Army approves promotion for 5,000 soldiers fighting Boko Haram

Abuja—The Nigeria Army has approved the promotion of 5,000 soldiers fighting insurgents in the North-East and others involved in other operations, as part of steps to boost their morale.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, made the announcement yesterday in Abuja, at the opening of the 2015 Chief of Army Staff Third Quarter conference at Army Headquarters.

He said that the approval of the promotion of the soldiers was one of the many measures introduced by the Army under his command to boost troops’ morale and reposition its operations.

He added that it was also in line with the vision of the
Army command to reward gallant troops in any way
deemed fit to boost their combat readiness and
willingness to serve fatherland.

He said that troops serving in the North-East and in other operations in the country would regularly receive rewards from the Army High Command for their selfless service to the nation.

Lt.-Gen. Buratai said: “Since we came on board, we have introduced several measures aimed at encouraging our troops to give their best in the service of their nation.

“The approval of the accelerated promotion of 5,000
soldiers was to redeem the promise made by my
predecessor to the troops fighting insurgents in the
North-East.

“It is my belief that this promotion, coupled with other
incentives, will encourage our troops to fight for our
country.”

The COAS charged the officers and all personnel of the
Nigeria Army to constantly maintain the required level of physical fitness.

Amaechi, Fayemi, Fashola Fail Anti- corruption Test

As the screening of President Muhammadu Buhari
ministers continue, some appointees have reportedly
failed to pass anti-corruption test.

The Department of State Service (DSS) recently received a much awaited list of 36 ministerial nominees for security screening.

While DSS carries on the screening indications appeared that three immediate past governors, Babatunde Fashola, Rotimi Amaechi and Kayode Fayemi, have supposedly failed.

Three former governors worked hard for Buhari’s
presidential campaign to and were seen as top candidates for positions in the government.

Nigerian Pilot reports that the DSS did not clear three
ministerial appointees based on claims of corruption
brought against them before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC).

The source said that the security agency supposedly
denied to clear Amaechi, Fashola, Fayemi because of a
series of petitions written against them over accusations bordering on money laundering, fraud and misuse.

The insider further added that when the trio appeared
before the screening committee, they were opposed with the appeals and other related documents attached to the petitions.

They reportedly have received orders from Buhari that any of the appointees with any harmful and fraud related issues should not be cleared by the security agency.

Festus Odimegwu, a former managing director of Nigerian Breweries Limited, and a former presidential candidate, Pat Utomi, are also among the ministerial appointees that have been screened.

Those already said to have been screened as nominees for President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet also include a former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and a Lagos-lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).

Also on the list are a former Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen.
Abdulrahman Dambazu (retd.); an ex-chief executive of the Federal Inland Revenue, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru; a former finance commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Wale
Edun; and a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

According to some sources Falana was favoured by a camp in the party to emerge as the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.

A top APC chieftain said the Vice President, Prof. Yemi
Osinbajo and the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had persuaded Buhari to appoint Falana.

Tinubu and Osinbajo were said to have told Buhari that
appointing Falana, who he jailed over 30 years ago, would boost his image as a ‘converted democrat.’

It was, however, learnt that Malami was being favoured by the President.

The APC has three former governors in Ekiti State: Niyi
Adebayo, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi.

“Falana has already been screened by the DSS. However, Buhari is closer to Malami who is from the North,” a source from APC said.

Utomi, a famous economist and former presidential
candidate of the African Democratic Congress, had been screened by the DSS and the police.

Edun, who served under former Tinubu as Lagos state
governor, had also been screened by security agencies.

Odimegwu, nominated by the president, fell out with
former president Goodluck Jonathan when he openly
criticised the federal government.

Odimegwu is also close to former President Olusegun
Obasanjo. Oyinlola, a one-time secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, defected to the APC shortly before the Osun State governorship election and he is a close associate of Obasanjo.

Another appointee, who asked not to be named, said:
“Although I have met the director-general of the DSS
twice, I don’t think such visits could be regarded as
screening.

“I understand the service has done its research on
ministerial nominees. For now, nobody is sure of anything until the names are announced.”

See full list below:
1. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Osun State governor and ousted PDP national secretary.

2. Chief Bode Mustapha, former PDP National Auditor and an APC chieftain from Ogun state

3. Engineer Segun Oni, former Ekiti state governor and
APC deputy national chairman (South West)

4. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti
state

5. Abba Ruma, a former Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources

6. Chief Kanu Agabi, a former Minister of Justice.

7. Donald Duke, a former Governor of Cross River state

8. Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past governor of
Lagos state

9. Yinka Folashade Oredola

10. Rotimi Akeredolu, a former gubernatorial candidate in Ondo state.

11. Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past governor of Rivers state

12. Engineer Funsho Kupolokun, former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

13. Rabiu Kwankwanso, immediate past governor of Kano state

14. Bisola Adegbenro

15. Isaiah Danjuma, son of General Theophilus Danjuma
from Taraba state.

16. Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation.

17. Kehinde Lawanson, a former executive director of First Bank.

18. Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), former Minster of Justice

President Buhari had in Ghana reassured Nigerians and the international community that his cabinet is a must in September.

In the lists of supposed ministers, which were circulating in the media , Fashola was predicted as AGF/Minister of Justice, while earlier he was supposed as minister of works and housing.

Under the former governor state administration beholden $1.02bn which signifies 33.86 % of the country’s total sub-national external debts.

Ex-governor of Rivers state was set to become new
secretary to the government.

Amaechi was also accused of dropping state into massive external indebtedness by a coalition of non-governmental organisations interested in transparency and responsibility in governance.

Former governor of Ekiti state was also expected to play a key role in Buhari’s cabinet.

Buhari doesn’t want to be stabbed like Jonathan — Ebigwei

Dr. Sylvan Olisanye Ebigwei (MON), consultant dental
surgeon, is President-Emeritus, Aka Ikenga, the Igbo
socio-political organisation. In this interview, he says the Igbo’s vote for former President Goodluck Jonathan was calculated to unite the former Eastern Region. He wants MASSOB to change its name to be relevant. He also spoke on other national issues. Excerpts:

The North wanted power and they now have it. What is
your take on that? Nigeria is too complex for one section to usurp all that the country has without reaction. Nigeria today is not the Nigeria of yesterday. There is a level you can pursue a man, the man will stop and start pursuing you. So, whatever the North wants today, if they want Nigeria to be one, they must make sure that there is equilibrium in governance and appointments in critical areas.

Already, there is disequilibrium in what is happening today and we cannot hide the fact. And that was why the South-South met last week. The President is from the North, the Chief Judge is from the North, the Senate President is from the North, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is from the North. This cannot go on because people will react. So, if the Northerners think they can do this and get away with it, Nigerians will react.

Right now, I can say the period we are in now is a period of honeymoon for Buhari. By the time he sets up his government, people will start looking into critical areas. Buhari government has been described as government of probes. How far can be go?

If you want to probe, probe everybody, because Jonathan merely ruled this country for five years or thereabout. By the time he came in, Nigeria was in tatters Nothing was functioning. The roads were not there, power was not there, people were just stealing money anyhow. All these stealing did not start during the Jonathan era. Jonathan came in and met a rotten Nigeria. Where was he to start from? It was the people, who destroyed this country that surrounded him. Cleaning up Nigeria was an enormous task. Even those arrested for corruption, how many were jailed? EFCC will make a lot of noise, take suspects to court and that’s the last we hear because the judiciary itself was not helping matters. Had it been we had a strong judiciary, people would sit up. But when people steal, they say, okay, this is my own, this is for law enforcement, the other one is for the judiciary. With that mindset, people started acting with impunity because they know that criminals are not being visited with adequate punishment. That was the reason Jonathan did not succeed.

A cursory look around shows some parastatals like NEPA suddenly come to life. We know Buhari government has not awarded any contract yet. What happened? People are wondering what is happening. It shows how evil and how rotten people have gotten in this country.

Buhari government is not in place, it has not run any
budget, he has not spent a dime in re-positioning PHCN, but look at us today. In my office, I have been enjoying uninterrupted power supply for nearly three weeks now, thereby saving money to feed my family. What it portrays is that during Jonathan’s administration, no matter how Jonathan tried, he was being sabotaged.

Power generation

Men of evil abound in this country. And because of this
sabotage, despite all the billions of dollars poured into
power generation, the power is there, gas is there, but
evil people refused that the country should work. But
they know what they are gaining. It shows complete
sabotage. And these are the people, the present administration should fish out. If they did it to sabotage Jonathan, they can still do it to sabotage the government of Buhari.

Looking critically at Buhari’s appointments so far, people say he is side-tracking the Igbo. How do you view this? Buhari is being afraid of what happened to
Jonathan. If I am in Buhari’s shoes, I will not appoint people who will betray me.

Because Nigeria today is not like Nigeria of yesterday. People are no more honest. The value system of the
average Nigerian is poor. We don’t trust people. Critical
appointments have not been made. The appointments he is making are of domestic issues, people who will surround him. You don’t get people who will stab you at the back and put them to follow you. No. Jonathan did that and they stabbed him. That was why he got angry and told them he had had enough. That was why he threw in the towel even before they finished counting the votes.

Because he discovered that he was totally betrayed. So, Buhari knew what happened to Jonathan, he would not want it to happen to him.

MASSOB is being threatened everywhere. What is their
undoing? As President of Aka Ikenga, I told MASSOB that there is no need for a man to run a good race but outside the track. Igbo man is being marginalised, we know that. But when you want to fight for your rights, you must find a decent way to do it, so that you can have the sympathy of all.

Many of us do not believe in the disintegration of this
country. I told them then that there is no other country
they can fit in except in Nigeria. I told them, this agitation you are doing, find another name and put on it. You will have the sympathy of everyone in Igbo land because without pressure we cannot get what we want in this country. Change the name MASSOB. What is in a name?
Find another name, continue with your agitation, so that you can have followership among Ndigbo. No Igbo man wants to get separated from this country.

You are President Emeritus of Aka Ikenga. We hear there is an agenda to unite the Igbo from all the Igbo speaking South. What impact can this have?

As President of Aka Ikenga, our mind set then for
supporting Jonathan was to use his platform to extend
true hands of fellowship towards the old constituents of the old Eastern Region. Aftermath of the civil war, the core Igbo became almost a pariah to their brothers and sisters of old Eastern Nigeria, as well as the Ikweres in Rivers and the Anioma people in Delta State. What we did was to show solidarity with the Ijaws so that in future the Ijaw man will know that when they had a problem, in their hour of need, the core Igbo man came to his aid. That was our mindset.

So whatever transpired, whether he ruled well or did not rule well it has worked, because you can now hear the South-South are meeting with the South East, etc. As recent as last week, there was a meeting of the whole of Southern Region of Nigeria to look into their common interest in the present dispensation.

And they came out with a communiqué, advising the
President what to do and the negative aspect of his
administration so far. So that solidarity is working, that unity is working, that brotherhood is working.

Are you saying the Igbo have no regret over how they
voted at the last elections? Yes, the Igbo have no regrets. Some people are saying the Igbo lost, No. To us, the Igbo didn’t lose because the mindset of supporting Jonathan is different from the mindset of quite a lot of people. Igbo didn’t lose under Jonathan, they had a fair share of governance.

Fair share of governance The only problem was that many government appointees of Igbo extraction were selfish. They did not empower their own people. Look at the North, the express rail between Kaduna and Abuja, that will open up the whole area and bring Kaduna and adjoining states nearer to the seat of
power. Roads were constructed in the North. Look at the Almajiri schools. Nobody ever thought the almajiris
should go to school. These are all the handiwork of
Jonathan. Look at the Abuja Airport, Kaduna Airport, not to talk of Murtala Mohammed Airport. They have all been elevated and modernized. A lot was achieved. Anyim Pius Anyim was SGF, and that was a powerful position. You can use the position to build up capacity for your own people. So, you cannot blame Jonathan if those he put in power could not use such positions to better their own people.

I passed through Asaba bridge, I see that work is going
on at the second Niger Bridge. Before now, it was all
rhetoric. During the Obasanjo era, it was all rhetoric, but now you can see that something is being done.

Gov. Ajimobi In Sizzling Romance With Arisekola’s Daugther, Fatimah

While Oyo state languishes in several months of unpaid
salaries, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi is allegedly busy having
carnal knowledge of not just his wife but another woman who happened to be the daughter of his godfather.

Perching birds has it that Fatimah, who is daughter of
late Alao Arisekola , despite been married to Layi Are is
alleged to be warming the bed of Gov. Ajimobi.

It was gathered that the illicit act started between
Fatimah and Gov. Ajimobi when the later had several
unsettled disagreement with her husband. The husband, Layi was said to have consulted Gov. Ajimobi, who happened to be Arisekola’s protege and a close Friend of the Are’s family to help save his home.

Layi is the son of prominent Ibadan socialite, Dr. Lekan
Are, a former Chief Executive Officer, Ogun/Oshun River Basin Development Authority and Chairman of Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Gov. Ajimobi was said to have invited Fatimah to his
office but the amiable governor could not take his eyes
off Fatimah’s beauty which made him to make romantic
passes at her. Those in the known revealed that Gov.

Ajimobi awarded huge contracts to the tune of billions of naira to Fatimah to let her know that she is in saver hand and with a clause that she will become his sex partner. It was gathered that right there the illicit love affair kick started.

As a payback for the alleged romance, it was said that
Gov. Ajimobi introduced Fatimah to top politicians and
Director Generals in Abuja, who in turned gave her
contracts.

These juicy contracts and other enticing gifts was said to have made Fatimah threw caution to the wind and prefer the comfortable arms of another man’s husband ignoring her marital duties at home to her legal husband, Layi.

The lovebirds was alleged to have made countless
international trips together under the pretense of been
part of Governor’s entourage to other countries for
business meetings.

Fatimah was alleged to have played prominent role at
Gov Ajimobi’s daughter,Jibola’s wedding by taking care of VIPs who were in attendance. Her active role was said to have confirmed the suspicious of many who has been suspecting the two to be having illicit affairs.

To confirm government house’s side of the story, Mr.
Festus Adedayo, Special Adviser to Gov. Ajimobi was
contacted but declined to speak on the matter.

Senior lawyers know corrupt judges —CJN

THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud
Mohammed,said senior lawyers in the country know corrupt judges, in view of their unguarded utterances, accusing the judiciary of corruption.

Speaking during a special session of the Supreme Court to mark the commencement of the 2015/2016 legal year and swearing-in of newly conferred Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Justice Mohammed urged senior lawyers to fish out the identity of the corrupt judges, so that they can be properly dealt with by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

“I regard as unfortunate, unguarded comments of some
prominent members of the Bar, that the Judiciary is corrupt.

Such comments coming from the members of the Bar means that they know the identity of the corrupt judges and as such, they should fish them out to be dealt with by the NJC,” Justice Mohammed stated.

He reiterated that for the country to truly expect a
steadfast, impartial and noble institution, the Judiciary must be truly independent, adding that the Supreme Court was currently working towards the introduction of court automation, so as to address issues of delay, corruption and inefficiency in our judicial system.

Commenting on calls for the abolition of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria by some Legal Practitioners, the CJN said the conferment of the rank of SAN was a privilege conferred in accordance with section 5 (1) of the Legal Practitioners Act by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, adding that “it is, indeed, a statutorily recognised privilege.

“As much as I will concede that the system of conferment may require reforms, its abolition will be tantamount to proverbially throwing away the baby with the bath water. In any event, none of us here can decisively abolish the rank,”he said.

The CJN, however, said, it was only the National Assembly that can abolish it via a bill of both chambers and urged legal practitioners to close ranks and seek constructive solutions to the challenges confronting the legal profession.

On his part, the president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Augustine Alegeh (SAN) condemned the face-off between the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the Federal High Court in Abuja over the 13 count charge preferred against the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, saying it was an unnecessary distraction.

The NBA boss said “the constitutional hierarchy of our
courts is well settled and we urge all to respect it. This is not good for our judiciary. Let wise counsel prevail.”

2face pleads with Don Jazzy and D ’banj to make one more hit

FORTYfied :2face pleaded with Don Jazzy and D’banj to please produce one more hit song.

At the FORTYfied event, D’banj performed a leaked
version of a song he did with 2face ‘I’m Feeling Good’
which was produced by former label mate and partner
Don Jazzy.

The Kokomaster brought back old memories which forced 2face to plead on behalf of the fans and for the sake of people looking up to them to make one more hit song together.

‘Don Jazzy and D’banj, abeg make una do one more song, just one…. I take God beg una’ 2face pleaded.

D’banj in response said ‘Sure! It’s going to happen’.

Although Don Jazzy didn’t respond to the plea.

Okorocha gets approval to borrow N20bn

OWERRI—Imo citizens may be grappling with a staggering debt of over N80 billion if Governor Rochas Okorocha goes ahead to take the Federal Government approved N20 billion proposed bond issue.

Currently, the state is owing over N60 billion, including
the Federal Government’s N26 billion bailout fund, which is expected to be paid back in 20 years.

The recent move by Governor Okorocha to grab another N20 billion became manifest via a letter from the Federal Ministry of Finance, DMO/PMD/241//T/7, dated August 25, 2015, and signed by A. M. Daniel-Nwaobis, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance.

According to a document made available to Vanguard, the Permanent Secretary’s mail was sequel to Okorocha’s earlier letter, dated May 2, 2015, requesting for approval to issue on “an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order, ISPO, for an amount of N402,957,780.91 monthly for 84 months in respect of a N20 billion ISG (Imo State Government) Bond Issuance Programme” to Finance Uncompleted and New Projects.”

The Federal Government drew Okorocha’s attention to
“the fact that based on the fall in oil prices and the
consequent decline of revenues for governments at all
levels in the country, there is an urgent need to exercise
greater restraint with respect to borrowing to avoid future debt unsustainability.”

While informing Governor Okorocha that the Debt
Management Office had advised that his request could be granted, the Permanent Secretary granted a “no objection” approval for the government to go ahead with the plan.

“Accordingly, I hereby grant a no objection for the state government to issue an ISPO for a monthly deduction of N402,957,780.91 for 84 months in respect of a N20 billion bond for the completion of on-going infrastructure development projects and for new development projects in the state, subject to the state meeting other requirements of the Investment and Securities Act, 2007,” the Permanent Secretary stated.

Meanwhile, a very senior civil servant, who pleaded
anonymity, told Vanguard that “the Okorocha
administration’s commitment to pay approximately N403 million monthly and for seven years, means that the payment would outlive the present administration.”