ATTENCAO

More revelations have emerged why President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday sacked Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of five agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH). President Buhari after a meeting with a team from the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria and Global Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) in Abuja earlier on Tuesday communicated the message to the CEOs through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The agencies have been under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a report from the Inspector General Office of the Global Fund accused them of financial misappropriation and systemic inefficiency. The agencies and their CEOs include: Prof. John Idoko of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA); Dr. Ado Gana Muhammad of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA); Prof. Innocent Ujah of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) Yaba, Lagos; Dr. Abdulsalami Nasidi of the Nigerian Centre for Disea...

The whistle blowing lawmaker, Abdulmumin Jibrin, says he has written a petition to Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to investigate his allegations against the House leadership. Mr. Jibrin, in a series of posts on his Twitter handle, said he had been granted extra security because he had become a “key witness” in the investigation and potential trial of the accused lawmakers. The former chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee said his offices were also protected by officials to secure documents relating to the case. “On the request of my lawyers, the security agencies have promptly protected the appropriation secretariat, my office and provided maximum protection to Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin as the key witness during prosecution in the matter,” Mr. Jibrin wrote in third person. The lawmaker from Kano State said a petition he wrote to authorities against Mr. Dogara, his deputy Yusuf Lasun, House Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority Leader Leo Ogor, and others was dispatc...

Jide Ayanbolu. The present government appears very cautious and extremely careful in its spending; and it seems highly reluctant to accumulate more debts, but with the reckless and frivolous spending of the past administration, the lack of necessary savings and dwindling oil revenue, borrowing remains inevitable for the time being. There is the exigency of paying salaries, the categorical imperative of bridging diverse infrastructural gaps and need to embark upon germane development for nation building, and servicing debts obligations. Every country in the world aims at achieving economic growth and development, however this is only possible if a country has adequate resources. In developing countries, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, the resources to finance the optimal level of economic growth and development are in short supply. This is as a result of the economies being plagued with problems of low domestic savings, low tax revenues, low productivity and meagre foreign ...

Some of the world's top footballers will compete to be named as the 2015/16 UEFA Best Player in Europe after the ten-man shortlist was announced yesterday. Journalists from each of UEFA's 55 member associations provided a list of their five best-ranked players, with the first receiving five points, the second four and so on. The ten players with the most points advance to the second vote, which will determine the three finalists to be named on 5 August. The jury will then cast their votes for the outright winner, which will be announced during the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on 25 August. Last year's winner Lionel Messi will be looking to collect his third award after scooping the first in 2011. Other former honourees are Andrés Iniesta (2012), Franck Ribéry (2013) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2014). The nominees, in alphabetical order, are: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid & Wales) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus & Italy) Antoine Griezmann (Atl...

Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Edo Sept. 10 governorship election, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Nick Dazang, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Deputy Director for Voter Education and Publicity, disclosed this in an interview with NAN on Tuesday in Abuja. Mr. Dazang said the decision to accept Mr. Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, led by Ahmed Makarfi, was informed by the court’s decision on the matter. “The commission collected the nomination from Makarfi-led faction because he has a court judgment that says INEC should accept his candidate. “Secondly, you will recall that it is only his own faction of PDP primary that the commission monitored,” Mr. Dazang said. The PDP has been rocked by an internal crisis, with two factions laying claim to the party’s national leadership. A faction led by Ali Modu Sheriff submitted the name of Matthew Iduoriyekwemwen as its candidate for the...

As the National Assembly resumed from its Ramadan recess, tension enveloped both chambers of the federal legislature, with the Senate threatening to commence impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari and lawmakers in the House of Representatives sharply divided over the proposal seeking to confer immunity from criminal prosecution on the presiding officers of the National Assembly. This was just as the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), met Senate President Bukola Saraki and tendered an unreserved apology for his failure to honour the invitation of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters twice last month. The AGF also met members of the committee and expressed his regrets for his inability to appear before them. Prior to Malami’s meetings with Saraki and the committee, however, the Senate held a rowdy executive session, during which senators threatened to commence impeachment p...

Following the recent scrapping of the post-UTME screening, Nigerians were last week jolted by reports of the introduction of a new point system option for this year’s admission into Nigerian universities by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), but the board swiftly refuted the claims, saying that it was an illustration made by the Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde. The examination body has now introduced new admission guidelines. The Head of Media and Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin said in a statement that the federal government approved the re-enforcement of admission guideline by law and that all tertiary institutions have consequently been directed to adhere to the guidelines. “Admission would be based on three pillars: merit, catchment and educationally disadvantaged states.” Benjamin said the 2016 admission would not require the conduct of another test either written or oral, as candidates would only present their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE)/A...

Nigeria may be losing about N2.79 billion daily as from this Tuesday as the unrelenting militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) last night blasted Qua Iboe crude oil terminal operated by ExxonMobil. Qua Iboe is Nigeria’s largest crude oil stream and exports usually more than 300,000 barrels per day. At the current oil price of $47 per barrel, the country is bound to lose billions of naira daily. Security sources told reporters early this morning that the militants stormed the terminal at about 7.30 p.m and bombed the terminal with dynamites. “The hoodlums stormed the terminal in several boats and immediately blasted it and sped away. The attack was professionally carried out. They were versed with the terrain”, he said. It was gathered that the security agents attached to the manifold were caught unawares as they did not expect any attack by that hour.. According to a terse statement signed by its spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, the Niger Delta Avengers said it blew u...

The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that Nigeria’s unity was not negotiable, saying Nigeria could only remain united if all ethnic nationalities agreed to live together. ARG, a pan-Yoruba socio-political and economic organisation, also condemned a public statement made recently by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), in which it expressed strong support for the president’s position that the unity of Nigeria was non-negotiable. A statement by its National Chairman, Hon. Olawale Oshun, pointed out the different reasons why the unity of Nigeria should be renegotiated. In the statement, the ARG noted that neither Buhari nor ACF loved Nigeria more than those advocating the renegotiation of what binds it together as a country. It said the unity of Nigeria was only sustainable by the voluntary acquiescence of the component ethnic nationalities and rejected the president’s position that Nigeria’s ...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says no bank in the country is currently in financial distress. In a statement released on Wednesday by Isaac Okorafor, acting director, corporate communications of the CBN, the apex bank said the rumours and speculations of distress are “untrue and do not reflect the actual health of the individual banks and indeed, the entire banking industry”. “For the avoidance of doubt, the infusion of a new Board and Management for Skye Bank PLC is a proactive regulatory action meant to ensure that the bank does not continue to fail in its relevant prudential ratios. Neither Skye Bank nor any other bank in the industry is in distress,” read the statement. “Therefore, the CBN would like to request the general public to ignore speculations or rumours to the contrary as they could only be the handiwork of mischief makers who do not mean well for the Nigerian banking system and its economy. “As the regulator of the industry, the CBN hereby reassures the ban...

The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday adduced reason for his absence at the Eid-el-Fitr praying ground in Florin, Kwara State for this year’s end of Ramadan prayer. Saraki was attacked by an irate mob last year September at the praying ground. His absence thus fuelled the feeling that he was avoiding another round of attack. But Saraki, who wrote on his Twitter handle in reaction to the story publish on his absence at praying ground, said: “A quick search would show I usually spend last 10 days (of the Ramadan) in lesser hajj.”

From the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) came yesterday a declaration that the power to determine admission guidelines for universities is beyond the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Essentially, ASUU, while reminding the examination body of university autonomy, maintained that only the Senate of a tertiary institution has the power to regulate admission modalities and determine what best suits the vision of the school. Chairman of the University of Ibadan (UI) chapter of ASUU, Dr. Deji Omole, in his reaction said both the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu and JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde erred in their actions. Omole said the duo appeared confused and inconsistent by first going against collection of administrative charges under Post- Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by universities and then preaching payment of screening fees in its guidelines. The ASUU boss said both the minister and JAMB registrar seemed unaware of happenings in...

The coach of the national male U-23 side, Dream Team VI, Samson Siasia has raised doubts over the ability of his lads to win gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, come August. The tactician raised the alarm while speaking to the media at the team’s training base in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Having confessed that his team’s performances have been fare applaudable, Siasia said: “we cannot be going for gold and we are begging for money. “It is not a good image to go to the Olympics while trying to beg for money around [actually begging people for money to take care of the Nigerian Olympic team]. How are we going to win gold, if we keep begging for money to take care of our athletes?” asked the coach. “We don’t have money. We are in the (United States of) America now without any money. So, it is a big problem. “We are without any money in our pocket. There are no funds coming from anywhere. That is not a good thing. When you have players who are not motivated and enc...

Osun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Wednesday said each time Governor Rauf Aregbesola organises free train services to transport people to the state during festivities, a sum of N100 millions goes to a private account. The PDP in a statement issued in Osogbo by Prince Diran Odeyemi, its spokesperson, said “it is curious that a struggling government that has failed to meet its statutory obligations of paying workers salary would without bating eyelids, announced free train from Lagos to Osun as done now to mark Eid El Fitri.” According to the party, just last year December, during year 2016 budget defence at the floor of Osun State House of Assembly, a director in the state Civil Service openly confessed that about N130 million was spent on free train in December that year alone. It then urged the rest of the country and the federal government to see what it called hypocrisy, pettiness and fraud that has been going on in Osun state in the last years, and prevail...

                                 Lekai is a talented  potential star lyricist  who has a lot of passion for music, the rap genre in particular, and rap acts. His ability to create metaphorical expressions without sacrificing substance on the altar of ryhmes formulation makes his art  one which is delight to behold.  In what's a blend of RnB and Hiphop, Lekai, in the course of addressing his subject  "Liars", with a  touch class  showcases his wordplay skills at a measured but effectual rate.   "She go love you when you get the 'ego' (money),  when you lose it, she met you a while ago". The extreme we go to, to satisfy our personal urge(both sexes) in pretext of affection is what this Lekai basically brings to the fore in not more than 169 seconds. Instrumental credit: Bigsam. Dowload, listen and share.         ...

Have you been receiving unsolicited text messages (short message service) on your phone? The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is about to rescue you. NCC directed all service providers to, from July 1, 2016, activate the “DO NOT DISTURB” facility which gives subscribers the freedom to choose what messages to receive from the various networks. With this direction the operators have been mandated to dedicate a common short code (2442) which will enable subscribers take informed decisions. In a statement by Tony Ojobo, director of public affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the action was taken in order to protect subscribers from the nuisance of unsolicited texts, and therefore a direct regulatory response to the yearnings of the subscribers. By this action, he explained, the commission has invoked a regulatory provision which had hitherto been overlooked by the operators. “Taking cognizance of the broad range of services which include: banking/insurance/...

Spain officially parted ways with veteran coach Vicente del Bosque on Monday, one week after La Roja lost to Italy in the round-of-16 at Euro 2016. Del Bosque, 65, guided Spain to wins at the World Cup in 2010 and Euro 2012, but also oversaw their shock group-stage exit at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. The Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Monday published an official statement thanking Del Bosque for his eight years with the team. He took over the role following Spain’s European Championship win in 2008 under his predecessor, Luis Aragones. On Monday the RFEF issued a statement saying that Del Bosque will accept a role within the federation. “[Spanish federation president] Angel Maria Villar considers Vicente del Bosque to be ‘part of Spanish football patrimony’ and has offered him a chance to continue with the federation. He has accepted and details of the offer will be solidified over the next few weeks.” That statement comes after Del Bosque had confirmed last week th...

The Independent National Electoral Commission has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that it issued a certificate of return to Uche Ogah, on June 28, recognising him as governor-elect of Abia State, in compliance with the order made in the judgment of the court delivered June 27. The INEC said this through its lawyer, Mr. Alhassan Umar, when a motion seeking a stay of the execution of the judgment sacking Okezie Ikpeazu as the governor of the state and also ordering the issuance of certificate of return to Ogah came up for hearing on Monday. The motion for stay of execution of the judgment came up for hearing before Justice Okon Abang, who had delivered the verdict on June 27. Umar was reacting to an application by Ikpeazu’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), for adjournment of the hearing of his client’s motion, till Thursday. The lawyer said INEC had already issued the certificate of return before the processes of the notice of appeal against the judgment and a motion for stay...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti state has alleged that Kayode Fayemi, former governor of the state, donated N1.5 billion belonging to Ekiti to the campaign fund of President Muhammadu Buhari. Jackson Adebayo, spokesman of the PDP in Ekiti, said Fayemi used the money to buy his position as a minister. Fayemi is currently the minister of solid minerals. Adebayo said the anti-corruption crusade of the federal government is one-sided, challenging Buhari to refund the money, which he said “will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the dwindling economic fortune of the state, especially payment of workers salary”. “Equity and justice demand that Buhari should return what he got from Ekiti state treasury through Fayemi, if he is running after those who allegedly got money from the office of the national security adviser (ONSA),”  Adebayo said in a statement. “Fayemi, who is now Buhari’s minister of solid minerals reportedly transferred N1.5 billion from his ac...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti state has alleged that Kayode Fayemi, former governor of the state, donated N1.5 billion belonging to Ekiti to the campaign fund of President Muhammadu Buhari. Jackson Adebayo, spokesman of the PDP in Ekiti, said Fayemi used the money to buy his position as a minister. Fayemi is currently the minister of solid minerals. Adebayo said the anti-corruption crusade of the federal government is one-sided, challenging Buhari to refund the money, which he said “will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the dwindling economic fortune of the state, especially payment of workers salary”. “Equity and justice demand that Buhari should return what he got from Ekiti state treasury through Fayemi, if he is running after those who allegedly got money from the office of the national security adviser (ONSA),”  Adebayo said in a statement. “Fayemi, who is now Buhari’s minister of solid minerals reportedly transferred N1.5 billion from his ac...

The University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has described as “shallow thought and autocratic” the decision of the Federal Government to ban post-university matriculation examinations in Nigerian universities. The union said this in a statement issued yesterday by its chairman, Dr. Deji Omole, warning that the decision would add no value to education in the country. Omole said the pronouncements by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu had eroded the autonomy of university in admission of students, stressing that the, “autocratic pronouncement” was a non issue when compared with fundamental issue of funding universities and meeting ASUU-FGN 2009 agreements. He added that the ban was more disturbing and ill-timed now that the Federal government is owing public universities about N1billion intervention fund. With the ban, the ASUU chairman said it was obvious that the Education Minister was oblivious of extant university autonomy granted t...

Micro-blogging website, Twitter, on Monday suspended an account belonging to a group of oil pipelines saboteurs, Niger Delta Avengers. The suspension came a day after the group said it successfully launched five attacks on oil installations within two days. Notorious for its indiscriminate destruction of oil and gas installations owned by major oil corporations across the delta states, the Avengers had since inception used Twitter to announce attacks. The group first used Twitter to claim responsibility for the bombing of Bonny Soku gas export line in Gbarain, Bayelsa State, in February 2016. Since then, it had claimed responsibility for more than 24 attacks as at July 2. While announcing attacks, it also demanded a better living condition for the people of the oil-rich region. At some point, the group demanded a sovereign state for the Niger Delta. Shell, Chevron, Eni, NNPC and other oil companies operating in the region had their facilities attacked in recent months. In June,...

India’s IOC has booked several grades of Angolan crude for July, including Cabinda and Girassol, as its favoured Nigerian Qua Iboe crude oil was under force majeure. “People want stable supply. And Angolan crude is in general very reliable … there are no fears about force majeure,” said Ehsan Ul-Haq, a principal consultant with KBC. China’s buying has also skewed toward Angolan grades, though state-backed refining company Unipec and teapot refiners typically process heavier crudes than India. Indonesian buying also returned in force, with Pertamina taking four cargoes, including those booked by Total, Shell and Socar. All these recoil in buying of Nigerian oil is as a result of force majeure declared by two oil multi-nationals-Shell Nigeria, and Exxon Mobile in two of Nigeria’s oil field. Also the security threats in the Niger Delta have aided the rise in demand for Angolan oil from China and India, Nigeria’s major crude buyers for July, according to Reuters.

Former Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta has confirmed he is joining Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff at Mancester City. The Spanish midfielder’s contract with Arsenal expired on June 30 after a five-year stint at the club, and he had already said he expected to take up a coaching role next season. His move to City had been widely expected, with Guardiola keen on making him part of the new backroom staff at the Etihad as the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach prepares for his first season in the Premier League. “The opportunity to join Pep Guardiola and his team was an amazing opportunity for me and I am incredibly excited for the future,” Arteta wrote in a statement he posted on social media. Arteta captained Arsenal over the last two seasons but struggled with injuries over the last year and was rarely part of Arsene Wenger’s first-team squad. He came on as a late substitute for a farewell appearance in the final game of the Premier League season in May and was given a rousing s...

Theresa Uzokwe chief judge of Abia state, has broken her silence on the imbroglio in the state, dismissing reports that she went underground to avoid swearing in Uche Ogah as governor. Uzokwe said “mischievous politicians” were behind the reports, saying there is evidence to prove that she did not abscond from duty. There is currently tension in Abia over the court ruling which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revoke the certificate of return issued to Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state, and award it to Ogah, who came second in the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the st Ogah had alleged that there is a deliberate plot to frustrate him, insisting that there is power vacuum in the state. However, Uzokwe did not give any explanation for not carrying out the court order. She only said she decided to release a statement to “set records straight”. “The attention of the chief judge of Abia state, Justice has been drawn t...

Billionaire Chairman of UBA, Tony Elumelu took to his social media page on Instagram to appreciate one of his workers who returned the sum of $10,000 (N3 million) he found on the ground. He wrote: “Last month, Mohammed Ibrahim Ogbanago, a security guard at the @ubagroup branch in Oba Akran, found $10,000 outside on the ground at his branch. In an unparalleled display of integrity, he decided to return the money. When I heard about this story, I knew I had to meet the man who despite facing rising petrol & transportation prices and “tomato ebola” returned such a huge sum of money without recourse to himself. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him tell this story and about how he came to be in the board room with us. Even more surprising was hearing him speak about his passion for governance and integrity in leadership. Mohammed Ibrahim Ogbanago is an exemplary ambassador of the UBA spirit and it was fulfilling to meet and reward him for his conduct. The @UBAGroup manage...

Gideon Aremu, lawmaker representing Orelope  in Iseyin/Itesiwaju constituency in the Oyo state house of assembly, has been killed. A source confirmed this, saying the unfortunate incident happened in the late hours of Friday. The source said Aremu’s assailant trailed him to his Alakia residence in the Egbeda local government area of the state, before opening fire on him. Aremu was the only opposition lawmaker in the constituency, as his other nine colleagues are from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Adekunle Ajisebutu, spokesman of the Oyo police command, confirmed the incident, saying investigation is ongoing. “I can confirm that the incident happened late yesterday, and the police have swung into action,” he said. “The commissioner has deployed human and material resources in tracking down the culprits. We can assure the public that very soon, we will apprehend those behind this cruel act. We equally want to appeal members of the public who have infor...

The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has arrested some suspected Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) militants. The DSS said this in a statement on Friday. The ‘Avengers’ are the militant group responsible for recent attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta. According to the secret police, one Selky Torughedi, a suspected member of NDA and associate of Tompolo, was arrested for planning to assassinate a serving military officer in Kaduna state. It said another suspected member of the NDA was arrested while planning to carry out attacks on oil installations. “In a bid to stem the activities of vandals in the Niger Delta, this service effected the arrest of Selky Kile Torughedi, on 17th June, 2016, in Calabar, Cross River state,”the DSS said in the statement issued by Tony Opuiyo, its agent “Torughedi is an ex-militant and suspected member of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), and was arrested for planning to assassinate one MB Yahaya, a serving military officer. “Tor...

Olisa Metuh, former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he is ready to return the “contentious” N400m as a sign of support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war. Metuh said this in a statement by his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), on Thursday. The former PDP spokesman is facing trial at the federal high court, Abuja for allegedly receiving N400m — being money for arms purchase — from Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA). He  had said that the money was given to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan for media campaigns ahead of the 2015 presidential election, but on Thursday, he said he was willing to return the money as an honest citizen. “In the light of the circumstances regarding the case of our client, Chief Olisa Metuh with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), we want to explain the reasons for our client’s proposal to refund the N400 million released to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan, and...