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Ademola Adeleke takes oath of office as 6th executive governor of Osun

Senator Ademola Adeleke has been sworn in as the sixth governor of Osun State.

The oath of office was administered on Sunday by Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo at the Osogbo City Stadium in the state capital.

While Adeleke took his oath of office at about 11:50am, his deputy, Kola Adewusi, followed suit some 15 minutes later.

In his inaugural speech, Adeleke said under his watch as the Governor of Osun State, he would correct all past injustice, corrupt acts or policies by any previous administration which are against the collective interest of the people.

“Let me state here that from the education, health, mining sector, agriculture, road infrastructure and supply of potable water, let it be known to all that it is no longer going to be business as usual. And I repeat, it is no longer business as usual,” he said.

“Our administration will demonstrate a high sense of urgency, transparency, justice and innovation to tackle and solve the problems of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and poor infrastructure.

“I am well aware of the fact that my responsibility as the Governor and Chief Security Officer of Osun State entails meeting the legitimate expectations of our people. Therefore, I promise that those expectations of the workers, traders, artisans, farmers, business owners, students, pensioners, traditional and religious leaders and indeed all residents of Osun State will be met by the grace of God and the cooperation of everyone.

“As I accept the mantle of leadership entrusted upon me by the people of our dear state, I am conscious of the enormous challenges and responsibilities ahead of me and will begin from this hour workday and night with deep sense of purpose to be a servant to you all.”

Dignitaries present at the well-attended event included the governor’s nephew and popular musician, Davido who made his first public appearance after his son’s death; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his running mate and Delta Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa respectively.

Also in attendance are Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa). Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi were not left out.

Adeleke of the PDP won the July 16 governorship election in Osun State after defeating the incumbent and main rival, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is his second shot at the governorship race after having failed in his first attempt in 2018 where he lost to Oyetola.

Meanwhile, the immediate past governor in a farewell statement to Osun residents, said his administration is leaving behind ₦14 billion cash in the state treasure.

He noted that his government had paid ₦97 billion of the debts it inherited from the administration of Rauf Aregbesola in 2018.

Oyetola added that the results of the last gubernatorial election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which favoured Senator Ademola Adeleke is already being challenged at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

(Channels TV)

November 27, 2022
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs writes Finance Minister, seeks explanation on N206bn 2023 budget

THE Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, headed by Sadiya Umar Farouq, has written a letter to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, headed by Mrs Zainab Ahmed, seeking clarification on the N206 billion inserted into its 2023 Appropriation Bill.

Farouq insisted that she knew nothing about how the controversial figure was inserted into the budget.

It is not only the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development who is accusing the Finance Ministry of budget padding. The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd), also told the Senate during budget defence sessions that the finance ministry had inserted N11bn into his 2023 budget. Similarly, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, pointed accusing fingers at the Finance Ministry for padding his ministry’s budget proposals.

Worried at the development, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, in a letter dated, Wednesday November 23,2022, dispatched to the Federal Ministry of Finance, requested the cooperation of her finance counterpart in clarifying how the amount came into the budget,given that the 2023 budget proposal her ministry released to the Budget Office did not contain the figure.

A meeting convened on Wednesday by the minister and attended by top management staff of the ministry including the permanent secretary and directors,ended in the evening with a resolution that a letter requesting explanation from the finance ministry be transmitted.

A source in the Finance and Accounts Department of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development,told Vanguard that the letter was immediately drafted, and sent to the finance ministry.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source said:”As a ministry, we have just sent a letter today (Wednesday) to the Federal Ministry of Finance, requesting clarification on the additional figure inserted into our ministry’s budget in the 2023 fiscal year..

“Going by the content,we expect a response from the Ministry of Finance between now and Friday after which we will reach out to the National Assembly on our position. We are disturbed and the minister is not leaving anything to chance. We want a quick clarification of the inserted figure in our ministry’s 2023 budget proposal,”he said

Also speaking on the issue, a top policy maker in the ministry,who didn’t want his name released to the public, said Farouq was embarrassed when she was asked about the amount by members of the Senate Committee on Special Duties when she appeared before the committee to defend her ministry’s 2023 budget proposal at the National Assembly.

“I was there, the Senate Committee asked the minister how she came about the additional money outside the initial proposal submitted to the Budget Office and the minister responded that she didn’t know. Truly, as a ministry,we didn’t know how the N206 billion found its way into the ministry ‘s budget proposal.

“Everything about that money, she (minister) actually does not know anything about it. And like I said, as a ministry,we don’t know. We just saw it there,”he said

Finance Minister fails to react

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, failed, as she neither picked calls made to her, nor responded to a WhatsApp message sent to her.

Budget Office to react next week

Spokesman at the Budget Office of the Federation, Olajuwon Afolabi, however told Vanguard that “the matter is too technical for outright response having just surfaced at the National Assembly during the week”. He said the office was working on the appropriate response which he will communicate next week.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs had told the National Assembly committee that her ministry requested for some projects for the North East Development Commission,NEDC, and the National Social Safety Net Project in the 2022 budget but they were not released, expressing surprise that the money inserted, was now ten times of the 2023 proposed budget of her ministry.

The minister who expressed surprise told the Committee that, “Yes we made mention of the projects for 2022 which was not released and part of it was part for the NEDC.

“The money was not released and now we have seen it recurring by almost 10 folds and we are also going to clarify from the Ministry of Finance to know why this increase despite the fact that the previous year, the money was not even released for the project. So we will get the details then send to you on that”.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had expressed disappointment at budget padding, describing it as worrisome. Responding to queries on the issue, while briefing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Malami said the Federal Government was studying the revelations and would explore available measures to address it. According to him, “the government is concerned and will do what is necessary to address the issue.”

Federal lawmakers had raised concerns about the abuse of the budget process following submissions by some government agencies that some amounts were inserted into their estimates without their knowledge allegedly by the ministry of finance.

Officials from the National Universities Commission (NUC), Ministries of Defence, Power and Humanitarian Affairs, during ongoing National Assembly budget hearings, disowned some line items running into billions of naira in their 2023 budget proposals.

They told lawmakers that they could not explain what the sums were meant for or the details of the projects tied to the funds since they were not part of their proposals sent to the finance ministry for the 2023 fiscal year. They blamed the finance ministry for inserting the money into their budgets.

On November 5, 2022, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Professor Abubakar Rashid, told the joint Senate and House Committee on Tertiary Education and TETfund during budget defence, that N12 billion was inserted by the Ministry of Finance into the agency budget.

He said, “In NUC’s budget we have a problem. We had additional money given to us that we didn’t request, but I later went to the Ministry of Finance to find out because our budget was always hovering around N3 billion with about N2 billion for personnel, about N700-N800 million for capital, about N700 million for overhead. But last year, we saw an additional N12 billion given for World Bank projects. The World Bank projects are not processed through this mode.”

Also on November 17, the Ministry of Defence during a budget hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Defence blamed the finance ministry for the N10.8bn inserted into their budget.

The vice chairman of the committee, Senator Istifanus Gyang, said N8.6bn was discovered to have been allocated for the purchase of military hardware and N2.25bn for Safe School Initiative.

“The two items, when critically viewed, were not supposed to be in the ministry’s budget since hardware procurements are done by the army, navy and air force; and the Safe School Initiative by the Federal Ministry of Education,” he said.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, said the money was inserted into the ministry’s budget by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

On November 1, the Senate Committee on Power also discovered N195bn earmarked as counterpart funding for bilateral and multilateral projects in the ministry of power’s 2023 budget proposal. The chairman of the committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam, in an interview, said his panel, after interfacing with the officials of the ministry during the budget defence session, found out that even the ministry was not aware of the projects.

Suswam said budgetary allocations for such projects were being made every year but they were never seen, and that the power ministry could not explain how the money was expended.

Senators and House of Representatives members said the revelations by heads of agencies, blaming the finance ministry for unknown line items in their budget estimates vindicated members of the National Assembly who are mostly being accused of budget padding.

They said the situation was worrisome, especially at a time the country requires fiscal discipline in the face of falling revenue and increasing deficits.

(Vanguard)

November 26, 2022
Emefiele links rising inflation to global trends, targets $200bn non-oil export revenue

Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday said the steady increase in headline inflation from 15.60 per cent in January to 20.77 per cent in September was consistent with global trends.

Emefiele said this at the 57th Annual Bankers Dinner, organised by the Chartered institute of Bankers Nigeria (CIBN), on Friday in Lagos.

The dinner had the theme, “Radical Responses to Abnormal Episodes: Time for Innovative Decision-making” wass appropriate and well timed.

He also said headline inflation soared to 20.77 per cent in September, indicating eight consecutive months of uptick, and that the upward momentum was after a successive period of decline in 2021, due to balanced monetary policy actions.

He said upside pressure on consumer inflation re-emerged during the year, as global conditions complicated existing local imbalances to undermine price stability.

“Food remains the major component of domestic consumer price basket. The annualised uptick in headline inflation mirrors the 6.21 percentage points upsurge in food inflation to 23.34 per cent in September.

“During this period, core inflation also resumed an upward movement from 13.87 per cent in January to 17.60 per cent.

“In addition to harsh global spill overs, exchange rate adjustments and imported inflation; inflation was also driven by local factors such as farmer herder clashes in parts of the food belt region,” he said.

Emefiele said during the early part of 2020, the world economy experienced the most significant downturn last witnessed since the Great Depression following the outbreak of the COVID-19pandemic.

He said the effect contracted global GDP by about 3.1 per cent in 2020, and commodity prices went into a state of turmoil as the price of crude oil plunged by over 70 per cent.

He said as the world struggled to recover to pre-pandemic conditions, the global economy was yet again hit by another adverse occurrence with the eruption of the Russian-Ukraine war.

He said the war, along with the sanctions placed on Russia by the US and its allies, led to a spike in crude oil prices.

He said in the attempt to contain rising inflation, advanced markets such as the US, began to increase their policy rates, which led to a tightening of global financial market conditions along with a significant outflow of funds from emerging markets.

“The subsequent strengthening of the US dollar further aggravated inflationary pressures, along with a weakening of currencies, and depletion of external reserves in many emerging market countries.

“Today close to 80 per cent of countries have reported heightened inflationary pressures due to a confluence of some of the factors mentioned above,” said Emefiele.

He explained that central banks in emerging markets and developing economies, in a bid to contain rising inflation were also compelled to raise rates, which was expected to lead to a tapering of global growth over the next year.

“In fact, the short-term global growth projections by the IMF have been downgraded three times in 2022 and is likely to be below the 3.2 per cent and 2.7 per cent estimates for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

“Average growth among advanced economies is projected to plunge from 5.2 per cent in 2021 to 2.4 per cent in 2022 and 1.1 per cent in 2023.“Estimated output growth in emerging markets, is expected to slow from 6.6 per cent in 2021 to 3.7 per cent apiece in 2022 and 2023,” he said.

He said in view of the food, energy, and cost-of-living crises in many countries, there were growing restrictions on food exports from many countries.

“As at the last count, about 23 countries, mainly in advanced economies, according to the World Bank have banned the export of 33 food items. “Seven other countries have additionally implemented various measures to limit food exports,” said Emefiele.

On currency redesign, Emefiele said, “Analysis of the key challenges primarily indicated a significant hoarding of banknotes, as over 85 per cent of currency in circulation were held outside banking system.

“This is even as currency in circulation more than doubled from N1.46 trillion in December 2015 to N3.23 trillion in September 2022; a worrisome trend that must be curbed.”

He, therefore, said the policy would quicken the attainment of cashless economy as it was complemented by increased minting of the eNaira.

According to him, the redesigned notes will also curtail currency outside the banking system, and as the monetary policy becomes more effective, it will help rein in inflation.

Earlier, Dr Ken Opara, CIBN president, commended Emefiele, saying he had during the year, continued to be purposeful in curtaining economic shocks from the aftermath of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He commended him for keeping inflation and other related economy indices, especially the naira, from distortions exacerbated by declining production levels fueled by high cost of production, insecurity, dwindling government revenues, foreign exchange volatility and uncertainty in the global oil market.

Opara said, “through the careful management of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), the CBN continued to drive the recovery path of the Nigerian economy through the expansion of credit to the real sector, guided management of foreign reserves and promoting sound financial environment and monetary policy.”

The Annual Bankers’ Dinner is a platform where stakeholders of the banking community gather to reflect on the developments in the banking industry and economy over the past year, while gaining economic insights for the year to come.

(Vanguard)

November 26, 2022
Uchenna Anioke re-elected President, Nigerian Publishers Association

Delegates to the 2022 Annual General meeting of the Nigerian Publishers Association, NPA, have unanimously re-elected Chief Uchenna Cyril, PhD, as her President for a second term.

The result of the election which was was held on November 25, 2022, at the Rock View(Royale) Hotels, Abuja, was announced by Dr. Samuel Okere, Director, Babcock University Press, who served as Chairman of the electoral committee.

According to Dr. Okere, Dr. Anioke was returned unopposed since as at close of return of nomination forms, no other person had returned any nomination form to the electoral body.

He further stated that Anioke and his entire executive council members were returned unopposed. Continuing, Okere further stated that results of the elections were eloquent testimonies to Anioke’s uncommon achievements during his first tenure.

Others re-elected include, Alhaji Lukeman Dauda of Evans Publishers Plc, as Vice President; Chief Austin Onwubiko, Mangaing Director of Africana First Publishers, as Deputy President, East; Dr Tahir Abdullaziz of Global Publishers, as Deputy President North; Mrs Folashade Shinkaiye of Sterling Books Nigeria, as Deputy President, West and the former president of NPA, Mr. Gbadega Adedapo of Accessible Publishers Limited, as ex-officio member.

In his acceptance speech, Anioke dedicated his re-election to God Almighty. He promised that the Nigerian Publishers Association will be taken to enviable heights. He therefore enjoined the delegates and members of the Association to look forward to a repositioned NPA in the coming weeks.

Dr. Anioke announced that various standing and ad hoc committees will be set up before December 15 and requested members of the Association to kindly accept to work vigorously in any committees they may find their names.

November 26, 2022
Court orders arrest of Imo state Deputy Speaker

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, issued warrant for the arrest of the Deputy Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyanwu, following his alleged involvement in a N785million fraud.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Nigeria Police, the Department of Stats Services, the Nigerian Immigration Services and the Interpol, to arrest the lawmaker on sight, “anywhere he is sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce him before this honourable court or to the EFCC headquarters, Abuja”.

The order for Iwuanyawu’s arrest was sequel to an ex-parte application dated November 14, which the EFCC brought before the court through its lawyer, Mr. Olanrewaju Adeola.

In the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2124/2024, EFCC, told the court that it got an intelligence that the lawmaker had since escaped from the country and is currently hiding in the United States of America, USA.

It told the court that the Respondent refused to make himself available to respond to a petition that was lodged against him and his company, Sun Gold Estate Limited.

According to the EFCC, a firm, Hakiz Investment Company Limited, had in the petition that was signed by its lawyer, Mr. A. A Malik, SAN, and addressed to its Chairman, alleged that it had sometime in 2012, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Iwuanyawu’s company to develop an estate comprising of 14 units of 4 bedroom terrace and one blocks of 6 flats on the petitioner’s land situated at Mabuchi Abuja.

It told the court that the agreement was that upon the completion of the estate by the Respondent, the complainant, who is the owner of the land, would take 40% of the building, while the Respondent, being the developer, would take 60% of the building.

However, the anti-graft agency alleged that its investigations revealed that “upon completion of the estate, the Respondent sold all the buildings and criminally diverted the funds without the knowledge of the Complainant”.

“That the market value of 40% of the buildings is about N785million.

“That investigation is still ongoing and all invitations extended to both Iwuanyanwu and his company proved abortive.

“That a lawyer to the Respondent had on one of the occasions, received a copy of the invitation on his behalf and made promises that he would be available for questioning.

“That there is an intelligence report that the Respondent is in the USA

“That without the suspect being apprehended or voluntarily coming to state their side of the story, the investigation will be incomplete.

“That in the light of the calculated effort by the suspect to remain evasive, there is need to place the suspect on watch list of the Commission, the police and any other law enforcement”, EFCC averred in an affidavit that was deposed to by one of its officials, Ufuoma Ezire.

EFCC maintained that it would be in the interest of justice for the court to issue an arrest warrant against the Respondent.

It predicated the application for an arrest warrant to be issued against the Respondent on section 35(1) (c ) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, sections 3, 37 and 39(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, as well as sections 6, 7, 13 and 41 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004.

The Commission told the court that it had since written investigation activities letters to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Banks, and other relevant agencies.

Meanwhile, in his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that there was merit in the ex-parte application and accordingly granted it.

Specifically, the court, made an order: “Issuing a warrant of arrest against Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyanwu.

As well as, “An order of this honourable court authorizing and or directing the EFCC, Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, the Nigerian Immigration Services and the Interpol to arrest on sight Hon. Amarachi Iwuanyawu anywhere sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce her before this Honorable court or to the EFCC headquarters, Abuja”.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till February 23 for report

(Vanguard)

November 25, 2022
FG reintroduces history in basic schools

The Federal Government, yesterday, announced re-introduction of history as a stand alone subject in basic education system in Nigeria, 13 years after it was abolished.

No fewer than 3,700 teachers have also been shortlisted for the first round of training for enhanced teaching of the subject.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, disclosed this during a flag-off ceremony of the re-introduction of teaching of history and training of history teachers at basic education level, in Abuja.

Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, described the earlier moves that culminated in the removal of the subject in basic schools as monumental mistake which the country is already reaping its negative effects.

“History used to be one of the foundational subjects taught in classrooms but for some inexplicable reasons, some things happened, and as a result, history was subsequently expunged from the list of subject combination in our schools.

“This single act, no doubt, relegated and eroded the knowledge and information that learners could have been exposed to. It was a monumental mistake and we have already started seeing its negative consequences

“The loss created by the absence of this subject has led to a fall in moral values, erosion of civic values, and disconnect from the past. More worrisome was the neglect of the teaching of this subject at basic and post-basic levels of education which invariably eroded the knowledge of the evolution of Nigeria as a country.”

The minister added that the training and retraining of teachers in order to enhance their capacity development that would lead to the mastery of the subject would be a focus of the re-introduction.

He said: “Teachers will be provided with the requisite skills needed to teach the subject, the technique, methodology which will eventually give the subject a didactic outlook that will arouse the interest of the children to listen with rapt attention and remove the initial barriers that may have inhibited learning.”

Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hamid Bobboyi, explained that the 3,700 history teachers selected from the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would participate in the training.

He said the selection was done on pro-rata (proportional) basis with 100 teachers each from a state and FCT, stressing that the training would equip them with the necessary skills to teach the subject, especially with the modification of the subject content.

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, in his goodwill message, said Nigeria is still evolving and striving to achieve nationhood, adding that the rich history of the country’s diverse constituents should be explored and exploited to serve as an effective tool for nation building.

He appealed to traditional rulers as custodians of the nation’s rich culture, traditions and values, and indeed, all Nigerians, to support the bold step taken by the government and given effect by UBEC, to return the teaching of history as a subject at basic education level.

“We owe it a duty to encourage research for the documentation of the history of our people and should be forthcoming in granting access to historical records in our custody,” he said.

(Sun)

November 25, 2022
Breaking: Gospel singer Sammie Okposo is dead

Ace gospel singer, Sammie Okposo, is dead.

The singer died on Friday morning, The PUNCH gathered. He was 51.

His project manager, Hillary Vincent, confirmed the news to our correspondent via phone call.

Responding to inquiries, he said, “Yes it’s true. It happened this morning.”However, unverified sources on the Internet stated that the singer slumped before he was pronounced dead.

The Wellu Wellu master, as he was fondly called, was an internationally-recignised music producer, psalmist, and CEO of Zamar Entertainment.

He released his first album Addicted in 2004.

More details shortly….

(Punch)

November 25, 2022
Adekunle Gold, Burna Boy, others, slammed by NDLEA Boss for exalting drug abuse in lyrics

Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has slammed Nigerian artistes who glorify the abuse of drugs and substances in their songs.

Marwa lamented how the drug-promoting lyrics from songs have become a buzzword among youths, noting how the young population, on the strength of these songs, have come to see drug abuse as a ‘grand idea of leisure’.

The NDLEA boss who was represented by Dr. Segun Oke said this during the 2nd edition of the Vanguard Mental Health Summit held in Lagos on Thursday with the theme being: ‘Mental Health in a Distressed Economy’.

According to Marwa, drug abuse is a ‘serious’ problem in the country, revealing that 10.6 million Nigerians abuse cannabis.

He stated that the agency has continued to put measures in place to curb the abuse of drug and substances in the country.

“The “high syndrome” is so entrenched among young people it has become a sort of self-prescription therapy for dealing with some of life’s issues. For some, it is the grand idea of leisure. It is a buzzword in their everyday life and a motif in popular music. Offhand, I can give you three quick examples of hit songs that glorify the abuse of psychoactive substances in the name of “getting high”.

” ‘I just want to be high’, ‘I need Igbo and Shayo’, ‘Sometimes food no dey give man joy, but Canadian loud, the feeling is different.’ These street anthems motivate young people to abuse alcohol, cannabis and other illicit substances. It is now commonplace for young people to organise cannabis parties,” he said.

Marwa lauded the reporters for putting together the summit, emphasizing how silence, passivity and complacency have contributed to the rise in the level of drug abuse in the country.

“Our silence, passivity and complacency in the past is what led us to where we are today. That is why every effort to now salvage the situation, including this summit, is welcome and laudable and most importantly, must be decisive and sustained.

(Vanguard)

November 24, 2022
[PICTORIALS] Peter Obi meets Soludo in Awka

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi and the Governor of Anambra state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo met today in Awka.

Obi and Soludo, who met at St Patrick Cathedral, Awka, during the Thanksgiving mass of Most Rev. Bishop Ezeokafor’s 70th birthday, could be seen embracing each other, while they exchanged pleasantries.

Recall that Soludo had earlier alleged that the investment of Obi in Anambra state government was worth next to nothing.

Soludo made this assertion in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today last Thursday.

When asked his perspective on government investing outside the public sector with reference to Obi as former governor in Anambra, Soludo simply said, “I don’t know about the investment.”

“Our interview is about the 2023 budget. I’m not talking about investments of any of my predecessors. By the way the one that you talked about I don’t know about that. I think there was something I read about somebody speculating about whatever investment. With what I’ve seen today, the value of those investments is worth next to nothing. So, let’s leave that aside,” he said.

https://twitter.com/PO_GrassRootM/status/1595731862437101568?t=XHO2JXlOLef_vG2uiQSPcg&s=19

(Vanguard)

November 24, 2022
Nnamdi Kanu sues DG NIA, demands N20bn compensation

The report recalls that of all the several suits that have emanated from the rendition of Kanu, this is the first against Ahmed Abubakar, either in his personal or official capacity.

Kanu in his statement of claims said that: “On October 14, 2015, Claimant was arrested in Lagos, a few days after his arrival from his base in London, United Kingdom and was subsequently charged with certain offences.

“Following his arrest, Claimant was detained for Eighteen (18) months and was later released on bail in April 2017, whereupon Claimant returned to his said residence at Afara-Ukwu Ibeku, in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State where he stayed and awaited his next court date scheduled for October 17, 2017.

“On or about 10th September 2017, while Claimant was resting at his said residence in Umuahia, the Nigerian Army, assisted by other Security agencies launched lethal military invasions against the Claimant at his said residence in Umuahia.

“In the course of the invasion, Claimant managed to escape to a safe location from where he managed to flee overseas to save his life.

“In the course of time, Claimant instituted a fundamental rights Suit on grounds of the said military invasion and the court held that said invasion amounted to a violation of Claimant’s fundamental rights, whereupon the court awarded the Claimant damages and an order for a public apology and also held that “It is the view of this Honourable Court that the Agent of the First Respondent set out as pythons to terminate the life of the Applicant.” Claimant hereby pleads the Judgment and the Judgment Order as documents Claimant shall rely on at the trial. See Annexures 1 and 2.

“In the course of his sojourns and search for a safe haven, Claimant legally entered the Republic of Kenya on 12th May, 2021. Claimant hereby pleads the relevant copies of Claimant’s passport as a document Claimant shall rely on at the trial. See Annexure 3.

“On 19th June, 2021, acting in bad faith and/or abuse of his public office, the Defendant and his confederates, agents and privies (hereafter: the Defendant), falsely arrested the Claimant at the parking lot of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi Kenya without the authority of the law of the Republic of Kenya, in that the Defendant arrested the Plaintiff without any Kenyan arrest warrant or such other like authority issuing from a Kenyan law enforcement agency, court or government of Kenya.

“Following the said false arrest, the Defendant, acting in bad faith and abuse of his public office, falsely imprisoned the Claimant for Eight (days) at a secret, non-official place in Nairobi, Kenya, whereat the Defendant physically and mentally tortured the Claimant.

“Throughout the duration of the Claimant’s imprisonment, the Defendant – acting in bad faith and abuse of his public office – willfully refused to present or produce the Claimant to a Kenyan police station or court of law of other appropriate Kenyan authority, such as the Kenyan immigration authorities.

“The false imprisonment of the Claimant was without the consent of the Claimant; and the Kenyan government has publicly and categorically denied any role in the arrest and imprisonment of the Claimant in Kenya.

” Following a fundamental rights suit brought by the Claimant against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and others (excluding the Defendant herein) before the Federal High Court, the court – on 26th October 2022 – ruled in favour of the Claimant, stating as follows:

“I declare that the manner of arrest and detention of the Applicant in Kenya, his continued detention in Abuja, his subjection to physical and mental trauma by the Respondents, the inhuman and degrading treatment meted out to the Applicant amounts to a brazen violation of the Applicant’s fundamental right to dignity of his person and threat to life under Section 34 (1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)”. Claimant hereby pleads this Judgment Order and the Judgment and shall rely on same at the trial of this suit. See Annexures 4 and 5.

“By virtue of his public office, the Defendant has a public duty to act in good faith, not to abuse his public office and to ensure that the arrest and imprisonment of the Claimant in Kenya was conducted in accordance with law.

“By falsely arresting and imprisoning the Claimant in Kenya, the Defendant breached his statutory duty requiring him to arrest and/or imprison the Claimant in Kenya only in accordance with law.

“The said false arrest and false imprisonment of the Claimant has been condemned by the United Nations Human Rights Council, which through its Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, rendered a binding Opinion directing Defendant’s employer (the Federal Republic of Nigeria) to release the Claimant unconditionally and accord him the opportunity of seeking compensation/reparations.

“Consequently, Mr. Kanu’s arrest without an arrest warrant and with no explanation as to the reasons for his arrest violated his rights under article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 9 of the Covenant and principles 2, 4, 10, and 36 (2) of the Body of Principles.”

Kanu made the following prayers:

“A DECLARATION that the Defendant’s arrest of the Claimant and his imprisonment of the Claimant at said location in Nairobi, Kenya amounted to false arrest and false imprisonment.

“A DECLARATION that the Defendant acted in bad faith and/or abused his public office in falsely arresting and falsely imprisoning the Claimant at the said location in Kenya.

“AN ORDER directing the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N20,000,000,000.00 (Twenty Billion Naira only) being general and exemplary damages.

“AN ORDER of the court directing the Defendant to write and deliver to the Claimant, an unreserved personal letter of apology. The letter of apology shall also be prominently and boldly published full-page in two Nigerian Newspapers of national circulation, namely: Guardian Newspaper and Sun Newspaper.”

(Sun)

November 24, 2022
President Buhari unveils re-designed naira notes

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele had on Tuesday said that the president will unveil the newly designed N1,000, N500 and N200 notes.

The unveiling today, marks the first time in 19 years, Nigeria will be redesigning its currency notes.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday finally unveiled the re-designed Naira Notes as proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

At a briefing after the ceremony before the Federal Executive Council meeting, the CBN governor debunked insinuations suggesting that the early unveiling of the new notes is a means to target some Nigerians.

Mr Emefiele appealed to members of the public, urging them to desist from making such speculation, adding that that there is no need to perpetuate such information.

According to him, the CBN will intensify the monitoring process and interrogate the process of withdrawals.

Emefiele maintained that there will be heavy restriction on the volume of cash that people can withdraw over the counter, as it works with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor the purpose of any heavy transactions.

The redesigned currency note he asserts can never be counterfeited, adding that to forestall such occurrence, the CBN will redesign the notes after every five to eight years.

Following the unveiling of the new notes which begins circulation today, the CBN governor announced that the apex bank is now more determined to make Nigeria a cashless economy, as in other climes.

During the ceremony which held before the council meeting, President Buhari underscored the importance of re-designing the new naira notes. He explained that it will aide the country address the issue of Illicit financial flows, corruption, improve the nation’s economy, as well as ensure an advancement in the value of the naira.

Noting that the currency redesign will also boost the CBN’s Monetary policy initiative, President Buhari stated that the first set of currency which was printed locally by the Nigeria printing and minting company, will fundamentally prevent counterfeiting of the naira notes.

The president, however, appealed to Nigerians and urged them to embrace the new policy to re-design the naira.

(Channels TV)

November 23, 2022
INSECURITY: 10 killed, many injured, as Herders invade Enugu community, Ugwuanyi releases N10m for victims

…Ebubeagu operatives shoot 2 youths in Ebonyi

Suspected killer herdsmen, Monday, invaded Agu-Amede community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State and unleashed an attack which left at least ten persons dead and many others wounded.

The killer herders were also said to have ransacked the community and set houses on fire.

This came as men of the South East Security outfit code-named Ebubeagu were last Saturday alleged to have shot two youths, Samuel Okam and Micheal Oji at Ekoli Edda of Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Vanguard gathered that two of the victims who were farmers were killed on Saturday, while eight were killed Monday.

It was further learned that about 25 members in the community sustained various degrees of injuries.

Among those killed, according to sources from the community, were two daughters of a church cleric in the community.

A community leader, Augustine Odoh, who confirmed the attack, explained that it happened on Monday around 1pm.

Odo said that all the members of their community living outside the community had been summoned home, adding that by Tuesday, (yesterday), the community would convey the corpses of the deceased to the Enugu State Government House to meet Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, alleging that the government has abandoned them.

According to Odo, “They (herdsmen) invaded first on Saturday, killed two people. Today (monday), they invaded the community again and killed eight people including our women and children. So many other people about, 25 of them were equally wounded. They are in the hospital; we don’t know how many people are going to survive.”

He said that residents were now deserting their houses over the renewed attacks.

Lamenting the incessant attack by herdsmen, Odo claimed that in all the attacks, no government security came to their aid.

“Our people cannot confront them with bare hands. They came in their numbers with AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons, shooting and destroying houses for hours unchallenged.

“The government will only deploy soldiers in communities in other South East states to hound and kill members of pro-Biafra groups especially the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, but same soldiers cannot be deployed to our communities to stop herdsmen and terrorists attacks.

“That is the hypocrisy in this government. In my community, people see soldiers and other security agents as sympathisers and collaborators of the terrorists masquerading as herdsmen who are trying conquer our lands”.

Another member of the community, who pleaded for anonymity, however, said that soldiers and other security operatives have moved into the bushes from where the marauders gained access into the community to comb for them.

Efforts to get reaction of the Enugu State Police Command were not successful as the spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, did not take his calls.

However, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has released the sum of N10 million for the immediate needs of the affected victims of the attack in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with Gov. Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, Bishop Olinya, the Anglican Bishop of Eha Amufu Diocese, said that he was impressed with “the prompt interventions of Enugu State Government on the crisis in the place,” adding: “I want to thank especifically, the Governor of Enugu State for bringing out ten million naira for the people affected.

“I am very happy this evening for the prompt intervention of Enugu State Government in the crisis in our place, Eha Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.”

The Anglican Bishop disclosed that the governor “has given us ten million naira to go and see the people and to meet their immediate needs and I am very sure that this will make them have a sense of belonging, make them feel that the state has heard their cry and has really come to help them.”

Ebubeagu operatives allegedly shoot 2 youths in Ebonyi

The incident happened when the convoy of a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, in Ebonyi State, Chief Julius Oji (aka Ochiri Edda) was attacked in Ekoli Edda community of the state.

The bodies of the two victims were riddled with bullet wounds even as they are presently receiving treatment in the hospital.

Vanguard gathered that trouble had ensued Saturday evening, when a convoy of vehicles conveying the PDP chieftain and other dignitaries, was halted following a roadblock that was mounted by the Ebubeagu men.

Narrating his ordeal, Chief Oji said it took God’s intervention for him to escape the mayhem plotted against him by the Ebebeagu operatives, alleging that the state has become insecure for the people.

He said, “I went to see Sen. Sonni Ogbuoji in his house in Ebunwana Edda community and while returning to Ekoli Edda community, just between the road that connects Letu from Ekoli Edda, that was where the incident happened. And if not for God, I don’t know what would have become of me, because these people plotted evil for me.

“It was at this particular place in Ekoli, that the Ebubeagu men blocked the road on seeing us, and they started shooting. They kept shooting as they blocked the road. But what saved me was that the particular PRADO Jeep that I came to the village in, was new and I have never taken it to the village before and so, none of them knew the very vehicle I was in.

“That was when one of the policemen in our convoy got down to check what was going on. Their very target was me because if they knew the very vehicle that carried me, it would have been a different thing altogether. Thank God this was the very first time I brought that Jeep to the village because I wanted to keep it in the village. Recently and usually each time I come home, I do use Hon. Chidi Ejem’s car, being my younger brother. So, this very car is new in the village and nobody knew I was in it.

“Another miracle was that the policeman I had used for a very long time which these people know, was not with me in that car. He was in another car behind us. That was how all of a sudden, my driver zoomed past the Ebebuagu people. And it was then that the policeman radioed the one with me in the car to speed off and take me straight to the house that there was danger. I was hearing them. But I kept wondering what would happen to the people with me that were left behind.”

(Vanguard)

November 23, 2022