Poligov Nigeria: July 2015

Import waivers: Senate probes Jonathan’s govt

THE Senate on Thursday commenced the probe of alleged abuse of the waiver regime under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, has denied the allegation by the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, that the Director General of the Department of State Service, Lawal Daura, is a card-carrying member of the APC.

The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Thursday, caused a stir in the upper chamber when he revealed how he collected signatures of other senators to impeach the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in the 7th Senate.

Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been thrown into mourning as a result of the death of five persons from generator fumes and fire outbreak.

A middle-aged woman is currently recuperating in a Lagos hospital, after robbers stormed her rented apartment on the Lagos Island, during which she stabbed one of the assailants to death.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, has said that the troops of the 151 Task Force Battalion rescued a total of 59 civilians held by members of the Boko Haram sect on Thursday.

The Royal Traditional Council of Ife on Thursday met Governor Rauf Aregbesola briefly behind closed-doors at the Government House.

The General Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said that he is not expecting a ministerial appointment from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Angry workers of the Peoples Democratic Party have accused the members of the National Working Committee of the party of squandering N12bn in nine months.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the immediate past Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency [NIMASA], Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi, two weeks after he was fired from his post.

The new Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), yesterday, assumed duty with a promise to strengthen the programme and make it more efficient and beneficial to the people.

THE pan Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo, said yesterday that it was not surprised at the way the appointments of President Muhammadu Buhari were going, insisting that it had shown the president’s deep rooted hatred for the Igbo nation.

Enugu cleric, Catholic Priest and founder of Enugu Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, yesterday, celebrated his 20th priesthood anniversary, describing it as victory over enemies of truth and blackmailers.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna-Ahmed, on Wednesday said between 2009 and 2012, about 160 million barrels of oil valued at $13.7bn was stolen under the watch of the national oil giant, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

FEDERAL Government’s anti-corruption operatives have been sent after ‘super rich’ public officers who have multiple properties and other assets suspected to have been the rewards of graft.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that late President Yar’Adua was wrong for cancelling the sale of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries to a Dangote-led consortium by his administration .

A 41-day-old baby, Zainab Olajide, has died after she was allegedly poisoned by her father, Kazeem Olajide, in a desperate attempt to divorce his wife.

Two months after losing power at the national level and in majority of the states, the national leadership of the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has concluded plans to sack half of its workforce.

The Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, who is also the governor of Zamfara State, Abdulazeez Yari, has said that banks have withheld the share of the $2.1bn Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company’s dividend due to some states of the federation.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, says the state is no more owing the West African Examinations Council, having already approved the payment of a sum of N496m being owed the examination body.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday alleged that the Director General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura, is a member of the governing party, the All Progressives Congress.

Former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who is the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Elders Committee in his native Bayelsa State in this interview, reviews contemporary political developments in the state and affirms that

A last minute intervention by the presidency led to the emergence of Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila as House Leader, bringing to an end the leadership crisis that has shadowed the House of Representatives.

THE two suspects arrested by security agents in connection with the explosion that rocked an oil pipeline belonging to the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC at Ighwrenene community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, have stated that they blew up the pipeline in a bid to coax NPDC into awarding them a pipeline surveillance contract.

THERE was drama, yesterday, as senators took a decisive step to end the deep-seated leadership crisis ravaging the Senate. At the resumed plenary, 34 Senators elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and 47 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators passed a vote of confidence in Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and the entire leadership of the Senate.

SPEAKER Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives yesterday succumbed to pressures from his All Progressives Congress, APC, and named Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila House Majority Leader, and by that, drew the curtain on the lingering crisis that has trailed the chamber since its inauguration last June.

Parents of final year students of tertiary institutions abroad under the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, RSSDA, Special Scholarship initiated by the Rotimi Amaechi’s administration can now heave a sigh of relief, as Governor Nyesom Wike has approved N712million for the stranded students.

Controversies has trailed the death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II as the Royal Traditional Council of the town, Wednesday, said the paramount ruler is alive and in good state of health.

National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to fulfill any of the campaign promises he made to Nigerians during the just concluded general elections.

The gunman who attempted to assassinate the President last Sunday has said he wanted to do so in the best interest of the nation.

The United States of America has handed over the names of Nigerian oil thieves to President Muhammadu Buhari, a member of the President’s entourage during last week’s visit to the US confided in The PUNCH on Tuesday.

Boko Haram insurgents on Monday launched a fresh attack on Buratai, a small community in Borno State, where Nigeria’s army chief, Tukur Buratai, comes from, just a week after a similar attack there killed two people.

National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has said that President Mohammadu Buhari and the party have at least 100 days of honeymoon before embarking on the implementation of “change” programme.

The leadership crisis in the House of Representatives appears to have been resolved as the member, representing Surulere Federal Constituency of Lagos, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has emerged the Majority Leader of the House.

A British politician resigned from the House of Lords Tuesday after a tabloid newspaper published footage of him allegedly snorting cocaine with prostitutes.

At least 29 people were reportedly killed with many others sustained gunshot wounds when suspected members of dreaded Boko Haram sect attacked Dille community and other surrounding villages of Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno state.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said he would not make compromised citizens and ‘hostages’ ministers.

The West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC has threatened to withhold the results of thousands of students from 19 states who participated in the May/June 2015 WASSCE over non-payment of candidates’ registration fees by their state governments.

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday, said the Peoples Democratic Party government of former President Goodluck Jonathan had destroyed the country.

A renowned diplomat, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, Monday, counselled President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to bring together all major stakeholders in economic management in order to brainstorms on ways to revive the nation’s ailing economy.

Government activities in Imo State will, with effect from today, remain grounded, following the indefinite industrial action called by labour leaders in the state.

The outgoing Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dalhatu Tafida, is currently on a thank you tour of some cities before his tenure ends on August 15. So far, he has visited Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast.

Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Monday, July 27, 2015, warned all members of the parliament, mostly, members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who are against his leadership, to conduct themselves orderly as the parliament resumes, otherwise, they would be severely dealt with.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said it has not concluded its investigations into the alleged forgery of the Senate’s Standing Order, adding that no copy of its report had been handed to President Muhammadu Buhari as reported in some sections of the media.

Former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh in this interview speaks among others on the import of President Mohammadu Buhari’s visit to the United States of America and the deals high-wire politicking that landed the All Progressives Congress at the presidency.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari embarrassed Nigeria by his actions and utterances during his recent four-day state visit to the United States of America.

Police Bomb experts that responded to the 26th July, 2015 Sunday Local Market suicide bomb attack in Damaturu during a sweep recovered five (5) undetonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at the scene.

The items were safely removed from the location.

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PDP Exonerates APC, Tinubu In Toyin Saraki’s EFCC Ordeal, Says PDP Behind Probe -

The Peoples Democratic Party has debunked claims that the ruling All Progressives Congress and one of its national leaders, Bola Tinubu, were behind the ongoing investigation of the wife of the President of the Senate, Toyin Saraki, for corruption.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, has advised President Muhammad Buhari not to give Rotimi Amaechi, any appointment in his cabinet.

Some family members of the immediate past minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke have appealed to Nigerians, especially her critics to let her be.