Buhari urges cabinet to pray for Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC to pray harder for a better and peaceful Nigeria.

Buhari made the appeal during the breaking of fast dinner for members of FEC at the new banquet hall of the State House, Abuja.

He noted that the Month of Ramadan was a special period when God was more favorably disposed to answering the prayers of the faithful.

He urged leaders to use the Ramadan period to reflect on their responsibilities to the governed.

“It strengthens our resolve to build our country to make it stronger and to make sure that the incoming generations are sufficiently motivated to be patriotic.

“It is no news that we are the biggest country in Africa, we are the economic engine of Africa, which are true by the way.

“But, we must always be patriotic in our dealings with others. This (Ramadan) month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on these prayers all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for the country.

“Let me assure that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do, and leading the people is not a joke. It means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong,’’ he said.

He chided militants and those calling for the State of Biafra for not being mindful of the calamities that befell the country during the agitations of 1967-1970.

“We need a lot of prayers. Certainly, with the nation’s economy going down. We haven’t developed the agriculture. We are still trying to talk about those who will come and develop the solid mineral for us.

“The militants in their various homes. We need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 when about two million Nigerians lost their lives.

“And at that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it.

“Look at what Gen. Gowon said; ‘To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done’ and every soldier, whether he had been to school or not knew what the General meant.

“But, we were quarrelling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and then somebody is saying that once again he wants Biafra.

“I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra. We have to reflect on the historical antecedent to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grandchildren,’’ he said.

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Leave Aisha Buhari and clear your name, Buruji advises Fayose

The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu has chided Gov Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State over his attempt to link Mrs Aisha Buhari with the Halliburton scandal.

Buruji advised Fayose to address the corruption allegations against him, rather than engage in needless mudslinging against the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

In a statement he issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Buruji described Fayose’s attempt to deflect allegations against him as “clutching at a straw”

“It is interesting that Mr. Fayose is talking about the rule of law and the need to do things within the ambit of the law. I never knew that he has ever heard of the concept of the Rule of Law. When he trampled on other people’s rights in a bid to abrogate their tenure in office where was the Rule of Law? Now he is crying out because he is afraid he might have to get a taste of his own medicine because a man must certainly reap whatever he sows.

“Mr. Fayose is talking about the fact that he enjoys immunity under the law. If I may ask: can a governor who disobeys the law with reckless abandon seek protection under the law? You cannot say because immunity covers you, you should not be investigated if you are suspected to have benefitted from the funds that were meant to buy arms for the protection of Nigerians. I think it is high time that we, as a people and government, address the issue of people committing crimes and hiding under the immunity clause.

“Fayose must stop chasing shadows and address the allegations against him. It is preposterous that he suddenly remembered that someone was involved in the Halliburton scandal at exactly the same time that he is being investigated over the funds he allegedly collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

“The questions are: Was he a beneficiary of the ONSA funds? Is it true that over N300million was frozen in three accounts traced to him? Were suspicious cash deposits made into the accounts in 2014, in clear violation of the Money Laundering Act and other enabling laws?

“It is said that you can fool some people all of the time but you cannot fool all the people all of the time. Nigerians can now see that what is playing out is a confirmation of my earlier position that the loudest among us are not necessarily the most pious. If he is being asked questions about his campaign funds, he should be bold enough to give explanations without necessarily casting aspersion on anyone. He should allow necessary investigations to go on unimpeded.

“That will not only help to prove his innocence or otherwise but could possibly boost his rating. He could even choose to waive his immunity to aid the investigation if he does not have anything to hide. Immunity does not preclude any public officer even a governor from explaining how he funded his election campaign or the source (s) of deposits made into his account (s).

“The reality that Mr. Fayose must come to terms with is that the allegations against him are too grave to be sidelined for a seemingly spurious allegation against the wife of the president. Months of workers’ salaries are yet to be paid in Ekiti State; development partners have abandoned state, just as families are languishing as a result of his ill-advised political scheming.

“This current campaign of calumny and juvenile tantrums cannot sweep the issue of corruption under the carpet; neither can it kick enough dirt to make any right-thinking Nigerian to shut his or her eyes to the truth. This is not about party affiliation or dog eating dog. It is about the plundering of our commonwealth and there should be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption. This is a fight that all patriotic Nigerians should lend their weight without any primordial sentiments or prejudice,” he said.

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Leave Aisha Buhari and clear your name, Buruji advises Fayose

The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu has chided Gov Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State over his attempt to link Mrs Aisha Buhari with the Halliburton scandal.

Buruji advised Fayose to address the corruption allegations against him, rather than engage in needless mudslinging against the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

In a statement he issued in Abuja on Tuesday, Buruji described Fayose’s attempt to deflect allegations against him as “clutching at a straw”

“It is interesting that Mr. Fayose is talking about the rule of law and the need to do things within the ambit of the law. I never knew that he has ever heard of the concept of the Rule of Law. When he trampled on other people’s rights in a bid to abrogate their tenure in office where was the Rule of Law? Now he is crying out because he is afraid he might have to get a taste of his own medicine because a man must certainly reap whatever he sows.

“Mr. Fayose is talking about the fact that he enjoys immunity under the law. If I may ask: can a governor who disobeys the law with reckless abandon seek protection under the law? You cannot say because immunity covers you, you should not be investigated if you are suspected to have benefitted from the funds that were meant to buy arms for the protection of Nigerians. I think it is high time that we, as a people and government, address the issue of people committing crimes and hiding under the immunity clause.

“Fayose must stop chasing shadows and address the allegations against him. It is preposterous that he suddenly remembered that someone was involved in the Halliburton scandal at exactly the same time that he is being investigated over the funds he allegedly collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

“The questions are: Was he a beneficiary of the ONSA funds? Is it true that over N300million was frozen in three accounts traced to him? Were suspicious cash deposits made into the accounts in 2014, in clear violation of the Money Laundering Act and other enabling laws?

“It is said that you can fool some people all of the time but you cannot fool all the people all of the time. Nigerians can now see that what is playing out is a confirmation of my earlier position that the loudest among us are not necessarily the most pious. If he is being asked questions about his campaign funds, he should be bold enough to give explanations without necessarily casting aspersion on anyone. He should allow necessary investigations to go on unimpeded.

“That will not only help to prove his innocence or otherwise but could possibly boost his rating. He could even choose to waive his immunity to aid the investigation if he does not have anything to hide. Immunity does not preclude any public officer even a governor from explaining how he funded his election campaign or the source (s) of deposits made into his account (s).

“The reality that Mr. Fayose must come to terms with is that the allegations against him are too grave to be sidelined for a seemingly spurious allegation against the wife of the president. Months of workers’ salaries are yet to be paid in Ekiti State; development partners have abandoned state, just as families are languishing as a result of his ill-advised political scheming.

“This current campaign of calumny and juvenile tantrums cannot sweep the issue of corruption under the carpet; neither can it kick enough dirt to make any right-thinking Nigerian to shut his or her eyes to the truth. This is not about party affiliation or dog eating dog. It is about the plundering of our commonwealth and there should be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption. This is a fight that all patriotic Nigerians should lend their weight without any primordial sentiments or prejudice,” he said.

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N50b debt: AMCON lied - Jimoh Ibrahim

The Group Chairman of NICON Investment Limited, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim has reacted to reports that a Federal High Court has granted the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON an interim order to take over his assets over his N50b indebtedness to the company.

In a statement he issued on Tuesday, Ibrahim said that AMCON lied to the court to secure the order.

‘’My attention has been directed to lies being spread around by an institution called AMCON over an interim order of injunction she had lied to collect before an innocent Federal High Court in Lagos.

‘’AMCON is aware that we kept a deposit of Eighty-Six billion Naira or 172 million pounds with Union Bank and AMCON is aware that application to collect the money from Union Bank is pending before an Ikeja High Court. All of these facts, it has not disclosed to an innocent Federal High Court.

‘’AMCON deceived Nigerians to believe that they got judgement against me when there was nothing like that. An interim order of any court lasts for 14 days. AMCON is executing the interim order even when the Judge has not signed the execution writ.

‘’We have since filed an application to discharge the interim order. I'm not in the category of people that AMCON or anybody can intimidate. It is laughable and a wild ambition to say anyone in Nigeria can seize my property! What a day dream!!

‘’We shall abide with the law and any interim order of court even when they are made in error as we are not far away from justice.’’

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Alleged forgery: Saraki, others get Court summons by substituted means

The court summon inviting the  Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others over alleged forgery of Senate Standing Orders was served by substituted means on Tuesday.

The High Court summon with suit number CV/219/16 was pasted on the notice board in the White House of the National Assembly complex.

Apart from Saraki and Ekweremadu, others summoned as defendants are the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Benedict Efeturi.

Read the court summon below.

“By oral application dated 21st June, 2016 moved by D.E. Kaswe, Principal State Counsel Federal Ministry of Justice in this case praying the court for:

“An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the complainant/applicant to serve criminal summon on the defendants by substituted means to wit by pasting it at the Notice Board of the National Assembly Three Arms Zone, Abuja."

The News Agency of Nigeria  reports that the notice was removed soon after it was pasted.

NAN

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FG sacks striking doctors

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole has ordered the sacking and replacement of resident doctors who have been on strike.

The doctors who were attached to government hospitals had embarked on industrial action on Monday, an act which the minister described as abandoning their duty posts.

This directive was contained in a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Amina Shamaki.

“It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ministry that some Resident Doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Program by refusing to report for training without authorization. Public Service Rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant.

“This is in spite of the ongoing negotiations on their demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association.

“In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the Doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility.

“Meanwhile, the ministry is working with the panel on the review of the Residency Training Program in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, the Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College, to fast-track the development of a comprehensive blueprint for postgraduate training of doctors in the country.

“Please, ensure immediate compliance.”

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Idris takes over as IGP Arase retires

President Mohammadu Buhari has appointed Assistant Inspector General, AIG Ibrahim Idris as the new Inspector General of Police to replace Solomon Arase who retired on Tuesday.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said in a statement on Tuesday that the new IGP would remain in acting capacity until confirmed by the Police Service Commission, PSC.

Giving a brief profile of the new Police chief, the statement said:

"The Acting Inspector-General, who hails from Kutigi, Lavun in Niger State, was born on 15th of January 1959.

"Idris enlisted into the Nigerian Police Force in 1984, after graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a Bachelors degree in Agriculture. He also holds a degree in Law from the University of Maiduguri."

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