BUHARI, TINUBU, ATIKU MEET NASS OVER SENATE PRESIDENT, SPEAKER SEATS

AHEAD of Tuesday’s inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are billed to meet with both the newly and returning members of the National Assembly today.
President Muhammadu Buhari, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun are among chieftains of the party billed to attend the parley holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The Guardian gathered that the parley is aimed at keeping the peace among National Assembly members who are split over the choice of their respective candidates.
While Messers Femi Gbajabiamila and Yakubu Dogara are slugging it out for the seat of the House of Representatives Speaker, Senators Bukola Saraki and Ahmed Lawan are neck deep in the squabble for the Senate Presidency seat.
Meanwhile, the campaigns for the Senate Presidency recorded a twist yesterday as the Senators backing the election of Senator Bukola Saraki publicly challenged those on the side of Senator Ahmed Lawan to publish the names of senators in their camp.

Workers shut down AIT, Raypower over 17 months unpaid salaries

Scores of workers of Daar Communications Plc, operator of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM Radio, on Wednesday shut down all broadcasting activities at the Benin studio in protest over unpaid salaries.
The protesting workers were said to have blocked the main entrance to the station located along the Benin/Lagos bypass.
A detachment of anti-riot policemen were however called by the management of the station to forestall any break down of law.
It was gathered that the protesting workers put at 50 of AIT and Ray Power, were owed salaries salaries spanning between 12 and 17 months.
One of the protesting workers who did not want his name in print for personal reasons, said newly employed staff of AIT were being owed 12 months while old staff were yet to be paid salaries between 13 months and staff of the Raypower FM, the Radio arm of the broadcast outfit were owed 17 months.

TARIQ AZIZ, EX-SADDAM HUSSEIN FOREIGN MINISTER, DIES AFTER HEART ATTACK

Tariq Aziz, known as the face of Saddam Hussein's regime on the world stage for many years, has died in an Iraqi hospital, officials say.
Aziz, 79, served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister and was a close adviser to the former leader.
He was sentenced to death by the Iraqi Supreme Court in 2010 for the persecution of religious parties under Saddam's rule but was never executed.
He surrendered to US troops in 2003 shortly after the fall of Baghdad.
A local health official told reporters that he was taken to hospital from prison after suffering a heart attack. Initial reports said he had died in prison.
He had long been in poor health, suffering from heart and respiratory problems, high blood pressure and diabetes, and his family repeatedly called for his release from custody.
His wife, Violet, had visited him in prison on Thursday, their daughter Zeinab told the AP news agency.
She said her father had suffered several strokes that left him confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak during her parents' final meeting.
"He didn't move. He couldn't talk. He didn't say a word to her. He just looked at her," said Zeinab, adding: "It is so sad that he had to go this way."

U.S. TEAM FOR NIGERIA TO JOIN BOKO HARAM FIGHT

The United States (U.S.) is set to join forces with the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the battle against Boko Haram.
The Obama administration will send a team to Nigeria in the next few weeks to discuss with the government ways to renew cooperation in the fight against the sect, a senior U.S. diplomat said yesterday.
In N’Djamena, the capital of Chad yesterday, President Buhari and his host President Idris Derby pledged to pursue the sect members “everywhere”.
They spoke after a bilateral meeting on the activities of the sect, which has been operating across the borders.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was at Buhari’s inauguration last week. This underscores U.S. interest in working with his government.
Tensions emerged between the former government of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Obama administration last year over corruption and human rights abuses by the military in its campaign to crush Boko Haram.
In his inauguration speech, Buhari vowed to defeat Boko Haram and called the group, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq in March, “mindless” and “godless”.
”With the new government, we are optimistic we can reset the relationship,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a congressional hearing. “We want to work with him and have expressed that to him.”

FAYOSE: BUHARI NOT INVOLVED IN PLANS TO OUST ME

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari in the attempt of lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the fourth assembly of the state parliament to oust him from office. Speaking on Friday during the inauguration of the fifth assembly, Fayose described the development as a distraction, saying he was able to survive the plot through the support of the people. “God did not allow them to prevail. They don’t know that they are making me popular,” he said. “The more you write about me, you are making me popular. People notice it that every day, they were writing inside the paper, every day they will put it in front page of [the papers]. Fayose went, went for what? Every time attacking; the Lord has made me a light in the midst of darkness. “Let me tell you that this is not about me, it is about you. You put me here and if you cannot remove God, you cannot remove me. Before you can remove me, you must remove God. “I am your boy boy in Ekiti state; what is the meaning of governor? A governor that cannot help his people, what is the meaning of a governor that is not popular, that cannot go to the market place? I am a local politician. “What is their problem? Jonathan handed over a Nigeria with true democracy, where are they starting from? They went over publishing different things, saying Buhari said this and that but through security information, I confirmed that Buhari had no hand in it.” He urged the members of the newly inaugurated assembly to be humble in their approach to their legislative assignments, adding that “only humility can make one win battles”. “I plead with you our new honourable members, always remember that whatever you do today will become history. Do not disappoint the people that voted you in,” he added. “This is the right time for Nigeria, particularly a time for hardship but we have to endure the spirit so that we can

STOP SEEKING FOREIGN ASSISTANCE, BALARABE, FALAE TELL BUHARI

About 14 political parties from the opposition, under the aegis of Credible Alternative Alliance, on Thursday in Abuja stated that “it is it too early” for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to be relying on foreign countries for support and direction on certain policy issues pertaining to governance.
The organisation, which also includes 13 civil society organisations, restated their resolve to provide a credible opposition to the All Progressives Congress.
The parties under the umbrella of CAA include the Social Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Fresh Democratic Party, Nigeria Advance Party, Peoples Salvation Party, Change Advocacy Party, United National Party for Development, Peoples Progressive Party and Action Party of Nigeria.
A former Governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; elder statesman, Dr. Tunji Braitwaite; and former Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, expressed these feelings at a press briefing read by the National Coordinator of CAA, Dr. Damian Ogbonna, on Thursday in Abuja.
According to them, while they wish the new administration well, “its ability and readiness to meaningfully govern Nigeria remain in doubt.”

JONATHAN GETS NOMINATION FOR NOBEL

A public policy organisation on African affairs, the Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (AFRIPOL) has recommended former President Goodluck Jonathan for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The organisation noted that the will of Alfred Nobel, the progenitor of Nobel Prize stated that Peace Prize be awarded to whoever “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.
Accordingly the organisation the ‘peaceful way President Jonathan conceded to President-elect Buhari deserves the attention of Nobel Peace Prize committee. He may have not promoted “fraternity between nations” but he surely promoted fraternal peace among Nigerians by conceding power.’
The group maintained that the “concession speech by President Jonathan averted bloodshed, violence and imbroglio in the most populous country in Africa. This gesture by Jonathan [sic] buttressed to the whole world that Nigeria has joined the comity of civilized nations”.

Special Government Announcement-Abia State.

The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has formally directed that the appellations; His Excellency and Executive , be dropped in all official and informal communication with him.

He would rather prefer to be addressed simply as Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State.

The Governor wants all public communication to be concentrated on the work and policies of the state and not on the person of the Governor and has therefore directed all contractors, political groups, individuals and party loyalists not to put his portrait on billboards, posters and signages but to ONLY use the pictures of ongoing projects in their billboards and posters.

The Governor has also directed the general public to remove all congratulatory posters and election billboards littering the environment as these public posters are defacing the environment of the state. He has further charged the people of the State to be partners with Government in ensuring a healthy and beautiful environment.

He is also, by this directive, re-assuring the good people of Abia State of his mission of service to the people and therefore urged the citizenry to key into the new vision.

Signed:

FAYOSE CLAIMS VICTORY OVER APC LAWMAKERS, SAYS IMPEACHMENT PLOT OVER

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said he is now prepared to concentrate on the development of the state following the victory over lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress, who plotted his impeachment.
The tenure of the lawmakers came to an end Thursday.
In a broadcast to Ekiti State citizens on Thursday, Mr. Fayose commended his supporters for their unflinching support and their eventual thwarting of the attempt made by the lawmakers to impeach him.
He said although it was a very traumatic period, the people with one voice stood and protected the mandate given him.
The Governor noted that the period of the crisis could have been used for the development of the state, saying, “With the victory against the attempted impeachment, I will now squarely face the business of governance”.
He said he would embark on fulfilling his campaign promises, despite the current financial situation and make the welfare of the people his priority.
“The last few months have been traumatic, especially this week. I was not given room for concentration, but I had left the battle for God to fight. I told those planning to impeach me that they will succeed if they can impeach God,” he said.

Dog meat, Ogogoro death toll rises to 32

Rivers State government has banned the consumption of local gin popularly called Ogogoro, following the death of about 32 persons, 15 from Bonny Island and Woji in Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, and the reported death of another 11 persons in Gokana Local Government Area, which included seven male and four females.
The ban by government was due to the increasing death toll from consumption of the alcoholic liquor and dog meat delicacy alleged to contain poisonous ethanol, which now stand at 32.
Five persons reportedly died in Woji area of Obio/ Akpor after consuming the local gin, although Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, for Rivers State Police Command, Ahmad Mohammad, said only one death was recorded.
Rivers State government through the Department of Disease Control said the ban had become necessary to forestall further consumption of the toxic substance. Director of Disease Control in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Roland Obed Whyte, who disclosed this, however, expressed concern over difficulty in getting samples of the particular gin popularly called Ogogoro or Kai-kai for thorough clinical analysis.