I will not Campaign For Any Candidate Again - Fayose Insist

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, said he
had learnt his lessons from his initial support for the
embattled factional National Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
Fayose said this when the ex-chairman of Daar
Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, took his
PDP national chairmanship campaign to Ekiti.
He said, “I must tell you that I have learnt my lessons
from my past experience. I will not openly identify or
campaign for a candidate any longer. As part of our
great party in Ekiti, I ‘m assuring you that I do not
have a personal candidate and God knows I have not
spoken to my people about any candidate.
“We will allow God to choose for us this time by
ensuring that all aspirants have a level-playing
ground.
“I have learnt my lessons on Ali Modu Sheriff and I
take full responsibility for the consequences.
Imagine, if we have allowed him to get there, with the
way he is now behaving, it would have been worse
than this.”
Fayose, while expressing concerns about the crisis
rocking the party, lamented that some people were
merely paying lip service to reconciliation efforts in
the PDP because of selfish interest.

INEC boss lauds development of mega container ports

The National Electoral Commissioner, Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hajia Amina
Zakari, has said that rising global cargo freight is
giving room for development of mega container
ports across the globe.
Zakari stated this in a paper entitled “Logistics and
Its Challenges in the 21st Century’’, made available to
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in
Lagos.
She spoke on the sideline of the Women In Logistics
and Transport (WILAT) Conference 2016, held in
Lagos.
According to her, ocean shipping is vividly known to
handle over 70 per cent of global cargo freight.This
leads to the growing capacity and size of ships, the
expansion of Panama Canal and the development of
mega container ports across the globe.
The ownership and operations of global shipping has
also been expanding toward creating mega players
that tend to control greater percentage of
international cargo freight,’’ she said.
Zakari said that this development would tend to shift
patronage away from older ports and lead to
redundancy in many traditional logistics centres.
She expected to see continuing efforts by shippers,
carriers and service providers to store, handle and
transport goods in environmental
responsible ways.
Zakari noted some of the factors which made
Africa’s transport costs and other challenges
extremely severe by global standards.
She mentioned border posts plagued with corruption
as well as inefficiencies; high parking fees;
inadequate facilities and space to park
vehicles.
Zakari said there was lack of proper integration and
insufficient training of personnel on logistics
management and operations.
The national electoral commissioner explained that
the volatility of energy prices (fuel) locally and
internationally, had been a major challenge in
logistics management in the 21st century.
She added, “The volatility of energy prices led to
higher transportation costs that translate into
increases in cost of logistics.’’
The national electoral commissioner said that the
high fuel costs and further regulation of engine
emissions and carbon footprints as well as possible
driver shortages in advanced countries of the world,
would result in higher truck rates.
“With active globalisation on course, the ripple
effects of this is felt in virtually every other country
through rising logistics costs emanating from the
global supply chain and logistics network.
“Despite rising hire rates, the threat of human
capacity and skills shortages remains.
“This challenge is posing negative impact on logistics
service delivery,’’ NAN quotes Zakari as saying.
She explained that transport and logistics
infrastructure continued to deteriorate, particularly
in least-advanced countries, where there is conflict
between jobs creation, public spending and other
issues that are all tangled up with infrastructure
deficit.
According to her, another fundamental challenge
facing logistics companies and operations is the poor
condition of roads due to inadequate maintenance
and overloading.
“Over 60 per cent of the challenges on African roads
conditions is caused by over-loading of vehicles.
“Another challenge is inadequate budget and lack of
sufficient funding for infrastructural development,’’
Zakari said.
She said that many shippers and carriers wanted an
initiative that would increase truck weight limits for
vehicles equipped with six axles to enable the
vehicles handle additional weight.
Zakari said that, “Efforts to tighten security in the
supply chain will continue but the idea of
guaranteeing that every package and every container
is safe remains a challenge.’’
She urged government, carriers and security
operatives in seaports, airports, terminals and along
logistics routes, to find remedies every time security
threats arose.
The national electoral commissioner advised WILAT
and other organisations to always be abreast with
information on changes in international Rules,
Conventions and agreements with regards to
logistics operation.

Source: guardian

We want to build, a Nigeria where people will have one agenda to build Nigeria – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, on Monday called on political leaders
to build one Nigeria devoid of partisanship,
ethnicity and religious differences.
Mohammed made the call when he led a team of
ministers on a courtesy visit to Gov. Ifeanyi
Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
He commended the governor for the reception
accorded his entourage not minding that he is in an
opposition party.


Lai Mohammed
He noted that political parties and their leaders
must have the single goal of serving the interest of
the nation.
"It is unique that we are here today in Enugu, an
opposition state, and since we came we have not
seen any difference whether we are in APC- or
PDP-controlled state.
"This is very important because this is the kind of
Nigeria we want to build, a Nigeria where people
will have one agenda to build Nigeria," he said.
The minister thanked the governor and his cabinet
members for the cooperation and support in
hostingthe 5th Town Hall Meeting.
In his address of welcome, the governor said that
Enugu had always been the political capital of the
South East from Independence, adding that the
choice of the city for the meeting was not out of
place.
He commended the Federal Government for the
initiative to engage the people and keep them
informed of its activities.
"This is a welcome initiative and I am sure it will be
of immense benefits to all the states and the people
of the South East," he said.
The town hall meeting was conceived by the Federal
Ministry of Information and Culture to interact with
the people on the programmes of the Federal
Government.
It gives the opportunity for ministers to engage
directly with the people, telling them the
achievements and challenges of the government
and also giving answers to their questions.
The ministers slated for the forum are Mohammed,
Audu Ogheh, Chris Ngige, Geoffrey Onyeama, Isaac
Adewole, Jubril Usman and Okechukwu Enelama.

How we pad budgets every year — Reps Lawal Gumau

Last week, a member of the House of
Representatives, Lawal Gumau, appeared on Sunrise,
a current affairs programme on Channels Television.
In the interview, the lawmaker, a member of a
pressure group in the House, Transparency Group,
spoke frankly about how budget padding is done in
the National Assembly.
Saying the corrupt practice had remained a yearly
ritual, the lawmaker broke budget padding down in
a way Nigerians can easily understand.
The interview was transcribed by PREMIUM TIMES’
Ebuka Onyeji
Excerpts…
So, what you are saying essentially is that this
padding has been going on for a while and that it
didn’t start today?
I came to the National Assembly in 2011 and I was
fighting padding since 2012 and every year there
was padding in the National Assembly. Nobody can
tell anybody that there is no padding. Let us start
investigation and everybody who investigate will
know there was padding.
What exactly is padding?
Padding is to insert something into a document with
the intention of comforting yourself or distorting
information. Check any dictionary, that is the
definition. Before we came out yesterday we had to
look at different dictionaries and see the meaning of
padding. Let us be fair to this people.
So they inserted certain things to comfort
themselves?
For example, can you tell me in a situation where
two members are here, one is representing a
constituency in Bauchi then the other is
representing another constituency in Bauchi. Mr. A
is having four billion for his constituency while Mr.
B is having only 70 million. Four billion and
70million. Can you see the frustration of Mr. B? And
Mr. A did not inform the national assembly that he
wants to put four billion in his constituency.
In the statement of the house that was initially
issued when Jibrin made his allegations, they said
they have house tactics, that principal officers
usually get a bigger chunk of the money allocated
for constituency projects to the house or to the
senate and that has been the tradition for a
while.
Thank you so much. Naturally you can’t expect the
general manager of Channels TV to get what you get.
Naturally a leader must get something more than
what the follower will get. But what we are saying is
padding comes after that.
For example, zonal intervention (projects) was
shared between six geo-political zones. Between this
six geo-political zones, every state has its own share.
This one is known to everyone. Where the problem
comes in is that there are some information that
were hidden by the leadership which they did not
divulge to members and this information was used
by them alone. Can’t you people see padding there?
Naturally, a leader must get something more than,
but can you imagine a leader getting four billion and
a follower getting just 40 million. I have a friend in
Anambra State. Up till today, nothing was put in his
account by the speaker. For personal reason, for
selfish reasons because they have differences. Even
yesterday, he came to my office, telling me there is
no kobo in his account. I advised him to go to the
speaker and he said he went to the office of the
speaker 10 times. Even before Jibrin was removed,
he went to his office five times. Yet nothing.
… So it means, correct me if am wrong, the house
does not get to see the final copy before it is sent
to the senate for assent and after it has been sent
to the executive the entire house does not see the
final copy of the budget that people usually say
they have approved. is that what happens?
I pray one day you will be in the house to see these
things clear. Now listen to me. After the budget from
the committees go to the appropriation committee,
they will now work on the budget. After working on
the budget, the committee will return it to members
of the chamber who will now read it and agree on it.
If padding doesn’t come in up to that point then
immediately after the house passes the budget before
they submit it to the president and that is where
padding comes in.
The president will not know that this project was not
in the budget the members approved. The president
will give assent. The members on the other hand
will not know that after passing the budget that
something was inserted. So what we are saying is
that when they bring back the approved (assented)
budget, that is where we the ordinary members will
know something is inserted from what we approved.
When you talk of insertion, are you talking of
new line items inserted or just ordinary figures
increased?
Yes, new line items. Let me give you a clear
example. This Kano film house that was in public
debate, we did not approve it in the budget. It was
inserted before taking it (the budget) to the
president for assent and money was allocated to it.
Go to the constituency of all the leaders, especially
the ones Jibrin accused, you will be surprised that
after zonal intervention given to their
constituencies, they went ahead to insert billions of
naira in their constituencies.
So this is not about the leadership tussle that
preceded the inauguration of the House?
It has nothing to do with it, Maukpe. The house had
let that go and we had agreed, including the leaders,
let there be no padding. Before Ramadan, there was
an executive session, where precisely Hon. Babanle
Bashir raised the issue that we don’t want padding
this year and we will not agree and we will not fight
it internally but externally if need be. They
promised they would not it and that they would sit
down with members after two weeks … that there
will be no padding. Then up till today all this
promises never happened. When we went to Mecca
we came back assuming that after we came back that
we would be called for executive session to decide
but up till when we went on recess, there was no
executive session.
By that time the allegations had not come out?
It has, Maukpe. But it was not yet in the public
domain
So it’s Jibrin that raised this allegations?
You know God knows how to punish a criminal.
What happened was that Jibrin was part of them.
They were hiding these things. It was only Jibrin, as
chairman of appropriation committee that knows
everything that happened. We did not know. We
only knew that most likely they would pad this
budget because since 2011 that I came into the house
every year there was no year they did not pad it.
So you are saying that the allegations Jibrin made
were true?
Mind you, I am not supporting Hon. Jibrin. I am
supporting the allegations and I am not saying that
they are true because I am not a lawyer. What I am
saying is that if Jibrin made allegations against
them, why can’t there be an investigation because
padding is an offence.
Who do you want to do that investigations?
We don’t want a committee within the house to do
that investigation because they are all appointees of
the speaker. We don’t want the senate too because
they are committees by the senate president.
What is the attorney general of the federation
doing? Is he not the law officer? If there is a
petition, can’t he order an investigation? We have
EFCC, ICPC and we have the police. What are they
doing that they can’t investigate this issue. What we
are just saying is let the house open this budget
issue for investigation.

Source: Premium

Flood kills 3, destroys foodstuff, cash crops in Kano State

Kano - Three persons were killed while foodstuff
and cash crops worth millions of Naira were washed
away during a heavy down pour in Hayin Gwarmai
village in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano
State on Sunday.
The Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji
Mudansiru Bebeji, told newsmen in Kano on Monday
that the flood also washed away several farms in
area.
Bebeji said a number of houses had also been
destroyed during the disaster.
He said he had since paid a sympathy visit to the
victims of the disaster and called on the Federal
state governments to come to the aid of the victims
to alleviate their sufferings.
“We are calling on the Federal and Kano State
governments to assist the victims to reduce their
sufferings,” he said.
The Director, Operations, Kano State Emergency
Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA), Alhaji
Abdullahi Dambatta, said the agency had not
received any official report on the incident from the
local government council.
Dambatta, however, said as soon as the agency got
the report it would forward same to the state
government for necessary assistance to the victims.

Source: Vanguard

Rep Jibrin takes campaign against Dogara to four anti-corruption agencies, says Speaker must fall

A former Chairman of the
appropriations committee of the House
of Representatives, Abdulmumin
Jibrin, on Monday announced that he
would be visiting Nigeria’s major anti-
corruption agencies today to shed light
on his allegation of budget padding
against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and
other principal officers of the lower
chamber.
He said he would fully cooperate with
investigators to understand the depth
of budget fraud and abuse of office by
Mr. Dogara and other lawmakers.
Mr. Jibrin made the announcement via
his Twitter handle on Monday, hours
after he appeared on Channels
Television political programme, Politics
Today, alleging widespread
institutional corruption in the
legislature.
“My lawyers have confirmed my
appointments for today with security
and anti corruption agencies to
personally provide insight on my
petition,” Mr. Jibrin said in a series of
tweets.
“We will be at the ICPC 10am, DSS
12noon, EFCC 2pm and Police HQ 4pm.
The law will surely catch up with the
corrupt Speaker Dogara and others.”
The lawmaker’s shuttle visits to anti-
corruption agencies is his latest effort
at ensuring Mr. Dogara; his deputy,
Yusuf Lasun; Chief Whip, Alhassan
Doguwa; Minority Leader, Leo Ogor;
and some other lawmakers are
investigated and prosecuted for alleged
graft.
Mr. Jibrin, who described himself as an
accidental anti-corruption activist,
began fighting the leadership of the
House on July 21, after he was
removed from his post by Mr. Dogara
who accused him of betrayal of trust.
Apart from Mr. Dogara and three other
House principal officers, Mr. Jibrin
also accused 10 heads of committees of
inserting 2000 projects worth N284
billion in the 2016 budget.
Giving a highlight of his petition, he said his case
against Mr. Dogara and his colleagues included
“corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and public
trust, living above means, massive movement of
funds in the budget.”
After he spoke on Channels Television last night,
Abonta Abonta, a member of the House, belonging to
the PDP, came on air to dismiss his claims.
On Monday morning, Mr. Jibrin descended on Mr.
Abonta, calling on the authorities to probe the funds
allocated to the committee on public relations
chaired by the PDP lawmaker.
“I added one new name to my petition, Hon Abonta
Abonta,” he said. “The member who spoke after me
on Channels and denied corruption exists in the
House.
“Let me use Hon Abonta as a case. I have asked the
anti-graft agencies to investigate his office running
cost. Wait for the shocking outcome.”
Mr. Jibrin’s attack on Mr. Abonta might discourage
other lawmakers from coming out in defence of Mr.
Dogara and his colleagues.
After nine members of the appropriations committee
addressed a press conference defending Mr. Dogara
last week, Mr. Jibrin hit the committee’s vice
chairman who led the briefing.
He alleged that Chris Azubogu abused his position
by demanding that the 2016 budget be padded with
111 projects.
He also said nine other members who participated in
the briefing received $20,000 each from Mr. Dogara,
through his chief of staff, to address the press
conference.
Civil society organisations have called on Mr. Dogara
to step aside to enable an unfettered investigation of
the allegations.
A group of lawmakers in the House, the
Transparency Group, is also calling for a thorough
investigation of Mr. Jibrin’s allegations.
Mr. Dogara’s spokesperson, Turaki Hassan, has in
the past days repeatedly declined to comment for
stories concerning Mr. Jibrin’s allegations against
his boss.

Source: Premium

Interpol arrests Nigerian behind $60m online fraud network

Nigerian behind an online fraud network which
engineered scams worth more than $60 million has
been arrested in southern oil city of Port Harcourt
(AFP/File Issouf Sanogo)
A Nigerian behind an online fraud network which
engineered scams worth more than $60 million has
been arrested in Port Harcourt, Interpol said on
Monday.
“The 40-year-old Nigerian national, known as ‘Mike’,
is believed to be behind scams totalling more than
$60 million involving hundreds of victims
worldwide,” the international police organisation
said in a statement.
“In one case, a target was conned into paying out
$15.4 million,” Interpol said, indicating that the
arrest was carried out with the support of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The network compromised email accounts of small
to medium businesses around the world including in
Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Romania, South
Africa, Thailand and the United States,” it said.
The suspect ran a network of at least 40 people
working from Nigeria, Malaysia and South Africa
which used malware and carried out the fraud, and
he also had money laundering contacts in China,
Europe and the US who provided bank account
details for the illicit cash flow.
“Following his arrest in Port Harcourt in southern
Nigeria, a forensic examination of devices seized by
the EFCC showed he had been involved in a range of
criminal activities including business e-mail
compromise and romance scams,” it said.
The suspect and a fellow fraudster, 38, who was also
arrested in the city, face charges including hacking,
conspiracy and obtaining money under false
pretences.

Source: guardian