Senate Rushes Passage Of CCB Act Amendment

Determined to pass the Bill for an Act to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act in a record time, the Senate Thursday unanimously endorsed the crucial second reading of the bill.

The sponsor of the controversial bill, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, (Delta North) appeared radiant in his red cap as he presented his lead debate.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, presided in the absence of the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Debate of the proposed amendment was done in a jiffy with only one Senator, Yahaya Abbdullahi, (Kebbi North) managing to chip in some words of caution about the timing of the bill.

A total of seven Senators, Dino Melaye, (Kogi West), Barau Jibrin (Kano North), Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East), Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe ), Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East) and Ekweremadu (Enugu West) supported the bill while Senator Yahaya Abdullahi appeared to have dissented.

Nwaoboshi told his colleagues that he sponsored the amendment bill that was promulgated in 1989 and came into operation in 1991 based on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as it were.

He insisted that it is clear that the Act did not contemplate criminal trial “so the usage of Criminal Procedure Act and Criminal Procedure Code should not be used as a procedural template in the Tribunal.”

He promised to provide a comprehensive amendment of the Third Schedule to the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Rules of procedure which should be the distinct rule for proceedings in the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

He noted that the 1999 Constitution has two schedules-Third schedule and the Fifth schedules dealing extensively with the Code of Conduct for public officer.

Nwaoboshi noted that the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides: 3 “The Bureau shall have power to: (a) Receive declaration by public officers made under paragraph 12 of part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of this Constitution;
(b) Examine the declaration in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct or any law;
© Retain custody of such declaration and make them available for inspection by citizens of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the National Assembly may prescribe;
(d) Ensure compliance with and, where appropriate, enforce the provisions of the Code of Conduct of any law relating thereto;
(e) Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law in relation thereto, investigate the compliant and, where appropriate, refer such matters to the Code of Conduct Tribunal;
Nwaoboshi urged his colleagues to support the bill.

Senator Melaye in his contribution said that he studied the bill and it is clear to him that the Code of Conduct Act should be amended.
Melaye noted that it has become apparent that the Code of Conduct Tribunal had begun to dive into criminal proceedings and criminal trial which was not the intention of the framers of the Act.

He noted that the Act clearly stated that before trial, the person involved shall be communicated and the person will respond accordingly.
He also said that the Tribunal should have at least three judges even though the Act stipulates five judges “but today the Tribunal has just two judges which is against the spirit and letters of the Act.”

Senator Jibrin on his own said that it remained the duty of the National Assembly to make and amend laws where necessary to ensure that justice is always done.
He added that in doing so, there should be fairness at all times.
Senator Anyanwu reminded his colleagues that the only thing constant in life is change.
He added that the Senate has the duty to amend gray areas of any legislation.
Senator Olujimi said the amendment should be done “as quickly as possible.
Senator Ibrahim also said the amendment should be done as quickly as possible and urged the presiding officer to find out if any senator was against the amendment.
Senator Gobir described that amendment as “timely and important” and asked the Senate to go ahead to effect the amendment.
Abdullahi however cautioned that timing of the presentation of the amendment was not auspicious.
He said, “I want to point a word of caution. The question of the timing of this bill should be taken into consideration. Nigerian people can easily interpret that since 1991, this Act was not challenged but because our principal officer is being tried, we decided to come up with this amendment.”

Abdullahi asked the upper chamber to re-examine whether the timing of the bill is right.
Senator Ekweremadu asked if any senator was against the bill. There was pin drop silence on the floor.
The Deputy Senate President noted that the bill has nothing to do with the proceedings going on in which the Senate President is involved.
He said that Senators are only doing their job as parliamentarians adding that that Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal have come to stay.
He however insisted that in carrying out their function, there must be equity and fairness.
Ekweremadu who said that the Senate is not trying to frustrate anybody or institution, added “we must always do our jobs without fear or favour.”
The bill was referred to the joint committee on Judiciary and Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to report back in two weeks.

http://thenationonlineng.net/senate-rushes-passage-ccb-act-amendment/

Presidency Replies London Telegraph, Says $1.2bn Misused By Jonathan

THE Presidency has responded to The Telegraph of London editorial, which alleged that the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was using United Kingdom aid for insurgency fight to persecute the President’s perceived enemies. It described the editorial as “factual inaccuracies” that betrays a shocking ignorance of Nigeria and the country’s ongoing war against terrorism.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement it was even more shocking that the author of the editorial failed to realise that the arms deal probe was actually to unravel how the said $2.1 billion was spent by the immediate past administration, in which already some officials have been indicted.
The Presidency accused the author, Con Coughlin of failing to contact the Nigerian government for its own side of the story, but concentrated in only those opinions which suited and reinforced what it called “his disgracefully false headline”.
The Presidency denied Coughlin’s allegation that Buhari’s government attempted to cover-up the abductions of 400 women and children “abducted last year by militants from the Nigerian town of Damasak.”
It said the Damasak abductions happened in 2014 way before Buhari came into power and not last year as errornously refered to by the author. It further ridicled the author of the editorial by pointing out that President Buhari came to power on May 29, 2015, not July, as Coughlin reported. The piece is not only full of factual inaccuracies, it also betrays a shocking ignorance of Nigeria and the country’s ongoing war against terrorism.
Mr Coughlin’s editorial tactic is to quote unnamed “senior officials” and “Western diplomats” and “Western officials” and “political opponents” making fact-free and unfounded statements. It also appears that he sought out only those opinions which suited and reinforced his disgracefully false headline. Nowhere in the piece is there anything that suggests he attempted to contact the Nigerian government for its own side of the story.
http://sunnewsonline.com/presidency-replies-london-telegra…/

GRAPHICS: HOW POLICE STOPPED THE #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS GROUP FROM ENTERING ASO ROCK TODAY

Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group, were on Thursday, 
prevented from gaining access into the presidential villa, Abuja.

In commemoration of the two year anniversary of the abducted Chibok girls, 
the protesters embarked on a march to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari
 but they were cut short by police officers on the road leading to the villa.

Speaking on the incident, leader of the BBOG group, 
Obiageli Ezekwesili described the action of the police as a reminder of the military era.

Ezekwesili said the presidency had been informed of the procession of the group to the villa gate, where they were scheduled to deliver a message to the government.

While expressing shock at the development,
 she maintained that the BBOG would deliver its 
message on the road in spite of the barricade.

Source: http://www.trezzyblog.com/2016/04/bringbackourgirls-group-stopped-from.html

Fulani Herdsman Killed In Ondo

In what was suspected to be a reprisal attack, a Fulani herdsman identified as Dan Bako was Wednesday killed in Ilara-Mokin in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.
This is coming barely a week after an Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) member, Mr Ayodele Ige was killed in the farm of Chief Olu Falae in Ilado in Akure Local Government Area of the state.
The head of the Fulani herdsmen in the state, Alhaji Alli Dongo and Babangida Sodiq Kusada, the Chairman of Hausa community in Akure kingdom and the head of Arewa community in the state, said Dongo was declared missing after all efforts to trace him prove abortive.
Briefing reporters in the Officers’ Mess of the Nigerian Police Force in Akure, the state capital, Dongo and Kusada said their kinsman had been living in Ilara-Mokin for the past seven years and was preparing to relocate to his state when the incident happened

https://www.today.ng/news/national/106008/fulani-herdsman-killed-ondo#

Loan: Fayose Writes Chinese Government Not To Give Loan To Nigeria

hmuhammad

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has written to the Chinese government, seeking the stoppage of the $2 billion loan being sought by the federal government of Nigeria. He wrote that “the government of China should be mindful of the fact that Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations are totally opposed to increment of the country’s debt burden, which is already being serviced with 25 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget.” In the letter dated April 12, 2016, with reference number EK/GOV/28/10, addressed to President Xi Jinping of China and delivered by Chief of Staff to the governor, Barrister Dipo Anisulowo in Abuja on Thursday, through the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Gu Xiaojie, Fayose said some of the projects for which the loan was being sought were not captured in the controversial 2016 budget, which has been sent to the President by the National Assembly for his assent. Anisulowo, who was accompanied by Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Segun Adewumi, Chairman House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, Chairman House Committee on Health, Dr Samuel Omotosho and Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Governor Fayose, who is in China will also deliver a copy of the letter directly to the Chinese President. The letter read in part: “I write as one of the major stakeholders in the project Nigeria, and a governor of one of the federating units making up Nigeria, to draw your attention to report that the Federal Government of Nigeria is on the verge of obtaining a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China. “This $2 billion loan is part of the N1.84 trillion the Federal Government of Nigeria has proposed to borrow to finance the 2016 budget, which is yet to be signed by the President, Mohammadu Buhari owing to unending controversies between the Executive and Legislative arms of government. “According to reports, Nigeria desires to raise about $5 billion abroad to cover part of its 2016 budget deficit. This is projected to hit N3 trillion ($15 billion) due to heavy infrastructure spending at a time when the slump in global oil prices has slashed the country’s export revenues. “While conceding that all nations, especially developing ones need support to be able to grow because no nation is an island, I am constrained to inform you that if the future of Nigeria must be protected, the country does not need any loan at this time. “The government of China should be mindful of the fact that Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations are totally opposed to increment of the country’s debt burden, which is already being serviced with 25 per cent of the Federal Government annual budget. “It will interest the government of China to know that some of the projects for which the loan is being sought are not captured in the controversial 2016 budget, which has been sent to the President by the National Assembly for his assent. For instance, the Lagos – Calabar Rail project was not included in the budget proposal the President presented to the National Assembly and it was not included in the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly. “Most importantly, Nigeria is presently servicing debt with about 25 per cent of its annual budget and what will happen to the economy in 2017, when the country will begin to service the additional debt to be incurred this year is better imagined than experienced. “The Chinese government must also be aware that some western nations approached by the Federal Government for loan diplomatically and cleverly declined. “This must have been informed by the suspicion in the present government’s capacity to salvage the nation’s economy as well as the sincerity in the fight against corruption. More so that Nigeria’s Foreign Reserve, which is the only guarantee for foreign loan has declined to a very uncomfortable level.” http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/fayose-writes-chinese-govt-not-to-give-loan-to-nigeria/142494.html

Buhari using Britain’s money to fight opposition not Boko Haram – UK Telegraph

Hundreds of millions of pounds of British foreign aid given to Nigeria to help combat Boko Haram terrorists is instead allegedly being used to fund a witch-hunt against opposition politicians, UK Telegraph reports.
In a publication on Tuesday, Con Coughlin, UK Telegraph defence editor, said Britain committed to spending £860 million in foreign aid to Nigeria, to help support the country’s efforts to crush Boko Haram terror group, which has been responsible for a spate of outrages, including the kidnapping of hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls.
“But Western officials are now raising concerns that the government of the country’s recently elected leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, is misusing the funds to persecute political opponents.
“Since Mr Buhari came to power last July, a number of prominent members of the former ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have been arrested and imprisoned without charge. Among those detained was the party’s official spokesperson.
“Most of the arrests have been sanctioned by the government-controlled Economic and Financial Crime Commission, which was set up to tackle corruption and receives funding from the Department for International Development.
“But while Mr Buhari’s government continues to use British aid money to target his political opponents, it is proving less effective at tackling the Islamist-run Boko Haram terrorist group.
“Much of the aid Britain provides to Nigeria is aimed at helping the country’s security forces to become more effective at tackling Boko Haram, which boasts of its links with Islamic State (ISIL) and achieved international notoriety two years ago after kidnapping 276 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria two years ago”, it read.
Coughlin noted that though scores of British military personnel – including members of the Special Forces – were based in Nigeria helping to train the military to tackle Boko Haram, there was growing concern among Western officials that the Nigerian military was failing to take effective action against the terrorists.
He said this had resulted in Boko Haram now being regarded as the world’s deadliest terrorist organisation, responsible for more deaths than ISIL, even as reports say that the sect is trying to train kidnapped children to act as suicide bombers.
“This is a scandal in the making,” he quoted a senior U.S. official.
“There is no doubt the growing strength of Boko Haram is because President Buhari is far more interested in settling scores with his political opponents that concentrating his energy on defeating terrorists.
“The result is that Nigeria is starting to look more and more like a police state while Boko Haram just goes from strength to strength.”
The defence editor quoted another western diplomat thus: “If Buhari was serious about fighting corruption he would be focusing all of his efforts on targeting corruption that is impeding Nigeria’s ability to focus its efforts on tackling Boko Haram.”
Continuing, the publication revealed that western officials have expressed concern about Buhari’s increasingly autocratic style of government since he came to power last year.
“Now political opponents claim he is returning to his old dictatorial ways, abusing British aid meant to improve Nigeria’s ability to tackle Boko Haram to consolidate his hold on power.
“Mr Buhari’s claim that he is winning the war against Boko Haram – (recently claimed the group no longer poses a serious threat) – has been undermined by recent revelations that the Nigerian authorities have tried to cover up the fact that hundreds of more schoolchildren have been abducted by Boko Haram.
“Human rights activists have confirmed that around 400 women and children were abducted last year by militants from the Nigerian town of Damasak.
“It is now believed that some of these children may have been trained as suicide bombers. U.S. counter-terrorism experts say at least 105 women and girls trained by Boko Haram have taken part in suicide attacks since June 2014,” the UK Telegraph publication added

THEY ARE NOT FULANI HERDSMEN - WAKE UP IDIOTS!!!!

••• Fulani herdsmen? Liars! It's called the "Trojan Horse!" strategy, people! There's something bigger than those cows on your highways and forests!
Never have we had as many cowards in the Nigerian media and "civil rights movement" as we do today!!! No more voice of influence! Gone are the Ganis, the Dele Giwas ... only the federal appointment-seeking, Twitter handle warriors remain.
Cowards! The media won't use the politically incorrect words such as "ethnic cleansing," "mass murder" and "religious persecution" even though those are exactly the three things happening right now in Nigeria!!!!
••• And crazy self seeking "men of God" are busy telling us to speak well of Nigeria because "our words are affecting Nigeria!" Nonsense! "Woe to those who call evil good!" declares the Scripture. The foundation of God's throne is RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE (Psalm 97.)
Life in the "Middle Belt" is almost snuffed out, there's ZERO protection for the Middle Belt either from Nigeria, African Union or the United Nations. The poor people of the Middle Belt sleep and wake up daily in the zip codes of death by "Fulani herdsmen."
••• The infiltration of the ancestral lands of the East is complete! Their settlements and huts litter every forest in Eastern Nigeria. It's no different in Ogun and Ondo States. The rural lands of Edo State are soaked with their cow dung. It's a well articulated, well funded mission!
Even my small cassava farm back home was surrounded and the crops destroyed by the AK-47 wielding "Fulani herdsmen." Who gave these illiterates such sophisticated weapons? Who trained them to use them?
What's more? The constitutional backing for the "Fulani herdsmen" impunity is almost through at the National Assembly. It's called the "National Grazing Reserves and Stock Routes." (For 'National,' read "Fulani!") That would officially allocate the Fulani our ancestral lands from sokoto down to Port Harcourt... and no one, not even your ancestral spirits will stop them thereafter. Very neat! And once your land is grabbed, your existence, your identity is expired ... because you can't live in the atmosphere. You're not a bird.
••• Right now, whether in Ogun, Abia, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu or Benue, if your village makes the mistake of telling the 'Fulani herdsmen,' "Don't pass through our farmland, you're destroying our crops," or "Stop raping our women," that's when you'll understand the full wrath of the Ogas at the top! Those boys know that "our own man is now in charge."
Wake up, idiots! We're at war - government-backed war! And this one is worse than the first! Because your legal defender is your murderer!
People, speak up!!! The hands of the clock are at 11:58!
Have you heard the word "Referendum?" May be the only light in the tunnel right now!!
~ Michael Chinweze Nwankwo