Shun politics of bitterness, Benin Crown Prince tells politicians-from Tony Osauzo

AS politicians in Edo State embark on war of words over the September 10 governorship election, Benin Crown Prince and Edaiken N’ Uselu, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, has advised the gladiators not to heat up the polity with their utterances.
He gave the advice yesterday when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and leaders of the party paid him a courtesy visit in his palace at Uselu, headquarters of Egor Local Government Area.
He also enjoined politicians in the state to play politics without bitterness. This is coming as Ize-Iyamu promised to ensure that local government areas in the state were granted autonomy to enable them perform their constitutional responsibilities.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Uselu, Ize-Iyamu noted that the financial crisis, facing local government areas in Edo State was as a result of tampering with their funds from the federation account by the government of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
“Local government councils in Edo State cannot pay salaries of their workers because the state government tampers with their allocations. I am assuring you that if I am elected as governor, I will not touch allocations meant for local governments and I will ensure they enjoy autonomy, so that they can function.
“I will not make promises that I cannot keep. Whatever we promise, we will do. For Egor Local
Government Council workers, I want to assure them that I will pay the salary arrears owed
them.”  While remarking that Egor council was bereft of social amenities, such as good roads, schools, potable water among others, the governorship candidate assured that his government would build primary healthcare centres, promote tourism and industries, employ teachers and pay bursary and scholarships to students.

Culled from sun

NASS arangee projects-Lewis Obi

MEMBERS of the National Assembly fight for nothing except for their individual pockets and Nigeria was fortunate to get a glimpse into the way the system works through a fortuitous circumstance last week. Because the Assem­bly is organized like a secret society, the true information about the affairs of the Assembly is always shrouded in secrecy. But last week, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Yakubu Dogara dismissed the Chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee of the House, Mr. Jibrin Abdulmumin. The lat­ter was alleged to have awarded to his Kiru/ Bebeji Constituency in Kano State projects worth N4.1 billion apparently in cooperation with a member of the Senate, also from Kano, Mr. Danjuma Goje.
The Speaker in announcing the sack of the committee chairman Wednesday last week admitted that Abdulmumin had approached him to say he could no longer cope with the pressure of the position, and wanted to resign. Rather than accept the resignation the Speaker proceeded to sack him on the excuse that the House Leadership had decided to remove him. Abdulmumin was apparently displeased with the manner of his removal, especially when he had offered to resign voluntarily.
Abdulmumin did not go quietly. On Thurs­day, he brought in a letter to explain why the House Leadership pushed him out. In doing so, he confirmed the worst fears most Nige­rians have had about budget padding by the National Assembly and the scope of the cor­ruption in the institution. The leaders of the House, he said, had unilaterally allocated to themselves N40 billion of the N100 billion allocated to the entire National Assembly. The leaders included Speaker Dogara him­self, the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Suleiman La­sun, the Chief Whip, Al-Hassan Ado Doguwa, and the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor.
He called on the Speaker to resign for creating the budget impasse which delayed the Appropriation Act and which many ob­servers hold responsible for the current economic recession. He held the Speaker responsible for the much discredited push by the National Assembly to amend the Consti­tution in order to insert immunity clauses to protect the leaders of the institution. He said his crime was his refusal to cover up the ac­tions of the House leadership in their alloca­tion of “wasteful projects worth N20 billion to their constituencies.”
“My inability to admit into the budget al­most N30 billion personal requests from Mr. Speaker and the other three principal officers also became an issue,” he said.
“I gave the Speaker statistics of 2000 (two thousand) new projects introduced into the budget by less than 10 committee chairmen without the knowledge of their committee members. He did nothing about it because he was part of the mess yet he is talking about improving the budget system.”
Dr. Junaid Mohammed once said that “ours is a parliament where members decree constituency projects for themselves, award constituency projects to their companies and make corruption more popular in Nigeria.”
Earlier in the week former President Oluse­gun Obasanjo told State House correspondents that he has been vindicated. He has been a consistent critic. In 2012, he described the National Assembly as an institution filled with “rogues and armed robbers.” In January this year, as if he foresaw what was going to happen, Obasanjo wrote a letter to the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and House Speaker Dogara, accusing federal lawmakers of corrup­tion, greed and impunity.
That 2000 projects could be inserted into the budget by “less than 10 committee chair­men without the knowledge of members of their committees” is an indication that even in the conspiracies to loot the treasury, the left hand often does not know what the right hand is doing. The Speaker and Abdulmumin were said to be good friends earlier in the tenure of the 8th Assembly and the ousted chairman said the Speaker took great offence with him for meeting President Buhari without the Speak­er’s permission, which gives an inkling into the dictatorial structure of the House and how it is organized and run. But the meeting was appar­ently to smoothen the budget process by the President meeting the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriation.
“Dogara took it extremely personal that we saw the President without his knowledge and went on to scuttle our efforts to help the president during the budget process because he wanted to be seen by the president as the only good man.”
“He (Speaker Dogara) forgot that he sees heads of MDAs daily which he enjoys doing more than his job as Speaker for reasons best known to him anyway, without Mr. President’s knowledge. That is how petty and narrow-minded Dogara can be. A coward, hypocrite and pretender of the highest order. Mr. Presi­dent must be very careful with him. He wines with Mr. President and dines with Mr. Presi­dent’s enemies. I am glad I’m finally free from his emotional blackmail of constantly trying to make me see my appointment as appropriation chairman as a favour.”
The committee system has been a tool to loot the treasury and keep friends and allies in check. There are nearly 70 different commit­tees in a house of 360 members. Same number in the 109-member Senate. The committees are classed between the juicy and the less juicy; the juicy being those where members expect a great deal of monetary benefits of all kinds not excluding bribes from the ministries, depart­ments and agencies (MDAs) and it is these MDA’s which turn the paddings into cash for the members. Indeed Abdulmumin revealed some handwritten documents by House leaders arbitrarily earmarked funds for “fictitious” proj­ects by hiding them in genuine projects by the executive branch. In one of the documents one of the leaders wrote that projects worth N594 million be embedded in the ministries of Agri­culture, Labour and Trade and Investments as well as in the National Boundary Commission.
The budget padding scandals is yet another strand of how corruption is executed by the National Assembly members in addition to the unbelievable emoluments they awarded to themselves. It is one of the reasons many Ni­gerians are cynical of the fight on corruption, seeing that the legislature which should be at the forefront of the cleansing is deeply embed­ded in the rot. The fight on corruption seems Sisyphean, to say the least, in a situation where monies recovered from the looters are ploughed into the budget from where it would once more be looted through the national assembly.

Culled from Thisday

NSE Proposes Charter Bill To Reposition Professional Practice-By Chika Okeke

The Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) has recommended a Charter Bill to reposition the professional practice in line with the dream of its founding fathers 48 years ago and to contribute meaningfully to the economic development of Nigeria.
The charter bill, when finally passed into law, would resolve the longstanding issues of non-inclusion of Engineers in engineering matters and projects, capacity deficit and poor image or low prestige of Nigerian Engineers.
This was part of the deal sealed at a dinner organised by the engineering body for the conferment of Fellowships on 20 deserving engineers in Abuja, yesterday.
In his address, the Chairman Board of Fellows/College of Fellows of NSE, Engr Chris Okoye called on governments and publics to extend the same level of honour it accorded to other professions like medicine, law and accountancy to engineering adding that the contribution of engineering profession to national development is indisputable.
According to him, “The effort to reposition our practice in the popular consciousness entails a measure of introspection because the profession is anchored on values like honesty, trust, integrity and the public good.
He maintained that for the profession to attain a charter status, there is need for the NSE to work closely with the National Assembly to draft the appropriate bill and ensure its timely passage.
Okoye encouraged fellows to join the train in campaigning for the repositioning of the profession.
Also speaking, the President of NSE, Engr Otis Anyaeji noted that the society has the right to revoke and withdraw the fellowship certificate of any member enmeshed in breaches known to the professional body.
“The conferment must not be seen as an end but an opportunity to be of greater service to NSE, supporting its projects and programmes and lending your voice to its quest to change the face of engineering practice.”
While reiterating the Society’s commitment in raising the status of engineering profession in Nigeria, he noted that the board had reviewed the guidelines for fellowship approval to give more credibility to professional engineering accomplishments.
In his presentation, the National President, Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria, Engr Simon Irtwange, regretted that the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has failed to regulate both the technical and commercial aspects of the profession which includes remuneration of engineering firms and salaries of engineering personnel in both public and private sector.
He envisaged that the Charter for the Nigerian Society of Engineers would fast-track change in line with professional development and training for the overall benefit of the country’s techno-economic development.
He called on the board in collaboration with the Legal Service Unit of NSE to come up with a draft charter bill acceptable to the Nigerian engineering family and seek for sponsorship by a distinguished member of the National Assembly.

Culled from Leadership

Dangote Drops out of Top 100 Rich List on Naira Devaluation

Aliko Dangote

Following the crash of the naira, Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has dropped off the list of the 100 richest people in the world.

Dangote was the 51st richest man in the world as at March 2016, but he dropped to 101th place yesterday, reported online news website, The Cable.

Dangote, who owns the second largest sugar-refinery in the world, remains richer than Donald Trump, American billionaire and presidential candidate, and Oprah Winfrey, US TV personality, who ranks as the second richest black woman in the world.

Dangote is now worth $11.1 billion, while Trump and Oprah are estimated at $4.5 billion and $3.1 billion, respectively.

The fall of the naira against the dollar from about 198 to over 300 shaved off about a quarter of Dangote’s wealth, as he commits to investing heavily in Africa’s largest economy.

At the launch of the new foreign exchange regime on June 23, 2016, Dangote fell from 46 on the world’s billionaire list to 71, and has continued in that manner as the local currency continues to plunge.

According to Bloomberg billionaires, Dangote, who was worth $15.4 billion (N3.05 trillion) in March, is now worth $11.1 billion (N3.3 trillion) —richer in naira, but poorer in dollars.

The launch of Dangote refinery, the biggest greenfield refinery in the world, billed for 2018/2019 is expected to propel him to the top 20 by 2019.

Dangote Cement, one of Dangote’s major investments in Nigeria, is the biggest company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange by market capitalisation, and the largest cement producer in sub-Saharan Africa.

Culled from Thisday

Dino V Tinubu: The Drama Continues… By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

As the political imbroglio that enmeshed the Senate last week continues to generate considerable public disquiet, subjecting the highest law making body to international ridicule, Nigerians find it difficult to stomach the condescending reputation and shame which Senator Dino Melaye and his colleague, Senator Remi Tinubu brought to the Nigerian legislative milieu.
On one side of the divide, is Senator Dino Melaye, who threatened to beat and impregnate Senator Remi Tinubu and on the other, is Senator Remi Tinubu, who allegedly called Melaye a dog, sparking an outrage that nearly degenerated into physical combat by the two actors involved in the act of shame, depending on whose version of the story you want to believe.
At a time the country is in need of boxers to win medals for Nigeria in the Olympics or, better still, soldiers to fight the Niger Delta Avengers and Boko Haram, Senator Melaye would have offered his services in these areas of need.
However, when the news broke out, feminist groups sprang up and saw it as a case of men harassing women and not for what it really is; two senators giving us tips on how not to be a distinguished senator.
Dino had, in the past, exhibited a crass and mediocre mannerism which was feasted by the media when he served the lower chambers of the National Assembly, and is still fresh in the minds of the generality of Nigerians. Because of his rashness, people did not, in their mildest imaginations think that Senator Tinubu was the first to draw blood by calling Senator Dino a dog and a thug and like the scientists will say, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Shortly after the act of shame, Dino hurriedly organised a press conference and gave his side of the story. As a result of threats by some South West symphatisers of Tinubu, who declared him persona non grata in the region, he visited Lagos and took it a notch higher by visiting Bourdillion, the stronghold of the Tinubus, and for effect, posted all the pictures in the social media.
Not wanting to be left out of the childish games, Senator Tinubu wrote to the Inspector General of Police, requesting police protection from Melaye, whom she described as a “threat to my life”.
Then some obviously hired, hungry women, took to the streets of Lagos to protest against Dino. When a female evangelist was murdered by some fanatics in Abuja, no women group protested and after the killing of women and children by the rampaging herdsmen in the north central and south east, no women group protested. But after a clash of two people, who ordinarily should not be in the senate, the crowd of women took to the streets.
Similarly, to show that the Lagos women group do not have the monopoly of clowning, some women under the aegis of Kogi Women Support Dino, KWSD, threw their weight behind Melaye, saying Senator Tinubu must apologise to him for purportedly calling him a thug and dog.
As the drama continues to unfold, the last may not have been heard of the charade that is archetypal to a Nollywood comedy as Senator Tinubu, petitioned John Oyegun, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, over recent acts of “gross misconduct” by Melaye.
Her words, “What took place at that session was nothing short of a threat of physical assault and abuse against me by Senator Melaye.”
“As such, it was an affront to the Senate, this government and our party. For a party member to so antagonise another APC member in this fashion places the party in disrepute and undermines the unity needed to accomplish the sober task of reforming Nigeria for the better.”
Maybe she needs to write to the EU, UN, ECOWAS, FIFA, and NOC to get the desired effect.
The Senate President has been silent on the matter as usual as he seems to be caught between the devil and the deep, blue sea. We all know the clash between the two senators is as a result of pent up tensions between Dino, who is a strong supporter of Saraki and Tinubu, you know who she is supporting, a fallout of the leadership saga in the Senate.
I think both sides should move on from this unwanted distraction. The country is plunging into recession and the senators should be thinking of ways out of this economic quagmire.  Nigerians are waiting for the Senate to deliver the dividends on democracy and it’s time for Nigerians to start seeing the change they voted for.

Culled from Leadership

Security vote is corruption – NLC- Magnus Eze, Abuja

•It should be reformed – Markafi

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the cancellation of security votes for the president and governors, saying that it had become an avenue for siphoning public funds.
NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, who described security vote as another form of corruption also called for the removal of immunity clause in the Constitution.
“The issue of security votes is another form of corruption. In fact, there was a particular state where N1 billion was removed as security vote in one month. It is an avenue for corruption. In good governance, all monies spent by government are budgeted and transparently applied.
“So, our position is that the issue of security vote should be done away with.
All monies to be spent should be transparently budgeted for, including the so-called security votes so that it can be tracked to prevent corruption,” he said.
He added: “All over the world, you find that no public officer or government official, either president or governor, is given immunity from criminal prosecution. That’s one issue that I think is affecting the fight against corruption. Where people cannot be prosecuted while in office, after they leave office, they would use their influence and resources they have accumulated to frustrate prosecution.”
Aware that people take advantage of the loopholes in the laws to circumvent conviction, Wabba noted that prosecution of some of the corruption cases linger for as long as 14 years.
“Some of these cases outlive the life of the administration that started the probe due to this particular challenge. There are some cases that started before the administration of former President Olusegun Obansajo till now they are still on-going”, he stated.
The NLC President urged the Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption to pursue some legal reforms including creating special courts for corruption cases with time limits.
Meanwhile, the chairman, National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, advocated for institutional reforms to shield security votes from abuse.
The former governor of Kaduna State said it was important to set up a machinery for an institutional reform on how security votes are managed.
“This affects not only the Federal Government, because if you come down to the states, you are going to find similar happenings. Even local government chairmen have security votes and you are going to find that their expenditure follows similar pattern.”
The factional national chairman also spoke on the corruption war embarked by the Federal Government, saying that it was not politically motivated.
According to him, the government and security agencies have the right to invite people to explain issues that might arise in the course of investigation “whether you are in PDP or not, whether you are a politician or not. If I am to be fair, I will not say it is politics.
“If you are invited purely on the issue of campaign funds, anybody can be invited to explain, it depends on the essence of the report.’’
Makarfi said in doing so, the government should avoid targeting “middlemen’’ and concentrate on “those who know the source of the money’’ being investigated.
The former governor stressed that the government should investigate and prosecute those who approved and released public funds illegally.
“You should be right to do so provided you know that the funds are from illegitimate source.’’
The PDP national chairman also warned against investigating funds donated to political parties for campaigns, insisting that if the government wanted to do so, it must investigate all donations.
“In all these issues, you have to be careful to be able to find out for what purpose the funds were meant for, because sometimes. they may not be purely for political reasons.
“You have to get the facts right, because under Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) for instance, we had contracts and money for politics.
“If you are going to look deeply, definitely religious leaders, traditional rulers and other national figures must have got some share too,” he said.

Culled from Sun

Sen. Tinubu seeks police protection over Melaye’s threat

By: Damisi Ojo, Akure, Oziegbe Okoeki and Ekene-Okoro,

•Assembly urges APC to discipline erring members
•Kogi lawmaker gets seven days to apologise
Aggrieved women yesterday turned out in large numbers in Ondo and Lagos states in protest against Senator Dino Melaye for “threatening Senator Oluremi Tinubu” at the Senate last Tuesday.
This came on a day the House of Assembly, at plenary, urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to discipline any erring member who has brought insult and dishonour to its fold.
In Abuja, the Coalition for Women Advancement in Africa (CoWAA) issued a directive to the Kogi West senator to tender an unreserved apology to Senator Tinubu.
At the Akure protest, women, on the aegis of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women for Women (WFW) marched on the streets of the state capital, chanting solidarity songs in support of Senator Tinubu.

The women carried placards with anti-Melaye inscriptions.
They were from the 18 local governments.
The protesters gave the lawmaker seven days to apologise to women for insulting Senator Tinubu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women Affairs.
Addressing reporters after the rally, the Ondo State Coordinator of WFW, Mrs. Fola Olaseinde-Vincente, a former lawmaker representing Ose, described the attack on Mrs.  Tinubu as “too many” on women.
The lawyer said: “Never are we going to accept this kind of assault on women to go with impunity. We are calling on women across the world to rise up against assault on fellow women because an attack on any woman is an attack on all women.”
The APC state chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, hailed the women for their solidarity with Senator Tinubu, urging them to work together in mobilising the citizenry against discrimination against them.
In Lagos, scores of women under the aegis of the Concerned Group yesterday stormed the Office of Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode to protest the verbal attack on the Senator representing Lagos Central.
The women, drawn from the three senatorial districts, paraded with placards, saying: “Melaye, Senate is not your father’s house”; “Dino, leave Tinubu alone”; “We say no to violence against women”; “Womenfolk, stand up against Dino” and others.
The leader of the group, Mrs. Anike Adekanye, delivered a protest letter to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Lagos House in Alausa for transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari.
She said Melaye’s actions brought shame to himself, Kogi West, the Senate and the country.
According to her, Melaye exhibited convincingly that he lacked the “poise, panache, fitness and minimum character to occupy a seat among sane, revered and distinguished men and women in the Senate”.
The group urged Buhari to direct relevant security agencies to institute criminal action against Melaye should he fail to apologise within an acceptable time-frame, to serve as a deterrent to others as well as send a signal to young people, who might have erroneously viewed Melaye’s “disgraceful action” as an ideal conduct in a sane and civilised society.
Receiving the protesters on behalf of Ambode, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Lola Akande assured the women the letter would be delivered to the President and that action would be taken.
The House of Assembly, as part of its resolutions yesterday while reacting to a protest to the Assembly by the Concerned Group, resolved to write and attach its letter to the petition submitted by the protesters.
It promised to send same letters to the Senate and the APC for investigation and disciplinary action.
Deputy Speaker, Eshilokun Sanni, who received the protesters, raised the issue at plenary under matters of urgent public importance, calling on his colleagues to take action to call Melaye to order.
Hailing the protesters for the way and manner they conducted themselves, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa said the protest showed that Lagosians were “sophisticated, advanced and concerned about the mandate given to their representatives”.
“The protesters are sending a message in strong terms through that protest that we have not abandoned our representative, that we are behind her and that Melaye must not molest or assault her and to warn him to desist from such action,” Obasa said.
The Coalition for Women Advancement in Africa (CoWAA), in Abuja, called on the senator representing Kogi West to tender an unreserved apology to Senator Tinubu.
It said Melaye and his like posed great threats to women advancement in Africa.
In a statement, the coalition said Melaye “is symptomatic of an emerging undesirable breed of men that objectify and belittle women contrary to the global trend of promoting equality”.
It demanded that Melaye should apologise for his offence.
The statement, signed by the CoWAA’s Executive Vice President, Jummai Samuel, berated a columnist, Sonala Olumhense, for his alleged assault on the wives of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
Olumhense, allegedly in his article, ridiculed the wives of Buratai, by suggesting that they were not independent enough to own property or contribute to their family’s investment.
CoWAA demanded apologies from both men with the explanation that it was necessary to discourage other menfolk from following in their footsteps.

Culled from The Nation

73 killed in France terror attack

A French officials have confirmed that they are investigating a terrorist attack and there are reports that there are gunmen on the loose in the city. French TV channel iTele reported that a gunman “holed up in a nice restaurant downtown” had been “neutralized” by police.
The channel said it is not believed the man had taken any hostages during the incident. The man is believed to have been in the lorry with the driver and fled on foot to a restaurant called Le Buffalo nearby, where he was killed by an officer with a handgun.
French newspaper Le Figaro quoted police sources saying that officers found weapons, guns and grenades inside the lorry cab, indicating it was a premeditated terrorist attack.
Police have identified the driver, who was killed during the incident, and it is believed to have been a man who was known to security services. Separate reports emerged that police fear four different trucks are involved, raising fears of a massive organised terror attack.

Culled from Sun

Court Annuls Hike in Electricity Tariffs

court hammer

•  House asks FG to halt further hike
• No plan to increase rates, says NERC

Davison Iriekpen in Lagos and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Lagos wednesday annulled the hike in electricity tariffs announced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) last year.

The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a human rights lawyer, Mr. Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi, described NERC’s action as procedurally ultra vires, irrational, irregular and illegal.

Adebiyi had gone to challenge the hike in electricity tariffs as announced by NERC last year, arguing that there was no point increasing prices when there was no commensurate increase in power supply.

The judge while relying on Sections 31, 32 and 76 of the Electricity Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA), in deciding the substantive suit held: “NERC acted outside the powers conferred on it by the Act and failed to follow the prescribed procedure.”

The court was also of the view that NERC did not show that it acted in due obedience to the prescribed procedures and that there was no evidence that NERC complied with Section 76(6)(7) and (9) of EPSRA.

The court further held that of all the legal requirements, it appeared the only one complied with by NERC was that it announced the new tariffs in the newspapers.

The judge consequently ordered NERC to immediately revert to status quo.

He also restrained the commission from further increasing electricity tariffs except it complies strictly with the relevant provisions of the EPSRA.

The court further held: “It is clear from the affidavit evidence that the increase in tariffs was done by NERC in defiance of the order of this court made on May 28, 2015 which directed parties in the case to maintain the status quo.”

On this issue, the court said: “The law is that every person upon whom an order is made by a court of competent jurisdiction must obey it, unless and until the order is discharged and set aside at the appeal.”

Consequently, the court held that the tariff increase from July 1, 2015 was done in breach of the “status quo” order, saying that NERC’s action was hasty, reckless and irresponsible.

Speaking further, Justice Idris said: “This country is in a democracy where the rule of law shall prevail over impunity or whimsical desires. Anything to the contrary will be an invitation to anarchy.

“It is the law that what is done officially must be done in accordance to the law. Investors are free to do business in Nigeria but they shall abide by the law of this country.

“Nigeria is not a kangaroo state. Nigeria is not a banana republic. It is intolerance and extremely dangerous for any branch of the executive to create a posture that it may not obey certain orders of the court. That is tantamount to executive recklessness which will lead to lawlessness.”

In view of these, the court while invoking its disciplinary jurisdiction, made the following orders: “The increment in electricity tariffs which took effect after the institution of this action and while a restraining order is subsisting is hereby declared illegal and same is hereby set aside.

“NERC is hereby directed to revert to the status quo and the commission is hereby restrained from further increasing electricity tariffs except it complies strictly with the relevant provisions of the EPSRA.”

The sum of N50,000 was awarded in favour of the plaintiff.

Adebiyi, in the substantive suit, had sought an order restraining NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariffs without a meaningful and significant improvement in power supply at least for 18 hours a day in most communities in Nigeria.

As the court gave its ruling, the House of Representatives yesterday also urged the federal government to order a halt in any planned further increase in electricity tariffs, saying it was not in the public interest.

It said this following a news report that electricity distribution companies (Discos) had written to NERC to request a 100 per cent hike in tariffs.

The House also mandated its Committee on Power to investigate the rationale behind the last tariff hike, and ascertain if the increase was commensurate with the investments made by the Disco in the power sector.

The resolutions were prompted by a motion of matter of urgent public importance by Hon. Aliyu Madaki (Kano APC).

Madaki recalled that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had already registered its opposition to the proposal.

He complained that there had been no corresponding improvement in electricity supply, despite the 45 per cent tariff hike in February 2016.

“I am concerned that if the proposed futher hike is not put on halt, its multiplying effect on the economy and the social well being of Nigeria cannot be quantified,” Madaki said.

Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos APC), described the operations of the Discos as a scam, and called for a review of the sale of the power assets.

“It is a scam as Nigerians pay heavily without obligation on the part of the Discos… They do not have the financial capacity or the technical know how. When you talk about investors, you consider institutional investors, not portfolio businessmen,” Gbajabiamila said.

Hon. Phillip Shuaibu (Edo APC) noted that there was a direct link between the rising rate of unemployment in the country and poor supply of electricity in the country.

This, he said, was as a result of several businesses being forced out of operations, as they cannot break even by using alternative sources of power supply.

The motion was also referred to the Ad hoc Committee on the Sale of Power Assets for appropriate action.

However, in response to the news report on the demand by Discos for a further upward review of tariffs, NERC yesterday denied the report.

In a statement signed by the head of the media unit of the commission, Michael Faloseyi, NERC said that it was also not contemplating a hike in electricity tariffs, just as none of the operators in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) had requested the increase.

The commission said: “Contrary to this wild and speculative media report, NERC has not received any request for 100 per cent increase in tariffs from any electricity industry operator, as most of them are at this moment pre-occupied with the challenges of improving service delivery imposed on them by the existing tariff regime.

“The commission as well as the industry is responsible enough to appreciate the state of the economy, level of power generation, how Nigerians are coping and would, therefore, not make any decision that could further aggravate the challenges faced by the power sector and the economy.

“Critical stakeholders in the economy are further advised not to be quick in joining the fray by reacting to baseless media speculation thereby lending credence to rumours and wild imaginations.”

Culled from Thisday

History, as Buhari sends budgets of CBN, NNPC, others to NASS- By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi

President Muhammadu Buhari wrote himself into history, yesterday, when he forwarded budgets of agencies and corporations not captured in the national budget to the National Assembly for consideration.
The president’s action is predicated on the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.
In a June 30 correspondence to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the president  submitted budgets of 38 agencies and corporations in line with extant laws.
The submitted budgets were that of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Others are Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerians Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerians Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), among others. The president urged lawmakers to expedite action on the budgets and also said that, in line with the provisions of the Act, “budget of the agencies and corporations which have been privatised, or otherwise ceased to exist, are not included, herein.”
In the Sixth National Assembly, lawmakers insisted budgets of revenue-generating federal departments and agencies must be brought to the National Assembly for approval; which led to the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.  The CBN Act was signed into law on May 25, 2007 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. It gives power to the CBN board, in Section 6 (3) (a), to consider and approve the bank’s annual budget.
However, on July 30, 2007, then President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act which provides that federal agencies, including the CBN, must submit their budgets to the National Assembly. In compliance with that law, Buhari forwarded the budgets to the federal legislature for scrutiny and approval.
In the Seventh National Assembly, Senator Ita Enang, sponsored a bill to compel the CBN to submit its yearly budget to the National Assembly for approval which scaled Second Reading.
Enang is now Buhari’s special adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate).
Hitherto, the CBN, relied on its Act, which gave its board the power to approve its budget and refused to submit its annual proposals to the National Assembly.

---

…Hails US’ role in 2015 polls
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has attributed the stability of Nigeria’s democracy to the role the United States of America’s government played in the success of the 2015 general elections in the country.
Buhari said this yesterday when he received outgoing US Ambassador, Mr. James Entwistle, at the State House. He added that the US’ insistence on free, fair and violent-free elections largely contributed to the deepening of democracy in the country.
The president also attributed the success of the election to former Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega’s competence and courage.
“The US support, before, during and after the 2015 elections was vital to Nigeria’s stability and I will never forget the role they played in the stability of Nigeria.
“We were lucky to have had an INEC chairman who was competent and courageous.
“Mr. Ambassador, you occupied a position at a very strategic time in Nigeria’s history and I hope our historians will record this because it meant so much for our stability. I hope you write a book on your experience in Nigeria. The commitment of U.S in supporting Nigeria has been unprecedented,” he said.
President Buhari also thanked the Americans for their military, intelligence and humanitarian support to Nigeria on the ongoing fight against Boko Haram insurgency.
He said Nigeria also valued US contributions to promoting regional peace and stability through the instrumentality of the G7.
Earlier, Entwistle, in his remarks, expressed concerns over deteriorating humanitarian situation in the North East part of the country with reports of food crisis and malnutrition.
He also said the bilateral relationship between both countries remain vibrant and cordial.
“I had a marvellous three-and-half years in Nigeria and I am grateful to have been involved in the memorable elections in 2015,” he added.
In a related development, President Buhari commended the Canadian government’s  humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs )in the North East, and their commitment to polio eradication in the country.
He gave the commendation when he received in audience the outgoing High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Ambassador Perry Calderwood.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s effort to facilitate voluntary return of displaced persons in addition to ensuring that conditions in North-eastern Nigeria improve significantly before the next farming season.
Calderwood had also expressed concerns  on poor humanitarian situation in the North East as well as possible food crisis and malnutrition.
He conveyed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s desire to strengthen ties with Nigeria in Canada’s quest for partnership on international engagements, including its bid for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, 2021-2022.
‎US support‎/sd
Buhari hails US’ role in 2015 polls
From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has attributed the stability of Nigeria’s democracy to the role the United States Government played in the success of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.
He said this ‎yesterday when he received the outgoing US Ambassador, Mr. James Entwistle, at the State House, adding that the US insistence on free, fair and violent-free elections largely contributed to the deepening of democracy in the country.
The president also attributed the success of the election to the former Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)  ‎chairman, Attahiru Jega’s competence and courage.
“The US support, before, during and after the 2015 elections was vital to Nigeria’s stability and I will never forget the role they played in the stability of Nigeria.
“We were lucky to have had an INEC chairman who was competent and courageous.
“Mr. Ambassador, you occupied a position at a very strategic time in Nigeria’s history and I hope our historians will record this because it meant so much for our stability.
“I hope you write a book on your experience in Nigeria. The commitment of U.S in supporting Nigeria has been unprecedented,” he said.
President Buhari also thanked the Americans for their military, intelligence and humanitarian support to Nigeria on the ongoing fight against Boko Haram insurgency.
He said Nigeria also valued US contributions to promoting regional peace and stability through the instrumentality of the G7.
Entwistle in his remarks had expressed his concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the North East with looming reports of food crisis and malnutrition.
He had also said the bilateral relationship between both countries had remained very vibrant and cordial.
“I had a marvellous three-and-half years in Nigeria and I am grateful to have been involved in the memorable elections in 2015,” he said.
In a related development, President Buhari has commented Canadian government’s  humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons in the North East, and their commitment to polio eradication in the country.
He gave the commendation when he received in audience the outgoing High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Ambassador Perry Calderwood.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s effort to facilitate voluntary return of displaced persons in addition to ensuring that conditions in North-eastern Nigeria improve significantly before the next farming season.
Calderwood had also expressed concerns  on poor humanitarian situation in the North East as well as possible food crisis and malnutrition.
He conveyed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s desire to strengthen ties with Nigeria in Canada’s quest for partnership on international engagements, including its bid for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, 2021-2022.

Culled from Thisday

Central Bank dissolves Skye Bank board over capital issues-Blaise Udunze

Central Bank of Nigeria has sacked top executives of Skye Bank over failure to meet capital adequacy ratio, Daily Sun findings revealed.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Oguntayo, who led Skye Bank to acquire nationalised lender Mainstreet Bank in 2014, resigned before CBN made the announcement on Monday.
Last year, the central bank gave three commercial banks until June 2016 to recapitalise after they failed to hit a minimum capital adequacy rate of 10 percent.

Culled from sun

Tension in Abia, INEC Certifies Ogah, Ikpeazu Fights Back

2

• Electoral commission justifies issuance of certificate of return, PDP, others cry foul

Tobi Soniyi, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia and Amby Uneze in Owerri with agency report

Tension enveloped the sleepy state of Abia on Thursday when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) complied with the ruling of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, which removed Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the governor of the state, by issuing a certificate of return as the duly elected governor of Abia State to Sampson Uche Ogah, who came second in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary that produced the governorship candidate to contest the April 2015 election.

The Abuja Federal High Court, in a pre-election matter, had declared Ikpeazu’s election as the governor of Abia State null and void on the grounds that he allegedly submitting falsified tax returns to INEC in the run up to the governorship election.

The court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, ruled that Ikpeazu was not fit to contest the 2015 governorship election on account of his faulty tax returns.
Consequently, Ogar was adjudged by the court as the rightful candidate of the PDP in the election, having come second behind the ousted governor.

However, Ikpeazu immediately challenged the judgment of the Federal High Court by proceeding to the Court of Appeal, thus leaving the impression that he would remain in office until the judicial process challenging the validity of his candidacy had run its course.

But a state of confusion pervaded Abia yesterday as Ikpeazu fought back to prevent Ogah, who flew into the state capital, Umuahia, from being sworn in as governor after INEC had issued a certificate of return to him.

The embattled governor on receiving information that he was about to be unseated, rushed to an Abia High Court, sitting in Osisioma Ngwa, and obtained an ex parte injunction restraining his opponent from being sworn in.

Based on the ex parte motion moved by the counsel to the governor, O.O. Nkume, the presiding judge, Justice C.H Ahuchaogu gave the order restraining INEC from issuing the certificate of return to Ogah while the state chief judge or any other judicial officer in the state was also restrained from swearing him in.
In the application, Ogah was listed as first defendant, INEC as second defendant, and the chief judge of Abia state as third defendant.

A copy of the order read: “It is hereby ordered: That an order of injunction is hereby made restraining the second defendant (INEC) from issuing a certificate of return to the first defendant (Ogah) while the claimant (Ikpeazu) remains in office in accordance with Section 143(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

It is further ordered: “That the third defendant or any other judge of the court or any judicial officer are hereby restrained from swearing in the first defendant while the claimant remains in office in accordance with Section 143(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

Also, in an ex-parte order, the court restricted INEC from issuing a certificate of return to Ogah, stating: “An order of injunction restraining the second defendant from issuing a certificate of return to the first defendant while the claimant remains in office in accordance with Aection 143(1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.

“An order of injunction restraining the third defendant (Chief Judge of Abia State) or any other judge of the court, or any judicial officer from swearing in the first defendant while the claimant remains in office in accordance with Section 143(1) & (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

Ikpeazu Panics

According to sources in the state, Ikpeazu was scared stiff when information filtered in that INEC had issued Ogah with the certificate of return which authorised his opponent to displace the governor from Government House, Umuahia.
He was billed to take the first slot to speak as an eminent lecturer in the maiden edition of Eminent Persons Lecture series of the Abia State University Uturu (ABSU).
The stage was already set for Ikpeazu to be ushered into the university auditorium to deliver the lecture titled “Socio-cultural Diversity and Economic Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects”, when word filtered in that his governorship was in jeopardy.

The governor was already within the premises of ABSU and it was being announced that the governor would “any moment from now” enter the auditorium, when government officials who were already seated, started leaving the venue.
It was gathered that the governor’s convoy turned back and headed back to Aba when he got wind of what had transpired at the INEC headquarters in Abuja and the implication for his mandate.
Also, in order to forestall a break down of law and order, the police immediately stepped up security around Abia Government House in Umuahia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the news of the issuance of the certificate of return to Ogah, which filtered into the state around noon, caused anxiety among residents of Umuahia.
At the city centre, popularly called Isi-gate, some traders, tricycle riders and passersby expressed support for the development.
The situation, however, was different at the Government House, where political office holders were seen moving hurriedly out of their offices, while workers simply watched.

INEC Justifies Ogah’s Certification

However, while confirming the issuance of the certificate of return to the new governor-elect, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of the South-east, Chief Lawerence Nwurukwu said that the commission did so in compliance with the court order which ordered it to issue the certificate to Ogah with immediate effect.

Nwuruku, who addressed journalists at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja, venue of the stakeholders’ meeting convened to review positions on the suspended re-run elections, said that as the NEC Commissioner in charge of the South-east, he personally issued the certificate to return to Ogah as Abia governor-elect of Abia.

According to him, the presentation of the certificate of return was performed early yesterday morning at INEC’s headquarters after due interpretation of the court judgment and consultations with the relevant units of the commission.
“The situation is we are simply obeying the court order. The court said with immediate effect, we should issue him certificate of return, and that is what we have done.

“If the court tomorrow issues another order, we will obey the same. By the grace of God I am the INEC Commissioner in charge of South-east. I will do the same thing if the court orders us to issue the certificate to another person.
“In this case, the court ordered us to issue the certificate to the person who won the election and that is Uchechukwu Ogah. I was the person who issued the certificate of return to Governor Ikpeazu because he was declared winner of the election then. Now the court is saying otherwise.

“One thing is that, we are not above the law and we cannot disobey the law of the land. After the court, another person we obey is God. And my conscience is my God. If you were in the court that day and I will urge you, members of the media to go and study the court decision very well. It was wonderful, it was direct,” he said.
Nwurukwu noted that as I as law abiding institution, neither the commission nor himself would want to flout the orders of the court, adding that he was ready to be dragged to jail for not obeying court order.

Ogah Arrives Abia, Forced to Wait

Meanwhile, Ogah who arrived Abia immediately after he was issued the certificate of return, declared that it was the dawn of new beginning and a fresh breath of air for the entire people of the state.
He stated this yesterday at the Sam Mbakwe International Airport, Owerri, on his arrival from Abuja en route to Umuahia, adding that the people of Abia had been celebrating following his declaration by the court as the duly elected governor of the state.

According him, “The entire people of Abia state have been celebrating because it is the dawn of new beginning and a breath of fresh air and that is why there are wild celebrations by the people of the state here at the airport because they know it is going to be a new and better deal for all Abians.”

Ogah, who was flanked by his wife and his supporters, said: “I have been issued with the certificate of return by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the lawfully and duly elected governor of the state in the 2015 governorship polls in Abia State.

“I want to assure the people of the state that this is a new dawn of a better future for all.”
He added: “By the grace of God, I will be sworn in as the governor today or tomorrow.”
However, when Ogah eventually arrived Umuahia, he did not head for Government House. It was gathered that he went to the state office of the Department of State Service (DSS) for undisclosed reasons.

Irrespective of his failure to assume the mantle of leadership in the state yesterday, Ogah through his media adviser, Monday Ubani said that the injunction obtained by Ikpeazu could not invalidate his certificate of return, as it came from a subordinate court to the Federal High Court that ordered his swearing in.
He maintained that the state High Court which granted the injunction lacked the locus to do so, adding that only an Appeal Court could grant such injunction.
He also said the appeal filed by Ikpeazu at the Court of Appeal could not be considered a stay on the judgment of Justice Abang.

Ogah urged the chief judge and all concerned to respect the ruling and allow him to immediately take over the reigns of leadership so as to move the state forward.
Ubani said: “The Federal High Court of Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang ordered Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate his seat for Mr. Uche Ogah as the rightful person for the seat.
“INEC was ordered to issue the said Ogah with a certificate of return which that body has complied with.

“The next order that was issued by the Federal High Court was for the Chief Judge of Abia to swear in Uche Ogah, the rightful person to occupy the governor’s seat. That order is yet to be complied with.
“I understand that a High Court in Osisioma Ngwa, the axis where the governor hails from, has issued an interim order restraining the Chief Judge from swearing in Uche Ogah as the governor of the state. The point must be made that this order cannot stand, as it is invalid in law.

“The order did not emanate from a higher court but from a court of coordinate jurisdiction and does not in any vitiate or invalidate the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in which the Chief Judge of Abia State was ordered to swear-in Uche Sampson Ogah.
“Only a higher court, in this case, the Court of Appeal, has the jurisdiction to reverse the judgment of the Federal High Court.

“Note also that appeal of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu before the Court of Appeal does not operate as a stay over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang. In the absence of any express order of the High Court or the Court of Appeal ordering a stay of execution, the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on the 27th of June, 2016 should be obeyed by all the parties.”

Abia PDP Cries Out

Reacting to the latest turn of events, the Abia State chapter of the PDP, which is controlled by Ikpeazu, yesterday raised the alarm, stating that Nigeria’s democracy was under threat and “endangered by those who do not believe in the rule of law”.

The chairman of the party, Chief Johnson Onuigbo expressed the party’s concerns at a news conference in Umuahia, saying that events following the judgment given by Justice Abang.
Onuigbo held the view that in order to install Ogah as governor, plans had been concluded to ignore the court injunction and send the military to invade Abia last night, adding that tension had enveloped Abia State.
He accused the presidency and the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) of being behind the plot to cause confusion in Abia.

He said: “We are here to tell the world that there is tension in the state because democracy is going to be raped and we say no to this plot. We are here to tell you that Abia is not safe. The state is going to be invaded this night by the military. But we will resist any attempt to undermine the peace in Abia state.”
The party chairman warned that if Ogah and those behind him ignored the court injunction the party would call for anarchy in the state, adding: “And we will give it to them.”

“We are ready to die in defence of democracy,” Onuigbo vowed.
According to him, Abia has been a peaceful state but there were serious attempt to cause anarchy in the state and called on every lover of peace and democracy to rise up to condemn the unravelling events.

He regretted that Ogah had rebuffed “several efforts made by the party for him to sheathe his sword and let sleeping dogs lie”, adding that he remained “obstinate and continued to perfect his plan to become governor through undemocratic means”.
“I’m surprised that he (Ogah) could be deceitful,” he said.

Also, when contacted to comment on the turn of events in Abia, the former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi, said that in very sensitive cases like this, all due legal means should be completely exhausted.
He further submitted that the outcome of the decision of the final court will be required for any institution or organisation to take action “for the sake of our nascent democracy, peace and stability of Abia State and our dear country Nigeria”.

Similarly, a constitutional lawyer, Mr. Sebastine Hone (SAN), faulted the decision of INeC to issue a certificate of return to Ogah based on the judgment of the court, which removed Ikepazu as governor.
Hon, who has written many books on the constitution, said INEC was wrong. He said: “INEC can’t do that since it has been served with the application for a stay of execution and a notice of appeal. The commission is wrong.

“If it is true that INEC has issued a certificate of return inspite of been served with a notice of appeal and the motion on notice for stay of execution by the governor’s legal team, that is most unfortunate.
“The certificate of return issued to Ogah is null and void because it is issued contemptuous of the powers of the Court of Appeal over this matter.

“It should not be recognised by any law enforcement agent for the purpose of enforcement of the terms of the said certificate of return.”
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and the acting Inspector General of Police to respect the rules of law and therefore to disregard with immediate effect the purported certificate of return issued to Ogah.

  Culled from Thisday