Boko Haram: Federal Government Welcomes US Deployment Of Troops For Cameroon

Although Nigeria had requested more direct help in the fight against insurgency from the United States, U.S, the Federal Government on Thursday welcomed Washington’s decision to send up to 300 military personnel to Cameroon to help the regional fight against Boko Haram.
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu described the deployment as a “welcome development” while the military said it was a demonstration of the needed cooperation against the Islamists terrorists.

Amaechi’s Fate Hangs As Senate Postpones Screening To Tuesday Next Week

The Senate has postponed the Thursday screening of Ministerial Nominees to Tuesday next week. Available report shows that the Senate took the decision following the non-readiness of the report of Committee on Ethics and Privileges that is looking into the petition submitted against Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi.

Another reason for the postponement as gathered by DAILY POST is that most of the credentials and CVs of the remaining nominees are yet to be reviewed by the Senate.

Non-Performing Refineries Will Be Shut Down In December – Kachikwu

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, said refineries in the country performing below 65 per cent of capacity would be shut down in December, 2015. Kachikwu, one of the 37 ministerial nominees stated this while responding to questions by some senators during his screening at the Senate on Wednesday in Abuja.
He disclosed that the reality is that functioning refineries were operating at only 25 per cent, contrary to reports that they were doing well.

He said that it was not enough for a refinery to produce at 65 per cent today and at zero per cent the next day, stressing that anytime crude was not utilised by a refinery, the government lost money.
On recurring scarcity of petroleum products, especially petrol and kerosene, Kachikwu said that the situation would continue unless the refineries performed optimally.

Ministers: Fashola, Fayemi, Lai Mohammed Products Of Tinubu’s Talent – Ashafa

Senator representing Lagos State East senatorial district, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa on Thursday praised the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the confirmation of former Lagos governor, Babtunde Fashola; his counterpart in Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi and All Progressives Party’s, Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Ashafa who made the remarks in a statement personally signed by him to felicitate with 18 ministers who were confirmed yesterday by the upper senate chambers said it was Tinubu’s foresightedness that brought the aforesaid ministers to limelight.
Read the statement in full

How NTA, AIT Maltreated Us During The 2015 Presidential Campaigns — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his gratitude to Nigerians for his victory at the general elections saying he emerged winner against all odds. Speaking at The Red Media Summit in Lagos, Thursday, Mr. Buhari that he won the election despite the deployment of state forces against him.

“Muhammadu Buhari’s goodwill greetings to you is on account of the fact that he won an election that many people think he was not going to win,” said Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who represented Mr. Buhari.

No Order Stopping Amaechi’s Screening, APC Insists

The All Progressives Congress has insisted that there is no court order from any part of Nigeria compelling the Senate not to screen the former River State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as a minister.
The party came out with the position in a statement made available to Vanguard following rumours in the social media that the a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, one Livingstone Wechie, has secured an injunction stopping the Senate from screening the former governor, who was the Director General of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation.amaechi
The social media became awashed with the story as soon as the AIT scrolled on its information bar that the PDP had secured the said order to stop Amaechi’s screening.

Petitions Can’t Stop Amaechi ’s Screening – Senate

The Senate has said petitions against the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, would not stop his screening and confirmation for ministerial position.

The Senate spokesperson, Dino Melaye, said this on Thursday.

The Senate on Wednesday deferred the screening of Mr. Amaechi to Thursday, following the inability of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to submit report on the petition against the nominee.

A petition by the Peoples Democratic Party, senators from Rivers State had stalled his screening, earlier scheduled for Wednesday.

Mr. Melaye however said the Senate would not consider the petition since its subject is a matter before a court.

According to him, the Senate had a standing rule that matter before a court should not be examined.

“So Amaechi has got no problem,” he said.

Mr. Amaechi had appeared before the Senate ad hoc Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Monday.

Mr. Melaye also explained why the Senate postponed the ministerial screening to next week, saying some of the nominees were yet to submit their resumè and other documents required of them.

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Why Buhari withdrew Ahmed Ibeto as a ministerial nominee

Reports have emerged on why President Buhari withdrew the nomination of Ahmed Musa Ibeto from Niger state from his list of ministers. According to confirmed sources, Ibeto's nomination was withdrawn because he is from the same place as the Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello.

Kachikwu, Fashola, Steal Show At Senate Screening

Fashola calls for state police, apologises on deportation of Igbos
ABUJA — FORMER Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and Mrs Kemi Adeosun were clearly the star attractions at the screening of ministerial nominees, yesterday, as the Senate cleared 18 nominees for ministerial appointment.

Fashola’s suggestions on state police, review of the Abuja Master plan and apology to the Igbo over the deportation of some Igbo residents of Lagos during his second term marked one of the major highlights of yesterday’s screening of the nominees. So also were Kachikwu’s comments on the oil industry and Adeosun’s remarks on the economy, devaluation of the Naira and Treasury Single Account, TSA, foreign direct investment and how to improve Nigeria’s alternative sources of revenue.

Lawmaker Reminds Buhari Of Free Education Campaign Promise

DUTSE—A member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Gudaji, has reminded President Muhammadu Buhari of his campaign promise of providing free education to all when elected as Nigeria’s leader.
Gudaji, who represents Kazaure federal constituency, made the reminder in Dutse, while fielding questions from journalists.
He said it had become imperative as one the federal legislators and a card-carrying member of the ruling APC to alert the President to urgently fulfill the promise he made to Nigerians during the election campaigns.

As President, Insults Were Pleasant To Me — Obasanjo

Ibadan—FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo said yesterday that it was a form of pleasure to him when he was being insulted as a sitting president by his critics or perceived political opponents.
To show that he enjoyed the ‘fun’, he said all those published insults were kept in the archives at his presidential library.

He said, “If you visit the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, you will find thousands of archived newspaper comics and columns meant to spite and insult my person even as a sitting President. No individual or group of people was ever queried or jailed or repressed for expressing this freedom. Rather, I encouraged them because I derived fun and pleasure from the humour as I know who I am and nobody needs to tell me who and what I am not “.

Your Anti-Corruption War Is Selective, Jonathan’s Former Aides Tell Buhari

AIDES of former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday sent a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over what they described as disparity in the ongoing investigations into cases of cor­rupt practices against some political ap­pointees under the last administration.
The former political aides under the aegis of the Voice of the South-South, declared that though they support the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration with the belief that it will be done with justice and equity yester­day, they however, said the exclusion of the former president’s aides who hail from nothern Nigeria and other stalwarts of All Progressive Congress (APC) showed losidedness, selective justice and bias.

One Year In Office: I’ve Done Well –Fayose

Wife donates model school to orphanage
EKITI State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose yesterday reviewed his one year in office and declared: ‘I have done well’.
His wife, Feyisetan do­nated a model school to the Erelu Angela Adebayo Children’s Home in Iyin Ekiti, in a bid to give edu­cation to motherless chil­dren.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti while inspecting some projects, Fayose said con­sidering the paucity of funds in the state, he has done well.

AIG Mbu Appears Before Rights Commission

Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Joseph Mbu yesterday appeared at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to defend an allegation against him of torture, threat to life and abuse of human rights.
Mbu appeared at the Commission’s office in Abuja after disobeying several summons.
Executive Secretary, NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe told journalists yesterday at the commission that Mbu honoured the third and last invitation which if he had turned down, the powers of the commission would have been invoked on him.

World Bank Defends $75m Loan To Edo

The World Bank has defended its $75 million loan to Edo State Government, saying it grants significant funding only to governments it trusts would use the funds judiciously to achieve its development results.

Speaking on Wednesday at a three-day retreat for members of the State Executive Council and Permanent Secretaries holding at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, to brainstorm and re-strategise on raising the bar on governance in the state, with the theme, ‘Finishing Well’, two top executives of the World Bank, Mrs. Gloria Joseph Raji and Dr. Khwima Nthara said the bank trusts Edo State Government to use the fund properly as it only provides support to governments the bank trusts to use its funds for development results.

Obasanjo Decries Worsening Corruption In Africa

Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has decried the worsening level of corruption in Africa, urging African nations to wage war against it.
Obasanjo, who delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the First International Conference of the African Studies Association of Africa, ASAA, held on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State, southwest Nigeria, said one of the main challenges for the African continent was corruption.
At the event hosted by the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, the former president stated that corruption negated the deep moral fabric of the African society, saying that to steal from the community is considered a grave offence that puts permanent dent on the integrity and values of the family.
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Nigeria Loses $15bn To Non-Passage Of PIB - Kachikwu

THE Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Emmanuel Kachikwu, on Wednesday said Nigeria loses $15 billion (about N3.3 trillion) to non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
Kachikwu, who stated this while appearing before the Senate during the ministerial screening, said the new government would, however, tinker with the bill to ensure its passage.
“I will not be constrained by lack of PIB to continue to tinker with the operations of NNPC to ensure efficiency. As long as we would like to pass a holistic PIB, which will be cumbersome, it is better we break it up and take it in parts.

I’m Ready To Go To Prison For Nigeria – Clark

TWENTY FOUR hours after Edwin Clark told newsmen that President Jonathan meant well but had problems fighting corruption, the Ijaw leader granted us another interview where he clarified things. He was quoted as having dumped the People’s Democratic Party, PDP for the ruling APC.
“I never said that I was joining APC. I said that at my age I should be an elderly statesman and will no longer play partisan politics. At 89 why should I be playing partisan politics?

Akure Markets Shut As Deji And Eze-Ndigbo Clash

Igbo in Akure, the Ondo State capital, have reportedly shut down their businesses to protest the planned dethronement of their Eze- Ndigbo, Sir Gregory Iloehike.

Shops belonging to the Igbo were locked in all major markets in Akure; they also withdrew their services from the markets.

The Igbo, who converged on their secretariat at Gbogi Street as early as 7am, warned the Deji of Akure against dethroning the Eze Ndigbo.

They insisted that the traditional ruler has no power to dethrone Iloehike.