Senate to Akande: You Got it Wrong Again

The Senate today (Saturday) responded to the statement by the former interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande in which he described the claim that the 2016 budget was missing from the upper legislative chamber as an indication of the indiscipline that produced its leadership.

The Senate said it was regrettable that a man of Akande's status would be responding to mere speculation without cross-checking his facts or worse still eager to latch on to any opportunity to bring to disrepute the leadership of the Senate because he failed to get his choice candidates elected.

In a statement by its spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate urged Akande to check his records properly so that he could see that "at no time did the Senate say the 2016 budget was missing".

Rather, Abdullahi noted that the legislative house had insisted in several official statements and press interviews by its principal officers that the budget was not missing but that two different versions are now available.

"We have said it several times that the budget was not missing. That two versions of the details of the budget exist and this is no longer in doubt as the Presidency has equally admitted this.

"We expect a man of Akande's calibre to cross-check his facts and take us up on our words. That he decided to ignore the facts and make comments on speculations is regrettable. He is a man who had served in government. He is a leader of the party with the majority in the Senate and he has several channels of cross-checking facts as against speculations.", Abdullahi stated.

The spokesperson said contrary to the description of what happened as indiscipline on the part of the leadership, the position of the present Senate leadership is a demonstration of the regime of openness, transparency and accountability that now reigns in the upper legislative chamber. In the past, he said, such a development would have been swept under the carpet.

He noted that the statements by Akande was another expression of the frustration that the former Governor of Osun State suffers for not being able to impose his lackeys on the Senate as leaders.

"Chief Akande is still sulking after his group's failed attempt to impose certain individuals as the leaders of the Senate last year. So, he was in a hurry to condemn the leadership. We want him to know that the leadership of the Senate can only emerge through the provisions of the constitution and the standing rules of the institution. As a democrat, Akande should know that once the majority has elected the leadership, all parties to the contest ought to accept the decision.

"To continue belly-aching and working to undermine the institution because of the failure to get one's choice candidates elected cast doubts on his democratic credentials. It appears he is only a democrat when he has his way. We advise him to move on and let us help the legislative institution to focus on its agenda to serve the people in line with the much needed change that President Muhammadu Buhari promised the nation..", Abdullahi stated.

Signed

Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs

Bisi Akande blames ‘missing’ budget on Senate

Former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), Chief Adebisi Akande, has blamed the leadership of the Senate for the alleged missing 2016 budget, saying it was the fallout of what he called the parliamentary indiscipline that produced the current Senate leadership.

Akande, who was speaking at an event organized to mark his 77th birthday at his Ila Orangun residence, expressed disappointment at what he called a national embarrassment, wondering why a huge document as Nigeria’s budget could be missing in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

The elder statesman said his party was mindful of consequences of allowing the wrong people to be at the helm of affairs, which was the very reason the APC had wanted disciplined individuals to lead the Senate.

“Nigeria’s budget is a huge document and one wonders how a document of that size could be missing in the Senate. The development is a fallout of indiscipline that brought the current leadership of the Senate into the position and as you know, that was not the choice of our party”.

Akande said he is in good terms with President Muhammadu Buhari and that he does not feel marginalised contrary to insinuation that the presidency was trying to edge him out.

“I’m in good agreement with President Buhari. Therefore, I don’t feel marginalised. In fact I was in the presidency a few days ago and there was no sign to suggest that the presidency wants to edge me out. But I don’t know what somebody may be planning somewhere.”

The APC leader urged all Nigerians to support the current anti-corruption war.

He said corruption had become a monster, stressing that if it is not properly fought, it would fight back and consume the nation.

Dignitaries from across the country, including public office holders and politicians were at Ila Orangun to rejoice with the former APC Chairman on his 77th birthday.

Chief Olisa Metuh speaks from Kuje Prison....

"Buhari is not God & we will never worship him". Guys tell every of our supporters out there to be strong. Tell them Buhari cannot break us. Tell them we will never be afraid of Buhari. Tell them to continue doing what they are doing. If they are doing this to intimidate me, then they do not know who Olisa Metuh is."

"My joy is that before I was arrested, I went to see Chief Raymond Dokpesi in the company of my only son & he explained everything to me. Chief Raymond Dokpesi explained to me that there was nothing like $2.1b arms deal fraud. That it was all a creation of the Buhari Government. That he spoke with so many people including contractors in EFCC & they told him the arms GEJ bought was more than $2.1b. That d Buhari govt created everything to get back at Dasuki. That the Dasuki trial is a personal vendetta only Dasuki could explain."

"After leaving Dokpesi, my son asked me some questions & i showed him some documents at home. I told me son just in case you start hearing your father is a thief, etc. this is what happened. I narrated to my son how the then president called me & asked me to carryout an assignment for him, etc. I showed him all the evidence of how I spent the money which the president gave me & all the people given with receipts."

I asked him if I did anything wrong by carrying out the assignment given to me by the then president, he said NO! Then I said, it is good you know the truth now so that when they start their lies, it will not affect you & your sisters.

My son later that night called his sisters & briefed them on all I said 2him & told them: "Daddy will be arrested but this is the truth".

"My joy is that they didn't succeed in what they wanted to do with me. They wanted me to be calling people's names."

"All they want to do is to rubbish me & show the whole world that I am corrupt. They want to be putting the story over the news, etc. They want to rubbish PDP & kill our party in the process but they have failed already."

"They have nothing to offer this nation. No economic plans or plans to create jobs, etc. They want to continue distracting Nigerians."

"What they want to do is to continue this Telemundo for 4 years. Showing people on news & shouting corruption. All they wanted was for me to go into details of how I spent the N400m I was given then they arrest those people & start showing them on TV. This is what they want to do for the next 3yrs. Distracting Nigerians from real issues."



Via: @adeyanjudeji twitter handle. 
Deji Adeyanju is a "Director, New Media" at People Democratic Party (PDP)

PENDULUM: THERE IS GOOD NEWS OUT OF NIGERIA

Group Director Genesis Energy Mr Felix Achibiri, Minister of Energy Benin Republic Mr Spero Mensah and Genesis Energy Chairman Mr Akinwole Omoboriowo

PENDULUM BY DELE MOMODU

Fellow Nigerians, please, let’s move away from the plethora of bad news today. Everywhere you turn in the world it seems the world would soon come to an end. If it is not some terrorist bombs exploding and floating in the rarefied air like flying saucers it is news of some deranged person spraying bullets at school kids in America. The ” baddest”news for us lately in Nigeria apart from the unending Boko Haram menace is that of the free fall of the Naira like kamikaze divers. I have never seen anything like it. It is big trouble for those who transact most of their businesses in foreign exchange and do importations. If your family lives abroad and you have school fees to pay you are just on your own.

But I want us to run away from all that migraine today and celebrate good news. As bad as things may seem, some Nigerians are marching forward, breaking down barriers and conquering territories. This period requires doing things differently. We need men and women of valour. Those who can take on humongous tasks without minding the encumbrances they are likely to encounter along the way. There is so much to learn from such people by many of our youths. Life is never a bed of roses. It is one of the reasons I love reading biographies. I also enjoy conducting interviews or reading those granted by iconic figures. They all have something in common; they had to ride through rough valleys and mountains of trouble to get to the top.

Many of our young ones missed the great businessman and political colossus called Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. No story was better told than the way he captured his grass to grace trajectory. Chief Abiola was greatly endowed and he was able to display exceptional brilliance early in life. From a poor background, he was able to attain a global status by dint of hard work and remarkable courage. His forays into telecommunications, agriculture, shipping, aviation, oil, books and media at a relatively young age showed a man who was clearly ahead of his time. For him, the money he made was not as fulfilling as how much he contributed to charitable causes. He touched lives everywhere and became a global brand. He invested heavily in educating the poor and elevating them in life. He promoted the development of our youths through sports and became Africa’s Pillar of Sports. You can’t ever be great if you can’t do extraordinary things, Chief Abiola taught his disciples like me. I will recommend the teaching of Chief Abiola’s life in our school.

In my adult years, I have been privileged to meet and study the lives of many great Africans. I discovered nothing good comes easy. Everyone knows and talks about the Chairman of Globacom Dr Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Isola Adenuga today but they are not likely to know that the secret of his uncommon accomplishments is that of guts, hard work and tenacity. I remember one of the rarest interviews he granted Newswatch when his Consolidated Oil became the first indigenous company to strike oil in commercial quantity. The Newswatch scoop gave an insight into a man who took a risk too big for the faint-hearted. Those who should know knew that oil exploration was a most risky business but Dr Adenuga was undaunted. He had the agility of a bull. He had started business right from the time he was schooling in the United States of America and the Ijebu blood in him prepared him for the long voyage in business.

Dr Adenuga went into banking and single-handedly owned two prominent brands, DEVCOM Merchant Bank and Equitorial Trust Bank. He went into telecommunications and changed the landscape spectacularly. He made the impossible possible by empowering the poor and the rich alike. We often forget where we were at some point in time but some of us cannot forget those giant strides so quickly. Dr Adenuga did not stop there; he laid submarine cables from Europe to Africa to ensure a blistering internet speed. He ventured out and landed in Benin Republic and Ghana. He united Africa through football and entertainment. He supported our stars to live like their counterparts in Europe and America. There are endless testimonies to his generosity. It is painful when we don’t teach our youths about the pains that come with seeking greatness.

Barely eleven years ago, there was no Nigerian Bank in Ghana. The story we were told was that none could pass the stringent conditions laid down by the Bank of Ghana. What was more, Nigerians were largely perceived as fraudsters and harbingers of bad manners generally. But one man dared to be different and this banker Mr Tony Elumelu scaled all the huddles and the bank he led then, Standard Trust Bank became the first Nigerian financial institution to be licensed.  Not just that, the much smaller bank soon acquired the powerful bank UBA and the rest is history. Today UBA has solid presence in about 19 African countries as well as Europe and America. Mr Elumelu also founded Heirs Holdings and has his fingers in many pies including power projects and hospitality business. The iconic banker has made spectacular impact as a philanthropist who has chosen to build a new crop of youthful entrepreneurs in Africa.

Permit me to give one more example of how Nigerians are performing wonders at home and abroad. My last but certainly not the least is the one and only Alhaji Aliko Dangote who has exploded on the world scene in the last couple of years. From doing commodities and making stupendous money he has become Africa’s leading industrialist with Dangote Cement becoming a major force on the African continent. There is no doubt that Dangote Cement will soon become number one in the whole of Africa and one of the largest in the world. Say what you will, this could not have been an easy feat. My mission is to encourage our young ones to grumble less and emulate these inspirational leaders. Alhaji Dangote at great risk has penetrated about 14 or more African countries and I have had the privilege of visiting some of his eye-popping plants. Nothing could be more daring than his refinery project I watched on television just days ago. By the time it is ready, Alhaji Dangote would have positioned himself as one of the most influential Africans ever.

What gladdens my heart today is that there are new Adenugas, Dangotes and Elumelus emerging and doing outstandingly well. I’m writing this piece in Cotonou, Benin Republic where a group of young Nigerians are set to build one of the biggest power plants for that small but ambitious country. Thanks to the opening up of the country to transparent investors by President Yayi Boni, Genesis Energy, led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akinwole Omoboriowo, has signed a Concession Agreement to execute a 360MW capacity Gas Powered Projects in the Republic of Benin. This agreement empowers Genesis Energy to “construct, own, operate, maintain and supply electricity to the national grid of the country.



”The projects are to be delivered in phases. The first phase of 120MW will be operated on a fast track basis from Maria Gleta through a piped gas to be supplied by the Nigerian Gas Company. The Power Purchase Agreement for duration of 20 years was signed between Genesis and the Benin Electric Power Corporation for the 120MW Power Project. The key partners in the project include General Electric, Engro Powergen Limited, Cummins Cogeneration (UK) Limited and Genesis.

According to Genesis, “The power project will provide on completion over 30% of Benin’s current electricity demand.” It is good to see Nigerian companies spreading its wings everywhere and showing the world our capabilities. This Genesis has been doing for some time without making any noise about its achievement. A look at its projects portfolios is impressive. As far back as 2006, it did project in Guinea Bissau, a co-development of 50MW Emergency Power project in Ghana (2007), on grid generation in Sao Tome and Principe, off grid Distributed Power Project at NNPC’s Port Harcourt Refinery, name-plate power generation in Banana Island, Lagos; Calabar Free Zone off-grid project; multiple embedded generation for the Eko Electricity Distribution, etc.

As the former Governor of Oklahoma attested at a dinner in Cotonou days ago, the success of Genesis is rested mainly on its integrity and the rock-solid determination of its team. It is so wonderful to have such wonderful news come from non-Nigerians about Nigerians. It is only a matter of time before greater things begin to happen to us after all the bad stories we’ve had to endure over time.

BY DELE MOMODU


Source: The Boss NewsPapers

Customs Officers To Declare Assets In 14 Days

All Officers and Men of the Nigeria Customs Service are to make full disclosure of their assets in a new measure put in place to push transparency and compliance with the Rule of Law.

The directive on Assets Declaration is contained in a Circular, signed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and addressed to all Deputy Comptrollers-General, Zonal Coordinators and Customs Area Controllers. All Officers are to comply with the directive within 14 days.

According to the Circular, the directive on Assets Declaration is in compliance with “The Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act Cap B1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Though the Act provides for Asset Declaration by all Bank employees, it also empowers the President to extend its application to other categories of persons.

Specifically, Section 12 (1) states that “The provision of this Act shall apply to the Comptroller-General, Deputy Comptroller-General, Assistant Comptroller-General, Chief Collector, Principal Collector and other Officer, Staff or employee of the Nigeria Customs Service as the apply to a Chief Executive or an employee of a Bank”.

The Comptroller-General observed that many Officers have not complied with the provisions of the Act over the years, stating that the 14-day ultimatum for compliance will be strictly enforced.

Signed

Wale Adeniyi
Public Relations Officer
For: Comptroller-General of Customs

Tinubu refutes alleged comment on Buhari, defecting PDP members

•Asiwaju Tinubu

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday refuted a report in an online platform, Newswire, alleging that he flayed the defection of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members to APC.

He described the report as a figment of the imagination of the platform’s reporter and a plot to cause disaffection within the ranks of the APC.

The report had quoted the APC leader as saying that the mass defection of the PDP members to APC might have grave consequences on President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Tinubu observed that Newswire and a section of the social media were being used by the PDP for a concerted campaign against his person.

He recalled, for instance, a recent report by that section of the social media linking him with the decision of The Nation newspaper to return the N9 million it got through the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) as compensation for the disruption of its operations by security agents last year.

The APC leader wondered why he would be linked with the return of the said sum when he is not involved in the running of the newspaper and did not know about NPAN’s decision to ask for compensation.

The report by Newswire had quoted the APC leader as expressing fears that the influx of PDP members would “crumble the APC, especially if President Buhari decides to do just a term.”

The report further quoted Tinubu as saying: “The President Buhari I know has very good intentions for Nigeria and he would want to hand over to someone he deems not to be corrupt.

“It is even possible that the President already has a successor in mind. And the danger is this: at the fullness of time, these PDP defectors will form an unholy alliance with some politicians in APC and across the board to thwart the President’s succession plan. And that will be the end of the APC and a new rising for the PDP.”

“I’m not elated about the news of former senators and even serving ones defecting to the APC. Even if a governor from the opposition defects today, I will not celebrate it.

“I think the President should be leery and extremely cautious of these PDP defectors and should not give them any serious responsibilities because at the appropriate time, they will manifest great evil and disaster against the President and the APC.”

Tinubu, however, said he did not grant any interview to any news medium and could never have said what was ascribed to him.

He said it was a hatchet man’s job aimed at causing disaffection in APC.

“It is not the first time that kind of story would be ascribed to me even though I did not grant anyone an interview. It is a hatchet man’s job whose purpose is to cause disaffection in our great party,” he said.

Source: The Nation