Sam Melaye now Patron of Ijumu Students Union

By: Gideon Ayodele
The student body under the name "Ijumu Students Union has again honoured the NASSLAF Chairman-Elect, Comrade Sam Mayowa Melaye as her patron.
The conferment was performed at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja yesterday by the Executives of the student body, led by the president, Comrade oloruntoba Olaitan David.
The president of the Union, Comrade Oloruntoba in his addres said that the Union appreciates the activities of Comrade Sam Melaye in the National Assembly and that Ijunu students are proud to identify with his giant stride as a proud Ijumu youth.
He further said that comrade Melaye has really demonstrated his good leadership qualities by accepting to be the Patron of the student body in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, assuring the patron that the union will make him proud
The new patron in his response appreciated the Ijumu Students for considering him worthy of such honour, said that the student is at the heart of everything we do. "We support the voice of the student and seek to engage students in all aspects of life activities".
"The Union is about more than just social activities though; it’s about making the most out of your time in your various institutions. Whether that means supporting you with charity events or making sure your voice is heard, i am here to listen to your ideas and help make them happen" he said.
He however, urged ISU members to be tolerant in their various institutions in order not to inflame passions and create barriers at the expense of other students of different ethnic background. Recognising the need to consolidate themselves into a truly active and progressive association in order to protect the rights of our students and discharge their responsibilities as informed members of the society,
Realising the need to support by all lawful means the fundamental freedom of thought and expression, association and movement; while appreciating the problems of our society and the role we must play in the maintenance of a democratic, open and progressive educational system whereby every Nigerian citizen especially Ijumu students shall have equal opportunity to education, and must be committed to harnessing the enthusiasm of students for dynamic, purposeful, political, socio-economic and technological development;
Comrade Sam however emphasised the need to be dedicated to the total liberation of our fatherland (Nigeria) from all forms of domination and the attainment of Nigerian Unity; and be determined to engage their members in the general scheme of social progress aimed at the total mobilization of the Ijumu Students towards realizing National ideals and to draw attention at all times and in all places to any form of exploitation, discrimination, oppression and any other social vices among the students, and to work for the realization of peace in our community.

News: Russia to support Nigeria in resuscitating Ajaokuta steel mill

 The Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Nikolay Udovichenko, said his country would support Nigeria in resuscitating the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company to ensure rapid industrialisation of the country.
Besides, he said that Russia was to assist Nigeria to overcome its current challenges in other sectors of the economy, especially oil and gas.
Nikolay gave the assurance in his remarks at the 2016 Russia National Day celebration on Saturday in Abuja.
He said that a team of Russian engineers were ready to inject new technology into the steel mill to make it functional, adding that the country had remained a dependable ally to Nigeria.

He said that the relationship between both countries had always been cordial.
“Our relationship with Nigeria is based on mutual respect.
“On the security challenge, Nigeria can always count on Russia’s support.
“You can always be sure that we are with you in all your challenges,” the envoy said.
According to him, Russia is also ready to partner Nigeria in restoring new technology in the oil and gas.
“Russia also gives scholarships to many Nigerians annually to study in the country and will continue to support in the education sector.’’
The envoy, however, called on Nigeria’s businessmen to take advantage of the cordial relationship between the two countries to strengthen the trade relations between them.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the celebration was attended by members of the diplomatic and business communities and other top government functionaries.

Opinion: Boko Haram Terrorists Hooked on the Jihadist Drug of Choice: Viagra, By Philip Obaji Jr.

Kidnapping girls and raping them many times a day is standard practice for the young men recruited to Boko Haram’s ‘holy’ cause, as are the drugs help to keep them going.
CALABAR, Nigeria — Every time the Nigerian military raids Boko Haram hideouts in northeast Nigeria, soldiers report intriguing stockpiles quite apart from the predictable guns, bombs, and machetes. Often these include magical amulets and trinkets, and, frequently, quantities of Viagra and similar sex-enhancing pharmaceuticals.
There is a reason for the obsession with erectile function, and it is common to most of the extreme jihadist movements, especially those, like Boko Haram, that have pledged allegiance to the so-called caliphate that claims the name “Islamic State”: the promise of sex is a great recruiting tool, and sexual prowess is deemed to have mystical powers.
Thus in Iraq, ISIS has a record of enslaving women and girls deemed “non-believers,” then handing them over to the not-so-tender ministrations of men with years of pent-up frustrations. In Nigeria, Boko Haram has made the kidnapping of young women, like the girls taken from Chibok school two years ago, almost a trademark of its movement. Such practices, from the jihadist point of view, have a couple of benefits. They sow terror at the same time they attract young men to jihadist ranks.
But we have to be careful here. The jihadists’ enemies are forever claiming they are sex-mad monsters more interested in concubines than the Quran.
“When the military captured their bases and training camps, they never found Quran or other Islamic books,” Nigerian army spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement released last September after a number of camps were raided. “What they found were ammunition, local charms, condoms and all sort of drugs including sex enhancing ones in their enclaves.”
In fact, independent analysts confirm this general picture. The talismans, according to a non-military source, are not in the least Islamic, and they have a special purpose: “When the girls aren’t scared of dying even with a gun pointed at them, the militants use local charms to hypnotize and lure them,” said Yusuf Mohammed, a respected Arabic scholar and community organizer in the northeastern town of Maiduguri who also assists the city’s main vigilante group, the Civilian Joint Task Force, in intelligence gathering. “And because they sleep with so many girls in a day, they are forced to depend on sex enhancing drugs so as to last long in the act, and a condom when they suspect a woman has sexually transmitted disease.”
Figures certainly seem to show that Boko Haram militants have a huge appetite for sex. A report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released early this year estimates more than 2,000 girls have been abducted since the jihadist group began its uprising in the northeast over six years ago. Other estimates put the number at 7,000, with the presumption that many if not all of them are used as sex slaves.
A number of these girls have become pregnant in captivity and some have contracted sexually transmitted diseases. Many have been raped repeatedly and relentlessly.
Asabe Aliyu was about 23 years of age when she was abducted in 2014 by Boko Haram militants from Delsak, a village near Chibok in the northeast. The mother of four children was taken to the jihadist’s stronghold in the remote Sambisa forest where she was sexually assaulted day after day by different men and forced into marrying one of the militants.
“They turned me into a sex machine. They took turns to sleep with me,” she told Daily Times, a Nigerian newspaper. “Now I am pregnant and I cannot identify the father.”
A number of other girls have told stories of how they were raped and violated almost on a daily basis by the same unit of militants in Sambisa forest. Some of the victims are as young as 8.
“Some victims have said the militants usually discuss among themselves the number of girls they’ll sleep with in a day,” said Yusuf Mohammed, who has interviewed and counseled a number of Boko Haram victims in Maiduguri. “The aim is so that they’ll be able to impregnate as many girls as possible and bear children who will continue in the jihad.”
Last year, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, told reporters that the urge to bear kids is driven by Boko Haram’s superstitious believe that their children will take after their cause.
“These people have a certain spiritual conviction that any child they father will grow to inherit their ideology whether they live with the children or not,” Shettima said. “The sect leaders make very conscious effort to impregnate the women.”
To fulfill this macho obligation, jihadists turn to performance enhancing medications. The army announced as recently as Friday that it recovered “sex enhancing drugs such as Viagra” from some militants as they tried to flee Sambisa forest on Thursday.
Viagra and similar drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction work only with sexual stimulation and do not increase the desire for sex. But the fact that they could maintain an erection for up to five hours (a health hazard warned against on the package) is what Boko Haram militants find so appealing.
A victim of Boko Haram’s sexual violence once told me that the jihadists love to boast among themselves about their sexual stamina, and that they bet on who will last the longest in having sex.
“Anyone who has sex for the longest hours wins whatever bet has been placed,” she said. “They take whichever girl they want and they can have sex for hours.”
In March, the government of Borno state, announced the closure of cattle markets in the capital city because agents working for Boko Haram sold cattle stolen by jihadists from neighboring villages in these markets and used the proceeds to buy food and drugs for the militants.
Local vigilantes and security officials have identified sex enhancing drugs as the medicines these agents most commonly buy from retail pharmaceutical stores.
“About five people were arrested by the military and they confessed to buying these drugs for the militants,” Yusuf Mohammed said. “They use proceeds from the stolen cattle they sell to buy these medicines.”
With the number of girls Boko Haram has abducted, it is clear what the jihadists intend to achieve: to punish as many girls as possible through rape, and father as many children as they can by impregnating them.
“The more girls they kidnap, the more sex enhancing drugs they’ll need,” Yusuf Mohammed said. “These militants just want sex with every girl in their custody.”
Philip Obaji Jr. is the founder of 1 GAME, an advocacy and campaigning organization that fights for the right to education for disadvantaged children in Nigeria, especially in northeastern Nigeria, where Boko Haram forbids western education. Follow him @PhilipObaji

The Herdsmen and the wailing child: Most shocking picture from Benue State, Nigeria. Emma Ike Agu reacts

Hausa-Fulani Herdsmen, the bloodsucking nomadic, and the most barbaric cattle rearers in the whole wide planet, have engaged for so many years unchallenged; in kidnapping, raping, destroying homes and even slaughtering children.
With the help of the social media, the entire world is seeing how a group of mindless nomadic have killed and left on their trail; tears, sorrows, and blood. These Herdsmen are everywhere in Nigeria acting as if the own the entire land.
This photo was uploaded by one Jame Success Ogbor of a child, standing and wailing before his dead mother. Unless one’s heart is made of stone, this image is mind bending. James Success Ogbor from Benue State Nigeria wrote:
“I have never asked anyone to share my post nor picture but if you so care about what is happening to us in Benue state for once, stop share and pray for the Benu.
 Valley people. What the future holds for the children and youth of this region is so dark because the bloodshed in the land is too much.
The Fulanis herdsmen are wiping out the minority tribes of the region.
We all know Cattle rearing is a business on it’s own, at such I don’t think they should use their own business to hinder other economic activities in other regions of the country.
We all know Argentina produces five times the amount of the cattle we produce in Nigeria but people are not wiped out to enable cattle rear, rear their cattle on another man’s agricultural production.
The Benue valley is boiling because of Fulani cattle rearers; Children are rendered orphans daily and families are rendered homeless.
All what the people of the Benue valley’s are asking for is, the FULANI Herdman should RANCH their CATTLE.
U can save lives by sharing this to prevail on the bloodthirsty nomadic to ranch their cattle.
Our people’s blood they shed is too much.”.. James Ogbor.
The Federal Government of Nigeria should enact a law as a matter of urgency to stop the activities of these herdsmen.

Opinion: The Yar’aduaization of Buhari’s Health by His Media Adviser, By Farooq Kperogi

Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina’s troubling ineptitude in media communication and reputation management is turning out to be President Muhammadu Buhari’sgravest albatross. The true state of the president’s health is now shrouded in mystery andis the subject of unhealthy speculations-much like the late President Umar Musa Yar’adua’s was.
In the wake of a June 4, 2016 Premium Times report that the president had“an infection in his left ear, otherwise called Meniere Disease, … which has drastically reduced his outings in the last one week,” Adesina insisted the president was the picture of good health.“Didn’t you see pictures of him receiving Anglican bishops yesterday?” Adesina told the Cable on June 4.“Did he look sick? The president is as fit as a fiddle. Anyone who says he is sick is telling lies,”
In less than 24 hours after this forceful denial, Adesina issued a statement saying President Buhari would start a 10-day “holiday” to London during which he would “see an E.N.T. specialist for a persistent ear infection.” The president, the statement added, “was examined by his Personal Physician and an E.N.T Specialist in Abuja and was treated. Both Nigerian doctors recommended further evaluation purely as a precaution.”
It is remarkable that Adesina didn’t deem it necessary to reconcile his previous impassioned denial of the president’s sickness and his subsequent admission that the president was indeed sick. “Persistent” implies that the president’s health troubles predated public knowledge of it. In other words, it didn’t just start on June 5. Yet Adesina knowingly lied that the president was “as fit as a fiddle” and that people who said the president was sick were “telling lies.” How more barefacedly duplicitous can anyone get?
In more ways than one, the media handling of the president’s health eerily recalls how former presidential spokesman Segun Adeniyi and what infamously came to be known as “the Yar’adua cabal” managed the late President Yar’adua’s health and robbed him of the sympathy he deserved from Nigerians. Everything about his health was cloaked in secrecy and doublespeak. The truth and the Nigerian nation also became casualties of the president’s sickness. (I’m not by any means implying that the same fate that befell Yar’adua would befall Buhari; I am only comparing the media handling of the health of the two leaders).
There is nothing to be ashamed of in sickness. It’s a garment we all must periodically wear in the course of our ephemeral earthly existence. My over 90-year-old father also has an over 20-year-old
persistent ear infection that has impaired his hearing. So I am intimately familiar with the distress of an ear infection. That’s why I feel more than sympathy for the president; I feel deep empathy for him.
But while I sincerely empathize with the president and hope and pray that he gets well soon, I have a hard time wrapping my head around the decision to take him to a London hospital to treat an ear infection that Adesina said the president’s personal physician and an ENT specialist have “treated,” especially in the face of the fact that millions of Nigerians (who are stripped of all subsidies) lack access to basic medical care.
There are at least three reasons why this is unwarrantable. First, it is a direct violation of the president’s own April 27, 2016 directive that forbids government officials from traveling abroad for medical treatment. “While this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly not encourage expending Nigerian hard earned resources on any government official
seeking medical care abroad, when such can be handled in Nigeria,” Buhari was quoted to have said in an April 27, 2016 Punch news report . Yet, although his ear infection was already “treated” in Nigeria, he flew to London “purely out of precaution.” In other words, he really didn’t need to go to London; he just went there out of an abundance of caution. Here, I am sticking strictly to the official statement released by the president’s media adviser.
Second, more than 4 billion naira has been allocated to the presidential clinic in this year’s budget. That’s more than the combined allocation to several teaching hospitals that serve millions of Nigerians who can’t afford the luxury to travel abroad for their medical needs. What I wrote in my May 28, 2016 column titled “Sacrifice by the Poor Amid Subsidies for the Rich” is particularly apposite now. I wrote: “The medical center in the Villa will be maintained with N3.89 billion. But this excludes drugs. Within this budget year, more than N200 million has been allocated to buy drugs for the State House clinic. Never mind that the president actually goes to London for his medical needs.
“In February this year when he went to London for a routine medical check-up, he told Nigerians in the UK that he had been using his UK doctors ‘since 1978 when I was in Petroleum.’ So over 4 billion naira has been allocated for a medical facility in the presidential villa that the president may not even use, yet the poor are told to ‘sacrifice’ because the country is ‘broke.’”
In these existentially precarious times when workers are owed several months of back wages, wages that are already made worthless by an unconscionably ill-advised increase in fuel prices, when everyday Nigerians are being denuded of every imaginable subsidy in the face of the unimaginable agony several of them already writhe in, how can anyone with even a smidgen of basic morality justify flying the president to London, using public funds, to treat an ear infection “purely out of precaution”?
Third, news of the president’s ear treatment in London has spread wildly in the international media, and has made Nigeria and Nigerians the butt of cruel, unflattering jokes all over the world. I didn’t realize how wide the news had spread until some of my American students asked me with a suppressed but nonetheless detectable tone of derision if it was true that my country’s president had been flown to London to treat an ear infection. In the comments sections of the story of Buhari’s London ear infection treatment in British newspapers, several Britons had a field day mocking Nigerians, with some pointing out that the president may ironically be treated by Nigerian doctors in London.
The shame and embarrassment are just too much to bear. If this had happened in a previous administration, I probably would have ignored it as just one more evidence of the atrophy of the Nigerian state. This is NOT the Buhari presidency I envisioned.

200 Military Officers ‘Loyal’ to Former President Jonathan Sacked Via SMS

There were indications on Friday, June 10, 2016 that about 200 military officers may have been sacked by the federal government through text messages (SMS) over their alleged loyalty to former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 general elections.

The affected officers were said to have been carefully selected for backing Jonathan during the last 2015 general election.

Further checks in the military establishment in Abuja, also hinted that military officers who were believed to be loyal to the former national security adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki were also affected in the mass sacking.

The list showed that they were mainly from the South East, South South and a small percentage of them were from the North Central region of the country.

The development which is already causing some ripples in the military, according to political analysts, could cost the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration public goodwill.

Confirming the development on Saturday, a statement by the Nigerian Army read; “The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the general public that quite a number of senior officers of the Nigerian Army were retired from service yesterday.

“Those retired were mainly some Major Generals, Brigadier Generals, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and a Major.

“Their retirement was based on Service exigencies. It should be recalled that not too long ago some officers were investigated for being partisan during the 2015 General Elections.

“Similarly, the investigation by the Presidential Committee investigating Defence Contracts revealed a lot.

“Some officers have already been arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). People should therefore not read this out of context.

“The military must remain apolitical and professional at all times.

“We must applaud and support this laudable and bold initiative by the government”.

Senator Solomon Adeola aka Yayi continues his empowerment of constituents as he donates 500 life jackets to boat operators following recent boat mishaps.
He also gave cash grants to 50 market men and women to cushion effect of the downturn in the economy.

Buhari's Medical Trip Costs £6m - Presidency Checks

He said that, such money that would be used for that foreign medical trip could have been used to developed the nation’s health infrastructures.

A senior lecturer at the department of Political Science, University of Ilorin, Dr. Lukman Saka has criticised the recent trip of president Muhammadu Buhari to United Kingdom for medical treatment on one of his ear problems.

Information coming in revealed that the medical implication of Mr. President treatment abroad will cost about £6m.

A senior lecturer at the department of Political Science, University of Ilorin, Dr. Lukman Saka has criticised the recent trip of president Muhammadu Buhari to United Kingdom for medical treatment on one of his ear problems.

He said that, such money that would be used for that foreign medical trip could have been used to developed the nation’s health infrastructures.Osogbo—Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria, OSCAN, has directed all female Christian students in both primary and secondary schools in the state to wear their church garments to their different schools, beginning from Monday. There was however palpable tension in some schools in different parts of the State including Osogbo, the state capital yesterday over the controversy on the use of hijab by female Muslim students during school hours. Christian leaders having realised that Muslim girls now wear hijab to public schools, agreed that by next Monday, Christian students will begin to wear their garments such as those for Boys Brigade, ushers, Girls Guide, choristers, band boys, white garments and others. Hijab-protestVanguard authoritatively gathered that messages have been sent to churches to mobilise their members to ensure that their children comply with this directive. Already, Director of DSS in the state met Christian and Muslim leaders separately on Wednesday pleading for peace. A judge of Osun State High Court, Justice Jide Falola had delivered a judgement last Friday in favour of a case instituted by Osun State Muslim Community against the State Government on the right of female Muslim students in public schools in the state to use hijab on their school uniforms. Nigerians should hold Aregbesola responsible — PDP Meantime, Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said Nigerians should hold Governor Rauf Aregbesola responsible, if more damage is done to the state’s education system through the brewing crises over wearing of hijab in public schools by female students. The party in a statement issued in Osogbo by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said Muslims and Christians in Osun state have coexisted long before now without crises and blamed the rising tension on Governor Aregbesola, whom it accused of planning to destabilise the state for some political reasons. ”Govt has no hand in the judgment” In a swift response, the state’s Solicitor General, Abiola Adewemimo, said; ‘’It has come to the notice of the State Government that the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN alleged that the judgment of the High Court of the State in favour of the right of female pupils to wear hijab in public schools was masterminded by the State Government. ‘’While we consider this to be unfortunate, we hasten to remind all religious groups, Christians, Muslim and traditional religious worshippers that the Judiciary is an independent arm of Government that is responsible and not under the control of the Executive in anyway.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/hijab-crisis-osun-can-orders-christian-students-attend-classes-church-robes/

Senator Adeola Restates Commitment For Effective Representation

Senator Solomon Adeola representing Lagos West Senatorial District the largest senatorial in Nigeria in terms of population has restated his commitment to effectively represent the millions of Nigerians in his district as the Senate mark its one year in office after inauguration.
Reviewing the situation of the upper legislative chamber in the last one year, Senator Adeola said that in spite of the crisis that bedeviled the Senate at inception, he was able to effectively represent his constituents in the area of law making, oversight and representation.
The senator said his amendment bill on FCT law that aimed to stop double taxation has passed first reading while a petition he presented on behalf of one of his constituents, Sgt. Amos Olaniyan, who was verbally suspended for 21 years from the Nigerian Police for an offence he was exonerated from was resolved with the Inspector General of Police ordering payment of all his salaries and retiring him with full benefits.
“I was able to train 200 of my constituents in entrepreneur development skill, purchased 500 JAMB forms for indigents students as well as grant tertiary institution scholarship for 48 students at the rate of N50,000 to run for four years.”, he stated.
The senator who represents over 11 million constituents said during his first town hall meeting within the last one year he was able to provide ten 500 KVA electric transformers at the rate of one per the ten LGA of his district as well as donate five 18 Seater Nissan Urvan Buses for Traditional rulers, League of Imams, Christains Association of Nigeria, Community Development Committee(CDC) and Baales adding that constituents also benefitted from his donation of Block molding machines, welding machines, vulcanizing machines and sewing machines among other empowerment items.
He promised that in the years ahead, he will continue to offer effective service in the interest of his constituents and the people of Nigeria in the tradition that he is known for all through his 12 years at state legislature and the House of Representatives.
Signed:
Chief Kayode Odunaro
Media Adviser to Senator Adeola.
June 9, 2016

Niger Delta Avengers push for secession from Nigeria

The militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, which has claimed a string of attacks on oil pipelines on Thursday asked for Western Nations support to realise some regional autonomy from Nigeria.
“Since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 to date, our resources have been used to sustain the political administrative live wire of Nigeria to the exclusion of the Niger Delta”, said spokesperson of the group, Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement on the group’s website Thursday.
“Finally, we are calling on the international community, to come and support the restoration of our right to peaceful self-determination from this tragedy of 1914 that has expired since 2014. We want our resources back to restore the essence of human life in our region for generations to come because Nigeria has failed to do that. The world should not wait until we go the Sudan ways. Enough is enough”
Here is the full statement by the group, as published on its website:

ENOUGH OF THIS INJUSTICE.
Since the day crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity and quality in Oloibiri, present day Bayelsa state, what we have being asking from successive governments in Nigeria is portable drinking water in the midst of plenty of water mass, electricity, roads, employment, quality education/educational facilities, resource control, participation in the oil business and inclusive governance that will engender substantial freedom.
The reserve(sic) have been the case, from Oloibiri, Brass LNLG and export terminals in Bayelsa; Bonny LNLG and export terminals in River state; ExxonMobil in Akwa Ibom; Escravos EGTL/ Tankfarm and export terminals; Forcados Tankfarm and export terminals in Delta state operated respectively by Anglo-Dutch Shell, Chevron/Texaco Over seas, Agip ENI, ExxonMobil. The history of the communal lives is terror of poverty, inhumanity and desolate living conditions. But when you move into these facilities operated by the Multinational Oil Corporations, they are living like Kings and Presidents.
For over five decades, we have given Multinational Oil Corporations and their collaborator the Nigerian State peace, cooperation and love for the crude oil to flow unhindered from our land. The continuous tranquility is only manifesting in the development of mountains, rock, valleys, deserts and lagoon but the Niger Delta territory continually alienated from all types of development and all essence of quality human life. Main while all successive governments worships the crude oil taken from the region. Our communities and the people are only good at securing the pipelines, oil and gas facilities. What a tragedy?
We are calling on the international community especially Britain, France, the United State of America, Russia, China and European Union to speak up against this ongoing terror and come to the aid of the Niger Delta, as witnesses to this grave inhumanity and history of terror perpetuated against the people of the Niger Delta daily. This history of terror, we the Niger Delta Avengers will resist and correct with every means necessary. We have nothing to loose in the battles ahead; justice they say is only found within the structure of a nation state, rather than provide this justice the Nigerian government has decided to mobilise her military might to intimidate, torture, maim, victimise and bombard a section of the nation state and her citizenry to allow the free flow of our oil.
Some persons, groups, and commentators may ask, what do the people of Niger delta want? We are not like some of these personalities who run champagne parties or turn Rivers State Government House into a house patrimony of god-sons and prebendalism. They says the progress and success of a nation state is the reflection of her constitution that is not manufactured to favour some section and excludes the yearning and aspirations of others; but the indwelling spiritual and historical development of its people.
Since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 to date, our resources have been used to sustain the political administrative live wire of Nigeria to the exclusion of the Niger Delta.
Finally, we are calling on the international community, to come and support the restoration of our right to peaceful self-determination from this tragedy of 1914 that has expired since 2014. We want our resources back to restore the essence of human life in our region for generations to come because Nigeria has failed to do that. The world should not wait until we go the Sudan ways. Enough is enough
God Bless Niger Delta People.
Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo
Spokesperson

Kogi Governorship Tribunal Judgement: Who wears the crown- David Alfred-Dogwo

June 3rd, 2016

David Alfred-Dogwo

WHO WEARS THE CROWN?

June 7th, 2016 is the day Kogites will never forget in a hurry. It is the day, the Bell will ring. The bell that will kick Yahaya Bello out of the kingdom and tell Faleke of his Root. What is more of the bell? It is the Bell that will decorate my principal Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada with a Crown. A Crown of the King he has been in the last four years.
Some has called me with tones I call unintelligent, incongruous, discourteous, thoughtless and unscientific brandishing that Capt. Idris Wada is a looser. Some sms' received in its full terms likewise lacked sense, balance, rationale and a modicum of the truth.
Apparently, the APC handlers' self aggrandising pundit in its rush and unscrupulous desire to oppose my defense on Facebook, twitter, whatsapp etc etc seemed to have exhibited their shallow depth of thinking and little sense of insight which displayed their barbaric, outdated redundant and unpalatable moral sense in their judgement.
For those who cares to listen since there have been lots of legal fireworks going on at the kogi state governorship election petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja, and for those folks who wants to know my views concerning the goings on there, here is the true picture. The Truth and nothing but the Truth.
I really have got no view that is radically different from my earlier positions on the cases at the tribunal between Capt. Idris Wada, Mr. Yahaya Bello and James Faleke as well as those babysitter parties.
However, the opinion I want to express today is the legal angle of LEGISLATIVE INTENTIONS which is intended to finally rest the debate on whether APC was correct at law to substitute late Abubakar Audu for Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the supplementary elections and that's why the Bello team need to pay more attention to this piece.
It is my habit to offend readers a times because my pen is a 'Midas touch' and it is because, that is the purpose of my calling. Mature presentations and analysis requires no many reactions as it leaves the guilty weak to type and respond. So I don't write to count how many comments are made or not. Afterall, this is not a funeral song where everybody would like to say "ohh, take heart!". But it is a piece that delivers the judgement of June 7th, 2016.
The issues raised by my principal Capt. Idris Wada and James Faleke as well as others, ranges from Non-Compliance to Eligibility.
1.Bello's admittance (in proxy) that his voter card has not been transferred from Abuja to Kogi state.
2. Bello not having Deputy-Governorship Candidate at the election.
3.That it was wrong for Yahaya Bello to have inherited late Prince Abubakar Audu's votes.
4.That election procedures was compromised in favour of APC.
My views are as follows:-
1. My very good friend and namesake Hon. David Edward Onoja who is the defence witness and also Chief-of-Staff to Yahaya Bello had testified as a witness of truth (I mean truth), at the tribunal that he had not been able to transfer Governor Bello's PVC to kogi state which by himself has informed the tribunal to get the message straight of disqualifying Bello in the verdict.
(i). Since all the process of transfer of PVC had not being completed on the side of Bello, the burden of performance has not validly been moved from Bello to the electoral act, and as such is liable of default consequences.
ii. Bello's election is therefore voided because he had no voter's card reflecting at the Kogi state records.
According to Architect Ross Marshark, "you cannot build a house without a foundation because it will fall". This point has foundation at law and so he cannot stand the test of time.
Ownership of a voter's card is found to be amongst things that disqualifies a candidate at election as postulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended and the Electoral Act of Nigeria. At what point has it not become a law that a candidate must emerge from his polling unit and ward at an election? Is Zone 4 Abuja in Kogi central?
That Bello has not transferred his PVC is "inconclusive" at the eye of Nigerian law especially when the vote transfer needful has not been done by Bello. So by logic or symmetry, his being on seat is at best a mischief .
It's left to be seen how a judge will not void the participation of a man whose voter card has not been transferred to his unit and then declare another who is an indigene of Lagos state (Faleke) and Kogi state at the same time, governor! This is where both Bello and Faleke will not sail through.
(iii). On the issue of Bello becoming governor without deputy. Faleke has clearly told the authorities that he should not be fielded as deputy governorship candidate to Bello in the said election. How did that not translate into valid withdrawal?
In another angle, the law permits ONLY the candidate and the party to have sole right of approaching a tribunal and in this case, Faleke was never a candidate. So how can he be declared winner? In all ramifications, the law abhors and forbids Faleke to approbate and reprobate at the same time.
Secondly, if Faleke is asking to be declared winner, who was his deputy? For those that are so fascinated about Hon. Faleke's claims, they'll do well if they can read section 137 of the Electoral Act.
That section expressly stipulates that "An election petition may be brought by one or more of the following persons..
(a) A candidate in an election.
(b) A political party which participated in an election.
Faleke does not fall in any of those categories. The law does not permit one to give what he doesn't have, 'nemo daquod, non habet'. And so, it is amusing that Faleke is requesting the tribunal to declare him governor. Governor in Kogi state? Or is it in Lagos state where he actually belongs? Its amazing!
I think Hon.Faleke slept and dreamt over his right and he thinks all dreams are real. According to Oputa JSC ,as he then was ".....it should be allowed to continue in its slumber deep". That reiterates, no locus standi.
3.That it was wrong for APC to substitute candidate, and Bello cannot inherit Audu's votes.
Just like Capt. Wada's lawyers rightly extrapolated at the tribunal, the votes casts in an election belongs to the candidate and not political parties, so the issue of inheritance of votes does arise here conspicuously.
Our lawyers has argued that there are tidy answers in the Constitution and the Electoral Law on who is a candidate or not. If Bello is not a candidate (since the candidate, Audu had died) and Faleke is never a candidate, then, the Number Two who was a candidate in the election in the person of Capt. Idris Wada (after the late candidate) emerges.
The right to substitute party candidate in an election is adequately provided for in section 221 of the Nigeria constitution 1999 as amended , especially when it is read in community with sections 33 and 36 of the electoral act of 2010 as amended.
Section 33 of the electoral law allows for substitution of candidate by political party, while section 36, subsection 1 provides for the period and consequential reliefs that should follow the substitution. Was it upto 45 days? The answer is No.
I know justice Halimat Mohammed as a first class Jurist of TRUTH, INFACT AND ON THE BENCH, would not joke on a popular mandate for mere fact of SEMANTICS, ipso facto, ipso jure without declaring Wada as winner of the election!
4.Finally on the electoral process being compromised in the favour of APC. The forensic evidence has proven that PDP led in the election. What else do you need to know?
Wada is the Winner!!! Gong! Gong!! Gong.....!!! Hurrahhhhhh.....

SIGNED:
DAVID ALFRED-DOGWO
(Senior Special Assistant on Communications Strategy to Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada former Executive Governor of Kogi state)
<davidalfreddogwo@rocketmail.com>
08034768404

Success Of Remita in implementation of TSA, most significant one year achievement of President Buhari- COALITION OF CSOs

In a National Press Conference organized by the coalition of Media and Civil Society Organizations in Abuja, the Director of Africa Media Roundtable Initiative and the Convener of the National Press Conference Omoluabi Olabode Adeyemi highlighted the successes of the President Buhari led administration in the last one year, among which the coalition said the implementation of the TSA by REMITA is the most significant.
Read below the press statement:

BEING THE PRESS TEXT OF THE COALITION OF MEDIA & CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AT THE OCCASION OF HER NATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE TO REVIEW THE ONE YEAR ADMINISTRATION OF THE PRESIDENT BUHARI LED GOVERNMENT AND A CALL FOR IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONTRACTUAL LEGAL AGREEMENT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS ON THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT/REMITA PROGRAMME HELD ON FRIDAY 3rd JUNE, 2016

Gentlemen of the press,
It is with a great joy, high sense of responsibility and patriotism that I wish to address you on behalf of my fellow compatriots  to present to you the honest position and opinion of the Coalition of Media & Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria after a careful and thorough stakeholders appraisal of the performances of the President Buhari led administration in the last one year in office and to make a genuine demand for an immediate presidential directive for the release of accruing funds to the relevant stakeholders involved in the management of the Treasury Single Account through the REMITA platform.
Let me first of all wish Nigerians a happy democracy day celebration that we had a couple of days ago and congratulate all of us for doing all we have done to sustain democracy in Nigeria in the last 16 years, despite the inability of successive government to satisfactorily meet the yearnings and aspirations of the ordinary Nigerians. Democracy remains the best and most globally acceptable form of government because it represents freedom, total independence and ability of the people to dertermine who govern them  . I must commend the civil society organizations and the members of the media, the judiciary, armed forces and indeed everyone for defending, promoting and sustaining the roots of our democracy. Talking about the performances of the current administration, I must say that the Buhari led government came into power at a time that the price of crude oil at the international markets was embarrassingly crashing, at a time our country was faced with threatening security challenges and at a time corruption was so high in the government circle. All of these obvious factors have affected the ability of the current administration to hit the ground running from day one, coupled with a number of needless Executive-Legislative animosity occasioned by the emergence of the current national assembly leadership which affected the much expected smooth relationship between these two most important arms of government, but in all of these, the President has demonstrated sincerity of purpose, commitment and high level of integrity that has earned our country international reputation that could engender positive foreign attention. The government has faced and tackled the security challenge in the northeast of the country decisively, which has produced a very significant result in the last one year, more than ever before the activities of Boko Haram have been defeated strongly, government have  also demonstrated high sense of accountability, transparency and sincerity . The anti-corruption war and recovery of stolen funds is another area this government have performed very well, the last one year have been very eventful for the anti corruption agencies in Nigeria. The success of REMITA in implementing the Treasury Single Account remains the most significant achievement of the Buhari administration in the last one year. The fact that a homegrown technology called REMITA that serves as the gateway or platform through which the TSA policy is implemented in the best national narrative or story about our country that has ever been said in decades of national development. The treasury single account policy has emerged the most popular, most effective and the most celebrated idea the current administration has ever made in the last one year. This has been made to be with the help of the globally celebrated REMITA platform. As we speak the platform has generated trillions of naira into our federation account, it has helped government to gather all her revenue in one account, it has wiped out all forms of corruption associated with income generation and collection, it has created a viable, reliable and sustainable alternative to the revenue from sales of crude oil that is crashing by the day. Before the full implementation of the TSA at the earliest stage of this administration, various ministry, departments and agencies of government operated over 17000 government accounts which made it difficult for government to monitor her income and encouraged waste and highest level of corruption, but today the REMITA platform has done the magic. As I speak to you this platform has created a credible and dependable alternative to fund our budget, build infrastructure and carry out the fantastic programs of government. Although it is most regrettable and highly disturbing that the stakeholders that provides this platform and rendering services that sustains the uninterrupted operation of this platform are yet to be paid their agreed fees, this is an issue we demand government should look into and Mr President must as a matter of  immediate action make a presidential declaration or directive that these patriotic Nigerian organizations be paid their legal entitlement.
Just like we said in our last media interaction, I like to reiterate that it's most unfortunate and very frustrating that Nigeria leaders appear not to appreciate a homegrown technology that has received the commendations of international communities. As at today, REMITA has received uncountable numbers of award and international recognition home and abroad. In faraway Glasgow, the Managing Director of Systemspecs John Obaro on the account of the success of REMITA was recently honored by African Scotland Forum with the Leadership in Technology Award, conferred him with a fellowship of the Centre for African Policy, Development and Research, Scotland and named a research centre after him, this is most unprecedented. On the issue of the charges, I like to say it that the platform didn't just come from the blues, the service providers didn't just hand down their chrges on their own, there were series of negotiations and discussion that happened before the charge was mutually agreed upon by all the stakeholders and a memorandum of agreement legally signed by all necessary parties which became binding before the platform became effective, there were also the responsibilities to be carried out by the parties i.e Systemspecs, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) before they could be entitled to the charge, it is therefore surprising and very disturbing that a Senator refused to seek information before rushing to sponsor a motion that misrepresented facts and misinformed the Senate, a section of government and the public about the whole issue. This outright misinformation led the Senate into setting up a committee to look into the matter, this action introduced unnecessary, unwarranted and undue politics into the operation that is still smoothly running up till now uninterrupted despite the fact that service providers are yet to be paid what is due to them . The Senate report that was not signed by 10 Senators out of the 26 Senators in the committee had some Senators signed more than once, a careful look at the recommendation of the committee shows that none of the services providers were involved in any form of abuse or mismanagement of the TSA platform as unfairly alleged by the sponsor of the motion, the committee particularly commended them for providing their platform at the nick of time for the running of the TSA. Beyond the politics that have been introduced into this indigenous technology breakthrough in Nigeria, the government must continue to look at the agreement it entered into ahead of other inconsequential issues. It's most unfortunate that we are yet to celebrate homegrown idea when foreign firms have continued to rip us of trillions of naira, no Senator has questioned the technology and cost implications of BVN that a German firm carried out with billions of naira, no lawmaker has challenged the high charges of MTN, Etisalat and other foreign owned telecommunications service providers, no Senator has challenged the cost implications of all the construction works of Julius Berger and several other multinational firms ripping us of our money in trillions but they have been dissipating energy on REMITA platform that have never failed since the beginning, a platform that has saved us from embarrassment the dwindling oil price almost put the country into. I wish to therefore call on President Buhari to immediately direct those involved to respect the agreement and pay the outstanding charges immediately and continue to encourage the technology.
We wish to encourage government to begin to look inward for homegrown technology and iinovations that can promote rapid national development. Other countries develop their own and ship out. That is why Nigeria is a dumping ground for all manner of software and products. The software they use in the office of the Accountant General was developed by a foreign company, BVN was developed by a foreign company, the ITGS they use at the Central Bank was developed by a foreign company, so is the ITAS at Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), all the deposit money banks in Nigeria use software developed abroad. These run into billions of dollars put together that go out of the country, it's high time we support and encourage homegrown innovation that will at the same time create job and improve our economy.
We also appraised the 2016 budget with a view to encourage government to adopt the best implementation strategy in the best interest of the masses, of particular interest is the social welfare package the government intend to execute and the 7,069 units of low and medium housing project. All of these if well implemented have the capacity to promote the welfare of the people and engender economic development.
Thank you all gentlemen of the press for your time, patriotism of all time and commitment to national development.
God bless you all
God bless Nigeria.
Omoluabi Olabode Adeyemi
Executive Director,
Africa Media Roundtable Initiative (AMRI) &
Convener, Coalition of Media & Civil Society Organizations (CMCSO)

We didn’t attack any military houseboat – Niger Delta Avengers

“The Niger Delta Avengers were not involved in the attack of the Military houseboat around Warri, Delta State. Killing of sleeping Soldiers is not our style. We promise the world that in this Process of liberating our People, not a single blood of Nigeria soldiers will be wasted despite the provocation”, the militia group has said.
The group continued: “Even the Inhumane Nigeria soldiers are exempted, our war is on Oil installations not to take innocent lives. For the fact that we can’t give Life, we also don’t have the power to take any life. But we (Avengers) are assuring the families of the affected soldiers that we will bring the culprits to book”.
The Avengers gave the assurance through its spokesperson, Brid. Gen. Mudoch Agbinibo, on its website, saying, “When it’s time to face the military in combat, we will let the whole world know that we won’t be the ones to throw the first punch”.
According to them, “This message is going to all groups parading themselves as freedom fighters. You can fight for your people without killing innocent souls NDA have proved it. We were able to drop Nigeria Oil production from 2million Barrels to just 800,000 barrels without killing a soul. We are warning every group to follow our footsteps. The days of Killing and Kidnapping are over”.
Meanwhile, the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City, has confirmed Wednesday attack on military houseboat in Ejere community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta.
Capt. Jonah Unuakhalu, Assistant Director, Public Relations Unit of the Brigade, made the confirmation in a press statement issued on Thursday to newsmen in Warri, revealing that six persons died in the attack.
Unuakhalu said that suspected militants attacked the houseboat with five speed boats mounted with 250 horse power outboard engines and disguised as normal commuters.
According to him, at about 5.50 p.m. on June 1, 2016, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Houseboat deployed at Ejere junction in Warri South Local Government Area was attacked by suspected armed militants group.
“During the deliberate attack, two soldiers were killed, one wounded, one soldier missing while four civilian staff attached to the houseboat were shot dead.
“The attack occurred when other members of the troop were on pipeline patrol,’’ he said.
Unuakhalu said that the Brigade condemned in strong terms, the attack on its personnel and the other innocent civilians who were discharging their constitutional duties.
While urging the people to go about their legitimate businesses, he assured that the attack would not deter the military from carrying out its constitutional duties.
“The Brigade will not be deterred by such dastardly acts, but will remain resolute in discharging its constitutional duties.
“Furthermore, those who carried out the criminal acts will surely be sought, apprehended and brought to justice,’’ he said.

Niger Delta Avengers attack another Shell facility

Less than 24 hours after the Federal Government launched the clean up of oil spills in Ogoni, in the South-South, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) on Friday attacked Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Forcados 48″ Export line.
The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on its Twitter handle.
“At 3:00 am today @NDAvengers blow up the SPDC forcados 48″ Exportline. We warned SPDC not to go ahead with repair works but they refuse,” said the group.
It had on Thursday claimed responsibility for the bombing of pipelines conveying crude oil from Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and from Clough Creek to Tebidaba. The two pipelines are located in Bayelsa State.
“At about 2:00am today @NDAvengers blew up the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba Crude Oil pipelines in Bayelsa State,” the NDA said on Twitter.
“This is in line with our promise to all international Oil companies and Indigenous Oil Companies that Nigeria Oil production will be Zero.”
But the Avengers said in a statement that it did not kill six Nigerian soldiers who were reportedly murdered in their sleep in Warri, Delta State, claiming that no blood of a Nigerian soldier would be ‘wasted’.
“The Niger Delta Avengers were not involved in the attack of the Military houseboat around Warri, Delta State. Killing of sleeping Soldiers is not our style.
“We promise the world that in this Process of liberating our People, not a single blood of Nigeria soldiers will be wasted despite the provocation.”
The NDA has claimed responsibility for some recent attacks on ENI, NNPC, Chevron and Shell facilities. The series pf attacks have seen the country’s oil production plummeted to a 20-year low

Buhari to flag-off Abuja-Kaduna rail line July – Amaechi

President Muhammadu Buhari will within the first week of July flag-off the Abuja-Kaduna rail line for commercial operations.
Making this announcement in Abuja Wednesday after the first official test run of the rail line at the Idu Train Station, Minister of Transport, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, said barring any further hitches the rail line will come into full commercial operations after the Presidential flag-off within the first week of July.
The Minister after embarking on a supervisory train ride from the Idu train station in Abuja to the Kubwa station stated categorically that all prospective passengers for the trains must have a valid national identity cards for security purposes.
“We want to know the identity of who is boarding the train.We are going to work with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure strict compliance with the directive.”
He explained that the reason why the rail operations can not take off immediately is because they also had to take into consideration the religious obligations of the President, so that he can be invited to officially flag-off the operations.