Ondo deputy governor impeached

Ondo State Deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, was on Monday impeached by the state lawmakers.

He was impeached for alleged misconduct.

The motion for Olanusi’s impeachment was moved by a majority leader in the Assembly, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu and seconded by Olatunji Dauro, a lawmaker representing Owo 11‎.

Report says 22 out of the 26 members of the House supported the deputy governor’s impeachment.

Meanwhile, the state’s commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Lasisi Olubayo, who hails from Ikare Akoko, has been nominated to replace Olanusi.

The House screening committee is meeting to ratify the appointment of the nominee.

Patience Jonathan’s attitude cost us defeat — PDP chief

Bayelsa State publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Osom Makbere, has said President Goodluck Jonathan lost the March 28 presidential election due to international and domestic conspiracies.

Makbere, who is also a lawyer, stated this in an exclusive interview in Yenagoa on Friday.

He said the divisions in the PDP fold and the overbearing attitude of the President’s wife, Dame Patience, also contributed to the president’s loss.

Giving insight on the failure of the President at the poll, Makbere said, “History has stated that no failure, defeat or loss is a product of a single factor. Jonathan’s loss could be blamed on a multiplicity of interwoven causes.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Jonathan was a victim and target of international cum domestic esoteric codes and conspiracies. On the international level, the passage of the anti-gay legislation led to criticisms and face-off with the US, and the West.

“The strides made in the economic sphere, especially domestic rice promotion, calculated by the Jonathan administration to flip economic growth, and boost import substitution, also negatively alerted the West. The shift to China for our railway transformation, and recently, the migration to Russia for arms and ammunition to quelling the insurgency also signalled to the West that Jonathan had started constituting a self-reliant and dependent nation-state, a feat seen too tall by the US and their allies in the West.

“The aforesaid international factors found room to flourish given the obstinacy and impudence on the part of Mrs. Jonathan. The end result of her personal ambition to plant ‘self-made’ governors triggered face-offs with some governors.”

 Makbere also opined that the All Progressives Congress will perform worse than the PDP at the centre.

He said, “I can tell you that this APC will be worse than the PDP as there is already imminent fear of implosion.

“In Kano, for instance, the APC got all 40 constituencies. This meant that none of the PDP candidates were popular enough to emerge but, the PDP maintained their calm and stoicism.

“We do not know what the APC wants. Whenever they win, the PDP congratulates them, but whenever the PDP wins, the APC would induce the election observers and the electoral officers to call for a re-run or cancellation. That is the zenith of desperation.”

But Secretary, Bayelsa APC, Mr. Marlin Daniel, said the statement that APC would perform worse than the PDP was misinformed and unfortunate.

He said that APC parades men and women of proven integrity and impeccable track records of performance.

He said, “It is obvious Nigerians have seen the people in the APC. The international community knows the pedigree of people in APC leadership. When you go to states controlled by the APC you will see what is on ground.

“The President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is an incorruptible man. So, for anybody to say that APC will perform worse than the PDP is a child’s talk, mere campaign of calumny and propaganda.

“APC is a revolution and nobody can stop it. God’s hand is in this revolution that is why the PDP lost despite all the money they spent to remain in power.”

Okorocha wins Imo Governorship Election

The incumbent Governor Rochas Okorocha has secured victory after today’s supplementary polls to conclude the inconclusive governorship election in Imo State. Mr. Okorocha, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has beaten Emeka Ihedioha, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by 416,996 votes.   Mr. Ihedioha scored 320,705 votes.

While declaring Mr. Okorocha as winner in Owerri early morning in Nigeria, the Returning officer stated that that the total number of valid votes amounted to 782,528.

2015 Election: Buhari applauds media for professionalism

General Muhammadu Buhari

By Oluwagbenga Bankole
The President elect of the Federal Republic Nigeria General Muhammadu Buhari has applauded the media for its role in the just concluded general elections.

Speaking at the today Saturday 25^th April 25 during 2015 Biennial Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, General Buhari said that any meeting of the Guild is always an important national event because of the role which the Press, our very vibrant press has played and continues to play in the overall development of our nation’s democracy.

Buhari who was represented by the Vice President elect Yemi Osibanjo acknowledged that all Nigerians including politicians are aware of the moderating role played by the press at all levels during the election.

“It is instructive and delightful to note that this year’s meeting of the Guild is coming so soon after a major political event in our country and in which the press including the radio and television played a critical role. This was the 2015 elections for which reason all sorts of predictions and doomsday scenarios were bandied about. Thankfully the election has come and gone relatively peacefully and Nigeria for pulling it through is now hailed by the comity of nations as a modern democracy. All Nigerians including politicians are aware of the moderating role played by the press at all levels. I want on behalf of our people to say thank you, for a job well done. Nigerians now have the change of government they desire and for the first time, it was possible for a party in opposition to defeat a party in power following the people’s will,” Buhari stated.

While acknowledging the important role played by the media in bringing the present change about, he said the work of the press is not yet over.

He added that; “The incoming administration would like the press to continue its role of watchmen and women, aggregating the views and positions of the people on national issues and presenting these as lucidly as possible through publication and other channels to the government to guide it in the onerous task of providing good governance for our people.”  

He stated that Nigeria is a huge country and no government can be able to know all that is happening across the length and breadth of the country without assistance of the media which has an impressive national reach, adding that there is no modern society or government that can neglect the press or can function without a vibrant media.

He also said that; “As Editors, members of the Guild play the role of gate-keepers, deciding for good or ill what goes into the media and what is kept out. Though no Editor is dictatorial or meant to be, but to ensure that there is order and responsibility, those who developed the press over the centuries in their wisdom, invested the Editor with these powers.”

Speaker/Senate President: PDP plots to take control of N’Assembly

There are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party is scheming to assume control of the National Assembly following the failure of the All Progressives Congress leaders to agree on zoning of offices.

  PUNCH reported that on Friday the PDP caucuses in the two chambers of the National Assembly were plotting to benefit from the squabbles in the APC by teaming up with aggrieved elements in the latter.

 The aim of such an alliance, investigations showed, would be the emergence of a speaker and a senate president different from candidates approved by the APC.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was learnt that the PDP hoped that by ensuring its choices emerged as the speaker and the senate president, it would “snatch” the control of the eighth National Assembly from the APC.

A member of the PDP caucus in the House, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Although we are not disputing the fact that the APC should produce leaders of the National Assembly, we will ensure that those who will emerge are people we prefer, not the choices of the APC leaders.

“By doing that, we will snatch the control of the National Assembly from them, just as the APC controlled the House through Aminu Tambuwal.”

The APC leaders had on Thursday failed to reach a decision on zoning of political offices at their meeting in Abuja.

There were reports that the APC’s National Working Committee had recommended some zoning arrangements to its National Executive Committee.

According to the reports, the position of the senate president seat was zoned to the North-Central and the Deputy Senate President to the North-East.

There were two accounts on the zoning of speakership. While one stated that the post of speakership was zoned to the South-West, the other indicated that it was meant for the North-East.

The deputy speakership was said to have been zoned to the South-South

But the APC, in a statement early in the week, denied the reports. Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, urged Nigerians to disregard the reports and described them as products of hyperactive rumour mills.

In spite of the APC’s statement, it was gathered that zoning topped the agenda of the APC leaders’ meeting on Thursday.

The PUNCH had reported that no decision was reached at the meeting because the leaders felt that more consultations were needed on the issue.

It was learnt that some of the PDP members in the incoming eighth Senate, who would occupy 48 of the 109 seats, had already begun talks with their APC counterparts from the North-East.

The talks, it was gathered, followed the failure of the APC leaders to take a decision on zoning.

The APC senators that have been mentioned as having interest in the senate presidency include Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central); George Akume (Benue North) and Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North).

Based on the recent general elections, the APC will have 60 members in the eighth Senate while the PDP will have 48. Election into the Delta Central Senatorial District is still outstanding.

Senate presidency candidates reach out to senators-elect

Investigations revealed that the camps of Saraki, Akume and Lawan had commenced aggressive lobbying and strategic calculations to outsmart one another in order to occupy the seat.

For instance, while the Saraki camp is currently seeking the support of the new PDP, which he led alongside Governor Rotimi Amaechi and others, to defect to the APC, Akume is relying on the goodwill he is enjoying from the leadership of the APC, particularly, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The Lawan camp, on the other hand, believed that the North-East had been short-changed in the political office sharing since 1999.

The camp has the backing of the APC senate caucus in the zone.

It was learnt that the North-East sees the current development as an opportunity to demand for its own share of political offices.

LASOPTECH staff unions vow to resist rector imposition

Three staff unions of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) on Friday threatened to resist alleged plans by the Lagos State Government to appoint an external administrator as the institution’s rector.

The unions are the institution’s chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP).
The unions made the threat in a joint statement signed by Mrs Abiola Akinkugbe, Mr Akinawon Fasasi and Mr Thomas Awoyemi the chairmen of ASUP, NASU and SSANIP respectively.

The statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos said that such appointment had been the case in the past and was of no benefit to the institution.

“LASPOTECH is in the process of making history again with the appointment of the 10th rector that will steer the ship for another term of five years from June 1, 2015.

“The staff unions in the institution wish to state that they will, on no ground, accept in whatever form, any external individual to lead her management as rector or any principal officer for that matter.


“Experience over time has shown that externally sourced principal officers imposed on the polytechnic before now have exhibited a lack of understanding of the polytechnic system.

“Such appointees have only shown parasitic tendencies, having been offered leave of absence from their parent institutions,’’ the statement said.

“LASPOTECH has enjoyed a good working relationship with the current government and will counsel that this should not be taken for weakness or cowardice.

“We strongly oppose the imposition of any candidate outside the polytechnic system.’’

It urged the state government not to renege on an agreement it entered into with the union in 2011 with regards to the process of appointing a rector.

The statement further expressed displeasure that the state governor, who is also the visitor to the institution, had not physically attended the school’s convocation since 1999.

Buhari's tentative ministerial list

According to FrontiersNews the Director General of Buhari Campaign Organisation and Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuke Rotimi Amaechi from the South South geo political zone would head the incoming APC administration’s cabinet as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, baring any change of tactics and political manoeuvreing.

Prof. Pat Utomi has been pencilled down as the head of the economic team. He is to serve as Minister of Economic Planning/ Adviser to President on Economic matters.

Other names that have been sent for security clearance included:

AGF/Min. of Justice – Bar. B. R Fashola – SW;
Min. of Abuja. – Dr. Hussein Dikko – NW;
Min. of Agric – Prof. S. A Garki – NW;
Min. of Works – Dr. Chris Ingige – SE;
Min. of Education- Prof. O. K. Ezekwesili -SE

Others include – Min. of Aviation – Sadiya Farouk – NW;
Min. of Culture/Tourism – James Ocholi – NC;
Min. of Labour & Prod. – Bisi Akande – SW;
Min. of Defence – Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa – NW;
Min. of Petroleum – Prof. David T- West – SS;
Min. of Finance – Dr. Umar Mutallib – NW;
Min. of Foreign Affairs – Gen. A. Aboki – NC and
Min. of Internal Affairs – Y. M Tuggar – NE

Other distinguished Nigerian who would make the cabinet are Lagos vibrant Pastor Tunde Bakare as Minister for Special Duties;
Min. of Industries – PST. BD Lawal;
Min. of Solid Min.- Bar. Solomon Dalung – NC;
Min for Science & T – Engr. Segun Oni – SW;
Min. of Health – Prof. Hamid Ahmad – NW;
Min. of Women – Sharon Ikeazor – SE;
Min. for Youth – Umana Umana -SS

The chairman of Leadership Newspapers and former presidential aspirant, Sam Nda Isaiah is pencilled down as Minister of Information;
Min. of Transport- Timpire Silver – SS;
Min. of Water Res. – Alh. Inuwa Yahaya – NE;
Min. of Commerce- Dr. Fayemi K – SW;
Min. of Sports – Kabir Mustapha- NE

APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dakuku Peterside would be Minister of Niger Delta.

Other appointments Col. Hameed Ali rtd as EFCC chairman – NE;
Nat. Sec. Adviser – Gen. A. Dambazau -NW;
Presidential Adviser on Agric – Prof. Ango Abdullahi – NW
while President Spokesman would be Alhaji- Lai Muhammed from the NC.

Jonathan fires IGP Abba, appoints Arase

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked Mr. Suleiman Abba, as the Inspector-General of Police.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President has named a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as Abba’s replacement in acting capacity.

No reason was given for the President’s decision to relieve Abba of his appointment.

The statement read, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba of his appointment and duties with immediate effect.

“President Jonathan has also appointed Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase as Acting Inspector-General of Police, also with immediate effect.

“Until his appointment as Mr. Abba’s replacement, Mr. Arase was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.

“Mr. Arase holds Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Law, as well as Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Political Science and Strategic Studies.

“He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College.”

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, less that nine months after his appointment on July 31, 2014.

The President has named a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as the acting IGP.
Abba, who was the AIG Zone 7 before his appointment as the IG, succeeded Mohammed Abubakar, who retired after 35 years in service last year.
No reason was given for the sacking.

Keshi signs fresh contract as Super Eagles coach

Stephen Keshi has signed a new contract to coach Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles.

The former international signed the contract in Abuja on Tuesday afternoon.

Keshi’s contract with the Nigerian Football Federation to coach the Super Eagles expired in June, 2014 – after the FIFA World Cup.

Only OPEC Ministerial Meeting Can Increase Crude Oil Production – OPEC.............refutes 810,000 bpd increase

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, Tuesday morning disclosed that oil production in member countries remain at 30 million bpd.

The body said that reports in the media especially in Nigeria that it has increased production by 810,000 bpd are figures gathered from secondary sources.

 OPEC said that it might have been based on calculations gathered from its monthly oil market report which is based on marketers, secondary and independent sources.

TOTALNEWS247 gathered that the Head of OPEC media relations, Mr. James Griffin said that only at the ministerial meeting can the issue of crude oil production increase be discussed and decisions made. He further stated that production remains at 30 million bpd.

According to secondary sources, total OPEC crude oil production averaged 30.79 mb/d in March, an increase of 0.81 mb/d over the previous month. Crude oil output increased mostly from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, while Libya saw a return of about 165 tb/d from shut-in wells in active oil fields.

According to the secondary sources report, OPEC crude oil production, not including Iraq, stood at 27.16 mb/d in March, down by 0.49 mb/d over the previous month. 

TOTALNEWS247 gathered that independent markers and other secondary sources revealed that preliminary data in world oil supply indicates that global oil supply increased by 0.90 mb/d to average 94.52 mb/d in March 2015 compared with the previous month. The increase of non-OPEC supply as well as OPEC crude oil production in March caused the rise in global oil output. The share of OPEC crude oil in total global production increased by 0.6% to 32.6% in March, compared with the previous month.

According to the OPEC crude oil production report based on direct communication, there has been a decline in Nigeria's production by -112.7mb/d for the months of February/March 2015. While secondary sources     said the decline is -38mb/d.

The decline also affects all production in Africa as non-OPEC producers in Africa is expected to decline by 10 tb/d to average 2.41 mb/d. This indicates a downward revision by 10 tb/d compared with the last monthly report. Some growth is forecast in Congo as well as Equatorial Guinea at 10 tb/d each.

TOTALNEWS247learnt that this estimates are based on preliminary data for non-OPEC supply as well as OPEC NGLs and non-conventional from direct communications, while estimates for OPEC crude production come from secondary sources. 

OPEC President, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, at the 166th  Ordinary Meeting of the organization in Vienna, Austria, last November disclosed that world oil demand in 2015 will grow by around 1.1 million barrels per day, with total consumption at around 92.3 million barrels per day with the bulk of this net oil demand growth coming from non OECD countries.

The recent price developments signaled that the oil market is currently searching for stability and balance, which will be focus of deliberations at the next ministerial meeting scheduled for June 2015.

According to a top Iranian official, Iran, once OPEC's second-largest producer after Saudi Arabia, hopes to boost crude exports by as much as 1 million barrels per day (bpd) if Tehran and six major powers finalize a nuclear agreement by a June 30 deadline.

Sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States have halved Iran's oil exports to just over 1 million barrels per day since 2012.

NFF not dribbling Keshi- Pinnick

Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick

President of Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has called a lie on insinuations that the Federation is deceiving out of contract Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi with a new contract that would never be signed.

“I am shocked at these insinuations because the NFF Executive Committee gave the go-ahead for a new contract with Keshi at its meeting in Uyo last month, and Keshi and his lawyers have looked at the contract agreement and are satisfied with every word in the final draft.PINNICK-NFF

“As a Federation, we have gone ahead to arrange some refresher programmes for Keshi, at nobody’s prodding, and which are meant to enhance Keshi’s knowledge and improve the man’s capacity as a world-class strategist. We would not be doing that if we are not ready to work with him. No one is forcing Keshi on us. We have sat down with him and he has agreed to all terms that we put down and he is ready to work to lift the Super Eagles back to glorious days.”

There have been dark innuendos from some quarters following the postponement of the signing of the fresh contract, but Pinnick, who is on a private visit to London, said on Sunday that the contract would definitely be signed early this week.

“There were a few ends to tighten and Keshi himself understands perfectly and is comfortable with the arrangements to have the contract sealed early this week. We are not dribbling him. He won the Africa Cup of Nations with the team and led Nigeria to the Round of 16 at the World Cup in his first term. It is the belief of the NFF that Keshi can still perform at the highest level.”

The NFF supremo called on Nigerian ball fans and Nigerians in general to have faith in the NFF administration that he leads, saying positive results will certainly continue to flow even as the team concentrates on building capacity of various workers in the game and engineering a sustainable football culture in the land.

Man Utd hero Scholes tips Bayern’s Guardiola to take Man City job

Pep Guardiola is likely to become Manchester City manager in the not-too-distant future.

That is the opinion of former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes who is of the belief that the Bayern Munich boss will head to the Etihad Stadium when his contract at the Allianz Arena expires in the summer of 2016.

In his column for the London Evening Standard, Scholes wrote of the ex-Barcelona boss: ‘…all the information that comes back to me in Manchester is that Pep Guardiola will take that job (at City) when his contract at Bayern Munich expires in one year’s time.

‘As for Guardiola, establishing Manchester City as European champions would be bigger than any of the challenges he has faced so far in his career.

‘While City have many good players, they have never gone beyond the second round of the Champions League, much less won it.

‘It would not be easy, but then Guardiola is not there to do the small jobs. He is there to make the difference between a good team and a great team. I met him when I played a friendly game in Munich last summer and he was a very likeable man who was easy to talk to.’

Pellegrini won't consider Man City resignation

Manuel Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini says he won't resign from Manchester City.

Pellegrini is adamant he will not quit regardless of the pressure he has been under.

"I have walked away from a club once before, many years ago, but I would not quit here because it is a different case," he said.

"You don't quit just because it's a bad moment. I think we play the football I want, attractive football. At this moment we are not getting the results that we need, but we are going the right way. 'You cannot guess the future. You must say what you think about what happened and the solution. All the other things are a matter of trust."

Chelsea winner should never have been allowed

Liverpool legend Graeme Souness insists Chelsea's winner against Manchester United should never have stood last night.

Souness says Radamel Falcao was fouled by Blues skipper John Terry in the lead up to Eden Hazard's goal.

Souness said, "It's a decent forearm smash. I mean he does stick his elbow in the back of Falcao's head and that's a foul.' He added, 'If that elbow's not there he's not going down like that."

Former Arsenal captain Henry, meanwhile, felt sympathy for Falcao as a fellow striker.

Asked if he would have wanted a foul in that position as a player, the Frenchman responded, "Yes, all day long."