PUNCH
SECURITY MEN, LAWMAKERS CONSPIRED TO STEAL MACE
—POLICE
The Divisional Police Officer in the National Assembly,
CSP Sulu-Gambari Abdul, yesterday blamed the April 18 invasion of the Senate
and removal of the Mace by hoodlums on internal conspiracy. Abdul stated this
during an investigative hearing into the incident by joint ad hoc committee
investigating the incident. He said what happened at the National Assembly was
an act of internal conspiracy among some security agencies and some lawmakers.
“There should be cooperation between security agencies and the lawmakers but in
this case, the attack came from the roof as the senators are not helping
security matters. On April 16, there was an earlier hint that a group planned
to invade the National Assembly and disrupt activities, which called for a
build-up of security with two units of mobile police mobilised to the complex.
“However, on April 18, at about 11 a.m., my attention was
drawn to a group protesting at the gate, and while I moved to address the
group, I was informed that some people were running away with the mace. I
signalled all the entry points that nobody drives in or out but three men
approached me identifying themselves as security operatives and requested to be
allowed to go. The strain of blood on their clothes made me suspicious and I
ordered their arrest. In all, six people were arrested same day and handed over
to the Force Headquarters alongside charms recovered from them. In addition, an
unmarked Prado jeep and a Toyota Hilux were impounded and they are with the
police. It was later that I observed that the protest was a diversionary
attention to move me out and that the protesters were same group with those
that attacked,’’ Abdul said.
He said that there was no communication from the
Sergeant-at-Arms to the National Assembly during the invasion by the thugs.
Earlier, the Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Brighton Danwalex, had said that report from
investigation after the incident revealed that Senator Ali Ndume instructed the
men assigned to protect the mace not to touch it during the invasion. He said
it was wrong for them to take orders from Ndume.
NEW TELEGRAPH
NEW PDP BLOCK ISSUES 7-DAY ULTIMATUM TO BUHARI, APC
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress has
taken a fresh twist as one of the party’s blocks; the New People’s Democratic
Party (nPDP) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the leadership of the ruling
party to convene a meeting to redress grievances of its members. The nPDP also
told the APC leadership and president Muhammadu Buhari to stop treating its
members as outcasts and meddlesome interlopers in the party they rightly
belong. They accused the Buhari-led government of sidelining, harassing,
intimidating and victimizing its members. The letter, dated April 27, and
addressed to the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had copies
forwarded to President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. It was signed
by former New PDP National Chairman and National Secretary, Alhaji Kawu Baraje
and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, respectively. Baraje is a known political ally
of the Senate President Bukola Saraki, while Oyinola, a former governor of Osun
State, is former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s protégé. The former president
has not only been critical of the APC administration, but has advised President
Muhammadu Buhari against seeking re-election in 2019.
The APC, which was formed in 2013, is an amalgam of the
then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressives Change (CPC),
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a faction of All Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA) and the New PDP. The New PDP block was led by then Governors Rabiu
Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Murtala
Nyako (Adamawa) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers). Former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar later joined in 2014. Other key members of the then ruling PDP, who
later defected to the APC are Senator Saraki and then Speaker of the House of
Reps, Aminu Tambuwal (now governor of Sokoto State). Listing its grievances,
the block said: “In the constitution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the
New PDP block was generally sidelined as virtually no position was conceded to
it. The only member of FEC that belonged to former New PDP block comes from a
state that contributed virtually no vote to the APC in the 2015 presidential
election.” The reference here was to Rivers State. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi is from
the state and now Minister of Transportation. Buhari garnered less than 100,000
votes in Rivers State in the 2015 presidential election.
Other grievances are that: “There has been no significant
patronage and appointments to executive positions in various government
agencies such as chief executives and executive directors of government
agencies and parastatals as members of our block of the party continue to
helplessly watch as these positions are shared by the erstwhile CPC, ACN, ANPP
and even APGA blocks of the party and those who have no party at all. “In
appointments into boards of various government agencies, very few former New
PDP members were patronised. These are, however, not commensurate with our
contributions to the growth and victory of the party.” The New PDP block called
for an urgent meeting to address their grievances. Reacting to the New PDP’s
letter, the PDP from which it pulled out, advised members of the block to
return to its fold as the APC has nothing to offer them.
NEW TELEGRAPH
LAGOS-IBADAN ROAD READY BEFORE DECEMBER, SAYS MOHAMMED
The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will be ready before
December, Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said. He
spoke yesterday while inspecting the N232 billion project handled by Julius
Berger and Reynold Construction Company (RCC) as part of the tour of federal
projects. Mohammed kicked-started the inspection on Tuesday with the Minister
of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi. He inspected the Lagos-Ibadan standard
gauge rail line. The 137-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is divided into two
sections. Julius Berger is handling Section One at the cost of N134 billion.
The section covers the Lagos-Sagamu Interchange. RCC covers the axis from the
Sagamu Interchange to Ibadan for N96 billion. The project, which started in
2013, with initial completion date of 2017, is slated for completion this year.
There were initial hiccups, with the scope of work expanded. In both axes, over
50 per cent has been achieved. Mohammed said this was commendable
because traffic had been reduced. Already, 17 kilometres – with three
lanes on each side – have been completed, with drainage work going on. Speaking
after the inspection, Mohammed said the Federal Government would put
pressure on the contractors to ensure they deliver on time.
AUTHORITY
SENATE DECLARES IGP ENEMY OF DEMOCRACY
The Senate boiled on Wednesday over the refusal of the
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to honour its summons for the
third time. Apart from passing a vote of no confidence of the Police boss, the
Senate declared him an enemy of democracy, who is unfit to hold any public
office. They added that he is ridiculing the country and President Muhammadu
Buhari who appointed him into the office before the international community.
The decisions of the lawmakers were prompted by the IGP’s persistent refusal to
honour invitations sent to him for appearance before the Senate on killings by
Fulani herdsmen and other bandits as well as the inhuman treatment meted on
Senator Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West) by the Police. After about an hour of
closed-door session on the refusal of Idris to appear before it, the Senate
concluded that the “IGP is an enemy of democracy and unfit to hold public
office in Nigeria and the world generally.”
SUN
IGP DARES SENATE, SAYS ‘I’VE NO APOLOGY FOR
NON-APPEARANCE’
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, said he has
no apology for not appearing before the Senate for three consecutive times over
police’s manhandling of Sen. Dino Melaye. IGP Idris has also described the
resolution of the Senate during its plenary, on Wednesday, that he was unfit to
hold public office as not just unfortunate but a ‘blackmail, witch-hunt and
mischievous’. The police chief through the Force Public Relations Officer,
Jimoh Moshood late Wednesday said, “It is urgently imperative that the
Nigeria Police Force respond to this resolution of the Senate which is a
deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting, unfortunate and mischievous. The Nigeria
Police Force, therefore, owes no apology to any individual or groups in its
effort to ensure preservation of law and order, supremacy of the law of the
land, and make sure that all Nigerians are subject to the same law, no matter
what their position is in the society. The General Public are hereby implored
to disregard and discountenance the resolution of the Senate on the IGP as a
deliberate blackmail, witch-hunting and mischievously aimed at casting
aspersions on the hard earned integrity of the Inspector General of Police and
the Nigeria Police Force.”
VANGUARD
SENATE SETS UP C’TTEE TO DELIBERATE ON BUHARI’S
REQUEST FOR OVER N2TRN PROMISSORY NOTE, BOND
THE Senate, yesterday set up a seven member Committee to
deliberate on President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for over N2 trillion for the
issuance of promissory note to offset inherited local debts and bond issuance
to civil servants as well as contractors. The formation of the committee was
sequel to an Executive Communication by President Muhammadu Buhari to the
Senate on the matter. Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, read the communication at
plenary which is “for the approval of a Promissory Note Programme and a Bond
Issuance to settle inherited Local Debts and Contractual Obligations.” Lawan
suggested that the Senate refers the matter to the appropriate committee to
deliberate upon. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who countered Lawan,
suggested that an ad-hoc committee be set up, adding, “People are depending on our
approval of these funds. There are a number of issues involved. Some are the
pensions, some have to do with salaries, subsidy and then some are for payment
to states.”
“In view of the multi-dimensional nature of the issues
and the controversy regarding borrowing money to fund recurrent items which is
forbidden under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, what we should do on the matter
is to set up an appropriate ad hoc committee to be able to look at this
together and see which of them that can be recommended to the Senate for
approval. While the other ones that are technically deficient or are
controversial will now be sent back to the Executive for them to decide what to
do depending on what that committee will recommend because under the Fiscal
Responsibility Act, there is no way you can borrow money to finance a recurrent
item.”
VANGUARD
DASUKI, DIEZANI: PRESIDENCY INDICTS MARK, TAMBUWAL,
EKWEREMADU, OTHERS
THE Presidency yesterday took a swipe at the 7th National
Assembly headed by former Senate President, Senator David Mark; Ex-speaker,
House of s and now governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, saying if the
lawmakers had carried out an effective oversight function, the unfolding
scenario of probe of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd),
over alleged $2.2 billion arm deal would have been averted. The Presidency,
which also indicted the then Deputy Senate President and the incumbent Deputy
Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, senators and members of the House of
Reps, who were in the 7th session, said the lawmakers concentrated less
attention on oversight functions, hence they could not uncover the alleged loot
of $90 billion under the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison
Madueke, and other probes the current 8th Senate was carrying out. Senior
Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters
(Senate), Senator Ita Enang, who described the current Senate as the best
period of relationship between the Executive and the Legislature, said what
obtained now was a very active legislature. He said the current Senate had in
its two years, passed more bills and doubled what the 7th Senate did in four
years, adding that it had done 200 per cent because of less of politics
VANGUARD
NIGERIA’S EXCESS OIL REVENUE RISES TO N22.4BN DAILY AS
PRICE HITS $77BN PER BARREL
Nigeria’s excess oil revenue has risen to N22.4 billion
daily as a result of the sudden leap in the price of crude from $67 to $77 per
barrel in the international market. The rise in oil price was partly attributed
to President Donald Trump’s decision to re-impose economic sanctions on Iran
and the continued output cut by members of the Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries. Consequently, current oil market situation is expected to
impact positively on the nation’s 2018 budget. The nation’s N8.612 trillion
2018 budget, which the National Assembly had promised to pass next week was
benchmarked on $45 per barrel of oil and the production of 2.3 million barrels
per day. But the rise in oil price showed an excess of $32 per barrel against
the $45 per barrel budget benchmark price, indicating an excess daily revenue
of $73.6 million or N22.4 billion at the official exchange rate of N305 per
dollar. A survey of various oil markets around the world showed that the price
of some light crudes, including Nigeria’s Bonny Light was in excess of $77 per
barrel.
VANGUARD
MILITIA WARNS TARABA COMMUNITIES AGAINST GOING TO FARM
ARMED militia have warned Taraba State communities not to
waste their time going to farm as they were going to come after them. This was
revealed by President General of Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Taraba
State, Chief Goodman Dahida, who said most communities around Gbundu,
Ayu-Guraku, Ananum and Shaakaa villages in Donga were completely deserted
following attacks by armed militia. He called on Army operatives of Operation
Ayem Akpatuma currently ongoing in the state not to take the threats lightly.
Also, Police Command in the state yesterday confirmed the death of nine persons
in early morning attacks on Tutuwa community in Ussa Local Government Area of
Taraba State. Meanwhile, five people were killed in Mbayevikyaior and Atsaha
villages, a border community between Donga and Takum Local Government areas of
the state.
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