Buhari pledges to diversify Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy

The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday in Abuja said he would shift attention from oil to agricultural and mining sectors to create jobs.
Mr. Buhari said this while receiving Northern Elders led by a former diplomat, Maitama Sule.
He said he would address the problem of unemployment as it was one of the biggest challenges facing the nation.
”The biggest message is to try and persuade the people that it is not possible to change the state of affairs now.
”It took 16 years and those 16 years, most of you know it better than myself, Nigeria earned revenue more than what it earned from 1914 till then.
”In the economy, we have to quickly turn to agriculture and mining because that is where you can do the quickest work and earn results.

Arrest fraudsters using our name to defraud Nigerians – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the security agencies and the telecommunications service providers to help fish out those who have being seeking to defraud Nigerians by asking them to apply for federal appointments under the incoming APC federal government through a non-existent APC Screening Committee.

In a statement in Abuja, Tuesday, its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the call has become necessary because the scammers have persisted in their fraudulent ways, despite previous warnings by the party for them to desist.

Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala ran Nigeria like a come-and-chop restaurant — Shehu Sani

The Senator-elect for Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, on Saturday tackled President Goodluck Jonathan on the sale of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, and the  last-minutes sale of the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited, NITEL.
He also carpeted the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her economic policy.
The senator-elect also described the current impasse in the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, as a disgrace to Nigerian workers.
Mr. Sani, while receiving the Kaduna state executive of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, who visited him in his office in Kaduna, said the privatization exercise under President Goodluck Jonathan is a monumental theft of Nigeria’s collective resources in the interest of a few.
“The sale of PHCN has not translated into consistent electric power in our homes, in our offices , in our markets and in our work place,” he said, adding that the issue of privatization has also seriously affected many workers who were employed in those institutions for decades.
Mr. Sani also stated that, “the last minute-sale of NITEL to a private firm at a time when the government is supposed to be preparing notes for handover is also suspicious or irrelevant at this time”.

Judge rejects National Assembly Clerk’s moves to drag Obasanjo into Buruji Kashamu’s suit

A federal judge Friday dismissed a move by the Clerk of the National Assembly to drag former President Olusegun Obasanjo into a court suit filed by Buruji Kashamu, a Senator-elect from Ogun State.
Mr. Kashamu, who is wanted in the U.S for drug related offences, had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos, claiming that there is a move to abduct and forcibly transport him to the U.S. to face trial.
In the suit, 12 individuals and government agencies were joined as respondents.
They include the Inspector General of Police; the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC; Director General, Department of State Service; the Interpol National Central Bureau; and the Attorney General of the Federation.

Woman, 3 kids escape death by whiskers in Owerri

A house wife and her three children narrowly escaped death at Orji, Owerri North local council area of Imo State, when the Golf 5 saloon car mysteriously caught fire midway into their trip home.
Vanguard gathered that the ill-fated Golf car caught fire opposite one of the new generation banks (names withheld) at about 4pm, while the car was in motion.
Vehicular movement along the ever busy Owerri-Okigwe federal highway was held up for hours while the fire raged.
One of the stories surrounding the burnt car was that the lucky woman, who went to bring her children back from school, noticed that the Golf car was malfunctioning.
“The badly shaken woman was obviously on school run. On stopping to check what was wrong with the car, the vehicle caught fire almost immediately”, a man who claimed to be an eyewitness recounted.

Nigerians seek government care for women impregnated by Boko Haram members

Some Nigerians have called on the Federal Government to ensure that women who were impregnated by members of the Boko Haram while being held hostage are taken care of.
Hundreds of people mainly women and young girls have been rescued by soldiers who have control of territory initially controlled by the insurgents. Some of the women, held captive sometimes for several months, were already pregnant when rescued.
A Nigerian resident in United Kingdom, Oluyomi Soyinka, said the pregnant women should be relocated because of the stigma.
‘The Federal Government should look at ways of setting up a department to look after the would be mothers and their children when they arrive,” Mr. Soyinka said. “The mothers will have to be counselled and educated or trained on a vocation; I also suggest they are relocated because of stigma. The children should be looked after and trained by government from birth.”
In her remark, Dupe Olaoye-Osikolu, a journalist and Chairperson of National Association of Women Journalists, Lagos, said authorities should allow journalists talk to the rescued women.
Bidemi Osunlalu, a nurse, also called on the government to take full responsibility for the women and their children when they are born.

Woman, 3 kids escape death by whiskers in Owerri

The Speaker of the Ogun state House of Assembly, Suraj Adekunbi, on Saturday shunned victims of a ghastly accident which occurred along the Owode-Siun-Abeokuta expressway.
The accident claimed three lives, and injured 10 others.
The crash, which occurred at Onipepeye village, along the Owode-Siun-Abeokuta dual carriageway, involved two commercial vehicles: a white Nissan Premiere, with registration number LSD 770 BZ and a green Space wagon, with registration number GGE 950CQ.
A PREMIUM TIMES correspondent, who met the accident victims in company with other sympathizers, reported that Speaker Adekunbi got to the scene of the crash in his official car barely few minutes after the accident occurred, but drove past the scene even while bodies laid on bare ground and injured victims wreathed in pains.

Senate President, David Mark, asks Buhari to genuinely reconcile Nigerians

The Senate President, David Mark, has advised the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to launch a reconciliation initiative to appease the feelings of some aggrieved persons across the country.
He made this statement at a Thanksgiving mass ahead of the end of the 7th senate at St. Mulumba Catholic Chaplaincy, Apo, Abuja on Thursday.
In a press statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, Mr. Mark said “What the nation needs now is genuine reconciliation of all sections of the country and not otherwise.
“What must be paramount is the service, welfare and security of Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differences.”
Mr. Mark also said the insecurity situation needed to be addressed especially in the North East zone, were Boko Haram has caused mayhem.
He also advised public office seekers against desperation for power.
“There is no need to be desperate for power, since power comes from God,” he said. “Once we acknowledge this, we will not be at each other’s throat.”
Mr. Mark gave credit to Almighty God for sustaining him throughout his eight years as President of the Senate.

Tension in UNIZIK as SUG president queries VC on alleged corruption

Temsion is mounting at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka following a letter addressed to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Joseph Ahaneku by the president of the Students Union Government, SUG, Mr. Noble Eyisi over some perceived anomalies in the institution.
As the students were circulating the letter in the campus,Tuesday, security operatives tried as much as they could to mop up the document, but it was late as most people in the university community had got copies of it.
In the letter, several allegations were leveled against the VC by the SUG, most of which bordering on corrupt tendencies.

Rivers Commission continues probe of 2015 elections politically-motivated killings

A Commission of Inquiry to investigate politically-motivated killings before and during the 2015 general elections in Rivers State will continue its sitting in Port Harcourt on Monday (today).
The Commission, instituted by Chibuike Amaechi, the Rivers State governor, is also investigating damage to properties and grievous bodily harms to persons ahead and during the polls in the state.
Headed by Chidi Odinkalu, the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, the panel adjourned sitting last Monday after listening to witnesses’ accounts of violence during the election.
“We had to adjourn to properly streamline people coming to testify, as we expect individuals, groups, as well as institutions like the Nigeria Police Force to appear before the panel,” Mr. Odinkalu, a Professor of Law, said.
Other members of the Commission include Ayo Obe, Nlerum Okogbule, Owunari Georgewill, Joy Ejiofor, Michael Akere, and Richard Ofuru.
Mcarthy Oriye, an Assistant Director at the state Ministry of Justice, is a Counsel to the Commission; while the Secretary is Samuel Egbe, Permanent Secretary, Policy/Strategy, Office of the Head of Service.