Brazil Senate Votes For Rousseff’s Impeachment Trial

The Brazilian Senate has voted to hold an impeachment trial of suspended President Dilma Rousseff, who is accused of breaking the budget law.
The senate voted 59 to 21 in favour of going ahead with the trial against Ms Rousseff, which is likely to be held at the end of this month.
The Senate suspended Ms Rousseff in May over alleged illegal accounting practices.
She says they were common practice under previous administrations.
Following a marathon debate that ended early on Wednesday, the senate easily surpassed the required simple majority needed to decide on whether to try Ms Rousseff.
A two-thirds majority is needed in the final vote following the trial, which is due in the week after the Olympics closing ceremony.
As the debate got under way on Tuesday, Supreme Court President Ricardo Lewandowski told senators that they were about to “exercise one of the most serious tasks under the constitution”.
Ms Rousseff has been accused of spending money without congressional approval and taking out unauthorised loans from state banks to boost the national budget ahead of the 2014 election, when she was re-elected.
Her allies in the Workers’ Party have pointed out that many of the members of the Brazilian congress who have accused her are implicated in corruption cases themselves.
Ms Rousseff is not facing corruption charges in Brazil’s wide-ranging scandal around the state oil company, Petrobras.
But she has been tainted by the scandal, in which her Workers’ Party is accused of lining its campaign war chests with some of the missing money.
If she is removed from office, the interim president, her former running mate Michel Temer, will remain in the presidential chair until the next elections in 2018.
Ms Rousseff has accused him of orchestrating a political coup against her.
At the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, Mr Temer drew boos from the crowds as he declared the games open.
There have been various protests against him before the games as well as peaceful protests at a number of Olympic venues.

Culled from Leadership

FG Spends N159bn On Salaries Monthly – Adeosun - BAYO AMODU

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, yesterday disclosed that the Federal Government now spends N159 billion monthly on salaries.
Speaking at a Town Hall/Policy Dialogue for Good Governance organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, yesterday, Adeosun said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari inherited a monthly wage bill of N165 billion and 1.2 million public servants in the civil service, when the government came into power, but has now been reduced to N159 billion.
She said: “You can’t send people away. What we can do is to build controls to make sure these people exist and are validly working to earn their wages which is why we are carrying out continuous audit which has reduced our huge bills by N6 billion per month.  We had to attack the problem of recurrent expenditure. When we came in, over N165 billion went on salary. As we speak, we have reduced it to N159  billion.’’
Also, the minister, who described borrowing as inevitable in view of the current realities in the nation’s economy, explained that the Federal Government opted for a conservative borrowing plan to fund the critical sectors of the economy and to ensure that future generation is not saddled with the burden of debt payment.
‘‘In the past, Nigeria had been borrowing to pay salaries but now we are borrowing to invest. When you borrow to invest, there is an expectation that there will be additional revenue that will service those borrowings,’’ she stated.
Stressing the urgent need to fund infrastructure, Adeosun said “We have to invest in our infrastructure to allow the private sector to thrive which will create jobs and unlock the economy. We have to adopt a very conservative borrowing programme but we must borrow because for us to do rail, we need funds with other needed infrastructure we need funds.”
The Minister pointed out that some of the existing rail lines in Nigeria were constructed during the colonial era, which has to be massively upgraded and brought into the 21st century. According to her, such investment will trickle down to the people through its impacts on agriculture, rail and solid minerals.
She stated, “The rail we have now was done in the colonial era. There was no significant upgrade. We need to urgently do rail for agriculture and solid minerals to be competitive, so I really don’t see any option than to borrow but we will borrow sustainably; we will borrow conservatively to make sure we don’t burden future generation.
We will borrow as cheaply as possible and that is why we are approaching the World Bank and Export Credit Agencies to provide concessionary loans. We are taking concessionary loans before going for commercial loans.”

Culled from Leadership

EFCC Arrests, Releases Blogger, Abubakar Usman For Cyber Stalking- Ejike Ejike

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, arrested  a blogger, Mr Abubakar Sidiq Usman, for offences bordering on cyber stalking.
The suspect who is the publisher of Abusidiqu.com was picked up at his Kubwa, Abuja home in the early hours of yesterday by some operatives of the EFCC and was questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act.
The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren said the suspect was offered administrative bail as at the time of going to press and would be released to his elected sureties.
Usman had reported in his blog that regular members of staff at the EFCC are complaining that they are being bullied by the acting chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu.
The report also alleged that “Recently, Mr Magu started by victimising ‘Protective Core Operatives’ of the EFCC due to a revelation given to him by the arrested air chief who is a close ally of himself and his Godfather NSA, Monguno.”

Culled from Leadership

Boko Haram: FG indicts 2 fertilizers companies for sabotage -by Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye

The Federal Government has indicted the two sole manufacturers of urea blend of fertilizers in Nigeria, following discovery that terrorist sect, Boko Haram used nitrate based fertilizers to develop the Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs).
This is even as it arrested five security operatives as well as other actors linked to incessant bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta, where it was discovered that commercial explosives and accessories were used for attacks.
They were found to be culpable for diverting about 9,000 kilograms of high explosives and 16,420 pieces of detonators for illegal use.
The government  warned that any individual or company that operates outside the confines of legitimacy or illegality would have itself to blame, adding that it would not listen to any influence peddler on behalf of any company that decides to sabotage national security.
The National Security Adviser, Brig. Gen. Babagana Mungono (rtd), who briefed the press with officials of the two sole fertilizer  manufacturers – Notore Petrochemical and Indorama Eleme Petrochemical in attendance, read the riot act, showing government’s displeasure in their activities which is also contributing to food shortage in the country.
He said despite government’s effort through the relevant authorities to grant them sole license as well as facilitate necessary importation of raw materials and also secure distribution network to the two comapnies, they were discovered to be exporting 71 per cent of the product to the detriment of the nation’s economy.
The NSA warned that the present economic realities notwithstanding, the government will not tolerate companies and individuals with vested interested taking the country for granted.
On the incessant bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta and the arrest of culpable persons, Mongono said: “let me also use this opportunity to inform you that this office conducted investigations into the incessant bombing of oil facilitates in the Niger Delta Region and discovered that commercial explosives and accessories were used for these attacks. Based on this fact, I directed our explosives experts in office of the National Security Adviser to conduct further investigations and detailed audit of the records of explosives magazines and quarries in that region, which revealed the diversion of about 9,000kg of high explsovies and 16,420 pieces of detonators for illegal use.
“The actors, including the store man of a major explosives distribution company in Nigeria, an accomplice and five security operatives have been arrested and handed over to appropriate authorities.
“Right now investigations are being conducted and I can assure you that they are deeply culpable and the necessary action will be taken on the conclusion of these investigations”.
The NSA while assuring on government’s commitment and his office to ensuring the wellbeing, safety and security of Nigerians, he charged the citizens to be committed to security and do their business in accordance to laid‎ down rules of law.
He reiterated that “any individual or company that operates outside the confines of legitimacy or illegality will have itself to blame and we also want to add that the government of the day will not listen to any influence peddler in the society on behalf of any company that decides to sabotage national security”.

Culled from Sun

Jonathan Keeps Mum on Corruption Cases Against Former Aides, Officials-Tobi Soniyi

Former President Goodluck Jonathan Briefing the State House Correspondents after Meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in His Office at the Presidential Villa Abuja wednesday 03-08- 2016 ). Photo: GODWIN OMOIGUI

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to refuse to speak on the ongoing corruption cases against some of his former aides and officials who worked for his government, insisting that he would speak about the issue at the “appropriate time”.

Jonathan, who spoke to State House correspondents wednesday in Abuja after meeting with President Muhammdu Buhari, said: “I don’t want to talk about that, because there are too many cases that are in court, it will not be fair to make comments.
“I will talk at the appropriate time when most of these things are resolved.”

The former president said he was in the State House to brief the president on his mission to monitor the upcoming elections in Zambia and called on Nigerians to work towards a united country.
He also solicited for peace in the Niger Delta, saying that there could be no development without peace.

Jonathan said: “It’s not just about me but about all the traditional rulers, elders and opinion leaders that are of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

“We have been in touch to see that peace reigns in the country. Those of you who have followed my stand when I was here; my emphasis was that we need a united Nigeria and I always emphasise that Nigeria is great not just because of oil.

“So many countries produce more oil than Nigeria, but nobody notices them. We are great because of our size, the human resources we have, the diversity we have, so if we fragmentise the country into small components we will be forgotten by the world.

“That has been my focal position and without peace there cannot be development anywhere in the world, we are all working collectively to see that issues are resolved.”

Providing further insight on his visit to the State House, the former president said: “You asked why I came to see the president today; one key thing is that having been a head of a government, a former president, you become state property.

“That’s the privilege you have, but every privilege has its corresponding responsibility, and once you become state property, your international engagements that have to do with public addresses and some international assignments becomes national assignments, so you must brief the president.
“Even when I was here, former presidents used to do that and came to brief me. I have been coming here; most times I come at night, that’s why you don’t see me.

“So I came to brief the president on some of my engagements. As you are aware, I will be leading the AU elections monitoring team to Zambia. I came to brief the president about some of these external engagements. It is the tradition.”

After leaving the State House, Jonathan was reported to have held a meeting with the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night in Abuja.

Although details of the meeting were sketchy, party sources said the meeting was slated to discuss the protracted crisis in the PDP following the removal of its former national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and how to resolve the problem.

The division within the PDP and a retinue of court orders and counter-orders pose a serious threat to the future of the party as a counter-balance to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Culled from Thisday

Kaduna women protest half-naked over killings by herdsmen — Sola Ojo,

WOMEN of Ninte village in Godogodo chiefdom, Kafanchan area of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, yesterday stormed palace of the Chief of Godogodo half-naked to protests alleged incessant night killings by Fulani herdsmen.
The Ninte women, who were supported by others from surrounding villages who suffered same fate, arrived the palace in the wee hour demanding government’s prompt intervention over killings, rape, burning  of houses by armed men suspected to be Fulani herdsmen which had been on the increase in recent times.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kaduna Police Command, ASP Aliyu Usman confirmed the incident.
The PPRO who said maximum security personnel have been deployed in the affected area to put the situation under control, called on residents to help  police  curb crime by reporting suspicious movements to security agents.
However, a protester accused the state government of insensitivity alleging that it has refused to act since the incident started.
“Since May when these people started attacking our community to kill our sons and husbands, rape  women and their daughters as well as  set houses on fire, the government has abandoned us to our fate. As it stands now, the area is no longer safe for us.
“Government we voted into power has left us at the mercy of armed herdsmen; farms cannot be cultivated in the face of a high level of impunity. Government is saying we need to go back to farm to help the country move forward.
But how can one go to farm when you don’t know whether someone is already laying ambush? she asked.
Chief of Godogodo, Mallam Iliya Ajiya, however, appealled to the protesting women to remain  calm, saying everything possible was being done to bring the situation under control.
The sole administrator of the council, Dr Bege Katukah who reacted on phone, confirmed the development, adding that security men had been mobilized to the affected community to restore peace and order.
Daily Sun gathered that already, residents of the affected villages have been to neighbouring Godogodo, Antang and Gidan Waya for refugee.

Culled from Sun

We’re corrupt –Jibrin-By Chinelo Obogo and Job Osazuwa

ABDULMUMIN Jibrin, former House chairman of Appropriation has sensation­ally revealed that the House of Representa­tives of which he is a member is corrupt.
Jibrin, who spoke on a live telecast on Channels TV yesterday, when asked if former President Olusegun Obasanjo was right in saying the National Assembly was corrupt, said: “Yes, we’re corrupt.”
Jubrin had accused Speaker Yakubu Dogara, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun, House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, of padding the 2016 Ap­propriation Bill with up to N40 billion.
Speaking yesterday, Jibrin said: “There is corruption in the House of Representatives, and not only is there corruption, there is institutional corruption. These are things that I can prove and it is what my struggle is about. Obasanjo is not completely wrong in saying that lawmakers are corrupt; the only thing is that we keep living in denial. I have been part of that system and I know that there is corruption in the system. There is also institutional corruption. I have been there for five years and I have seen a lot and I am so happy that something has triggered it. We want to take advantage of this trigger to address the issues at the National Assem­bly to force reforms. People are looking at it from a narrow perspective, but it is a bigger problem. This issue is going to lead to a revolution in the National Assembly. There are lot of issues that needs to be dealt with. The issue of corruption needs to be dealt with. The issues regarding the conduct of members would also be dealt with.”
He said statistics was needed to ascertain the exact figures inserted into the budget.
“The amount inserted was about N284 billion. Technically, it was a movement of money here and there in the budget. For five years, working on budgets as chairman Finance, I have never seen this kind of situ­ation. I didn’t know there was some kind of recklessness in the past, but not as bad as this. I saw some kind of insertions into the budget in years past, but in 2016, the inser­tions completely went off the board.
“Even though the law allows it, person­ally, I believe that the insertions were too much. It is also very important that the constitution gives us the power to appropri­ate and insert, but the intention of the con­stitution is not for you to make senseless insertions. These are the issues that I fought internally. There were a lot of senseless in­sertions. The fact that we are talking about our own side does not mean there were no problems from the executive. There were issues with the budget team at the budget office and those issues are still there. There were so many tussles between the ministry of finance and the budget office.
“My problem was that I was not talking. I came to the National Assembly and I was made to believe that when one is chairman of finance, you have to live and die with certain information. Also, if you a chairman of Appropriation, you have to be a custo­dian of information, meaning there are a lot of things you must not say. I actually lived with that kind of mentality for the past five years in House.
“Between when the committees brought in the reports and when the first version of the budget went to the president, so much happened. My colleagues were asking me, but I could not tell them that Speaker tried to insert project worth N30 billion and that he was conspiring with the deputy speaker, Leo Ogor and the rest to hijack the entire process and allocate to themselves projects worth over N20 billion of wasteful project.”
Jibrin said after complaining to Speaker that he was uncomfortable with the num­ber of insertions, they opened up discus­sions with some persons.
“It was in-between that we saw the presi­dent and the speaker took an offence for the reason best known to him,” Jibrin said.
Meanwhile, Jibrin made good his threat to continue exposing the corrupt act of Dogara and other corrupt members of the House of Representatives as he, yesterday, released pictures of guest houses, which he claimed belong to the speaker.
The guest house is reportedly located at Vistula Close, along Panama Crescent, Mai­tama, Abuja. He had alleged that Dogara looted funds meant for legislative duties to furnish his guest houses and other apart­ments being personally used by him.
Wading into the scam, the Socio-Eco­nomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has told the Speaker and other principal officers fingered in the alleged budget scandal to step aside pending the outcome of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies.
The letter dated 29 July 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni said “following confirmation received by SERAP from the EFCC that it has taken up and looking into SERAP’s petition to the body on the allegations that the leadership of the House of Representa­tives padded the 2016 budget to the tune of N481 billion, SERAP is now writing to request you to immediately step aside from your position as Speaker of the House of Representatives pending the out outcome of the investigation.”
SERAP also urged Dogara to ensure other principal officers suspected to be involved in the alleged padding step aside from their positions to allow for the inves­tigation by the EFCC and other agencies to go ahead unhindered.
This is even as two human rights lawyers, Femi Falana and Kayode Ajulo, closed over the issue. While Falana wants the Police and anti-graft agencies to step in and investigate the matter, Ajulo called on House members to remove principal officers indicted in the scandal.
Ajulo said: “There is nothing called budget padding. Nothing should be a crime when it is not a crime. There is nothing done that has constituted any criminal of­fence. Budget is an estimate. The executive sends it and the parliament has the power to remove or add something.
“When a budget is passed, the executive can therefore decide on projects of priori­ties. Budget is just a proposal. What we should be looking at is whether the issue is moral or not. It is about public trust. Even if there is budget padding, it is not a crime. EFCC should find a better job to do.
“There is no need to call for their resig­nation. Members have the duty to remove them. In Nigeria, people do not resign their positions. Other members should remove those indicted if they feel they were not part of it. Unless they were part of it.”
But, a member of the House of Rep­resentatives, who doubles as a member of the House Appropriation Committee, Joseph Edionwele, has strongly defended the Speaker, accusing those calling for his probe as jokers.
Edionwele said there was nothing wrong in inserting projects that will benefit the people into the budget. He said Jibrin was only creating an avenue for those who lost out in the speakership tussle to stage a comeback.

Culled from Sun