News in Brief..

Good morning! its news time on KB.:-)

Grab your cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy.(They all culled from Punchng.com)

NDLEA defies court orders, keeps Kashamu under house arrest.

The battle of wits between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the embattled senator-elect for Ogun-East senatorial district, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, continued on Tuesday with the anti-narcotic agency defying an order of a Lagos Federal High Court barring it from arresting the politician.

The court headed by Justice Ibrahim Buba gave a ruling on Tuesday afternoon ordering the more than 50 operatives of the NDLEA who had laid siege to the Lekki Phase 1 home of the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain since Saturday to vacate the duplex immediately.

Specifically, the judge described the siege to the Ijebu politician’s home as sub judice, stressing that it did not follow due process.

Also, the court barred any move by the NDLEA to arrest Kashamu, who had been holed up in his bedroom ever since, pending the ruling on a fundamental right application he filed before Justice Okon Abang of the same court.

Shortly after the ruling, the NDLEA, through its spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, issued a statement describing the court order as trivial and an attempt to prevent it from performing its statutory functions.

The agency maintained it had received an order from the United States government to extradite Kashamu for drug related offences and claimed to have served a warrant of arrest on him

( Chai! water don pass garri for Kahsmu ooh. only God knows the kind of fear he will be in now)

Buhari’ll fight corruption like I did —Guinea President

President Alpha Conde of Guinea has expressed confidence in the ability of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to fight corruption, adding that Buhari will fight corruption like he has done in his country.

The Guinean President said this while speaking with journalists after a meeting with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the Lagos State Governor-elect, Akinwunmi Ambode, in Lagos on Tuesday.

He said, “I came to Lagos to meet my brother, Tinubu before I meet with President Buhari. With the election of Buhari, who is a straight forward person that will fight corruption like me, I believe his emergence as President will culminate in a stronger relationship between Guinea and Nigeria.

“Before the last general elections in Nigeria, there were anxiety, fear and uncertainty over the land. It was the belief that the country would disintegrate. This is also drawn from the fact that Nigeria fought the Biafra war. The war against Boko Haram was also there which Africa has to jointly fight.”

NIS leadership crisis deepens with new appointment

The leadership crisis rocking the National Institute for Sports has further deepened as some members of the Academic Staff Union of the institution have kicked against the appointment of Dr. Eke Chukwudi as the new Director.

The NIS has yet to emerge from the controversy surrounding the exit of erstwhile Director, Dr. Sunny Ikhioya, who was accused of gross misconduct, and the plight of some senior staff lecturers, who have not been promoted for 12 years.

One of the lecturers disclosed to The PUNCH that the Governing Council of the institute was set on challenging Chukwudi’s appointment, which it considered as an imposition.

It was alleged that the appointment was made by the sports minister, Tamuno Danagogo, without due process of advertising the vacant position and interviewing the best candidates for the post.

Chukwudi, who was a lecturer at the Federal College of Education in Omoku, Rivers State, is believed to have studied Education Technology.

“The reputation of the NIS as the citadel of sports management in Nigeria is at stake if we allow unqualified personnel to head the institute,” the lecturer, who wants anonymity, said.

PDP Governors are reckless-Gemade

A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Barnabas Gemade, has described governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party as a band of reckless and insensitive people.

He accused the governors of engaging in frivolous expenditure while the people they were elected to govern were suffering untold deprivation.

Gemade spoke in Jos on Tuesday at a public lecture organised by friends of the Governor-elect of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong, as part of activities marking the transition programme.

He expressed gratitude to Nigerians and particular the people of Plateau State for voting out what he described as an uncaring government.

The former PDP chairman, who is now a senator-elect under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, who was represented by Mr. Ben Gwarzo, said that while they failed to pay salaries to workers, the PDP governors also looked the other way as marauders masquerading as herdsmen were killing people with reckless abandon.

Tambuwal bows out of Reps, hands over to Ihedioha

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, bowed out on Tuesday after handing over the leadership of the legislature to his deputy, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, who will round off the tenure of the House on June 5.

Tambuwal, who is the Governor-elect for Sokoto State, will be inaugurated on May 29 as governor.

His decision to transfer power to Ihedioha ahead of the May 29 handover date was to avoid a possible constitutional crisis of taking oath of office for two separate offices.

While he will be inaugurated as governor on May 29, his current tenure as a member of the House will end on June 6.

Tambuwal, who spoke with journalists soon after Tuesday’s sitting of the House, disclosed that the members agreed at an executive session that Ihedioha should preside over the affairs of the House till June 6.

“My stay here in the House would have effectively come to an end on May 29 after I would have been inaugurated as governor.

“We have to avoid any possible issues on this, since the constitution is silent on what happens when a sitting Speaker has to move to another office,” he added.

Bail: IG warns Nigerians against corrupting policemen

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, on Tuesday cautioned the public against corrupting police personnel by giving them bribe or paying for release of suspects.

Arase stated that any policeman who demanded bribe should be reported to senior officers for disciplinary action.

Answering questions from journalists during a meeting with senior officers at the Force headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the IG insisted that bail is still free, stressing that no one should pay for it.

He said, “We have a zero tolerance for that – bail, (paying to free suspect). I am appealing to the members of the public, do not corrupt my policemen. It takes two to tango.

“If they asked you for a bribe and you refused to give, and you have avenues where your grievances can be ventilated, I do not see any reason why you should give them bribe.

“The Commissioner of Police is there, the Area Commander is there, the DPO is there, our office is there and the technical platform (www.stopthebribes.net) is there.

Oshiomhole swears in, suspends new LG chairman

The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday suspended the Chairman of Etsako West Local Government Area, Alhassan Mohammed, for two months, few minutes after he was sworn in as the chairman of the area.

Governor Oshiomhole explained that the suspension followed controversies surrounding the death of the former chairman of the area, Alhaji Hassan Kadiri, who died last Friday, the same day a protest was organised against him (Kadiri) over his ill-health.

He also directed the new Vice Chairman of the local government, Busari Yusuf, to act as the interim Chairman, pending the outcome of a panel of enquiry set up to investigate the allegations of complicity against Mohammed.

While condemning the protest, Oshiomhole said, “I am informed that the purpose of this protest was that Hassan, on his sick bed, should be relieved of his duties as Chairman, so that the vice chairman could take over his job. I do not think human beings should play God.

“So, for me, it is absolutely unacceptable that anyone will be so desperate as to instigate another to protest against a man that is bedridden and admitted in the hospital fighting for his life. Our jobs are worthless without life and all of us have our dates to depart this planet earth.

“So, for anyone to organize protest against someone who is bedridden; that he should be forced out of office so that another person will get promotion is unethical and absolutely unacceptable and to publicly organise protest against the sick, making unprintable statements, disturbing the public peace and mobilising people to do things that are capable of leading to riots with the possibility of even death. That, for me, is the height of irresponsibility and I do not think any civilised government will condone that.”

Rivers Killings:Amaechi and Wke in war of words.

THE feud between the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, reached a boiling point on Tuesday when the former accused the latter of being responsible for the deaths recorded in the state during the 2015 general elections.

Amaechi had declared during a public lecture in Port Harcourt to mark his 50th birthday that God would not allow a killer to be the governor of Rivers State.

But Wike, who had attended another public lecture in the state capital, said he had no record of killing anybody and expressed displeasure that a public officer like Amaechi could speak in manner that was not expected of him.

Wike expressed optimism that he would be sworn in as the governor of the state on May 29, despite moves by Amaechi to scuttle his inauguration.

Speaking further, Amaechi stated that the governor-elect should realise that he (Wike) was his chief of staff, adding that Wike’s record was with him.

Explaining that he will never kill anybody because of personal ambition, the governor dismissed Wike’s description of him (Amaechi) as a corrupt person, adding that the governor-elect was accusing him of corruption because he (Wike) was looking for a way to negotiate with him (Amaechi) and his supporters.

Confusion in APC over N’Assembly leadership

Strong indications emerged on Tuesday that a crisis is brewing within the All Progressives Congress over the zoning of National Assembly leadership posts such as the Senate Presidency and the Speakership of the House of Representatives.

A senate presidential candidate, Senator Bukola Saraki, had on Tuesday tweeted that the party’s National Working Committee had zoned the headship of the Senate to the North-Central.

Saraki stated, “I am delighted that the NWC (National Working Committee) of our dear party yesterday (Monday) reaffirmed its earlier decision to zone (the) position of Senate President to the North- Central.”

Besides Saraki, who is from Kwara State, which is located in the North-Central zone, Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe State in the North-East, is also contesting the senate presidency.

Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos State in the South-West is contesting the speakership of the House of Representatives with Yakubu Dogara of Bauchi State (North-East) and Muhammed Mungono of Borno State (North-East).

But in an apparent reference to Saraki, the APC NWC denied reports that it had zoned the Senate Presidency to the North-Central and the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the South-West.

The party, in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, on Tuesday, said that such an agreement existed in the figment of the imagination of its authors.

The party said, “Nothing like that ever happened.”

Group asks court to stop Buhari’s inauguration

A group, Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative,   has instituted a fresh suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, from swearing the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday.

The suit filed on Tuesday is also seeking an order nullifying the certificate of return issued to Buhari by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The plaintiff hinged the suit on the allegation that Buhari did not qualify to contest the presidential election on the grounds that he gave false information about his academic qualification to INEC.

Between January and February 2015 there were about 10 cases instituted by various plaintiffs challenging Buhari’s eligibility to stand for the poll on the grounds of his academic qualification controversy. But after he won, the cases were withdrawn.

In the fresh suit filed by its lawyer, Mr. Philip Ekpo, the group alleged that Buhari did not meet the qualification enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act to stand for the March 28, 2015 presidential election.

Buhari, INEC, the CJN are the 1st to the 3rd respondents in the suit respectively.

The plaintiff is seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the CJN “or any person acting in his capacity” from swearing in Buhari as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2015 or any other date thereof pending the determination of the motion on notice.

B’Haram: Reps ask FG to rebuild liberated towns

The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to start the reconstruction and rehabilitation of towns and villages recently liberated from Boko Haram insurgents by the Nigerian military.

The House observed that the affected towns and villages, mostly in the North-East of the country, had been destroyed by the insurgents.

It noted that basic amenities including health care services, food and water were not available to quicken the resettlement of victims of the attacks.

In the resolution which the lawmakers passed on the issue, they said that the victims returning to the liberated communities were “physically and psychologically desirous” of living their normal lives, but were hampered by the lack of amenities.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the member representing Bama/Ngala/Kala Balge Federal Constituency in Borno State, Mr. Abdulrahman Terab.

Nobody advised Jonathan to concede defeat – Aide

President Goodluck Jonathan did not receive advice from anyone before he conceded defeat in the March 28 presidential election, his Special Adviser on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, said on Tuesday.

Kuku spoke at the inauguration of a 500-seater Lecture Theatre donated by the Alumni Association of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, and named in honour of Jonathan.

The President of the Alumni, Dr. Mathew Ayeni, said the President was a lover of peace, saying his election was a manifestation of this assertion.

Urging other African leaders to emulate him, Ayeni said, “Jonathan is undoubtedly a hero, not only in Nigeria’s history and by Nigerian standard but by international standard. This is the reason he is being credited as a world leader by international communities.”

According to Kuku, who is an alumnus of EKSU, Jonathan’s phone call to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, saved Nigeria from a civil war.

He said, “That phone call saved Nigeria. Even the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, knew Nigeria was about to be made or marred.

APC urges newly elected Reps to shun corruption

The All Progressives Congress has charged members of the House of Representatives elected on its platform to shun corruption and avoid extravagance.
The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, gave the charge while addressing the APC members of the House of Representatives to be inaugurated in June during a two-day retreat, on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, as agents of change, each member is required to comport himself in a manner that will reflect the letter and spirit of the change which the party campaigned and worked hard for.
The APC chairman, who congratulated them on the successes they recorded during the elections, reminded them that the task ahead of them was not an easy one.
Odigie-Oyegun said, “This is because you are being called to service at one of the most challenging periods in the history of our nation.


Fuel subsidy breeds corruption, says Niger gov
WORRIED by the incessant fuel crises facing the country, Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has said that fuel subsidy is the main form of corruption in the country.
He said that monies believed to be coming from SURE-P were from the Federation Account.
A total removal of subsidy from petroleum products by the Federal Government, he said, remains the only solution needed.
Aliyu made this known in Minna at the inauguration of a three-star hotel constructed jointly by the Niger State Development Company Limited and the state SURE-P.
He said, “I have been vindicated. When some years back I took a principled position as one of the few governors who said ‘remove fuel subsidy; it is a cartel for corruption.’
“Many people did not understand that time. Some publicist did not agree with me. They said, ‘Don’t remove it; it is the common man that will suffer.’ I said which common man, when at the time you are talking about subsidy the common man goes to buy it three times the price that you call subsidy?
He added, “Earlier, we deceived ourselves that there was SURE-P money, but it was the money from our Federation Account that they were giving us as SURE-P fund. But we are happy, at least they have set that aside. You will remember when I said remove fuel subsidy. They burnt my town; people were imported from outside to burn Minna.“There is no government out there; you are the government. Anything that is done is for your welfare. Own it, take it and don’t allow somebody to come and reduce you and make you a pauper. Own up what is yours. Government is not all about the officials alone.”
On the need to sustain the subsidy, he said it would not be in the interest of anybody.


Strike paralyses governmental activities in C’ River, Osun, Oyo
PUBLIC workers residing in rented apartments in Calabar have now formed the habit of avoiding their landlords following the irregular payments of salaries by the state government.
They lamented their plight to one of our correspondents on Tuesday just as the organised labour union formally declared an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries.
Also, the strike embarked upon by civil servants in Oyo and Osun states has paralysed governmental activities in the states. Public teachers shunned schools while public offices including the government secretariats were closed.
Workers in Cross River said the situation had forced them to beg owners of private schools to give them time to pay their children’s school fees.
A worker in one of the ministries, Mr. John Umo, said, “For those of us leaving in rented apartment, we now run away from our landlords since our rents are due to avoid public disgrace. Our colleagues who have managed to own their homes are lucky.”



Jonathan attends last FEC meeting today
President Goodluck Jonathan will on Wednesday (today) preside over the Federal Executive Council meeting for the last time as the country’s President.
The council consisting of the President (as chairman), Vice President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers, special advisers to the President, Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the National Security Adviser is the highest decision-making body in the country.
Members meet every Wednesday (except occasionally when meetings are postponed) to approve contracts and government policies.
Since Jonathan will be handing over to Muhammadu Buhari as the country’s new President on Friday, this is the last time he would be chairing the meeting.
He is expected to use the opportunity of the valedictory session to thank council members for their supports while his administration lasted.