Buhari naming Warri-Itakpe rail line after me good gesture –Jonathan [Sun]
- Briefs President on Mali crisis
Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has described the naming of the Warri-Itakpe rail station after him as a good gesture by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Jonathan who was at the State House,Abuja, to brief the President as ECOWAS Special Envoy to Mali, also commended President Buhari for completing the railway project, one of the legacy projects of previous administrations.
Construction of the rail line commenced in 1987 and was meant to move iron ore from the mines around Itakpe to the steelworks at Ajaokuta, Kogi State, but was abandoned for many years before work resumed under Buhari’s administration.
Jonathan described the completion of the project as “the way to go.”
“Let me use this opportunity to commend Mr President publicly. I have already sent a letter to him appreciating that it is a good gesture. Completing the railway programme is good. It shows that the president is going on with the legacy projects of previous administrations and that is the way to go. I appreciate it and I thank Mr President,” he said.
Buhari had on Saturday approved the naming of the Railway Complex in Agbor, the operational hub of Itakpe Warri rail line after the former president and it’s now known as the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station and Complex.
Asked to describe his relationship with President Buhari, Jonathan said: “You have been seeing me coming to see the President and you have been seeing us having friendly conversation, so our relationship is okay.”
Meanwhile, President Buhari will consult with key leaders of ECOWAS in order to find a solution to the crisis rocking Republic of Mali.
Spokesperson for the President, Femi Adesina, in a statement said Buhari made the pledge, yesterday, while receiving reports from former president Jonathan who is the ECOWAS Special Envoy to Mali.
Jonathan was at State House, Abuja, in company of the President of ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.
“We will ask the President of Niger, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS to brief us as a group, and we will then know the way forward,” President Buhari said.
He thanked Jonathan for his comprehensive brief on the situation in Mali saying “you had been abreast with since when you were the sitting Nigerian President.”
The former President had filled in President Buhari on his activities as Special Envoy to restore amity to Mali, rocked by protests against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who has spent two out of the five years second term in office.
A resistance group, M5, is insisting that the Constitutional Court must be dissolved, and the President resign, before peace can return to the country.
Crisis had erupted after the court nullified results of 31 parliamentary seats in the polls held recently, awarding victory to some other contenders, which the resistance group said was at the instigation of President Keita.
Riots on July 10 had led to the killing of some protesters by security agents, causing the crisis to spiral out of control, hence the intervention by ECOWAS.
“ECOWAS can’t preside over the removal of an elected President. Not even the African Union (AU) or the United Nations (UN) can do it. Leaders must be elected and leave under constitutional processes, otherwise we would have Banana republics all over the place,” Jonathan submitted.
Insecurity: Senate calls for sack of service chiefs [Sun]
- Their appointment, sack Buhari’s prerogatives –Presidency
The Senate, yesterday, called for the sack of the country’s service chiefs.
This followed a resolution adopted by the lawmakers after considering a motion by Mohammed Ali Ndume where he gave a chilling account of activities of bandits and Boko Haram terrorists in the North and also offered insight into how the country was losing several of its soldiers in combat to terrorists.
Ndume, who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, had told the lawmakers of the dire situation in Borno and other states in the North, saying in the last few days, scores of soldiers had been killed while several others were declared missing by army authorities
“Just recently, 24 soldiers were ambushed and killed along Maiduguri-Damboa road in Borno State, 19 were wounded and nine were declared missing in action. In Katsina, soldiers were also ambushed and killed, while several others were wounded and the number of casualties is not known. The Senate appreciates the sacrifice of our armed forces in the fight against the insurgency and banditry and protection of territorial integrity and several other security assignments given to them, but is concerned that if the trend continues, it would have serious implications on the fight against insurgency, banditry. It has been alleged that over 200 soldiers voluntarily resigned their engagement or appointment with the Nigerian Army,” said Ndume.
Ibrahim Gobir from Sokoto State, in his contribution, said the lack of coordination among the military was a major setback in the fight against banditry and insurgency.
Accordinfg to him, it was the lack of coordination and cooperation that recently led to terrorists re-taking 13 villages hitherto recovered by the military. He said a local government headquarter was also being occupied by bandits.
Leader of the Senate, Yahaya Abdullahi, said several reports had been submitted to the executive but lamented that no action was taken, even as he called for a change of tactics by the military.
Former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, while lamenting the frequent loss of lives to insurgents said the apathy in the military to the fight against terrorists was a dangerous sign. He said the primary responsibility of government remains the protection of lives and property and urged the government to take charge and safeguard the lives of Nigerians.
The Senate, thereafter, constituted a joint committee to receive briefing on the state of affairs of the services to determine the next line of action.The committee is comprised of members from Defence, Army, Air Force, Navy, National Security, Nigeria Police and Interior. The defence committee will lead the interface and is expected to report back within four weeks weeks.
However, in a swift reaction, the Presidency told the lawmakers that appointment or sack of security chiefs is the prerogative of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, “The Senate Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service Chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.
“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service Chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”
Political will only solution to insecurity – Ugomuoh, ex AIG
The Charles Ugomuoh Foundation for Good Governance and Humanitarian Initiative has said the spate of deaths and destruction of properties from banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country can only be curbed if he government musters the political will to tackle the problem headlong.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the foundation, and retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Charles Ugomuoh, made the submission during the inauguration of the foundation in Abuja.
Ugomuoh, a public security expert said once there was the political will to fight insecurity every other thing will fall in place.
He said security cannot be achieved in the absence of sufficient intelligence and synergy among the security agencies.
“There must be synergy amongst the security agencies. It is easy to advise; go and flush out the kidnappers, the bandits, destroy the kidnappers den.
774,000 jobs: Senate, Reps insist recruitment must be handled by NDE [Nation]
The Senate, yesterday, said it was not backing down on its earlier position that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), not the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity, should handle the recruitment of 774,000 persons across the 774 local government areas in the country as part of the Special Public Works Programme.
It, however, toned down its earlier position that the exercise should be suspended pending the resolution of administrative issues by the handlers of the exercise.
At a resumed sitting, senators who took turns to speak, following a motion moved by Opeyemi Bamidele, said the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Festus Keyamo, could be jailed for hijacking the recruitment process, which was originally designed to be handled by the NDE.
Keyamo has been on the war path with the National Assembly over the implementation of the Special Public Works Programme. While the parliament has ordered a halt of the programme, Keyamo said he had the permission of President Muhammadu Buhari to continue.
Senators Bala Ibn Na’Alla, Godiya Akwashiki and others called on the Senate to invoke the relevant constitutional provisions to deal decisively with erring appointees of President Buhari.
He specifically named Keyamo and said he could be jailed for tampering with the Appropriations Act, a creation of the law.
Bamidele, in his lead debate, based his argument on the fact that the approval given through a budgetary provision was for the NDE and not the supervising ministry. He added that the NDE, not thye ministry of labour, would be held responsible, if the exercise did not go well. He said proper oversight functions should be carried out by the relevant committees.
In his concluding remarks, Lawan said the National Assembly would be on the same page with the executive. Declaring that the harmonious relationship between the two arms would continue to flourish.
Like the Senate, the House of Representatives has also insisted that the Special Public Works Programme must be implemented by the NDE, under the supervision of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, as stipulated by extant laws.
According to the House, the office of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, occupied by Keyamo, which is saddled with supervision of the programme, was alien to the 1999 Constitution ( as amended).
Consequently, the House urged the Ministry of Finance to only release funds for the implementation of the programme only if such implementation complied with due process, the Appropriation Act 2020, and the NDE Act.
This followed the adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by the deputy minority leader, Toby Okechukwu, and the chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, on the “need to uphold the National Directorate of Employment Act in the implementation of the Special Public Works Programme” at yesterday’s plenary.
Recovered vehicles auctioned to Presidential Villa, ministries – Magu [Punch]
…says vehicles allocated to govt agencies after presidential approval
- Salami-led panel rejects letter by suspended EFCC chairman
The suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, says some of the vehicles recovered by the EFCC were auctioned to the Presidential Villa, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as well as the Federal Inland Revenue Services and other agencies.
He further stated that some of these agencies had not paid for the vehicles but there was an arrangement that the money would be deducted from their financial allocation.
Magu, in a letter addressed to the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel titled, ‘Re: Alleged Case of Conspiracy, Enrichment, Abuse of Public Office and Other Infractions,’ explained how some of the recovered vehicles were auctioned.
The letter was in response to an earlier report by the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets in which Magu was accused of being unable to account for the interest accrued to N550bn recovered funds as well as recovered vehicles and houses.
In his response to the allegations of being unable to account for recovered vehicles, Magu stated, “On allocation of vehicles to some government agencies through special auction with presidential approval. The beneficiary agencies are: the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of which the valued price is to be debited from their allocation; State House, National Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons; Federal Inland Revenue Service and National Directorate of Employment.”
The suspended EFCC boss said about 450 other vehicles, which had been recovered, had yet to be sold despite receiving presidential approval to do so.
“The commission presently has presidential approval to dispose over 450 forfeited vehicles located in Lagos and Abuja. The vehicles have been valued by the National Automotive Council Valuers and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. But no sale/disposal has been conducted yet,” Magu stated.
He said some of the houses permanently forfeited to the Federal Government by looters had also been handed over to some government agencies like the Voice of Nigeria, North -East Development Commission and the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate.
The suspended EFCC boss explained that some other properties, which had been forfeited pending the outcome of court cases, were being rented by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigerian Army and other agencies of government.
Presidency disagrees as National Assembly asks service chiefs to resign [Punch]
The Senate on Tuesday asked heads of the country’s armed forces to step down following the killings of soldiers fighting insurgency and banditry in parts of northern Nigeria.
But the Presidency, in its reaction, disagreed, saying it is the prerogative of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to appoint and sack the service chiefs
Debating a motion moved by the Chairman of Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, the upper chamber of the National Assembly said service chiefs should leave for “new ideas” to handle the nation’s security challenges.
Ndume said his motion tagged, ‘Matter of urgent national importance,’ was on the rising number of casualties among the Nigerian armed forces and other security agencies.
The call by the senators came barely a month after the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawan, met with the President over the rising insecurity in the country.
In an interview with the State House correspondents after the meeting, Lawan said security chiefs should live up to their expectations or be shown the way out.
Despite Lawan’s admonition, there have been increasing killings of both soldiers and civilians by bandits and the Boko Haram insurgents.
There were reports that 20 soldiers, who were returning from an operation, were ambushed and killed by Boko Haram insurgents on the Maiduguri-Damboa Road on July 7.
Last week, more than 200 soldiers in the North-East and other theatres of operation, who cited “loss of interest,” resigned from the Nigerian Army.
But the Chief of Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Tukur Buratai, in Katsina last week said the service chiefs had not disappointed the President and the nation.
At the Senate plenary on Tuesday, the service chiefs received a barrage of criticisms, following the motion moved by Ndume.
The Borno State senator said various reports on the rising number of casualties among the Nigerian Army and other security agencies were worrisome.
He said, “Just recently, 24 soldiers were ambushed and killed along the Gambua – Maiduguri Road in Borno State. At least, 19 personnel were wounded, while nine were declared missing in action.
“It is disturbing that in Katsina, again about 20 soldiers were also ambushed and killed while several others were wounded. The number of civilian casualty is not known.
“The senate appreciates the sacrifice of our armed forces in the fight against insurgency, banditry and protection of the territorial integrity of Nigeria and several other security assignments given to them.”
“If the trend continues, it will have serious implications on the fight against insurgency, banditry and other forms of criminality in the country.
“Recently, it was alleged that over 236 soldiers voluntarily resigned their engagements with the Nigerian Army.”
The Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, proposed an additional prayer which demanded that service chiefs should step down
Fadahunsi said, “The additional prayer is that the present crop of service chiefs should step down for the new ideas to come in so as not jeopardise security system.”
Fadahunsi’s prayer was seconded by Senator Betty Apiafi.
The Senate President ruled on the prayer and it was overwhelmingly supported by all the senators in attendance.
Lawan said, “The spirit of this motion is that our armed forces are trying very hard just like the President (Buhari) said.
“Their good is still not enough but we need to continue to encourage them. We need to continue to provide for them. They lay down their lives on behalf of all of us.
“It is very sad that some of them are deserting and are alleged to have deserted the war front. We need to get to the bottom of this.
“Our joint committees should be able to verify this allegation that over 200 soldiers deserted the war front. Those that are dead we will observe a minute silence.
The Senate, therefore, asked the service chiefs to down aside so that the President, could appoint new ones with fresh ideas.
The Senate observed one minute silence in honour of the fallen heroes and urged the Federal Government to urgently provide modern equipment to enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces.
Those, who contributed to the motion, lamented the implication of the disturbing development, stressing that it was capable of frustrating the war against insurgency and banditry.
They noted that many members of the armed forces who were scared of losing their lives, had started resigning from the military.
The Leader of the Senate, Yahaya Abdullahi, said, “The issue that now faces us is that the readiness of our armed forces to really confront these challenges is now under a lot of pressure and this pressure is reflected in the amount and number of soldiers we are losing due to ambush by terrorists and bandits.”
It’s President’s prerogative to sack or appoint service chiefs – Buhari’s aide
But the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the appointment and sacking of service chiefs remained the prerogative of Buhari.
Adesina said this in a statement titled, “Service chiefs: Position of Presidency on resolution by the Senate.”
Adesina said, “The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sacking of service chiefs is a presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”
Don’t take our resolution with levity, Senate tells Buhari
Later on Tuesday, the Senate advised the President not to take its resolution asking the service chiefs to resign with levity.
The Spokesperson for the red chamber, Senator Ajibola Basiru, stated this while reacting to the position of the Presidency on the resolution.
He acknowledged the fact that the resolution was advisory which was not legally binding on the President.
He said, “The positions of both the legislature and the executive on the resolution of the Senate calling on the service chiefs to step down are correct.
“We are elected by the Nigerian people to make laws for the good governance of the country.
“Part of our responsibility is that we have the moral duty to be concerned about the security and welfare of Nigerians. As for the legal status of our resolution, it is an advisory on the executive.
“What I can say is that the advice by elected parliament ought not to be taken with levity even though it does not have legal binding. We are of the view that the tenure of the service chiefs should be reviewed.”
Why I didn’t ask for service chiefs’ sacking – Ndume
Ndume, who moved the motion that led to the resolution, said that he refused to ask for the sacking of service chiefs because of the poor funding for the armed forces.
He told journalists Tuesday evening that his original motion failed to ask for the sacking of the service chiefs because he was aware that the armed forces were grossly ill equipped.
Oyo releases school reopening exams timetable [Punch]
The Oyo State Government has approved the measures that would guide the resumption of schools and associated educational activities in the state.
This indication was given at the end of the State Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.
According to the calendar, the third term 2019/2020 session has been cancelled.
As a result, promotion for all affected classes would be determined by the first and second term continuous assessment results.
Primary 6, Junior Secondary School 3 and Senior Secondary School 3 students are to proceed on holiday from July 30 and resume for their examinations in some weeks’ time.
The Basic Education Certificate Examination is billed to hold between August 10 and 18, while the Competitive Entrance Examination into the schools of science is to hold on August 19.
Placement and screening test to JSS1 is slated for August 20, while placement test into technical colleges is for August 28.
The SSS 3 class will resume for examination as soon as the West African Examination Council announces the examination date.
The 2020/21 academic session, according to the calendar indicates that the first term will hold between September 21 and December 18, 2020.
Speaker to Akpabio: list Rep-contractors [Nation]
The House of Representatives has declared a ‘war’ against Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio.
It wants Senator Akpabio to, within 48 hours, provide the names of the National Assembly members whom he accused on Monday of being beneficiaries of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contracts.
To show how serious the House was about the allegation, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila directed the Clerk of the House, Patrick Giwa, to ensure that Akpabio complied with the directive.
While testifying before the House committee probing alleged financial recklessness in the NDDC, Akpabio said: “We have records to show that most of the contracts of NDDC are given to members of the National Assembly, but you don’t know about it.”
But, ruling on a matter of privileges brought by the Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu, during Tuesday’s plenary, Gbajabiamila warned that the minister would face the “full weight of the law”, if he failed to comply with the order.
Although he said his initial reaction was to have a good laugh when Akpabio made the allegation, he realised that it (allegation) impinged on the integrity of the House.
He said the minister, a senator in the 8th National Asembly and a former Akwa Ibom State State governor, owed it a duty to himself, the House Committee on Niger Delta, the people of Niger Delta as well as other Nigerians, to publish the names of the lawmakers who got contracts from the NDDC.
The speaker added that the names of their companies, the contract they got and other details of such contracts should be published by Akpabio.
The Speaker, who said he believed that the minister only came before the probe panel to play games and cause distraction for the House, insisted that the investigation must be concluded.
He said: “When the minister was making his presentation, I had a good laugh, but I soon realised that it was not funny. The oldest joke in the books is to throw a joke or throw in things to distract issues. The media helped him to amplify what we all know is not true, that 60 per cent of contracts in NDDC went to members of the National Assembly.
“It is a distraction to the National Assembly and members of this House and I will take the allegations very serious.
“I will give the minister between 24 and 48 hours to publish the names, contracts so awarded and the place. Unveil the company the contracts were given to, especially members of the 9th Assembly, failure which we will be forced to bring the full weight of the law.
“Every particular of the projects, details of members of the 9th Assembly who got the contract. It is important that we bring this to bear.
“The minister owes it a duty to himself, the Niger Delta people and Nigerians to publish the names of details of those got the contracts.
“I believe that the minister came to play games. The House cannot subject itself to blackmail. We cannot sit back and watch an agency of government throw allegations against the House.
“Allegations have also been made against the Chairman of the Committee (Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo), without cogent evidence to back up the claims.
“We had to ask him (Tunji-Ojo) to recuse himself in order to give those invited the confidence to testify before the committee. It is also instructive to state that the minister told the committee yesterday (Monday) that the chairman never got a contract from the NDDC.”
The Speaker also shed light on reports yesterday that he said the NDDC Acting Managing Director Kemebradikumo Pondei, should not appear before the investigative committee again,
He explained that the committee reserved the right to recall Pondei to give further evidence if they considered it necessary to do so.
Service chiefs, 774,000 jobs: Lawmakers take on Buhari [Nation]
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday rejected the call by the Senate on him to fire the Service chiefs.
Also on Tuesday, the National Assembly took positions against continuation of the process in recruiting 774,000 youths for public works as announced by Minister of State for Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo.
The minister of state said last week that President Buhari authorised him to continue with the process.
The lawmakers called for the military top brass’ sack over “recent killings of soldiers (in the frontline of the insurgency battle) and mass resignation from the military”
But the Presidency said the appointment or sack of Service chiefs is a “Presidential prerogative.”
Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adimral Ibok Ekwe Ibas and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, were appointed on July 13, 2015.
A reversal of gains in the battle against insurgency in the Northeast and lately banditry in the Northwest, has led to a strident call for their sack by concerned Nigerians.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, noted that decisions relating to the appointment or sack of Service chiefs were strictly President Buhari’s prerogative.
In a statement, Adesina said the President, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed Forces, and who appointed the current crop of Service chiefs, would always take steps in the best interest of Nigeria.
He said: “The Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on the Service chiefs to resign or be sacked due to the multi-pronged security challenges in the country.
“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sack of Service chiefs is a Presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times”.
The Senate also resolved that the top hierarchy of the military should brief its relevant committees on the factors militating against their operations to find a way forward.
The Senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of soldiers and members of other security agencies that have died during their fight against insurgency.
The resolutions of the Senate followed the consideration of a motion titled: “Rising casualties among Nigerian soldiers and other security agencies” moved by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC Borno South).
Ndume, in his lead debate, lamented that 24 soldiers were recently killed in an ambush by insurgents on Damboa-Maiduguri road in Borno state.
He said 19 soldiers were injured while nine others were declared missing in action.
He said 20 soldiers were killed during a similar ambush in Katsina with many others injured.
He said while the Senate appreciates the sacrifices being made by members of the armed forces in the fight against insurgency, it is however concerned about the serious implications of the killings in the war against insurgency and banditry.
He lamented the reported recent mass resignation of over 200 soldiers fighting in the frontlines.
He urged the Senate to accordingly resolve to observe a minute’s silence in honour of the fallen heroes;
He further called on the Senate to urge the Federal Government to make urgent provisions of modern equipment to enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces.
He asked the Senate to mandate its joint committees on Defence, Army, Airforce, National Security, Interior and Police to receive briefing on the state of affairs of the armed services regarding the loses and resignations.
Senator Francis Fadahunsi (PDP, Osun East) added a new prayer to the motion which called on all service chiefs to step aside.
All the prayers were approved by the Senate when they were put to voice vote by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
However, speaking to reporters after plenary, Senator Ndume said he did not call for the sack of service chiefs because he is aware of their handicap brought about by poor funding and lack of requisite equipment.
His explanation followed a swift reaction by the Presidency to the Senate’s position that the Service Chiefs should step aside.
Although Ndume’s original motion did not contain the request for the sack of Service Chiefs, it was amended by Senator Fadahunsi.
The Senate adopted both the original motion and the amendment when the voice vote was called.
NDDC spent N4.2b in one day, Akpabio tells Reps [Nation]
- Minister: cash paid out in tranches of N49 million
- ‘Lawmakers are beneficiaries of agency’s contracts’
Contract splitting is rampant in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio, said on Monday.
According to him, the management of the agency indulges in splitting contracts to outwit the minister and evade approval.
Speaking before the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta in Abuja, the minister alleged that the agency spent “over N4.2 billion in a day in tranches of N49 million.”
The committee is probing how N40 billion was spent by the Interim Management Committee (IMC).