians in particular, do not have the courage to do. This is why I agree with you, hook, line and sinker, when in your speech you said inter alia, “You are all witnesses to my commitment to this party in this difficult period, where I have demonstrated uncommon courage that makes me stand out as capable of leading our country at this time.”

Dasuki Appears In Court, Pleads Loss Of Memory

Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki has appeared in the trial of former PDP spokesman, Olisa Metuh before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

However, Dasuki's counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN) has opposed his testifying today due to loss of memory following his two years of incarceration.

He said the evidence to be given, is only a small aspect of his tenure as NSA, adding that he does not have "access to relevant files, records and documents required to refresh his memory of any decisions or actions he took or authorised in the course of his duties."

Raji asked Justice Okon Abang to "tarry a while" in proceeding in the matter pending the determination of the appeal before the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

Metuh's counsel, Emeka Etiaba (SAN) agreed with Raji that the former NSA need additional time to access his documents to be able to testify in all the courts he is facing charges.

On Tuesday EFCC Counsel, Sylvanus Tahir read out a text message from the Director of Legal in the Department of State Services (DSS) that Dasuki, who initially did not want to testify in the trial, has accepted to testify.

Details later…

No threat can stop us from sacking 22,000 teachers – El rufai

KADUNA – The governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El Rufai has vowed that no amount of threat from labour union would make his government back down from sacking the 22,000 teachers who failed competence tests and replace them with 25,000 new qualified ones.

In a live interview with radio stations in Kaduna monitored by A10action news, governor El Rufai said everybody that has the interest of the education of the citizens of the state in mind should be embarrassed by the failure of teachers who could not answer questions meant for primary four pupils.

The Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT Kaduna chapter recently threatened that its members would embark on strike if the state government goes ahead to sack the 22,000 teachers.

But reacting to the threat in a network radio interview in Kaduna, governor El Rufai said rather than threaten to go on strike, the NUT should be embarrassed by the incompetence of its members adding that “there is no bigger evidence of the crisis in our society than that a union whose members failed a Primary 4 examination thinks it can create problems over the issue rather than be a part of the solution.

“Everybody knows that we will not be deterred in doing what is right for the future of our children. The NUT thinks this is about politics, making a public show of opposing what they know to be right. Shouldn’t everybody be embarrassed by the test results? Where is the sense of shame? I hear some people say the pass mark for a Primary Four exam should be 60%; the same people say the state government has no right to test the competence of its employees. There is no bigger evidence of the crisis in our society than that a union whose members failed a Primary 4 examination thinks it can create problems over the issue rather than be a part of the solution.

“We are not people that bow to threats. We will respond appropriately. What will be point of that strike? To force us to violate our oath of office and knowingly retain as teachers those that are not qualified? That will not happen” he vowed.

Going into the details of how the state degenerated to the level, El Rufai said the recruitment of teachers was politicized, allowing politicians and local government chairmen to turn the primary school sector to a “dumping ground for their thugs”.

“Unqualified teachers entered the system because the recruitment of teachers was politicised. The local government council chairmen and other senior politicians and bureaucrats saw teaching as a dumping ground for their thugs, supporters and other unqualified persons

“Teachers were employed at local government level without adherence to standards. In many instances, no examinations or interviews were conducted to assess the quality of recruits. Political patronage, nepotism and corruption became the yardstick, thus giving unqualified persons a way in. Teaching jobs were given as patronage to those connected to politicians and bureaucrats.

“The Kaduna State Executive Council has approved the recruitment of 25,000 primary school teachers. Recruitment notices have already been advertised by the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). This time around, there would be standardized tests for the recruits and a further training programme before the new teachers take over the classrooms. No unqualified person will scale through. And we will vet certificates very closely and very often. The future of our children is so important that we will not take chances. We will be vigilant in ensuring that only good people teach in our public schools” he said.

Nigeria signs deal to build nuclear power plant

Russia's state-owned Rosatom and Nigeria have signed agreements for the construction and operation of a nuclear power plant and research centre in Africa's biggest economy, Rosatom said on Monday.

“The development of nuclear technologies will allow Nigeria to strengthen its position as one of the leading countries of the African continent,” Anton Moskvin, Rosatom's Vice President for Overseas Marketing and Business Development, said in a statement. (Reuters)

EFCC, DSS face-off deepens as anti-graft agency asks Court to punish Lawal Daura over Dasuki

The defence in the ongoing trial of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to order the arrest of the Director-General of the Department of State Service, Mr. Lawal Daura, for failing to produce the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in court.

Justice Okon Abang had on October 25 directed Dasuki and former President Goodluck Jonathan to appear in court on Tuesday in respect of the trial of Metuh.
While Dauski was not produced in court on Tuesday, Jonathan’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), appeared in court to challenge the subpoena issued on the former President.

Ozekhome noted that ‎Jonathan had yet to be served but only read about the subpoena in the newspapers.

Justice Abang had on October 25 given the court bailiff five days to effect personal service of the subpoena on Jonathan and also directed the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, to persuade the management of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to liaise with the DSS to produce Dasuki in court on Tuesday (today).

On his part, Tahir said the DSS’ Legal Adviser informed him that Dasuki refused to be brought to court on the advice of his (Dasuki’s) counsel.

He said, “In addition to that, I personally liaised with the Legal Adviser of the DSS on the need for the organisation to comply with the court order.

He argued that the DSS’ conduct by failing to produce Dasuki in court was an act of disrespect for the court.

He thereby urged the court‎ “to apply the consequences provided by the law.”

He said, “I say so because, whenever Sambo Dasuki wants to go to court on his own, it is the duty of the DSS to take him to court and if they don’t want to take him to court, they will decide not to take him to court.

In his contribution, Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), described Tahir’s submission as “damning and incriminating hearsay” which should be expunged from the court’s record

Convert Sambisa Forest to Grazing Land for Herdsmen, Benue Youths Tell FG

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been advised to make a judicious use of the expansive Sambisa forest in the north-east which has been breeding the Boko Haram sect.

The National Coordinator of Strict Movement Against Ravages in Tivland, Gbakighir Sevendagas, has called on the Federal Government to prepare Sambisa Forest for herdsmen and their cows if it insists on maintaining grazing reserves or open grazing.

Sevendagas condemned the Fulani herdsmen’s insistence on open grazing, while urging the Benue State Government to curb encroachment of major roads and streets for religious activities.

Earlier, the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had said the government would ensure the full implementation of the new anti-grazing law expected to come into force on Wednesday, November, 1, 2017.

Ortom said the law would be enforced, “even if it amounts to going to the International Court in The Hague.

Ortom, who was represented by his deputy, Benson Abounu, while receiving in audience youths under the auspices of Strict Movement Against Ravages in Tivland, SMART Land, said the promulgation of the law was solely for the benefit of the citizens who has lobbied for it.

He said the aim of the law was to protect lives and property of residents of Benue State, “irrespective of their religion and nationality;” adding, “That is why we have Igbo, Yoruba and other communities in the group here today.”

“The law is to protect all classes of people of Benue State because the law makes provision against cattle rustling and destruction of crop farming.

“As from Wednesday, the law will take effect and there is no going back on it, even if it amounts to going to International Court in Hague.

Scores of youths across Benue State had marched round major streets of Makurdi to rally support for the anti-open gazing law, vowing to protect and preserve their land.

Cabinet reshuffle imminent, as Buhari promises to 'expand', 'inject' fresh ideas into govt

Cabinet reshuffle imminent, as Buhari promises to 'expand', 'inject' fresh ideas into govt
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday gave the clearest indication that his administration would tamper with the membership of the Federal Executive Council which comprises mainly of Ministers.

Alluding to an imminent cabinet reshuffle, he hinted, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) NEC meeting Tuesday in Abuja that he would ‘expand’, and ‘inject’ fresh ideas into the Federal Executive Council (FEC) .

Details later.....

Where Do We See Uyo In The Next 20 Years?

The path to greater entrepreneurial exploits and industrialization in this state is one grossly neglected and ignored. Our people even the new breed of self branded "entrepreneurs and CEOs" are so concerned about today. Hardly do many think of tomorrow, putting 10-20 years of their lives and engagement in perspective. 

Politically, it's a calculated and well mapped out planning that covers the next 10, 20 to even 50 years dispensation. The rotation of power from one zone to the other is carefully mapped out and penned down. Who will be the next possible political leader to take over from the present is guessed and penned down. Even as they aren't certain who the next successor will be, the planning is not neglected. In their political and caucus meetings, they know the anointed ones but may keep quiet for years. That secret is too dear to them to let it out before time. 

In Akwa Ibom State for instance, the calculation is done and zoning of powers are mapped out straight. The Ibibio knows when the political wheel is turning to their axis under the popular party in the State. The Annang knows in the next 14 years or so, they shouldn't dream of the Governor's seat in the state by political arrangements of the ruling party. So they will have to wait for more than 10years to nurse such dreams and ambitions. This is a serious calculation, planning and structuring in view of the future politically. 

Every young man or woman who eyes the political environment is planning on how to grow bigger and step in too. They have their big dreams and aspirations and can serve their principal for years just to have their ways into the dream political cycle. Some even go as far as getting initiated into some occults to gain acceptance as they awaits their appointed time. They network themselves with those around power and are ready to be slaves, errand boys, and touts for years, for they know what they want. Call it whatever, to them it's a season of service, mentorship and learning in preparation for their "TIME"

Looking at the business community of the same state, especially that of our "Young Starters", it's sad to realize we are all just doing business to survive without a clear cut and collective vision for ourselves, businesses and our State. You don't find the synergy, cooperation, networking and a collective dream or Vision that will make us stand out uniquely in 10-20years time. 

Ask an average Akwa Ibom young in business his dream for the next 10 years, you many be surprised that all he wants is to be successful, own a mighty office in Uyo (alone), build a house, marry, have children and have some latest feet of cars in his compound. These are good things to wish for, but isn't this too limiting for an entrepreneur? 

While politicians are busy mentoring those boys and ladies who they will hand over power to and continue to rule in proxy (As God fathers), our entrepreneurs are busying stealing business ideas from young starters who go close to them to share their dreams. Not like they will even do the business they stole better, nope, they just wanna mess it up for the original owner. Some are discouraged from embarking on their dream businesses as they tag such unrealistic and unpopular and encourage them to think small, think Uyo, think what others are already doing around and will still make it in life. 

Today,  we can't point at one successful Akwa Ibom Entrepreneur who has come out to truly mentor the next breed of his kind, knowing too well sometime tomorrow he will no longer be there. Nope! Everyone is successful for himself. We are easily threatened by the strives of other and when we can't match up to them, we craft unusual mean to pull them down (Our bad). We lack mentors who are ready to groom the young ones to succeed. As proud as of some of us can be, we don't even need anyone's mentorship. We have a monopoly of entrepreneurial wisdom and aren't ready to learn new things or unlearn old trash. Who mentorship epp? They ask. Because we feel we know all that makes a business successful even when we fail and goof daily. 

I have studied some platforms, businesses and ideas and also watch them fade out too soon but no one ask a simple question like why? No one cares. Currently, there is a massive Exodus of some of our homemade brands to Lagos, Abuja, PH etc, and no one is perturbed. We are all on our own. Here you get up, struggle and crack down, no one really cares and we hope to get bigger with our individualism style in business? Even when you have a bight business idea, some people will prefer to lock up their millions instead of helping you grow it by way of investment, loan or financial support. Here we can't imagine giving someone a ladder to climb up higher than us but we talk of an expected season for entrepreneurial and industrial Renaissance in the State. How? 

The sad side is that no one is really planning. Who will be the next big entrepreneurial names and figures in the next 20years from today? Or will we continue to have foreigners lord over our economy? How many jobs will we create? How many investors will we attract to the state? How many industries will we come together to establish and create more jobs here? How much internal revenue will we generate for the State? And how will we do all these? Infact, when will we stop this dependency on Government for everything? 

It goes beyond organizing some noisy annual conferences where some theorists mount the podiums to recount what they read in the last best seller's entrepreneurial masterpieces. People who haven't grown a business from dust to gold telling you to do what they themselves haven't done. Conference for entrepreneurs without a workshop to evaluate individual business, audit financial statements, and have such folks share their little stories of pains, struggles, and glories for others to advise, suggest and learn together. Platforms who forget the participants all year long only to remember them during the next conference. No follow up? How do you give a child a home Work without checking out for assessment? 

I don't even want to talk about our government's nonchalant attitude toward the young entrepreneurial spirit in the state. My believe is with the right mindset, orientations, network and synergy, we can become even more influential and influence their policies and activities in future, not to the negative but to the benefit of all of us just like Dagote and the Nigerian Government. 

My question today is, is this how we will build this dream entrepreneurial hub in Uyo in future? Who are those with our business master plan for this State? Who are doing the business thinking for the State. Because, we can't continue to remain a civic service and political state in the next 20 years. Can we come together and set a Vision before us and run with it? We may be small today, but with one heart and shared dream and vision , we can do even greater things tomorrow! How many of our young brands of today will survive the next 5-10 years and still be relevant? How many will grow into multinationals and multi-million naira companies with branches across the country and outside? 

The politicians are planning for the future, are we (entrepreneurs) also planning ours? 

President Buhari's Supporters To Hold Solidarity Rally Demanding Abba Kyari's Sack

A group of President Muhammadu Buhari's  supporters and admirers will, on Wednesday, hold a rally to show solidarity to the President. The group will also use the solidarity march to demand the removal of Mr. Abba Kyari, the controversial Chief of Staff to the President.                             

The march, slated to hold between 6 am and 6 pm at Abuja's Unity Fountain, was announced in a statement seen by A10action news. The organisers are also inviting other Nigerians to join the march.                               

"We are calling on all Nigerians, who believe in good governance to join us for a solidarity march with a difference for our beloved President.At the solidarity march, we will be declaring our unflinching and unshakeable support for President Buhari, a man of integrity and honour; a man chosen by God and elected by us to salvage our country Nigeria.

"Also, we will be demanding the sack, removal or resignation of President Buhari's Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, for his numerous excesses, abuse of office, usurping the powers of the President," the organisers' statement said.       

The group also accused Mr. Kyari of impunity, blaming him for the slow pace of action by the government.           

This, it alleged, is the direct consequence of Mr. Kyari's refusal to make the President accessible to ministers, governors and other well-meaning members of the public.

Police arrest 200 cows for invading farmland

The police in Adamawa have arrested 200 cows for invading a farmland at Yolde-Pate in Yola South Local Government Area.

Adamawa police spokesman, Othman Abubakar, said the incident occurred on Saturday.

“In collaboration with the district and village heads in the area and timely intervention of police and other vigilante members, the situation is now under control,” Abubakar said.

He applauded the affected farmers for exhibiting maturity by not taking the law into their own hands.

He also commended the herdsmen for accepting responsibility for the destruction by their cattle.

Nigeria’s excess oil revenue hits N11.1bn daily

As oil price rises to $60.44 per barrel, NIGERIA’s excess oil revenue has risen to N11.1 billion ($36.6 million) daily as the price of crude oil hits $60.44 per barrel in the international market.

The nation’s N7.4 trillion 2017 budget was based on $44.50 per barrel reference price and oil production of 2.3 million barrels per day.

But the price hit the roofs at $60.44 per barrel, yesterday, as a result of increased compliance to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, oil cut, thus enabling the nation to generate $36.6 million from the export of 2.3 million bpd to the global market. This amounts to N11.1 billion at the official exchange rate of N305 to the United States dollar.

The survey of the international oil market by A10action news yesterday, showed that the price of Brent stood at $60.44 per barrel. The price of WTI stood at $53.90 per barrel, while the price of OPEC basket of 14 crudes, including Nigeria’s Bonny Light, stood at $56.45 per barrel.

Barkindo’s prediction: From all indications, the nation’s excess oil revenue would continue to rise in the coming weeks as OPEC and others remain committed to oil cut deal.

Dr. Mohammed Barkindo, OPEC Secretary General, said: ‘’Through extensive and well-coordinated consultations, enormous commitment, great diligence, necessary flexibility and strategic compromises, 24 participating OPEC and non-OPEC producing nations agreed on the landmark ‘Declaration of Cooperation’ at the end of last year, whereby they decided to adjust production by approximately 1.8 mb/d, for a period of six months, beginning January 1. This has since been extended by a further period of nine months, to the end of March 2018.”

”Experts’advice, Apparently as a result of low oil price, President Muhammadu Buhari had before now, forwarded a request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of $29.960 billion to execute key infrastructure projects across the country between 2016 and 2018.

But in a telephone interview with A10action news, Mr. Muda Yusuf, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, advised the government to reduce borrowing, following its increased oil earnings.

‘’The government should reduce external borrowing and invest its oil revenue in developing infrastructure in order to stimulate the development of all sectors of the nation’s economy.

‘’We also need to practically work towards the diversification of the nation’s economy because we cannot continue to depend on oil.”

On FAAC allocation Last month, the Federation Account Allocation Committee distributed N4,738billion to the three tiers of government as revenue from the sale of crude oil in the month of October.

Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, said gross revenue of N400.3 billion was realised, against the preceding month’s N322 billion by a margin of  N78.3 billion.

Adeosun noted that the nation’s Excess Crude Account remains unchanged at N2.3 billion.

Why Abuja motorists are no longer filling their petrol tanks

Buyers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol in Abuja on Sunday said it had been a while they filled their car tanks to full capacity.

A survey by A10action news around the territory to find out why such car owners no longer fill their tanks showed that motorists only topped up fuel level.

A lawyer, Timi Fiebai, told our correspondents that he had not been able to fill his car tank with petrol for more than one year.

He said “I can’t remember when I filled my tank last. When I’m going to work, I buy N2,000 worth of petrol every other day.

“If I buy N2,000 of petrol on Monday, I can use it for two days and must buy again on Wednesday.

“I have just been managing and coping.”

Another car owner, Musa Abba, seen at a petrol station, also said he just topped a little to what he had.

He said “I used to fill my tank with N4,000 but now I buy half tank with same amount.

“So, on average, I just buy N2,000 worth of petrol three or four times in a week and I can go about looking for my daily bread.”

Chijioke Elendu, an auto part dealer in Gudu market in FCT who also has a car, said “I just buy small quantity of petrol in my car so I can attend to other needs.

“I know that things would soon get better; lets just find a way to take care of ourselves for now.”

Mrs Iretiola Olowoodola, a civil servant who also own a car, said “even if I buy N2,000 worth of petrol daily, it will finish in no time because I ply the Nyanya/Mararba route.

“I try to fill my tank because if my car stops along that road, I will suffer the consequence.

“That’s why you see people with jerry cans on that route always looking for fuel to buy when their car stops. If you buy full tank, you will still use it so why buy less?.”

A petrol attendant who simply gave his name as Sani at A. Y. M Shafa filling station on the airport road, Abuja, confirmed that there were indeed lesser cars filling their tanks to capacity.

He said “nowadays, some motorists buy N1,000 worth of petrol or even less.

“I have sold N500 worth of petrol to jeep owners many times. Lesser cars now fill up these days.”

Cost of governance in Nigeria unacceptable -Obi

FORMER governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has bemoaned high cost of governance in Nigeria, lamenting that the country ranks top in the world in government expenses. Obi spoke while delivering a lecture entitled “Good Governance” during the 10th national youths’ summit organised by Golden Heart Foundation in Enugu. Ex-governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi.

According to him, “the cost of governance in Nigeria is unacceptable anywhere in the world. We need to change it. About 1.7 million children are out of school in Nigeria, that is the highest statistics in the whole world.” Obi noted that the current agitations ravaging the country had root in governance failures, saying the government of the country collapsed many years ago.

“The only way to fight social disorder is to find people things to do. Create society where people will have the opportunity to do something for themselves. I encourage youths not to be disillusioned by the environment they find themselves in. Your country has been hijacked and you have to take it back. If you don’t stop them, they will stop you,” he said. Earlier, President of Golden Heart Foundation and host of the summit, Dr David Ogbueli, urged the youths to pay attention in all the training for a better tomorrow. Ogbueli who disclosed that the “greatest challenges we face today can be traced back to leadership. The responsibility of changing Nigeria to a better one rests on the youths.

We are out to find those who are gifted in different areas and help them fully discover and develop their area of gifting and eventually deploy them into the society as agents of transformation.” He said the foundation was shaping the youths to bring back the glory of the nation by training the participants in different fields such as global school of leadership, school of national transformation, school of career development, school of business development, school of enterprise and skill acquisition, school of social entrepreneurship, school of media and ICT and school of arts and entertainment.

“Whenever you want to address the problems of any nation, go to young people who are the grassroots because it is better to train a child than to mend an adult. What we do is to help equip and train the younger generation who have a major role to play in shaping the new Nigeria and Africa at large. We want to build a new generation of value driven and responsible leaders that will think excellence, integrity, accountability, vision and passion for common good,” Ogbueli pointed out.

FG engages 18,000 unemployed youths in skill acquisition

BIRNIN KEBBI— THE Federal Government has concluded arrangement to engage about 18,000 unskilled/unemployed youths in skill acquisition training scheme aimed at reducing the rate of unemployed youths in the country.

Flaging-off the scheme in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Minister of Labor and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said: “We are witnessing the flag-off of the Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme, SADTS, in 19 states and FCT and later Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme, B-NOAS, in 36 states and FCT as well as training of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the North-East sub-region of the country.”

Ngige listed welding, carpentry, automobile, fishing, farming and sewing as some of the areas the youths would be trained.

He disclosed that the training involved three main planks, including two weeks adoptive and intense fields training in crops/livestock in which the country has comparative advantage, trainee farmers mentorship and linkage with development in money deposit banks and off-takers.

According to Ngige, the benefiting states were carefully selected to pilot test of the scheme across the six-geo political zones in the country.

Tragedy as Section of Senator Aliyu Wamakko's House Collapses in Sokoto

An accidental incident which has been described as "an act of God" after a section of the house of the Senator Aliyu Wamakko has collapsed over the past weekend.

Bashir Mani, the special assistant on media and publicity to the former governor of Sokoto state, has said on Monday that a section of the house belonging to Senator Aliyu Wamakko has collapsed.

Mani who said the Senator described the incident which happened on Sunday, October 29, at the ‘Gawon Nama', as an act of God, added that the Senator also urged the people of Sokoto state to continue to pray against reocurrence of such incidents.

He said the Senator also visited the scene of the incident shortly after the collapse occurred.

Nigeria’s unity is negotiable – Doyin Okupe

As some Nigerians and major players in the political sectors intensifies their calls for the restructuring of the country, former Senior Special Assistance to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr Doyin Okupe, on Monday said the unity of Nigeria is negotiable.

He contended that “the unity of Nigeria and restructuring are two different things, but when we say restructuring, people misunderstand it to mean that you want to dismember the country or you want the country to break up. No, that is not the point”.

Speaking in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, at the sideline of a book launch by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in the state, Hon Bamidele Salam, Okupe maintained that “restructuring is another name for the practice or return to Nigeria to true federalism that we did at independence. That’s what we mean by restructuring”.

According to him, “there is no statement like the unity of Nigeria is negotiable or not negotiable. Any unity in the world is by negotiation, even the one between a man and a woman. There is nothing like whether unity is negotiable or unity is not negotiable. It does not exist. It is a mis-normal, as I am like this, I am Doyin Okupe and if something else has to join me, we have to discuss it”.

While reacting to agitations by some people on the need for Nigeria to break up, Okupe stated “I don’t want Nigeria to in any way, state or form to be reduced from what it is but there still has to be justice, there still has to be fairness, there still has to be equity”.

He continued, “there are three problems for Nigeria, one, we have a major problem of elitist favour. The elites in Nigeria have failed in all fronts, be it political elites, business moguls, administrators and all people who are privileged to constitute the part and parcel of nation building are classified as elites. The elites in the country have failed and because the elites have failed, there is no unity of purpose, we do not even have a national purpose, national direction”.

“We have a country and there is no argument about that but we have not really become a nation. It is still a question of a Yoruba from South West and a Christian, Abdullah is from Kano a Muslim from the North. We really do not have anything that makes us to come together as a nation and any pretention to that fact, we will be wasting our time”,

“You look at it, we are celebrating 57th anniversary and we are talking about unity of the country after 57 years. So, there is a problem about unity. Let’s go back to restructuring, the issue about restructuring; I have heard so many people talk about it. Some in the North say they are not supporting it, they have a right to say it. It doesn’t even matter if all the 17 states in the North say they are not supporting it, no problem. We in the South West are in accord, complete agreement as we agree that there will be something called restructuring”.

“We have an issue, I agree with the people saying we should settle it constitutionally, but if care is not taken, we would convert the 2019 election to a referendum on restructuring. In 2019, your personality, your party, your programme will not matter; it will be are you for restructuring or are you against. So those of us who are for will vote for governors, House of Assembly, Senators, and House of Reps members who are interested in restructuring. Because we will then know that the National Assembly will be a battleground”, Okupe asserted.

Rumble in the Army over forceful retirement of 200 officers

There is tension in the Nigerian Army following the forceful retirement from service of about 200, officers.

Their retirement was conveyed to them in a letter dated September 27 by the Military Secretary, Army, Major-General I. O. Rabiu, who has since been removed from office for the action.

In the letter, the Military Secretary, also handed them an October 15 deadline within which to apply for voluntary retirement or get compulsory retirement from service.

Mostly affected are officers in the ranks of Major-Generals, Brigadier-Generals, Colonels, Lieutenant-Colonels and some junior officers.

In the latest forceful retirement from service, the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, was the most hit as it had about 30 of its officers mostly consultants, surgeons, and other specialist affected.

It was gathered that the retirement which affected virtually all the corps of the army, sent commandants of army training schools across the country packing, thus forcing the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, to probe the motive behind the move without the consent of the authority.

However, army authorities is said not to have found the latest exercise funny as it is said to be taking steps to reverse the order which was gathered may have been the sole handiwork of the former military secretary.

The retirement if not reversed is said to be capable of crumbling the army especially at this time when the service is overstretched and engaged in several internal security operations across the country.

Sources hinted that most of the officers affected were those who attended the Nigeria Army Military School (NMS), Zaria, before joining the army and those who converted to executive commission from soldiers to become officers. Also affected are SSC, DRC and DSSC officers.

A10action news gathered that trouble started for the former military secretary after some of the affected officers replied to his letter of retirement to them and copied the COAS, General Buratai, and other principal staff officers at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.

In the said letter, the affected officers had appealed to Buratai, to direct the former military secretary to rescind the decision and recall the notification of retirement written to them.

They were also said to have pointed out blunders by the former military secretary which is against the Harmonized Terms and Conditions Of Service (HTACOS), for officers 2012 (revised)

Buratai, who was said to have been shocked at the revelation, since he was not aware of the development invited the military secretary for explanation which did not go down well with him.

To get to the root of the matter, Buratai, was said to have immediately set up a panel headed by the newly appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Kaduna, Major-General M. Mohammed as chairman and five other senior officers in the rank of Brigadier-Generals to look into the matter and make recommendation.

The panel in its report submitted October 18 found the action of the former Military Secretary, as unwarranted and capable of causing disaffection in the army, and advised the COAS, accordingly.

Few days after they submitted their report, the Military Secretary was removed from office on October 26, and another appointed in acting capacity.

The newly appointed acting Military Secretary, Brigadier-General Yahaya assumed office Monday.

It was also gathered that part of the recommendations by the committee was for the army authorities to withdraw the retirement letters from the affected officers as their exit could crumble the service especially at this time when the army has its hands full.

A10action news, gathered that the army authorities may be conducting a discreet investigation into the matter to unravel the circumstances behind the sole decision of the former military secretary to have taken such a sensitive decision.

There are also suspicion that the senior officer may be working with some elements outside the Nigerian Army to have arrived at the decisions that is capable of causing unnecessary tension in the service.

Investigation by A10action news, revealed that the former military secretary who has been redeployed to the Defence Headquarters, had in his letter of notification of retirement from service to the affected officers, with reference number AHQ MS/G1/300/, dated September 26, and 27 cited the Public Service Rule 2008, edition instead of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions Of Service (HTACOS), for officers 2012 (revised), as references for their sudden retirement from service which they faulted.

The affected officers argued that the former military secretary breached the extant provisions of HTACOS, for officers 2012, misapplied the PSR(2008), provisions of maximum length of service and age for retirement for officers and soldiers and appealed to the army to direct the former military secretary to rescind the decision and recall the notification of retirement to them.

When contacted to find out whether or not the army is making plans to reverse the decision of the former military secretary, the Director Army Public Relations Brigadier-General Sani Usman, did not pick his call. Similarly he did not reply to a text message sent to his mobile telephone at the time of filing this report.

Press Releases: On The Sack of Babachir & Oke: It is Totally Unacceptable, We Again Demand The Immediate Impeachment of President Buhari – PDP

The statement on the sack of Alhaji Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Ayo Oke, the former Director General of Nigerian Intelligent Agency (NIA) is a slap on the face of Nigerians. It is an insult on the-collective intelligence of our people who have waited patiently for the President’s reaction on the humongous act of corruption by two of his principal aides and this is totally unacceptable.

2.       First and foremost, we had disagreed with the President last year when he decided to setup the panel headed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to investigate the matter because we thought that was the wrong course of action to take. Ordinarily, cases of corruption or alleged cases of misappropriation of funds are supposed to be referred to institutions that are saddled with the responsibility to investigate and prosecute such matters which is the ICPC and the EFCC if there is any prima facie case against them.

3.      But it appears not all animals are equal under the Buhari APC administration . some people are treated with kid gloves while others particularly those in opposition are subjected to all manner of harrowing experiences. One of the Senators of the APC, Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna State succinctly put the matter when he said that this administration uses deodorant to fight corruption when it comes to some APC members and President Buhari’s kitchen Cabinet and insecticides when it involves members of the opposition and those in the National Assembly.

4.       It took the President almost one year to attend to this matter while the culprits were having a field day at home and enjoying themselves. Whereas, in the case of the opposition especially the PDP members, even when the evidence is flimsy they will be visited with multiple harassment and intimidation for months and weeks without proper trial.

5.       We site the case of Sambo Dasuki who has been in detention for over two years and running even when many courts in Nigeria and the Ecowas Court have ordered for his release, but the President has fragrantly disobeyed these court orders which again are a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is an impeachable offence. So the President cannot just sack Ayo Oke and Babachir Lawal and expects us to be clapping for him. 

6.       We believe that we are operating under a democracy and a Constitution that governs our affairs. To have subjected these people to different sets of rule and treatment is totally unacceptable. Nigerians are the same under the law and Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke should not be tried by the Presidency while others are hounded by the EFCC and ICPC.     

7.       These actions of Mr. President are therefore a breach of his oath of office which he swore to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to be fair and just to all Nigerians without any discrimination whatsoever. The action of the President is a gross violation of his constitutional oath and therefore constitutes a veritable ground for impeachment .Using and applying different laws to different people in the country is a direct assault on the constitution and the rule of law . Consequently, we call on the National Assembly to begin processes to impeach the President for breach of the Constitution and fragrance disobedient to the laws of Nigeria. 

8.       We totally reject these actions and the law should follow its full course on the issues of these officers. In other words, their case should be referred to the EFCC for proper investigation and trial, more so when the President has not told us what the report of the findings was. Nigerians are entitled to know the findings of the panel headed by the Vice President. The report should be made public since it is the people’s money that is involved. 

9.       The President has by his actions taken Nigeria to the level of a banana republic. We are not in a banana republic, this is the Federal Republic of Nigeria . Three successive governments of the PDP did not act in the manner President Buhari is acting.

10.    There is no doubt that the sudden sack of the SGF and the DG of NIA is just a consequence of the backlash on the Abdulrasheed Maina saga. Up till now there’s no answer to the pertinent questions we have asked on the Maina saga. The government cares less about the feelings and opinions of Nigerians. This kind of arrogance is unprecedented in the history of this county. We again call for the arrest and investigation of the two Ministers involved in the return of Maina into the Civil Service, that is, the Minister of Interior, Bello Dambazau and Abubakar Mallami , the Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice.

God bless the PDP! God bless Nigeria!!

Signed:

Prince Dayo Adeyeye

National Publicity Secretary

PROFILE OF MR BOSS MUSTAPHA -NEW SGF

Mr, Boss Gida Mustapha is a lawyer, management consultant, politician, business man and boardroom guru of considerable repute. His appointment as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, has been well received, thanks to his vast public sector experience, legal background, extensive travels and contacts in both government and business.

The confidence in the new SGF is well placed.
Born in Adamawa State, Mr Mustapha attended Hong Secondary School, in Hong Adamawa state and North East College of Arts and Sciences Maiduguri Borno state, crowning it with WASC and HSC in 1976.
He earned his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 and was called to bar in 1980.

From 1980 to 1981, Mr Mustapha did the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) – at the Directorate of Legal Services at the Army Headquarters and was in charge of review of Court Marshall Proceedings.

After his National Service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited, an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in charge of Administration, leaving in 1983 to join the prestigious law firm of Messrs Onagoruwa & Co in Lagos.
With his law practice having fully taken off, the SGF was appointed Principal Counsel in the firm of Messrs Mustapha & Associates.

His legal interests and expertise includes privatization, commercialization and Liberalization of Public Companies/Corporate and Government Parastatals.

He was also involved in preparation of varied and miscellaneous banking documents such as Debentures, Guarantees, Mortgages, Bonds and Loan Syndications.

One of Mr. Mustapha’s career highlights was his appointment as a member of Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), serving meritoriously from 2000 to 2007. At the PTF, he was responsible for production of an up-to-date comprehensive project and programme report, including location, coverage and whether performed, performing or abandoned projects and the  production of final report of Assets and Liabilities, examination of the Administrative structure and cost effectiveness of PTF Projects and Services among other duties.

Mr. Mustapha also played key leadership roles at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) serving as Social Secretary and Chairman at the Yola branch.

After his stint at the PTF in 2007, Mr. Mustapha was appointed Principal Partner of the law firm, Adroit Lex. His law practice and the burning desire to serve the larger society conspired to attract the SGF into politics.
At various times, he was member Federal Republic of Nigeria Constituent Assembly (1988-1989), Chairman People’s Solidarity Party-Gongola State (1989-1990), state chairman, Social Democratic Party-Gongola State (1990-1991); he was even a gubernatorial candidate for SDP in Adamawa state in 1991.
He was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria from 2010 to 2013. In 2007, he again played a prominent role, serving as the Deputy Director-General of the party’s Presidential Campaign Organization.

His services remained in high demand after the ACN joined forces with other parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He was a member of NCC and Secretary APC Presidential Campaign Organization Mobilization (2015) and member, APC Transition Committee (2015).
He is also a member, APC Board of Trustees.

In addition to the NBA, the SGF is a member of various professional bodies including African Bar Association (ABA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International Bar Association (IBA) and Human Rights Institute (HRI).

But Mr. Mustapha’s accomplishments go beyond politics and the Bar; he is respected boardroom guru, having been appointed into the boards of several companies in the manufacturing and  financial services as well as Oil and Gas Sectors.

He is the National Vice President, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, Nigeria, FGBMFI.

The SGF has travelled extensively visiting no fewer than 30 countries, and always taken interest in how assets are managed in those countries.
He stresses teamwork and the need to focus on the nation’s vision and mission. He also is fond of saying: “Just call me Boss,  I don’t have nicknames.”

Mr. Mustapha who is married with children, enjoys golf, lawn tennis, travelling, documentary films, charity work and meeting people.

Until his appointment as DG, he was the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA.

BREAKING NEWS: PRESIDENT BUHARI APPOINTS BOSS MUSTAPHA NEW SGF, TERMINATES APPOINTMENTS OF BABACHIR LAWAL, AYO OKE

President Muhammadu Buhari has studied the report of the panel headed by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, which investigated allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir David Lawal, and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.
 
The President accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr Lawal, and has appointed Mr Boss Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The appointment takes immediate effect.
 
President Buhari also approved the recommendation to terminate the appointment of Ambassador Oke, and has further approved the setting up of a three-member panel to, among other things, look into the operational, technical and administrative structure of the Agency and make appropriate recommendations.

Abuja High Court Declined to Stop Obiano

The members of the public are urged to disregard the wicked and spurious allegations making round and peddled by one Eneh Victor Chigozie that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted an order restraining the gubernatorial candidate of APGA, His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano from parading himself as the authentic candidate of APGA for the forthcoming gubernatorial polls in Anambra state. Indeed, one impostor Martin Agbaso had approached the Federal High Court, Abuja vide an originating summons for some frivolous reliefs. The said Martin Agbaso further filed an exparte application for interim injunction.

However, the Federal High Court Abuja while delivering its ruling on the said application on Friday, 27/10/2017 expressly declined the prayers for interim injunction against the respondents (INEC and Chief Willie Obiano). The court however granted the prayers of the applicants for accelerated hearing and substituted service on the respondents hence the publication in Sun Newspapers of today 30/10/2017.

By the said ruling of the Honourable court, Chief Willie Obiano remains the duly nominated and authentic candidate of APGA for the forthcoming gubernatorial polls in Anambra state. Ndi Anambra and the generality of APGA faithfuls are urged to disregard the antics of the drowning opposition in Anambra who are bent on derailing the wheel of progess so far recorded by the incumbent APGA led government in Anambra state. Indeed, victory is certain and imminent.

Osinbajo lied against me —GEJ

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has said Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, lied against his government by claiming that the last administration released the sum of N100 billion and another $295 million in cash within two weeks of the 2015 general election.

Jonathan, in a statement on his behalf by his Special Assistant, New Media, RenoOmokri indicated that the lies by the vice President were becoming characteristic.

The statement indicated that the claims credited to Osinbajo, while speaking in Lagos on Friday, at a “Greater Nigeria Pastors Conference,” that President Jonathan released the huge sums weeks before the election, was false.

“I make bold to say that the Vice President has once again taken to his characteristic habit of lying,” the statement read.

“Nigerians may recall that only last week, Vice President Osinbajo was in Anambra State, where he lied that the present administration had paid $2 billion for the second Niger Bridge.

“I had cause to expose that lie and forced the Presidency to issue a ‘clarification’. The money released was 2 billion Naira and it came from the Sovereign Wealth Fund set up by the Jonathan administration which the APC resisted and challenged in court.

“It will also be recalled that in February 2016, the Vice President again lied when he claimed that both the Jonathan and Yar’Adua government did not build a single road. This fact was easily disproved when even members of this administration, including Osinbajo’s boss, President Buhari, began commissioning projects, including roads built by the Jonathan administration.

“Nigerians will recall that the Jonathan administration rebuilt the Benin-Ore portions of the Benin-Lagos road,” Vom-Manchok road, the Kano-Zaria Road Bridge (named after late Emir Ado Bayero) and many more.

“On this recent allegation by the Vice-President, not only has the Vice President again lied, he is doing so to divert attention from the Maina scandal in which the administration in which he serves, by the testimony of the Maina family, invited Abdulrasheed Maina, the infamous alleged pension thief, back into the country, reinstated him, promoted him and deployed him as Director of Human Resources in the ministry of Internal affairs.

“When they were found out, the Presidency resorted to its favourite past time of blame game by preposterously accusing former President Jonathan of somehow magically being the brain behind Maina’s return. This is even as the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had already revealed that he “acted in the public’s interest” in initiating the process for Maina’s return.”

“There is also the $25 billion Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation scam which is the biggest scam ever in the history of Nigeria since 1914 to date.
“Finally, Nigerians want to know the truth about the Babachir Lawal probe which has been concluded and handed over to the president many months ago but of which no action has been taken.

“Nigerians want to hear the truth about these scandals and not tired lies about looted funds that keep being recycled without proof.

“I would like to remind the Vice President that he is a Pastor and therefore conversant with the biblical admonition in Revelations 21:8 that “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.”

The statement further indicated: “It is not too late for the Vice President to turn a new leaf and begin to apologize to Nigerians for the three million jobs a year he and his boss promised, but ended up losing 4.5 million jobs in their first two years according to the Nigerian Bureau of statistics.

“If Vice President Osinbajo is looking for who to blame for the present sorry state of the Nigerian economy, he should buy a mirror.

“The rushed implementation of the Treasury Single Account policy of the Jonathan administration, the constant negative comments about our economy by the President while on foreign trips, the inconsistence foreign exchange policies of the government, the advice to the World Bank to focus only on the Northerner Nigeria, the openly pro Northern agenda which gives promotion and appointment to persons of Northern extraction irrespective of merit or experience are to blame, not Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. "

ADP Lagos Congratulates The New UNILAG VC

The Action Democratic Party (ADP) Lagos Chapter, congratulates Professor Toyin Ogundipe as he takes over as the new vice chancellor of the prestigious University of Lagos.

In their statement which was issued by their party publicity secretary, Adelaja Adeoye, he said the ADP focused on improving the social welfare of the citizens of Nigeria, places a high premium on education and we join millions of stakeholders, alumni, students  and the academia to congratulate you on your assumption of office as the vice chancellor of one of the most sought after universities in Nigeria and the nation's pride.

The ADP party spokesperson said they are delighted that a man of rare integrity and sound academic background will steer the ship of the university for the next five years.

They also said It is their hope and expectation that he will put his leadership skills to bear and continue to make the university a pace setter in the nation's educational sector and they are confident that with his leadership, the university will continue to produce great men and women that will bring about a better Nigeria and also improve the world at large.

The ADP spokesman, Adelaja Adeoye in his statement said they used the opportunity to call on all stakeholders of the university to provide the desired support for the success of this new administration.

They also acknowledge the great achievements of the immediate past vice chancellor, Prof. Rahmon Bello as we wish him well in all his future endeavours.

Col Ahmadu Ali rtd CG customs chairman Buhari support at commissioning of campaign office

"It is my belief that those of us who have been in the trenches all these years to get good governance will surely be sleeping with bellyache every day, especially in the recent past. Every day, when you wake up, there is a story that makes you shiver. We cannot, as a people who have fought and committed everything we had to bring this government to being, sit back and allow things to happen the way they are happening.“Are we willing to face Nigerians and tell them that we have failed? I think this is the time for us to come together, create a system that is very robust enough to fight back and take back government in our hands and ensure that we deliver."“There is no doubt that we have derailed because we are not doing what we say we want to do. Why is it so? We need to find an answer to that. If we do find an answer, then what should we do to get us all back on track. We owe this great nation and the 180 million Nigerians the duty to give good governance. Good governance is what they voted for and good governance is what they expect to get and they serve that.