I Did Not Receive 108 Billion Naira From Jonathan--Wike

     
Rivers State Governor Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike has denied allegations that he received the sum of N108 billion from the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan as refund from the repairs of federal roads in the state, which was carried out by former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

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Wike, who made the denial during an interactive session with journalists in Port Harcourt at the weekend, wondered when the money was released to him, adding that such funds are not difficult to trace.

The governor said, “It is not possible that I received N108 billion. Did Jonathan pay the money into my account or gave me the cash‎? Was I paid the money before or after I was sworn-in as governor? Did Jonathan have the power to sign money after President Mohammadu Buhari was sworn-in?

Buhari to merge EFCC, ICPC; 42 ministries reduced to 19

After three weeks of consultations with international and Nigeria’s political leaders, President Muhammadu Buhari appears set to effect major changes in the administration of the country in a bid to translate the ‘change’ mantra of his party into reality. To start with, the President  is said to have accepted the recommendation of the transition committee he raised a few weeks ago to slash the number of ministries from the present 42 to 19 with a view to saving cost and making them more effective and responsive to the needs of  Nigerians.

In the same vein, many of the ministries have been merged to ensure proper coordination of duties and ensure greater efficiency and service delivery.
A source close to the Presidency told  Sunday  Vanguard that the number of  Federal Government departments and agencies had also been trimmed in line with the policy of the administration.

In one operation, we made N90m: I built a house and bought one SUV before leaving for Japan

B arely two years after prominent transporter, Chief Vincent Obianodo, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of The Young Shall Grow Motors narrowly escaped death, when his convoy was attacked by some gunmen in Festac Town, the police in Lagos State, recently arrested some suspects who revealed the real motive behind the attack.

The suspects also exposed not just the identity of the leader of the gang that carried out the operation but also made startling revelations about the kingpin who is regarded in police circles as the most notorious kidnapping expert in the country.

Three suspects allegedly linked to the attack that occurred on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, which also left four persons dead including two of the gunmen, a police officer and Chief Obianodo’s driver, while he sustained bullet wounds, are currently being interrogated at the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud, SARS, Ikeja.

Umeh, Obi Loyalists Deny Principal Offices In Anambra House Of Assembly Executive Slots

The Anambra State House of Assembly which was recently inaugurated has formally elected other key  officers to steer the affairs of the 6th Assembly, thereby sidelining Hon. Nikky Ugochukwu, a third term member and Uzoezie again.

The APGA dominated red chamber, it would be recalled, last week, picked Hon. Rita Maduagwu of Nnewi South 2 state Constituency to be her Speaker, while Hon. Harford Oseke of Awka 2 became her Deputy Speaker.
On its second sitting  Thursday, the Assembly further chose Hon. Jideofor Okoye of Anambra West and Hon. Lawrence Ezeudu of Dunukofia State Constituencies as Majority and Deputy Majority Leaders respectively.
Other principal officers of ANSHA elected were younger brother of Sir Emeka Offor, Hon. Onyebuchi Offor, PDP, Ekwusigo constituency, as Minority Leader; Hon. Beverly Ikpeazu, Chief Whip; while Hon. Chugbo Enwezor emerged as Chairman of the 6th Assembly Agenda.
Surprisingly the two new PDP members from Anaocha 1 and 2 were equally assigned portfolios.
Ashiwaju.org gathered that though, Honourable  Nikky Ugochukwu who represents Orumba South and  Honourable. Ikem Uzoezie of Aguata 1 constituencies, both APGA members who were seen as prefered Speakership candidate and command greater influence in the hallow chamber, but surprised to see that both were conspicuously denied the offer to command any leadership positions in the house.
Hon. Ugochukwu, a third term member is allegedly close to the state former governor, Chief Peter Obi whose relationship with the incumbent government has been strained, even as Hon. Uzoezie’s mother, Dr. Ego Uzoezie, the former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development and a relation to the erstwhile  National Chairman  of APGA, Chief Sir Victor Umeh.

Court Restrains Anambra Revenue Agency From Penalizing Lawyer In Awka

In the build up to protecting his fundamental human right allegedly trampled upon by the Anambra state Revenue Agency, An Ihiala High Court has granted an order restraining the former under the auspices of Waste Management Agency from invading and harassing Mr. Greg Offodile on any matter relating to the matter, pending the determination of the substantial suite before it.

This ruling was Sena-qua-nun to last week invasion by the men of Anambra state Waste Management Agents for allegedly invading the Law  Firm of the plaintiff, situated at No. 5, Secretariat Road, Aroma Junction, Awka, Awka South Local Government of the State and threatened to cart away his office movable properties for not complying with their request as regards payment of revenue to the aforementioned government agency.
In a unanimous ruling, Justice B.A Ogbuli Friday upheld the application of the plaintiff, based on the tenet of the 1999 constitution as amended which borders on issue relation to fragrant abuse and act of impunity on abuse of fundamental human right, His Judgment ''"that I hereby restrain the respondents (Mr. E.F. Ogbogu, Mr. Phil Chinwuba and Anambra State Waste Management Authority), particularly the 3rd respondent (Anambra State Waste Management Authority), their employees, agents, servants, privies or officers from invading or continuing to invade the 1st applicant's law firm situate at No. 5, Secretariat Road, Aroma Junction, Awka in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State pending the determination of the substantive suit"

ARMY TACKLES AMNESTY INT’L ON ALLEGED RIGHTS ABUSES

The Nigeria Army has condemned what it described as the sustained efforts by the Amnesty International (AI) to tarnish its image with spurious allegations of human rights abuses.
The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Kenneth Minimah, picked holes in the AI’s report released early this month and wondered what the agency hopes to achieve by consistently making wild allegations against responsible officers of the Nigerian military and the Armed Forces as an institution.
At a press conference addressed on behalf of General Minimah by Major General Adamu Baba Abubakar, Chief of Administration, Army Headquarters, the force said it has never hidden anything about the operations in the north east, adding that it has cooperated with Amnesty International by responding to two letters it wrote to the Army seeking clarifications to certain allegations.
“Amnesty International wrote a five-point questionnaire to the Nigerian Army in November 2014 alleging extra-judicial killings of some people by the military. The military responded immediately to the questions, providing answers precisely on December 23, 2014.
“Surprisingly, Amnesty International sent another 37-point questionnaire to the Nigerian Army which was answered, emailed and a hard copy delivered to the agency’s headquarters in London on December 23, 2014.

ATIKU, AKANDE BATTLE FOR APC BOT CHAIRMANSHIP

There are strong indications that a fresh power tussle is brewing in the All Progressives Congress over the chairmanship of its Board of Trustees.
Saturday PUNCH reliably learnt on Friday that the tussle was between former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and a former Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande.
Investigations showed that the tussle was part of moves by the power blocs in the APC to influence decisions in the party by taking control of its various organs.
Saturday PUNCH had last week reported that two power blocs led by Atiku and a National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had engaged in a fierce battle to control the party.
It was learnt that the two camps believed that the BOT chairmanship would go a long way in assisting them to control the party.
The chairman of the BOT, according to Article 13.2 of the APC constitution, shall be elected by the board members.
Both camps, investigations showed, had started reaching out to members of the board, who would elect the chairman.
It was learnt that Akande was being backed by Tinubu, who is not happy with Atiku’s role in the National Assembly leadership elections.

SARAKI: YOUTHS DEFEND LAI MOHAMMED OVER ATTACK

Some youths of in Kwara state have risen in defence of the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed for issuing a statement rejecting the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President.
The Youths under the aegis of Oro Kingdom Youth Forum lampooned those attacking Mohammed for doing his job.
It would be recalled that some APC and Saraki loyalists in the state had harangued the APC spokesman who hails from the same state with Saraki, a former governor of the state.
The APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun had equally defended Lai Mohammed, saying he issued the statement with the consent of the party's leadership.
The youths who are Mohammed's kinsmen passed a vote of confidence on him even as they criticised the statement credited to some Oro elders, saying their attack on Lai Mohammed was "harsh and barbaric".

DOGARA RESISTS APC LEADERS' MOVE TO APPOINT GBAJABIAMILA AS MAJORITY LEADER

All Progressives Congress continued to talk over the recent resentments regarding the headship of the National Assembly with the party’s legislators at the weekend to try to prevent the problem from festering. Last week, the party was said to have proposed concessions aimed at accommodating key interest groups in the sharing of principal posts. But such moves were opposed by supporters of the new leaders of the National Assembly.

In the House of Representatives, a proposal by the APC leadership to concede the post of House Leader to Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the party’s choice for the speakership, was opposed by the new Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.

Dogara had defeated Gbajabiamila in the contest for speaker on June 9 owing to collaboration between a section of APC’s 225 members and Peoples Democratic Party’s 125 members, a situation that enraged the APC leadership.
Dogara’s argument, THISDAY gathered, was that the South-west, where Gbajabiamila hails from, had already produced the deputy speaker in the person of Hon. Yusuf Lasun, and could not rightly produce the majority leader while there were zones that were yet to get any principal position.

A source, however, said the position of chief whip of the House of Representatives had been zoned to the South-south, with Hon. Pally Iriase representing Owan East federal constituency of Edo State, being tipped to occupy the position.

President BUHARI May Appoint 12 Senior MINISTERS FROM NORTH

After accepting the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee recommendations of a “small government” which entails pruning the number of ministers from 42 to 19, President Muhammadu Buhari may appoint 12 senior ministers from the North.
Ashiwaju,org  gathered that most of the service chiefs and some other top security chiefs will also come from the North.
The President is expected to implement key recommendations of the report, especially those proposing lean cabinet structure as a way of cutting recurrent expenditure and freeing up funds for capital projects.
According to a source, the committee recommended only 19 senior ministers and 17 (junior) ministers of state totaling 36 in line with constitutional provision of one minister per state.
Top on the list of the ministries to be manned by Northern politicians and technocrats include education, defence, FCT, finance, Justice, police affairs, foreign affairs and the newly-created ministry of energy amongst others.