Pogba Set To Leave Manchester United

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August 8, 2018

France World Cup star Paul Pogba is determined to end his fractious relationship with Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and move to Barcelona, according to British media reports on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old — who scored in the 4-2 World Cup final win over Croatia — has agreed terms with Barcelona for a deal worth £89.5 million ($115 million, 100 million euros) over five years, according to the Daily Mail.

The reported agreement would see him pick up £346,000 a week, almost double what he earns atThe Sun claims the former Juventus star — who joined United for a then world-record fee of £89 million in 2016 — has demanded the Premier League side increase his wages from £180,000 to £380,000 a week so he is paid almost on a par with Chilean star Alexis Sanchez, otherwise he will leave.

United, though, would be most reluctant to sell him, with the Daily Mail reporting they have already rejected a bid by Barcelona of £44.5 million plus Colombian central defender Yerry Mina and Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes.

Mourinho has expressed his frustration over the club’s transfer policy, and Pogba’s departure would leave little time for executive chairman Ed Woodward to find a suitable replacement with the Premier League transfer window due to close on Thursday.

The club has had to deny the claim that Pogba sent a text message to Woodward demanding he be allowed to leave.

The Frenchman is keen to move to Barcelona — the Spanish transfer window does not shut till the end of the month — to play with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, while his close friend and former Juventus team-mate Arturo Vidal also recently moved to the Catalan giants.

– ‘Pogba needs to play his part’ –
Essentially, though, Pogba’s unhappiness stems from the deterioration in his relationship with Mourinho, who not only does he blame for his muted performances for United since his move but also for his qualified praise of his performances for France at the World Cup.

“Paul was like the (France) team. He started average and ended top,” Mourinho told beIN Sports on United’s unhappy tour of the United States last week.

Pogba, though, is believed to have been more upset by what followed in the interview as Mourinho implied being in an enclosed environment over six weeks ensured he focused just on football and not on outside matters such as commercial contracts.

Pogba’s super agent Mino Raiola — who was also instrumental in bringing Romelu Lukaku to United last summer — has remained out of the fray, refusing to comment on links with Barcelona.

“I will never make declarations about Paul,” said the Dutch-Italian agent, who is reported to have earned just over £40 million when Pogba moved to United.

“You have to speak to Manchester United,” added Raiola.

Former United star Rio Ferdinand told Wednesday’s edition of the Daily Mail that Mourinho needed to fit the team around Pogba’s sublime talent, but accepted the player needed to adapt too.

“It’s down to the manager to get the best out of him, setting the team up and setting Pogba up in the right way to achieve the best,” said the former England central defender.

“But Pogba needs to play his part in that.

“It’s a case of the player and manager getting an understanding for each other and getting the best out of the player.”

Saraki Blows Hot

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Akinwale Kasali

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August 8, 2018

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Senate President, Olubukola Abubakar Saraki, has condemned the siege laid by the security operatives of the Department of State Services on the National Assembly, saying it’s “an assault on democracy.”

Addressing a world press conference few hours ago, Saraki alongside principal officers of the 8th senate said that it is a matter of record that yesterday, lawmakers and staff of the National Assembly were prevented from entering the National Assembly Complex by heavily armed security agents of the Department of State Services (DSS). All entries to the Complex were blocked.

“The National Assembly, the seat of democracy in Nigeria, was under lockdown. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives were prevented from gaining access.”

“The ensuing standoff was a show of shame that played itself out over several hours in full view of the country.

“In no circumstances should this have happened. And we as a nation reaped the bitter fruits instantaneously, as evident in media images relayed around the world, images that shame us as a democratic nation.

“The siege was also an act of cowardice by those seeking to carry out an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate in flagrant disregard of the law.”

He commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for rising up to the occasion.

Continuing, Saraki said, “People who seek control at all costs, by whatever means, never minding the injury to democratic norms. I have to say that this is not about me – Abubakar Bukola Saraki — as an individual. It is not about Ike Ekweremadu, nor is it about Yakubu Dogara.

“I am speaking for my colleagues when I say that this is about the soul of Nigeria, what we represent as a country, and our standing in the comity of nations. This is a country where so much is expected of us.

“So many rungs of the ladder that we are supposed to have ascended as a nation. Instead we are wallowing in impunity and illegal show of force, all of which retard our progress. This is most disheartening. I don’t get any joy in saying ‘I said so.’ I don’t.”

“However, some of you may recall that about two years ago, I stated that there was a government within this government, to a purpose that was not in the interest of what the people voted for.

“I said it then, and now we are beginning to see the manifestations of that government within a government.

“It beats one’s imagination how the head of an agency could have authorised the brazen assault on the legislature that we saw yesterday.”

“Despite the threat to our lives, we shall continue to fight impunity and injustice in this country. Happily, by the actions that Nigerians took yesterday, they demonstrated our strong resolve as a nation not to give ground to oppression.

“The legislature, more than any other institution in this country, more than any other arm of govt. represents the will of the people. We are elected by the people, & an assault on the legislature is an assault on the people of Nigeria.”

“The forcible shutdown of the legislature was an unconscionable assault on a national institution, and thanks to all your efforts, the aggressors have been put to shame.

“The resistance mounted by staff of the National Assembly, my colleagues in both chambers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who refused to leave the entrance of this Complex until the siege was broken, strengthens my faith in the people of this country.

“The rain fell, the sun rose, but Nigerians stood their ground in defence of democracy. With the strength of will demonstrated by everyone against unwarranted and unconstitutional militaristic might, the siege could not stand.

“By this, we have shown that Nigerians can resist government within government in whatever guise, and this is humbling for me.

“Those who sought to attack the National Assembly under my leadership for their selfish ends have only affirmed my belief in this country.

“They attempted to execute an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate without the backing of the law, but they faltered.

“I am confident that, together, we shall always defeat acts of unconstitutionality.

“The rule of law shall always prevail.

“I thank the thousands who monitored the situation on radio, television and social media, voicing their outrage at the siege, thereby sending a clear message to those that hatched the plot that the Nigerian public would not buy this act of gangsterism using instruments of state such as the DSS.

“I also thank the international community, particularly the European Union and the international press, for their prompt reactions to the invasion of the National Assembly.

“CSOs and Socio-cultural groups were emphatic in their statements during the crisis, and we very much appreciate their vigilance. Among the many that come up for special mention, I believe that Honourable Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives, stands out.

“She looked a masked security operative in the eye and dared him to shoot. She let it be known that Nigerians would not stand for the barricade at the National Assembly, that we would not be cowed.

“It was another pointer to what is possible in this country when women take their place in leadership.

“I applaud all who kicked against the atrocity and who stood firm until sanity prevailed.

“I am proud of how everyone conducted themselves in what was no doubt a tense standoff.

“The principled stance and defiant reactions to the ugly incident proved crucial to the failure of the plot.

“This is what we have been saying about the power of the people. The role of the people in defending democracy is paramount.

“I thank the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his handling of the situation we were all confronted with yesterday. His decisive action went a long way towards restoring confidence.

“It sent a powerful message – that the DSS cannot be recklessly deployed against institutions of our democracy.”

Inside Story of How Osinbajo’s Resignation Threat Paved the Way for Daura’s Fall

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The Source

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August 8, 2018

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By Chidiebere Onyemaizu

Senate President Bukola Saraki was to kiss bye to his exalted position on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. But again, he survived; the second time. The coup against him got underway as earlier as 5am when operatives of the Department State Security, DSS took position at the National Assembly and blockaded it. Saraki was to be impeached before 2 pm by about 30 APC Senators who would have been allowed into the Senate Chamber.

The coup plotters did not trust Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and therefore kept him in the dark. Their calculations was that, though a brazen illegality considering their number (74 Senators are needed to validly impeach Saraki), their action would become a fait accompli once it was successfully executed. They believed that it will receive no rebuke from vacating President Muhammadu Buhari

Thus just like any other Nigerian not privy to the plot,The source was reliably told that the Acting President was jolted when news of the DSS siege on the National Assemble broke. Before long his phones buzzed with calls non-stop. Foreign Diplomats, especially those of Western countries called to warn of dire consequence if the democratic process in the country was truncated. Top Yoruba leaders, fellow academics, some political leaders across parties and several Christian leaders also called to express their bewilderment and wondered why he accepted to be saddled with the dirty job of using the DSS to topple the head of another arm of government.

Aware that his integrity as a Professor of law, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN and a Cleric was about to evaporate into odium, the Acting President put a call across to President Buhari who is in London for vacation. Multiple sources close to the presidency told the magazine that though Buhari would love to see the back of Saraki, the President denied authorizing the Director-General of the DSS, Daura Lawal to deploy his men to the National Assembly to that effect.

The source was further informed that it was at that juncture that Professor Osinbajo sought Buhari’s permission to sack Daura on the ground that his failure to do so and if Saraki was eventually impeached, the narration of how him, a professor of law supervised lawlessness and illegality as an Acting President will never fade from history books.

The Acting President was also said to have told his principal that if he( Buhari) chose to stick with Daura, he would immediately resign from the government and the APC and explain to Nigerians why he did so.

President Buhari, it was gathered, told his Deputy to do whatever he thought was necessary to arrest the volatile situation at the National Assembly. Minutes later, Daura and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris were summoned to the Acting President’s office. Unknown to Daura, he lost his job immediately he stepped into the Acting President’s office for as soon as the meeting got underway, instruction was given for a press statement to be issued announcing his sack. According to sources, the same fate would have befallen IGP Idris had police personnel been involved in the National Assembly blockade.

As soon as news filtered in that their invasion of the National Assembly has cost their boss his job, the DSS operatives ended the siege and left the complex thus bringing the coup to an abrupt end. About an hour later, Saraki arrived the complex amid cheers from lawmakers and National Assembly staff.

Meanwhile, in what analysts describe as a face saving measure, APC supporters who earlier applauded the blockade of the National Assembly are now accusing Daura of being a double agent. They claim he worked in cahoots with Saraki by stage-managing the siege in order to win a favorable public opinion and sympathy for the Senate President. This came amid speculations that upon return to Nigeria, Buhari will re-instate the sacked DSS DG who is his cousin to office as he (the president) is not comfortable leaving the DSS which he considers a strategic security agency in the hand of a non northerner and a non Muslim.

Following Daura’s sack, the most senior officer of the Department, Mathew Seiyefa from Bayelsa state immediately resumed duty as the Acting DG of the DSS.

NASS Siege: How Daura’s Incompetence Tipped Off Saraki, Precipitated Counter Measures

By

Uche Mbah

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August 8, 2018

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By Uche Mbah

The siege on National Assembly, which has come to epitomize the height of national embarrassment, is the story of a script gone awry. Lawan Daura, until recently the boss at the Directorate of State Security, DSS, was in the eye of the storm. And he has paid dearly for it.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that, in the days preceding the siege, a group of masked men came to Akpo quarters in a van. They were suspected to be on a mission. They arrived the house of a senator belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who is said to be close to the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, (names withheld). Dazed by the sudden appearance of the hooded men, he stood aside and watched while the masked men jumped down and started offloading bags of money and carting them into his house. It dawned on him that this is a case of mistaken house. And it turn out to be so. His next door neighbor is a die hard Buharist, and is at the forefront of the Saraki must go campaign. It was later gathered that it was part of the money that was meant to “negotiate” with opposition and All Progressives Congress, APC senators to convince them of the necessity of impeaching Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, Senate President and Deputy senate President respectively. The APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, described by an opposition senator as a pint-sized man with a giant ego, had met with the DSS boss to finalize the arrangement that was broached before president Buhari traveled. Part of the agenda, it was alleged, was the arrest of both principal officers of the Senate, use the DSS to harass and prevent PDP members from entering the senate chambers, and admit APC members into the hallowed chambers to carry out their impeachment. But it was not to be.

The Senator watched as the bags of money was being loaded into his house. Having finished offloading, they jumped into their van and zoomed off.

The Senator immediately swung into action. He evacuated his family from the house, , and promptly contacted the senate president. then he went underground. Two hours later, the same hooded men allegedly arrived his house a second time, breaking down his house and turning it upside down.

The senate president had previously scheduled to meet the officials of both the red and green chambers on Tuesday, 7th August, 2018. It was later gathered that the plan was hatched for that day. Saraki was said to have put a call across to his loyalists telling them of the danger ahead. Then he went underground with his deputy. They were said to be monitoring the scenario through the Social media.

Early on that morning, PDP senators, Journalists and staff of the national Assembly arrived at the NASS gate. Masked men barricaded the gate and prevented entry to senators, Honorable members, journalists and staff of the Assembly. When confronted, they claimed to be acting on orders from above. It was at this point that a member of the House of representatives from Bayesa state, Boma Goodhead, confronted the masked men demanding to be let in. “If Jonathan had behaved like this will Buhari have been president?”, she queried, daring the masked men to shoot her. When she was told that the order was from above she queried who the above was. “Is it Osinbajo? Is that one a Christian? He has sold his soul to the devil”, she cried. A bystander retorted:”He is not a Christian, he is a Pastor”. She later forced herself in, signalling the effective end of the siege. Every one was allowed in, with the exception of Journalists. She was said to be a sister to Asari Dokubo, the Niger delta Militant.

Meanwhile, as prearranged, APC senators were converging at legacy house. Allegations were that they were there to finalize alternative plans for impeachments. News began to filter in that the APC chairman was allegedly coercing people to sign for the impeachment. It was said that the plan was to enthrone Godswill Akpabio as the new Senate president, which was the carrot offered to him apart from the EFCC stick. Out of anger, he left them , claiming, according to sources, that they made him believe they have the number to impeach the Senate leadership. Apparently, there were said to be about thirty senators at the Legacy house. They needed to get 73 senators, which is two-thirds of the the total number of senators. Unconfirmed reports indicated that Oshiomhole allegedly was forcing senators to sign through financial inducement. Some who were allegedly paid money had themselves videoed as a check on reneging. In fact, a senator from Sokoto state was said to be shown such a video when he wanted to renege on his position, because he wanted to decamp to PDP. Now he is stuck. One senator from Sokoto, senator Dambaba, has already decamped.

While the siege which lasted for seven hours continued, PDP bigwigs were busy detailing foreign envoys of what is happening. “We are watching the developments”, was the reply from the British High Commission. This magazine was informed that they were both in contact with President Buhari who is holidaying in London and Osinbajo the Acting president. Both the United states and Britain were said to have registered their displeasure at the siege to Osinbajo. Osinbajo was said to have summoned the DSS boss, Lawan Dawra, He was said to have snubbed the acting president. Osinbajo, according to reports, complained that even when he is embarrassing and ridiculing the country, he is still acting out the script of gross insubordination. According to reports, he was then given the go ahead to act as he deemed fit. He now summoned him again with the Inspector general of Police, Abubakar Idris Kpotum. Idris arrived earlier, and was briefed by the Vice president, who also briefed his media Aid. When Daura came, after a brief discussion where he was alleged to have protested that only Buhari can sack him, he was led away through another door by a contingent of SARS officers into detention. While this was going on, Osinbajo’s media aid, Laolu Akande, broke the news of his sack.

Idris later claimed that the Police was not part of the siege.

Immediately he was sacked, there was wild jubilation at the DSS office. This was a shocking surprise. It tends to show how unpopular he had become. There was also the surprise that he was sacked in the first place. It appears that only the international community can force Buhari to sack his Aids. In the case of Babachir Lawal, he refused to sack him after he embezzled money meant for the internally Displaced camps, IDPs, donated by international donor agencies. He was sacked only because the Agencies threatened to stop donating to Nigeria if he was not sacked.

News soon filtered out that Daura has been sacked, and the hooded men quietly withdrew from the siege.

Meanwhile, the siege went viral on Social Media and many people trooped to the NASS gate, singing solidarity songs. The NASS members later held a caucus meeting. Later in the evening, Senate President Saraki suddenly appeared at the Scene and cancelled the planned meeting with INEC and others in connection with the fund demanded by INEC to procure the 2019 election, citing recent happenings. As at press time, Saraki is Billed to Address the press on the siege.

In all these, no word from the National leader of APC, Bola Tinubu. In fact, the wife conveniently boycotted the whole shenanigan. Tinubu and his wife were at a Redeemed Christian Church retreat, where his wife, Oluremi, was ordained a Pastor by Enoch Adeboye as the Siege was going on.

The bid by the APC to remove Saraki for the past three years has cost the country in financial terms and man hours.

With the fall of Lawan Daura, the Daura Dynasty has been effectively evicted from Aso Rock. His father has recently been evicted from Aso Rock allegedly by the wife of the President. He was immediately replaced by the next in command, Matthew Seiyefa. Seiyefa, who hails from Bayelsa state, until his appointment as the acting DG, was Director of Training. He held a closed door meeting with Osinbajo, and swiftly followed by the EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu, who also held meetings with the Acting President.
One by one the members of the cabal are falling. First it was Babachir, then Mamman Daura, and now Lawan Daura.Who is next? Time shall tell.

6,208 APC Members Defect To ADP In Osun State

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Akinwale Kasali

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August 6, 2018

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By Akinwale Kasali

The fortunes of the All Progressive Congress in Osun State has nosedived, as the deputy chaimrna of the party in the state, Azeez Adesiji led over 6, 208 members to the ADP.

Adesiji, few hours ago led eight members of the State Working Committee of the party and 6,200 members of the party at local government and ward levels to join the Action Democratic Party.

The APC leaders and their followers were received by the chairman of the ADP, Toye Akinola, at the secretariat of the party in Osogbo amidst jubilation.

Adesiji alleged that the mass defection was caused by “nepotism, impunity and unconcerned attitude” of the decision makers in APC and also by the state government towards the citizens of the state, among other reasons.

He said, ” I, Alhaji Azeez Issa Adesiji and other state exco members wish to make it known to you all about our defection into this new, credible, alternative party because of impunity and undemocratic practices witnessed in our former party, the All Progressives Congress, Osun State, which is unbecoming of an acclaimed progressive party.

“Among the 780 local government executives in APC in Osun State, 580 are moving with me the deputy state chairman of the party to our new party, the Action Democratic Party,

“Also, among the 8,632 executives at the ward level in the APC, 5,620 are also joining the train to our new party, Action Democratic Party.”

The chairman of the ADP in the state, Toye Akinola, said he was happy with the mass defections of politicians from the ruling party to the opposition party.

He said that other politicians from the APC and other political parties had informed him of their decision to join the party soon, saying they would all be accommodated.

He urged the people of the state to support the governorship candidate of the party, Moshood Adeoti, who he said would rescue the state from suffering, “but only with the support of the people.”

Germany Pips Falconets

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Akinwale Kasali

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August 6, 2018

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Falconets of Nigeria were humbled ny their German counterpart 1-0 at the ongoing FIFA Under-20 World Cup in France.

The Danjuma led Falconets succumbed to the firing power and the attacking prowess of the Germans by conceding the only goal of the match in the 63rd minute of the encounter, courtesy of Stefanie Saunders.

The defeat means that the Falconets need to beat the Haitians in their second Group D encounter on Thursday to have any hope of advancing into the knockout stages of the competition.

Rashidat Ajibade, the striker of the team is however optimistic that the young ladies will spring up surprises in their subsequent matches to advance to the next stage of the tournament.

Buhari Desperate to Stop Rice Smuggling But Lack Political Will To Destroy Seized Items

By

Steve Ubana

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August 6, 2018

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By Stephen Ubanna

President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, appear desperate to stop smuggling of foreign parboiled rice from the neighbouring Republic of Benin and Cameroun into the country but lack the political will to destroy such seized smuggled tems as obtained in the Asian country of Philippines.

Maritime analysts had expected Buhari to take a cue from President Rodrigo Duterte of Philippines anti-smuggling policy. The Philippines President , according to analysts, do not believe in giving soft landing to smugglers or channeling back into the economy seized smuggled goods or vehicles .

The Philippines government anti-smuggling policy was said to have been anchored on destruction of seized smuggled goods including exotic vehicles. Duterte, the country’s President was said to have supervised the destruction of 68 exotic vehicles worth $5.5 million smuggled into the country . The Philippines President may have set a standard for other third world leaders to emulate to save their countries, particular, Nigeria, from being a dumping ground for Industrialised nations exotic vehicles as well as Thailand and Malaysian parboiled rice and Processed Vegetable Oil respectively .

Over the years, Nigeria had remained a dumping ground for fairly used vehicles, Thailand parboiled rice and Malaysian Vegetable Oil . This is evident going by the quantities of perishable items including exotic vehicles and other used vehicles seized at the land border routes and the seaports.

There is no gain saying the fact that past and present government had paid lip service to battling smugglers as foreign parboiled rice, processed vegetable oil and exotic vehicles continued to flood the Nigeria market from unapproved routes and the seaports.

The situation had been so bad under the Buhari Administration as seized rice and Vegetable oil are supplied to the internally Displaced People’s Camp, IDP, in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in the north east geo-political region and Edo in the south- south on the orders of the President.

The failure of the self styled progressive and reformist government of Buhari to key into the Philippines President Duterte anti-smuggling policy may have made nonsense of the country’s anti-smuggling drive.

This is because Hameed Ali, a retired Colonel and Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and his men are still finding it difficult to cage the smugglers. John Ukachukwu, a Lagos based businessman told the Magazine that the anti-smuggling war may still prove a tough task for Ali and his men because of the government ”hide and seek policy” as both exotic vehicles released from the seaport on Compromise or smuggled from the land border fall into the waiting hands of Customs patrol teams across the country. The inability to cage the rice smugglers may have forced Ali, the Customs boss, Tukur Buratai, a Lt. General and Chief of Army Staff and Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to set up the multi -agency Rice anti-smuggling Task Force. The Magazine learnt that the setting up of the Task Force was at the instance of Buhari to compliment the efforts of the FOU personnel across the country in order to avoid raiding the markets to harass the traders dealing on rice.

But on August 1, 2018,, the multi-agency Task force, comprising of the Customs, Army and the police personnel armed to the teeth were said to have raided Ota market acting on intelligence gathering . The raid was said to resulted in breaking into lock up shops suspected to be used in warehousing smuggled foreign parboiled rice .

Eyewitness account disclosed that hundreds of ”50” kg bags of smuggled Thailand parboiled rice from Republic of Benin were carted away. The Task Force which had been in existence since July 2017, had a Presidential mandate to stop the smuggling of foreign parboiled rice at the porous borders catered in the south east, south -south, south west and the north. The Task Force raid at Ota may have sent a signal to traders that the war against rice smugglers had shifted to the market .

The Task Force personnel may have been carried away by their brand new Hilux Vans, and information -driven tools made available by the government to them to do their job to embark on any operation . Kemi Adeosun, minister of Finance confirmed that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, had approved N1.2 billion and the purchase of 50 vehicles which was distributed to the Task Force operational Zonal offices in Lagos, Kaduna, Owerri and Bauchi. She had expected the Task Force personnel to concentrate their effort on the road and the border routes and not to attack traders in the market.

The Magazine findings shows that the Task Force branded vehicles are parked at strategic locations at the flash point smuggler states of, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano , Katsiina, Jigawa among others. But not much of the Task Force branded vehicles are found in the north eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Bauchi because of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents in the region.

The Otta raid may have forced the unrepentant rice smugglers to temporarily go underground but resumed making supplies to their Customers the next day. The fallout was that the price of the Thailand parboiled rice jumped from N12,000.00 to N12,500.00 per bag and an additional transport cost of N500.00, bring the total cost to N13,000.00. Aware of the implication of raiding markets in the south west, Muhammed Uba Garba, the no nonsense Comptroller of FOU, Zone, had warned the patrol leaders never to enter the market either at Ota or anywhere in the southwest geo-political region to harass traders on account of their rice market. H e had made the team leaders to sign undertaking that they would never go against the order. True to the directive , there directive, there was calm at Ota as officers could see rice bags of rice being carried on the road or loaded into Commercial vehicle booths but would keep away from it. The unlucky traders , however , had their purchased rice seized on the road by overzealous patrol teams and transferred to the Customs warehouse at Ikeja.

Indeed, rice smuggling in Ogun state and other parts of the country , according to police sources may be thriving because Customs Checkpoints including that of the soldiers and the police had turned to booking centers .

Customs: Ali Rewards Loyalists In Major Shake-up

By

Bayo Bernard

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August 6, 2018

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Heads to Roll Soon Among ACGs, DCGs

By Bayo Bernard

The Nigerian Customs Service, NCS has disclosed that the shakeup last week was done majorly to punish perceived disloyal elements of Controller General of Customs, Hameed Ali in the Service. The development came few days after the Service redeployed 70 controllers across the country.

In a message sent to the magazine by the NCS Spokesperson, Joseph Attah, a deputy controller of customs, the NCS said disloyalty will not be allowed in the service. “In a paramilitary organization like Nigeria Customs Service, loyalty is not an option. The redeployment last week was just a routine exercise,” Attah stated

Last Friday, Ali finally wielded the big stick by redeploying 70 controllers across the country. The development came barely a month after the magazine wrote that the Service was set for an imminent shake-up.

In its June 27 edition, the magazine had published a story titled ” DISQUIET AMONG ACGs, DCGs OVER ALI

Sources in the service had informed the magazine that the CGC was no longer comfortable with some officers in the service, he believed are sabotaging his effort to reform the service, and as such the CG was poised to effect some changes to consolidate his support base.

According to a statement released last Friday by Customs Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, the redeployment was part of the CG’s effort to tackle smuggling, increase revenue generation capacity and improve trade facilitation.

Those affected in the current shakeup Comptrollers are Abubakar Bashir who moves from Port-Harcourt II (Onne) to Apapa; Musa Jibrin from Apapa to Human Resources Development department Abuja; Sa’idu Galadima from Information Communication Technology (ICT) to Port-Harcourt Area II (Onne) while Mohammed Aliyu of Seme Command has been directed to swap positions with Mohammed Garba of Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Lagos.

Some top ranking officers had informed the magazine that some ACGs and DCGs are unhappy with management style of Ali, since his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari over two year ago.

The perceived inexperience on the part of Ali in handling sensitive issues affecting the Service, the sources said had affected the relationship between him and most of his subordinate at the Customs headquarters in Abuja, so much so that suspicion now looms between the CGC and top ranking officers of the service.

Ali is believed to have lost the trust of some ACGs and DCGs working with him. The last week’s shakeup, the same sources again told the magazine, confirmed suggestion that things are not alright at the Customs headquarters in Abuja.

“The first process of whittling down the influence of those perceived as Anti-Ali group in the Customs,” the source stated

One of the sources, an ACG, told the magazine in confidence is to “deal with officers from the ranks of ACGs and DCGs.” According to him “this is the next stage in the ongoing ‘sanitizing process by the customs management of perceived opponents of Ali in the NCS.”

The source said the redeployment of the 70 controllers, last week, is already causing anxiety among other officers who are ominous of their fate. The source who declined to be named said that the ‘redeployment was done to punish those perceived to be disloyal to the CG on one hand and those seen to be working for the good of the service.”

He cited the redeployment of controllers in Lagos and Rivers state for instance. “Some of the controllers were moved because it’s not clear where they stand in the battle for the soul of NCS” the source, an ACG told the magazine on Monday, three days after the redeployment.

“Those that got good redeployment are believed to still be in the good books of the CG,” the source further stated.

“The controllers posted to Port Harcourt, Seme and Lagos, for instance are perceived in Abuja, as those who still have the ears of the CG,’ the source also said.

One of the officers posted out of Lagos told the magazine on Saturday that he “is happy as he’s now going back to Abuja to rest. I’m tired of all this intrigues. When you are in Lagos, there’s too much pressure on you, as many officers will be lobbying for your job,” adding that “now that I have been redeployed, I can now have time for my family, and do other things out of the prying eyes of the headquarter people.”

Why APC Offered Ekweremadu, Akpabio Senate Presidency, Vice Presidential Slot

By

Chidiebere Onyemaizu

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August 6, 2018

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By Chidiebere Onyemaizu

The source has been informed of how the All Progressives Congress, APC and a cabal around President Muhammadu Buhari dangled irresistible offers before the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpbabio to ditch the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. However, while Ekweremadu out rightly rejected the offers, Akpabio, with eyes on a higher political realm, asked for time to think.

Senator Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom state — Akpabio: Succumbs to APC’s blackmail

Rattled by the defections of 14 of its Senators and 34 House of Reps members to the PDP, the APC national leadership and trusted loyalists of President Buhari had met few days after and decided that everything, including bare-faced intimidation must be used to break PDP’s ranks in the South east and South south so as mitigate APC and Buhari’s unpopularity in the two zones.

It was also reasoned that poaching at least two PDP Senators, who are not only influential in the two zones but principal officers of the Senate, would go a long way to counter balance effects of Senator Rabiu Kwamkwaso and other’s defection on the North and APC.

Consequently, Ekweremadu and Akpabio immediately came into the picture. Without the other knowing what was playing out, individually, the two Principal Officers of the Senate were offered the Senate Presidency and the Vice presidential slot if they decamped to the APC with their governors and members of their states’ Houses of Assembly.

Both men were also offered the APC vice presidential slot and told of plans to topple Senate President, Bukola Saraki by the remnant of APC Senators with the active support of security agencies.

For Ekweremadu, they apologized to him for the marginalization the South east has suffered in the APC government saying the party was now ready to make amends by making him Senate President preparatory to picking him as President running mate for next year’s presidential election. According to them, Vice Presidency Osinbajo has indicated he would not return next year hence the decision to zone the position to the South east.

Akpabio was also promised the Vice presidential slot after a short spell as Senate President. He was told that his geo-political zone, the South south, being the backbone of Nigeria’s economy deserved to be at the commanding height of the Nigerian politics, hence his choice for the plum positions.

While Ekweremadu turned down the offers outrightly, Akpabio asked to be give time to think and weigh options open to him. Still hopeful that Ekweremadu will eventually blink, the decision to arm twist him by unleashing the EFCC on him was made. The result was his invitation and interrogation by the anti-graft agency over his alleged ownership of 22 houses in Nigeria and abroad.

Meanwhile, while Akpabio, who is the immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom state, was still debating with himself whether or not to accept the offers, documents detailing his alleged illegal acquisitions and corrupt enrichment of himself was waved at him. He was thus given two options which he must pick within one week: Defect to the APC with your governor and be free from EFCC or remain in the PDP and get set to rot in jail in addition to losing your wealth. Fearful of his freedom and political future, Akpabio, this Magazine was told, elected to defect but he made it clear it would be difficult to do so with his estranged godson, governor Emmanuel Udom who has since parted ways with him.

To compensate for Udom’s recalcitrance, Akpabio gave his words that his other loyalists in the Udom government, including the Deputy Governor, Speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Commissioners among others will defect with him.

Meanwhile, the PDP national leadership is reportedly reaching out to the former Akwa Ibom governor. The party has made it clear to him that APC will neither make him Senate President nor Buhari’s running mate as both positions are not vacant.For his alleged corruption case, the PDP has told Akpabio that will be more honourable to fight in the court than to sheepishly submit to APC’s blatant blackmail like a slave.

Minimum Wage: Nigerian Workers Remain Monkeys

By

Oji Odu

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August 6, 2018

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By Oji Odu

There is heightened anxiety and fears by Nigerian workers less than one month to the September date for the kick-off of the new minimum wage regime that the date may not be feasible. This means a continuity of the peanut N18,000 minimum wage and Nigeria’s ‘Monkey’ labour force, because when you pay peanuts to your workers, you tuMinimum Wage: Nigerian workers to Rrn them to monkeys. It also means a continuity of high level corruption in the civil service which they use the tight bureaucratic structure perpetrate their acts.
With the N18,000 monthly minimum package of the Nigerian worker, in the light of present economic realities, little wonder why the tension among the workers with looming postponement of the kick-off of the new wage regime, which amount they don’t know.
The Magazine’s findings reveal that with N18,000, the Nigerian worker has N581 to spend daily for feeding his family, transport, house rent, education of his children et cetera. However, N56,000 will be N1,806 daily to take care of his life, reason and be effective. “ This is pathetic and needs urgent resolve,” Kaliwo Johnson, a Sociologist told the magazine in a chat.
Meanwhile, speculations are rife on the new minimum wage. How much is the new minimum wage? Nobody knows. It is more that the 30- man committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to review the minimum wage is yet to conclude its work and submit its findings. This has confirmed earlier statement by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige that it will not be ready by the September date as envisaged.
According to Minister, the September date was just a date to conclude negotiation on minimum wage and not the kick-off date for the new wage regime. He explained: “The committee on the new National Minimum wage is expected to conclude its work by the end of September and present its report to the government for deliberation and approval.” Ngige said it would be presented before the National Council of State before an executive bill is sent to the national Assembly on the issue. Thereafter, it will be sent to the President for his ratification.
Speaking on the issue, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) General Secretary, Peter Esson said that the minimum wage negotiation committee had been meeting everyday in the last one week to ensure it meets the deadline. “On our part, we are doing everything possible to ensure that we meet the deadline and ensure the report is submitted this month. Ours is to ensure that the work is completed this month and transmitted to the president,” he said.

Meanwhile, with the National Assembly on a two-month recess and is not expected to resume until September 22, this could further delay the implementation process, in spite the fact that labour seems confident that the National Assembly lawmakers would reconvene by the time the committee’s task is completed. The Magazine gathered that civil servants in the country are not ready to accept any extension of the date for the new minimum wage implementation to take off.
Urging the Federal Government to match words with action and live up to its promise to implement the new minimum wage in September, the Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU) through its President, Lawrence Amaechi said in a communiqué issued at the end of the unions National Executive Council (NEC): “The federal government must match its words with actions so that the high expectations of workers on the implementation of the new minimum wage would be realised on or before September 2018. Failing this, the entire members of the Union will not take it with levity.”
In the same vein, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at the end of its NEC meeting on Tuesday expressed concern at remarks credited to the Minister of Labour and Employment that the September timeline would no longer be feasible, with no other date given.
“NAAT is aware that NLC and TUC have jointly made a submission of N66,500.00 as new NMW, and that tripartite meetings in this regard are ongoing. As an affiliate of NLC, NAAT is in agreement with NLC and TUC on the submission made. However, the union urges parties in the NMW negotiations to fast-track the process to ensure implementation this year, 2018. Undue delay would be unacceptable,” a communique issued by the union stated.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba had expressed confidence that the minimum wage committee will round off its work this August. Speaking during NLC’s annual Rain School in Your Village, he said: “The Congress and other stakeholders are still meeting on the issues of minimum wage and, hopefully, will round off by August 2018.
“With minimum wage as one of the most important ways of motivating workers to provide effective service, it is envisaged that its implementation will engender growth, not only among the public sector workers but also among the workers in the private and informal sectors of the economy. In addition, the financial benefits associated with the minimum wage would trickle down to the whole society.”
On his part, the TUC President, Kaigama Bobboi, affirmed the stance of labour on the September deadline, saying there would not be any room for extension. On the fears that the recess by the National Assembly will affect the implementation process, Bobboi said it was possible that the National Assembly will reconvene if it becomes necessary “You know the recess is political. I don’t think it will affect the process. Ours is to get the job done and send to the executive arm of government,” he said.
However, for Kaliwo, there is no reason for further delay in the reasonable upward review of the minimum wage which has pauperised the Nigerian worker. The selfish politicians have capitalised on this fact to cage the workers “who some of these politicians think are hungry enough that they can be bought over days before elections with N3,000 each. It is, indeed pathetic,” he stated.
With various reasons given by these politicians for their inability to pay, there are fears that that they may have hijacked the committee which may make nonsense of what the new minimum wage will be.