Pipeline Vandalism Stopped Since Buhari Assumed Office - Power Ministry.

The Ministry of Power has said that gas pipeline vandalism has virtually stopped since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power on 29 May 2015 because of the administration's constant engagement with the communities involved.

Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power while addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa debunked insinuations that power supply increased because the hydro stations at Kainji and Shiroro were receiving more water from rainfall as they only supplied 20% of the total power generation.

He said that pipeline vandalism was rampant during the era of the last administration but since the Buhari government redoubled efforts at engaging host communities of gas pipelines, incidences of vandalism have virtually stopped.

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Buhari Pushes For Polio Free Certification In 2017

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday warned against anything that could stop Nigeria from being certified polio free by the World Health Organization in 2017.

To this end, he has ordered the relevant agencies to raise the tempo of the fight against the polio virus. He gave the order while receiving the polio high level advocacy team at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute‎, told State House correspondents after the closed-door meeting that “the President directed us to sustain the tempo that has led us thus far after 17 years and how to do that is clearly developed in the template upon which we are going to work in collaboration with the governors.

“As it is now, there is no polio in our country, but then, we still need to monitor that throughout a period of two years. That is why we need to intensify routine immunization, ensuring that there is no leakage, no gap until 2017 when we shall be certified a polio-free country, having arrested the transmission for upward of one year plus. "

WHO representative in Nigeria, Dr Rui Gama Vaz commended President Buhari's determination to ensure a polio free Nigeria by 2017.

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VP Osinbajo In Abidjan For Inauguration Of AfDB President

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo left Abuja on Monday for Cote D'Ivoire to represent President Muhammadu Buhari at the inauguration of Nigeria's Dr Akinwumi Adeshina as President of the African Development Bank, AfDB.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande said that Osinbajo would deliver a speech at the event on Tuesday.

Adeshina who is Nigeria' s immediate past agriculture minister is the first Nigerian to be elected president of the AfDB.

VP Osinbajo is expected back in Abuja on Tuesday.

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Plaintiffs Withdraw Forgery Suit Against Saraki, Ekweremadu

Senators Abu Ibrahim, Kabir Marafa, Ajayi Boroffice, Olugbenga Ashafa and Suleiman Hunkuni have withdrawn their suit challenging the elections of Senators Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.

The five senators had sought the orders of an Abuja high court to remove Saraki and Ekweremadu from office for forging Senate Standing Orders 2015 and using same to maneuver their way into office.

At the resumed sitting of the court on Monday, the plaintiffs who were represented by their lawyer, Chief Mamman Osuman (SAN) said that they were withdrawing the suit because its essence had been overtaken by events.

They argued that despite the suit, the Senate leadership which legitimacy they were challenging had been carrying out legislative functions.

Following the application of the plaintiffs, Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court, Abuja struck out the case.

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Ethnicity Not The Basis For Our Appointment - SGF

New Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, David Babachir Lawal has said that his appointment by President Buhari was not based on ethnic or religious considerations, but purely on merit. He said the same thing applied to other appointments so far made by the president.

He spoke on the backdrop of complaints from Southern Nigeria that Buhari's appointments have been skewed in favor of the North. Of the 31 appointments made so far by Buhari, only 5 have come from the South.

Speaking after taking his oath of office on Monday, the SGF said,
“We want to thank God for granting Mr. President the vision, wisdom, kindness and boldness to consider us worthy of positions of responsibilities.

“We did not have to pass examination to get appointed into these positions; not because of our tribes, our faiths or our political groups that we were considered worthy for these positions.

“If it were such, I am sure none of us would have been considered worthy of these appointments.

“We appreciate the President and we appreciate God that He has blessed us with these privileged appointments. It is a privilege to serve Nigerians in these capacities at this point in time.

“Nigeria is at the threshold of achieving greatness and it is our honour and privilege to be senior members of the team that will propel the country to this greatness.

“We have in you (the President) and the Vice President, leaders that lead by example; leaders that are focused; leaders whose goal is to build a Nigeria where there is liberty, security, economic prosperity and the rule of law.

“We are grateful that we are part of the team to deliver this goal. Accept our assurances that by the grace of God, we will not fail you. We will not fail our country; we will not fail ourselves; our families and our friends.

“By the grace of God, we will not fail you either. We will strive at all times to serve our country and to serve you with excellence, hard work and integrity.”

President Muhammadu Buhari did not make any speech at the event.

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Boko Haram Horsemen Kill 68 In Borno Village

A band of gunmen on horseback suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists last week killed at least 68 people and injured many others when they attacked Baanu village in Nganzai local government area of Borno State.

Eyewitnesses said the militants rode into the village on Friday night, shooting indiscriminately. The villagers fled into the bush. They returned the next day only to be confronted with the grim reality that more than sixty of their kinsmen had either been slaughtered or shot.

Governor Kashim Shettima confirmed the attack while addressing parents of the abducted Chibok girls on Saturday. However, he put the number of people killed at 56.

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Anti-corruption War Not Negotiable - Presidency Tells Jonathan's Ministers

In a swift reaction to the statement issued earlier in the day by former president Goodluck Jonathan's erstwhile ministers, the presidency has declared that the current war being waged against corruption is not negotiable.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said this in a statement he released to newsmen in reaction to an earlier statement by Jonathan's ex ministers.

He said, "this war against corruption knows no friend nor foe. There is no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and  President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders including Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who he continues to praise to high heavens for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election.

“That singular action remains a feat that has earned the former President and Nigeria as a country befitting commendations all over the world, the latest coming from Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who visited a week ago.

“For the purpose of emphasis, the issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non negotiable.

“It is sine qua non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems  which suffered  destruction and severe denigration under the last administration.

“President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender.”

He reminded the ex ministers that what they handed over to the present regime was a tottering economy which has been made more challenging by the continued slide in oil prices.

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