President Buhari To Name Looters On May 29th

In an interview in London yesterday before he returned to Abuja, President Buhari said that the names of corrupt Nigerians will be made public in a speech he intends to deliver on May 29 and that those named will be prosecuted. He also said he was coming after people bombing and destroying pipelines in the Niger Delta;

“So far, what has come out, what has been recovered in whatever currency from each ministries, departments and individuals, I intend on the 29th to speak on this because all Nigerians are getting from the mass media because of the number of people arrested either by the EFCC, DSS. But we want to make a comprehensive report on the 29th.
On whether the names of those indicted will be published, he said:
“Yes, eventually, it has to be done because we want to successfully prosecute them. But you know you cannot go to the courts unless you have documents for prosecution.
“People signed for these monies into their personal accounts, their banks gave statements that the money is there, when it came, how much and so on.”
Also speaking on allegation of selective prosecution, Buhari said:
“That is an accusation against the law enforcement agencies. But I assure you that we do not interfere. Try and get those who are now under arrest, you will find out it is across the board.”
On Militants...

"What I know is that I was elected by the whole country and the least I can do is to keep the country together somehow. I assure you we will develop the capacity to do it. If you can recall, the militants, I appointed a retired Brigadier General (Boroh). When I give people assignment, I develop terms of reference for them and I allow them to do their work. I understand the problem. I spoke with the Chief of Naval Staff and other service chiefs to work with him and help him to make sure that those who are blowing the installations, sabotaging investments in Nigeria, we will deal with them eventually.”
On the killer herdsmen, Buhari said they are non-Nigerians who came into Nigeria from Libya.
"because of what happened in Libya, when Ghadaffi, during his 43 year-regime, trained some people from the Sahel militarily. When his regime was overthrown, those people were dispatched to their countries. They found themselves in the Boko Haram and others.
“It is a major regional and virtually African problem now. There is one called Al Qaeda, there is Boko Haram and so on. It is a governmental project now to trace them, disarm them, try them and discipline them.”
He said the Fulani herdsmen “culturally do not stay in one place; they move with the season.
“Normally, harvest is complete much earlier in the North. They have to go southwards for greener pasture.
“Initially, there was what they call cattle routes and grazing areas. They were marked. Infrastructures were put in terms of dams and veterinary clinics.
“Later, the big ogas that came, took over these places and turned them to farms. If we have like 500 cattle, if they do not eat for 24 hours or they want water, you can’t stop them.
“But what they used to do then, if anybody goes outside, he would be arrested, taken before a court and he is fined. If he can pay, the money is taken and given to the farmer. If he can’t pay, the cattle is sold and the farmer is paid. So, people are behaving well.
“So, when people came and took away the land for the cattle route and grazing area, you find out that from Kaduna to Bayelsa, Nigerians are fighting cattle rearers now.
“When I was in PTF, we made a comprehensive study of cattle routes and grazing areas throughout Nigeria. So, I am referring the Governors’ Forum to it and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Let them see what they can do and save the situation.”
On 2016 Budget implementation, he said:
“It depends on the efficiency of the technocrats. Yes, we have six months to implement the budget. You know why there was a delay. There is something called padding. I have been in government since 1975. I was governor of what is now six states: Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, that used to be North East. Then I was in Obasanjo’s cabinet, Petroleum for three and a quarter years. I was Head of State for 20 months.
“I had never heard about that one padding until this year. And what does it mean? It means that the technocrats just allowed the government to make its noise, to go and make the presentation to the National Assembly. They will remove it and put in their own.
“When we uncovered this, we just had to go back to the basics again. Ministers had to go again and appear before the Minister of Budget and National Planning and make presentations again. This was clearly brought out by the Minister of Health.
“I saw with my own eyes, nobody told me. I was watching NTA and he appeared before a committee that said the minister should come and defend his budget. He looked at what was presented to him as his budget and he said he had nothing to defend, that that was not what he presented.
“Subsequently, we discovered that it was not only the ministry of health. So they allowed us to talk rubbish as government and they do what they like.”
Source: The Nation

Doyin Okupe Bows Before Obasanjo And Asks For Forgiveness.

A former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, has prostrated repeatedly before former President Olusegun Obasanjo, begging the former head of state to forgive him over insults he hurled at him while he (Okupe) served as spokesperson for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.


Mr. Okupe visited Mr. Obasanjo on Sunday at his Hilltop G.R.A. residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, those familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES.

The former presidential aide made the surprise visit to the former president to seek reconciliation after remaining estranged from the former leader for years.

One source said security operatives at Mr. Obasanjo’s residence initially blocked Mr. Okupe from accessing the former president’s home but that he was allowed in after “baba came downstairs and told the boys to let him in.”
Photographs of the visit obtained by PREMIUM TIMES show Mr. Okupe prostrating repeatedly and pleading for forgiveness.

Sources said Mr. Obasanjo initially rejected Mr. Okupe’s plea, saying “you cannot abuse me in the papers, on TV, on radio and on the streets and then come here to privately apologise.”

“Why don’t you mount the same platforms you used in abusing me to apologise to me?” a witness quoted Mr. Obasanjo as saying.
“Baba said he was baffled to see Okupe verbally assaulting him in the media just because he was given appointment by Jonathan,” the source said. “If he were a true son of Yorubaland, he would not have gone to that extent because Baba was the first to appoint him a media aide over 16 years ago.



“Baba appointed him as one of his first aides when he became the first president after democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999, only for him to turn his back against Baba when he got a similar appointment from Jonathan many years later. Now that he has gone to bite more than he can chew, he’s desperate for Baba’s forgiveness.”

“There’s an adage in Yoruba that says when a dog has gone to put itself into fury inferno, it will become desperate to return to its owner,” the source added.
After a brief intervention by those present at the meeting, sources said, Mr. Obasanjo agreed to forgive Mr. Okupe because he (Obasanjo) is an elder statesman and father to many.

“Baba said he has forgiven him because of his respected position as an elder statesman, but that may not stop him (Mr. Okupe) from committing the same offence in future,” the source said.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Okupe confirmed he visited Mr. Obasanjo to seek reconciliation.
“I went to Obasanjo to settle and resolve my long-standing misunderstanding with him,” Mr. Okupe said, adding that “Obasanjo is like my father and I am his political son.In Yorubaland, when an elder is angry with you, the younger person begs. I am not ashamed to beg Obasanjo,” Mr. Okupe said.

Atiku Abubakar Arrives Adamawa State For The Graduation Ceremony of the American University of Nigeria

Atiku Abubakar arrived Adamawa State earlier yesterday. He was received at Yola International Airport by the state Governor Umar Jibirilla Bindow on the arrival.
The former Vice President will attend the 8th Annual Graduation Ceremony of the American University of Nigeria. More pictures below.....

Those Involved In Clashes Between Herdsmen And Farmers Are Not Fulanis- Minister Tells Senate

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, yesterday told the Senate that the criminals involved in clashes between herdsmen and farmers are not necessarily Fulanis. He said this at a Senate investigative hearing on the perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers.


“We believe that most of those involved in the clashes between herdsmen and farmers are not necessarily the Fulani. They could be another gang of Boko Haram who may not be Nigerians,” he said
Lopobiri went further to proffer solutions to the problems associated with herdsmen
“The best way to solve this problem will be the creation of ranches. If we create ranches, we will provide what the Fulani man is looking for,” he said

Read Some Of The Things Pres. Buhari Said At The Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Summit

Femi Adesina took to Twitter to share some of the things President Buhari said at the Commonwealth Tackling Corruption Together Conference in the UK this morning. Se more of his tweets below...

Deputy Senate president, Ekweremadu, Asks Nigerians What They Think Of Cameron Calling Nigeria A Corrupt Country

This morning Senate Deputy president Ike Ekweremadu asked Nigerians what they thought about UK Prime Minister David Cameron describing Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt country. Many of the responses accused him and his party, PDP, of being the reason Cameron would describe Nigeria in that manner.  See the responses below...

“We Will Create 210,000 Jobs Between Now And 2018” – Dangote Group

The Chairman of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote on Tuesday said that his organisation would create 210,000 jobs for unemployed Nigerians between now and 2018. He said that 80 percent of the jobs would be in the agricultural sector.

Dangote said this in Katsina in a goodwill message at the opening of Katsina Economic and Investment Summit themed “Unlocking Investment Potentials for Sustainable Development”.

“We will create 210,000 jobs between now and 2018 with 80 percent coming from the agricultural sector. So, we should pay attention to the agricultural sector for investment opportunities, particularly when the crude oil is now becoming unreliable,” he said.

He also said that agriculture is a lifetime opportunity for Nigerian, adding that Brazil, which had same peculiarities with Nigeria, had $350 billion in its foreign reserves, with 80 percent of the fund attributed agriculture.

I think it’s a lifetime opportunity which God has given to us by repositioning things while oil has gone down. It is not a curse, it is for us to diversify the economy. We have been relying on oil and I think oil very unreliable.

When you look at it, despite the downturn of various economic activities in the whole world, the only things that have actually not gone down are agricultural products. Rice, wheat, sugar have not gone down in price, so we should make sure that we use this opportunity which God has given us – arable land.

Both us and Brazil, we have the same quality of land and Brazil today are number one in sugar, soybean, poultry and in a lot of things. So I think we should copy that.

Dangote also said that he would establish the largest single refinery in the country with the capacity to produce 650,000 barrels per day and two sub-sea pipelines of 550 kilometers in Delta, Ogun and Lagos.

He said that he would assist government to reduce pipeline vandalism as well as provide 12,000MW of power.

He called for the creation of enabling environment for investors by identifying areas with comparative advantages.

“You don’t need to call for investors, just create enabling environment for the local ones, you will see the foreign ones gate crashing,” he said.

Saraki Was Very Rich Before He Became Governor Of Kwara State - Counsel

Counsel to Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Paul Erokoro, today told the Code of Conduct Tribunal CCT, that he, Saraki, was very rich before he became governor of Kwara state in 2003. During the cross examination of the first prosecution counsel, Micheal Wetkas, Erokoro said Saraki had over $22 million, £12 million, €2.6m and about N4 billion in cash before he became the governor of Kwara State in 2003 and that he was also the CEO of defunct Societal Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN) which crashed about two years after he was elected governor.

Erokoro revealed Saraki’s stupendous wealth while trying to convince the court that Saraki who is being tried for false declaration of assets was a man of means before he became a governor and could have legally acquired the properties. Erokoro also stated that Saraki had in his garage 16 vehicles including a Mercedes valued at N16m, Mercedes S 500 valued at N20m, Mercedes 500 6m, Mercedes B 220 valued at N2m, Ferrari 456 GT valued at 25m, another vehicle valued at N15m, Mercedez SM 20, valued at N8.5m, Peugeot 406, valued at 2.9m, another Mercedes valued at N9m, Mercedez E 320 valued at N11m; Mercedez 2 500, valued at N45m, Mercedez S: 500, valued at N30m, Lexus Jeep (bullet proof), valued at N30m, Lincoln Navigator (bullet proof) valued at N25mn.

Source:  PM News/TheCable

Arrest Of Armed Robbery/Kidnapping Suspect

The Lagos state command through its operatives at Ajangbadi division had on Monday 5th of May arrested one Sunday James Ukpe age 33yrs of no 113 zone 6 Orisha Imude Ajangbadi area of lagos state. The said Sunday was arrested after information revealed that he had a gunshot wound and he was applying native medication at the mentioned address.


Upon interrogation, he confessed to have specialised in Robbing and kidnapping in Akwa ibom state and that he sustained gunshot injury during one of the operations, Investigation extended to Akwa Ibom state police command revealed that he is on the wanted list of the command.

Due to the critical nature of the gun shot wound which damaged part of his testicles, he has been admitted to a private hospital where he is being treated under police surveillance.

The Lagos state command's Police Public relations officer SP Dolapo Badmos stated that effort is in progress to transfer the suspect to Akwa Ibom state command for further investigation & prosecution.

Before And After Pictures Of Ghanaian Boxer Bukom Banku Who Bleached His Skin To "Look Like A German"

Ghanaian boxer Braimah Kamok, popularly known as Bukom Banku recently revealed that he bleached his skin because he hates being black. The 35-year-old undefeated boxer made the shocking revelation in an interview video made available to VibeGhana.com, adding that he took the advice of his wife to bleach his skin to look like a German. "My wife told me to bleach myself so we can look like German people"

Ronke Shonde's Death: Wife Of Lagos State Governor Speaks On Domestic Violence

Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Bolanle Ambode, has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the vexed issue of domestic violence, which has continued to rear its ugly head in the state and across the country. She made the denunciation in Alausa, Ikeja, against the backdrop of Lekan Shonde, who allegedly beat his wife, Ronke, to death at their Egbeda home last week.

Mrs. Ambode lamented that domestic violence in the form of assault on wife, child-battering and other forms of uncivilized behavior against women and children, seemed to have got fresh fancy from some men, who are still living in the primitive times.

She described as totally unacceptable, a situation where a man would callously turn his wife to a punching bag on the flimsy excuse that the helpless woman had either insulted him or refused to carry out his orders. In her words:
“How do you explain a situation where the man you married and one who claims to love you, would descend so heavily on you at the slightest provocation. If he is not complaining about delayed dinner, it is another flimsy excuse that is not tenable anywhere. They do it every now and then even to the extent of killing the helpless woman. For how long will this go on?”
The visibly distraught wife of the governor, advised any woman who found herself in an abusive relationship to retrace her steps when possible, so that she could live to tell her own story. She rejected the common and well-worn excuse of societal stigmatization of women who abandoned unpleasant marriages, retorting that when the woman dies in such a cruel marriage, what then does the society say? According to her,
“Many victims of domestic violence become victims of their own psychological realities. The world of these women is lonely, isolated and filled with fear, with no emotional outlet whatsoever. Sadly, victims wait until it is too late”.
She advised that, we should cease to treat domestic violence as a case of “family affair” and such do not become involved. The fact that our society is patriarchal and values sanctions by culture is not enough reason for this epidemic called Domestic Violence.

Speaking further, she said domestic abuse should be moved from being viewed as a social problem to being viewed as a criminal justice issue. Mrs Ambode commiserated with all victims of domestic violence, including families of those that died, urging any woman going through such troubled marriages to approach the state’s Office of the Public Defender, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Youth & Social Development or the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for legal assistance at no cost.

Nigerian Senate To Launch Transparency And Delivery Commission

In line with the Legislative Agenda approved by the Senate, the President of the Senate today has announced the intention of the Senate to inaugurate an independent Transparency and Delivery Commission to review and improve the oversight systems and tools of the Senate.

The Commission will be led by a working group consisting of a world leading research institution and a partner institute in Nigeria and will be advised by an internationally acclaimed anti-corruption expert.


The independent Commission will work closely with the Senateand the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption & Financial Crimes to draw up a robust oversight scheme and strengthen the internal structuring and capacity of the National Assembly to fulfil its role as an anti-corruption institution.

The Commission’s work will be two-fold. Initially it willconcentrate on analysing the processes and tools by which the Senate and the National Assembly in general can, using its legislative remit, assist the anti-corruption agenda of President Buhari and more specifically strengthen the institutions through legislative reforms.

The following medium-term goal is to then deliver recommendations for better ways of working within the Senate and to ensure that it meets the highest global standards includingthe newly announced Commonwealth Secretariat anti-corruption ‘kitemark’ system.

Specifically, the group will:

1. Map out how the Senate could use its oversight tools to actas a catalyst for greater transparency and anti-corruption in other parts of the Nigerian state both at the Federal and State Levels.

2. Assess how the Nigerian Senate functions as a scrutiny and policy making body and how it can improve in this role

3. Undertake a review of the mechanisms of the Nigerian senate and identify areas for improvement in senate efficiency in implementing its legislative agenda and itsanti-corruption capacity.

4. Look at international and regional examples of best practice – such as the Commonwealth Secretariat ‘kitemark’ – and suggest tangible reforms the Nigeria Senate could implement to improve transparency and the policy delivery process internally and across government.

Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser (Media and Communication)

Former Akwa Ibom Governor Arrested For Receiving N450m From Diezani’s Alleged $115m Election Largesse

As the investigation into the funding of the PDP 2015 election campaign continues, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday arrested a former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State and chieftain of PDP, Idongesit Nkanga, for allegedly receiving N450 million Naira from the $115 million deposited by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke with Fidelity Bank Plc meant for rigging the 2015 general election.‎
Premiumtimes reports that the retired air commodore was arrested in Port- Harcourt in the Rivers State. He is alleged to have collected the money in two tranches, from one Saint-Anthony Ejiowu, a staff of Fidelity Bank in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. The first tranche of the money – N350,000,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Million Naira only) was paid to the politician on March 27th last year.

He reportedly received the second tranche of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira only) on March 31st last year.

A source in the antigraft agency said
“He is in the custody of the EFCC and would be charged to court soon,”

AY Makun Is Proud Of The Success Of His Brothers & And How They All Survived The Hard Times

                                                       Lanre Makun, Yomi Casual & Ay Makun

AY Makun shared some inspiring words this morning.

The comedian and actor talks about how he had to start taking care of his four brothers and two sisters after their parents passed away and how hard things were for them. Thankfully they were able to turn their lives around and become successful in their individual trades.

See his inspiring message below.

In December 1999 when my dad passed, It was difficult to take over his position as the first son. It became even more difficult when my mum decided to join him in no time.
Embracing the responsibilities of taking care of my four sisters and two baby brothers wasn’t the best message to preach to a waiting landlord whose rent must be paid in due time. The combination of being a big brother and father came with a price that kept me in Delta State University for 9 years as a student.

Apart from the non-negotiable Christian upbringing from my parents, my dad always drilled me, and made me tough. He taught me how to be a strong independent young man. How to carry my siblings along as a leader of purpose. Though it wasn’t an easy journey for me or any of my younger ones, as we all struggled together. But hope was like the sun, which casts the shadows of our burden behind us.
I never stopped dreaming that one day our story would change and take each and everyone of us towards the direction of success. Apart from thanking God for all He has done for me as successful comedian, this is just my way of also saying “I AM PROUD” of my baby brothers @lanremakun of Lanre Makun Events and @yomicasual (the Fashion Designer) for embracing and indulging the paths that is beginning to position them as individual brands in their respective endeavours.

Above all, you guys must bear in mind that the only way to continue the journey to success, is to remain focused. Humility is the true key to succeed in life. Eradicate every form of arrogance and self-indulging trap that will halt your blessings from God.  See you at the top.

My name is not Ben Bruce, but I just want to share my thoughts. Lol #nobodyweynofittomakeam

Photo Credit: Instagram – @aycomedian

Diezani $115m Election Largess: INEC Distance Self From Arrested Officials

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has distanced itself from some of its officials that has been arrested and detained in connection with the alleged $115 million 2015 election largess ‎by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Some INEC staff have been accused of collecting a cumulative N23 million as bribe from Fidelity Bank as directed by Diezani for alleged rigging of the election.

Speaking to a group of Editors in Lagos yesterday May 9th, the chairman of the agency, Mahmood Yakubu, said it was the individuals and not the agency as an institution that is being investigated.

The body appealed for the antigraft agency to also extend its investigations and arrest to the givers of the bribe to the INEC staffs.
“Whatever level of cooperation any of the agencies requires of the Commission, we will give that level of cooperation because it is also in a bid to sanitize the system. I hope also it (investigation) will extend to the givers not just the takers so that there will be collective sanity. Whoever violates the law of this land and there are questions to answer, the person should answer, the person should bear his own cross. All the staff that are fingered are individuals. It is not a collective institutional thing. They should go and answer for what they have alleged to have done.”he said ‎
Notable among the INEC staff accused of bribery are the former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers state, Gesila khan, INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Delta State, Uluochi Obi Brown, former Deputy Director of INEC in Cross River state, Edem Okon Effanga, and the Head of Voter Education in INEC in Akwa Ibom, Immaculata Asuquo