Dokpesi Must Not Face Secret Trial, Says PDP.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the arrest of Raymond Dokpesi, founder of Africa Independent Television (AIT), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as political persecution.
The party condemned the arrest, saying it “had been made aware that more of its leaders had similarly been listed for arrest over unproven allegations pursuant to the plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cow and silence opposition in the country”.

U.S. Advises Rwandan President To Step Down After Tenure Expiration In 2017

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, says Washington expects Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, to set an example for the region and step down at the end of his second term in office in 2017.
She told reporters on Wednesday that “President Kagame has an opportunity to set an example for a region in which leaders seem too tempted to view themselves as indispensable to their own countries’ trajectories.
“We really do expect President Kagame to follow through on the commitments that he has made many times in the past to allow the next generation of leaders to come forward.
“We expect Kagame to step down at the end of his term in 2017.’’

Bayelsa Governorship Poll: No Card Reader, No Voting – Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Nigeria police have assured that they are ready for the conduct credible governorship election in Bayelsa State on Saturday.
The national chairman of the INEC,Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said the commission has put necessary arrangements needed to conduct free and fair poll despite the allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the plot by the All Progressive Congress (APC) to rig the elections.
The INEC boss added that no voter would be allowed to vote without accreditation through the card reader.

250 Nigerian Students In Canada Risk Deportation

More than 200 Nigerian students schooling in the Canada are on the brink of deportation as a result of the failure of the River states government to fund their scholarships. Osho Samuel, a graduate student of mechanical engineering in the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, confirmed the development to TheCable, saying the students have lost all hope.

“This is a national disgrace, considering the fact that these students are here to learn, they’ve lost all hope and I believe strongly that the government can respond and pay their bills,” he said.
“This is a critical situation for the students, they are actually preparing for their exams, they should be writing their exams in the next two weeks.

Corrupt Customs Officials Will Be Jailed - Comptroller

The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has warned officers and men of the service to desist from corrupt practices, saying anyone found culpable will be dismissed and jailed.

Ali gave the warning in Calabar while addressing officers and men of the Customs Service on the need to be of good conduct and show professionalism while carrying out their duties.
He said his administration has zero tolerance for corruption, hence the need for officers and men of the Service to shun all corrupt practices.

IG Orders Anti-Riot Police To ‘Maximally’ Restrain Pro-Biafra Protesters.

 The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase has issued a stern warning to MASSOB and IPOB activists to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law. The warning followed the observation by the Nigeria Police Force leadership of the increasing resort to acts of brigandage by sets of misguided individuals who apparently are hiding under the cloak of Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to threaten national security and public peace in parts of South East geopolitical Zone and some other conterminous States.

Dokpesi: Money I Received Was For Publicity And Media.

High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi, Daar Communication (Ray Power and AIT) founder, has explained what transpired on Tuesday 1 December 2015 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him. In a statement signed by the management of DAAR Communications Plc, he said that around 2.00pm that day, the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, through a phone call, invited him to the Commission. On getting there, he was requested to, “shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President, Malam Sambo Dasuki.”

Russian Defense Ministry Presents Evidence of Illegal Oil Trade on Turkish-Syria Border (PHOTO, VIDEO)

The Russian Defense Ministry has provided evidence of Turkish participation in Daesh illegal oil trade. During the press briefing for the international media, the Russian Defense ministry has provided hard evidence of Turkish participation in ISIL illegal oil trade. The ministry has shown photo and video proof.

According to the ministry's statement, the briefing is titled "Russian Federation Armed Forces fighting against international terrorism. New data."

11 Things in November; an Overview of the Senate’s Legislative activities.

by Abang Dove

The month of November has been a busy but eventful one in the Nigerian Senate. Lots of Bills were presented and a few other motions passed. Out of all the Bills presented, a number of them also passed for second reading.

Some of these Bills presented to the house include:

Poor Remuneration Should Not Be Basis To Steal Funds – Finance Minister To Civil Servants

The Minister for Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, yesterday, while reiterating Federal Government’s resolve to stop all forms of inefficiency and wastage in the utilization of the nation’s resources, cautioned civil servants against complaining of poor remuneration and using that as a basis to loot public funds.

Adeosun disclosed this during the inauguration of the Efficiency Unit in Abuja.
According to the Finance Minister, the rate at which the country’s resources had been mismanaged by past administrations was a major reason Nigeria had not recorded any significant progress in the area of capital projects.

Okorocha: We Don’t Want PDP To Die

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo has said that the All Progressives Congress–led government and the people of the state do not want the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to die, noting that, the government and the citizenry would benefit more if the PDP remains alive to play the role of an opposition party.

Okonjo-Iweala: SERAP ‘A Tool For Corrupt Vested Interests’.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance and co-coordinating minister for the economy, has described the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) as “a tool of corrupt politicians”.
Reacting to the organisation’s demand of her probe over the management of the loot of Sani Abacha, former military ruler, Okonjo-Iweala said SERAP was hiding under the umbrella of civil society to perpetrate mischief.

Stealing Is Now A Crime, Says Adeosun.

Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, says stealing of public funds is now a crime and would not be excused for any reason, now that the guidelines are being made clear.
While speaking in Abuja, at the inauguration of a recently approved efficiency unit by President Muhammadu Buhari, Adeosun said poor remuneration should be no excuse for stealing.
“We are setting a benchmark; at the moment, there are no guidelines; and where there are no guidelines, there is no sin. So, we need to establish those guidelines to guide how people spend money,” she said.

Ishaku: Appeal Court Will Restore My Mandate.

Darius Ishaku, governor of Taraba state, says he is confident the court of appeal will restore his mandate.
Yusufu Akirikwen, the state attorney-general and commissioner for justice, said on Monday that Ishaku’s team of lawyers had appealed the decision of the tribunal which held that he was not a valid candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The tribunal had declared that Aisha Alhassan, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, should be sworn in as governor.
Akirikwen said APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Alhassan had also filed cross appeals before the appellate court.
Ishaku described media reports that he failed to appeal the judgment as “misleading” and “untrue”, urging the the people of the state not to take the laws into their own hands but allow the judiciary to decide the case.

Adeosun: FG To Focus On Cutting Cost Of Governance

Nigeria will focus on cutting the cost of running the government rather than on slashing jobs next year, and will present its 2016 budget proposals by the end of the year, the new finance minister told Reuters on Monday.
Widespread corruption and mismanagement have stunted development in Africa’s biggest economy and left it with paltry savings, dangerously pot-holed highways and constant power outages after a period of record high oil prices.

Kemi Adeosun, the new minister appointed at the start of November, has launched an Efficiency Unit based on a UK model aimed at pinpointing spending excesses and imposing guidelines in an effort to cut the vast amount of waste.

Lagos Slams 111 Charges Against Synagogue, Others

The much anticipated arraignment of the Trustees of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) and other defendants over the September 12, 2014 building collapse in Lagos which claimed 116 lives was stalled yesterday. The planned arraignment before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo at Lagos High Court was stalled owing to the non-availability of three defendants in court.

UPDATED) Arms Probe: EFCC Arrests Dokpesi, Bafarawa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has continued the arrests of suspected corrupt public office holders in the country with the arrest of a former Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Attahiru Bafarawa, on Tuesday. The commission also arrested the Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, for alleged involvement in the arms deal. It was learnt that while Barafawa was arrested in the early hours of the morning, Dokpesi was taken to the Idiagbon House of the commission by noon. He was said to have been picked up to make clarifications on some monies traced to his account. Details later

Buhari’s Govt Will Not Give Excuses – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said Nigerians will soon get the change they voted for, pledging that the government will not give them excuses.
Mohammed told representatives of civil society organisations in Abuja on Tuesday that the current administration would start “firing from all cylinders”, starting with the unveiling of the 2016 budget, a statement by his Special Adviser, Segun Adeyemi, said.

Ambode Asks Lagosians To Change Attitude

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday canvassed the need for Lagosians to embrace attitudinal change and shun all forms of unethical activities in the interest of socio-economic wellbeing of the State.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at the Iyalode of Lagos Forum/Health Screening with the theme: “Improving the Ethical Standard of the Citizenry in Lagos State,” expressed delight at the return of peace among youths and various trade groups, especially in Lagos Island.
Represented by Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr. Olaide Kehinde Joseph, the Governor said he believed that such attitudinal change recorded on the Island would be replicated in all the nooks and cranny of Lagos State.

Judge’s Absence Stalls Trial Of Kanu

The trial of Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, suffered a setback on Tuesday due to the absence of Magistrate Shuaibu Usman of the Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja.
Kanu is standing trial on a three-count of criminal conspiracy, intimidation and belonging to unlawful society, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Nigeria To Assist S’Sudan In Debt Management – Nwankwo

The Director-General, Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo, has said, the Nigerian government will assist South Sudan in managing its huge debt profile and develop its bonds market.
Nwankwo, speaking on Tuesday when he received a South Sudan delegation on a study tour, stressed the need for cooperation among African countries.
He also assured the delegation that Nigeria would assist South Sudan to set up its own Debt Management Office.

“Nigerians Will Get The Change They Voted For”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians that the change they voted for is guaranteed, promising better times.
The Minister on Tuesday said that “this Government will not give excuses. The painstaking and methodical approach by the Buhari Administration, its deep analysis and understanding of the challenges and the recent inauguration of the cabinet will herald a new dawn.”
Alhaji Mohammed, who stated this at a meeting with representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Abuja on Tuesday, said that in the next few days, the Administration will start firing from all cylinders, starting with the unveiling of the 2016 budget.

Abacha Loot: SERAP’s Call For My Probe Politically Sponsored – Okonjo-Iweala

A former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has noted that the call by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, for her probe over the management of the Abacha loot is a politically sponsored campaign to serve an agenda.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the ex-Minister’s Media Adviser, Paul Nwachukwu, “It is curious that SERAP, ignoring more worthy issues, decided to embark on this fishing expedition of a 10 year old process that was handled in an exemplary and transparent fashion. This shows that neither the organization nor its charges should be taken seriously.

Benue South: David Mark Campaign Rice, Salt Flood Otukpo, To Construct Four Roads Before Xmas [PHOTOS]

Following the nullification of the 5th term election of former Senate President, David Mark by the Appellate Court, the campaign team of the ousted legislator have flooded the city of Otukpo with iodized salt, rice and tin tomatoes.
This is just as the Akpegede-born retired soldier has also commenced work on four different roads in the ancient Otukpo town.
A source told DAILY POST that among the roads billed for reconstruction are Otukpa street, Owukpa street and two others dominated by Idoma enone (West).

Nigerians Expect You To Do More Than You Did As Head Of State – Maitama Sule Tells Buhari

A former Federal Commissioner of Public Complaints, Maitama Sule, has observed that Nigerians currently expect more from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari than they got from his government while he was a military Head of State from 1983 to 1985.
The former federal commissioner, who served in 1976, advised that the fight against corruption by the present government must be seen to be yielding positive impacts, since Nigerians have high hopes in the President.