We are not managing our victory very well- Rochas tells APC

The Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has expressed serious reservations that his party “is not managing it’s victory very well”. Governor Okorocha made his feelings known while fielding questions from news yesterday in Owerri. *Okorocha “Make no mistake about it, All Progressives Congress is a good party, by all standards but my regret is that we are not managing our victory very well”, Okorocha lamented. When asked to assess President Muhammadu Buhari’s one year in office, the APC Governors boss said he had no doubt that the man would succeed. “I have no doubt in my mind that the old man (Buhari) will succeed. All I pleaded with Buhari to capture in the current fiscal year, are in the budget. I want to assure Ndigbo that all that are due to us will definitely get to us”, Governr Okorocha said. Answering a question on the raging labour war against the new pump price of premium motor spirit, the Governor said he was in full support of the deregulation of the oil sector of the nation’s economy. “I support the deregulation of the oil sector of the nation’s economy. I also believe in concessioning government parastatals and agencies. Nothing established by government has ever worked in Nigeria. The Nigeria Airways, NITEL, Nigerian National Shipping Line and all, never worked”, Okorocha said. While using the opportunity to lampoon the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and it’s leadership at the national and state levels, the Governor however revealed that he has not seen an reliable person in the PDP to work with. When reminded that Imo workers are owed salaries since February this year, the Governor said he was very comfortable with the 70:30 ratio agreement with labour, even as he warned that anytime workers refuse their salaries, he would use it to carry out projects. “Both pension and internally generated revenue, IGR, are serious problems for me. Only recently, I ordered all the Board of Internal Revenue officers to go on leave but they have written to say it was unconstitutional to ask all officers to go on leave”, the Governor said.

Ekiti herdsmen attack: Police demanded N12,000 before they could move – Residents

Residents of Oke Ako community in Ikole Local government area of Ekiti state have blamed police in the area for failing to act swiftly on Friday night when the community was thrown into mourning, wailing and gnashing of teeth, by suspected killer herdsmen who invaded the town, leaving two dead and several others wounded. One of the residents, Muyiwa Olukosi whose wife sustained matchete wound, told newsmen that the case was reported to police in the area stressing that there was no response from them. One of those injured by the killer herdsman in Ekiti state According to him, the police demanded for a sum N12,00 before they could move to the scene as he said police complained of no fuel in their hilux van. Olukosi who maintained that things would have gone worst more than what one could imagine if not for the prompt response of a team of the Nigerian Army from Akure, even before the arrival of police in the area also noted that the attack would have been prevented had the police acted swiftly during the attack. He called on the Governments at all levels to beef up security in the area in order to avert the re-occurrence of such development. On the attack another eyewitness told journalists that the incident in which the entire village was sacked occurred at about 8:00 pm on Friday. A woman, who identified herself as Mrs Grace Olofin, had during in a telephone chat alleged that the killer herdsmen invaded the community in large numbers, caught the people of the community unawares, adding that the invaders were armed with dangerous weapons like automatic guns, bows, arrows, swords, matchetes, hacking and mauling their victims with reckless abandon. Olofin further alleged majority of the villagers had to scamper for safety in the bushes to escape the onslaught of the killer herdsmen, who according to her were hacking the hapless villagers with their deadly weapons. She said the invaders had shot sporadically into the air and killed one Lekan Arosanyin and a yet to be identified person, while four others sustained various degrees of injuries and were said to be receiving treatment at a private hospital in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Another witness , who narrowly escaped being killed, Adebayo Ajayi, described the incident as a reprisal attack as he said that the herdsmen had previously fallen out with the villagers over their grazing activities in the community. He further explained that the villagers had been resisting the use of their farmlands as grazing fields by the herdsmen. The Divisional Police Officer in the area who also spoke on telephone interview confirmed the incident noting that he could not ascertain whether the incident was armed robbery or Fulani herdsmen attack .

Rival Militants clash, blow up Eni oil pipeline in Bayelsa today

Rival militant groups clashed and attacked an oilfield operated by Eni's Nigerian subsidiary, Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ikeinghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw council, Bayelsa.

According to Sahara Reporters, residents of the community have fled their homes following the clash. They say the militants were fighting for the control of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba crude trunk line which passed through their community.

A resident of the community identified as Ebidimo Joseph said “We understand it is a conflict between two armed groups for the access to the crude pipeline, one group claims to be working to safeguard the pipeline and said the other group are vandals; they have been shooting.

The sound of the gunfire is scary, and there is no sign of the Joint Task Force soldiers who are supposed to be patrolling the area, we have not seen any soldier,” Joseph said According to Joseph, the pipeline was set ablaze while the two groups engaged each other in the gun battle adding that there was no way to ascertain if there was any casualty yet.

You must account for missing N30tn, Court tells Okonjo-Iweala, FG

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos in a landmark judgment has ordered former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government to “provide information on the spending of the alleged missing N30 trillion which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government during the last four years of the Administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.” The judgment was delivered last week by Hon Justice Ibrahim Buba following a Freedom of Information suit number FHC/L/CS/196/2015 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). SERAP’s suit followed revelations by the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, that at least N30 trillion “has either been stolen or unaccounted for, or grossly mismanaged over the last few years under the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s watch.” Justice Buba said, “Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government have no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide SERAP with the information requested for. The Court has gone through the application and agrees that SERAP’s application has merits and the argument is not opposed. SERAP’s application is granted as prayed.” Okonjo-Iweala The Court agreed with the arguments by SERAP deputy director Olukayode Majekodunmi that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government “should have either supplied the information requested by SERAP or communicate her denial within 7 days of receipt of the letter from SERAP if she considers that the request should be denied.” The judgment by Justice Buba reads in part: “Preliminary objection by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government is misconceived, the court upholds the arguments by SERAP for the reasons stated herein.” “SERAP commenced this proceeding by way of Originating Summons dated 23 February 2015 and filed 25 February 2015. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government filed a Memorandum of Conditional Appearance, a Notice of Preliminary Objection and written address, all undated but filed on 29 September 2015.” “The preliminary objection is on the following grounds: that SERAP did not obtain the mandatory leave of the Federal High Court to issue and serve the Originating Summons and other processes outside Lagos State; that there is no mandatory endorsement on the Originating Summons that it is to be served on Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government in Abuja and outside jurisdiction of this Court.” “The only issue for determination is whether Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government should be heard on their preliminary objection considering the totality of the circumstances of this case.” “He who wants equity must do equity. This suit was filed on 25 February 2015 and from the record of the court was served on Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government on 3rd July, 2015. It took about 3 months for them to come up with technical response to the simple request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.” “Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government have therefore been caught by Order 29 of the Rules of this Court, which requires that an application shall be made within 21 days after service on the Defendants of the originating summons.” “If Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government want to raise issues about service, the law does not permit of demurer. The proper route for them should have been to join issues with the originating summons and also file their objections. In the present case by SERAP, the Notice of Preliminary Objection by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government is incurably defective for not conforming to order 29 of the Rules of this Court.” “The process adopted by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government in this suit is to come by way of demurer. This process has long been abolished by the Rules of this Court. By Order 16 Rule 1 of the Rules of this Court, no demurer shall be allowed and rule 2 provides that a party shall be entitled to pursue by his pleadings any point of law and any point of law so raised shall be disposed by the judge who tries the cause at or after trial.” “The implication of this clear provision of the rule of court is that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government must join issues with SERAP on the originating summons no matter how flimsy, instead of looking for a technical way out. This technical way out has failed.” “The concept of demurer as presently raised by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government is no longer known to law especially the Federal High Court of Nigeria. It is the position of the law that the application of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government should fail. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government, having failed to file Counter Affidavit to SERAP’s suit, are deemed to have forfeited that option of filing anything again.” “Having shown why the Application by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government should be dismissed for failing to join issues with SERAP, the originating process must be moved on the merits.” “On the issue of failure to obtain pre-requisite consent/leave of Court to issue and serve the originating summons on Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government outside of jurisdiction, Order 6 Rule 31 states that ‘in this Order out of jurisdiction means out of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’” “It is also necessary to refer to sections 97 and 99 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act. The provisions apply to the validity of the service and have nothing to do with the validity of the originating process. On the strength of this clear provision, which Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government did not deny and incapable of denying at this point, their objection is dismissed as the validity of the process is not affected in any way.” “The main issue in this Court’s view bothers on the legal binding obligation imposed on Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government by the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act access to a record of information requested for. In the case at hand, SERAP through its letter of 2 February 2015, Exhibit A, sought the information relating to the spending of the alleged missing N30 trillion, which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government during the last 4 years of the Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Exhibit A has been received by them, and Exhibit B is the acknowledgement of receipt of Exhibit A.” “However Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government have since the receipt of the request letter failed, refused and or neglected to provide SERAP with the information it requested for within their custody. They should have either supplied the information requested by SERAP or communicate their denial within 7 days of receipt of the application from SERAP if it considers that the application should be denied.” It would be recalled that SERAP in February 2015 dragged Mrs Okonjo-Iweala to court over “failure to provide information about spending of the alleged missing N30tn, which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government in the past four years.” SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni said: “This judgment shows the important role that Nigerian courts can play in the efforts to promote transparency in government and combat corruption and the impunity of perpetrators. It also confirms that high-ranking government officials can no longer escape accountability for their action while in office. We urge Mrs Okonjo-Iweala to cooperate with the authorities in the efforts to ensure the full and effective enforcement of the judgment.” Mr Soludo had earlier reportedly asked Mrs Okonjo-Iweala: “How many trillions of naira were paid for oil subsidy (unappropriated?) How many trillions (in actual fact) have been ‘lost’ through Customs duty waivers over the last four years? Can you tell Nigerians why the price of diesel has still not come down despite the crash in global crude oil prices, and how much is being appropriated by friends in the process?”

APC-led FG has reduced corruption in Nigeria – Gov Lalong

Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau says the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government has reduced the level of corruption in the country. Lalong said this when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Sunday. He also said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption posture was bringing integrity back to the country. “The issue of corruption has been reduced to a level in this country. “In the past you saw what was happening – petrol no disclosure, they wouldn’t tell you how much we’re getting, but today with the posture of our President, I think fighting corruption is rated very high outside. “They may say we are still corrupt but nobody has said that our President is corrupt. “When they cannot find anything bad against your leader that in itself is earn integrity to the nation. “And then secondly, some of the things he has been doing, the restructuring he has done – this is the first time we are seeing a bailout to states.’’ Lalong, however, appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government, saying that things would soon get better. He expressed his support for President Buhari’s decisions on many national issues including the recent increase of the pump price of petrol. “The decision taken by the President especially in respect to the price of petrol should be seen as painful, but a surgery that would heal and once the wound heals we would be smiling. “We would not remember that we went through that pain. “If you look at it very well you would realise that it is something that was quite inevitable. “It is better to do it now, otherwise we would come to regret and I stand with him, we governors also stood with him, the National Assembly are with him. “We are appealing to those who are doing the strike or partial strike in some states to understand and also go along with the President and see what this can bring as his efforts in restoring the glory of this country.’’

Release Nnamdi Kanu, dialogue with MASSOB, IPOB, Chekwas tells Buhari

ENUGU – Founder,United Progressives Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to release detained Director Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, as a panacea to dialogue with the aggrieved members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and other affiliate groups demanding for Biafra secession. ARRAIGNED: Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with a Prisons official, at the premises of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday. The former Presidential candidate under the platform of UPP in last year’s general election made the call against the backdrop of the increasing spate of violence emanating from different geopolitical zones in country. Chief Okorie who spoke to Vanguard, during a telephone chat revealed that the mounting peaceful demonstrations and protests by MASSOB and IPOB which was their legitimate right have attracted the attention of the United Nations having sustained it since 1999 and in over 180 countries. “The agitation for a separate state of Biafra by MASSOB, IPOB are legitimate as long as they have remained non violent and it has been recognized by the United Nations. I am aware that the agitation have taken place in 180 countries of the world. In other words it has been internationalized. My advice to Buhari therefore, is to dialogue with the groups and address the agitation. “The agitation did not spring up over night. Between 1999 and now, the sufferings of the people have heightened. That is why the agitation is increasing in tempo. For this agitation to succeed, a lot of legal legwork has to be done which has already commenced. Also, Diplomatic legwork has to be done which is in place by IPOB observers in the United Nations. But the missing link is the Political legwork which has not begun. “The political legwork has not started. These are factors that must come together and not without the other to lead to a Biafra State. For this to be achieved, a Referendum must be held in the area among ourselves. So, it is not an over night affair. Buhari should instruct the security agencies not to apply force to these non violent demonstrators”.

Pastor hawking ‘fetish’ meat in Ondo arrested

THERE was a mild drama in Akure, the Ondo State capital, when a self- acclaimed pastor with one of the Pentecostal churches, was arrested for allegedly hawking fetish items. The pastor, Adeniyi Johnson, said to be mentally challenged, was arrested by resident of Ijomu in Akure metropolis while hawking the items as fried meat in the area. The pastor, according to eyewitness account, brought out the items from his pocket and put them inside a tray before hawking. Vanguard gathered that those who saw him immediately raised alarm and were trying to lynch him before some elders intervened and suggested he should be taken to the Oba’s palace. FETISH PASTOR Reports had it that the suspect, who is in police custody, was formally in the Iju/Ita Ogbolu branch of the church, before he was transferred to Ipogun branch. When he was reportedly quizzed by the palace chiefs, the suspect said he was divinely instructed to share the items so as to save his ailing son. On hearing his confession, the crowd that followed him to the palace attempted to stone him to death, but the palace chiefs reportedly prevented them as the suspect was taken into the inner chambers of the Oba. The suspect reportedly told the chiefs that his son was dying and that unless people eat the fried meat he was hawking that the son might not survive. He was said to have pleaded with those who arrested him to allow him finish what he had started so as to save his dying son. The chiefs later arranged for his transfer to the custody of the Police. Vanguard learned that he is being detained at the Police Area Command headquarters of the state for interrogation. Sources at his church revealed that he had been sacked over a month ago to enable his family take care of his mental problem.