Kwara to Build N500m Computer Village

Kwara State Government commitment’s to the expansion of employment opportunities and entrepreneur development has received a boost with the groundbreaking of Harmony Hub (Computer Village) in Ilorin, the state capital by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. 

Zahra Buhari Dumps Kogi Governor,Others For Billionaire's son Ahmed Ndimi

The latest scoop in town is the wedding bell tale trailing Zahra Buhari the beautiful daughter of President Buhari and son of notable billionaire Muhammed Indimi, Ahmed. Close observers have tagged the move by Chief Indimi as a ploy to remain a beneficiary of the spoils of power. He has been code named "The mercenary of all times" in power blocs.

According to a close family source, what started as a big joke, has become a reality.

Ahmed Indimi is set to marry Zara Buhari. Naturally,this calls for celebration. But taking a second look, one is bound to ask questions.

Alhaji Indimi, a notable friend of Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, became in-law to the latter, in the 90's when the General was the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His daughter Rahama got married to Muhammed Babangida. This union is widely acknowledged as the catapulting factor from the "ordinary" to the "super wealthy" status of Alhaji Indimi.
Prior to this bond, Indimi was said to be a fairly stable businessman. Though it is also known in business circles that Alhaji was the business partner to the first and former governor of North East, late Alhaji. Abubakar Barde. The inability of Barde to retrieve his share of all the business deals between them, from Indimi, led to the untimely death of the man. With the opportunity created by the relationship between Muhammed and Rahama, Indimi's fortune turned around.
Gen Ibrahim Babangida issued him, an oil block licence. All thanks to Babangida, for his generosity and kindness.
Now 2016, history is about to repeat itself, in a reverse order. Indimi's son, Ahmed, is about to marry Zahra,Gen Buhari, the current President of Nigeria's daughter. The general question in the public domain is "what is Indimi looking for, this time around?".Does it mean Alhaji Indimi won't mind going to any extent, to corner the national resources of this country?.
Can we conclude by sending a warning message to Buhari: Becareful. The Indimis' will do to u and your daughter,worse than they did to the Babangidas'. An Indimi, that was an in-law of Babangida, and a student of history in Nigeria,trying to be your in-law, is not your friend. He is simply a greedy mercenary",the source concluded.
Before the present romance tale, Zahra has in the past been linked with Kogi Governor,Yaya Bello,Gov El-Rufai of Kaduna,and Gov Abdul Aziz Yari of Zamfara,but it seems her heart has settled with Ahmed, son of Alhaji Indimi. Trust us to feed you with developments as they unfold.

Appeal Ruling: Adebutu Congratulates Maikarfi, Mimiko, Jegede

Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development, has congratulated the National Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmed Maikarfi, Governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and the Governorship candidate of  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede SAN and the people of Ondo state over the recent Court of Appeal ruling upholding Maikarfi's position as Chairman of PDP Caretaker committee and validating the candidacy of Eyitayo.

In a congratulatory message on Wednesday Hon. Adebutu praised the valour of the Justices of the Court of appeal for standing by the truth, equity and good conscience. 

"Today the judiciary has once again shown that not only is it the last hope of humanity against the subversion of justice and highhandedness of people in high places, the bench has proven that in spite of the tonnes of bad eggs within the system, there still exist men of integrity and protector of sanity"

"I rejoice with members of our great party, the PDP, the good people of Ondo state today most especially Dr. Olusegun Mimiko for his tenacity and doggedness in the face of judicial backed impunity. I have no doubt that the candidacy of Mr. Eyitayo Jedege will help solidify the foundation of growth already laid down by Governor Mimiko"

Hon. Adebutu admonished the people of the state to go all out on Saturday to vote the Peoples Democratic Party back into office.

LAGOS CANCELS MONTHLY ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION DAY

…Urges Residents To Comply With Environmental Laws

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday terminated the monthly environmental sanitation exercise which hitherto held for three hours on the last Saturday of every month.

The State Government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said the decision to cancel the monthly exercise followed a resolution arrived at Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting which approved the need for a robust review of the environmental laws and procedures in the state in order to meet the present day challenges and to promote a clean and healthy environment.

KWHA to Investigate Poor Management of Government Built Estates in Ilorin Metropolis

The Kwara State House of Assembly Committee on Land,Housing and Urban Development has been mandated to look into management of the State built Housing Estates in Ilorin Metropolis, with a view to unraveling the causes of decay infrastructure in the affected Housing Estate.

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM THE FAILURE OF HITV - Toyin Subair

My great mentor asked me one day, a few years ago, why after the appointment of a Receiver/Manager by GTB over the assets of HiTV I gave up fighting and just rolled into a semi coma. He said this because, he knew how hard we fought to save it. I responded with the story of King David crying to GOD over his sick child but then quickly wiped his face off, ate and started drinking, when the child was pronounced dead. You really just must know when to move on so that you can see and take the future opportunities that will come your way. Thereafter, Solomon, the wisest and richest ruler of Israel was born to David because he looked and lived forward. People who care, ask me what happened to HiTV and others in their supreme wisdom profess their own reasons. I have kept my peace and quietly moved on in life, until I wrote an article recently about 1 million Digital Jobs from the Creative sector. I realise, however, that if I am throwing a challenge to other entrepreneurs to be bold and creative, I, who used to be a poster boy for a generation and who failed after 5 years of a great business endeavour, owed it to them to share my HiTV experience. 1. Choose your shareholders carefully and know the implication of every clause in your Shareholders agreement, if you are going to sign one. HiTV collapsed essentially because of a clause in our original Shareholders Agreement, which allowed a group of founding shareholders to block the company raising money or selling off a subsidiary. This right was exercised to block our capital raise because it was believed to be a possible ploy by another group to take control of the company. We the management were caught in the middle and it took us another 8 months to pursue the alternative that was acceptable to the shareholders but by that time the equity market had gone bust, leaving us grovelling all over for debt. Every power you give up has future ramifications so don’t sign away your life for what may be a quick fix or a “morsel of bread” as it might come back to bite you. The same right you give to Mr A and is used wisely, will in the hands of Mr B be used to destroy your dreams. I failed to know and manage my investors properly, which made it hard for me to mediate when they didn’t see eye-to-eye. 2. Perception is EVERYTHING in Nigeria. Your neighbour, banker, staff, bloggers, enemies are watching you and it is not what you are that matters but what others see and are saying about you. Once you are funded by other people’s money, either investors or bankers, it matters what they think. So your lifestyle must be measured. Even if you have access to other sources of income, you must be prudent in spending and seen to be prudent else it will be assumed that you are “extravagant” and/or diverting other people’s money for your own personal use. Soley because it is common place in Nigeria for executives to mismanage corporate funds , people are quick to judge and assume every situation is the same . I never touched company money or take a single bribe or kick back. HiTV had full corporate governance rules in place and a budget that was jealously guarded by a Board that sat 6 times in a year. Even when I went out or travelled with a supplier, I always insisted on paying, but only my shareholders and management team knew that. This forthrightness of mine made me throw caution to the wind since I knew I was clean BUT unfortunately I didn’t realise the negative impact it could have on my reputation. The first thing your adversaries or haters target in order to bring you down, is your reputation. Protect it. 3. Whatever you do, train people and invest in them One thing we did right was to invest in the lives of our people. I inspired all my staff, which grew to about 380 plus, in 6 locations in Nigeria and a London office, including over a thousand dealers, by making sure I led by example, sent them on trainings, exposed them to the international market and bought them books to read about Media, and very importantly made them know we were all in the same boat. If I was comfortable they also had to be, and if they were going through pains, we had to do it together. I have always marvelled at the Receiver/Manager and people who thought HiTV could be locked up with chains? HiTV is today a force in different companies making or waiting to make a difference. However, make sure the people you train and inspire do the same to their sub-ordinates. Usually Nigerians are scared to pass knowledge for fear of being replaced and so you have to teach them to let others fly. Reading the 1 Minute Manager meets Mr Monkey taught me not to micro-manage and get people to earn their pay so that I can be free to do the bigger things. The balance to delegation is to make sure there is a system to ensure that those who are working are justly rewarded. In the absence of a technical foreign partner, we learnt our trade on the job and intensive trainings and we were just implementing our robust researched systems and processes when the company was closed down. How I would have loved to see its results. 4. Equity Vs Debt We gambled on building a company with debt with the hope of converting it to equity once we proved the model. As I said earlier, we were impeded from doing this at the right time. At 25-27% interest on debt, most businesses cannot survive and you will be a slave to the banks for life. That is why they take collateral from you. They lend against your collateral not your business case. Regardless of our strong cashflows, the funding requirements continued to increase. Similar businesses in Europe like Sky, Virgin, Polsat etc had worse debt profiles whilst building up their Brands and subscription models but their markets have sophisticated equity and debt. Unfortunately, we have no sophisticated equity market and I mean Angel investors and/or Venture Capitalist in Nigeria and without that, who can survive? It pains me to admit that someone told the then Minister of Information that Nigerians can’t fund our type of business and I was really hoping to prove him wrong but Alas! We paid 40 million dollars for the first year of the second term of the EPL from mostly equity. But still had to come up with a guarantee of about 70 million dollars for the latter 2 years and in Nigeria, guarantee requires cash in bank. The alternative bank we were forced to use despite all their assurances and being offered half of the amount by another Bank failed to issue same on that fateful Tuesday and only offered it to us on Thursday. Meanwhile the EPL sold it to our competition on Wednesday morning. Watch your debt profile. HiTV was paying an average of 1.1billion Naira approximately in interests and guarantee charges annually, for over 5 years! For a new company, we did a damn good job but really got blown out once our house was divided. I never live by debt and so was really ignorant about how interest works up till HiTV and of course since then you wont catch me near it. But what do you do when you have to? They say internationally that “equity is more expensive than debt”, but that is NOT true in Nigeria. Debt is way too expensive and destructive. At the end of it all I was sued in my personal capacity for the debts of the company by the bank, but we have since sorted out our differences, agreed, signed and filed terms of settlement in all legal actions. The Managing Director simply told me, when we finally met, that since we all owned the company I had to pay out of the liability and not just dump it on them. It made total sense to me and I offered them what I had, they accepted and that was it. Fair is fair.You can’t avoid a lot of skin in the game because investors will be looking for this. 5. You need Government and regulation on your side I ignored government to my peril. The competition spent a lot of time courting all arms of government and I was a simpleton. We just expected the whole world to cheer us on. The laws in Nigeria are as empty as they are full. A lot of writings but you have to make sure your business model is adequately protected. What laws do you need, or what interpretations of the laws do you require, go and get it passed or adjudicated. Don’t assume its there and don’t be afraid of offending anyone. A few weeks before we lost the EPL rights we were approached by the competition to share it with them, in writing. We agreed and were completing the approvals on both sides when we lost the rights. Since they bought it, we asked them for it on the same terms as we had agreed to give it to them just 2 weeks prior, they refused. We ran to government to enforce the fairness clauses of the NBC Act but it fell on deaf ears. We really should have actively pursued the enactment of anti- monopoly laws and competition rules early enough as exist everywhere else in the world. The truth is we never believed in monopoly and offered all our acquired TV rights to anyone who was ready to share the price with us. Our purchase of football rights was defensive, as that was the only way we could get it. Unfortunately, our government was happy to, as they continue to be, leave everything in the hands of foreign dominant players. And whatever we were ready to pay for those TV rights was still far less than what Nigeria was losing from the repatriation of profits by the foreign companies operating in the country! They say Power is not served al a carte, you have to take it forcefully. And if you are going to take it, make sure you succeed! I didn’t, but I am glad I tried. It is the most meaningful, joyful and the greatest thing I have ever embarked on. I can still see the sparkle in the eyes of every true partner of that journey I meet. CONCLUSION In conclusion of HiTV 101, I will say this, our thinking that we were doing the right things and following the patterns of all international Pay TV companies was not enough, we had to successfully domesticate those patterns and that proved difficult. Thankfully, our good intentions and hard work have helped most to get great jobs and new opportunities and challenged foreign companies to do more locally. “Whatever you do, live forward”

Tinubu, PDP And The Road To 2019 - By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, you must be wondering what this title is all about. Please, calm down, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, one of Nigeria’s iconic politicians, is not about to dump his party, APC, for PDP, the party he fought hard with others to sack from power just last year.

The reason for bringing PDP into this article which largely concerns the Tinubu conundrum is very simple and straight-forward. PDP has suffered calamities upon catastrophes since General Muhammadu Buhari sacked President Goodluck Jonathan from office. It is hard to imagine, or believe, that a party that held Nigeria by the jugular for 16 solid years could attain meltdown so soon and almost disappear into oblivion.

One would have expected PDP, despite its electoral misfortune, to provide a formidable opposition to APC and keep President Buhari on his toes but that has not been the case. APC has wasted no time in sending PDP to an early grave by throwing poisonous darts at it from every angle.

The war against corruption has been a most veritable weapon with stupendous impact used by APC to scatter most of the PDP apparatchik to the winds. The strategy was to weaken them by showcasing the humongous corruption that was perpetrated and perpetuated during their reign. The PDP brand was thus obliterated in a jiffy. Many of their bigwigs confessed to nefarious and horrendous crimes of looting and brigandage. They coughed up or vomited incredible sums of cash.
All entreaties and shouts of a vengeful witch-hunt against President Buhari fell on deaf ears. The more they screamed the more they were horse-whipped into submission and made to weep bitterly.

As if that was not bad enough, PDP engaged itself in a war of attrition and became a house divided against itself. It was only a matter of time before it crumbled like the proverbial cookie does. Today, PDP has become its own worst enemy with the brickbats being thrown at one another by members of what used to be touted as the biggest political party in Africa. How are the mighty fallen!

The aim of my piece this week is to attempt what I did in 2014 when I wrote a permutative article titled ‘In Search of Mathematicians’. That was how I predicted a win for Buhari when many pundits still doubted such possibility. I intend to do so again in this column by painting a picture of what to expect in 2019. If you think that year is still far away, perish the thought.

The battle for the next Nigerian Presidential election started as soon as the last one was lost and won. The hurly-burly of the elections had not yet settled down when the potential gladiators picked up their gauntlets in readiness for the next combat.

The ruling party APC has suffered its own casualties as a result of its self-immolating wars of anticipation. What do I mean? The new men of power are already thinking ahead and wondering who may be too ambitious within their own fold. Any of such recalcitrant and ambitious rebels must be cut down to size, no matter his or her contribution to past victory and glory. Without mincing words, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is the first victim and he has suffered massive collateral damage on account of suspicion. APC itself has suffered almost fatally in the process. The only thing holding it together for now is the fact that it is the party in power and thus presumably has limitless opportunities to distribute largesse to the army of party operatives and their cronies.

By this time next year, as this government enters its third year in power, reality would begin to set in and President Buhari will begin to discover and see original animals in human skin.
I foresee and predict a re-alignment of political forces from 2017. President Buhari will be encouraged and persuaded to run a second term by those who are currently profiting from his government. It is only normal and it is their legitimate right. Nothing stops the President from seeking a re-election within our Constitution. The only snag is that many politicians are going to gang up against him because they see him as an outsider in politics who has benefitted from their massive support but in return has been messing things up for them.

If the President remains stoically stubborn and refuses to play ball with politicians, he would have to fight dirty to win his ticket. It seems to me that he would have to do everything to retain the loyalty of one man by all means, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is almost impossible for any candidate to become President of Nigeria without the overwhelming support of the Yoruba and their current generalissimo, Tinubu, in particular.

Tinubu derives his stranglehold on power from his iron grip on Lagos. Lagos is a microcosm of Nigeria. Whoever controls Lagos owns the commercial nerve-centre of Nigeria, just like the California of America. Tinubu has been very lucky in that his anointed candidates, Babatunde Raji Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, have been very cerebrally successful. The current Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, is already set, after just one year in office, to surpass all expectations.

According to impeccable sources, Buhari may therefore be forced to risk and pick Tinubu as his running-mate if push comes to shove. Tinubu’s protégé, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, is the current Vice President, who comes with intimidating credentials but may not have enough political muscle to deliver enough votes to the kitty. The dilemma for Buhari is whether he should buck the trend set by his predecessors, starting from Shehu Shagari, and jettison his Vice President, especially when a cordial and mutually respectful relationship exists between them. In addition, Osinbajo has been doing exceedingly well and he is seen as one of the few shining lights of this Administration.
There is also the fact that Prof Osinbajo is a highly regarded and esteemed senior Christian figure and the President has needed him to silence those detractors that consider him an Islamic fundamentalist.
However, I believe that the controversy that could ensue from a potentially volatile Muslim/Muslim ticket may have been fixed substantially. Firstly, there is a precedent set by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola the acclaimed winner of the 1993 elections who picked a fellow Muslim, Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, as his running-mate and still won in Nigeria’s freest and fairest election to date. Secondly, though Tinubu is a devout Muslim, his beloved wife is a hard-core Christian and a top-notch member of the same Redeemed Christian Church of God as the Vice President. Thirdly, there is the fact that Tinubu supported a Christian, Akinwunmi Ambode, as his anointed candidate for Governor of Lagos State, a deft move calculated to pacify those who may wish to foment religious crisis and conflagration then and in the future.

Tinubu is believed by many to have served Nigeria meritoriously and selflessly by suppressing his own personal ambition for that of others and it is believed that the kingmaker deserves a chunky reward the next time around if he so desires. He is acknowledged as being one of the most knowledgeable leaders in Nigeria today and a lot of people feel that his background in business and politics could bail Nigeria out of the economic quagmire of the moment. He is known to be a practical politician who knows how to make the world better for most people.

If the hawks succeed in getting Buhari to snub Tinubu because of his perceived threat to the President himself, the APC may split like PDP did before the collapse of the Jonathan Presidency.
One potential candidate is hovering in the wings and that is the Turaki of Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who has never hidden the fact that he wants the Presidency by all means. My next permutation is that the former Vice President and Tinubu who are two of the three most powerful and influential politicians in APC today (the third is Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki with his firm control of the Senate) may combine forces to thwart a Buhari re-election bid. They have been old allies since the time of Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. If they join forces, it may therefore spell doom for those seeking the re-election of President Buhari.
After the seeming lull in the Buhari-Tinubu love, it seems the recent appointments given to some of Tinubu’s acolytes appear designed to assuage his feeling. But would this be sufficient to bury the combustive ambition of a man who believes he still has so much to give to his country?
The third option which also involves Tinubu in the mix is one on which for a variety of reasons Buhari chooses not to run again. Without doubt, there are several other forces contending for power in case Buhari decides not to seek re-election. In this category, Tinubu’s name still features prominently. No one can deny the ability of Tinubu to transform Nigeria the way he did in Lagos. It is presumed that Buhari may generously want to pay Tinubu back for the support he gave him. He may also want to leave a lasting legacy and shed the toga of an ethnic jingoist by handing over to a Southerner. If this happens, I foresee the visionary Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, a core Buhari loyalist, becoming Tinubu’s running-mate, notwithstanding that this is another Muslim/Muslim ticket. Many APC loyalists believe this combination may fly.
There is a fourth option and this is coming from the direction of PDP. The theory here is that PDP can still spring a surprise on Buhari and pay him back in his own coin. The PDP apologists believe the North has lost more under Buhari despite allocating many political appointments to the region. They are of the opinion that former President Jonathan did more for them and gave them access and respect than their own man Buhari who they accuse of being standoffish. This is the reason that many Northerners, apart from his kinsmen in the South South, have become the biggest promoter of PDP.

However, I believe that the controversy that could ensue from a potentially volatile Muslim/Muslim ticket may have been fixed substantially. Firstly, there is a precedent set by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola the acclaimed winner of the 1993 elections who picked a fellow Muslim, Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, as his running-mate and still won in Nigeria’s freest and fairest election to date. Secondly, though Tinubu is a devout Muslim, his beloved wife is a hard-core Christian and a top-notch member of the same Redeemed Christian Church of God as the Vice President. Thirdly, there is the fact that Tinubu supported a Christian, Akinwunmi Ambode, as his anointed candidate for Governor of Lagos State, a deft move calculated to pacify those who may wish to foment religious crisis and conflagration then and in the future.

Tinubu is believed by many to have served Nigeria meritoriously and selflessly by suppressing his own personal ambition for that of others and it is believed that the kingmaker deserves a chunky reward the next time around if he so desires. He is acknowledged as being one of the most knowledgeable leaders in Nigeria today and a lot of people feel that his background in business and politics could bail Nigeria out of the economic quagmire of the moment. He is known to be a practical politician who knows how to make the world better for most people.

If the hawks succeed in getting Buhari to snub Tinubu because of his perceived threat to the President himself, the APC may split like PDP did before the collapse of the Jonathan Presidency.
One potential candidate is hovering in the wings and that is the Turaki of Adamawa, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who has never hidden the fact that he wants the Presidency by all means. My next permutation is that the former Vice President and Tinubu who are two of the three most powerful and influential politicians in APC today (the third is Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki with his firm control of the Senate) may combine forces to thwart a Buhari re-election bid. They have been old allies since the time of Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. If they join forces, it may therefore spell doom for those seeking the re-election of President Buhari.

After the seeming lull in the Buhari-Tinubu love, it seems the recent appointments given to some of Tinubu’s acolytes appear designed to assuage his feeling. But would this be sufficient to bury the combustive ambition of a man who believes he still has so much to give to his country?

The third option which also involves Tinubu in the mix is one on which for a variety of reasons Buhari chooses not to run again. Without doubt, there are several other forces contending for power in case Buhari decides not to seek re-election. In this category, Tinubu’s name still features prominently. No one can deny the ability of Tinubu to transform Nigeria the way he did in Lagos. It is presumed that Buhari may generously want to pay Tinubu back for the support he gave him. He may also want to leave a lasting legacy and shed the toga of an ethnic jingoist by handing over to a Southerner. If this happens, I foresee the visionary Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, a core Buhari loyalist, becoming Tinubu’s running-mate, notwithstanding that this is another Muslim/Muslim ticket. Many APC loyalists believe this combination may fly.

There is a fourth option and this is coming from the direction of PDP. The theory here is that PDP can still spring a surprise on Buhari and pay him back in his own coin. The PDP apologists believe the North has lost more under Buhari despite allocating many political appointments to the region. They are of the opinion that former President Jonathan did more for them and gave them access and respect than their own man Buhari who they accuse of being standoffish. This is the reason that many Northerners, apart from his kinsmen in the South South, have become the biggest promoter of PDP.

In case you think Jonathan is dead and buried politically, perish the thought! He still holds the biggest ace in PDP. In fact, many in PDP today see him as their best candidate in 2019 because some of his transformation agenda are beginning to come to fruition. They are hoping and banking on Buhari becoming so unpopular that Jonathan would be sorely missed by Nigerians who would practically beg him to come back.

The rising profile and the promotion of Jonathan in the international community is part of that systematic way of re-polishing, repackaging, redefining and preparing him for a return to power. Every attempt to smear him with a tar brush would be rebuffed by his die-hard loyalists who see Buhari as someone trying to kill any future role for Jonathan as Nigerian President. They are totally committed to ensuring that Jonathan is well protected between now and next year when serious politicking would have reached a crescendo again. The hope is that as a former civilian President, he can bounce back to power like President Mathieu Kerekou did in Benin Republic, when he returned in 1996 after quitting in 1991.
Who knows tomorrow?

FIVE OF US BROUGHT BUHARI BACK-Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that he and four other eminent Nigerians brought President Muhammadu Buhari to salvage Nigeria from its current challenges.

He said they took the decision when they felt that the country stood at a crossroads.

Obasanjo said, “Three or four other of us from different part of the country got together and said to ourselves what do we do

“We said what is the problem with us and why are we still not growing. We got talking and knew we needed to do something.

“What do we need to deal with for this Nigeria of ours to become what God has created it to be. A land flowing with milk and honey, that is the intention of God for creating Nigeria.”

The former President, who spoke on Thursday at a reception held in his honour at the Government House, Yola, Taraba State, said so far, Buhari had not disappointed the country.

He said, “So far, Buhari has not disappointed us. I trust him, he will not fail Nigerians. I know he will overcome the challenges the country is currently facing.”

He, however, said Nigeria needed to get its acts right in the area of politics, governance and leadership for the country to develop.

According to the Cable, Obasanjo reiterated his decision to dump the Peoples Democratic Party was final.

He said that having drawn the curtain on his membership of the PDP, there is no coming back.

Obasanjo said, “In the part of the country where I come from, there is a saying that you cannot say ‘good night’ and come back to say ‘good evening’ in the same place.

“So for me, it is good night for the PDP and that is all.”

It will be recalled the former president dumped the PDP in a dramatic manner.

ENTRY CLOSES FOR AFRIMA

With massive response from African music professionals that polled close to 3,000 entries, the International Committee of the All African Music Awards, AFRIMA, has closed the submission of entries for the 2016 edition of the continental awards tagged AFRIMA 3.0.

The annual entries submission process which is open to African music artistes, music professionals and other stakeholders living on the continent and in the Diaspora, commenced on May 30 and closed on July 30. A total number of 2,714 entries were received.

With a nod of satisfaction from the International Committee of AFRIMA and AFRIMA Regional and Country Directors on the large influx of entries recorded this year, the next phase of the build-up activities for the 2016 edition of AFRIMA will commence in a few weeks with the adjudication process and nominees selection.

Also expressing satisfaction at the impressive entries submitted for 2016, the President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada declared that AFRIMA 3.0 took off on a high note with the unveiling of the awards calendar of activities during a joint cultural conference with the African Union Commission, AUC, held in Banjul, Gambia between 24th and 25th May.

Mike Dada said, “The passion to celebrate Africa’s cultural uniqueness through her talents will continue to build until it peaks during the grand awards ceremony in November. I am happy about the high votes recorded this year which is an improvement on the number of entries submitted in 2015. The digitalised screening of entries by the International Jury of AFRIMA will commence soon after. This adjudication exercise will culminate in the announcement of AFRIMA 2016 Nominees List on a day to follow.

Meanwhile, the 13-person International Jury of AFRIMA which represents the five regions of Africa, the Diaspora and the AUC are expected to enter into seven-day seclusion for the crucial responsibility of screening, categorising, assessing and selecting nominees from the body of works submitted for award consideration.
Concluding the adjudication process will be the World Media Announcement of the 2016 AFRIMA Nominees List in all 34 categories.

In partnership with the African Union Commission, AUC, the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, is a music and cultural initiative developed to celebrate, reward and showcase the rich musical heritage of Africa, stimulate conversations among Africans and between Africa.

The main awards ceremony holds on 4th to 6th November, 2016.

Abuja-kaduna Speed Rail : Separating Facts From Fiction & Lies From The Truth

As General Mohammadu Buhari commissions the Abuja - Kaduna high speed rail project it has become imperative set the records straight not just for history and for humanity sake but most importantly to prevent the attempt by drunk and misguided paid lairs to steal from a man with vision and give the stolen property to a clueless man without direction.

Many have claimed that the Abuja -Kaduna high speed was Initially conceived by Obasanjo the claim is false .
The truth is that under Obasanjo, a consortium submitted a for a RAIL (std guage) project which included the Kaduna- Abuja rail line unfortunately despite initial high interest shown by Obasanjo, the Owu chief dumped the project in pursuit of his third term agenda which unfortunately hit the rocks thanks to Atiku ,Ken Nnamani and Ghali Umar Na'Abba.

When the same idea was submitted to Yardua/Jonathan they accepted it, Although Yardua later died Jonathan pursued it with vigor and commenced its construction and pursued it to conclusion.

Simon Kolawole former editor of Thisday and now publisher of Cable expressly confirms the fact that President Jonathan was the initiator of the project.

Source :
https://www.thecable.ng/kpmg-nigerias-high-speed-rail-world-class

Even Buhari state House website still has the records .

http://www.statehouse.gov.ng/index.php/government/78-featured/108-railway

Obasanjo had nothing to do with it!, people confuse the Abuja light rail project(intra city)whose ground breaking was performed by Obasanjo with the Abuja-Kaduna rail project .

It is imperative to note that apart of the grass clearing (tagged official ground breaking in 2007) for the intracity project Obasanjo never did anything to actualise the dream. the intracity project was originally linked to the Abuja's bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 which never happened!

See source 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abuja_Light_Rail

GEJ also ensured that the Abuja-Kaduna high speed rail project did not suffer like most government projects, hence when budget provisions could not meet up with counterpart funding levels SURE-P a creation of Jonathan from subsidy Savings came to the rescue 

Tinubus Nation newspaper corroborates this :

http://thenationonlineng.net/sure-p-sure-of-abuja-kaduna-railway-date/

Despites starting the project from scratch ,In just 3 years(2014) Jonathan had achieved 70% completion

http://allafrica.com/stories/201312091891.html

The only project that received more attention under Jonathan apart from the Federal University/ Almajiri school project & Rice Farming was this high speed rail. project.

http://nigeriannewspapers.disnaija.com/sun/fg-commissions-n136-392b-abuja-kaduna-railway/

Unfortunately APC chieftains who are shamelessly taking selfies with the project were the ones who claimed the coaches were locomotives. 

1. Amaechi Buharis Campaign Director General and current minister of transport:

Hear Amaechi in His own words: 

“In fact, I think we have a problem; most people don’t believe that the railway transport is functioning in Nigeria. I didn’t even know, until I started this tour, I never knew that the railway was functioning, it was even from his (MD’s) speech that I learnt that there are some coaches or services that go to Kano or Port Harcourt or elsewhere.

http://dailypost.ng/2015/12/16/i-never-knew-railway-transport-still-existed-in-nigeria-amaechi/

Tolu Ogunlesi : Buharis aide on new media 

Stated that the Abuja - Kaduna rail project did not exist , he even went as far as posting pictures of a open field where he claimed a taxi driver took him to to buttress his lies!
Today the young man is tweeting pictures all over the place showing Buhari commissioning a project he earlier claimed did not exist !

His handle : www.twitter.com/toluogunlesi 

APC as a party claimed the transformation of the rail sector only existed in the imagination of the former president today they are taking selfies inside another mans idea

Source:

APC Campaign Faults Jonathan’s Achievement On Railway, Says ‘Transformation’ Claim Fraudulent, Product Of Over-Active Imagination

http://www.informationng.com/2015/02/apc-campaign-faults-jonathans-achievement-on-railway-says-transformation-claim-fraudulent-product-of-over-active-imagination.html

WE DENIED DANGOTE LAND FOR SUGAR PLANTATION BECAUSE... - Kebbi State Governor

Business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s plan to establish a sugar plantation and a factory in Kebbi State may have hit the rock, as indigenous land owners, who are mostly farmers, have refused to release their farm land.

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu said this at an interactive session with intellectuals of Kebbi State origin working at Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. The session was held at the university’s auditorium. Also in attendance were members of the Kebbi State Students’ Union, UDUS chapter.

Governor Bagudu said that even at the offer of compensation, the farmers tenaciously held on to their land, saying that Dangote’s investment will not serve their interest.

He said, “Dangote Industries’ application for 54,000 hectares of land to establish a sugar factory pre-dated my administration, but they could only identify about 24,000 hectares suitable for sugar cane cultivation.

“When we came on board, there was pressure on us because all of those 24,000 hectares belong to farmers. And the proposal we met on ground was that those farmers would be paid compensation of about a hundred thousand naira per hectare.”

He said further, “As a government, the whole cabinet looked at the proposal. Our concern is, you are going to pay a farmer hectare of land where he produces his crops. You will be making an income of 700,000 a year where he has been making 100,000 and make him a labourer forever. How as a social policy can you justify this opportunity cost?

“What is the net contribution in output that this investment is going to bring, for instance, if you are replacing your current production of rice by the production of sugar cane?

“Let there be no mistakes about it, we welcome investors and we thank Dangote Industries for identifying Kebbi as one of those states he wants to invest in. But above all, the most important thing is the need to ensure that investments serve and benefit our people.

“We hope to convince Dangote that there are other ways this can be done to have better security for his investment, like agreeing that our farmers become his out-growers and he buys from them for production in his factory.”

On adding value to rice and wheat production, which the state is noted for, Governor Bagudu explained that his administration built two models whereby a farmer, given sufficient inputs without subsidy, would inevitably achieve better outcome than a farmer receiving subsidy but insufficient inputs.

“When we tested this by interacting with farmers, we were surprised by their acceptance of adequate inputs without subsidy versus subsidy without adequate inputs,” he said.

He identified lack of human resources, inadequate infrastructure and apathy to developmental values on the part of youths as problems of education in the state.

Bagudu also used the occasion to outline remarkable achievements his administration had recorded since assumption of office.

The event with over 40 Kebbi State indigenously ranked professors and others in attendance was chaired by Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Vice-Chancellor, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, also an indigene of Kebbi State.

SIASIA ROBBED IN ATLANTA!

Olympic team coach Samson Siasia and his assistant were robbed of valuable possessions in the Olympic team's hotel car park in Atlanta, Georgia but he kept it secret in order not to distract his team and make them lose concentration ahead of the Rio Olympics according to a report by top Nigerian sports magazine, Sporting Life.

According to the report by the magazine published today, a close friend of the Bayelsa born coach revealed how Siasia's credit cards and money were stolen, his car damaged and his phones and phones of his assistant stolen by Burglars on Tuesday last week at the team's training camp hotel car park and how Siasia still kept it to himself because he wants total focus from his players.

"Coach Samson Siasia was robbed last week when he parked the car he is using for running around for the team at the team's hotel park'' the source said .

"He went to see the players after the evening session and also freshen up in his hotel room , but alas as he came back to pick his car he discovered that somebody had broken the door and the glass of the car and made away with his credit card, his two android phones, the phones of his assistant, Abu and some money too''

"Siasia was demoralized but after a few minutes he braced up and told us that the devil is a liar and that nothing can stop him from preparing this team for the Olympics task ahead."

When Siasia was contacted by SportingLife , the former Super Eagles coach asked " who told you, how did you know ?"

"Well it's true but I have done what I supposed to do so there is no cause for alarm.

"We are focused and preparing hard for the Olympics that is what I can tell you for now. But it is true that the car I am using here was burgled and they made away with my credit cards and other valuables . But no cause for alarm as I told you"

MOHAMMED BABANGIDA'S MARRIAGE TO BILLIONAIRE'S INDIMI'S DAUGHTER CRASHES

Rahama is one of the daughters of billionaire businessman Mohammed Indimi. She got married to Mohammed Babangida, son of former Nigerian Military leader, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, several years ago and they have four kids together. However, their marriage has ended. She shared an audio via her Instagram page where she claimed her now (ex husband) can allegedly be heard saying nasty things about his new wife and wrote,

"Woke up to this, a recording of Mr Mo saying some nasty things about his current wife I wonder what he has been saying about me when we were married (not cool muha,not cool) may Allah protect us all from people like this. Ameen#justsaying".

The video has since been deleted.

She also wrote...

'"t is rather unfortunate that people you confide in can just go through your phone and post such an embarrassing audio of you know who. It is no secret that we have been divorced and I did not hide it. He is the father of my children and I do respect him.The leakage of the audio was done in poor taste so people pls stop tagging me. I had nothing to do with it.someone thought it should be out there and I disagree. What goes on in his house is his Business and not mine.My advise is just watch what you say and to whom you say it to. I wish them nothing but happiness. I have done so in the past and I will continue to do so. May Allah help us and guide us. Ameen".

WHY IBB OVERTHREW ME- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said he was removed from office 31 years ago because he was planning to purge the military hierarchy of corruption.
Mr. Buhari, who has not spared the military even in his ongoing anti-corruption war, said senior military leaders, led by former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Aliyu Gusau, removed him in August 1985, to save themselves from his wrath.
In an exclusive interview published in the current edition of The Interview magazine, Mr. Buhari challenged Messrs Babangida and Gusau to tell the truth on why they carried out the coup against him.
“I learnt,” he said, “that Aliyu Gusau, who was in charge of intelligence, took import licence from the ministry of commerce which was in charge of supplies and gave it to Alhaji Mai Deribe.
“It was worth N100,000, a lot of money at that time. I confronted them and took the case to the Army council in a memo…I wanted Gusau punished.”
In a statement on www.theinterview.com.ng, the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Interview, Azu Ishiekwene, said, “This is one edition that won’t let sleeping dogs lie.”
Mr. Babangida had told The Interview in its December edition that there was nothing in the memo which Mr. Buhari said he submitted to the Army council.
“Don’t forget that I was one of Buhari’s closest aides. I was the chief of army staff. So, I had an important position, an important role to play within that administration. I don’t think it had to do with a memo,” Mr. Babangida said.
But in a tone which revealed that the past may neither have been forgotten nor forgiven, Mr. Buhari challenged Messrs Babangida and Gusau to come clean on why they removed him, asking The Interview to choose whose story to believe.
He also fielded questions about his health, the 2016 budget, the pace of his government, former President Goodluck Jonathan and why Babatunde Fashola was handed three ministerial portfolios.
The edition also features interviews with Liberian presidential hopeful, Winston Tubman, and retired Justice Dahiru Saleh, the controversial judge whose court nailed June 12.
And in an interview which indicates that the battle for 2019 could be well and truly underway, pharmacist and rotarian, Mike Omotosho, reveals his ambition for the Kwara State Government House.
His road map would give rivals sleepless nights, Mr. Ishiekwene said.

LAWYER WITHDRAWS SUIT AGAINST BUHARI

Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, a legal practitioner,  has filed a notice at the Federal High Court in Abuja to discontinue the suit he instituted seeking the disqualification of President Muhammadu Buhari for lack of certificate

He alleged that Buhari was not qualified to aspire for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because he did not sit for the Cambridge West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1961 as he claimed.

Notice of discontinuance dated June 27, 2016  stated : “Take note that the plaintiff in this originating summons, Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, hereby discontinues this action.”

Checks revealed that following the withdrawal of the suit from court, the trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi will today sit and accordingly strike out the case.

Though Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe did not give any reason for withdrawing the case from court, Thisday reports that it might not be unconnected with alleged threats to his life and members of his family.

In an interview last month, Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe had alleged that there were some subtle threats on him to withdraw the case from court.

He had said: Of course, I am concerned and my family and friends are too; I am not naïve and some subtle threats have already been made. For now it is small comfort that if anything happens to me, even if disguised as an accident or anything, Nigerians will know exactly who is responsible.

“In any case, it was Professor Wole Soyinka, I think, who once said in one of his books that ‘The Man Dies in Him Who Keeps Quiet in The Face of Tyranny’ or something of the sort. Speaking of which, I am amazed at the conspiracy of silence by Nigerians. It is astounding is it not, that in the light of this very apparent rape of our constitution, laws, indeed the very essence of our democracy, all of our civil society advocates and activists have gone deaf and dumb in the face of tyranny.

“All those voluble persons (and I don’t want to name them; they know themselves and Nigerians know them too), who pretend they are activists or keepers of the moral conscience of the nation astonishingly can’t see or appreciate what is happening. This country really misses Chief Gani Fawehinmi; he was the only fearless, credible, true and genuine conscience of the nation, not the pretenders we have today; all the others only make noise when it suits them and their interests but look the other way once they are compromised. None of us today, can tie Gani’s shoe-laces.”

AMCON After Mike Adenuga's Conoil Over N39bn Debt

Nigeria’s second richest man, Mike Adenuga owned ConOil  is being pursued for a combined debt of over $140.5 million by two foreign and one local companies, PREMIUM TIMES has learned.

Despite making several pledges to pay, ConOil and other companies owned by Mr. Adenuga have reneged on paying the debts, multiple sources in the oil and gas sector have told this newspaper.
Things have got so bad that some of the creditor companies have either commenced or are considering commencing legal actions to force the billionaire businessman to pay up having exhausted all options to make him honour promises and agreement to pay.

In fact, one company has successful secured an interim order from a federal court to place one of Mr Adenuga’s companies under receivership.
The increasing debt profile of the telecom and oil mogul, who increased his net worth by almost $5 billion in the last year, according to luxury lifestyle magazine, Forbes, has hit some his creditors so hard that they had to shut down some of their operations.
One of such companies is Depthwize, a local oil servicing company, which is owed $40 million by ConOil.

The refusal of the management of ConOil to pay Depthwize, a small drilling contractor has forced the company to lay off workers and shut down services on two of ConOil’s rigs until the money is paid, those familiar with the matter said.

“Depthwize says it can no longer afford the day to day running cost of working on the rigs,” one source said.
Similarly, American oil and gas firm, Baker Hughes, was forced to lodge a court petition to wind up one of Mr Adenuga’s company, Belbop Nigeria Limited, over a USD $12.09 million bill they had been unsuccessfully trying to get the company to pay.
Baker Hughes argued that in 2009, Belbop awarded it a contract for the provision of directional drilling, MWD/LWD services and supply of drilling fluids and drilling bits, Logging cabin and surface acquisition system.

The company told the court that after it duly discharge its obligation and rendered all requisite services, Belbop refused to pay. Baker Hughes said it incurred a liability of $9.4 million in the course of executing the contract.

On April 12, 2016, Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Lagos placed an interim injunction on the accounts of Belbop pending the determination of suit.
The judge therefore appointed the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court as the receiver/manager of Belbop until the substantive suit is determined.
Mr Adenuga has also been given multinational oil firm, Total, the runaround over a $28.5 million debt it owed the French oil giant since 2009.

Although Total has been trying to resolve the debt without litigation, the refusal of Mr. Adenuga to pay the debt has forced the company to stop work at OML 136 gas field. Total is ConOil’s technical partner in the project.

At a meeting held with Total in November 2015, it was agreed that ConOil would pay the $28.5 million dollars owed before January 31 2016.
That meeting, which minutes is in the possession of PREMIUM TIMES, was chaired by Mr. Adenuga and attended by four executives from Total.

But those familiar with the matter told this newspaper Mr. Adenuga’s company is yet to pay up. All attempts by Total to make him release the money have also failed, insiders said.

Some said they are baffled by Mr Adenuga’s refusal to pay Total the $28.5 million, which would have seen work commence on the lucrative oil field.
The OML 136 asset is considered to be one of the largest gas fields in Nigeria, with a proven reserve of 11 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas. The exploration of the oil assets would have boosted Nigeria’s economy by creating jobs and would have yielded massive return to Total and ConOil, they explained.
When contacted, Total’s spokesperson, Charles Ogan, in an email to PREMIUM TIMES, said the matter is an “obvious internal administrative subject.”

Also, ConOil is engaged in a decade-long dispute with British oil firm, Vitol, over its alleged failure to pay a $60 million debt incurred from lifting of cargoes of refined petroleum products.

Vitol secured a court judgement in the UK in respect of the debt but has been unable to enforce it in Nigeria because ConOil got a stay of execution from a Nigerian court.

Conoil’s financial problems, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, may have been caused by Mr Adenuga’s slowness in taking advantage in potential money earners for the company.

For instance, in 2005, ConOil was granted exploration licence for OPL 257 by the federal government, but the company surprisingly left the block fallow until its licence expired. Now it is frantically asking the government for a two-year extension of its expired licence to enable it explore the field.

On January 22, 2016, Taiwo Olushina, the managing director of ConOil, wrote a letter to the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) blaming insecurity, high cost of drilling and technical hitches for its failure to explore the field before the expiration of the licence.

“Having attended to technical and financial challenges peculiar to ultra -deep offshore blocks, this approval will provide us with ample time in drilling three identified prospective locations in preparation for further development towards boosting national oil and gas reserves and production,” the letter read in part.

The spokesperson for Mr. Adenuga, Bode Opeseitan, could not be reached to comment for this story. He did not answer or return calls seeking comment.
Another spokesperson ducked when approached by this reporter to comment for this story.
Despite being identified by Truecaller app, Mike Oduniyi told PREMIUM TIMES that we had reached a wrong number and promptly terminated the call.
Tax palaver and bad loan

Mr Adenuga’s companies have also had tax issues in the recent past. In 2009, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) sealed the Lagos office of ConOil, and Continental Oil and Gas, another company owned by the businessman, over the non-remittance of $610 million tax to government.

Last month, seven years after his companies were first sealed, the FIRS shut the Lagos office of Globacom, the second largest mobile telephone company in the country, owned by the billionaire, for allegedly failing to remit Value Added Tax worth N24.3 billion.

Earlier in February this year, the Osun State Internal Revenue Service (OIRS) sealed the offices of the telecommunication firm in the state for failing to pay outstanding taxes and other levies in respect of mast/ base stations and laying of fibre optics.
The state said several meetings were held with the company’s representatives in the past three years to resolve the issue, but that the company failed to comply.

The Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) also listed Mr. Adenuga as one of the country’s biggest debtors for a N2.4billion loan his real estate company, Convenant Apartments Complex Limited, took from Wema Bank.

AMCON acquired the loan from the bank in 2010, after Convenant Apartments failed to pay up.

-

Forgery : Ekweremadu Writes US Congress, EU Parliament, Others

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President,  on Tuesday wrote the United Nations, European Union, United States’ Congress, European Union Parliament, Governments of United States, United Kingdom and other foreign missions, over his trial for alleged forgery of Senate standing rules.

Ekweremadu raised the alarm over what he described as attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy and “silence him as the leader and highest ranking member of the opposition in the country, all in the name of prosecuting an alleged forgery case.”

The letter is a two-page document, entitled: “Re: Trumped up charges against the presiding officers of the 8th Senate: Nigerian Democracy is in Grave Danger,” a copy of which was sighted by our reporter in Abuja.

Ekweremadu attached copies of the court summons and other relevant documents relating to the matter to his letter.

The deputy Senate president noted that he wanted the international community, to “after perusing the facts before them, decide whether or not the trial was justified, or one purely borne out of political vendetta.”

He insisted that neither his name nor that of the president of the Senate, featured in the petition filed by the aggrieved members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) or during the investigation of the petition by the police.

Don't Panic , I Remain Your Governor , Ikpeazu Reacts to Judgement

The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called on Abians not to panic, but remain clam over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja delivered today in favor of Mr. Uche Oga against him, in the case of alleged falsification of tax receipts.
Governor Ikpeazu, who said that he has faith in the judiciary and rule of law, added that he will appeal the ruling as he has instructed his lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the said judgment.
The Governor noted as an appointee of the Abia State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), and first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs respectively, before his resignation in October 2014 to contest the Governorship election in the state, that within the period his taxes were deducted at source, and when he had need of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in question.
He maintenance that he remains the Governor of the state according to law and will await the final determination of the matter by the appellate courts.

COURT SACKS ABIA GOVERNOR, UCHE OGAH TAKES OVER

Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu,  has been ordered the  to vacate office immediately by a Federal High Court in Abuja for submitting false information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, for the party’s governorship primary in December 2014.
In a judgment delivered earlier today,
Justice Okon Abang ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately issue a certificate of return to the plaintiff, Uche Ogah, who polled the second highest number of votes in the primary.

PROFILE OF THE NEW GOVERNOR 

Uchechukwu S. Ogah (born 22 December 1969) is a Nigerian oil magnate, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. Ogah is the President of Master Energy Group,[1] a conglomerate with over 15 subsidiaries and interests across a variety of industries. Ogah holds the Nigerian national honour, the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) [2]

Early life and Education 

Ogah was born to Chief Wilson and Ezinne Pauline Ogah of Onuaku Uturu,Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State.

Ogah attended Ishiagu High School, after which he worked at West African Examination Council (WAEC) from 1986–89, before he proceeded to the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu State [3] where he obtained Upper Credit at Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in 1992 and Distinction at the Higher National Diploma (HND) Level in 1995 in Accounting. He also attended University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) where he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in 2005. He also has a Bachelor of Science degree (Banking and Finance) from Ogun State University and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from University of Lagos. Ogah obtained his ACA in 2007. He is a Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN);[4] Fellow, Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria; Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Shipping; Fellow, Employment & Career and member, Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Career

Ogah began his career as a banker with a year of National Youth Service year at NAL Bank Plc. Thereafter, he took up full employment at All States Trust Bank where he worked for around two years before joining Zenith Bank in 1997. At Zenith Bank, he set a record of growing a new branch from zero balance sheets to over N9 billion and rose to the position of an Assistant General Manager (AGM) in Zenith Bank.[5] He resigned in 2007 to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.

Business Concern

As he left Zenith bank, Ogah founded Master Energy Group.[6] Ogah is currently the President of Master Energy Group – a conglomerate with workforce of about 42, 000 [7] with interests in oil & gas, banking, insurance, aviation, shipping, dredging, logistics, construction, travel services, and power.

Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited has grown into a conglomerate with investments worth tens of billions of naira. At a time when investors were exiting the Niger Delta because its security challenges, Masters Energy City invested billions of naira in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Ae single investment, a 158,000 tonne petroleum products storage facility provided direct employment to over 600 citizens of the Niger Delta region, and over 4,000 ancillary positions.

Masters Energy City contains a fabrication yard, established in 20. It fabricates and constructs equipment for use in the oil and gas industry and other sectors. The fabrication yard has constructed two different 1,000 MT capacity barges and is presently constructing additional three barges. Masters Energy sells petroleum products at over 60 retail outlets in Nigeria at government’s approved pump price. Its depot in Port Harcourt also sells products at government’s approved depot price.

In December 2011, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore A. Orji, laid the foundation stone of Masters Energy Industrial City in Isikwuato. This industrial complex is expected to grow the economy of Abia State by attracting investment from across Africa.

Philanthropy: The Uche Ogah Foundation

In December, 2001, Ogah established Uche Ogah Foundation which aims to provide empowerment, poverty alleviation, and providing education for the less privileged.


He had sponsored free medical services in different parts of Nigeria, in addition to building and equipping a number of modern hospitals in his native community, Uturu and other communities in Nigeria.[12] He also partnered with a number of medical centres, including the Hopeville Rehabilitation Centre, to fabricate artificial limbs and calipers for people with a disability.[13]

Ogah has offered scholarships to both primary and secondary students across Nigeria since 2006. He instituted a chair at the Abia State University and is building a 5,000 capacity auditorium in the same university.

CONVENING MEETING ON THE DAY NASS WAS INAUGURATED MY BAD MISTAKE - Oyegun

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has revealed what he describes as the worst mistake he made in the recent past as the APC chairman, which if given a second chance he will undo.

He disclosed this “bad mistake” to Daily Trust in an interview, stating that his decision to call a meeting of the federal lawmakers elected on the platform of his party on the day the eight National Assembly was inaugurated was a terrible mistake, stressing that if he had not listened to the advice of those who persuaded him to do so, the Peoples Democratic Party wouldn’t have produced the deputy Senate President.

According to Oyegun, “There are lots of decisions, not just one, some of which are private. If you want to limit it to the recent past, I would say the decision to call the meeting that took place on the day the National Assembly was inaugurated. That was a bad mistake.

“I was persuaded and I agreed to call that meeting. Had it been it did not take place, we probably won’t have a PDP person there today as the deputy Senate president. The anger within the leadership of the party may not have turned out as strong as it became.”

It would be recalled that following the inability of the federal lawmakers to choose a consensus candidate to lead them at the inauguration of the National Assembly, the ruling party leadership had reportedly scheduled a meeting with the lawmakers for 9am same day of inauguration.

However, before APC Senators, who are in the majority, could return from the meeting which took place at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, their PDP colleagues helped to install Saraki as the Senate President, electing one of their own, Ike Ekweremadu as his Deputy.

EFCC Freezes Accounts Of Omisore, Obanikoro’s Sons

Five  bank accounts traced to the former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, and the two sons of a former Minister of State of Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro have been frozen by the  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. 

The accounts wfroze the accounts as part of investigations into the N4.7bn diverted from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of the former NSA, Lt. Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

The accounts frozen by the anti-graft agency include Sylvan McNamara (number 0026223714 with Diamond Bank); Sawanara Limited with First Bank; Fimex Gilt Limited with the United Bank for Africa; and Metropolitan Consortium with First Bank.

The PUNCH had reported last week that Sylvan McNamara, a company at which Obanikoro’s two sons- Gbolahan and Babajide – were directors, received N4.7bn from the ONSA in 2014.

About N1.3bn was said to have been transferred to Omisore.

A detective at the anti-graft agency explained, “On July 9, 2014, N150m was paid into the account of Sawanara with First Bank. On August 1, 2014, N300m was paid to Sawanara Limited.

“On August 8, 2014, about N160m was paid into the account of Fimex Gilt Limited domiciled with UBA. On the day of the election, August 9, 2014, N350m was paid into the First Bank account of Metropolitan Consortium. All the accounts were linked to Omisore ahead of the August 2014 governorship election in Osun State.”

Omisore, who has since been declared wanted by the anti-graft agency, allegedly received the funds in four tranches from Sylvan McNamara between July and August 2014, a few weeks before the Osun State governorship election which he lost.

A document detailing the transaction showed that the money was paid into three company accounts allegedly belonging to Omisore.

The former deputy governor had, however, denied any wrongdoing and had since sued the EFCC for defamation.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency has launched a manhunt for Abiodun Agbele, an associate of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.

According to the EFCC, Agbele received N1, 219,490,000 from Obanikoro on behalf of Fayose.

The money was said to have been flown to the Akure Airport and then conveyed to Zenith Bank.

According to five Zenith Bank deposit slips made available to our correspondent, Agbele made deposits of over N900m into his personal accounts and that of Fayose.

On June 26, 2014, Agbele made a deposit of N137m into a Zenith Bank account with account number 1003126654 belonging to Ayodele Fayose with teller number 0556814.

On June 17, 2014, Agbele also made a deposit of N100m into account number 1010170969 belonging to Spotless Investment Limited, a company owned by Fayose and his wife, Feyisetan.

On June 18, 2014, Agbele made another deposit of N219,490,000 into the account of De Privateer Limited with account number 1013835889. The company allegedly belongs to Agbele. On June 19, 2014, he also made a deposit of N300m into the same account while a third deposit of N200m was made into the same account on June 23, 2014.

The EFCC said, “Agbele is an associate of Fayose. We are currently looking for him because he has a lot of explanations to make. He held some of the money in trust for Fayose.”

In his reaction, Fayose admitted that Agbele was a trusted friend who paid money into his account. He, however, maintained that the money came from the management of Zenith Bank and private donations.

He said, “The management of Zenith Bank, which mainly funded my election, called me to a meeting where I was assured that the fund would be provided for my election. I was asked to nominate a trusted ally to be related with and I nominated Mr. Abiodun Agbele.

“All the payments into Abiodun Agbele’s account domiciled in Zenith Bank were directly from Zenith Bank. In actual fact, the account was opened by Zenith Bank hurriedly at that time and Abiodun Agbele’s identity card, which ought to have been collected before the account was opened, was only collected last week in the bank’s desperation to perfect the account obviously after submitting to the intimidation and harassment of the EFCC.

“Most of the funds posted into Agbele’s account were through the Ibadan, Akure and Lagos branches of the Zenith Bank and, sometimes, they brought cash.”

Agbele’s account with Zenith Bank has since been frozen by the EFCC as well as those of Fayose and his company.

NCAA WITHDRAWS LICENSES OF PLOT FOR TAKING ALCOHOL

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has withdrawn the license of three Nigerian pilots who allegedly took alcohol when they were about to operate their flights.

According to sources, aviation experts frown on this because it infringes on safety. Besides, it is one of the critical rules that must be obeyed by pilots. A pilot is prohibited from taking alcohol three hours before flight time.

THISDAY spoke to some pilots and other experts in the industry who confirmed that prohibition of alcohol intake shortly before flight was clearly stated in their licences as one of the things a pilot must not do three hours before fight.

They consequence they said could be plane crash or a major incident. It was learnt that if a pilot is caught with alcohol during random testing at the ramp, his license is withdrawn but how long the pilot would be made not to fly is discretionary.

But a seasoned pilot and presently aircraft inspector told THISDAY that the NCAA should go further than withdrawing the pilots’ licences to find out why they took to alcohol, pointing out that the pilots might have taken to drinking due to stress, frustration, family problem or even depression.

He recalled the tragic incident of Germanwings Flight 9525, where a depressed pilot crashed the plane with all the passengers.

The pilot admitted however, that it is rare to see pilots with alcohol in their breath, because it is a major offence but blamed the airline for not testing the pilots before the regulatory body did and suggested that the airlines involved should also be sanctioned.

“Such incident is very, very rare but very irresponsible. Some pilots are actually drunkards but they don’t drink during flight. There is need to investigate to know the root cause of the drinking. NCAA did the right thing but it should not only end in withdrawing their license; that is what those who don’t have intrinsic interest in the industry do; they should investigate it further,” the pilot suggested.

He also noted that without the finding the drinking could have resulted in an accident and if the incident was not investigated further the situation could degenerate.

“If it is stress, family problem or whatever, the person ought not to come to work, but I must tell you that operators (airlines) mount so much pressure on the pilots, so the operators should be fined for not detecting this before NCAA did. But NCAA, I must say, did a good job but they should go further to find out the root cause of their problem that led them to take alcohol while on duty.”