EFCC invites Anenih, Orbih, Ihimekpen over N700m campaign funds

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has invited former chairman Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, and the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, to appear before it to explain how the N700 million presidential election fund was expended.
EFCC also extended invitation to a chieftain of the PDP, Okharedia Ihimekpen, who was asked to come and explain how the funds were equally shared.
When contacted, Ihimekpen confirmed the invitation, saying “They called me but I told them to put the invitation in writing which they promised to do. I hope to receive the letter tomorrow, then I will go.”
It will be recalled that the Edo State Coordinator of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and the former Deputy governor of the state, Mr Lucky Imasuen, were also invited by EFCC penultimate Tuesday on the issue.
Ize-Iyamu who briefed journalists in Benin city, said he collected the money from Fidelity Bank on behalf of the party and that the money was shared to the executive members of the party in the 18 local government areas of the state for the election of former President Jonathan.
On his part, Imasuen who is now a member of All Progressives Congress, APC, said he went to the bank as a witness following pleas from Chief Orbih, who asked him to be at the bank as witness to enable the bank give the money to Ize-Iyamu.

I will trek for Buhari again – Hashimu

Suleiman Hashimu and President Muhammadu Buhari

Mr Suleiman Hashimu, the man who trekked from Lagos to Abuja for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, has denied reports that he lost faith in the president, saying the reports are mischievous and misleading.
Fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, Hashimu renewed his commitment to always support the president because of Buhari’s capability to solve the country’s problems.
NAN recalls that Hashimu trekked from Lagos and arrived Abuja on April 20, 2015, to redeem his promise of walking for Buhari if he (Buhari) won the presidential election.
“I woke this morning and some of my friends started calling and asking if I am aware of reports in the social media, claiming that I – Hashimu – have regretted trekking for President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is not true. It is a rumour, false and a lie. I did not regret my action.
“If I have another opportunity to trek for President Buhari, I will do it again, even from Nigeria to anywhere.
“I do not regret my action – trekking for him. I am in support of everything he is doing,’’ Hashimu declared.
“I did not speak to any journalist yesterday, today or recently,’’ the trekker stressed.
On how he felt when he heard the rumour, Hashimu said he was not surprised as some politicians with intent to spite the president in spite of his efforts so far might be responsible for such report.
“I am not surprised because as a politician, he has opposition and I believe people are looking for all ways to spoil his name.

“They spread this rumour not to dent my name but the president’s.
“They also want to use the rumour to say that I am no longer with the president, that I am no longer supporting him, it is a lie,’’ he said.
The trekker disclosed that he was planning a march together with some youths to demonstrate their support and solidarity for the Buhari’s actions so far.
He added he was in full support of the increase in the pump price price of petrol from N86.50 to N145.
Hashimu noted that Nigerians would benefit from the increase in the long run, urging youths to be patient and pray for the president.
He also commended the president for degrading the Boko Haram insurgents and fight against corruption.
However, the trekker said that he was yet to meet the president because of his tight schedules.
Hashimu called on the president to alleviate the pains Nigerians were currently going through in view of the global economic downturn.
“There are some challenges which Nigerians are facing. The president needs to be aware. Whatever you doing in life, even if you are sick, you need pain relief.
“I know he is planning big for Nigerians and Nigeria, but the relief must come. Let the president do something quickly to address the pains Nigerians are undergoing, especially in terms of food.
“There are so many complaints, he needs to work hard,’’ he said

Why PDP sacked Sheriff, elected Markarfi as interim chair

In a bid to urgently reposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and stem the growing tide of opposition within its fold, the national convention of the party yesterday in Port Harcourt sacked its acting national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
Sheriff was replaced with a caretaker chairman, former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
Former presidential adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Ben Obi, was elected secretary of the caretaker committee, which was mandated to manage the affairs of the party for three months.
Sheriff’s tenure was a major source of division in the party, as a faction supported his stay in office while another fiercely sought his removal.
The changes that emerged in Port Harcourt were amid a parallel convention of the PDP held in Abuja by the faction of the party that had been traditionally opposed to Sheriff’s leadership.
Sheriff had until a couple of days ago been backed by the PDP Governors’ Forum, a powerful bloc within the party, and other key sponsors of the convention in the Garden City.
His removal by the Port Harcourt convention came as a complete surprise.
He had looked forward to the convention with optimism following discussions about his possible confirmation for another two years.
Meanwhile, details started to emerge yesterday about how the tide turned against Sheriff in Port Harcourt.
The 12 PDP governors, former governors of the party, National Assembly members led by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and other party leaders had held a marathon meeting at the Rivers Government House, Port Harcourt where Sheriff was also in attendance.
It was gathered that the stakeholders had during the meeting asked Sheriff to step down as acting national chairman of the party.
They noted that his emergence as acting chairman had divided leaders of the party and polarized the rank and file, raising fears that if urgent steps were not taken to halt the slide, the party may not recover from it.
They wanted to make room for someone who would be a unifying factor – instead of the divisive factor that Sheriff had become. He was said to have refused, insisting that he has till 2018 to preside over the affairs of the party.
It was also gathered that part of the reasons the governors and other stakeholders asked Sheriff to step aside was the fact that, contrary to widespread belief, he was broke and thought to lack the financial muscle needed to steer PDP out of its current difficulties.
The fear, sources said, was that he would rely too much on the governors for funding, and many would be unwilling to venture into such responsibility under the present cash crunch and in an era of anticorruption campaign.
There was also the issue of trust as many leaders of PDP found it difficult to trust Sheriff, who had been in the opposition for the greater part of the Fourth Republic and came into the former ruling party not long ago.
His manner of exit from the opposition coalition ahead of the 2015 general election, which also bordered on trust among his former comrades, was further cited as reason not to entrust the affairs of the party in his hands for too long.
It was gathered that there were fears among even those that had been backing Sheriff about his motive for wanting to stay in office at all cost even when his stay had polarized the party and that there were tendencies that he would be out of control once he secures a new mandate.
Besides, many of the stakeholders argued that his tenure had ended and he should vacate office.
Sensing he would be sacked at the convention, Sheriff quickly called a press conference at Le Meridian Hotel, Port Harcourt, announcing the convention’s suspension after he left the meeting at the Government House that lasted several hours, citing court orders, which he had, however, consistently tended to jettison.
At the press briefing, Sheriff said, “If we proceed with the convention, we will be charged for contempt of court. As a responsible party, we have to respect the court orders. We will reconvene as soon as we are able to dispense with the court cases.”
He added, “We’ve been meeting since morning. We had challenges of series of court cases; we’ve decided to abandon election into chairman, secretary and auditor (positions). We have suspended the convention; we had three different cases in Abuja and Lagos. INEC also said they will not supervise the election. We will be contravening the court and we will be charged for contempt of court. We went to court, but we were denied permission.”
His directive was, however, ignored, as the convention went on as planned with the 12 PDP state governors and other leaders of the party in attendance.

While Sheriff left Port Harcourt after his press briefing, the 12 PDP governors as well as members of the National Assembly and other stakeholders headed to the Sharks Stadium venue of the convention and kicked off the programme.
Rivers State Governor and chairman of the National Convention Committee, Nyesom Wike, was in charge of the process. The convention dissolved the NWC, effectively sacking Sheriff, and set up a national caretaker committee.
One of the first decisions taken by the convention was the dissolution of the NWC by a motion moved by former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Austin Opara, and seconded by another former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.
The convention, via a voice vote, set up a national caretaker committee following a motion by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, which was seconded by Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwanbo.
The caretaker committee, which will be in office for not more than 90 days and conduct a proper convention for the party, also has as members Senator Odion Ogbesia, Senator Abdul Ningi, Barrister Kabiru Usman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, and Alhaja Aisha Aliyu.
Another motion for the zoning of the position of presidential candidate to the North head of 2019 was moved by former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu and seconded by Delta State Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
In his acceptance speech after being elected chairman of the caretaker committee, Makarfi called on all aggrieved PDP members to give peace a chance in the interest of the party.
“I humbly accept the challenge and I do so on behalf of other members of the committee. I assure you have no cause to worry. None of us is contesting for any office. Please, give peace a chance, so that we can rebuild our party for the benefit of not only Nigerians and Africans, but the entire black race,” the former governor pleaded.
One of the key conditions given to Makarfi and other members of the caretaker committee was that they will not contest for any position at the next PDP national convention.
The Concerned PDP Stakeholders, led by former informer minister, Professor Jerry Gana, at their parallel convention in Abuja, set up a 57- member steering committee co-chaired by former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, and former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran. The committee was required to oversee the affairs of the faction until the court orders against the election of new PDP officers were set aside and a proper convention was held.
The concerned PDP stakeholders said they decided to hold a non-elective convention in deference to court orders stopping the party from electing new National Working Committee members.
The faction said given the current disagreements in the party, the Board of Trustees is in the best statutory and moral position to assume the leadership of the party pending the reconstitution of its National Executive Committee.
Mantu said the stakeholders “resolved to rebuild, renew and rebrand” the party in line with the vision of the founding fathers. “This becomes a non-elective convention in respect of court orders, and also to enable us have a tete-a-tete with our brothers in Port Harcourt.”
He reiterated that the decision to choose Sheriff as chairman of the party was in violation of the established procedure.
Former presidential adviser on public communications in the Jonathan government, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said in an interview, “We are not ruling out reconciliation, we are open to setting up a caretaker committee‎.” He was referring to the group that convened in Port Harcourt.
Among party leaders at the Port Harcourt convention were former national chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo; former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed; outgoing nNational vice chairman (South-south), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh; former chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mrs. Esther Audu; and former governors of Imo, Adamawa and Taraba states, Achike Udenwa, Ahmadu Fintiri, and Garba Umar, respectively.
Speaking after a meeting in Abuja to appraise the decisions that emerged from the convention in Port Harcourt, Mantu said there was no other body constitutional mandated to take over the affairs of the party at this time than the BoT.
He stated, “There is a body that is constitutionally mandated to take over the affairs of the party. And that body is the conscience of the party called BoT. At this point in time, the only legal organ constitutionally empowered to actually take over the affairs of the party is the BoT.”
Mantu added that his group had been vindicated by the removal of Sheriff in Port Harcourt, saying that is what the Concerned PDP Stakeholders have been advocating.

Fuel price hike: Wabba-led NLC suspends strike, commends Tinubu, N’Assembly

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba has announced the suspension of its protest over the hike in fuel price.
The announcememnt was contained in a communiqué at the end of its congress meeting Sunday.
“NEC after due consultation with its constituents resolved to suspend with immediate effect, the action it commenced on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The action is thus hereby suspended,” said the communiqué signed by NLC president Ayuba Wabba and Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary.
NLC also praised its state councils , the national Assembly and the nation leader of All Progressives Congress,Bola Tinubu.
“Congress singled out for commendation, its state councils, affiliates and other patriotic Nigerians who at very short notice picked up the gauntlet for this struggle. Congress commends the leadership of the National Assembly and All Progressives Congress led by Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” the communiqué said.
Though NLC considered its action a success, it also acknowledged some internal and external challenges.
“After an exhaustive deliberation, NEC noted its protest action was informed by the twin issues of the unjustified and illegal hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products. NEC adjudged the protest action to be a success in spite of both internal and external challenges.”
THE COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS ISSUED ON SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016.
An emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) held today, Sunday, May 22, 2016 at Bolton White Hotels, Abuja on the on-going protest action against the increase in pump price of petroleum products and hike in electricity tariff. NEC reviewed the protest action and its impact across the nation, noting the sacrifices of its members, response of the generality of Nigerians, government’s attitude and the brutality of the police in some states. NEC took special notice of the Ebonyi State Police Command where our members were intimidated, harassed, arrested and detained unjustly.
After an exhaustive deliberation, NEC noted its protest action was informed by the twin issues of the unjustified and illegal hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products. NEC adjudged the protest action to be a success in spite of both internal and external challenges.
NEC reiterated the correctness of its position on the twin-issues of electricity tariff hike and astronomical increase in the pump price of PMS and the hardship they portend for Nigerian masses.

NEC also acknowledged that the temptation to compare the strike action with that of 2012 could be compelling but that the scenario had changed as both the actors and the terrain were different.
NEC said before it had embarked on the action, it had anticipated a probable outcome and therefore was not surprised by government’s negative response. Nonetheless, it felt fulfilled by having the presence of mind and courage to identify its mission and fulfilling it, stressing that if a similar situation arises again, it will still rise and stand with the people.
NEC therefore commended those who took part in the action in one way or the other and reaffirm its commitment to the struggle. The action, it reiterated was taken in the best interest of the poor and the weak and in drawing government’s attention to the dangers of relying on importation of petroleum products as a sustainable strategy for making available petroleum products. It expressed the belief that in the days ahead, time would prove its position right.
Congress singled out for commendation, its state councils, affiliates and other patriotic Nigerians who at very short notice picked up the gauntlet for this struggle. Congress commends the leadership of the National Assembly and All Progressives Congress led by Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
In consideration of the above, NEC after due consultation with its constituents resolved to suspend with immediate effect, the action it commenced on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The action is thus hereby suspended.
Congress will resume negotiations with government on the twin issues of the hike in electricity tariff and an increase in the pump price of petroleum products and any other issue that may arise thereof.
It similarly remains committed to genuine dialogue within the framework of internationally established and recognized principles of representation.
The Congress will continue to resist wrong legislations, policies and programmes and will always act in the best interest of Nigerians as it remains the only pan Nigerian organisation not affected by religion, region, creed, partisanship or primordial sentiments.
The Congress urges the government to play by the rules in its engagement with its constituent parts, stakeholders and non-state actors as proof of its commitment to deepening our democracy and also in acknowledgment of the well-worn credo that what goes around, comes around.
The Congress also urges the citizenry to be vigilant at all times as the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
The Congress commends all Nigerians for their understating and support.
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni. (President)
Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson (General Secretary)

The Chairman of the 2016 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Convention Planning Committee and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has explained that the party had to let Former Acting National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff go because his leadership was destabilising the party.

In an interview on Saturday night after the 2016 National Convention in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said: “All along, the crisis has been about the former acting chairman whose emergence was strongly opposed.

“This is destabilising the party and so we had to let him go. What is important is the party and not the individual. No sacrifice is too much for anyone to make as far as PDP is concerned “.

He noted that he had no personal interest in supporting Senator Modu Sheriff as he was the best option at the time he emerged.

He said that PDP will continue to grow from strength to strength as it remains the only hope for the country.

Governor Wike said: “We will not allow the PDP to die or suffer divisions under our watch. History will never forgive us if we watch the party die.”

The governor said that the party leaders would work towards maintaining unity amongst all members of the party.

He said despite the challenges, the 2016 National Convention was successful as the party has been repositioned in the interest of the nation.

- See more at: http://www.thewhistleng.com/leadership-destabilising-pdp-wike-explains-modu-sheriff-sacrificed/#sthash.oXCv4fMC.dpuf

Militants blow up pipeline as vandals damage NNPC facilities

Suspected militants have attacked and set ablaze a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ikienghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Council of Bayelsa State.
A five-kilometre Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Premuim Motor Spirit (PMS) pipeline that serves the Machiver jetty in Calabar, Cross River State, has also been vandalised.
Sources in the Ikienghenbiri community said that the attack was a result of clash between two rival groups fighting over pipeline territorial rights.
The pipeline was said to have been set ablaze while the two groups engaged each other in a gun battle over who gets the contract to survey the now blown-up pipeline.
It was learnt that residents are leaving the community as a result of the clashes which have left a section of the Tebidaba-Brass pipelines along the Azuzuama-Ikienghenbiri creek in Southern Ijaw area on fire.
Residents in Calabar said that it was an open secret that some NNPC officials and security agents tacitly aid the frequent vandalism at the Machiver Jetty offloading pipelines to the tank farm and for which no arrest has been made in the past seven years.
Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen Paul Boroh (rtd) has urged all persons bearing arms in the region to submit them and embrace peace.
According to him, oil pipeline vandalism if not checked, will drastically affect even the success already achieved with the amnesty programme.
He reasoned that if oil production continues to dwindle, allocation to the programme will further reduce thereby affecting the training of the amnesty beneficiaries.
One of the Ikienghenbiri community sources who spoke on phone, Ebidimo Joseph, said the militants were struggling for the control of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba crude trunk line which passes through the area.
He added that residents are scared as a result of the clash and are leaving for neighbouring villages for safety.
He said: “We understand it is a conflict between two armed groups for the access to the crude pipeline, one group claims to be working to safeguard the pipeline and said the other group are vandals; they have been shooting.”
He added that a thick ‘cloud of smoke’ had enveloped the community and polluted the atmosphere in the area.
The security lapse around the Machiver Jetty in Calabar, it was learnt, is exemplified by the fact that of the four security posts built for security men to stay and monitor the pipelines easily only one has been completed and put into use while the remaining three have been abandoned.
It was further learnt that all these security lapses along the pipelines are deliberate so as to cover up for the high-sea bunkering that takes place between Port Harcourt and Calabar.
However, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who stormed the Southern Ijaw community shortly after the incident apprehended one of the suspects.
The Bayelsa State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu., confirmed the attack and said one of the militants identified simply as Peregbakumo was arrested through the help of the community leaders.
He identified the facility attacked by the militants as a pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass trunk line.
He said the pipeline was attacked with a dynamite about 12:30a.m., adding that the community was cooperating with his men to arrest other fleeing suspects.
Another source said the gunmen were allegedly led by persons within the community identified as Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fynboy and that after the attack, the armed youths laid ambush and shot a civilian member of the Oil and Gas Task Force in the leg.
Agu said: “About 0300hrs, a gang of armed youths allegedly led by one Suoyou, Iyelawei and Fynboy all of Ikienghenbiri community, Southern Ijaw Area vandalised pipeline along Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba-Brass pipeline with dynamites and ignited fire on the line.


“Through community help, we were able to arrest one of the suspects and to identify some of the fleeing suspects. There was a lot of community collaboration and we are grateful to the community because they don’t like what the armed youths are doing”.
A statement issued yesterday by Media and Communication Consultant to the Amnesty Office, Owei Lakemfa, quoted Boroh as saying that so far, the programme has been a tremendous success but added that vandalism in the region must be checked.
“He said it is in the collective interest of the Niger Delta people to put a stop to the renewed attacks on oil installations,” Lakemfa
He added that he was encouraged that the overwhelming majority of the people including stakeholders, youths, elders and leaders in the region had pledged themselves to peace”, the statement reported Boroh to have said.
Recounting the success of the amnesty programme, Boroh said in the statement that apart from 30,000 youths being paid monthly stipends, 2,152 Niger Delta youths have been given full scholarship to study in 32 higher institutions abroad across five continents .
He said 2,723 youths from the region have been given full scholarship to study in 32 Nigerian universities. While 76 of them graduated from Novena University this year, a total of 728 beneficiaries are in their final year and are expected to graduate this session.
The list include 405 from the Benson Idahosa University expected to graduate in June 2016, 206 in Igbinedion University expected to complete their studies in October this year, and 115 from Lead University, Ibadan expected to graduate in August, 2016.
Boroh said in the nine months he has been in office, 836 former agitators have been fully empowered and set up in various businesses in the Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Imo and Edo states.
He said the Amnesty Programme has been such a huge success that some of the beneficiaries have been elected legislators in the Rivers and Bayelsa State Houses of Assembly as well as being Chairmen of Local Governments. He said the success of the programme has swelled the ranks of thousands of armed youths seeking to lay down their arms and lead normal lives.
militantBesides, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has alleged that the new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, is being sponsored to destabilise the President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.
After a long silence, MEND, through its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo condemned and dissociated itself from the recent activities carried out by the “avengers”, saying their sudden emergence has absolutely nothing to do with the Niger Delta struggle but rather a tool by certain elements to destabilise the current government.
“MEND serves notice to the international community that the Niger Delta region shall not be part of a secessionist Biafran State. Rather, the group believes in one strong united Nigerian federation where the principles and ideals of resource control; true federalism; rule of law/respect for human rights; democracy; free enterprise and a vibrant civil society are well entrenched in the grundnorm and put to practice” he said.
Also, Ijaw youths and other youth groups in the Niger Delta region are set to meet in response to the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region. The meeting which would be under the auspices of the Niger Delta youth organisation, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), would review the renewed militant activities in the region and take a common position.
According to the IYC spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, the conference which is slated for May 26, 2016 in Warri, Delta State is expected to come out with a communiqué on the common position of the youths of the Niger Delta region on the renewed insurgency and attack on oil facilities
It was learnt that it would be graced by leading Niger Delta activists such as Mr. Tony Uranta, Ann-Kio Briggs and Dr. Bello Oboko, who would be guest speakers and would mark the conclusion of the month-long remembrance activities of the late Niger Delta hero, Major Jasper Adaka Boro with the theme ‘’The Ideals of Adaka Boro and Renewed Militancy in the Niger Delta Region: The way forward.”

Obajana/Kabba Road: FG’s move commendable – Sen. Smart Adeyemi CON

Former Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Smart Adeyemi, has commended the decision of the Federal Government to allow business mogul, Aliko Dangote, construct the Obajana/Kabba Road in exchange for tax rebates.
Adeyemi’s position was contained in a statement on Sunday.
He said he was happy to receive the news of the decision of the Federal Executive Council on the road, adding that he had tried his best in the last eight years to secure succour for users of that road through Federal Government’s intervention.
“We commend President Muhammadu Buhari and his team for this decision. For eight years, we tried all we could to get relief for that road, all efforts came to nought. The decision to grant approval for Dangote to build the road is commendable,” the Senator said.
He expressed the hope that all Federal Roads would enjoy such approvals, with renewed activities of the private sector, adding that with effective collaboration between the public and private sector, all roads in Nigeria would wear a new look.

Adeyemi also commended the allocation of N200 billion for road construction in the 2016 budget, adding that when applied appropriately, the funds would have desired effects on the roads.
The Senator said: “I equally commend the allocation of N200 billion for road construction in 2016. If we get at least 80 percent of that executed, the roads would be in good shape across the geopolitical zones.
“Now that they have started with Dangote, they should continue to other zones. The objective should be to made Federal Roads motorable round the year.”
Senator Adeyemi also advocated for a return of Toll Gates on all Federal Roads, declaring that the tolls could be made discriminatory in favour of commercial buses.
He said: “I believe that all Federal Roads should be tolled with special consideration for commercial vehicles. Those who ride expensive cars should be made to pay higher at the Toll gates. That is how the rich can be made to contribute to national developmen

Give Lagos Special Status, Senator Adeola Pleads With PMB

As President Muhammadu Buhari begins a historic official visit to Lagos State tomorrow, Senator Solomon Adeola, aka Yayi, representing Lagos West, the largest senatorial district in Nigeria, has called on the federal government to consider a special status for Lagos State in view of its historical and strategic importance in service of not only Lagos State but the whole Nigeria.
In a message welcoming the President to the nation’s economic nerve center and former capital, Senator Adeola who is the Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Communications said the need for according Lagos state a special status is reinforced by the fact that it is home to all Nigerians in huge numbers as no other state can boast of stressing that there is uncharacteristic huge pressure and resultant wear and tear on physical and social infrastructure in the state hosting many strategic federal government institutions.
While commending President Buhari for striving to ensure  good governance through an anti- corruption policy based on the rule of law and national interest, Senator Adeola said the ongoing massive development efforts of Lagos State Government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, some of which the president will commission during his visit need to be complemented by Federal Government projects like the proposed metro rail line adding that with the mega city status of Lagos State requires massive social and infrastructural development that affect many Nigerians and the economy of the nation.
Senator Adeola expressed the hope that in spite of present economic challenges facing the nation, Nigerians will soon begin to witness positive changes as the implementation of the first national budget under a progressive APC-led Federal  Government begins adding that the present  temporary pains of the citizenry is the price to pay for previous years of mis- governance.
Signed:
Chief Kayode Odunaro
Media Adviser to Senator Adeola
22nd May, 2016

All hail the Queen, Precious Onwuka emeged Little Miss Nigeria.

Queen Precious Onwuka, 10years old from Agulu in Anambra State and student of Abayi International Schools, Abayi Aba emerged 2016 Little Miss Nigeria.

The organizers of maiden event Congratulated the winner and give SPECIAL thanks to God for a successful event.

They also thank all the parents and all other contestants for there hard work, preparation, commitment and dedication to this event. Without you there is no us.
No winner, No Losers! What we have is a Team Leader who will work hand in hands with her co-contestants.

Plateau varsity to graduate first set of students after 10 years

The Plateau State University will graduate its first set of students before the end of the year, Governor Simon Lalong has said.
According to Lalong the graduation is coming ten years since the university was established.
The governor told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja that the university could not graduate its students all the while due to non-accreditation of the institution.
“(There has been) no accreditation, no graduation for over 10 years.
“And now, setting up a university as a speaker and now back as a governor I have no reason not to work on ensuring that the university was accredited and also there is graduation from that university.
“To date, they have done accreditation for 17 courses and ready for convocation.
“As a matter of fact, if not for little challenge in terms of funding, the first convocation, I was preparing for June this year.
“However, we are hoping that before the end of the year, they will have their first convocation.
“That will tell you the passion we have about education.
“For some of us, our parents were not rich and because of that, the only opportunity at that time was the public schools.
“We went to public schools and today, we are what we are because we went to public schools.

Flash: Obaro of Kabba join his ancestors.

Report reaching theleakages claimed that the Obaro of Kabba Oba Micheal Olobayo is dead. Until his death Oba Micheal Olobayo remain an influencial first class King and a unifying figure in Okun land. He is also the incumbent Chairman of Okun Traditional Council Area of Kogi State. DETAILS LATER.