Political Statements That Seemed Harmless But Proved Costly

"My hands are tied" - Justice Sodeinde Sowemimo

"Money is not Nigeria's problem, but how to spend it" - General Yakubu Gowon


"The worth of a child born and bred in Nigeria cannot be compared to that in the United States." – Yakubu Gowon

"If you Tarka me, I will Daboh you" - Godwin Daboh

"Until I see someone eating out of the gutters before I believe there is poverty in Nigeria"– Umaru Dikko

Adamawa Guber Poll: Ribadu, 7 others stepped down for Acting Gov. Fintiri ahead of PDP primary

The eight Adamawa governorship aspirants who withdrew from the primary election slated for tomorrow (Saturday) have declared support for the state’s acting governor, Umaru Fintiri. 

The eight aspirants include a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] Nuhu Ribadu as well as Awwal Tukur, Idi Hong, Aliyu Kama, Markus Gundiri, Andrawus Sawa,Halilu Gire, and James Barka. 

They had after a meeting with Senate President, David Mark, early on Friday stepped down from the race after it was agreed that the northen Senatorial zone should produce the governor in the coming bye-election, while the position would be zoned to the Central zone in 2015. 

However, a former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Ahmed Modibbo, refused to step down and insisted on participating in the primaries on Saturday. 

Others aspirants running in Saturday’s primary election are Buba Marwa, Umar Ardo, Jerry Kumdisi, and Ahmed Gulak. 

One of the eight aspirants, Andrawus Sawa, who addressed reporters shortly after a meeting with the acting governor at Government House, Yola, said they pledged to work with Mr. Fintiri in line with the agreement reached at the meeting held at the Presidential villa in Abuja. 

Details later…




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CNPP PRESS STATEMENT: "Senate Retroactive Supplementary Recommendation: Unconstitutional"

The Senate Report on the missing $49.8 billion Crude Oil Sales Revenue that recommended, 'that President Goodluck Jonathan should prepare and present to the National Assembly, a supplementary budget to cover the sum of N90.693 billion for PMS subsidy for 2012 and the sum of N685.919 billion for kerosene subsidy expended without appropriation by the National Assembly', is unconstitutional, less than transparent as the expenditure of any amount without appropriation is an impeachable offense.

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) had read from page to page and could not locate the section that mandated the Senate to make such unconstitutional and fraudulent recommendation; for Section 81 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended only stipulates in Section 81 that, 'The President shall cause to be prepared and laid before each of the House of the National Assembly at any time in each financial year estimates of the revenues and expenditure of the Federation for the next following financial year'. Not years after and to cover fraud.

Brazil World Cup: Jonathan’s delegation dwarfs Obama’s, others in Africa

Nigeria, again, will spend a fortune on officials traveling abroad with President Goodluck Jonathan’s typically oversize presidential delegation to the World Cup in Brazil announced this week. If the mega-size team had any chance escaping public attention, a similar presidential delegation announced by United States President Barack Obama, sealed it.

Mr. Jonathan’s team comprises governors, ministers, federal lawmakers and diplomats- totalling more than a dozen; while Mr. Obama’s has an advisor, a diplomat and two former athletes only.

President Jonathan insists PDP will win Ekiti poll

President Goodluck Jonathan said on Saturday his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would win the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti state. He made the statement at the formal presentation of the party's flag to its governorship candidate in the state, Ayo Fayose, in Ado-Ekiti.

Jonathan said that his optimism was based on the tumultuous crowd that trooped out to welcome his entourage right from Akure Airport en route Ado-Ekiti. He said that he was thrilled by the crowd, saying the party's candidate could not afford to lose the poll if such display of affection translated to votes.

Boko Haram: Why Nigeria withdraws peacekeeping troops from Mali

The President of the Senate, David Mark, on Monday said activities of Boko Haram insurgents had compelled the government to withdraw Nigeria’s peacekeeping troops from Mali. 

He made the remark at a two-day retreat on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy jointly organised by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos. 

The Senate President said Boko Haram insurgency had become a major challenge to Nigeria’s efforts at forging relationships with her French-speaking neighbours.

PDP South-East Rally: Armed thugs attack Enugu party chairman’s residence

As the Nigerian President, Dr.  Goodluck Jonathan is scheduled to attend the South East zonal rally of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, holding in Enugu today, suspected heavily armed thugs have invaded the Enugu residence of chairman of the party for Udi Local Government Area, Mr. Uche Ogbodo.

The report has that the armed men forcefully removing his private car and a PDP bus in his custody. Ogbodo said, armed men numbering about 12 entered his compound in the GRA area of Enugu and attempted to force their way into his house, saying  that he was inside when they were making all their forceful attempts, but noted that when they could not gain entry because of the iron doors in the house, the invaders took the keys of his private car, a KIA-RIO with Reg. No. AGW 35 AAA, drove it away and used a towing van to tow the PDP bus from his compound.

N4.69 trillion budget passed by Nigerian Senate

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed the 2014 Appropriation Bill of N4.695 trillion, which is N53 billion more than the estimate presented by the executive to the National Assembly (NASS).

Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has by late last year,  Dec. 19, 2013, through the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, presented a budget of N4.642 trillion to National Assembly.

Following the considering and adoptions of the reports of the Ahmad Maccido-led committee on Appropriation and the Ahmed Makarfi-led committee on Finance, the Senate approved the 2014 budget. According to the reports, the budget, tagged, “Budget of Fiscal Consolidation and Inclusive Growth’’, was based on a benchmark of 77 Dollars per barrel of crude and oil production of 2.39 million barrels per day.

Macro-economic Stability And Growth Will Be My Watchwords - New CBN Chief vows

ABUJA (AFP) – Nigeria’s new central bank chief, Mr Godwin Emefiele, on Wednesday vowed to ensure economic stability to create jobs and boost growth, as lawmakers approved his appointment after the controversial suspension of his predecessor.

The former Zenith Bank boss will replace Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was removed last month on president Jonathan charges of “financial recklessness and misconduct”and the Nigerian Upper legislative lawmakers (the Senate) unanimously approved his appointment following nearly two hours of questioning that was broadcast live on television.

Nigerian Senate Okays Godwin Emefiele As New CBN Governor

The Nigerian National Assembly (Senate) on Wednesday confirmed former Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Godwin Emefiele as the new Governor of the Nigeria Central bank (CBN).

Mr. Godwin Emefiele will now take over the reins of CBN from Dr. Sarah Alade, the most senior deputy governor at the bank who has been Governor in acting capacity since Sanusi’s suspension.

Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan nominated Emefiele to the Senate on February 20th 2014, the same day he ousted then Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on allegations of financial reckless and misconduct.

Revealed: IBB, David Mark Stop Gusau From Resigning

Immediately after an online news portal, Saharareporter broke the news on the resignation of the minister of defence, Lt.-Gen Aliyu Gusau, the Presidency and the Ministry of Defence denied the report stating that Gusau still remains the minister in charge of defence.

But the denial notwithstanding, The Punch in a report said it gathered that minister was on his way out of the cabinet of President Goodluck Jonathan but for the pressure mounted on him at the instance of President Jonathan.

BREAKING NEWS :Adamu Mu’azu is new PDP National Chairman

Adamu Mu’azu, 58, was unanimously adopted on Sunday night at a meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Senate President David Mark and all the state Governors elected under the PDP amongst others.

We gathered that Mu’azu was later invited to join the meeting at the Presidential Villa after the leaders had agreed on his choice.

We further gathered that he gave a commitment that he’ll reposition the party and strengthen it ahead of the general elections.

We also gathered from our source, who is a very influential member of the party, that Mu’azu will be unveiled formally on Monday at a Special NEC meeting of the party.

Update:

The meeting started at about 10.pm (local time) inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja and lasted for about 3 hours.

Mu’azu topped about 15 other aspirants for the chairmanship following last week’s forced resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur from the post.

Some of the aspirants included a former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil and the incumbent Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, the two preferred candidates of President Jonathan and his wife, Patience.

Also interested in the position were former Police Affairs Minister, Adamu Maina Waziri; former Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba Aji; former National Chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), Alhaji Gambo Lawan, Senator Abubakar Mahdi; TETFUND Chairman, Alhaji Musa Babayo; and former Commerce Minister, Alhaji Idris Waziri, amongst others.

Mu’azu was Governor of Bauchi State from 1999-2003. He had earlier worked as a civil servant for the Governments of Kano and Bauchi and became a businessman thereafter before his election as Governor.

He was indicted and banned from holding public office for ten (10) years by a Judicial Commission set up by his successor, Mr. Isa Yuguda, for misappropriating about N20 billion belonging to the Bauchi State Government during his 8 year rule of the state. Though he denied the charges citing the cold war between himself and his successor, Mu’azu fled the country when anti-graft agency, the EFCC, started investigating his tenure.

In October 11, 2010, the agency issued a statement it was still investigating the politician for corruption after a local newspaper reported he had been given a clean bill by the agency.

“We wish to state emphatically that ex-governor Adamu Muazu is still being investigated and as such could not have been cleared of graft allegations against him.

“The former governor who until recently has been out of the country is still expected to honour an invitation to interview a team of operatives investigating the case against him”, the statement said.

The EFCC has however remained mute on the outcome of its investigation and has not charged the former Governor.

In 2011, he was cleared to return to Nigeria by President Jonathan as he moved to build a coalition in the north ahead of the Presidential election and appointed Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), a development that irked anti-corruption activists, prompting two lawyers, Mr. Ogenovo Otemu and Mr. Alexander Oketa, from the firm of Festus Keyamo, to file a suit at the Federal High Court (FHC) Abuja seeking the nullification of his appointment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/186/2011.

The plaintiffs in an originating summons obtained by news men had asked Justice Adamu Bello to determine as follows: “Whether the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007 is not a valid and binding document on all authorities and persons in Nigeria, including the Defendants, until set aside by a Court of competent jurisdiction.”

“Whether by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007, the 1st Defendant can be appointed by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants into any public office until 2019, and “Whether the appointment of the 1st Defendant as Board Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency by 2nd Defendant is not null and void by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007.”

Following Mu’azu’s indictment, the plaintiffs had also sought the following reliefs: “A declaration that the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007 is a valid and binding document on all authorities and persons in Nigeria, including the Defendants, until set aside by a Court of competent jurisdiction.

“A declaration that by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007, the 1st Defendant cannot be appointed into any public office until 2019.

“ A declaration that the appointment of the 1st Defendant as Board Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency by the 2nd Defendant is null and void by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007 and “An order nullifying the appointment of the 1st Respondent by the 2nd Respondent as Board Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.”

THEWILL

BREAKING NEWS :Adamu Mu’azu is new PDP National Chairman

Adamu Mu’azu, 58, was unanimously adopted on Sunday night at a meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Senate President David Mark and all the state Governors elected under the PDP amongst others.

We gathered that Mu’azu was later invited to join the meeting at the Presidential Villa after the leaders had agreed on his choice.

We further gathered that he gave a commitment that he’ll reposition the party and strengthen it ahead of the general elections.

We also gathered from our source, who is a very influential member of the party, that Mu’azu will be unveiled formally on Monday at a Special NEC meeting of the party.

Update:

The meeting started at about 10.pm (local time) inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja and lasted for about 3 hours.

Mu’azu topped about 15 other aspirants for the chairmanship following last week’s forced resignation of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur from the post.

Some of the aspirants included a former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil and the incumbent Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, the two preferred candidates of President Jonathan and his wife, Patience.

Also interested in the position were former Police Affairs Minister, Adamu Maina Waziri; former Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba Aji; former National Chairman of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), Alhaji Gambo Lawan, Senator Abubakar Mahdi; TETFUND Chairman, Alhaji Musa Babayo; and former Commerce Minister, Alhaji Idris Waziri, amongst others.

Mu’azu was Governor of Bauchi State from 1999-2003. He had earlier worked as a civil servant for the Governments of Kano and Bauchi and became a businessman thereafter before his election as Governor.

He was indicted and banned from holding public office for ten (10) years by a Judicial Commission set up by his successor, Mr. Isa Yuguda, for misappropriating about N20 billion belonging to the Bauchi State Government during his 8 year rule of the state. Though he denied the charges citing the cold war between himself and his successor, Mu’azu fled the country when anti-graft agency, the EFCC, started investigating his tenure.

In October 11, 2010, the agency issued a statement it was still investigating the politician for corruption after a local newspaper reported he had been given a clean bill by the agency.

“We wish to state emphatically that ex-governor Adamu Muazu is still being investigated and as such could not have been cleared of graft allegations against him.

“The former governor who until recently has been out of the country is still expected to honour an invitation to interview a team of operatives investigating the case against him”, the statement said.

The EFCC has however remained mute on the outcome of its investigation and has not charged the former Governor.

In 2011, he was cleared to return to Nigeria by President Jonathan as he moved to build a coalition in the north ahead of the Presidential election and appointed Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), a development that irked anti-corruption activists, prompting two lawyers, Mr. Ogenovo Otemu and Mr. Alexander Oketa, from the firm of Festus Keyamo, to file a suit at the Federal High Court (FHC) Abuja seeking the nullification of his appointment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/186/2011.

The plaintiffs in an originating summons obtained by news men had asked Justice Adamu Bello to determine as follows: “Whether the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007 is not a valid and binding document on all authorities and persons in Nigeria, including the Defendants, until set aside by a Court of competent jurisdiction.”

“Whether by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007, the 1st Defendant can be appointed by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants into any public office until 2019, and “Whether the appointment of the 1st Defendant as Board Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency by 2nd Defendant is not null and void by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007.”

Following Mu’azu’s indictment, the plaintiffs had also sought the following reliefs: “A declaration that the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007 is a valid and binding document on all authorities and persons in Nigeria, including the Defendants, until set aside by a Court of competent jurisdiction.

“A declaration that by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007, the 1st Defendant cannot be appointed into any public office until 2019.

“ A declaration that the appointment of the 1st Defendant as Board Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency by the 2nd Defendant is null and void by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State Government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007 and “An order nullifying the appointment of the 1st Respondent by the 2nd Respondent as Board Chairman of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.”

THEWILL