Members of the Kano State House of Assembly have denied receiving N17.2m bribe from the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The lawmakers, led by the speaker, Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Usman Rurum, last week visited Ganduje at the Government House, Kano, to pledge their loyalty and pass a vote of confidence on him.

Governor Ganduje is currently locked in a supremacy battle with his former boss and ex-governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

A former media aide to Kwankwaso, who is now the senator representing Kano Central, Sharu Garba Gwammaja, had claimed that the governor approved N17.2m for each of the 34 members who supported him.

Gwammaja also said the money was shared to the members as bribe to declare support for the governor and renounce the red cap – the symbol of Kwankwaso’s political movement also known as the ‘Kwankwasiyya’.

The alleged N17.2 million was a new dimension to the political battle between the two All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders.

However, debunking the allegation during a press briefing yesterday, Majority Leader of the House, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, said the mastermind of the rumour had been arrested by the police.

The majority leader said the House had instituted a legal action against Gwammaja over the matter and he was arrested by the police.

“This is a false allegation and an attempt to blackmail and tarnish the image of the Assembly members and the House will not take it lightly. We have reported to police and reports reaching us from them indicated that he was arrested”, Ata said.

He further stated that apart from the state lawmakers, two senators and 19 of the 24 members of the House of Representatives from the state, chairmen of the 44 local government areas and chairmen and secretaries of APC in the state had also declared support for Ganduje.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to cancel the entire National and State Assembly rerun elections, which took place in the state last Saturday.

The APC chairman in Rivers State, Davis Ikanya, who made the call in a press briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday, described the rerun as the worst election ever conducted by the INEC.

According to Ikanya, the election was marred by irregularities, violence and unnecessary interference from Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and other top government functionaries.

He further said the APC had documented evidence to prove that the election was manipulated in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The APC chief claimed that the security personnel deployed to conduct the election were inadequate, a development he alleged paved the way for the PDP to manipulate the process.

“The Rivers State rerun elections fall below acceptable norms. When we said that the 2015 general election was a fraud, the rerun election held on Saturday was the worst election ever conducted by INEC.

“Wike saturated the state with threats of violence. He threatened INEC officials with violence. He masterminded the killing of people in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area as well as killing of a Major and two soldiers of the Nigerian Army. Some local government areas have no electoral officials while untrained ad hoc staff participated in the election”, he said.

Mr. Ikanya also alleged that INEC cancelled elections in the areas where his party was leading.

“The APC, therefore, calls on INEC to cancel the entire re-run elections in the state to enable it to correct the pitfalls”, he said.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday said that the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security operatives in Saturday’s National and State Assembly rerun elections in Rivers State fell short of the expected standard, given their level of mobilisation and preparedness.

The opposition party expressed dismay that INEC, under the chairmanship of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has not been able to conduct any conclusive election in few constituencies and states so far since he assumed office and wondered what the case would be when the entire country is involved in the election.

“Also grossly unacceptable is the shoddy work by security operatives leading to escalation of violence, avoidable deaths and eventual cancellation of election results in eight local government areas in the state”, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said in a statement yesterday,

The PDP called on the nation and the international community to hold INEC, security operatives and the All Progressives Congress responsible should there be a breakdown of law and order in the state over the non-release of the final results.

The party alleged that the only reason for the seizure of the results was the fact that its candidates were in clear and overwhelming victory in all the election, an action it alleged, prompted the APC, in connivance with INEC, to seek to use the delay to manipulate the results.

Metuh said, “Nigerians and the international community can now see the desperation of the APC, which has now arm-twisted INEC in the unholy bid to alter the results of the elections and subvert the will of the people.

“We want the APC and INEC to mark the salient fact that the PDP, the people of Rivers State and indeed all Nigerians are already aware of the results from respective polling centers, wards and local government areas and will in no way whatsoever accept any final result that does not tally with the actual and already established figures from the polling units.

“We wish to remind the APC and INEC that Rivers State is a known stronghold of the PDP and the results from the elections cannot show otherwise.

“INEC should therefore understand that Nigerians are aware that in withholding the final results, they are ostensibly preparing grounds for chaos in the state.

“While we invite all to note the avoidable growing tension occasioned by the desperation of the APC to steal the mandate of the people, we caution INEC to extricate itself from the evil web and immediately release all the final results of the ballot as cast by the people and nothing more”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the results of one federal constituency and nine state assembly seats in Saturday`s re-run legislative elections in Rivers.

The result signed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Aniedi Ikoiwak, showed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the only House of Representatives seat of Abua/Odual/Ahoada East constituency.

Betty Apiafi of the PDP polled 19,188 votes to beat Ewor Robinson of APC who scored 6468 to win the House of Representatives poll.

The result also showed that the party won eight of the nine state assembly seats while the All Progressives Congress (APC) won one seat.

The state assembly result showed that Martins Manah of the PDP scored 6,654 votes to win Ahoada East 1 seat as against 2,077 votes polled by Apia Chinedu of the APC.

Ehie Edison of the PDP recorded 3,417 votes to beat Ibiso Nwobuiyeuma of APC with 1,429 to win Ahoada East 11 seat; Jack Major of PDP got 11,624 votes to defeat Ineye Jack of APC with 810 votes for Akuku-Toru constituency 1.

Emohua constituency was won by Samuel Ogeh of PDP, who polled 13,621votes to beat Chidi Lloyd of APC with 5,413 votes.

For Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni constituency, Christian Ahiakwo of PDP won with 7,256 votes at the expense of APC’s Gift Wokocha who polled 1,845 votes.

Kelechi Nwogu of PDP polled 5,568 votes to beat Anyanwu Leo of APC with 3,241 votes to win Omuma constituency.

The statement said Martin Amaewhule of PDP had 9,703 votes to beat Collins Ordu of APC with 4,078 votes for Obio/Akpor constituency 1 seat.

In Obio/Akpor constituency 11, INEC said Michael Chinda of PDP won the seat but did not indicate the votes cast.

It said that the only seat won by the APC so far was Opobo/Nkoro constituency where Andrew Miller polled 9,546 votes to beat Diri Adonye of PDP with 3,465 votes.

The re-run election was conducted in 22 of the 32 state constituencies; 12 of the 13 House of Representatives seats and the three senatorial seats in the state.

Mr. Ikoiwak said the commission suspended further announcement of results to conduct audit of materials and personnel used for the elections.

He also said that no date has been fixed for repeat of the poll in the eight local government areas where it cancelled the exercise due to violence and irregularities.

(NAN)

Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Monday approached the Nigerian Bar Association and Amnesty International over the refusal of the Department of State Services to obey a court order directing it to release the member representing Efon State Constituency, Afolabi Akanni.

The lawmakers, who addressed journalists yesterday, said it was obvious that the DSS was acting a script that would see the detained lawmaker and some other members of the House dead, so that they could be replaced by members of the All Progressives Congress.

The visit to the NBA and Amnesty International offices came on the heels of a peaceful protest last week to the United States and United Kingdom embassies in Abuja by the lawmakers, where they submitted petitions on the continued detention of Akanni.

Mr. Akanni, who was paraded before journalists last week Thursday to debunk claims by the Ekiti State Government that he was dead, was arrested at the Ekiti House of Assembly complex on March 4.

He was subsequently taken to the DSS headquarters in Abuja, where he is allegedly being held incommunicado and his alleged offences undisclosed, aside a vague “weighty security breach” given by the security agency as reason for his detention.

His colleagues claim that he was being denied access to his lawyers, doctors and family members.

On March 11, a Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, ordered that Mr. Akanni be released immediately or be brought to court in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, but the DSS refused service of the court order when the Court Bailiff, Araromi Ademola, went to its office in Ado-Ekiti, prompting an order of substituted service of the court order through newspaper advertisement.

The order was subsequently published in the Nigerian Tribune of last Thursday.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Segun Adewumi; Chairmen, House Committee on Information and Health, Gboyega Aribisogan and Samuel Omotoso respectively were at the NBA national headquarters and the Amnesty International office in Abuja to submit petitions.

They also submitted copies of the court order, newspaper advertorial in which the order was published among other documents.

They decried the silence of human rights activists, especially that of Femi Falana (SAN), saying history would judge those keeping silent because of their political interests.

The lawmakers, who addressed the press after submitting the petitions, raised the alarm over the health condition of the detained lawmaker, saying; “Hon. Akanni said on Thursday, when he was paraded before the press that he slumped twice and no medication was given to him even when he asked for drugs.”

Mr. Omotoso said; “Since it is now obvious that they cannot coerce us into impeaching our governor and leader, Ayodele Fayose, it appears that these people are now working on a sinister theory of snuffing life out of Hon Akanni and some of us so as to pave way for the conduct of bye-election through which they hope to rig APC members into the House of Assembly.

“We have therefore come here to alert the NBA and the Amnesty International of this blatant disregard for orders of our courts by the DSS and infringement on the fundamental rights of our members, especially Hon Akanni, who is dying in detention.

“We are putting the entire world on alert that should anything untoward happen to Hon Akanni, who is being detained without access to his doctors despite being terribly sick and any of us, the DSS and by extension, the federal government should be held responsible”.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the House of Representatives, on Tuesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately release results of re-run elections in Rivers.
Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the caucus led by Minority Leader of the house, Rep. Leo Ogor, condemned the suspension of the election, saying it was strange to the country’s electoral laws.
According to it, in accordance with section 27of the Electoral Act, the Constitution and all Supreme Court judgments, elections were concluded, and results had been announced at the unit levels.
“In this context, anything contrary to the announcement of the result is a breach of all our electoral laws and evidently a coup against the people of Rivers State.
“It is very sad that it is the umpire, that is, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that is spearheading this illegality abetted by law enforcement agencies, particularly the military whose attention is needed in the North-East”, they said.
The caucus also said that the conduct and actions of INEC did not just show incompetence but a regression from gains of the reformed electoral system. (NAN)

The sea of bright-colored red caps that has been a part of Kano politics in the last four years is about to be discarded if the instruction by the newly appointed caretaker chairman of the Kano state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Abbas Sunusi, is anything to go by.
The red cap was the symbol of power, solidarity and loyalty to Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and his supporters when he held sway as governor of the state.
But a recent test of political will between the former governor, who is now a senator, and his successor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is threatening the red cap as Sunusi on Tuesday said that the wearing of red caps by party faithful is now optional.
The Kano APC caretaker chair, who spoke at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists, stated that there was nothing wrong in the sacking of the former chairman, Umar Haruna Doguwa, and the former state organizing secretary, Sunusi Sirajo, for committing offences against the party despite the ongoing reconciliation efforts.
Doguwa and Sirajo were believed to have been removed for recognizing Kwankwaso as leader of the party in Kano State.
Asked to explain the reasons behind the sudden change of minds to throw away the red cap in the aftermath of the Ganduje/Kwankwaso feud, Sunusi said: “It is not a question of change. Now, it is optional. If you like you can put it. Now, there is change. So, they now have a free hand to do whatever they want to do. If you want red, you put it on. If you want green or black, it’s optional. You can put on anything you want”.

Ekiti Lawmaker, Afolabi Akanni, who has been in detention at the Department of State Services facilities since March 4, was released Tuesday evening.

According to Vanguard, Akanni has now been admitted at a private hospital in Abuja.

The lawmaker is being investigated by the DSS over an alleged forgery during the Peoples Democratic Party’s House of Representatives primaries held in Ekiti North Federal Constituency II and an alleged assault on Justice John Adeyeye of the State High Court.

He told reporters that he was released after he collapsed twice in detention.

“I am not well. I am sick. I am sick,” he told Vanguard when reporters of the newspaper visited him at the hospital.

President Muhammadu Buhari last night held a closed door meeting with some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the meeting holding at the Presidential Villa is the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and all the caucus members of the party.

Many serving governors of the party and past state governors including Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State are also at the meeting.

Also present are Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, among others.

Details of the meeting is yet to be made public. See photos from the meeting below.

Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike on Tuesday hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for distancing himself from last Saturday’s legislative re-run elections in the state, saying the president did not interfere with the exercise.

The governor, who accused his predecessor and the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi of allegedly plotting to rig the elections, said the latter came into the state noisily and left quietly after results showed he could not deliver his candidates.

Although the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, canceled elections in about eight local government areas following widespread irregularities, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state was declared winner of one federal seat and nine state assembly seats.

Amaechi is the leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state.

Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt while addressing party faithful yesterday, Gov. Wike insisted that the will of the people was stronger than any military and police might, adding that some Abuja politicians only came to intimidate the state with the name of Mr. Buhari, who he noted, maintained neutrality all through the rerun elections.

“Amaechi plot to rig the rerun elections was for him to rubbish the Supreme Court Judgment. He came back to the state noisily, but left quietly and shamefully.

“No Army is stronger than the people. No police is stronger than our people. How many times will they cancel elections for the APC? Amaechi is not on ground in Rivers State.

“Those who were overzealous during the rerun elections did so without the knowledge of the president”, Wike said.

The President of Living Faith Church worldwide aka Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has tasked the President Muhammadu Buhari administration on the need to be more sensitive to issues that affect ordinary Nigerians, saying “things had not been working well”.

The founder of one of the largest Pentecostal churches in the world also traced the present socio-economic challenges bedeviling the nation to systematic failure and called for an end to the blame game.

Oyedepo made these views known in his country home of Omu Aran, Kwara State, at the fifth founder’s day celebration of Landmark University, one of the two private Christian universities established by the clergyman.

According to him, “Our problem is a systemic problem not political or leadership problem and we must find solution to it. Nigeria will not go down the drain, we will proffer solution to it”.

“The present administration should be more sensitive to issues that affect ordinary people, because things had not been working well”.

Bishop Oyedepo expressed dismay that “Where we are today is not where we should be. The effect of the forex has a lot to do with small scale industries and that is where the bulk of Nigeria employment is”, adding “Anybody can make mistakes but if people in the authority are not sensitive to the cry of the people, we would keep making more mistakes”.

The Chancellor of Landmark University and Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, said it is his understanding that it is never late to be right, counselling those in positions of authority to make an “informed review” of any decision they made but later discovered not to be right.

“What am saying is that things have not been working and we are all aware of it. There is no point pointing accusing finger. Each individuals in the country also have a lot to play to recover the dignity of our nation”, Oyedepo said.

He, however, stressed that, “The challenges have been with us for many years, it didn’t just happen now. Government should be sensitive on issue that affect everybody.

“We have been fighting over the issue of power for many decades now. Government should have its priority. They should itemise the fundamentals that can move Nigeria forward and commit to it”.

He noted that “We don’t have to have the resources, if we have the platform for investors to come in because they are more in touch with the issues”.

“Look at the present fuel problem. It used to be black market but now we have black stations and they have the right to sell at any price because they are private marketers but the government still need to come out and take a decision on it”.

Oyedepo also said, “Solution should not be only thinking, we should go beyond thinking to reasoning, logical, rational and analytical reasoning by identifying the issues and proffer possible way out of the problem.

“Nigeria problems is all about cost effective solution that will come out of sound reasoning. Remember the people in government are from us. So, we are all in government since they are not foreigners. So each one of us has a role to play. Private bodies should be allowed in all other areas of the country just like we have in the education sector”.

He further said that “Nigerians need to take responsibility of our challenges and find solutions to them because we have nowhere else to go. We should not sit down and cast blames.

“We have to be committed in finding the solution and stop the blame game even though government has a major role to play, each one of us also has roles to play. People will not listen to a critique but a consult who are thinking value addition taught. We learn from other nations efforts in solving problems”.

The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday failed to honour a scheduled appearance before the State House of Assembly which summoned him two weeks ago to explain how Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds were spent during his tenure.

The lawmakers accused Fayemi, who was governor of the state between 2010 and 2014 of diverting N852.9 million UBEC funds, an allegation he vehemently denied.

Fayemi, who is Minister of Solid Minerals Development, wrote the lawmakers explaining that he could not appear before them as requested due to what he called “prior scheduled state engagements”.

The Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, who spoke with reporters after a special sitting held in honour of a deceased member of the Third Assembly, Ajewole Ashaolu, disclosed that the ex-governor’s letter has been referred to the Committees on Public Accounts and Finance and Appropriation.

Oluwawole had earlier read Fayemi’s letter in response to the House resolution mandating him to appear and make clarifications on UBEC funds shortly before the special session held in honour of the late Ashaolu.

The minister, in a letter dated March 21 signed by his Personal Assistant, Tolu Ibitola and addressed to the Clerk of the House, Tola Esan, said all matters relating to his stewardship are contained in his handover note.

The letters reads: “We acknowledge receipt of your letter being an advisory on the referenced resolution of the Ekiti State House of Assembly dated March 10.

“Regrettably, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, is unable to honour the House’s invitation as contained in the resolution due to prior scheduled state engagements.

“The minister has, however, asked that I draw your attention to the fact that all matters relating to his stewardship of public office in his previous role as the Governor of Ekiti State, between October 16, 2010 and October 15, 2014, are well documented in his handover notes, which was duly submitted to the Government of Ekiti State at the expiration of his tenure on October 15, 2014 as statutorily required.

“A copy of the said report was also shared with the House for the record.

“The minister will be pleased to respond to specific clarifications the House may wish to make further to your diligent examination of the handover notes.

“May we use this opportunity to convey the assurances of the minister’s highest regards”.

Oluwawole said: “We expected him to appear today, but he did not show up. He, instead, responded through a letter, saying that he wouldn’t be able to come owing to certain official duties.

“He said his stewardship was detailed in the handing over note he presented to Governor Ayo Fayose and that the issue of the SUBEB fund was also in it”.

The Federal Government yesterday vowed to leave no stone unturned in finding the killers of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Okonta Samuel, during last weekend’s legislative rerun elections in Rivers State.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, made the vow when he received the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who paid a condolence visit to the NYSC in Abuja, yesterday.

Dalung vowed severe punishment for those involved in the killing of the corps member.

The deceased, an indigene of Delta State with call-up number RV/15B/5539, who served at GCSS Ukpeliede, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers state while on election duty.

The NYSC in a statement Monday, condemned the killing of the corps member as primitive, barbaric, and ungodly.
Speaking yesterday, the minister blamed the violence on the desperation of politicians who refused to play the game according to the rules.

He also described the violence that characterized the rerun elections in the state as a display of primitive political culture, promising that the government will bring the perpetrators to book.

Warning that acts of impunity would not be tolerated under the current administration of Change, Dalung described the murder as barbaric.

He said: “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerian politicians that in playing the game, officials for the match and spectators are not players.

“I observed that each time we play this our political game, our tentacles and anger are extended to the wrong persons. Politicians aspire to hold public office because they want to develop Nigeria.

“In doing this they are talking of protecting the life of every Nigerian. So, it is very bad and terrible that we cannot conduct ordinary election without conflict and crisis. Just to protect our interest, innocent people will lose their lives.

If they kill all Nigerians who would they govern? Are they going to rule animals?”

“At this point I am calling on all the major actors in the crisis in Rivers State to respect human life. They should remember that there is one person called God. They should stop ending people’s lives because of their tall ambitions. Federal Government will do everything to fish out the perpetrators”, he added.

Earlier, Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, vowed that the scheme would not relent until the perpetrators were brought to justice and called on the Rivers State government and community leaders to unravel the killers.

“I want to use this avenue to call on the Rivers state government and the community leaders that they should do everything humanly possible to bring those who killed this young innocent man to book. We shall work with relevant agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous act are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law”, he said.

In his remarks, INEC Chairman, Professor Yakubu described the visit as an unhappy one, saying “we are here with INEC Commissioners on a sincere condolence on the death of the NYSC member, Samuel Okonta.

“Also, we are glad to know that the other corps member, who could not be accounted for has been found alive, hale and hearty though we understand she was traumatised and unconscious. We thank God for His mercy.

“It is painful when a life is lost in the conduct of an election, no matter the grievances of those involved in the political contest. Nothing justifies the cold blooded murder of an innocent official conducting a legitimate national assignment intended to allow the citizens to freely choose their leaders.

“NYSC and INEC had been in this happy partnership which has tremendously helped in the management of our elections. I cannot imagine a successful conduct of an election in Nigeria without the partnership with the NYSC”.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has urged members of the party in Kano State against undermining the authority of the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, stressing that the APC cannot afford a crisis in the state.

The APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, made the call when he addressed APC stakeholders from Kano State, who petitioned the national leadership of the party over the role of ex-Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso in the crisis.

The former governor and his successor, Ganduje, have been locked in a political battle of supremacy, a development that led to the removal of the majority leader of the state House of Assembly, suspension of the state chairman and state organizing secretary of the party as well as other members loyal to Kwankwaso.

Mr. Odigie-Oyegun, who appealed to all the factions to ensure that the status quo ante remained in the state, stressed that the governor needs the loyalty of all stakeholders, irrespective of their positions.

The party chair, who warned that the greatest disservice the party would do to itself is to start having internal crisis, especially in a volatile state like Kano, disclosed that the NWC had inaugurated a three-man committee headed by the deputy national chairman for the North to look into the matter.

He said: “We have raised a team that is working to restore unity among the two personalities involved. So, the party has a team of three members already actively engaged and that team is led by a deputy national chairman, the national secretary and the national organizing secretary. I am also aware that the governors have also waded into the matter. Also, I know that most traditional rulers in Kano state have also waded into the issue.

“It is a situation that we must not as a party allow to blossom. We must nip it in the bud because it is the most unnecessary distraction causing problems in a state as sensitive as Kano. So it is in all our interests to ensure that there would be no problem between two of our national interests in Kano. We must make sure that it does not go any further; it is an internal matter between two brothers.

“And the solution is very much clear that we must restore the status quo and operate within the party’s constitution for peace to return to the state. So all our efforts are geared towards that and I want to appeal to you to ensure that the situation ante is maintained”.

“The governor in not in any contest, his authority must be upheld, there is no doubt about that. The governor is not on trial, so it is important that we give him the atmosphere that would be necessary for him to cover successfully especially in this period when the country is facing the financial challenges that is no cause of theirs. You must all key in behind the governor to make sure that he succeeds. So, none of us must do anything to undermine him to worsen the situation in Kano”, Oyegun pleaded.

The sum of N350 billion is to be released by the Federal Government into the economy in the coming months as part of initiatives to revive the ailing economy.

The chunk of the money, which is to be disbursed by the Federal Ministry of Finance, will go into the construction sector with a view to mobilizing contractors back to sites of abandoned projects, in the process, stimulating economic activities and creating jobs.

This was one of the decisions reached on Tuesday at the end of a two-day retreat on the economy held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, and organised by the National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The retreat, which was declared opened on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari, had its theme as “Nigerian States: Multiple Centres of Prosperity”.

The NEC also established two committees to implement the decisions reached at the retreat. They are: Implementation and Steering Committee, chaired by Prof. Osinbajo with some governors across the six geopolitical zones as members while the second is the Implementation and Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.

Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, briefed State House correspondents on the resolutions of NEC. He was accompanied by his Anambra State counterpart, Willie Obiano; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.
According to Adeosun, the N350 billion to be released into the economy will be monitored for strict implementation with safeguards being put in place to ensure that the money is not misappropriated.

“In anticipation of the approval of the (2016) Budget, we have virtually lined up about N350 billion which we would be pumping into the Nigerian economy in the forthcoming months.

“We explained our rationale and the processes that we have put in place, and safeguards to ensure that this money actually achieves the desired objective which is to stimulate the economy.

“We are already discussing with some of the contractors who will be paid these monies and the objective from the overall criteria is how many Nigerians would be re-engaged.

“We are specifically looking at contractors who have laid off workers and how many Nigerians they are going to put back to work as a result of this money that we are planning to release and we believe that this would bring significant economic activity”, she said.

The finance minister further explained that the retreat dealt extensively with the issues surrounding the drop in national revenue, which has adversely affected the states, especially in payment of staff salaries, even as they are implored to cut the costs of their operations.

Towards this end, she said “state governors were encouraged where possible, to rationalise the numbers of commissioners and general political appointees and in addition, put in place cost control measures to be identified and implemented and there was a sharing of best practices from a number of states that could be applied elsewhere”.

Mrs. Adeosun added that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has been directed to collaborate with its state counterparts to generate accurate data and boost internally-generated revenue.

While doing this, emphasis will be placed on diversifying revenue sources and revamping agriculture and allied services.

Other resolutions adopted by the NEC retreat was the establishment of national targets for self-sufficiency in various sectors. For instance, a one year target has been set for tomato paste while self-sufficiency in rice is set for 2018 and wheat (2019).

Each state of the federation is to identify at least two crops in which it has comparative advantage and open up feeder roads to optimise the production and transportation of agricultural produce.

Other areas to be focused on by all tiers of government include solid minerals exploitation and increased investment in infrastructure while exploring more the option of Public/Private Partnerships.

On social welfare, the retreat directed the federal and state governments to partner on more effective implementation of the schools feeding and teacher corps training/employment programmes.

The leaders of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South East have reaffirmed that the target of 10,000 megawatts of electricity set by President Muhammadu Buhari is feasible.

The president had while declaring open the National Economic Council retreat in the State House, Abuja on Monday, said that his administration had set a target of 10,000 megawatts of electricity over the next three years.

The APC spokesman in the region, Osita Okechukwu, while reacting to the president’s remarks, lauded Mr. Buhari’s commitment to improve Nigeria’s power supply situation, which has defied previous administrations.

Mr. Okechukwu told State House correspondents yesterday at the end of the NEC retreat: “We appreciate Mr.

President’s total commitment to put full stop to the b*tt of jokes and laughing stock Nigerians make over incessant power cuts, high electricity bills, obsolete power equipment and failure of the electricity privatization exercise.

“It is our candid view that the target is achievable. For instance, given federal, state and local support and baring bureaucratic bottleneck, our study shows that the South East zone alone can generate 3,000 Mega Watts within the stipulated timeline set by Mr. President”.

“In sum, we maintain that the 10,000MW of electricity target is achievable, not only because of the political will of President Buhari, but because of the abundance of natural resources”, Okechukwu said in a statement.

The crisis that threatened the smooth take off of the 8th National Assembly finally seems to be over following the rapprochement between some senators of the All Progressives Congress, who opposed the election of Bukola Saraki as Senate President and those in the latter’s camp.

The two camps, though members of the same party, on Tuesday shelved their differences and resolved to work together for the first time since the June 9, 2015 election that tore the ruling party’s senate caucus apart.

The meeting between the group of senators opposed to Saraki, under the aegis of Unity Forum and the pro-Saraki group under the aegis of Like Minds, which took place at the Asokoro, Abuja residence of Senator Aliyu Wamakko, a former governor of Sokoto State, had in attendance 10 senators – five from each of the two camps.

Tuesday’s meeting had in attendance Senators Ahmed Lawan, who was the preferred candidate of the APC leadership for Senate President; Gbenga Ashafa, Kabiru Marafa and Suleiman Hukunyi as part of the Unity Forum’s team.

One the other side, the Like Minds were represented by Danjuma Goje, Wammako, Sani Yerima, Kabiru Gaya and Adamu Aliero.

Speaking exclusively to PREMIUM TIMES at the end of the meeting which ended around 6.50 PM yesterday, Mr. Wammako said the parley was held to end the crisis that hit the APC caucus following Mr. Saraki’s emergence as Senate president.

He said it was high time the senators belonging to the ruling party agreed to work together in the interest of Nigeria and to support President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Effectively the meeting has brought an end to crisis in the Senate between APC Senators who now support the Senate President, Bukola Saraki”, Mr. Wamako said.

Another senator, a member of the Unity Forum, who attended the meeting but asked that his identity not be disclosed, said the meeting had three outcomes and that both sides agreed “to have a united APC caucus”.

According to the senator, the first outcome was a decision that the composition of Senate committees be reviewed to conform with the Standing Rules of the Senate.

He said an upward review of the number of the committees must follow due process as prescribed by Section 60 of the Senate Rules.

The second point, he said, was that committees should also be reconstituted to “favour APC Senators”.

He said it was finally agreed that the APC caucus henceforth be “loyal to our party and be committed to its objectives”.

“The number three point is the supremacy of our party, loyalty to our leaders and support for President Muhammadu Buhari”, he said.

He added that the “the meeting was held in the interest our party and Nigeria”.

Asked if the meeting was held to settle the discord that trailed Saraki’s emergence as Senate president, the senator said, “It is beyond Saraki”, adding that “there is no crisis between us again”.

“This man (Saraki) is in court and anything can happen.

“So APC senators must come together and unite; otherwise, if anything happens to Saraki in the court PDP senators who are very united may take over the Senate.

“And that would be a very great disservice to our party, the President and Nigerians who voted for change.

“So, we are now uniting like PDP senators and are settling our differences”, the senator said.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the crisis that characterised Saturday’s legislative re-run elections in Rivers.

The national chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, made the call at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr. Sheriff said the probe was necessary to bring the perpetrators of the crisis, which led to the death of many, to justice.

“The PDP expresses great concern at the turn of events at the re-run National and State Assembly elections in Rivers.

“We join well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the cases of violence which reportedly characterised the process in some areas.

“We urge the president to immediately constitute a panel to carry out a dispassionate investigation of the circumstances with a view to unravelling the truth and bringing the culprits to book”, he said.

He added that the PDP had investigated the development and had its findings, but would want the Federal Government to conduct its own investigation.

Mr. Sheriff also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the remaining results of the elections already collated at various wards and polling units in the state.

He said the PDP accepted defeat when it lost the presidential election in the country in 2015, but would not accept it if it was denied its right.

“It is not right for INEC to say it is not continuing with the announcement of the results in the middle of the elections. This is not healthy for our democracy.

“INEC should be seen as an independent electoral empire and should not be part of the process where the rights and mandate of Nigerians will be denied”, he said.

The chairman said that PDP had waited for more than 48 hours to assess what took place in Rivers and concluded that the process was not fair to the party.

He condemned the alleged roles played by some officers and members of the armed forces in the elections.

According to him, the officers are said to have in some cases, acted beyond their expected role of maintaining law and order.

Mr. Sheriff alleged that the officers in some cases took over the responsibilities of INEC in the actual conduct of the re-run elections.

According to him, the fact that the armed forces acted as they did in flagrant disobedience of an order of court to the contrary, is a matter that requires urgent investigation and appropriate sanction.

He said security operatives especially the army, was more needed to provide security in areas threatened by insurgency and not in electoral process.

(NAN)

After suffering three postponements, the 2016 Appropriation Bill was passed by the Senate on Wednesday.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the Senate proceeding, said it is now left for the Executive to implement the budget.
President Muhammad Buhari had on December 22, 2015 presented a budget proposal of N6.08 trillion to the National Assembly.
But senators today, approved a total of N6.060 trillion, comprising N1.587trn capital expenditure of the budget and the recurrent expenditure of N2.646.3trn.
The sum of N351.37bn was approved for statutory transfers, N1.475.3trn for Debt Service, and N2.2trn for Fiscal deficit.
Saraki assured that Senate will play its own part by ensuring monitoring through effective oversight and also amend laws like the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has dismissed reports that he is under pressure to resign his office.

“I am not aware that my office is under threat. I led the party to the State House. It amazes me, occasionally it annoys me,” Oyegun told reporters at the end of the party caucus meeting on Tuesday night.

“That is one of the things you have to endure when you are in a position like mine,” he added.

He also said that a committee had been constituted to resolve all the crises in the party.

Speaking on the performance of his party’s government almost one year after taking over power, the national chairman pleaded for time on the part of Nigerians. He said the government would come on full stream when the 2016 budget is passed.

The budget was passed by the National Assembly yesterday.