Hold Buhari responsible if naira depreciates against dollars – Reno Omokri charges Nigerians

Former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Electronic Media, Reno Omokri, has called on Nigerians to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible if the naira suddenly starts depreciating.


The former Presidential aide noted that while Buhari was on his medical vacation in London, the naira appreciated from ₦520 to $1 to ₦455 to $1 under the leadership of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.

In a post on his Facebook page, the United States, US-based Pastor noted that should the naira depreciate, then Buhari is the problem.

He wrote: “During President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence, the Naira appreciated from ₦520 to $1 to ₦455 to $1 under Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Patience Jonathan demands fresh N2 Billion as damages from EFCC

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has adjourned to April 24, 2017 a suit filed by wife of former President of Nigeria, Mrs Patience Jonathan seeking N2 billion as compensation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly violating her fundamental human rights.


The former first lady, Mrs Jonathan is further asking the court to declare as a violation of her rights the freezing of her accounts and that of her relatives by the anti graft agency. Meanwhile, trial judge in the matter is Justice Saliu Saidu.

Mrs Jonathan is also asking the court to compel the anti graft agency to pay her N2bn as damages for the alleged violation of her rights, adding that the recent invasion of her family property by the EFCC while armed with a search warrant violated her rights to private and family life.

She wants the court to declare “that the incessant harassments of the former first lady on the ground of her political views and for being the wife of the former presidents who belongs to the opposition party in Nigeria is a violation of her fundamental human rights to freedom.

6 million Rivers residents risk cancer – Specialists

About six million residents of Rivers State face the risk of developing cancer of the lung and other respiratory problems, following the never-ending raining of cancerous hydrocarbon elements, commonly referred to as black soot on their environment. Dr. Furo Green, a specialist and consultant surgeon at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt, who raised the alarm in an interview with NDV, decried the impact of the black soot, saying that six million Rivers people were at the risk of cancer over the hydrocarbon.


Magnitude of hydrocarbon Similarly, a consultant surgeon and the deputy chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Special Projects and Linkages University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Dr. Ochele Emmanuel, confirmed that the hydrocarbons were capable of causing cancer. However, the Rivers State Government, according to our findings, had shut down three companies in the state for allegedly operating machines that emit high magnitude of hydrocarbon into the atmosphere.

President Buhari orders return of Egbesu sword to Niger Delta

As the Federal Government intensifies effort to appease the restive Niger Delta region to stabilise oil production, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate return of the golden sword seized by the Nigerian Army last year to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South Local Government of Delta State.


The golden sword described as the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu, was reportedly confiscated by soldiers from the 4th Brigade, Benin City, in May last year while searching for ex-militant leader, Government Ekpomukpolo, alias Tompolo, in the heat of oil facility bombings in the area. In addition to the return of the sword, the Presidency has also resolved to mobilize funds for the immediate takeoff of the Maritime University of Nigeria, which has been marred by controversies and lack of funding.

A top Presidency source revealed that President Buhari ordered the search, recovery and immediate return of the golden sword which is a symbol of the ‘Egbesu Shrine’, to Gbaramatu Kingdom with immediate effect. The official, who pleaded anonymity, said the new move by the Presidency to appease the Niger Delta was in line with the resolve by the government to bring about lasting peace to the area and end the destruction of economic facilities that is currently hurting the nation.

"Grace Mugabe is a motor mouth who suffers from mental constipation" Zimbabwean democracy activist

A Zimbabwean democracy activist and educationist has described the country's first lady as a "motor mouth who suffers from mental constipation"

Patson Dzamara was reacting to Grace Mugabe's recent statement that her 92-year-old husband would be the voters' choice even if he dies.

Addressing supporters from the ruling ZANU-PF party last Friday in Harare, ahead of the general election due next year, Grace Mugabe, who is seen as a possible successor to Robert Mugabe, said:

"One day when God decides that Mugabe dies, we will have his corpse appear as a candidate on the ballot paper. You will see people voting for Mugabe as a corpse. I am seriously telling you...just to show how people love their president."

Nigeria highly prepared for nuclear, radiation emergencies — FG

The Federal Government, weekend, disclosed that Nigeria currently has strong emergency preparedness for any form of nuclear and radiation incident or accident anywhere in the country.

Speaking at a workshop on Nuclear Safety and Radiological Protection, in Abuja, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA, Mr. Lawrence Dim, said the agency had initiated a yearly programme to mop up radioactive materials from the system and had also developed stringent policies regarding nuclear and radioactive materials handling, transportation, storage and disposal.

He stated that the NNRA also simulated emergency situations concerning radioactive materials to test the country’s response to such situations, if they mistakenly and eventually occurred.

He disclosed that to further strengthen the country’s nuclear and radiation safety and protection and also deal with cases of emergencies, NNRA built a Nuclear Security Centre in the country and was currently, gradually equipping the facility with the necessary infrastructure.

Former NNPC boss, Andrew Yakubu, asks court to order EFCC to return his $9.8m, £74,000 seized from his Kaduna home

Former NNPC boss, Andrew Yakubu, has asked the Federal High Court in Kano to issue an order compelling the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC to return the $9.8 million and £74,000 recently seized from one of his homes in Kaduna state.

In a suit filed by his counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, Yakubu asked the court to set aside the ordered granting FG ownership of the money discovered at his home on February 3rd.


According to Vanguard, Yakubu argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to grant FG ownership of his money.

The court paper in part reads “No aspect of the perceived offence in respect of which the Order of February 13, 2017 was made, was committed within the Kano judicial division of this Honourable Court”. “By Section 28 of the EFCC Act, only the commission, i.e. the EFCC has the vires to seek an order for the interim forfeiture of property under the Act. The power of this Honourable Court to make interim forfeiture order(s) pursuant to sections 28 & 29 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, 2004 (herein after referred to a “EFCC Act”) is applicable ONLY to alleged offences charged under the EFCC Act and not to offences cognizable under any other law.

Buhari will be asked to address Nigerians this week - Presidency

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Sunday said President Muhammadu Buhari will be asked to address Nigerians from the United Kingdom.


The spokesperson made the disclosure on the sidelines of an interactive session with Nigerian youths organised by the Citizens Support for Good Governance in Nigeria when asked why the President’s handlers have not deemed it fit to get him to talk directly to Nigerians through Nigeria’s media.

‘’Okay, if you are making a suggestion, we will put it to him, in case he would agree. We will put it to him, ‘’he said.

I am not part of Aso Rock cabals – El-Rufai

Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has stated that he is not part of those who decide the affairs of the nation in Nigeria’s power house- Aso Rock.

El-Rufai said despite his closeness to President Muhammad Buhari, he was not part of the cabals, who influenced things in the Villa.

Addressing some editors in Kaduna recently, the governor said he had so many things doing and did not have time to join the cabals.

He said, “It is not correct to say I am part of those that influence things in the Villa. Am I very close to Buhari? Yes. I worked very closely with him in the CPC (Congress for Progressive Change) when everyone had given up on him. I know him, I know how he thinks and he trusts me. He knows that I am driven by public interest. Do I participate in federal decision making? I don’t.

“I am too busy addressing Kaduna problems to be part of it. When I am called for an opinion or when I happen to be around, and I have an input or if I see something going seriously wrong; I drive and go and see Mr. President I have heard A, B, C, D.

Corruption cases: FG to sack five SANs as prosecutors

The Federal Government is currently investigating its team of special prosecutors to fish out those who may be operating with conflict of interest.


Five Senior Advocates of Nigeria out of the 20 on the team are said to be have been found culpable, according to a preliminary random check, said a source in the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The team of special prosecutors comprises 80 lawyers, mostly in private practice, and those drawn from the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The 80 lawyers are grouped into 20 sub-teams with each led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The National Prosecution Coordination Committee, which oversees the activities of the prosecutors’ team and assigns cases to the prosecutors, is headed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Among the high-profile cases currently being coordinated by the NPCC and prosecuted through its prosecutors, are the corruption cases involving judges and top court officials.

FG to spend funds recovered from Diezani, Yakubu to feed poor Nigerians

The Federal Government is set to invest some of the recently recovered funds on its social intervention programmes.

A top government official told newsmen on Saturday that the $9m recovered from a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Andrew Yakubu and the $153m forfeited by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, would be immediately used to fund the welfare scheme for the poor.

The official, who wished to remain anonymous, said the money would be used in paying the N30,000 monthly stipend to beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme, the job creation programme of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration; as well as the school feeding programme.

He said, “The National Economic Forum has been meeting and we are looking at the idea of investing the recovered funds on the social intervention programme which will gulp hundreds of billions of naira.”

The Federal Government is also on a mission to recover at least N399bn and $6.62bn in cash and assets from the high profile cases being prosecuted across the country.

FG turns down hike in federal hospital bills

The Federal Government has rejected the ongoing lobby by tertiary health institutions to increase treatment fees.

Chief medical directors across the country had recently disclosed plans to lobby the Federal Government for increase in hospital treatment charges.

The CMDs hinged their reasons for the demand on inflation.

But the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole
, disclosed that he had not received any formal letter on the demand from the CMDs.

Adewale, who acknowledged the high cost of medical equipment, said he might not grant the request.

He insisted that the poor and vulnerable in the society must be catered for not minding the rising cost of medical equipment.

He said, “They don’t have to lobby the Federal Government for increment. Ideally if they have a board, they will write to us and when they write to us, we look into it.

High food prices: FG opens grain reserves in two weeks

The federal government will open the national grain reserves in the next two weeks if the prices of food continue to escalate, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has declared.


He disclosed this at the weekend after inauguration of managements of the three Federal Universities of Agriculture at the ministry in Abuja.
Describing roles of the institutions as vital to attaining food sufficiency, the minister noted prices of some staple foods such as maize, sorghum and millet were beginning to drop in the market.

He promised to fund the universities in the area of research and ensure research outputs are put to use to boost local food production.
Ogbeh said: “In another two weeks, if we find out that the prices are not going down, we will open the grain reserves.
“Already, the price of maize is falling, even cost of sorghum and millet are beginning to drop.

Release Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB lawyer begs FG

A lawyer to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr. Adoga Inalegwu, has called on the Federal Government to immediately release the IPOB leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, so he can begin to talk to his people on the need for peace.

Speaking shortly after a bail application for 45 suspected members of IPOB hit a brick wall at the Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Friday, Inalegwu suggested that the poor handling of the agitation for Biafra could worsen the situation.

The lawyer explained that the continued detention of the IPOB leader was not a solution to the agitation for Biafra.

He argued that freeing Kanu would enable him to speak with his people to embrace dialogue with the Federal Government.

Inalegwu said, “I have written to the Federal Government for a dialogue to end this matter before it gets out of hand. We looked on and the Niger Delta crisis got out of hand. I think it is time for the Federal Government to call on the leadership of Biafra to sit down and discuss the matter.

Buhari did not route official trips to see doctors, says Presidency

The Presidency on Saturday said there was no truth in a media report that President Muhammadu Buhari had made several medical trips to London in the past, under the guise of embarking on official trips to other countries.


The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this in an interview with our correspondent.

Adesina was reacting to a Reuters report titled “Nigeria signals normality by putting Buhari’s deputy in charge” published on Friday.

According to the report, some unnamed diplomats had claimed that Buhari had made several visits to Britain to see his doctor, routing official trips to destinations as Asia via London so as not to declare medical leave all the time.

But the presidential spokesman denied the report, saying Buhari is a straightforward person.

Zimbabweans will vote for Mugabe's corpse even when he's dead - Wife

The wife of 92-year-old Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has said that the citizens will still vote for her husband's corpse, even when he is dead. Speaking to the supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party on Friday, February 17, 2017, Grace Mugabe who is seen as a possible successor to her ailing husband, said:

'One day when God decides that Mugabe dies, we will have his corpse appear as a candidate on the ballot paper. You will see people voting for Mugabe as a corpse. I am seriously telling you -- just to show people how people love their president, she added.

President Mugabe, the world's oldest national leader, who has been in power since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 will turn 93 on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, with a celebration party planned for next Saturday.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo signs seven bills into law

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has signed seven bills passed by the National Assembly into law. The bills which include Oath (Amendment) Act 2017, Defence Space Administration Act, Veterinary Surgeons(Amendment) Act) have now become Nigerian laws. Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang confirmed Osinbajo's endorsement of the bills in a press statement. 

The statement reads "The Nigeria's Ag President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN GCON has assented to seven bills passed by the National Assembly. 

Enang in a release made available to the press in his office said the bills Assented to have accordingly becomes laws as it was passed by the National Assembly and transmitted for Assent.

The bills according to him includes:

1. OATHS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2017

2. DEFENCE SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACT, 2017

3. VETERINARY SURGEONS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2017

4. NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO CENSOR BOARD (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2017

5. PENSION RIGHTS OF JUDGES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2017

Sentors loyal to Bukola Saraki allegedly threaten to impeach President Buhari

Senators said to be loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu, have reportedly threatened to impeach President Buhari over their trial for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules 2015. 

According to a report by The Nation, the Pro-Saraki senators at the senate's plenary yesterday made their position known after the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, David Umar, gave a feedback on the last meeting they were supposed to have with the Attorney General of the Federation and Chief Justice of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who failed to honor their invitation. The Pro-Saraki senators felt it was a slap on their faces.

 
Senators Isa Misau, Dino Melaye, Jibrin Barau and Monsurat Sunmonu condemned the attitude of the AGF, stating that his action shows that “the Presidency is fighting the Senate with the disrespect for the chamber by the AGF”. 

A source quoted Senator Misau as saying: “The Executive should toe the path of dialogue or else the Senate will go for the jugular.”  

A member of the Unity Forum which is a group of Senators against Saraki's leadership,  asked: “What is the meaning of the jugular? Tell us; we don’t know what you mean.” 

An enraged Misau said: “Impeachment, of course.”

Tinubu dares Dino Melaye: Beat my wife and see what I’ll do to you

A former Governor of Lagos State and a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has vowed to deal with Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi), if he dared beat his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC-Lagos).


Melaye had on Tuesday reportedly vowed to beat Senator Tinubu during a closed-door session of the Senate over the forgery case against Principal Officers of the Senate.

Tinubu had expressed disapproval of the tactics suggested by Melaye, who was of the opinion that commencing impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari will make the Executive back down on the trial.


Reacting to the development, Asiwaju Tinubu vowed to deal with Melaye if he took any untoward action against his wife.

We’ll start going after lawyers who help ‘looters’ escape justice'- EFCC acting chairman says

The acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, says that the antigraft agency will soon start going after lawyers who aid and abet financial and economic crimes. Magu said this at the opening of a one-day workshop organised by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACC) at the Rockview hotel in Abuja yesterday Tuesday July 12th.

A statement issued by EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren states that Magu said at the workshop that the EFCC could not stamp out corruption in the country without the support of all stakeholders.

“We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shades of graft. We will not stop going after people who are involved in laundering money. It doesn’t matter who you are, the law is a respecter of nobody especially those who commit crime. Whether you are EFCC, SAN or whatever, sooner or later we will start going after people who buy properties with stolen funds as well as people who help others to escape justice"he said