Buhari seeks fast-track of assets sale in bill to Senate

— 30th September 2016

Nigeria’s Senate yesterday confirmed it has received a memo on the proposed Emergency Powers Bill from President Muhammadu Buhari requesting to abridge the process of sale or lease of government assets to generate revenue.
The bill, which is intended to steer the country out of the current economic recession, and entitled ‘Emergency Economic Stabilisation Bill 2016, seeks to raise the value of the naira, create more jobs, boost the country’s foreign reserves, improve power supply and revive the manufacturing sector.
A source at the senate confirmed to TheCable that the upper chamber had received the memo, in which Buhari sought “to abridge the procurement process to support stimulus spending on critical sectors of the economy”.
According to the bill, the president is also seeking powers to make orders to favour local contractors/suppliers in contract awards, to abridge the process of sale or lease of government assets to generate revenue and to allow virement of budgetary allocation to projects that are urgent, without going back to the National Assembly.
Other powers sought the President include those to amend certain laws, like the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Act, so that states that cannot access their cash trapped in the accounts of the Commission because they cannot meet the counterpart funding can do so; and also to embark on radical reforms in visa issuance at Nigeria’s consular offices and on arrival in the country.
Buhari is also seeking to compel some agencies of government, such as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and others to improve on their turnaround operation time for business facilitation.

“We have received a Presidential memo on emergency powers,” said the source. “What is in it is requesting presidential fiat to do things the National Assembly has already approved, such as the Procurement Act and extra spending.”
Recall that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, had already begun lobbying senators include Bukola Saraki, Senate president and Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the smooth passage of the bill at the National Assembly.
Since September 17, when industrialist, Aliko Dangote, advised the Federal Government to sell its stake in the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited and African Finance Cooperation (AFC), the debate on assets sale to finance the deficit in the 2016 budget has been raging.
Other prominent Nigerians that had backed the planned sale include Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Emir of Kano, among others.
But among the opposing voices are Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President; George Akume, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senator form Benue state; Femi Falana, human rights lawyer; and Chukwuma Soludo, former CBN governor, who emphatically said such move would be a historic mistake.
The Federal Government, though, has sought to thaw the heated debates. As recently as Wednesday, Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, said the government had not taken a decision to sell national assets, as all that was being debated was merely a recommendation of the National Economic Council.
“Government is still working on the most comprehensive manner to reflate the economy and the government will make its position known very soon,” he had said.
“What the government will do is to reflate the economy. Everything you have heard so far is just suggestion, until the government makes its position known, all these asset sale, asset leasing, whatever … being bandied about there are nothing but speculations.

“The government is yet to come out with its position on how to bail out the economy and it will do that very soon. NEC will recommend but it is the federal executive council that will decide and what we decide will be the position of government.”
But with the content of the federal government’s memo to the senate, it does seem that the president is in support of NEC’s recommendation on sale of assets.

Alleged blasphemy: Dogara, Kalu, religious groups condemn murder of woman in Kano

 Alleged blasphemy: Dogara, Kalu, religious groups condemn murder of woman in Kano

— 6th June 2016

By Ndubisi Orji, Lagos and Sola Ojo, Kaduna

EMINENT Nigerians and groups including the Sultan of Sokoto-led Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), the apex Christian body, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) and have lent their voices to the con­demnation of the killing of 74-year old Igbo market woman, Mrs. Bridget Agba­hime for allegedly blasphe­my Prophet Muhammed.

Agbahime was lynched last Thursday in a Kano market by mob in presence of her husband over false alarm by someone she had an argument with.

While JNI described the action as unfortunate, criminal and un-Islamic, the CAN noted that the killing of Christians under flimsy excuse was barbaric, unacceptable and called for the prosecution of those arrested in connection with the killing.

MURIC described the killing as jungle justice, noting: “There is no jungle justice in Islam.”

In a statement issued in Ibadan by its Direc­tor, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, MURIC urged the police to get to the root of the matter and deal with the culprits according to the law to prevent future oc­currence. “Nobody has the right to take the law into his or her hands; Muslims should not stand and watch while some misled Muslims smear the name of Islam”, Akintola said.

Kalu, in a statement issued yesterday, said: “Nobody has a right to take the life of another under whatever guise unless sanctioned by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Kano killing is totally unacceptable to any decent human being, and is against the laws of Nigeria. The Holy books of all religions abhor and forbid taking of innocent lives, therefore no one or group of people should be allowed to vio­late the laws of Nigeria un­der religious pretence. This regrettable incident has the capacity to further height­en tension in the country, deepen the ever widening national fault lines and send a very wrong message to an already disenchanted population.”

The former Abia State governor expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of Agbahime and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the lose.

While commending Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari for swiftly condemning the killing and the Kano State Government for conven­ing a stakeholders meeting over the issue, Kalu urged the relevant authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and brought to book.

“Because religion was wrongly evoked by those that committed this crime, I also call on the Islamic leaders everywhere in Nigeria and particularly in Kano, to rise and publicly condemn this barbaric act and distance such crimi­nality from Islam which forbids the taking of innocent lives. At a time like this, national lead­ers should take the high moral ground and ensure that acts this are roundly condemned and eradicated. It is by so doing that we will ensure the essence of hu­man sanctity,” he stated.

Also, Dogara said: “We live in a society governed by clearly stated rules and laws. When such crimes of high magnitude, or any at all, are allowed to go unpunished for any reason, we risk descending into a state of lawlessness and anarchy where anyone can assume the role of judge, jury and executioner.

“The rule of law must prevail. I urge all security agencies to ensure that they carry out a thorough in­vestigation into the events that led to her untimely death and ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to face the full wrath of the law.”

JNI in a statement signed by its Secretary-General yesterday in Kaduna, said it was hardly believable that such dastardly acts could happen in the name of religion, considering the various enlightenment pro­grammes on interfaith and mutual co-existence being put in place by the Muslim scholars and the leadership.

“In the light of the above, we commend the various untiring efforts of the Kano and Niger state govern­ments and also the Ulama in nipping in the bud, the unfortunate crises that would have engulfed both states…

“The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, JNI calls on all to remain calm and avoid all actions that could lead to the breach of law and order. The gener­ality of Muslims are also implored to fervently pray for the restoration of peace and security in Nigeria bearing in mind that with­out Nigeria there will be no Nigerians. On the other hand, respective state gov­ernments must rise to the occasion in protecting the lives of the citizenry, for it is a primary constitutional responsibility upon which their legitimacy is derived,” the JNI statement added.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna, regional spokes­man of CAN, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, wondered why such gruesome and barbaric incident always feature in Kano, a foremost commercial city in the country.

Hayab noted that infor­mation made available to the group indicated that Agbahime was deliberately killed.

The CAN spokesman called on the state govern­ment to, apart from arrest­ing the key suspect, fish out other perpetrators and prosecute them in accor­dance with the law of the country.

He also called on the police to at all times, carry out their constitutional role of safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerians without fear or favour.

The CAN’s spokesman said: “We got it on good authority that the slained woman never blasphemed the Prophet Mohammed. That the mastermind of the killing was fond of always provoking the deceased and so, on that fateful day, we learnt, the said man was do­ing ablution in front of the woman’s shop and was cau­tioned. That was all. The man raised the alarm that she blasphemed Prophet Mohammed.”

The cleric added: “The man deliberately provoked the woman in question just to carry out that gruesome and barbaric acts.”

MASSOB,BIM appeal to UN to divide Nigeria into 6 republics

MASSOB,BIM appeal to UN to divide Nigeria into 6 republics

— 6th June 2016

From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

MOVEMENT for Actuali­sation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) have­called on the United Na­tions and other world leaders to divide Nige­ria into six geo-political zones to solve problems facing the nation.

The group said granting the six geo-political zones in Nigeria self rule would be the only solution to the many problems in the country.

In a release signed by the Director of Informa­tion of the pro-Biafra group, Mr. Chris Mocha, the two groups appealed to the UN and other super powers to consider the lives of people that are killed on a daily basis in Nigeria arising from the insurgency in the North East and Fulani herds­men said to be allegedly affiliated to ISIS and Boko Haram.

Mocha said the pro­posed nations inlcude South East, (Biafra), South South (Niger Del­ta), North East, North West, South West, (Oduduwa) and North- Central.

He stressed that no amount of preaching on nationalism can change Nigeria as it is today.

Mocha said when the proposed zones are grant­ed independence, assets of the citizens of the dif­ferent countries will be protected by internation­al laws, just as bilateral agreements will guide the future relationship of the new republics.

The group, however, in­sisted that several mem­bers of BIM/MASSOB were killed last week dur­ing the Biafra anniversary at Nkpor and Onitsha.

“While all the mem­bers of BIM/ MASSOB in Anambra central senato­rial district including Nk­por town in Idemili North Local Government Area celebrated at Ifite Dunu, our counterparts in Anambra North including Onitsha converged at the zonal secretariat, project site at Nteje in Oyi coun­cil area of Anambra State.

Buhari goes abroad for 10 days to see doctor (s)

Buhari goes abroad for 10 days to see doctor (s)

— 6th June 2016

By Adetutu Folasade- Koyi

AMID reports that Presi­dent Mohammadu Buhari has “an ear problem,” the Presidency, yesterday, an­nounced he will spend the next 10 days in London, the United Kingdom, starting today.

Buhari is expected to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist “for a per­sistent ear infection. This was the recommendation of his personal physician and an ENT specialist in Nigeria,” his Special Ad­viser on Media and Public­ity, Mr. Femi Adesina said yesterday. “Both Nigerian doctors recommended fur­ther evaluation purely as a precaution,” he added.

Adesina, who featured on a live programme Poli­tics Today on Lagos-based Channels Television, fur­ther added that aside the ear infection, the president is hale and hearty.

“Well, the question is; ‘is he (president) okay?” He has always been okay. Noth­ing is wrong with him…” Asked why the president’s deputy had been represent­ing him at state matters recently, Adesina replied it was not unusual.

“Yes, we are in a democra­cy, particularly presidential democracy. The president can always devolve duties to his deputy who is the vice president. That’s what the president has done. But, in terms of his health, the president is fine,” he said.

Social media platforms had speculated that Buhari suffers from Ménière’s dis­ease, a disease of unknown cause affecting the mem­branous labyrinth of the ear, causing progressive deafness and attacks of tin­nitus and vertigo.

The ill health was said to have been the reason why the president couldn’t go to Lagos where he was billed to commission some projects penultimate week. The same scenario played out last week in which the president failed to show up at Ogoniland, Rivers State where he was to flag off the clean up of oil spill in the area.

…Agitating Igbo groups form Biafra Peoples National Council

 …Agitating Igbo groups form Biafra Peoples National Council

— 6th June 2016

 … Call on Commonwealth of Nations to expel Nigeria

From Chidi Nnadi, Enugu

IGBO groups agitating for a sovereign state of Biafra may have begun a major move to actualising their dream by streamlining ef­forts and re-strategising.

The Igbo groups, in the new effort, have formed a unified body called Biafra Peoples National Council (BPNC) which the leaders believe would expedite ac­tion in actualising Biafra.

The new body does not however include Chief Ralph Uwazuruike’s Bi­afra Independent Move­ment (BIM) or faction of MASSOB and detained Nnamdi Kanu’s Indig­enous People of Biafra (IPOB). The groups and leaders who formed BPNC include Uchenna Madu faction of MASSOB; Felix Obioha, Eastern Peoples Congress; Austin-Mary Ndukwu, Biafra Libera­tion Council; Osita Chuk­wuagbanarinam, Salvation People- Biafra; Jackson Nebechukwu, Ekwenche Organisation. Others are Adiele Chikadibia, Biafra Nations Youth League; Rev. Dr. Stanley C. Ajah, Biafra Revolution Organ­isation; Prince Oliver Chi­dozie, Biafra Liberation Crusade; Mr. Ayers Shi­mobi, Biafra Movement for Sovereignty; Godwin Offor, Biafra Regional Emancipation Movement; Joseph Ohanenye, Bilie Organisation and repre­sentative of Biafra in the Diaspora, Dr Chukwuma Egemba.

In a communique signed by all their leaders, after the All-Biafran Conference (ABC) organised by the Organisation of Emerging African States (OEAS) in Accra, Ghana from May 27 to 31, the newly formed BPNC would form a col­legiate parliament com­prising representatives of Biafra ethnic nationalities and pro-Biafra organisa­tions.

They also agreed that “Biafra shall be a state founded on equity, fair­ness, justice, participatory democracy and egalitari­anism and even develop­ment.”

To achieve this, they also agreed that the adminis­trative and political capi­tal of Biafra should not be concentrated in one loca­tion but spread across the Biafran land.

“These capitals shall in­clude but not limited to; executive, legislative, ju­dicial, cultural, economic, science and technology, agriculture and defence,” they disclosed, agreeing to draw up a legal framework for the new Biafra state.

Leaders of the new group frowned and con­demned “the attitude of the Commonwealth of Na­tions towards the sense­less, cruel, inhuman, de­grading and extra-judicial killings of more than 700 unarmed civilians of Biaf­ran origin and pro-Biafran activists by various securi­ty apparatus of the Federal Government of Nigeria and its militias under the disguise of Fulani herds­men.”

Accusing the Common­wealth of playing double standards by not invoking sanctions on the Federal Government, they called on the body to “imme­diately begin a process of expelling the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the Commonwealth of Na­tions.

N’Delta Avengers launches new website

N’Delta Avengers launches new website

— 6th June 2016

BARELY 24 hours after its old website, was shutdown, Niger Delta Avengers, a new militant group operating in the South-South region of Nigeria, has launched a new website, www.nigerdeltaavengers.org.

The militant group had, in the last one month, pro­moted attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta, using its website, Facebook page and Twitter handle, @ NDAvengers.

At the weekend, the group shut down its website, lead­ing people to believe it was no longer online. However, yesterday afternoon, the group stated, via its Twitter handle, that its old website was never shutdown, but un­derwent maintenance.

Missile launch: NAF ready for showdown with militants

Missile launch: NAF ready for showdown with militants

— 6th June 2016

• Deploys more fighter jets, equipment in Niger Delta

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

ALL is now set for the battle of supremacy between the new militant group, Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), as the group’s deadline to launch six missile in the region expires tomorrow.

Already, NAF says it had deployed ad­ditional platforms, comprising fighter aircraft, helicopter gunship and surveil­lance aircraft to enhance its capability to undertake offensive air operations and intelligence gathering in support of the surfaces forces.

NAF says it would not fold its arm and allow a “small group of criminals” dictate the pace.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadiq, who made this known while com­missioning some projects on NAF bases at Yola, Adamawa State and Maiduguri, Borno State said already, the NAF, has in­tensified its deployment in the Niger Delta region to deal with the emerging threats of economic sabotage.

Abubakar, while saying that the NAF will not rest on its oars “until we ensure the protection of every inch of the country’s territory and infrastructure” urged mem­bers of the public not to panic on sighting low level flying aircraft.

He equally enjoined the public to go about their legitimate businesses even as he appealed for useful information that would lead to the whereabouts and activi­ties of the militant group.

The new militant group threatened to commence the testing of its six missiles which would last for three days.

However, there were discordant tunes within the militant groups operating in the region with other group warning against the killing of soldiers and oil workers.

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) which claimed responsibility for the ongoing attacks on oil installations, disassociated itself from threats to launch missiles in the region.

It said it would allow the Nigerian mili­tary to first start the war so that “when it is time to engage the military in combat the whole world will know they started the war, not the Avengers.”

But the NAF said it would not take the discordant messages from the group for granted saying that its deployment was necessitated by the recent spate of attacks on the nation’s oil and gas installations.

To this end, the NAF said it increased air operations around critical infrastructure in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

“These include but not limited to Escravos, Forcados in Delta State; Bonga oil field, Agbami offshore and Brass in Bayelsa; Bonny in Rivers; Qua Iboe Termi­nal in Akwa Ibom State and Opuekeba in Ondo State,” NAF said.

The deployment to Niger Delta accord­ing to the NAF chief was in support of the military operations code named “OPERA­TION PULO SHIELD” against militancy, economic sabotage and all forms of crimi­nalities in the South-south region of the country.