March 2021 – Page 15

Post Date : March 24, 2021

Bandits May Not Drop Their Arms, Says Gumi

Respected Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has said bandits may not drop their arms if they are not sure of their safety. The cleric, who has been deeply involved in the quest to end insecurity, said this during a virtual event hosted by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies. Insisting that dialogue is the solution to banditry, Gumi said it is too dangerous to allow uneducated young men to be exposed to drugs. “Nobody can justify criminality, what we are saying is what we saw in the forest is an ethnic war going on between people in the forest and the neighboring villages and hamlets. When the herder felt he has grievances and nobody was listening to him, he took on weapons. “So when we went there and they saw a listening ear, they were ready to negotiate, tell us their grievances, and ready to incorporate into the society. So in such a case, I see no reason why we should not have a dialogue with them. “Looking at their educational status, they don’t have any official or unofficial education. How can a nation which is serious about security leave a chunk of its society so uneducated, leave it to arms and drugs? I don’t think that society is serious. How can we disperse them, rehabilitate them because they are holding arms to protect themselves. “If you don’t show them they’re safe in the larger society, there’s no way they can leave their weapon. And that’s why we asked for amnesty for them just like we had in the Niger Delta.”

Post Date : March 24, 2021

No rift between Buhari, Tinubu, says Presidency

The Presidency on Wednesday said there was no truth in the media reports (not The PUNCH ) suggesting a crack in the relation between the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); and a leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated this in a statement titled “Alleged rift between President Buhari and Tinubu; handiwork of cynics.” Shehu attributed reports of a rift between the two leaders to those he described as media mischief-makers. The statement read, “The Presidency wishes to make it clear that there is no rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and his strong ally, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “The President and the Asiwaju have a very strong commitment to the All Progressives Congress, towards bringing change and this is a commitment they have made to the Nigerian people. “Recent reports of a rift between the two leaders of our party are false; the handiwork of some media mischief-makers. “It is quite unfortunate that certain sections of the media feed on birthing controversies, providing a nexus for naysayers who work behind the scenes planting such stories which are absolutely false. “This administration is aware of pessimists and cynics who wilfully spread misinformation to create doubts in the minds of the people about the relationship between its leaders and whether the party will remain intact or not. “There is no doubt that the President and the party are focused on development, peace and security, restructuring of the economy and war against corruption in the country and will not be diverted to anything else. This desperate attempt to fool the people will not succeed.” Shehu added that to the President, Tinubu remained one of the most respected political leaders in the country who has stuck to his principles in the face of all adversities. He noted that the former Lagos State Governor was instrumental to the formation, growth and development of the APC into a formidable political party and the political alliance is waxing even stronger. “If Asiwaju is not a frequent face in the Aso Rock Villa, it is on account of the fact that he is not a cabinet member of this government. “The fact that he is not every day around the Villa does not make him less of a friend to the President and this administration,” he added.

Post Date : March 24, 2021

JAMB announces dates for 2021 UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the dates for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Fabian Benjamin, JAMB spokesman, on Wednesday said all candidates must provide their National Identity Number (NIN) at the point of registration. “This is mandatory for participation in the 2021 registration exercise,” he said. “Registration will take place in 700 centres across the country; the list is available in all the state offices of JAMB and on its website at www.jamb.gov.ng. “The approved schedule for registration and examination are that registration exercise will start on Thursday, April 8 and end on Saturday, May 15, 2021. “Candidates are also to note that the registration for Direct Entry applicants will run concurrently with that of UTME candidates. “There will be no extension of time for the sale of the UTME or DE application documents. “Mock examination will be held on Friday, April 30 for those who indicate interest and are registered before April 24. “UTME will hold from Saturday, June 5 to Saturday, June 19, 2021.” The statement added that venues of the examination would be at any of the centres in the candidate’s chosen examination town. It also added that the registration fee for the 2021 application documents remained N3,500 and N500 for recommended reading text. It stated that further information regarding the registration processes and requirements would be made available on JAMB’s official website and also advertised in the electronic and print media from April 5.

Post Date : March 24, 2021

FG to rehabilitate Abuja federal secretariat with N8.1bn

The Federal Government has approved N8.1bn for the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat, Phase I, in Abuja. The decision was taken on Wednesday at the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting. The secretariat, located in the Three Arms Zone, was said to have been inaugurated in 1993. The minister said a “massive rehabilitation” would be carried out on the multi-storey complex. “The third memorandum is for the rehabilitation of Phase I of the Federal Secretariat which involves electro-mechanical systems, water systems as well as other general rehabilitation. “This is a secretariat that was inaugurated in 1993, quite a long time ago. So, we are doing massive rehabilitation of that at a total sum of N8, 110,665, 676.76 and the completion period is 24 months,” the minister said. Bello said the council also approved the revision of the contracts for the rehabilitation and expansion of the outer Southern Express Way to Ring Road I in the FCT at a varied contract cost of N15,125,122, 967. In addition, he said the council approved the revised estimated cost of the contract for the construction of a 15-kilometre left hand service carriage way of the outer service of the outer Southern Express Way, Stage II. He put the cost at N11,476,424,350. The minister further disclosed that other projects approved by the council include those for the total overhaul of a 1500 KVA generating plant, for the Abuja Environmental Protection Board at the cost of N110 million; an upward review of contract sum for the extension of the inner Southern Express Way in the sum of N47.6bn as well as the review of the consultancy provision for the Independence and Constitution Avenue in the Central Business District of Abuja, at the cost of N131.4m. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk, on her part said the council approved N922.8m for the purchase of fertilizer to assist states affected by insurgency and the 2018 flood disaster. She listed Adamawa, Borno and Yobe as the benefiting states under the emergency agricultural intervention for states affected by conflicts, insurgency and also the 2018 flood. “Initially, we were supposed to give the NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer, but now, we are going to provide the liquid fertilizer to the benefiting states and the quantity is about 259,000 litres of that particular product,” the minister said. The Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, said the council approved the procurement of four 150 NBA 331 3233 power transformers for Transmission Company of Nigeria. Mamman added that the council the contract for the production and delivery of one million sterilised metres grips embossed for three metres test stations in Oshodi, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kaduna in the sum of N155,227,619.18.

Post Date : March 24, 2021

I’ve been victim of police attack as governor —Fayemi

Ekiti State governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi, The Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has said that he has been a victim of police attack even as a governor. Fayemi said this during a virtual meeting organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies to discuss the issue of insecurity in Nigeria. According to him, “No matter how powerful you are as a governor, there are issues that you do not have control over because this is an over-centralised state as I mentioned earlier. “The governor may direct his police commissioner but the inspector general of police may tell the police commissioner not to respond to that order. “I have been governor for some time and I have been a victim of police attack even as governor. So people should not make any exaggeration about the powers of governors.” On the issue of restructuring, Fayemi said governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have played their part, adding that the rest lies with the National Assembly. He said, “I can tell you categorically, take APC governors, for example, we have in our manifesto the whole issue of restructuring. We set up a committee that worked on restructuring. The committee produced the report — that report was given to the national assembly to work on. “Have they done it? That is an area where the legislative institute can work with the National Assembly to effect change if they see it as something that could relate with the general view of the ordinary Nigerians, not just the view of the political party.”

Post Date : March 24, 2021

Southern senators sue for united Nigeria

Senators from the southern part of Nigeria on Wednesday resolved to work towards the unity of the country despite the various challenges threatening it’s continued existence. Their position came on the heels of the growing calls for secession among some Yoruba and Igbo groups who are accusing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s of nepotism and gross incompetence in handling insecurity in the country. The Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, told journalists after the southern senators elected Opeyemi Bamidele as Chairman on Wednesday that his colleagues remain committed to the unity of Nigeria. He said, “Let me make it very clear that we are united, both the northern and southern senators. “We are united behind the leadership of the 9th Senate and we have resolved that notwithstanding the challenges facing the country, we would support a united Nigeria.” He said the northern senators’ forum was inaugurated some time ago, hence the need to inaugurate the southern senators’ forum. He said, “By June 11, we would be in Senate for two years and we felt we need to inaugurate the leadership for southern senators forum.” The new Chairman of the forum, Opeyemi Bamidele, also pledged to use the platform to further advance the unity of Nigeria. Bamidele said, “Our position is that we have to manage our unity in diversity. “We further look forward to strengthening the leadership of the Senate. “We would provide a voice for our people that we are here to represent. “We would use the platform to strengthen the unity of Nigeria that we have all promised to uphold. Other leadership of the southern senators are, Senator Stella Oduah (PDP, Anambra North) as vice-chairman; Senator Mathew Uroghide (PDP, Edo) – Secretary-General; Senator Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos West) – Treasurer; Senator Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu North) – Publicity Secretary; and Senator Degi Eremienyo (APC, Bayelsa East) as Financial Secretary.

Post Date : March 23, 2021

APC working to rule Nigeria for 32 years, says Buni

File: Yobe State Governor and Chairman Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the APC, Mai Mala Buni. Chairman of the Caretaker-Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Mai Mala Buni, has said the party was working towards retaining power for at least 32 years. Buni, who is also the governor of Yobe State, said this while inaugurating the party’s 61-member Contact and Strategy Committee, at the APC National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Tuesday. According to him, the party needed to be in power to consolidate on the delivery of the dividends of democracy which it has been delivering since 2015. He explained that the party decided to set up the high-powered committee to map out strategies and prepare grounds for the actualization of this objective. While noting that the party under his leadership had achieved a lot in terms of its core mandate of reconciling aggrieved party members and attracting new members. This, he also said, made it possible for the party to engage party leaders at all levels to take part in party activities as members of one committee or another. The governor said, “The constitution of the Strategy and Contact committee therefore, is to consolidate the achievements we are making in building a strong party with a solid structure that would accomplish APC to stand the test of time. “Our vision is to provide a wheel that will drive the party to go beyond 6th, 7th and even 8th terms of office to effectively implement the party manifesto, improve the lives of Nigerians and, to remain Nigeria’s leading political party. “This committee is therefore very key to our process of transition towards successful congresses and national convention and, to establish a very solid, reputable and reliable future for the party. “The high powered committee is to be chaired by His Excellency the Executive Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar.”

Post Date : March 23, 2021

Man Arrested In Ondo For Killing Wife

Ondo State Police Command has apprehended a middle-aged man identified as Gbenro for allegedly killing his wife in Ondo city, Ondo State. It was gathered that the Gbenro strangulated the victim named Wayeṣọla to death while she was asleep at their residence on Salvation Army street, Odojomu Area of the town early in the morning yesterday. The five-year-old daughter of the couple who was said to have witnessed the wicked act alerted the neighbours. It was gathered that the neighbours then called the deceased’s brother on phone, and on arrival, the brother locked the Suspect and the deceased in the room, to prevent the Suspect from escaping, and proceeded to report the case at the police station. The Public Relations Officer of Ondo State Police Command, Tee- Leo Ikoro confirmed the incident to Channels Television in a telephone conversation. He revealed that the Suspect has been transferred from Ondo to Akure, the state capital where further investigation on the incident is ongoing at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

Post Date : March 23, 2021

Police Declare 18 Wanted Over Ebonyi Communal Clash

Police has declared 18 people wanted in the wake of communal clashes between Effium and Ezza in Ebonyi state. All 18 from Effium are accused of promoting intra-communal clash that’s ravaged the area for the past three years. They are also wanted on charges that include murder, arson, unlawful possession of firearm and ammunitions, attempt to commit felony including cultism. This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah and was made available to Daily Trust. “The wanted persons are all indigenes of Effium\Ezza-Effium Community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi state,” said Odah. “Handsome reward awaits any person with useful information that can lead to arrest of the suspects”, the statement read. The state government mediated talks between the two clans to forge a peace pact. However, the crisis which erupted earlier January 2021 was based on leadership tussle on the popular motor park in the area.

Post Date : March 23, 2021

Reps grill administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, demand records of ex-agitators’ payment

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), of the House of Representatives on Tuesday quizzed the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col Dixon Dikio (rtd), over the 21 different audit queries raised by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation against the agency, raising the alarm that the programme had been grossly mismanaged over the years with gross violation of financial regulations. At Tuesday’s sitting by the Committee chaired by Hon Busayo Oke (PDP-OSUN) during which only three queries could be taken, it was discovered that over N3.9 billion was reportedly expended by the agency with proper documents to back up the expenditures which angered the members of the Committee. Consequently, the Committee had to adjourn for a week on the request of the Administrator who appealed to members, to allow him and his team more time to put their records in order, pleading that he was recently appointed to put all the important Programme of the Federal Government in proper shape for the purpose it was set up. According to the first Audit, the Agency reportedly expended a whopping sum of over N3.7bn on a Programme for the Ex-Agitators and the payments were said to have violated the e-payment policy of the federal government, as the payment was made Into a single account instead of the individual beneficiaries accounts. In his defence, however, the Director of Finance and Accounts of the programme Mr Ityohume Isaac claimed that the payments were made to the camp leaders of the former agitators, who in turned paid to those under them. The DFA also added that not all the former agitators were on the Bank Verification Number (BVN), of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). However, the Committee Chairman ruled that the Agency should provide relevant documents on the expenditures detailing the number of the beneficiaries, the amount involved, their addresses and the names of the hotels used which they claimed issued them receipts The Committee added that the details of the beneficiaries of the programme would also be published in three different national dailies for the members of the public to be able to raise objections where necessary and the relevant documents to be brought forward would be subjected to forensic Investigation. Also, the Audit query accused the Agency of payment of N136m to two different contractors which the management could not give satisfactory accounts of the beneficiaries and the committee ordered for relevant documents about the contractors and amount paid, failure which the Auditor’s query would be sustained. On the third query, the audit accused the Agency of approving a whopping sum of N79m to 11 individual as cash advancement without retirement of the same till date, which was described as a gross violation of financial regulations of the Federal Government. The DFA in his defence could not give the required proof that the amount was retired and claimed that he was not in office when the incident happened. This claimed angered the members and the Chairman ruled that the amount should be refunded to the covers of the Federal Government immediately. When it got to the fourth query, the Administrator pleaded to the Committee to step down all the queries based on the advance of his team members to enable them put their records in order before coming back, which the Committee agreed Attempts by the Administrator to exonerate himself and members of his team from the audit queries were faulted on the ground that government is a continuum and he is in charge and should take responsibility.