Certificate Scandal: Buhari is ruling Nigeria with ‘NEPA Bill’ – Fayose’s aide

The Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to Ekiti State Governor, Lere Olayinka, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is ruling Nigeria with “NEPA bill.”

Olayinka made the claim in defence of Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, who has being at the center of a certificate scandal.

A news platform had recently claimed that the Kogi lawmaker never graduated drom Amadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria as widely believed.

Despite Melaye’s insistence that he was admitted into ABU, headed the student union government in his days at the citadel of learning, graduated successfully, the Senate opted to probe the claims.

Against this backdrop, Melaye had instituted a N5billion libel suit against the online media platform.

But reacting to the ongoing scandal, Fayose’s spokesman defended the Kogi lawmaker.

In a terse statement on his Facebook page, Olayinka wrote: “Even if Dino Melaye presents TOILET PAPER as certificate, we like it like that.

“After all, our President is ruling us with NEPA BILL as certificate.”

Naira recovers dramatically, sells at 405 per dollar

The naira on Wednesday dramatically recovered to exchange for 405 per dollar.

This is coming in less than 24 hours after the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, monetary policy committee, MPC, meeting.

The naira is currently selling between 405 to 410 per dollar in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, while in Lagos, the country’s commercial capital, traders are selling at 415 per dollar, and buying at 410.

Recall that on Tuesday, the CBN MPC voted to keep the existing monetary policy. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele warned speculator that the bank had all it takes to sustain its prevailing interventions.

He said those who think the policy actions were not sustainable, are on the wrong side of the bet.

He said, “I am happy, indeed very gratified that those interventions have proved very positive. We’ve seen the rates converging and we are strongly optimistic that the rates will converge further.

“The fact that we have done this consistently for almost four to five weeks should tell everybody or those who doubt the strength of central bank to sustain this policy that they are taking a risk and they will lose in this bid to want to place a wrong bet on the direction that we are going.

“The direction is that there is a determination to see to the convergence of those rates and with what we have seen so far, we are very optimistic that those rates will converge.

“It is a program and I am happy to say that the program is looking good, in fact beyond our expectation and those who remain on the sideline doubting the level of CBN’s ability to sustain this policy are on the wrong side of the bet.”

James Ocholi: Six lawyers drag Buhari to court

Six legal practitioners have dragged President Muhammadu Buhari to court for failing to appoint a replacement for the late Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, James Ocholi.

The lawyers are: Felix Okolo, Femi Victor Motojesi, Samuel Ogala, Dickson Enema, David Adegbe and Titilope Akerejola.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja with a number: FHC/LKJ/C/08/2017, the six lawyers described Buhari’s refusal to appoint a replacement for the late Ocholi as a breach of the constitution; and as such, prayed the court to declare that Buhari’s duty to appoint a Kogi state minister is mandatory.

They also prayed the court to order President Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami to, within 30 days of service, inclusive of the day of service to answer questions on the legal and constitutional effect of the president’s refusal to appoint a minister from Kogi state.

The originating summon sought reply to: “Whether the current composition of the federal executive council of the federation without a substantive minister representing Kogi state in the Federal Executive Council for over 10 months is not a breach of Section 143 (3) of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

“Whether the failure of the first defendant to appoint a substantive minister from Kogi state into the Federal Executive Council is not a flagrant and violent breach of the principal of equality and justice upon which the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended is founded.

The lawyers also asked: “Whether by virtue of the provision of sections 147 (3) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, the first defendant has a mandatory duty to appoint an indigene of Kogi state as minister of the federation into the Federal Executive Council.”

The matter has been fixed for hearing on Wednesday, May 3 at the Federal High Court in Kogi state.

It could be recalled that James Ocholi (SAN) who was until his death a junior minister in Buhari’s cabinet had a fatal car accident on his way to Abuja at about 40 kilometres away from Kaduna and died on the spot, alongside his wife and son.

Ocholi hails from Kogi state.

UNILAG Student granted N500,000 bail for alleged rape of 17-year-old girl

An undergraduate of the University of Lagos (Unilag), Ugochukwu Daniel, who allegedly gang-raped a 17-year-old girl was on Thursday granted bail in sum of N500,000 by Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the act was committed sometime in January at High-Rise Quarters, University of Lagos.

‎She alleged that the accused with others at large conspired and raped a 17-year-old girl (name withheld).

“Daniel sexually harassed the girl with video clips in order to intimidate her.

“The accused had sexual intercourse with the 17-year-old girl without her consent,’’ she alleged.

According to him, the offences contravened sections 137, 260 (2), 264 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The suspect, however, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, rape and sexual harassment preferred against him.

In ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. Ipaye-Nwachukwu, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 and two sureties in like sum.

‎ Ipaye-Nwachukwu said one of the two sureties must be a blood relation of the accused, while the second surety should be a civil servant of not less than Grade Level 14.

She also directed that the sureties should produce evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

‎She said the case file should be duplicated and a copy sent to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

The case was adjourned till May 18 for further hearing.

BREAKING: Workers injured as 2-storey building collapses in Enugu

A building under construction, belonging to an Enugu State Government official, collapsed on Thursday.

DAILY POST learnt that the building belongs to a member of the Enugu House of Assembly.

Some of the workers told newsmen at the construction site that they were working when they heard a caving sound.

It was gathered that in the ensuing confusion, some of the workers quickly jumped down from the last floor where they were working. A number of the workers were severely injured.

‎The Enugu State commissioner for Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, Mr. Chidi Aroh, who rushed to the scene of the incident, said that whereas his ministry took full responsibility for the incident, the agency had since August 2016 given order for work to stop at the site.

He, however, said the order was disobeyed.

He hinted that he had quickly dispatched a letter to the police, requesting for the arrest of one Engr. Nwokike, who he said was in charge of the site.

The Commissioner also noted that he had ordered for stop of works on all building projects ongoing at the estate until all approval plans were verified.

He pledged that such incident would not take place again in the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration.

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“This is the first time a building is collapsing in Enugu State since the inception of this administration and I can assure you that by the grace of God, such will not happen again,” said Aroh‎.

Meanwhile, some members of the public who gathered at the scene of the incident, blamed it on poor quality of materials used for the building.

It was also revealed that over 90 percent buildings at the said layout belongs to serving and former members of the Enugu State House of Assembly.