APC CONDUCTS MOCK ELECTION TO PICK CANDIDATE FOR HOUSE OF REPS SPEAKERSHIP

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is currently holding an election to select who will be nominated as the party’s candidate for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The election is holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Femi Gbajabiamila is expected to pick the ticket after his main rival, Dogara Yakubu, stormed out of the venue with his supporters alleging irregularities.
It was gathered that the Consolidation Group, comprising members loyal to Mr. Dogara would also carry out a parallel primary at a different venue.
We cannot confirm if the rival election is taking place presently.
However, the spokesperson of the APC, Lai Mohammed, informed us that the party is just trying to be democratic by allowing the members select their speaker on their own.
“Out of 218 members, 160 are already here and minority cannot hold majority to ransom,” he said.
On why Mr. Dogara and his group left, Mr. Mohammed said the argument of the group was that they were not given notice of election.

Former Information Minister, Labaran Maku Emerges As APGA National Secretary As Party Elects New National Executives

The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA has elected  new National executives headed by Dr.  Victor Ike-Oye and the Chairman and Former Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku as the Secretary respectively.

That party National convention, which was held in Awka, Anambra state capital , played hosts to delegates from the 8 representing states, including Anambra with the view to elect new national officers to==who will  continue from where the out gone stopped.

Following the alleged court order  gotten from a Plateau state high court, the former National Chairman of the party, Victor Umeh open the convention with a clarification module requesting the party Legal Adviser Fergusson Okpara   to clarify the matter  before the mammoth crowd, which was latter dispelled as an act to misinformed the public on the state of the impending suit lying in the court…

In a remark, former National  chairman of the party chief Victor Umeh urged the new executives of the part to place the interest of the party above personal interest, lamented that though the party under his leadership had undergone over 76 court cases in their two term in office but  encouraged the incoming to be resolute and ensure APGA becomes a National party .

BUHARI MOVES TO SLASH OWN SALARY, ALLOWANCES

There are strong indications that in fulfilment of his campaign promise to reduce the cost of governance, President Muhammadu Buhari may have concluded plans to slash his salary and reduce his personal emoluments.
It was learnt that the President expected the Vice-President and other political appointees to take a similar decision.
Saturday PUNCH gathered in Abuja on Friday that the President would have made his decision public but chose to consult with his close associates on how best to approach the issue without being seen as dictatorial.
According to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, President Buhari will earn a monthly salary of N3, 514, 705. He is also entitled to a regular hardship allowance and 50 per cent of the basic salary, which is N1,757,350.50.
There is however no information yet as to what percentage of Buhari’s salary and emoluments will be slashed.
But it was reliably learnt that the President would also reduce State House budget.
Other areas being considered by the President included appointment of aides and the possibility of implementing the report of the Stephen Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.
Buhari, had on Tuesday sought the approval of the National Assembly to appoint 15 special advisers, unlike former President Goodluck Jonathan, who had 23 special advisers and scores of special assistants.

Buhari’s anti-corruption war takes off

President Muham-madu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade appears to have taken off in earnest barely a week after assuming office with a stern warning to ministers not to dabble into approving payments for contractors.
The government came boldly yesterday with a clear policy directive asking only the heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs not to abdicate their core functions to ministers who are political appointees but to do their jobs in strict compliance with the policy guidelines of the administration.
The Head of Service of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi, made the new position of the government known at a media briefing in Abuja.
According to the Head of Service of the Federation, the government wants to keep the political class away from issues of finance so that development of our country can be sustained.
He said: “If a minister travels out and payment is due, we cannot afford to wait for the ministers to come back before we pay.”

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.”