VP Osinbajo takes message for a new tribe of Nigerians to US

*Receives US Congressional Proclamation of Honour

*Decorates award-winning US-based Nigerians
Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has reiterated his call on Nigerian elites to come together based on a common consensus to build the nation as Nigerians clearly desire good governance, according to a statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice President.

Speaking at the gala/dinner event organized by the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN in Houston, USA on Friday night, the Vice President noted that, “even in the midst of all the country is going through, there is a growing consensus by all on the need for good governance.”

At the event attended by leaders of the Nigerian community in the US and American political leaders including US Congress Woman Sheila Jackson Lee, the Vice President was presented an honorary US Congressional Proclamation to commemorate his visit to Texas and also honor the Buhari presidency.

Explaining the need for a group of Nigerians who are committed to lifting the nation to rise up, Prof Osinbajo noted that this was important to counter and stop those who are working to pillage the resources of the country.

"This is why the president and myself have made a call that we need a New Tribe of Nigerians. We do need a new tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribes and ethnicities, who are commited to a country run on high values of integrity, hard-work, justice and love for the country," he said.

Continuing he said "I mean a tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and self-constraints that are crucial to building a strong society; who are prepared to stick together, fight corruption side by side, and insist on justice."

Prof. Osinbajo pointed out that the current administration takes diaspora issue very seriously, a reason, according to him that the President appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora in person of former House of Representative member, Mrs. Abike Daibiri.

Highlighting the importance further, the VP also pointed at the proposal for a Diaspora Commission, and a diaspora bond worth N1 trillion for investment purpose by both Nigerians at home and abroad.

Osinbajo commended CANAN for its accomplishments during its short existence. He listed some of CANAN’s achievements to include being in forefront of the quest to designate Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, FTO, by the US and also donating $50,000.00 in 2013 to Boko Haram victims, stating that these are a demonstration of patriotism by members of the association even while outside the shores of the country.

Speaking earlier, the President of CANAN, Dr. James Fadel urged Nigerians to engage in prophetic prayers in order to take the country out of its current predicament.

Giving assurance that things will indeed end well for the country, Fadel enjoined Nigerians to pray for the country.

Nigerians, Dr. Fadel said, must reject the tendency to be a consuming nation without the desire to also produce, adding that what is needed now is for all and sundry to build trust in God to win the battle against the nation’s opposing forces.

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Sambo Dasuki to call Jonathan as witness after GEJ said he didn't steal $2.1b arms money

*Ex-NSA prefers political solution
Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, who is on trial for alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion arms funds, would like former President Goodluck Jonathan to be his witness.

Dr. Jonathan has faulted the charges against Dasuki, claiming that the ex-NSA could not have stolen about $2.2billion meant to buy arms, because “We bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army.”

Speaking with The Nation, Dasuki's counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), said Dasuki wanted Jonathan to testify in court.

Raji said: “It will be desirable for Jonathan to testify for the ex-NSA. It will throw greater light into grey areas. And it will serve the interest of Justice.

“It will be fantastic for him to go to court to testify. Dasuki is an agent of a disclosed and known principal.”

Another member of the legal team said: “With what Jonathan said in London, the logical thing for him to do is to see it through. We want Jonathan to follow-through. If he backs out, it will be bad.”

But, in Raji’s view, a political solution will be better than trial because of the “characters involved”.

He said: “Frankly speaking, I pray for a political solution to the problem because of the characters involved. Both the accused and the government should embrace a political solution to the problem.”

Asked if Dasuki is ready for political solution, he added: “Why not? He is. I believe the President is very sincere. He wants to reorganise Nigeria and he deserves the support of all.

“With a political solution, Mr. President will be in good stead to overcome unnecessary distractions in order to succeed. I pray that everybody will key into his vision [to end] the economic challenges facing the nation.”

Hmmmm...this one that Dasuki lawyer is beginning to praise Buhari government.

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SHOCKING DETAILS: Malami Begged Me To Become A SAN – Justice Ademola

Reasons for the rancorous relationship between Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, were revealed on Saturday from his own perspective.

According to documents, the turbulent relationship between the duo started back in 2006.

Justice Ademola, who was one of the seven judges arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services on allegations of corruption during simultaneous raids on their homes between October 7 and 8, 2016, stated this in a letter to the National Judicial Council.

Justice Ademola, in his letter dated October 11, 2016 and addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the NJC, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, alleged that the ordeal he faced during the raid on his home and his subsequent arrest was instigated by Malami.

He explained that Malami instigated his arrest to take his pound of flesh after he (the judge) had pressed a case of professional misconduct against the minister while he (the minister) was still practising as a lawyer in Kano.

The judge said he was then a judge of the Federal High Court serving in the Kano Division.

An extract from the letter read, “What is more intriguing in this whole episode is that I see it as revenge from the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. While I was in Kano between 2004 and 2007 as a Federal High Court judge, he was involved in a professional misconduct necessitating his arrest and detention by my order.

“However, with the intervention of the Nigerian Bar Association, Kano branch, the allegation of misconduct was later withdrawn by me.

“Consequently, the National Judicial Council referred Abubakar Malami (SAN) to the Nigerian Bar Association’s Disciplinary Committee.”

Documents obtained by The Punch showed how petitions dated October 10, 2006 and December 11, 2006, sent by Malami to the NJC against Justice Ademola allegedly backfired.

The minister was forced to withdraw the petition through a letter dated December 14, 2006, but the NJC considered the withdrawal to be late.

In the documents, the minister indicated in a correspondence to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, the body that confers SAN rank on deserving lawyers, how his allegation against the judge had cost him the rank of SAN in 2007.

He subsequently wrote a letter to the LPPC indicating he apologised and obtained Justice Ademola’s forgiveness so that the matter would not jeopardise his bid to become a SAN in 2008.

In one of the said petitions against Justice Ademola, Malami was said to have made a claim which he attributed to his client, that the judge had an interest in the proceeds of a case which was the subject matter of a suit the judge was presiding over.

A letter by the NJC dated April 30, 2007, exonerating Justice Ademola, described Malami’s allegation against the judge as unfounded.

Concerned about the “grievous allegations” levelled against the judge, NJC under the chairmanship of the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Legbo Kutigi (retd.) referred the matter to the Nigerian Bar Association for “appropriate actions it deems fit in the circumstance.”

The NJC, in the letter signed by its secretary, Danladi Halilu, stated that it found Justice Ademola’s explanation satisfactory and Malami’s petition baseless.

The letter was addressed to Malami.

The NJC’s letter read in part, “Your letters of 10th and 14th December, 2006, to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National National Judicial council, respectively, on the above subject matter, were considered by the Council at its last meeting which was held on 14th March, 2007.

“At the end of deliberations, the council found the explanation by Justice F. A Ademola satisfactory and your petition baseless. Consequently, Justice Adeniyi F. A. Ademola had been exonerated from all the allegations contained therein.

“Further, Council noted with concern the unfounded grievous allegations levelled by you against the judge in the petition.

“Therefore, the matter is being referred to the Nigerian Bar Association for its consideration and any appropriate action it deems fit in the circumstance.”

In another letter dated April 30, 2007, signed by Halilu and which was addressed to the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (also the CJN), the NJC described Malami’s allegation against Justice Ademola as “spurious.”

The NJC stated, “The Managing Director of Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited, N. Baffa, for whom Abubakar Malami Esq. appeared as counsel in the above-mentioned suit denied knowledge of the content of the petition, which means Abubakar Malami decided on his own to make spurious allegations against the person of the judge.

“From the response of the judge, the client of Abubakar Malami, Nura Baffa, swore to an affidavit in support of the allegation that the trial judge had interest in the proceeds of the fertilizer. Whereas from the documents submitted by the judge due process of law was followed by the court in executing the court orders on the sale of the said fertilizer”

Further correspondences sent by Malami to the then CJN, Justice Kutigi, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, and to Ademola, revealed the minister’s remorse about the development.

Malami wrote the letter to the LPPC, upon realising the potential damage the remarks of the NJC on his conduct could cause his bid to become a SAN.

In a letter dated June 21, 2008, addressed to Ademola, who had then been transferred from Kano Division of the Federal High Court to the Calabar Division, Malami expressed appreciation to the judge for his forgiveness.

When contacted on Saturday, the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Salihu Isah, said he had no comment to make on the past correspondences between his boss and Justice Ademola as well as other institutions.

But he said Justice Ademola should be more concerned about defending himself over the allegations levelled against him.

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Why We’ve Not Arrested Goodluck Jonathan — VP Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has responded to calls by some Nigerians for the arrest of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, because almost all those arrested have mentioned Jonathan's name.

VP Osinbajo said the Buhari administration does not arrest “anybody, anyhow”.

Answering questions at a session in Texas, US on Friday, on when Jonathan would be arrested by the government to answer for "looted money" under his watch, Osinbajo said the Buhari administration believes in empowering the security agencies and anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs, without the administration trying to teleguide them.

He also added that the fight against corruption in the country was not fought on ethnic, hasty or pre-mediated grounds.

“Corruption is not an ethnic thing, there is an equal representation in the stealing as no one operates with his/her ethnic group alone. The culprits are in every case seen so far, united by greed to steal and not by ethnic or religious interest,” he said.

He frowned at a situation where Billions of Dollars disappeared from the national coffers into private pockets, saying no responsible government would wave that aside so as not to offend people.

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Obasanjo To Buhari's Government: Let's Start Seeing Results

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the Federal Government to ensure that the results of its development initiatives are felt by Nigerians.

He said, “What you say you are doing is commendable, please let us see the results. We have to ensure that doing business in Nigeria is easy. We have to make them (investors) come to Nigeria. We need to be able to register a company at a one-stop shop.”

Obasanjo, who was one of the keynote speakers at the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum, which held on Saturday in Lagos, commended the government for its programmes aimed at creating jobs and diversifying the economy.

Also addressing Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Deputy Governor, Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe, at the event, the ex-president said there was the need to support entrepreneurs in their states to develop products that would be fit for export.

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Lagos state govt to employ 1000 graduates as bus conductors, puts them on N50k salary

Lagos state Ministry of Transportation in conjunction with the Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria, BCAN, plans to employ 1000 graduates as bus conductors in the state. President of BCAN, Comrade Israel Ade Adeshola said their association and the state government is working towards making the Bus Conducting profession one for only trained bus conductors and also make it more lucrative and attractive. 
In an interview with Vanguard, Adeshola said 

"Presently Lagos state government through the Lagos State Drivers Institute, LASDRI is training and accrediting conductors in the state, adding that after the training the graduands would be employed as Bus Conductors and would be on the payroll of the government with a salary worth of N50,000 per month. The objective is to make the job of bus conducting attractive, respected and dignified as obtainable globally”.

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Ekweremadu Visits Obanikoro, Bala, Fani-Kayode At EFCC

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu yesterday paid a solidarity visit to officials of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who are being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged graft running into billions of Naira.

The men - Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Bala Mohammed, Femi Fani-Kayode and Dr Reuben Abati, were taken into custody by EFCC at different times but were united in the cell.

Reuben Abati served as President Goodluck Jonathan’s Media Adviser, while Fani-Kayode worked towards the end of Jonathan’s tenure as Spokesman for his Presidential Campaign Organisation.

On the other hand, Obanikoro and Bala Mohammed served as Minister of State for Defence and Federal Capital Territory respectively and ended their tenure about two years ago.

They were hauled to the EFCC on allegations bordering on mismanagement of funds, particularly the $2.1billion cash for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency in the North East.

Obanikoro is linked with the N4.7billion allegedly traced to firms close to him and he has spoken out on how he paid the money out to Governor Ayo Fayose and former Osun Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

On the other hand, Mohammed is alleged to have awarded contracts worth N8billion to fronts and also abused a major land swap deal valued at about N1trillion.

Fani-Kayode and Abati are linked with collecting funds from the ONSA for undisclosed reasons.

The EFCC confirmed last night that it has granted what it called ‘Administrative Bail” to Abati on conditions that he drops his International Passport and produces a surety of not below the rank of deputy director in the civil service.

The source hinted that since his arrival, Bala Mohammed had not given sufficient information as to the issues he is being accused of and that the commission needed more time to interact with him.

“We have obtained a new warrant to keep Bala Mohammed because we are not yet through with investigating the issues related to him,” the source hinted.

Ekweremadu told the men who were arrested for corruption to be of good cheer. 

He said: “I urge you all to be of good cheer and to keep your spirit high because what is happening to you today happened to our great leaders like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and other top Nigerians who stood for the good of the people of Nigeria.”

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Ex-Leaders, Top Monarchs, Christian & Muslims Clerics share Billions from Dasuki

There were indications that former Nigerian leaders, traditional and religious leaders from across the country were listed as beneficiaries of the $2.1bn arms funds in the final report of the Presidential panel which probed military contracts from 2007 to 2015.

The report, which had been submitted to President Buhari, recommended the retrieval of undisclosed sums of money from indicted persons, while in some cases, it recommended their prosecution.

A highly-placed security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said some former Heads of State, were listed as having received various sums of money from the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

In fact, the source added that a prominent northern traditional ruler was provided funds from the NSA’s office for the monarch’s coronation.

Giving further insights into what some of the funds were used for, the source explained that some were spent to pay the medical bills as well as travel expenses of some of the ex-leaders, who had to travel abroad to seek medical help for undisclosed aliments.

According to Punch, in one of the most notable cases, the report stated that the ONSA shouldered the cost of the medical trips of one of the ex-Heads of State to Germany.

The source added, “The list of beneficiaries from the ONSA under Col. Sambo Dasuki is very long.

“The list comprises very prominent Nigerians, including former Heads of State, many traditional rulers from the North and the South.

“Several religious leaders from the two dominant religions in the country also got funds from the ONSA. A former President of the country, who was sick, was flown out of the country to Germany for medical treatment. In fact, the former ONSA paid for the three trips the former leader made to Germany.”

It was learnt that the prosecution team was opposed to an open trial of Dasuki as this could result in disturbing revelations on how the $2.1bn under probe was disbursed.

The arms panel also established that the procurement processes adopted for the purchase of military hardware were arbitrarily and generally characterised by irregularities and fraud.

In many cases, “Letters of award and End User Certificates for all the contracts issued by NAF and ONSA respectively did not reflect the contract sums.

“Rather, these were only found in the vendor’s invoices, all dated March 19, 2015.”

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Patience Jonathan Wants N200million As Damages

A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 7, 2016 to hear the N200m fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the EFCC and Skye Bank Plc to challenge the freezing of four bank accounts containing $15m.

EFCC placed a ‘No Debit Order’ on the 4 accounts opened in the name of companies which were linked to ex-President Jonathan's aide on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa.

The EFCC froze the four bank accounts on July 7, 2016 in the course of investigating Dudafa for money laundering. 

But Patience had sued the EFCC and Skye Bank claiming the ownership of the $15m found in the four bank accounts.

The matter came up for the first time before Justice Babs Kuewumi on Wednesday.

At the hearing, Patience’s lawyer, Mr. Granville Abibo (SAN), applied to discontinue the earlier motion filed by his client for the purpose of amending it.

Justice Kuewumi granted the application and struck out the motion. Abibo then informed the court that he had filed and served a new motion on the defendants.

But the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the suit was not ripe for hearing.

Abibo then urged the court to restrain EFCC from tampering with the $15m in the frozen accounts pending the determination of the suit.

After listening to the parties, Justice Kuewumi adjourned till December 7, for the hearing of the case.

Patience is urging the court to compel the EFCC to immediately remove the ‘No Debit Order’ placed on the four bank accounts which are not in her name.

She also wants the court to order Skye Bank to pay her damages of N200m for what she termed the violation of her right to own personal property.

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Jonathan Gets Reply From Military Over $2.2bn Arms Claim

Military sources have rejected former President Goodluck Jonathan’s claim that his administration bought warships and aircraft from the $2.2bn allegedly looted to the NSA's office.

Jonathan, who spoke at a lecture he delivered on “Youth Entrepreneurship” at the Oxford Union in the United Kingdom, tried to exonerate former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki of corruption allegations involving $2.2billion voted for arms procurement.

Jonathan had said: “I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion; we bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on and so forth and you are still saying 2.2billion, so where did we get the money to buy all those things?”

But independent checks by The Nation revealed that the former President might have been deceived by his officials on the type of weapons that were bought for the military.

According to several military sources who asked to remain anonymous because of the “sensitivity” of the matter, many of the weapons bought under Jonathan were “unserviceable and useless”.

One said the Jonathan administration bought at least three fairly used (Tokunbo) Alpha Jets for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and two helicopters. But the jets were, the sources claimed, “not worth anything because they were not weaponised and the helicopters were cannibalised.”

NAF recently reconfigured 2 demilitarised Alpha jets. According to the NAF website, the jets were bought from the United States in 2015 to help in the fight against Boko Haram.

“The 2 aircraft are among the 4 Alpha Jets bought from the United States in 2015 by the immediate past administration to enhance the operational capability of the NAF to combat Boko Haram in the Northeast.

“The aircraft, however, before now, could not be deployed in the theatre of operation due to the inherent weapon delivery deficiency, hence its limited use for training purposes. The urgent need in recent times to commit all NAF available platforms to OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE to enhance the success of the counter insurgency operation necessitated the Service to look inward to seek ways of achieving its drive for self reliance through research and development.

“A number of vendors invited to Nigeria to assess the platforms had concluded that it would be difûcult or almost impossible to undertake the project since the Original Equipment Manufacturer had long closed down the production line. A few others who agreed to the possibility of having the aircraft reconfigured to carry munitions have also submitted proposals for initial assessment fee ranging from $20,000 – $30,000 before they could come up with the actual cost for the project.

"Convinced that the project would work, the NAF consequently assembled a team of technicians to develop a feasible model for the project. The model worked on ground, and has since been mounted on the Alpha Jets, and test fown successfully. This feat is a major research and development breakthrough for the NAF and the nation as a huge foreign exchange saver, given that the project only cost about N4,000,000.00 compared to what would be required to have it done abroad,” NAF said.

However, the former President may have been referring to the purchase of six decommissioned Norwegian battleships, bought purportedly on behalf of the Navy by former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

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APC Will Collapse By January If Things Continue Like This – Acting Spokesman‎

The acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank has warned that unless President Muhammadu Buhari takes urgent action, the party would collapse.

He believes it could happen by January 2017. He gave this warning in Abuja while appraising recent developments in the party, revealing that several realignments were presently going on in the country which could make the APC cease to exist totally by 2019.

He said, “You are aware that there are several realignments going on now in the country and my party has only [between] now and January 2017 to put its house in order. 

“If we don’t harmonize all the contending interests, some of us would be exploring new avenues to pursue our various political agenda.”

Timi Frank said the only way to rescue the party would be for the president to intervene and support calls for the resignation of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as the national chairman of the APC.

He reminded the President of how Chief Oyegun as chairman of ANPP frustrated him [Buhari] out of the party, forcing him to go and form the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

“The same thing is now happening in the APC and Mr President has to act fast because that same thing that drove him out of the ANPP then is also about to drive some people out of the APC because of Oyegun,” he stated.

Frank who claimed he was speaking the mind of most members and other stakeholders of the party, asserted that “at the appropriate time, more leaders of the party would speak out.”

He said he would soon write formally to the President and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, as well as the leadership of the National Assembly to seek their audience in other to adequately brief them on the circumstances that have necessitated the calls for Odigie-Oyegun’s resignation.

“I will also consult the governors (of our party) to make them understand the danger inherent in their silence in the face of the wave of crisis that has enveloped the party.

“This is like a rescue mission I am about to embark on. This struggle to rescue APC is not personal. It is because I love this party so much and I am a very loyal party man and I believe in this party.

“I am also going to pay a visit to our former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; I will also visit Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all the past national chairmen that made the merger to work. I am going to pay visit to my own former national chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, of the then New PDP, Chief Bisi Akande of the then ACN, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu of the then ANPP, Chief Tony Momoh of defunct CPC and Gov Rochas Okorocha who led a section of the APGA to make the APC. This visit is one that I will start anytime soon.”

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Jonathan Blasted For Saying Dasuki Didn’t Steal $2.1Billion

Condemnation have greeted comments by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan that his National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, did not steal $2.1bn contrary to the accusation by the EFCC.

Sambo Dasuki is currently being prosecuted by the anti-corruption agency.

Jonathan had said it's inconceivable to say that Dasuki stole $2.2bn, contending that his government, where Dasuki served as NSA, bought warships, aircraft and some equipment for the military.

Dasuki, who's been in detention since mid-2015, is being prosecuted by EFCC for alleged diversion of arms fund, totalling $2.1bn. Most of the money went into Jonathan's 2015 campaign.

Reacting, the Presidency called on Jonathan to allow the court to decide the fate of his former NSA.

Reacting to the comment, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the courts should be allowed to decide the matter which he said was subjudice.

“The matter is subjudice. Let the courts decide,” the presidential spokesman said.

Allow Dasuki face his trial, PDP faction tells Jonathan
Also, a faction of the PDP under the leadership of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, asked Jonathan to allow Dasuki to face his trial.

The PDP said it was happy that neither Dasuki nor any other suspects claimed that they gave part of the money under investigation to it during the last general elections.

Spokespersons for the Sheriff-led faction of the party, Mr. Bernard Mikko, told Punch that, “We don't want to take issue with the former President on this matter, but we will want to say that the suspect and others like him, should be allowed to face their trial.

“Let the court determine if they are culpable or not. It is not our duty to defend or castigate anyone."

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We will return Nigeria to good old days of accountability - President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated the determination of his administration to restore the country to the “good old days of accountability”. Speaking at a meeting Tuesday with the Director, Global Upstream of Shell Oil Company at the State House, Abuja, President Buhari said he will leave a legacy of improved infrastructure, particularly in the power sector, and ensure better security in the Niger Delta.

“It is only by doing this that investor morale and confidence will return, and the economy will be positioned on the path of growth,” the President said. President Buhari, who commended Shell for their faith in the economy and staying power, gave assurances on some issues of concern raised by the company
On the protracted issue of cash calls, the President assured that the Federal Executive Council will soon consider a proposal for the easing of unpaid arrears owed by the government. President Buhari assured that the security of oil infrastructure will continue to be prioritized side-by-side with the dialogue with stakeholder-communities in the Niger Delta. He, however, urged oil companies to take more responsibility in the protection of oil installations to complement the efforts of Nigerian Navy in the region.
In his remarks, the Shell Director, Mr. Andrew Brown, informed the President of the resumption of oil exportation through the Forcados terminal following its restoration. He called for continued protection by the Nigerian Navy in view of repeated threats of attacks by militants.

Brown commended the anti-corruption posture of the Buhari administration as well as the efforts to streamline and stabilize the economy for long term projects, saying all the efforts will go a long way to reinforce Shell investment plans in Nigeria.

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VP Osinbajo: FG Promoting Manufacturing & Local Production in Nigeria

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
*Innoson, Shangdong firms of China to partner in $1B foreign investment plan 

In the next few years the Buhari administration would continue to actively pursue a plan for the massive manufacturing and production of goods in the country as much as possible, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

In that effort, the Federal Government will ally with business interests who can facilitate the plan, Prof. Osinbajo disclosed, adding that “manufacturing in Nigeria is a primary objective of this government, it is a work we intend to do in the next few years to manufacture and produce in Nigeria as much as we can.”

The Vice President was speaking on Monday at a meeting in the Presidential Villa with a delegation from the Innoson Group and some Chinese business interests including Shangdong Broadcasting Group led by Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group.

He explained that it is because of the administration’s commitment to spur manufacturing and local production in the country that the initiative of Innoson Group to work with Chinese partners is being addressed as a “strategic collaboration.”

Innoson Group is collaborating with three Chinese firms: Shangdong Broadcasting Group, and Shangdong Cable Interactive Services regarded as leading biggest TV operators, and Inspur Group, said to be China’s foremost leader in Cloud Computing solution suppliers and IT service provider.

According to Chief Chukwuma, the Chinese firms have decided to invest about $1B in the Nigerian economy within the next 12-24 months. 

The initiative, the VP said “is bound to yield very good fruits and do very well,” adding also that the timing is right “as we are at a point that we must engage technological solutions in our development plans.”

Prof. Osinbajo then explained the importance of competition and competitive pricing in such an effort. “In all we try to do, we believe there must be competition, competitive prices and plans,” the Vice President noted, believing that the Chinese firms must have taken that into consideration as well.

Earlier, Chief Chukwuma detailed the investments intended by the Chinese firms to include:

*a credit facility of $300m for local production and supply of 5-8 million Set-Top Boxes for the Digital Switch-Over in broadcasting in the country to meet a target date of June 2017. 

*an investment of $100m to establish technology-based Direct-To-Home Digital Bing Television Stations. 

*a further investment of $600m for Smart City CCTV camera and IT solutions for taxation, both using Cloud Computing, and E-Education IT solutions with big data centers in all federal universities and polytechnics in the country.

According to the Chairman of Innoson Group, “every plan to make a success of all these projects have been concluded between our two parties.”

Responding the Vice President stated: “we are looking forward to working with you in the next few months to realize the plans that you have laid out.”

The Deputy Minister of the Communist Party in Shandong Province and Chairman of the Shandong Broadcasting Group, Mr Liu Baoju, and Mr. Huang Gang, Senior Vice President of Inspur Group were among dignitaries in the business delegation at the meeting.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant-Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President

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We Take Responsibility For Problems In The Economy – APC Governors Forum Chairman

mo State governor and Chairman of the APC Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, on Monday, said the APC had taken responsibility for Nigeria’s economic downturn.

He stated that although some of the problems predated the present administration, the party must take responsibility without shifting blame.

Okorocha said, “This was not a problem brought by APC government; it is a problem that has existed long before APC came to government and we are only trying to clear the mess of the past. But we must take responsibility and we must never shift the responsibility to anybody.



“As APC, we are responsible for everything happening in Nigeria. We are responsible for the good, the bad, the ugly, but we are promising Nigerians that we shall fix it.”

Okorocha spoke with State House correspondents after leading the APC governors to a closed-door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

While admitting that the country were passing through difficult times, Okorocha said Nigerians were experiencing pains because we are going through what he called “a very serious economic surgery.”

He added, “We share the pains of Nigerians, every human being must feel it. We also feel what they are going through but we are asking for a little patience.

“Let us do things the right way and do it once and for all. I am sure that by next year, you will begin to see changes; the price of rice will drop, prices of dollars will begin to stabilise and we will see a lot of changes.

“But at this painful moment, nobody likes it. It is like a woman in the labour room. When she is in the labour room, there is no joy, but she has to pass through that moment and that moment, she does not wear her high heel shoes, no makeup, no champagne, no party.”

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Jonathan: As President I Was Spreading Wealth, Not Poverty

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he was never elected as Nigeria’s president to spread poverty but to generate and spread wealth. He spoke at the Oxford Union, with the theme ‘Fostering Youth Entrepreneurship'.

He said that only being entrepreneurial can completely cure poverty and not having a job or working for someone.

“My belief in this regard is that getting a job or being a worker cannot completely cure the disease of poverty. It is only your own business that can provide such security and give you the financial freedom you need to prosper.”

Dr. Jonathan, whose speech was streamed live, rhetorically queried his audience asking why some nations are rich and others remain poor.

Jonathan asked: ”Why are some nations rich and some poor? Why do individuals that grow up in similar circumstances end up differently, with some as successes and others as failures?

“Is the wealth of nations a result of geography, weather, culture, destiny, etc.? What could a leader do to effectively lift a people out of the depths of poverty and enable them to achieve prosperity?”

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Femi Fani-Kayode Slumps in EFCC Custody: We Fear for his Life - aide

When Chief Femi Fani-Kayode was rearrested on Friday, 21 ^st of October, 2016, in the premises of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, we raised a number of issues which included that the re-arrest was not only unnecessary but that it was also reckless.

We made known our fears that Fani-Kayode’s life was in dire danger as long as he remained in EFCC custody or in the custody of any agency of the federal government based on discreet information available to us. This is apart from the fact that his health has been badly affected since his incarceration for a whopping 67 days based on some questionable ‘detention orders’. This fact is well known to the EFCC as Fani-Kayode’s lawyers have written several letters to the Commission reminding them of the health conditions of the former minister of aviation (Kindly see attached).

It is therefore shocking that having known these facts, the EFCC still acted in a most unprofessional and crude way by re-arresting a man who has never been known to turn down their invitation even for once, who was since granted administrative bail by the same Commission after meeting the stringent conditions set by them; a man who is also supposed to be on bail as granted by the courts after fulfilling the conditions, and who even has his international passport still lodged with the Commission. 

Although Chief Femi Fani-Kayode was yet to complete the recovery therapy he was undergoing after spending the initial 67 grueling days in EFCC custody wherein he was also physically attacked by one of the Commission’s agents, in deference to the law and the Commission, he painfully but willingly cut short his therapy and medical checks to attend court proceedings.

One would have thought that these were enough to convince EFCC that Fani-Kayode was very willing to face his persecutors in court. But rather than be humane in their conduct, EFCC hounded him for the umpteenth time on that fateful Friday and have since kept him in custody.

It is therefore little wonder that based on the history of his medical conditions which the Commission is very much aware of, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode slumped while in detention on Saturday, 22 ^nd of October, 2016. 

But for the quick and professional intervention of the medical team in the EFCC medical facilities, the story could have been different, it could have been fatal!

We must commend the medical staff at the Commission’s medical facility. They were prompt in their response, and very impressive in their care. It is very heartwarming to know that some professionals have not allowed the political witch hunt and persecution of political opponents and perceived enemies taint their professional calling. We hope this extends to all facets of the Nigerian society.

Nigerians would recall that we had earlier raised the alarm about the danger in which Fani-Kayode’s life is right now; we are shocked that that danger rather than ebb away is becoming a reality slowly but steadily. If not, why re-arrest and keep him in detention when he has not failed to appear before the Commission or even before the courts at any time, neither has he ever been declared wanted?

The fresh charges for which he was said to have been re-arrested were presented to him over the weekend and they border on an alleged N26m which he was accused to have collected from the erstwhile NSA, Sambo Dasuki, and he has since signed for the charges while he waits for his day in court. So, why still detain him if there is no sinister motive behind it all? 

From the foregoing, it is obvious that this issue about corruption is nothing but an already exposed façade for the silencing of opposition voices, and keep Fani-Kayode out of circulation as long as practicable since he is seen by many as one of the strongest voices against tyranny, oppression and executive lawlessness.

For the avoidance of doubt, we reiterate our earlier warning that nothing untoward must happen to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode whether now or in the nearest future. Should anything happen to him, we can assure those responsible that there would be reactions of unimaginable propensity.

It is not all sacrifices that the gods accept. There are some sacrifices that even oracles reject for fear of untamable repercussions!

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Fresh Options On How To Save The economy from Recession

A lecturer at Pan Atlantic University, Dr. Austin Nweze, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to explore the options of crashing interest rate, stimulating local production, sustaining the ban on the importation of products for which there are local substitutes and rework the fiscal and monetary policies of the economy.

Speaking in Lagos at the weekend, the Political Economist said recession does not happen in an economy overnight, arguing that it must have given policy makers enough warning before unleashing its venom on the economy.

Nweze blamed the government for applying a wrong therapy to the bad policies past administrations  by rejecting some of their policies, arguing that the government should be a continuum.

He also argued that what led to the suddenness of the recession was the wrong policy choices made by the administration, especially in its fight against corruption.

He said that the concept of the “unholy trinity” of interest rate, forex and inflation work together and regretted that government, through the CBN has been pursuing a policy of ‘inflation targeting’which he said is not the right approach to adopt as a nation, especially in the face of volatile oil prices and dwindling economy. Interest rate, he argued, has a way of affecting the economy.

He said: “What I expected the government to do was to crash the interest rate to a manageable level. During the global financial crises, many developed nations such as Britain and the United States, operated a zero interest rate. What this does is to give money to businesses at a cheaper rate for them to expand. This would lead to employment of more people and then production will increase.”

He added that in the long term, both factors would merge somewhere and would trigger a drop in inflation because production would have increased. 

He said for now government is just embarking on a wild goose chase. 

“They are just looking for quick fixes to get out of the recession, whereas they should not bother about getting out of recession hurriedly because recession must run its full course. For us to get out of this recession, we are looking at 2018 to 2019.”

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NJC Trying to Stop Exposing of Petitions Against Judges

The National Judicial Council is set to bar media reportage of the allegations of misconduct levelled against judges and employees of the judiciary. This is contained in the National Judicial Policy to be launched by the NJC today.

If allowed, the policy will widen the dark veil that shields disciplinary proceedings against judges.

Under the new policy, NJC or any institutions of the judiciary shall discard a complaint sent against a judge or employee of the judiciary for investigation if after receiving the complaint it is leaked or discussed in the media.

The policy partly read, “lt shall be the policy of the judiciary on complaints that allegations of misconduct against judicial officers or employees of the judiciary shall not be leaked or published in the media.

“Where complaints on allegations against judicial officers and court employees are submitted for investigation, the complainant or complainants shall be made to give an undertaking not to do anything to prejudice investigation or actions that may be taken.

“The institutions of the judiciary concerned with investigation or and implementation of decisions taken on such complaints shall be obliged to cease further action where such complaints are leaked or discussed in the media.

“Where such a leakage is occasioned after the submission of a complaint then all investigations on the complaints shall be suspended, the leakage investigated and if such leakage is from the complainant on through other parties known to such a complainant, such a complaint should be discarded.

“Where such leakage is occasioned prior to the presentation of the complaint and the source of the leakage is found to be the complainant or through other parties known to and connected with the complainant then such complaint shall not be accepted, upon submission, by the appropriate disciplinary body.

“Upon the conclusion of any investigation, the judicial disciplinary bodies may allow public disclosure of their findings, subject to following the proper channels for such disclosure.”

This is coming at a time when the NJC, the body vested with disciplinary powers over judges at all levels, is under public attack for allegedly shielding corrupt judges and merely giving those found culpable a slap on the wrist.

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