MASSOB DECRIES MEMBERS ARREST OVER NUMBER PLATE

The  Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), yesterday decried the arrest of its members by the police over Biafran Plate Number.

Addressing newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, the MASSOB Regional Administrator for Awka South, Chief Arinze Igbani expressed surprise that MASSOB members should be arrested over plate number when the law allows anybody to own plate number names.

“Why must they arrest our members over Biafra plate number when individuals and groups have their names as plate numbers”
“Our leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, directed us to put Biafra plate number which we did and the police are disturbing us.
This is a slight on us and we will not continue to allow them to disgrace us”, he warned.
The MASSOB administrator recalled that one of their members was arrested by the Fegge Police Station and transferred to Awka, State capital where he has been detained over use of Biafra plate number.

EFCC RE-ARRAIGNS SYLVA FOR N2.45BN FRAUD

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday re-arraigned a former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, before a Federal High Court in Abuja for fraud involving about N2.45bn.
The accused allegedly committed the offence between October 2009 and February 2010 as governor of Bayelsa State.
He pleaded not guilty to all the six counts when he was re-arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu on Monday.
The former governor also has similar charges pending against him before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Sylva had earlier pleaded not guilty to the Monday’s six counts when he was first arraigned for the offences before Justice Adamu Bello (retd) on June 5, 2012.
The matter had to start de novo (afresh) following the retirement of Justice Bello, a development which prompted Sylva’s re-arraignment before Justice Chukwu on Monday.

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who signed the charges, accused Sylva of offences, including conversion of various sums of money belonging to the state with the aim of concealing their illicit origins.

OIL PLATFORM FABRICATION: IJAW YOUTHS DRAW BATTLE LINE

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Sunday reacted to the controversy between the presidency and the owners of the multi-million dollars Egina Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility over the decision of the federal government to relocate the fabrication from LADOL yard in Lagos to Agge in Bayelsa State.

They said they would not allow materials fabricated in Lagos to be used in the platform in the Niger Delta region.
The IYC’s reaction is subsequent to an interim order of the federal High Court, Lagos, stopping the federal government from implementing the directive.
According to the IYC in a statement by its spokesman, Comrade Eric Omare, "We want to make it clear that whether court injunction or no court injunction, we would not allow materials to be fabricated in Lagos and used to build oil platform in the Niger Delta region. Niger Deltans have been taken for granted for too long and we would no longer accept it.

COURT ORDERS GTB TO REFUND CUSTOMER’S N5.3BN

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja, on Monday ordered Guaranty Trust Bank Plc to refund N5.3bn illegally withdrawn from the account of one its customers, Dr. Ted Edwards.
Justice Valentine Ashi, in his judgment, ordered that the N5.3bn should attract 10 per cent interest from Monday, when judgment was delivered, till the time the money was paid back to the owner.
The court also ordered that the money should attract another 21 per cent interest from December 12, 2014 when GTB allowed the illegal withdrawal, until the fund was eventually paid back to Edwards.
The judge, while reviewing the case in his judgment, held that the bank did not have any defence to its action of the withdrawal of the total sum of N5,240,516,186.21 from the customer’s account and thereby ordered the bank to pay the money to the owner through his Zenith Bank Plc account.
Edward, a lawyer of Edwards and Partners Law Firm, had initiated the suit, FCT/HC/CV/939/2015, in January 2015 following the alleged illegal withdrawal of the money on December 12, 2014.
The money was paid into the plaintiff’s law firm’s account with the GTB on January 2, 2014 by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla.

BUHARI WILL GET 21-GUN SALUTE, ARMY ALERTS PUBLIC

The Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army on Monday in Abuja alerted the public on firing of artillery guns for Presidential Inauguration and Swearing in Ceremony come May 29.

This was contained in a statement issued by Maj. Charles Ekeocha, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations in the Guards Brigade.
The statement quoted Ekeocha as saying “rehearsal for the Presidential Inauguration and Swearing in Ceremony has commenced since May 4 at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
He said the rehearsal involved firing of the traditional 21 gun salute.
He stated that “the practice session for the 21 gun salute will take place on May 20 and May 25, and on the inauguration day, May 29.

YOU’RE AN HYPOCRITE, FAYOSE REPLIES FALANA

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has faulted a claim by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, that he (Fayose) was providing cover for armed gangs to operate in the state, saying such comment is “ridiculous and nonsensical.”
Falana, while reacting to Fayose’s ‘Save Our Soul’ message to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, in a statement on Sunday, had blamed the governor for the increasing wave of kidnapping in the state, saying armed thugs had been given immunity by the impunity in the state.
He cited the example that the armed thugs had, in connivance with state government, occupied and shut the House of Assembly since November 2014.
But the governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti on Monday, wondered why the Lagos-based lawyer would always keep silent whenever All Progressives Congress-controlled States are involved.
He asked, “Is this not hypocrisy? And Falana did not find it important to ask those All Progressives Congress-controlled states what they have done with their workers’ salaries if truly he is a human rights activist as he claims to be.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN DISSOLVES CABINET TOMORROW

Barring last minute change of plan, President Goodluck Jonathan will tomorrow dissolve his cabinet, Daily Trust has learnt.
A presidency source told our correspondent yesterday that the president would dissolve the cabinet after a valedictory session scheduled to hold inside the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, Wednesday morning.
The source also confirmed that the Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting would be the last in the life of the administration of President Jonathan.
He said the president would use the opportunity to thank his cabinet members and request prayers for the country.
The valedictory council session, prayers would also be offered for the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

UNIZIK Suspends SUG President On Grounds Of Indiscipline

The Students Representative Council(SRC) rose from an emergency sitting on the 18th day of May and placed the President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Comr. Noble Eyisi on suspension.

The President was summoned to the house for explanations and to answer to the "Vote of no Confidence" passed on him by his fellow executives. The President failed to show up for the sitting and in line with the constitution of the SUG,he has been suspended.

With the suspension in place,he ceases to function in the full constitutional capacity as the President of the Students Union Government. Further publications made henceforth representing him as the Union's President is misrepresentation and the party or parties involved will be served with procedural sanctions.

WIKE: AMAECHI IS SEEKING COURT ORDERS TO STOP MY INAUGURATION

Rivers State governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, has accused the state Governor, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, of shopping for court orders to stop his inauguration on May 29.
He also alleged that the governor had embarked on a “heartless looting of state resources” preparatory to his leaving office.
Wike spoke monday in Port Harcourt when he granted audience to elders and chiefs of Elele Alimini community of Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
The governor-elect alleged that Amaechi was scouting for illegal court orders to stop his (Wike’s) inauguration on May 29, saying the latest was the processes filed by the out-going governor at the Federal High Court in Owerri monday.
Wike described the outgoing governor as a man suffering from the “poverty of the spirit”, adding that all efforts to frustrate his administration would not work as he was focused on delivering on his campaign promises.

JONATHAN REJECTS PDP BOT CHAIR OFFER

As the post-election crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues, there are mounting pressures on President Goodluck Jonathan to take up the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party at the end of his tenure.
A competent source told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, on Sunday, that shortly after the presidential election, a team comprising the members of the National Working Committee (NWC), national caucus, BoT members, National Executive Committee (NEC) and some elders of the party visited President Jonathan at the Villa and impressed it upon him to take the chairmanship of the party's BoT as a mark of honour for him.
It was gathered that though the president thanked members of the delegation for their concern, he, however, declined the offer.
The president was said to have told the audience that he wanted to rest for a year before he would probably return into active politics.