Peter Obi, Obaze And Ifeanyi Uba Hold 7 Hour Meeting over Anambra PDP Primaries
Former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi alongside the PDP flag bearer in the upcoming Anambra gubernatorial elections, Oseloka Obaze and some key Party stakeholders in the state on Thursday met with Chief Ifeanyi Ubah at his country home in Nnewi, Anambra state. The meeting reportedly lasted for 7 hours.It can be recalled that Ubah sued the PDP over 'irregularities' in the conduct of last week's party primaries for upcoming governorship elections. He claimed that the party did not give enough time for candidates to 'campaign'.
But recent developments indicate that Ubah may have sheathed his sword following his meeting with Obi and Obaze. Both parties were all smiles after the meeting and posed for photographs together.
Ijaw youths have shut down business activities at the operational headquarters of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The youths, under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) worldwide led by the Chairman of the Central Zone, Comrade Tari Tori, said the action was, among others, a result of alleged refusal by the board to compel the international oil companies (IOCs) to relocate to the Niger Delta.
They accused the NCDMB of operating an empty office in Bayelsa without notable directors and top management staff while opening operating branch offices in Abuja and Lagos.
The youths demanded that the Federal Government should immediately mandate all IOCs to relocate to the region, and that the executive secretary of the board must operate from the office in Bayelsa, instead of Abuja as, according to them, the law of the board demands.
The IYC also wants the board to immediately cancel the two offices created in Abuja and Lagos and relocate all NCDMB offices to the Niger Delta.While addressing the angry youths, Tori alleged that the NCDMB contravened the Nigerian Content Act, section 71, sub-paragraph 3, which they claimed stipulates that the local content board has the powers to establish branch offices within oil and gas producing states.
Lamenting that the board opened offices in Abuja and Lagos but has failed to open branches in the oil producing states, the IYC said it would not allow the NCDMB to divide the people and their common interest. According to him, all directors and the executive secretary spend time everyday in other offices in Lagos and Abuja but come once in three months to the headquarters.
A member of the board who pleaded anonymity told The Guardian yesterday that it was surprising that while the youths were pleading for the relocation of multinational oil companies, they were harassing the few that were in the region.
The source said that indeed the NCDMB maintained a liaison office in Abuja that has only five members of staff, adding that the office was hired because of the relationship between the company, the petroleum ministry and other such agencies. He condemned the turn of events during the protest, noting that what the youths were doing was capable of scaring away would-be investors from the region.
“We are not even thinking of relocating. Where are we going to move our 17-storey headquarters which is already in the 12th floor? The ED already explained everything to the IYC worldwide leadership that visited him, why is the zonal body now overriding the national? “ he queried.
In another development, the IYC condemned the killing of four soldiers and a civilian by unknown gunmen at Ekeremor Local Government of Bayelsa on Monday.
The gunmen suspected to be militants had on Monday ambushed and killed four soldiers and a civilian along the waterways of Letugbene. A statement by its spokesman, Henry Iyallah, described the killing as sad, unfortunate and barbaric considering the fact that not too long ago, soldiers were murdered at Ogbugbagbene community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
“We call on the security apparatus to investigate and unravel those behind these dastardly acts. These unfortunate killings do not reflect the position of the Ijaw people.
The IYC extends its sympathy to the military authorities and the families of the soldiers and civilian who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident while also expressing their cooperation to wipe out criminal elements from Ijaw communities.”
According to the group, it is not part of the culture of Ijaw people to take the lives of human beings for no just case. “These actions are anti-Ijaw interest and against the interest of the communities close to where the killings took place in Bayelsa State.”
The state government has also condemned the killing of the soldiers. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite expressed serious regret over the unfortunate incident, describing it as unwarranted, barbaric and totally unacceptable.
It was learnt that the militants overpowered the soldiers, seized their arms, moved them to a location in the creeks and shot them dead While one of the civilians, a boat driver was said to have escaped, the only survivor of the attack reportedly jumped into the water before he was shot by the hoodlums.
The youths, under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) worldwide led by the Chairman of the Central Zone, Comrade Tari Tori, said the action was, among others, a result of alleged refusal by the board to compel the international oil companies (IOCs) to relocate to the Niger Delta.
They accused the NCDMB of operating an empty office in Bayelsa without notable directors and top management staff while opening operating branch offices in Abuja and Lagos.
The youths demanded that the Federal Government should immediately mandate all IOCs to relocate to the region, and that the executive secretary of the board must operate from the office in Bayelsa, instead of Abuja as, according to them, the law of the board demands.
The IYC also wants the board to immediately cancel the two offices created in Abuja and Lagos and relocate all NCDMB offices to the Niger Delta.While addressing the angry youths, Tori alleged that the NCDMB contravened the Nigerian Content Act, section 71, sub-paragraph 3, which they claimed stipulates that the local content board has the powers to establish branch offices within oil and gas producing states.
Lamenting that the board opened offices in Abuja and Lagos but has failed to open branches in the oil producing states, the IYC said it would not allow the NCDMB to divide the people and their common interest. According to him, all directors and the executive secretary spend time everyday in other offices in Lagos and Abuja but come once in three months to the headquarters.
A member of the board who pleaded anonymity told The Guardian yesterday that it was surprising that while the youths were pleading for the relocation of multinational oil companies, they were harassing the few that were in the region.
The source said that indeed the NCDMB maintained a liaison office in Abuja that has only five members of staff, adding that the office was hired because of the relationship between the company, the petroleum ministry and other such agencies. He condemned the turn of events during the protest, noting that what the youths were doing was capable of scaring away would-be investors from the region.
“We are not even thinking of relocating. Where are we going to move our 17-storey headquarters which is already in the 12th floor? The ED already explained everything to the IYC worldwide leadership that visited him, why is the zonal body now overriding the national? “ he queried.
In another development, the IYC condemned the killing of four soldiers and a civilian by unknown gunmen at Ekeremor Local Government of Bayelsa on Monday.
The gunmen suspected to be militants had on Monday ambushed and killed four soldiers and a civilian along the waterways of Letugbene. A statement by its spokesman, Henry Iyallah, described the killing as sad, unfortunate and barbaric considering the fact that not too long ago, soldiers were murdered at Ogbugbagbene community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
“We call on the security apparatus to investigate and unravel those behind these dastardly acts. These unfortunate killings do not reflect the position of the Ijaw people.
The IYC extends its sympathy to the military authorities and the families of the soldiers and civilian who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident while also expressing their cooperation to wipe out criminal elements from Ijaw communities.”
According to the group, it is not part of the culture of Ijaw people to take the lives of human beings for no just case. “These actions are anti-Ijaw interest and against the interest of the communities close to where the killings took place in Bayelsa State.”
The state government has also condemned the killing of the soldiers. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite expressed serious regret over the unfortunate incident, describing it as unwarranted, barbaric and totally unacceptable.
It was learnt that the militants overpowered the soldiers, seized their arms, moved them to a location in the creeks and shot them dead While one of the civilians, a boat driver was said to have escaped, the only survivor of the attack reportedly jumped into the water before he was shot by the hoodlums.
Osinbajo Disowns Ngige Over ASUU Strike
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says contrary to the claim by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, he has not taken over negotiations with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The vice president said this today through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande.
Ngige had, while addressing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, said Osinbajo had taken over some aspects of the negotiations and discussions with the ASUU.
The minister had stated: "At council today (Wednesday), the vice president has taken over some of the aspects of the negotiations and discussions.
"So, we are continuing the meeting in his office and when we finish meeting, we will get back to ASUU for another round of meeting and we are hopeful that we will be able to go to an appreciable extent to solve some of the outstanding issues that is preventing them from going back to work."
But the vice president's spokesman, via Twitter, described the minister's disclosure as untrue and inaccurate.
Akandende emphasised that Ngige and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, continued to lead the discussions.
"News report that Vice President Osinbajo has taken over ASUU negotiations is untrue and inaccurate. Labour and Education Ministers continue to lead the talks."
The ASUU has since August 13 been on a nationwide strike over the failure of the Federal Government to implement an agreement reached with the union in 2009.
The union had also alleged that the government did not implement the Memorandum of Understanding the two sides signed in 2013.
The leadership of the union had on Tuesday boycotted a meeting with the government.
The vice president said this today through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande.
Ngige had, while addressing State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, said Osinbajo had taken over some aspects of the negotiations and discussions with the ASUU.
The minister had stated: "At council today (Wednesday), the vice president has taken over some of the aspects of the negotiations and discussions.
"So, we are continuing the meeting in his office and when we finish meeting, we will get back to ASUU for another round of meeting and we are hopeful that we will be able to go to an appreciable extent to solve some of the outstanding issues that is preventing them from going back to work."
But the vice president's spokesman, via Twitter, described the minister's disclosure as untrue and inaccurate.
Akandende emphasised that Ngige and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, continued to lead the discussions.
"News report that Vice President Osinbajo has taken over ASUU negotiations is untrue and inaccurate. Labour and Education Ministers continue to lead the talks."
The ASUU has since August 13 been on a nationwide strike over the failure of the Federal Government to implement an agreement reached with the union in 2009.
The union had also alleged that the government did not implement the Memorandum of Understanding the two sides signed in 2013.
The leadership of the union had on Tuesday boycotted a meeting with the government.
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Professor Itse Sagay, the chairman of the presidential advisory committee against corruption has said that the Economic and financial crimes commission, EFCC, is recovering stolen money from Nigeria's former minister of petroleum, Diezani Allison daily.
Sagay made these statements while reacting to the 19th anniversary of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP). He also reminded the party that Diezani was one of its products.
He said that the Buhari administration has recovered nearly a trillion naira from officials who served under the PDP administration, adding that the party should apologize to Nigerians and turn a new leaf. In his words;
“I am disappointed in the PDP. If they are celebrating 19 years, they should celebrate with caution and give the nation an assurance that they would not bring such negative impact on our nation again and they have turned a new leaf.
Yes, President Obasanjo was the one who proposed the establishment of the EFCC and the ICPC? After Nuhu Ribadu left the EFCC, what became of the EFCC? These people just neutralized these agencies and turned this country into an ATM from which they kept on withdrawing money until there was nothing left.
So, they destroyed our economy; their greed was overwhelming. If you look at Diezani for instance, there is no day that goes by that money is not recovered from her. In Thursday’s papers, it was reported that the EFCC had recovered about half a trillion naira from these people.”
Sagay made these statements while reacting to the 19th anniversary of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP). He also reminded the party that Diezani was one of its products.
He said that the Buhari administration has recovered nearly a trillion naira from officials who served under the PDP administration, adding that the party should apologize to Nigerians and turn a new leaf. In his words;
“I am disappointed in the PDP. If they are celebrating 19 years, they should celebrate with caution and give the nation an assurance that they would not bring such negative impact on our nation again and they have turned a new leaf.
Yes, President Obasanjo was the one who proposed the establishment of the EFCC and the ICPC? After Nuhu Ribadu left the EFCC, what became of the EFCC? These people just neutralized these agencies and turned this country into an ATM from which they kept on withdrawing money until there was nothing left.
So, they destroyed our economy; their greed was overwhelming. If you look at Diezani for instance, there is no day that goes by that money is not recovered from her. In Thursday’s papers, it was reported that the EFCC had recovered about half a trillion naira from these people.”
Address Rising Cost Of Living, Emir Sanusi Tells Nigerian Govt
The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, has called on the government and traders to address the high cost of consumable items in the country.
Mr. Sanusi made the call in his Sallah message to the people of Kano delivered at his palace shortly after Eid durbar (Hawan Sallah).
The Emir, who lamented the current hardship being experienced by Nigerians, prayed that the bumper harvest being expected this year will bring succour to the masses.
“We are grateful to Almighty Allah for consistent rain. May it bring the end of high cost of food items,” the Emir said.
Emir Sanusi warned people on environmental sanitation which he noted tackled malaria and children cum maternal diseases. He asked Nigerians to be united.
“People should avoid rumour mongering and other activities that may bring disunity among Nigerians. Youths should be responsible citizens and embrace different trades for self reliant, as government cannot provide employment to all.”
Mr. Sanusi made the call in his Sallah message to the people of Kano delivered at his palace shortly after Eid durbar (Hawan Sallah).
The Emir, who lamented the current hardship being experienced by Nigerians, prayed that the bumper harvest being expected this year will bring succour to the masses.
“We are grateful to Almighty Allah for consistent rain. May it bring the end of high cost of food items,” the Emir said.
Emir Sanusi warned people on environmental sanitation which he noted tackled malaria and children cum maternal diseases. He asked Nigerians to be united.
“People should avoid rumour mongering and other activities that may bring disunity among Nigerians. Youths should be responsible citizens and embrace different trades for self reliant, as government cannot provide employment to all.”
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