How Nigeria Under Buhari Became the Butt of Jokes in Africa

Sometimes, I wish President Muhammadu Buhari would have been as proficient in arresting Nigeria’s recession as he is in arresting his critics! How I pray that this administration was as eloquent at announcing to the public what it has done as it is expert in informing the public what it is that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan allegedly did not do! If only this government applied itself to generating wealth for the nation the way it has devoted itself towards borrowing $29.9 billion. Wouldn’t they have been popular if only they took time to sell their ideas and programs to Nigeria the way they lobbied to sell national assets that more serious governments acquired for Nigeria in times past. But alas, this is an administration that believes in propaganda instead of proper agenda!

And speaking of propaganda, nothing proves my point than the conflicting statements that keep emanating from the Presidency.

Nigeria in recession: Why Buhari needs best hands

Sometimes, I wish President Muhammadu Buhari would have been as proficient in arresting Nigeria’s recession as he is in arresting his critics! How I pray that this administration was as eloquent at announcing to the public what it has done as it is an expert in informing the public what it is that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan allegedly did not do! If only this government applied itself to generating wealth for the nation the way it has devoted itself towards borrowing $29.9 billion. Wouldn’t they have been popular if only they took time to sell their ideas and programs to Nigeria the way they lobbied to sell national assets that more serious governments acquired for Nigeria in times past? But alas, this is an administration that believes in

After Fulani Militia Killed Our People, El Rufai, Military Arresting Our Members’ – ECWA

The Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, has raised the alarm over what it described as consistent killing of Christians in the Southern Part of Kaduna State in Northern Nigeria.

According to ECWA, apart from the unabated killing of Christians in Southern Kaduna villages which is sprawling, young girls of the Christian faith are being forcefully abducted, married and converted to Islam without the consent of their parents.Addressing a world press conference on Wednesday, November 16, 2016  at its headquarters in Kaduna, the Church said the reason behind the killing of innocent people in the Southern part of Kaduna state which commenced after the 2011 presidential election crises fought in many Northern State have now become clearer.

Read the full text of the press briefing below:

Nigeria too hungry to attend World Cup- Minister Of Sports

Attention President Muhammadu Buhari: This is what the man you appointed the general overseer of our sports told an international media organisation,Voice of America, Hausa Service: Nigeria does not need to attend the next World Cup holding in Russia. The World Cup is not just a football competition. It also represents a bigger avenue for nations to showcase their football artistry to a global audience, with players getting to secure new and bumper contracts and endorsements, which in turn, impact positively on the country”s Gross Domestic Product and Foreign Direct Investment. Football is business and the World Cup fetches money for all

participants. It is top in entertainment and business. Qualifiers even earn more than $5m from Fifa. Besides the Olympics, the World Cup is by far the single biggest

Why FG is owing Shagari, OBJ, IBB, Gowon, Abdulsalami, Shonekan, Jonathan 10 months salaries, allowances - SGF

THE Presidency revealed yesterday that in the last 10 months, the federal government has not paid the salaries and allowances of all former Presidents in the country. They include 91-year-old  Alhaji Shehu Shagari; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Dr Goodluck Jonathan; former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida; General Abdulsalami Abubakar; General Yakubu Gowon and Chief Ernest Shonekan. These was revealed to senators yesterday when the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, led by Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara North) visited the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Dr David Babachir Lawal.A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the non-payment of former Presidents was due to President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to give approval. The source also said the payment schedule had severally been sent for the President’s approval to assess funds in the service wide vote for the purpose, adding that all attempts in that direction were to no avail.   The SGF attributed the non-payment of the former leaders to the unavailability of

Why we bought N3.6bn exotic cars during recession – Reps

The House of Representatives on Thursday defended its decision to buy exotic cars for its 360 members at a period the country’s economy is in recession.

It said lawmakers must have a means of mobility while carrying out oversight duties over Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government.

The House will spend at least N3.6bn across 24 months to complete payment for  the luxury vehicles supplied by the Kaduna-based Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited.The PUNCH had reported exclusively on Monday that the firm had already delivered 28 units of Peugeot 508 series to members in the first batch of 50 cars.

No land for grazing in Benue, Governor Ortom insists

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue on Friday said the state government would not concede any part of its land for establishment of grazing reserve for herdsmen in the state.

Mr. Ortom made this known during the handing-over and inauguration of Daudu Shelter Project for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Guma Local Government Area of the state.

The 100 bungalows project was initiated by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, in collaboration with the state government and Benue Non-Governmental Organisation Network, BENGONET.

Appeal Court reserves judgment on PDP leadership crisis

The Court of Appeal on Thursday in Abuja reserved judgment on the appeal challenging the affirmation of Ali Sheriff as the authentic National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

On June 29, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court upheld Mr. Sheriff as the Acting National Chairman of the party.

Justice Ibrahim Salauwa, the Chairman of the Special Panel of the appellate court, reserved the judgment after counsel to the parties adopted their addresses.

The appellate court on November 11 granted Ahmed Makarfi, Ben Obi and Eyitayo Jegede leave to appeal the decision.

U.S. expresses concern about Nigerian govt. treatment of Shiites

The United States government on Friday expressed deep concern by reports of the deaths of dozens of Nigerians involved in clashes between individuals participating in a Shia procession and the Nigerian Police Force in Kano State on November 14.

The U.S. government said in a statement from its Embassy in Abuja that while the matter was still being investigated, it was “troubled by the apparent disproportionate response by the police” during the clash.

“This is the latest in a series of violent incidents between security forces and members of the Shia Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), some of which have resulted in deaths, destruction of property, and the arbitrary detention of IMN members.

“The United States calls for calm and restraint on all sides, a reduction of tensions, and greater communication between Shia citizens and government authorities,” the statement said.

How I was captured, forced to marry Boko Haram terrorist – Cameroonian

It was a few minutes after midday, and the sun was already blazing at the Dalori-1 camp for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

At this time of the day, usually, only the trees can provide the much-needed cool to wade off dehydration.

The displaced children had to shift their play from the burning grounds to the cool shades of the cascading Neem trees. So was the case for the elderly inmates who had to also move out of their tarpaulin shelters.

Young men were spotted in various locations chatting away; some had already dozed off, apparently helped by the coolness of the trees.

8 New Bills Signed into Law by Pres. Buhari

The Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang on Friday said that President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law eight bills passed by the National Assembly. They are for different sectors of the economy and development.

They are:1.The Prevention of Crime Amendment Act‎ 2016;‎ 2.the National Crop Varieties and Livestock Breeds (Registration) Amendment Act‎ 2016;‎ 3. the Telecommunications and Postal Offences Amendment Act‎ 2016; 4. ‎the National Agricultural Land Development

Rivers Assembly Calls for Transfer of Police SARS Commander, ACP Ops

The Rivers State House of Assembly has called on the Inspector General of Police to effect the immediate transfer of the Commander of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Akin Fakorede, and the Assistant Police Commissioner (Operations), Steve Hasso, for alleged acts likely to cause a breach of the peace in the state.The stand of the assembly followed a resolution passed on Friday after a motion moved by the Leader, Hon. Martin Amewhule, and supported by 18 other members.

The House also passed a resolution calling on the National Assembly to wade into the matter by investigating the two police officers and taking necessary action.

I won’t Compromise N’Assembly’s Position on $30bn External Loan - Saraki

The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Thursday said he remained committed to the position of the National Assembly rejecting the $29.9 billion External Borrowing Plan of President Muhammadu Buhari, explaining that as the head of the legislative arm of government, he could not compromise its stance on any national issue.

The Senate president was reacting to growing insinuations in media commentaries that his frequent visits to the presidential villa was aimed at striking a deal with the executive arm of government over the loan request.

Misplaced priorities of the Buhari administration

Penultimate Friday, I woke to the frantic call of a childhood friend of mine. He asked if I could link him up with someone with authority in the police in a South-West state. Now, that itself tells of a society that is not working. When the confidence of people in institutions of state depends on whom they know, that country needs no prophecy about its impending failure unless something gives, pronto.

So, this my brother told me the scary story of how a friend of his was abducted while

No going back on strike, ASUU vows

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, says there is no going back on its one-week warning strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Biodun Ogunyemi, the union’s National President, told the News Agency of Nigeria on telephone on Tuesday in Lagos that the strike would be total.

The union leadership, after its emergency executive committee meeting, declared the warning strike at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

Mr. Ogunyemi said chronic under-funding of the sector through low budgetary allocation, which went from 11 per cent in 2015 to eight per cent in 2016, did not go down well with the union.

He pointed out the failure of government to implement the 2009 agreement and the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as some of the reasons for embarking on the warning strike.

El-Rufai replies Atiku: You are a liar, I dare you to go to U.S.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has responded to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s allegation that he (Atiku) was betrayed by the governor and former chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu.

PREMIUM TIMES published excerpts of an interview where the former vice president made the allegations.

In a statement he personally signed Tuesday, Mr. El Rufai accused the former VP of falsehood.

He said Mr. Abubakar “has a record of spewing outright lies and innuendo against my person”.

“As we struggle to build a law-abiding society and secure progressive outcomes for our people, we cannot allow the triumph on these shores of those who will have us move to a post-factual world,” he said.

Boko Haram displaces 370,389 households in N’East

At least,   370, 389 households have been displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

A don at the University of Ilorin, Dr. Abiola Adimula, stated this in a paper she released to journalists in Abuja on Monday.

  She presented the paper  at the 39th Annual Conference of Fulbright Association at George Washington University in the United States.Adimula disclosed that as of August,   the number of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria was  2,093,030.

The don, who is of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, UNILORIN, described   the management of IDPs camps   as weak.

Justice Ademola speaks, says gratification charges, bogus, trumped-up

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday reacted through a lawyer in his defence team, Mr. Jeph Njikonye, to the charges of receiving gratification filed against him and his wife, Olabowale, who is the Head of Service of Lagos State.

Njikonye, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, said the 15 counts filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Monday, were bogus and trumped-up, adding that the judge was eager to defend himself in court.

He added that the prosecutors went so “low” to impute that that the judge received gratification from his uncle’s law firm, G.T.J Ademola & Co., mentioned in the charges.The lawyer said the Federal Government only filed the charges to play to the gallery and to justify the “unconstitutional” raid of the houses of the judges arrested by the Department of State Service.

Recession- Prices of goods, services hit all time high in October

The general rise in prices of goods and services in Nigeria hit an all time high of 18.3 per cent in October. This means that the prices of food items and other consumables have gone up considerably making it difficult for the average person to eat three square meals a day. Inflation has been on the rise for 12 months.The general rise in prices is attributable to exchange-rate pressures that have persisted on its impact on the prices of goods and services, complicating the central bank’s task of supporting an economy in recession. In the market place prices of various food items such as yams, garri, palm oil, fruits and vegetables, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels as well as, fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment and education increased considerably in the last three months. In fact pure water which is the

US Blocks Sale Of Military Helicopters To Nigeria

Strong indications have emerged that the United States has again blocked the Federal Government from acquiring fighter ground attack aircraft considered crucial in the ongoing campaign against Boko Haram in the North-East.Investigations showed that the US has prevented the military from acquiring the A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from Brazil.

A Presidency source said on Saturday that Nigeria and Brazil were almost striking a deal on the acquisition of the light attack aircraft when the US, which produced the aircraft, prevented the deal.