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Nine Years After, Dickson Returns to NASS; Imo, Cross River State, Shunned |The Source

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By Charles Igbo

About nine years after he exited the National Assembly with his head held high, the immediate past Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson,  returned to  familiar grounds Tuesday, December 15, 2020, with swagger, walking taller than ever.

Dickson was a member of the House of Representatives before he contested for the office of the Bayelsa Governor, thus, reducing current Minister of State, Petroleum, to a one-term Governor.

On Tuesday, Dickson, along with three others, Adetokunbo Abiru, (Lagos East), Senator Cleopas Moses, (Bayelsa Central), and Senator Nora Ladi Dadu’ut (Plateau South), was sworn-in as the Senator to represent Bayelsa West.

The four of them were winners at the December 5, Bye-election conducted by INEC. Dickson replaces the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence  Ewhrudjakpo, while Moses replaces Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri.

Not sworn-in are the Senators from Imo and Cross River State.

In the case of Imo North, INEC declared the APC winner without a candidate.

A suit to decide on who the actual candidate is, between Senator Ararume and Chief Ibezim is going on. But the PDP is asking INEC to declare its candidate, Chief Emmanuel Okewulonu, winner, insisting that APC had no candidate.

In the case of Cross River State, it is not known yet why Odey was not sworn-in.

A former Legislative aide to Governor Ayinde, he had arrived the Senate Chambers with family and friends early, but  was not called-up to take the oath.

Dickson, a former Police Officer, is a lawyer and an activist. He was also a former Bayelsa Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

The new Senators were sworn-in by the Clerk to the Senate, Ibrahim El-Ladan.

CJN Is COVID-19 Positive |The Source

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Adesina Soyooye
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By Adesina Soyooye

Finally, the reason why the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko has been out of public eye has been revealed.

Tanko has not been seen in public for sometime. Perhaps it won’t have been conspicuous but for his absence at the Swearing-in ceremony on Monday, of 72 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, at the Supreme Court.

The ceremony is usually presided over by the CJN, which was why Tanko’s absence raised eyebrows.

Standing-in for him was the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, Lagos State- born Hon. Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour.

The CJN is COVID-19 positive, and is presently in Dubai where he is receiving treatment. It is not known if Tanko contracted the disease in Dubai, otherwise, questions are being asked over why he is being treated in Dubai, instead of Nigeria.

Tanko’s  ill health was revealed by a  Supreme Court Justice,  Ibrahim Saulawa, on Tuesday, at the unveiling of the

National Headquarters of the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria (MULAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Asked why Tanko has been scarce, His Lordship responded:

“What do you wish him? As for me,  I’ll keep it to myself.”

Tanko succeeded the former  CJN, Walter Onnoghen, who was forced to retire in controversial circumstances.  He is aged 66.

COVID-19, thought to have receded, made an about- turn, and is currently at an all-time high. This other day, it claimed the life of Billionaire businessman/ politician, Harry Akande.

On Sunday, Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha, revealed that a number of his family members are down with COVID-19. And so is Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, on Monday, threatened to shut-down Abuja over the Virus.

Imo 2023: Group Tackles Iwuanyanwu |The Source

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The Source
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Emmanuel Iwuayanwu

By Charles Igbo

A PDP Chieftain and elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel  Iwuanyanwu is in trouble. He is not only in trouble with his party, the PDP, he is, also, in trouble with a section of his people, Owerri zone.

Iwuanyanwu’s problem stems from a speech he delivered a few days ago when Owerri zone organized a reception for Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma. The elder statesman was the Chairman of the occasion, during which Traditional Ruiers in the Zone honoured  the Governor with a Chieftaincy title.

In his speech, which lasted for about 30 minutes, Iwuanyanwu, according to some people, crossed the border line. He publicly promised the Governor that Owerri Zone will vote for him for a second term in office as Governor, in 2023. He said it was because within just a space of less than one year in office, the Governor has already done a lot for Owerri Zone.

Members of the PDP in the Zone hit the roof. Iwuanyanwu’s speech rankled them. They were not only embarrassed, not a few of them accused the Chief of anti-poverty activities. They called for his expulsion from the party.

They had their reasons.

Iwuanyanwu is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, BOT. He had, on a couple of occasions, said he was instrumental to former Governor Emeka Ihedioha’s victory as the Governor before a Supreme Court judgement removed and declared Uzodinma winner.

The PDP has since then been hurting and crying foul. The party sees Governor Uzodinma as an illegal Governor.

For eight years, the PDP played the opposition role. Ihedioha’s coming gave them a breather. And just before the party even sat down properly, it was  roughly pushed out of the seat.

But, on top of that, Owerri Zone, where both Iwuanyanwu and Ihedioha hail from, feel cheated that, again, the Governorship of the State had gone to Orlu zone where Uzodinma hails from.

For 16 years, beginning from  former Governor Achike Udenwa who did eight years,   Rochas Okorocha, who did another eight years, making it 16 years, Uzodinma’s one term would make it 20 years, and if he does two terms, Orlu Zone would have  occupied the Governorship of the Imo for 24 years.

For Owerri zone, which has not got a taste of it since Governor Evan Enwerem’s aborted tenure, the sacking of Ihedioha was like snatching a breast-sucking baby away from her/his mother’s breast.

And, now, there was an Iwuanyanwu, who the PDP and a number of people from Owerri zone, felt understood the issues, publicly endorsing Uzodinma.

Even though the PDP, both at the National and State levels, has not publicly reacted to Iwuanyanwu’s endorsement of Uzodinma, not so, the apex Owerri zone socio-cultural organisation, Olu- Owerri. The body has denounced Iwuanyanwu, and has told him that he spoke for himself, and not Owerri zone.

In a statement, Olu Owerri said Iwuanyanwu had no authority to speak for the Zone.

In an open letter signed by the President General of the union, Chief Martin Opara, and  Secretary, Barr Sylvester Nwogu, addressed to Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Olu Owerri advised him to, henceforth, speak for himself and his family.

He was asked to avoid “making comments that could bring him on collusion curse with the good people of Owerri zone.”

The letter  informed Chief Iwuanyanwu that: “Owerri people, in the various political parties, are  united in their resolve to pursue the Governorship seat in 2023, to address the injustice that has befallen the senatorial zone in the last twenty one (21) years.”

Chief Iwuanyanwu was reminded by the body of his earlier stand of the betrayal of the zone by the former coordinator of OZOPOLF, Chief Charles Amadi, who he has now embraced, saying “it is now clear that both of you are birds of the same feather.

The statement said: “Iwuanyanwu only cried wolf when Amadi  outwitted him in their common enterprise. Now he has gone back to him to lick his vomit.”

The group urged Chief Iwuanyanwu to show a  good example to the younger generation by separating his appetite for government patronage from the issues of principle, insisting that with his present statements on the governorship of Imo State, he should resign his membership of the PDP and either remain an elder statesman or join the APC.

The letter urged the general public to take the statement accredited to.Chief Iwuanyanwu as his personal opinion, and not the opinion of Owerri zone.

Sultan-headed JNI, Asks Buhari To Address Nigerians |The Source

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The Source
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By Akinwale Kasali

The Jam’atu Nasril Islam, JNI has described as shocking, the brazen storming of a school in Katsina State, and  the abduction of over 300 students, while the President Muhammadu Buhari was in town.

President Buhari, a native of Daura, Katsina state, was on his first trip outside Abuja since COVID-19. The well-publicized trip, Nigerians were told, would last for one week.

But in a most embarrassing manner, as if to dare the President, bandits, in their numbers, riding motorcycles, and wielding, reportedly, AK 47, invaded the Government Science Secondary school, Kankara, Katsina, and abducted hundreds of students.

During the operation, one of the two Policemen at attached to the school was killed, while the other was critically injured.

In a statement on Monday where it decried the worsening security situation,

the apex Islamic body in a statement signed by its   Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, asked President Buhari to address the Nation. The JNI, which has the Sultan of Sokoto as its Chairman, also noted that  there are lapses in Nigeria’s security architecture and Buhari  to  urgently   re-address the situation/

A pointer, to the frightening situation is the boldness displayed by the bandits to carry out the abduction on the day Mr. President arrived Katsina State on a week-long private visit.

It advised President  Buhari to listen to the yearnings Nigerians and revamp the security architecture and address the nation.

The JNI alleged that: “There are insinuations that for pecuniary benefits, some top echelon among the security operatives don’t want the insecurity to end.

“If not, how can one explain the movement of the bandits in their hundreds on motor cycles without being detected? What happened to intelligence gathering that this heinous plan was not uncovered before it was hatched?

“How come the bandits took their time, gathered the school boys, heaped them on bikes and whisked them away without being rounded up by the security agencies?

The Statement, entitled:

“Mr. President needs to hearken to the call of Nigerians; REVAMP THE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE, AND ADDRESS THE NATION!, reads in part:

“The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), under the leadership of its President-General, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto, received with absolute shock the most unfortunate story of the abduction of students from Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara, Katsina State, after shooting the security guard on the spot, at about 10:45pm on Friday.

“This abduction, in commando style, is one tragedy too many coming on the heels of the infamous Zabarmari massacre just not long ago.

“This, indeed, is a sad reminder of the abductions of school Girls in Chibok and Dapchi of Borno and Yobe States of North-East Nigeria, and it’s an indicator that the powers that be don’t read the present through the spectacle of the past; this wouldn’t have happened.

“For the umpteenth time, we will continue to ask: for how long shall the masses continue to live in fear? For how long shall the Federal and State Governments continue to issue empty condemnations whenever tragedies stroke? Is the government and the security agencies so overwhelmed, and thus cannot secure the citizens? Are there insurmountable challenges or acts of sabotage that the Government is hiding from the public? These and many more questions continue to bedevil every discerning mind within and outside Nigeria.

“The Kankara abduction was so belligerently orchestrated that it happened the day Mr. President arrived Katsina State on a private visit. Are the bandits this bold as to further test the resolve of the Government or smite the face of the Commander-in- Chief by bringing it up to his door step in his presence?

“This further proves what we once said that the bandits rule in many communities and do as they wish with impunity.

“If there is any worse outcome than the abduction itself, it is the fact that this is the most potent action to frustrate school enrolment in Northern Nigeria as no parent will forthwith be comfortable to send their children or wards to boarding school despite the many enrolment campaign efforts by the Government. And it will even be callous for anyone to call on the traumatized parents to expose their beloved children to these unprotected environments to be used as fodder by bandits and insurgents at will.

“What baffles us the most is the government’s inability to locate the enemy’s actual enclave, the focal point of their strength and to devote all available means to rout them out or incapacitate them.

“Is it that the political will isn’t there? What really is the challenge or Nigerians don’t deserve to know from the government they elected?

“We, nevertheless, in a plangent mood commiserate with the families of the GSSS Kankara victims, and wish them safe and immediate reunion with their respective children.

“We also pray for Allah’s continuous guidance, strength and stamina to all those on the battle fields against all forms of insurrections in Nigeria. In the same vein, we urge the people and Government of Katsina state not to get depressed; Allah, the Most High shall continue to be their strength in-sha’Allah.

“In light of the above, we call on Governments at all levels to, with all urgency, do everything possible, and use any means possible to return the school boys.

“The Prayers of the JNI and Nigerian Muslims are therefore that: Government should spare no effort(s) to immediately return all the abducted students of GSSS Kankara. And then there should be no sacred cows – heads must roll for the repeated slackness.

“Government at all levels in collaboration with different security agencies should proactively rise against the tide of insecurity in whatever guise by nipping it in the bud, before it escalates; We must all be upright in our dealings and remember that we shall all account for our respective actions and inactions, thus we should be God-conscious.

“We should continue to seek Allah’s intervention to ending these orgies bedeviling our country, as well as return to Allah with all righteousness; repentance, remorsefulness, brokenhearted and seeking for His pardon,” JNI said.

Ondo Assembly Recalls Suspended Members |The Source

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Ayodele Oni
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By Ayodele Oni

The Ondo State House of  Assembly has lifted  the suspension order on four suspended lawmakers.

The lawmakers are Deputy  Speaker, Iroju Ogundeji,  Favour Tomomewo, Adewinle Adewale Williams, and Akinrindibo Leonard.

They were suspended in the wake of the botched impeachment of the State  Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.

The decision to lift the suspension, was as a result of the order of the Court to commit to prison, the Speaker and other officers for defying the order to recall the Lawmakers.

At plenary on Monday, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon Oleyelogun Bamidele, insisted that the Lawmakers were suspended in line with the provisions of the rules and standing orders of the House at parliamentary and ratified at plenary.

The Speaker pointed out that the four members went to court to challenge their suspension following which judgement was delivered in their favour, but maintained that the House was not served with the court judgement until recently.

” Surprisingly, the House was not served with these judgements until recently. But because their suspension was done at plenary, the House based on its regulatory proceedings, of the had to consider the judgement at its parliamentary where a resolution to seek the advice of the Judiciary and Legal  Committee on the court judgement was reached”.

“The House  Judiciary and the Legal Department advised that the house should obey the judgement for peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship between the Judiciary and the Legislature.”

He said the Legislative Arm of Government, being a law-making organ, is a respecter of the rule of law, hence the compliance with the court order on the reinstatement of the suspended Lawmakers.

He, therefore, ruled that the indefinite suspension order placed on the four Lawmakers should be lifted to allow them perform their legislative functions as Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly.

Thugs Invade, Disrupt Northern Groups’ Security Summit In Kaduna |The Source

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The Source
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Coalition of Northern Groups

By Gideon Njoku

The unprecedented happened in Kaduna on Monday when thugs, in their numbers, wielding dangerous weapons, invaded the Arewa House Kaduna.They were after officials of the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG. Members of the group was there for a security summit.

In the past few weeks, security has descended to an unprecedented level, especially, in the North, causing an explosion of panic. A couple of weeks ago, insurgents, in a most horrifying manner, tied up over 60 rice farmers, and beheaded them.

Worried, the Group scheduled a meeting to discuss the situation, but the venue was invaded by thugs, who chased members away.

Confirming that the officials and members of the Group were chased away, Abdulaziz Suleiman, spokesman of the CNG, explained in a statement that security guards had to scamper to safety.

He said: “We regret to announce that armed thugs numbering hundreds were unleashed on the Arewa House venue of the security summit hosted by the Coalition of Northern Groups on Monday, December 14.

“The Summit  aimed to discuss ways to achieve synergy between communities and government security and design a uniform approach to the current security situation in the North.

“Participants at the meeting included retired military officers, retired Police officers, religious leaders, traditional rulers, various women, youth and trade associations.”

The CNG revealed that just as the meeting was about to begin, ”sponsored armed thugs stormed the auditorium after subduing the civil guards at the gate.”

He continued: “They overturned tables shattered glasses, attacked the guests and officials, wounding several people and smashing vehicles parked in the premises.

“It is disturbing that a battalion of armed thugs can stroll free across the streets of central Kaduna wielding dangerous weapons without the intervention of the security. Security only arrived hours after the thugs had left.”

“It is quite obvious now that some powerful forces are benefiting from the current security situation and would do everything for it to continue.

“We are now all the more committed to ensuring the safety and security of the North and its people.”

SERAP Demands Probe Of Petroleum Ministry Under Buhari, Sylva |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

The purchase of Biros, Letterheads, toners, Stationeries with a whopping sum of N116 Million by the Ministry of Petroleum has generated mixed feelings. Nigerians are demanding for a probe into the Ministry headed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the State Minister of Petroleum, Timipriye Sylva.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has, therefore, urged President Buhari and  Sylva, to use their leadership positions “to urgently probe how N116 million was spent by your Ministry to buy biros, letterhead and toners in 2015, and to disclose the amount spent on the same items between 2016 and 2020, and if there is evidence of misuse of public funds, refer the matter to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for prosecution.”

The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation had, last Thursday, before the Senate Public Accounts Committee, revealed that officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources spent N116m to buy biros, letterhead and toners in one year, and alleged “contravention of the Public Procurement Act 2017 by the Permanent Secretary.”

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, in a statement said : “The Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the UN Convention against Corruption and African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption require the government to ensure that Nigeria’s resources are used effectively and efficiently, and in a manner consistent with the public interest.”

Oluwadare added that, “An effective and efficient ministry ought to keep careful track of how it spends public money, and put in place a system to eliminate corruption, mismanagement, unnecessary, inefficient, or unreasonable expenditures.

According to SERAP, “Transparency and openness in the spending by your Ministry would ensure the public trust, efficient, effective and competent delivery of public goods and services. Openness in the spending by your Ministry will also strengthen the country’s democracy and promote efficiency and integrity in government.”

The letter copied Abubakar Malami, SAN, read in part: “Any allegations of misuse of public funds may constitute serious misconduct that impairs the efficiency of your Ministry, and undermines public confidence in the ability of ministries, departments and agencies [MDAs] to provide essential public goods and services to Nigerians.

“SERAP is concerned that the allegations by the Office of the Auditor-General raises serious violations of anti-corruption legislation, the Nigerian Constitution and international anti-corruption standards.”

“Public officials and MDAs should act and take decisions on the spending of public funds in an open, transparent and accountable manner, and submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

“A democratic government accountable to the people must be as transparent as possible and must not withhold information for self-serving reasons or simply to avoid embarrassment.

“We would therefore be grateful if you would indicate the measures being taken to probe the spending of N116m on biros, letterhead and toners in 2015, and disclose the total amount spent on the same items between 2016 and 2020 within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.

“If we have not heard from you by then as to the steps being taken in this direction, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your Ministry to implement these recommendations in the interest of transparency and accountability.

“The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources has a legal obligation to conduct an effective investigation into any allegations of breach of anti-corruption legislation and international standards, including those relating to the spending by the Ministry on biros, letterhead and toners between 2015 and 2020.

“Our requests are consistent with the government’s repeated promise of transparency, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution, national anti-corruption legislation, Freedom of Information Act, and Nigeria’s international obligations, including under the UN Convention against Corruption, and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption.

“According to our information, the 2015 report of the Auditor General for the Federation shows that officials of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources spent N116m to buy biros, letterhead and toners in one year.

“The breakdown of the expenditure showed that the ministry spent N14.5m to purchase Schneider biros, N46m to print the ministry’s letterhead and N56m to procure toner for its photocopy machines.

“According to the Office of the Auditor-General, ‘the contract for the supply of Schneider biros worth N14.5m was split into smaller packages of less than N5m each and was awarded to four different companies in order to circumvent the permanent secretary’s approval threshold of N5m.’”

“’The contract for the printing of the Ministry’s letterhead worth N46m was also split and awarded to 11 different contractors. The contract for the supply of toners worth N56m was split and awarded to seven different contractors.’”

“The Office of the Auditor-General has also reportedly told the Senate Public Accounts Committee that the permanent secretary has failed and/or refused to “explain this contravention of the Public Procurement Act 2007″.

Insecurity: Atiku Calls For Closure Of Boarding Schools; Emergency On Insecurity In Nigeria |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called for the closure of Boarding schools in parts of the North. He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, with immediate effect, declare a State of Emergency on insecurity in Nigeria.

The call is coming a couple of days after the kidnapping of over 300 Students from Kankara Secondary School in Katsina State.

Condemning the abduction at the Students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, Atiku called on the Federal  Government to declare a state of emergency in states where terrorism and banditry are rampant.

“The abduction of a large number of students at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, is a very unwelcome escalation of the spate of insecurity in the nation, one which I condemn in the strongest possible term.

“I, therefore, call on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency in states bedeviled by banditry and terrorism, for an offensive and decisive war on terror and insecurity.”

Atiku said the state of emergency he demands should follow the steps prescribed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

He also said that boarding schools might have to be closed temporarily in states where security is an issue to get better results.

“If we must get better results, we must implement better strategies. Strategies that may have to include the temporary stoppage of the boarding school system in all the affected states, in favour of a-day student approach until the situation is brought under control.”

He added that no sacrifice is too great to make to return law and order to the affected communities, adding that there  must be the singular focus of the Federal Government until this menace is eradicated.

He sympathized with parents of the abducted children, the government, and people of Katsina State.

Unity Bank Extends Business Grants To NYSC |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
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Unity Bank Plc has set aside N12 million grant for members of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC to pursue business opportunities, under the Corpreneurship Challenge for 2020 Batch B corps members.

Under the mentoring programme, participating corps members are expected to develop business models to qualify for the grants.

The Tomi Soemfun-led deposit money bank, DMB, said in a statement, that the scheme has taken off in four states which include Lagos, Edo, Ogun and the FCT, adding that plans are in top gear to expand the programme to other states in the country.

Tomi Somefun
Tomi Somefun, Unity Bank Managing Director

The retail lender said it’s collaborating with Skill Acquisition Entrepreneur Development, SAED to ensure the success of the novel programme in selected states and various orientation camps.

According to the Divisional Head, Retail, SME & E-Business, Olufunwa Akinmade the Corpreneurship challenge was launched in 2019 as a value addition to the youth market, adding that “over the period, twenty-four serving corps members have benefited from the programme and have been empowered through funding ranging between 200,000 to 500,000 Naira in grant to start and grow their businesses.”

He said “through the Corpreneurship Challenge, Unity Bank has set out on a journey to contribute its quota to job creation by empowering young people through financial literacy aimed at creating prosperity. The Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge is instituted to promote entrepreneurship development, savings culture, creativity, business acumen and wealth creation.”

“Indeed, the encouraging feedback that has been received from Corps Members that received Business Grant in the 1st and 2nd edition after successful pitch in the Corpreneurship Challenge indicates that the initiative is creating the needed impact in society.

“Our value proposition is to therefore reach out and equip more corps members by improving the quality of the mentoring programme in the  corpreneurship challenge and in the process, build increased capacity amongst the Youths who will become a catalyst to Nigeria’s economic development.”

House of Reps Caucus, Timi Frank, Reject, Appointment Of Administrator For NDDC |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
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House Chamber

By Akinwale Kasali

The House of Representatives Minority Caucus members has rejected, and condemned, in its entirety the appointments of  Effiong Okon Akwa as the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Over the weekend, President Muhammadu Buhari sacked Prof Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei as interim Managing Director of the NDDC and in his place approved the appointment of  Akwa, the Ag. Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission, as the Sole Administrator of the Agency.

Reacting to the development, the House of Representatives Caucus, described the appointment “as a disservice to the people of the Niger Delta region”.

The Lawmakers, in a statement by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, described the appointment of a sole administrator for the NDDC “as a further pathway to deprive the people of the Niger Delta of the much desired infrastructural development in their area”.

The caucus stressed that: “The recourse to a sole administrator instead of the Governing Board, is ill-advised as it will promote corruption, alienate the people, trigger disagreements and worsen the managerial sleaze that is crippling the commission and impeding the development of the area.

According to the Lawmakers, “The earlier resort to an Interim Management Committee and now,  a Sole Administrator, instead of a governing board, has heightened apprehension in the region. This is not healthy, particularly given the strategic place the Niger Delta occupies in national economy and development.

“Our caucus, therefore, urges President Buhari to douse the tension by immediately inaugurating a Governing Board for the NDDC as provided for in the establishment Act, so that the people of the Niger Delta region can start enjoying the much-needed infrastructural development through a properly constituted commission”.

In the same vein, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Monday, condemned in strong terms, the appointment of a Sole Administrator (SA) for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Frank who made this assertion in a statement in Abuja, insisted that the appointment of SA to manage the affairs of the NDDC is illegal as there is no such provision in the Act establishing the Commission.

He urged the Governors of States in the region and Elected Representatives of the people in both Chambers of the National Assembly, as well as the people of the area to outrightly reject the abnormality.

He warned that appointing SA which is against the Act establishing the Commission is “detrimental, unproductive and will end up in further destroying the already worsened situation in the NDDC.”

He vowed to challenge the appointment of the Sole Administrator in a court of competent jurisdiction should the Federal Government refuse to rescind its decision.

He noted that following the assumption of Senator Godswill Akpabio as the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, there has been an alarming rise in acts of illegalities in the Commission some of which were exposed by Committees of the National Assembly that recently probed embarrassing corrupt practices in the agency.

Frank, a consistent advocate for good governance, rule of law and equitable development of the Niger Delta region and her people, added that the already discovered cases of looting in the NDDC will get worse with the appointment of a Sole Administrator “who will ultimately be used as tool for personal gain by the cabal that facilitated his appointment and thus create ample room for more fraud, impunity and illegalities in the intervention agency.”

He urged the leaders of the Niger Delta region to reflect on the sacrifices of their leaders past, while he insisted that, “this was not what the likes of late Isaac Boro and Saro Wiwa paid the supreme price for.”

Frank said: “I want to use this medium to call upon the elders, governors and youths of the Niger Delta to reject this appointment of a stooge by Godswill Akpabio and his cohorts in the Presidency to further do their bidding in the continued impoverishment of our dear region and people.

“The reign of impunity, fraud and illegalities in the commission must not be allowed to continue.

“Why is Akpabio and his cohorts in the presidency refusing to appoint a substantive Board for the NDDC, but instead, they have moved from an Interim Management Committee to a Sole Administrator that is not known by the Act establishing the NDDC?

“If Akpabio is honest, transparent and has no skeleton or ulterior notions, why appoint a Sole Administrator from Akwa Ibom state that is against the extant Act which clearly states that the Managing Director of the NDDC must come from either Delta or Bayelsa states?”

He further warned that the appointment of a Sole Administrator was against the growth and development of the region as those behind the reprehensible development are only interested in the continued pillaging of the resources of the NDDC.

“No government since the return of democracy in Nigeria has ever stood against the development and prosperity of the people of the Niger Delta region like the regime of General Muhammadu Buhari and this, we must resist.

“The refusal to ensure that the right thing is done, will lead to protests by the good people of the Niger Delta because despite the claims of conducting a forensic audit of the NDDC, no report has been issued till date.

“This is condemnable, despicable and an outright deviation from the purpose of establishing the NDDC which is to ensure an even development of the Niger Delta region and her people. What we have today is the Niger Delta Sharing and Impoverishment Commission.”

“The NDDC is not a platform for the settlement of cronies but a commission that will help accelerate the development and growth of the Niger Delta region.

“Akpabio is only taking advantage of the people of the Niger Delta region through the Commission knowing too well that there is no President in charge of this country.

“Therefore, the needful must be done if we, genuinely, want the development and growth of the Niger Delta,” he declared.

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