CABINET APPOINTMENT: ‘APC IS HOLDING BUHARI HOSTAGE’

Three days after his inauguration, President Muhammadu Buhari has not been able to make key appointments due to a crisis of confidence that has pitted him against power blocs in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This has made the National Coordinator of the Concerned Northern Professional Forum (CNPF), Dr. Mohammed Junaid, to accuse a section of the APC leadership of trying to arm-twist Buhari to make some appointments against his wish. He accused the APC of trying to use zoning to hold Buhari captive, saying resorting to allotting positions on zonal basis is inimical to good governance.
The president, which on Sunday named Managing Director, Sun Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina and head of media of his campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, as spokesmen, is yet to unveil names of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chief of Staff, among others.
But New Telegraph learnt that intense pressure, as well as insistence on certain government positions from intra-party and regional power blocs, might have stalled further announcements of sensitive appointments by Buhari. “There is more to what you think, the president is not keeping the party guessing, rather, a brewing cold war has to be stemmed from getting out of hand”, an insider said yesterday. It was gathered that some powerful Northern power brokers had impressed it on the president to restrict his search for the headship of certain sensitive positions to the region.

How Police Uncover Den OF Fake Currency Hideout In Oyo State

In the bid to mop rib of the state from all criminal activities and instill saninity in the people's Psyche, the Oyo State Police Command has discovered a place in a remote village of Ibadan, where thousands of fake pounds, euros, dollars and other foreign currencies were being produced.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Katsina, said that the discovery was made by the command’s ambush squad in a village called Ojoku in Badeku, Ona-Ara Local Government Area of the state. The police described the area as fast transforming to an abode for criminals, having earlier served as a kidnappers’ den.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the crime on Monday, discovered that the police had cordoned off the compound shielded by tall trees and thick bushes.
Two Toyota Camry cars with number plate AA 125 DK and AA 207 DH and a Nissan Almera lift back model with number plate AGL 882 DF were found in the compound, which was fenced with corrugated iron sheets.

Professor Ahaneku Transforms Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka In Grand Style

The Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof Joseph Ahaneku has said that he is working towards making the university the best in Nigeria, and has also expressed optimism that his dream will be met, following plans already marshaled out.

Addressing journalists in  to mark his one year in Office immediately after a breakfast meeting,  Ahaneku said his one year in office has recorded a tremendous progress born out of hard worked to uplift the university.

He said in one year, his administration has addressed the problem of impersonation and examination malpractices, and has also upgraded its admission processes to a digital method that has proven to be very reliable, and used only by a few institutions in Nigeria.

Imagine First Lady Aisha Buhari Putting On Wrist Watch Worth N10 Million For Hubby's Swear-in

Investigations on Monday revealed that Aisha Buhari, wife of the President of Nigeria wore a Cartier
Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Gold Diamond Ladies Watch that cost £34,500 to President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration on Friday, May 29 2015.
The equivalent of this at the current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) foreign exchange rate of N303 to £1 is N10, 453, 000 (Ten Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand Naira).
The Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-Carat White Gold Diamond Ladies Watch comes in a case made of rhodiumised white gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds. On the side of the case is an octagonal crown set with a diamond. The case is 44mm high, 35mm wide and 10mm thick and is covered by glare-proof sapphire crystal glass.
President Muhamdu Buhari was elected riding on the wave of strong anti-corruption, integrity and pro-masses sentiment.

NIGERIA: KWANKWASO ACTED RIGHT LEAVING KANO IN N300 BILLION DEBT - GOVERNOR GANDUJE

The new Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, on Sunday said it was normal for his predecessor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to leave the state in debt of over 300 billion naira.
Mr. Ganduje, who spoke to the journalists, said Mr. Kwankwaso should be praised rather than criticised as he transformed the state.
The governor said his predecessor committed no crime and went ahead to rationalise the huge debt as arising from the sudden drop in in oil revenue.
"I don't think Kwankwaso has committed any crime for living behind these huge liabilities because whatever happened was planned, coordinated and executed with me.
I knew everything, the anticipations were high and we thought that things, according to oil money, will continue to be smooth. Suddenly, there was that disgracing drop," Mr. Ganduje, who was deputy to Mr. Kwankwaso, said.

Full Pictures Of CBN Staff Arraign By EFCC For N8 Billion Fraud

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has dismissed six of its staff that were involved in the N8 billion currency fraud in some of its branches, the apex bank said today.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria will like to inform the general public of the chronology of events that led the Management of the CBN to hand over some unscrupulous staff to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for prosecution,” a statement by the CBN Director, Corporate Communications Department, Ibrahim Mu’azu said.
“During a routine internal audit of the Bank’s Cash Destruction activities in September 2014, the CBN Briquetting Panel, comprising senior bank staff from different branches, noticed some anomalies at the Ibadan Branch, and immediately reported this to the bank’s management.
“On further investigation ordered by the Governor, it was discovered that a systematic scheme, which has been on for several years, was being run in which mutilated higher denomination notes, originally meant for destruction, were swapped with lower denomination currencies.

ORTOM WARNS AGAINST DRINKING, WOMANIZING IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom has warned that his administration will not tolerate womanizing, drinking or wild parties in the government house.
Ortom gave this warning at a thanksgiving service held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mega Parish, in Makurdi to conclude weeklong activities organized for his inauguration as Governor and his Deputy, Engr Benson Abounu.
The governor said he would scrutinize the handover notes of his predecessor, Dr Gabriel Suswam, and make full disclosure about the financial status of the state in no distant time.
According to him, the disclosure became imperative because the figure of N9.3 billion, which former Governor Suswam gave as the debt profile of the state was not a complete reflection of the state of affairs as it did not include arrears of salaries, allowances, retirement benefits, as well as commitments to contractors and other obligations.
The Governor promised to fight corruption and block all conduit pipes so that he could conserve funds to develop the state and meet its financial obligations.
He expressed happiness that his rejection and that of Senator Barnabas Gemade from the PDP drove them into the bosom of Senator Dr George Akume, who he said paved the way for what they had become today.

WHY BUHARI DIDN’T MAKE ASSETS PUBLIC – AIDES

Aides of President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, explained why the president did not declare his assets publicly. They said he will make his assets known to Nigerians within the first 100 days of his stay in power in line with his assertions before the election.

Meanwhile, there were mixed reactions, yesterday, on the report that the president and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had submitted their assets declaration to the Code of Conduct Bureau without immediately making them public.
A civil rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, argued that it was imperative for the duo to make public their assets. It said the action will indicate “their desire and commitment to ending corruption in the country.”

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on its part, said it would allow Buhari to settle down for governance before taking him to task on his campaign promises.
However, some notable Nigerians disagreed over call for the public declaration of assets by the president and his vice president.

APC SENATOR-ELECT, SHEHU SANI, CAUTIONS BUHARI ON ‘FIRST LADY’

The senator-elect for Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, on Monday cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against making First Lady office flamboyant, saying that it is wrong and unconstitutional.
Mr. Sani, a member of the All Progressive Congress, APC, spoke in Kaduna when the executives of the Federecion Internationale De Agbogadas (FIDA) Kaduna Branch paid him a courtesy visit.
He also cautioned President Buhari against business tycoons who led former President Goodluck Jonathan to economic misfortune.
“I want to advice our own party members who are in government at the executive level to be very much cautious about making the office of the First Lady flamboyant,” he said.
“This is because I am not aware whether the constitution of Nigeria recognized that the First Lady has an office and that she must be called Her Excellency. And it should therefore by very unconstitutional to allocate money to the office of the First Lady.
“It is very much wrong also for the office of the First Lady to be turned into a platform for celebrities and for all sorts of jamborees as it has always been. So, I think President Muhammadu Buhari should be very careful about that,” Mr. Sani said.

NIGERIA’S TRANSITION CAUSES CRACK IN OPEC

A leadership vacuum has emerged at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) following the dissolution of Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) last week, which led to the exit of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the OPEC’s first female president.
The oil cartel may meet for its extraordinary meeting in Vienna, Austria on Friday without a substantive president, as Alison-Madueke will no longer be eligible to preside over the meeting. A source told New Telegraph that OPEC had earlier sent a correspondence to Nigeria requesting notification of a replacement for Alison- Madueke, who ceased to be Nigeria’s oil minister from last Thursday, when former President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet. OPEC had, last November, elected Alison-Madueke as its first female president at the oil body’s 166th ordinary meeting in Vienna.
She was also appointed President of the Gas Exporting Countries’ Forum last December. “When the cartel meets on June 5, 2015, for its 167th (Ordinary) Meeting in Vienna, Austria, Alison-Madueke would have ended her reign as the Minister of Petroleum Resources. Her chance of retaining the ministerial seat under the government of General Muhammadu Buhari is zero and what this means is that whoever becomes the minister then would replace her in OPEC. “The tradition is that the position is ceded to Nigeria and whoever is representing the country at the organisation automatically occupies the office. The tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan expired on May 29, one week before the 167th ordinary meeting of OPEC.