10 things you need to now this Monday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers 1. Nigeria yesterday, October first celebrated her 57th independence anniversary in a peaceful atmosphere. Prominent Nigerians in a goodwill messages assured that the best is yet to come for the acclaimed Africa’s giant. 2. President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that Nigeria will not break up under him. Buhari in his nationwide broadcast to commemorate Nigeria’s 57th independence anniversary, noted that the clamour for restructuring gave some groups which he described as “highly irresponsible” the leeway to call for the nation’s breakup. 3. Former Governor of Abia, Orji Kalu, has revealed the destination of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. According to Kalu, the IPOB leader fled to London through Malaysia. 4. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured that Nigeria will overcome her challenges and become prosperous in the coming years. Osinbajo, who spoke at the 2017 Independence Day interdenominational church service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, reminded the congregation that the Bible also encourages them to love their enemies. To those who sought revenge, he reminded them that “the Lord says vengeance is His.” 5. President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the military and security agencies to stand firm against any form of violent separatists. Buhari, who spoke yesterday at the Maimalari Cantonment, which houses the headquarters of the counter-insurgency operation, Operation Lafiya Dole, affirmed that the military would be the biggest casualty should it fail to act promptly. 6. The Imo State Police has gunned down the state’s ‘most-wanted’ armed robber identified as Ihechi Nwankwo. The spokesman for the state Police Command, Andrew Enwerem, told newsmen that the dreaded bandit had been on the wanted list of the command for a long time. 7. Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the call for restructuring of the country was an indication that he was confused over the issue. Afenifere, while reacting to Buhari’s nationwide broadcast on Sunday, said the president was confusing call for restructuring with that for the breakup of Nigeria. 8. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has threatened to drag former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu alongside the Chief Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai to court over the disappearance of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB claimed that Kalu has been working with some South East Governors to “slaughter as many IPOB family members as possible in order to please the core North.” 9. Former Vice-president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has admitted there is still work to be done, as the country marked its 57th Independence anniversary on Sunday. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Atiku also disagreed with people who insisted there was nothing to celebrate. 10. A second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Muhammed, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s October 1 speech. Muhammed said the speech was “not realistic,” adding that some of the claims made by Buhari with regards to his policies were not true.

Presidency’s Ex-nominee Arraigned By ICPC For N182m Fraud

One of the men recently nominated by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the board of the ICPC has been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission. Osinbajo had, in his capacity as Acting President in August, appointed Dr. Saadu Alanamu as a member of the ICPC board, where he was expected to play an active role in the anti-corruption campaign. Alanamu, who was later dropped by Osinbajo following unfavourable reports, was arraigned by the ICPC for alleged N182m fraud last week. The commission said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mrs. Rasheedat Okoduwa, that Alanamu, a former Chairman of the Governing Council of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, allegedly collected a bribe from a contractor. He was subsequently charged with eight counts before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court 7, Ilorin, along with the Chief Executive Director of Namylas Nigeria Limited, Salman Sulaiman. The commission, in the charge sheet, accused Alanamu, who was also the Chairman of the Kwara State Polytechnic Tenders Board, of collecting N5m bribe from a contractor, Salman Sulaiman, as a kickback for the award of a contract. Counsel for the ICPC, Sunny Ezeana, told the court that Alanamu received the bribe through his First Bank account on February 11, 2015 from Namylas Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Sulaiman, who is also his friend. The court heard that Alanamu ensured that the contract for the construction and furnishing of an auditorium in Kwara State Polytechnic, at the cost of N182,369, 625.00, was awarded to Namylas Nigeria Limited even when it was found that the company was not qualified to execute the contract. Counsel for the ICPC, Sunny Ezeana, told the court that Alanamu received the bribe through his First Bank account on February 11, 2015 from Namylas Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Sulaiman, who is also his friend. The court heard that Alanamu ensured that the contract for the construction and furnishing of an auditorium in Kwara State Polytechnic, at the cost of N182,369, 625.00, was awarded to Namylas Nigeria Limited even when it was found that the company was not qualified to execute the contract. The ICPC said its investigation into the petition had revealed strong evidence of collusion, bid rigging and corrupt practices against Namylas Nigeria Limited in the bid process; and that the company used falsified, forged and doctored PENCOM Compliance Certificate, Tax Clearance Certificate and ITF Certificate of Compliance to submit its bid during the bidding process. Sulaiman, on his part, was accused of bribing a government official when he paid N5m to Alanamu as a reward for the award of contract to his company, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 9(1) (a) and punishable under Section 9(1) (b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. Their offences are also in violation of Sections 8 (1) (a), 10(a) (i), 18 (b), 19 and 22(1) (a) (i) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the aforementioned sections. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them. The trial judge granted them bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum each while one of the sureties each must have a landed property in Ilorin.

Get ready to pay for news on Google

Google Monday announced new steps to help struggling news organizations, including an end to a longstanding “first click free” policy to generate fresh revenues for publishers hurt by the shift from print to digital. The moves come amid mounting criticism that online platforms are siphoning off the majority of revenues as more readers turn to digital platforms for news. “I truly believe that Google and news publishers actually share a common cause,” said Google Vice President Philipp Schindler. “Our users truly value high quality journalism.” Google announced a series of measures, the most significant of which would be to replace the decade-old policy of requiring news organizations to provide one article discovered in a news search without subscribing — a standard known as “first click free.” This will be replaced by a “flexible sampling” model that will allow publishers to require a subscription if they choose at any time. “We realize that one size does not fit all,” said Richard Gingras, Google’s vice president for news. This will allow news organizations to decide whether to show articles at no cost or to implement a “paywall” for some or all content. Gingras said the new policy, effective Monday, will be in place worldwide. He said it was not clear how many publishers would start implementing an immediate paywall as a result. “The reaction to our efforts has been positive,” he told a conference call announcing the new policy. “This is not a silver bullet to the subscription market. It is a very competitive market for information. And people buy subscriptions when they have a perception of value.” Google said it is recommending a “metering” system allowing 10 free articles per month as the best way to encourage subscriptions. – One-click subscriptions – The California tech giant also said it would work with publishers to make subscriptions easier, including allowing readers to pay with their Google or Android account to avoid a cumbersome registration process. “We think we can get it down to one click, that would be superb,” Gingras said. He explained people are becoming more accustomed to paying for news, but that a “sometimes painful process of signing up for a subscription can be a turn off. That’s not great for users or for news publishers who see subscriptions as an increasingly important source of revenue.” Google would share data with the news organizations to enable them to keep up the customer relationship, he added. “We’re not looking to own the customer,” he said. “We will provide the name of user, the email and if necessary the address.” Gingras said Google is also exploring ways “to use machine learning to help publishers recognize potential subscribers,” employing the internet giant’s technology to help news organizations. He added that Google was not implementing the changes to generate revenues for itself, but that some financial details had not been worked out. Google does not intend to take a slice of subscription revenues, he noted. “Our intent is to be as generous as possible,” he said. Research firm eMarketer estimates that Google and Facebook will take in 63 percent of digital advertising revenues in 2017 — making it harder for news organizations to compete online. Facebook is widely believed to be working on a similar effort to help news organizations drive more subscriptions. Google created a “Digital News Initiative” in Europe in 2015 which provides funding for innovative journalism projects.

Restructuring: Buhari is a confused man – Afenifere

Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the call for restructuring of the country is an indication that he is confused over the issue. In his Independence Day broadcast, Buhari had said irresponsible groups had hijacked the restructuring debate. However, Afenifere, in its reaction said Buhari was confusing call for restructuring with that for the breakup of Nigeria. Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin said Buhari should make a clear distinction between the two and work towards rescuing the country from imminent collapse. “Buhari is indirectly promoting those working for the break-up of Nigeria by ignoring the demands of Nigerians for restructuring”, Odumakin told Punch. Odumakin said, “He should separate those agitating for restructuring from those calling for a break-up of the country. I think he is confusing restructuring with break-up. “Those calling for restructuring are those working to avert the breakup of Nigeria while those opposed to it are the ones working for the break-up of the country. “Let the President deal with restructuring; if he does not listen to the agitations for restructuring, he is promoting those who are working for the break-up of the country.”

Restructuring: Tunde Bakare tells Buhari what to do

Founding Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare has called on the Nigerian government to set up a Presidential Commission with a 10-year mandate towards actualising Nigeria’s restructuring. The cleric, who was presidential running mate to Buhari in 2011 election, said the commission should be allowed to begin by 2018 and end by 2028. “We expect that the project will be flagged off under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the period leading to the next governmental fiscal year,” he said. The cleric spoke in his State of the Nation address in the church in reaction to various agitations by various groups for restructuring. According to Bakare, who is also the convener of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), the body to be named “Presidential Commission for National Reconciliation, Reintegration and Restructuring” should be established by the President through an Executive Order, in full consultation with the Council of State and the National Assembly. He optimized that the National Assembly would do Nigerians proud on the onerous task of properly restructuring the country based on their antecedents particularly in frustrating the 3rd Third Agenda saga of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and in instituting “Doctrine of Necessity,” that brought in former President Goodluck jonathan – developments, he said, later stablished the polity. “Not only does the president want agitations managed through appropriate constitutional channels, he also wants a clarification of demands in concise terms, as well as propositions on practical pathways towards achieving those demands,” he said. On the job to be undertaken by the commission, Bakare opined that the panel should be handed the mandate and the powers to facilitate, within 10 years, the evolution of a functional and acceptable geopolitical structure subject to constitutional provisions while the 1999 Constitution was progressively amended. The commission, he said, “shall undertake a geo-economic and geosocial path to geopolitical restructuring by creating geo-economic frameworks, mending geosocial fault lines and attaining a geopolitical climax”.

Buhari: How president’s October 1 speech showed his hatred for Igbos – Ozekhome

Activist lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech on Octpber 1 clearly displayed his hatred for people of the South-East. He said Buhari showed a fixated hatred for Igbos when he berated leaders of the region for allowing those feeling marginalised to agitate for the breakup of the country. Describing the speech as not only un-presidential but un-reconciliatory, Ozekhome wondered how Buhari could see nothing wrong in the murderous activities of herdsmen across the country as well as the illegal quit notice asking Igbos to vacate the North without any repercussion against them. Ozekhome’s stance on Buhari’s speech was contained, in a statement he signed, entitled ‘President Muhammadu Buhari’s National Day Broadcast: Yet Another Golden Opportunity Lost.” According to Ozekhome, “The entire national day broadcast by PMB on the occasion of Nigeria’s 57th independence is quite disappointing in all ramifications. “It was very un-presidential and un-reconciliatory. PMB left the real issues and pursued trifles. “The speech was bereft of nobility of statesmanship, and devoid of a calm grasp and appraisals of the dire straits Nigeria is currently in. “The broadcast was rabidly narcissist, parochial, nepotic and clannish, as it failed to see anything wrong with the blatant and well reported threats by the Arewa youths to quit fellow Nigerians from their domains. “The speech followed his now well worn out fixation of perceived hatred for the Igbo race, whose leadership he needlessly scurilized and lampooned, for allegedly being behind IPOB and other agitations. “I doubt and didn’t hear him mention anything about gun wielding herdsmen that literally vanquish citizens in their own homesteads across Nigeria. “The President celebrated mediocrity and edified his government’s non-performance two and half years down the line. “I genuinely wondered if he was discussing the same country, Nigeria, that I am in, or another utopian planet Mars. “The beautiful picture of a peaceful country he painted so glowingly and artistically with the paintbrush of breathless satisfaction is quite different from the stark reality on the ground, which every beleaguered Nigerian labours under. “His speech writers either wallowed in utopian mystic of redemptive messianism, or in crass fraud and grand deception. “But, Nigerians are no fools. Did I hear PMB say this is the first time a government at the Centre is losing the governorship, senatorial and Houses of Assembly’s elections to the opposite at the state level? “No sir, wrong. Whoever gave Mr. President this false electoral history has done him incalculable disservice and great damage and ridicule’. “Few examples: Remember Ondo state (Labour Party), Osun and Edo states (AC), Anambra (APGA), etc? “Not only did the ruling PDP lose the elections to those opposition parties, the then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan actually rolled out the drums and congratulated the new governors, Senators and House member. “Peter Obi won the Anambra state governorship election in 2010 for the second time on the platform of APGA. “Obasanjo was President at the Centre under the PDP, just as Bola Tinubu won the Lagos state governorship seat twice under AD and ACN, with Obasanjo as president under PDP at the Centre. “Buhari lost yet another golden opportunity to balm bruised nationalities’ ego and cement Nigeria’s yawning cleavages, hate and divisiveness. “Must everything be predicated on falsehood, force, threats and gun boat diplomacy, viet armis? “It didn’t ever work. When he applied such excessive force and threats to the Niger Delta militants, I counseled then it would not work. “The marginalized youth picked up the gauntlet, serially blew up oil pipelines, tore up Nigeria’s oil jugular into smithereens. “Crude oil output plummeted to about 700 thousand barrels per day from 1.5m barrels. “It took the then Acting President Yemi Osibanjo’s shuttle diplomacy to the Niger Delta region to quell the strife. “It was Napoleon Bonarparte, a French General and Emperor (1769-1821), who famously declared: “do you know what amazes me more than anything else? The impotence of force to organize anything. “PMB sir, allow Nigerians enjoy the full bloom of democracy and its inbuilt mechanisms for conflict resolution.”

October 1st Quit Notice: Igbo Businessmen And Women On Saturday Shut Down Businesses In Plateau State

According to report,Igbo businessmen and women on Saturday shut down businesses in Plateau State,following the quit notice issued by the Arewa Northern Youths. reports has it that the Igbo residents were just being careful so that the October 1 quit notice does not take them by surprise. Although the Arewa Northern Youths who issued the quit notice had since recanted, Igbo respondents confided in The Guardian that they held a meeting during which it was resolved that they should all stay at home, in case the Arewa Youths renege on their promise to unleash mayhem. However, because Governor Simon Bako Lalong lost his younger brother, Mr. Wumen Bako, no statement of assurances came from government, but natives, including Hausa and other non-Igbo residents were seen going about their normal social and business activities. The absence of Igbo business people was nonetheless very conspicuous as they dominate the business sphere in the state.

Why Fayose cannot run for presidency – Nwodo

Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, a Board of Trustee (BoT) member of People Democratic Party (PDP), says Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, cannot contest in the party’s primary poll for 2019 presidential election. He stated this on Thursday in Abuja shortly after Fayose’s formal declaration of his intention to contest for the position of president of Nigeria in 2019 on PDP’s platform. Nwodo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that PDP’s ideology forbade Fayose and other members from the South from contesting in the presidential race in 2019. He said that the ideology would be followed to the letter in spite Fayose’s declaration. “Fayose cannot run and I will tell you my reason. “When we formed PDP, the first battle we fought and won as a party was to zone the presidency to the South. “Those of us from the south made a case because in the first republic, prime minister was from the North; in the second republic, the president was from the North, and in the third republic, a southerner won and the election was annulled. “There was no way we could go back to the south and say let’s elect a northerner again without giving the south a slot. “A decision was taken that the presidency should come from the south and the chairman of the party to come from the north. “That was how Solomon Lar became the chairman of PDP and secretary was zoned to the south; that was how I became the first secretary of the party,’’ he said. Nwodo, a former National Chairman of PDP, said that the party would take a decision to ensure that its Constitution and ordinances were respected. He explained that those who tried it in the past failed to achieve their aim. “For example, late Abubakar Rimi, former Governor of Kano State paid for a form and wanted to run. “Then I was the national secretary, I returned his cheque and informed him that the party had taken a decision that the presidential candidate could only come from southern Nigeria. “When we went to the Convention in Jos, he went to the venue and started to campaign without having a form because we didn’t give him. “We had to get some party leaders around to go and counsel him; we didn’t want security agencies to manhandle or embarrass him and good counsel prevailed and he stepped down. “That was what PDP did and now we did not only zone the presidency to the north, we have re-emphasised at every opportunity we had that the zoning will take place. “So, the party will not collect expression of interest money from anybody else who is not from the North and will not issue him a nomination form to contest; no, we will not do that,’’ he added. But, Fayose had in a letter to PDP leaders insisted that his ambition to be president was without prejudice to the party’s position, adding that it was in the interest of the party and Nigeria.

‘My Father Moved The Motion For Nigeria’s Independence In 1958’ – Femi Fani-kayode

Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation and PDP Chieftain, Femi Fani-Kayode, has taken to Twitter to recount how his late father, Chief Remi Fani-Kayode fought against British colonialism and also moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence in 1958. He also asked President Buhari to reveal the whereabout of IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu whose home was allegedly invaded by the Nigerian army. Here’s his tweets;

Checkout The List Of 57 Achievements By President Buhari’s Administration

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has released a list of 57 achievements they’ve made since resuming office in 2015. List was released by Bashir Ahmad, the Personal Assistant to President Buhari on New Media and the achievements range from security & related matters, economy, anti-graft war to the release of 106 Chibok girls from the captivity of Islamic Sect Boko Haram, recovery of stolen funds, eradication of polio in Nigeria, and the take off of the 2nd Niger Bridge. See the full list below: NIGERIA AT 57 — 57 ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE BUHARI-LED ADMINISTRATION. SECURITY & RELATED MATTERS 1. Release of 106 Chibok girls, as well as over 16,000 persons in Boko Haram captivity. 2. Tackling insurgency, decimation of Boko Haram in the North East. 3. Recovering 14 local governments and territories previously under Boko Haram control in the North East, rebuilding lives of citizens there; about one million displaced persons in the NE have returned to their communities in two years of this administration. 4. Curbing the incidence of kidnap across the country. (Arrest of kidnap kingpins and dismantling of kidnap cells across the country) 5. Restoring morale of the Nigerian military; re-organizing and better equipping the Nigerian Armed Forces. 6. Purchase of 12 Super-Tucano aircrafts worth $600 million to aid the Nigerian military’s current operations in the North East. 7. Ensuring continued peace in the Niger Delta through consistent funding of the FG amnesty programme for ex-militants. 8. Introduction of an improved mechanism for distribution of aid to IDPs in the North East through the establishment of the Special Intervention Programme of the Federal Government. (Door-to-door strategy) ECONOMY 9. Implementing the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) to aid economic recovery, taking the country out of her worst recession in 29 years, despite fall in oil prices. 10. N1.2 trillion expended on capital/infrastructure projects nationwide, a milestone in the nation’s history. 11. Effective implementation of the Treasury Single Account, and increasing government revenue by over N3 trillion as well as entrenching transparency and accountability. 12. Implementation of the Bank Verification Number (BVN), thus tackling corruption by plugging loopholes for siphoning of public fund and tracking of illicit funds through multiple accounts 13. Ease of doing business: the Federal Government signed into law two bills from the National Assembly (Acts are the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act, 2017 (otherwise known as Collateral Registry Act) and the Credit Reporting Act, 2017) which has facilitated access to more affordable credit for Nigerians, fast tracked budget submissions and promotes Made-in-Nigeria products. 14. Establishment of the Presidential Quarterly Business Forum to enhance interaction and private sector participation in the development of the economy. 15. Institutionalizing E-governance setting the foundation for the creation of a truly digital economy. 16. Creation of opportunities for youths to leverage innovation in technology through the introduction of the Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD) through which over N700 million has been disbursed to young entrepreneurs. 17. The revitalization of the Made-in-Nigeria campaign. (Emphasis on consumption of local products gain grounds) 18. Implementing reforms in the civil service which has led to the elimination of over 30,000 ghost workers, thereby saving the country billions of naira monthly. 19. Massive investments in agriculture, e.g, Anchors Borrowers Programme to improve local produce, improving fertiliser distribution and access across states through the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative. 20. Reduction in rice imports as a result of government’s policies that has encouraged massive rice production across Nigeria. 21. Improving transport infrastructure (rail and road); construction work ongoing on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, renovation of Abuja International Airport runway, completion of Abuja – Kaduna Railway among others. 22. Social Investment Programmes (SIP): N-Power Volunteer Scheme creating jobs for over 200,000 (and still counting) unemployed graduates in all the 36 states and the FCT. 23. SIP: Ongoing Government Enterprise and Empowerment (GEEP) Scheme; commenced in November 2016 in collaboration with the Bank of Industry, where soft loans ranging from N10, 000 to N100, 000 have been given to over 189,000 market women and traders across different states. 24. SIP: Home Grown School Feeding Programme, where almost three million schoolchildren have been fed, while tens of thousands of cooks have been engaged in their respective states. 25. SIP: Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, under which about 25,000 less privileged Nigerians so far are now being funded with the monthly N5,000 stipend in 9 pilot States (Bauchi, Borno, Cross Rivers, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Osun and Oyo). More beneficiaries are expected to be added in more states. 26. The establishment of MSMEs Clinics, a small Business support programme to support entrepreneurs and small businesses in different states. 27. Establishment of One-Stop-Shops to support policies on Ease of Doing Business. 28. The take-off of the 2nd Niger Bridge. 29. Phasing out subsidy for petroleum products, elimination of fuel scarcity and queues in petrol stations. 30. Implementation of the FG Niger Delta new vision, a comprehensive road map to improve livelihood and social infrastructure. 31. Improved power generation nationwide adding $500million to Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund and about $87million to its excess crude account. 32. The creation of the N30billion Solid Minerals Development Fund. 33. Encouraging the patronage of local contents and increasing export in agriculture. 34. Signing of Executive Order 001 which is the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business environment – to ensure that public servants offer prompt service in a predictable and transparent manner, and sanction undue delays. 35. Signing of Executive Order 002 which is on prompt submission of annual budgetary estimates by all statutory and non-statutory agencies of the Federal Government including incorporated companies wholly owned by FG. 36. Bailout of cash crunch states; about N689 billion to 27 states of the federation to pay salaries in 2015. 37. Complete refund of Paris loan deductions to states (unprecedented). 38. Implementing the 2011 UNEP report for the ongoing Ogoni clean-up process after decades of oil spills and pollution. 39. Modification of the tax system so that it is more efficient. 40. Reforms in the airports (reconstruction of the Abuja airport runway and ongoing work at the Lagos airport). 41. Reforms at the nation’s seaports (Issues with cargo clearance at the ports addressed) 42. Improved duration (under 48 hours) for visa approval especially for investors. 43. Resuscitation of the nation’s refineries which are now working at 50 percent capacity for the first time in over a decade. 44. Eleven of the dead 33 fertilizer plants have been resuscitated while four others are to be revived shortly and this has profound impact on the ongoing revolution in the agricultural sector. 45. For the first time in more than 45 years, the Mambila Power Plant is set to take off with the allocation of $5.6billion for its realization and an expected 3,050 MW output upon completion. 46. Increasing external reserves to a 13 month high of $33 billion from $29.13 billion which has surpassed the ERGPs target of $30.56 billion despite global low oil prices and production challenges. 47. Cancellation of the Joint Venture cash calls with oil multinational companies operating in Nigeria (For the first time in the history of the industry) which has led to savings of billions of dollars lost to fictitious contract payments. 48. Release of N2 billion take off grant for the Maritime University as part of measures to address agitations in the Niger Delta region. 49. The new development bank of Nigeria (DBN) is finally taking off with initial funding of $1.3billion (provided by the World Bank, German Development Bank, African Development Bank, Agence Francaise De Development) to provide medium and long term loans to MSMEs. ANTI – GRAFT WAR 50. Improving Nigeria’s international image and regional cooperation with neighbouring countries in fighting insurgency. 51. Anti-corruption war: Prosecuting alleged corrupt public officers and recovering billions of naira of stolen public funds; the successful establishment of the whistle-blower policy. 52. Signing of Executive Order 004 – Voluntary Income Asset Declaration Scheme (VAIDS). This aims to increase tax awareness and compliance, and reduce incidence of tax evasion. 53. Signing of agreements with a number of nations to provide Automatic Exchange of Information. 54. Signing of the Extradition Treaty between Nigeria and United Arab Emirates (UAE) toward strengthening Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign. 55. Establishment of PACAC – a think-tank that has provided leadership, direction and also built capacity of personnel in the fight against corruption. OTHERS 56. Eradication of polio disease in the country. 57. The introduction of the One Primary Health Centre per ward programme of the Federal Government. From all of us at Naijaloaded as we also celebrate our 8th years anniversary today, we say Happy Independence Day to Nigeria

Call for restructuring of Nigeria healthy – UK

Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Harriet Thompson, has noted that the call for restructuring of the country was a healthy one. Thompson tasked Nigerians to be united as they work towards peace and development. The High Commissioner stated this when she addressed newsmen on Sunday in Abuja on the occasion of the 57th Independence Anniversary of the country. According to her, “I am really excited to be here, I find Nigeria an energising place to be in as it is full of opportunities. “I come out of many meetings energised at the prospects that Nigeria has but I at times come out of other meetings less energized and a bit more pessimistic. “Nigeria has obviously gone through the economic high and lows, rising and falling tensions, through military dictatorships to the solid and strengthening democracy that we see today. “The UK’s relationship with Nigeria is long and broad. We work together now on issues ranging from trade, investment, commerce, education, infrastructure, health, security and the list goes on. “We are committed to taking that relationship from strength to strength and to standing with Nigeria on this journey as it deepens democracy, improves security and creates prosperity. “There are obviously issues that need to be addressed in Nigeria. “Issues like corruption, issues like the insecurity in the Northeast, issues like the under-representation of girls in positions of influence and indeed the violence that many of them suffer on a daily basis. “The Buhari government is committed to tackling many of those issues, and there are some incredibly impressive people working to address them. “Challenges remain in Nigeria as they do in every other country of the world. “I and the UK would encourage Nigerians to unite, to stand firm for peace and for unity to overcome those who wish Nigeria harm and to bring a safe and prosperous future for all Nigerians. “I think the debate about restructuring is a healthy one to be had. “It shows that the population are engaged in the politics of the country and care about how their country is run and what it gives to them. “I would urge, as the government has done, for calm in how those discussions proceed and for measured responses in terms of language and activity. “This is so that those legitimate political debates can be had in an atmosphere of mutual respect and of a mutual ambition to take things forward rather than to descend into violence which would be really unfortunate for a country like Nigeria. “Take advantage of the differences, the huge range of people, of cultures, of landscape that we see in Nigeria. “Nigerians should take advantage of the full variety that the country enjoys and I certainly would support the president’s commitment to tackling corruption. “It’s something that comes up very frequently when we speak with business people who either are operating in Nigeria already or are contemplating coming to Nigeria, but with other actors as well. “The commitment that the president has shown in tackling that issue is highly commendable, and we work closely with him and we continue to do so to bring his aims to fruition.’’

Nigeria at 57: What needs to be done to keep country united – PDP

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called for a united Nigeria on the occasion of the 57th Independence anniversary of the country. In a statement in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party rejoiced with Nigerians and called on the government to continue to work for the unity, peace and progress of the country. The party’s statement reads, “As we celebrate 57 years of nationhood today being 1st of October 2017, we must all as a people, pay tribute to the sacrifices of our hero’s past and urge our government, traditional, religious, political and opinion leaders at different levels to continue working for the unity, peace and progress of this great country. This is indeed the clarion call for Nigerians to obey. “Irrespective of the First Republic taken off on an unstable ground due to some political exigencies that consequently led to the Nigerian Civil War between 1967–1970, Nigeria had in the recent past recorded giant strides in her efforts to stand among comity of nations on social, economic, political and democratic governance. “We therefore call on all Nigerians to use this occasion of the 57th Independence Anniversary to reflect deeply on the pillars that brought us together and work for the growth, unity and stability of our dear country for our general good. “We want to use this opportunity to call on governments at all levels to engage citizens in peaceful and progressive national issues because there is no country we can call our own except the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “So, let us protect and sustain her to grow from glory to glory. This is the clarion call that we must obey – to continue to foist our flag of unity, peace and progress.”

Wike reveals why Nigeria is not making progress

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has attributed Nigeria’s lack of progress to over dependence on a “single economic product derived from the ‘natural bowels’ of the Niger Delta.” He made the remark while faulting various governments for “abandoning all other economic options” for oil. Speaking at the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt on Sunday, as part of activities to mark Independence Day celebration, Wike also said that Nigeria’s situation had been worsened by the failure to successfully redefine and restructure the country towards progressive path since 1960. The governor stated that Nigerians must unite and set aside the narrative of division, violence and hate. He said, “After nearly 18 unbroken years of democracy and despite positive assertions to the contrary, our democracy keeps floundering under the watch of the Federal Government just as the vast majority of Nigerians are alienated from the state and estranged from the development process and denied the dividends of democracy. “If economic progress is the test of our democracy, then we have woefully failed as a nation. For 57 years, we abandoned all other economic options and depended on a single economic product derived from the natural bowels of the Niger Delta. “We all crave for strong national institutions to support our democracy, protect our freedoms and advance our development. “Unfortunately, instead of advancing our democracy and protecting our liberties, some of our most important national institutions, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Nigeria Police have become the undertakers of their destruction by acts of deliberate compromise, partisanship and even sabotage in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities. “How else can we attribute INEC’s misfeasance and criminal complicity in the emerging, but strange jurisprudential contraption in election disputes, where fake results produced and procured from the custody of terribly partisan police agency were validated and accepted as evidentially superior to its own results by the electoral tribunals to overturn the returns it genuinely and rightly made in respect of the outcome of the 2016 legislative re-run elections in Rivers State.”

Let’s unite to build a prosperous nation – Akeredolu tells Nigerians

As Nigeria marked its 57th independence on Sunday, Ondo State governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has stressed the need by the citizens to cast aside divisive tendencies and acrimonious predilections with the sole aim of building a nation with shared destiny. Akeredolu, who spoke during a special thanksgiving service organised by the state Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) to mark Nigeria’s 57th anniversary at the Saint David’s Anglican Church, IJomu, Akure, asked Nigerians to shun pervasive sentiment to enable the country to achieve its desirous meaningful development. Akeredolu, who admitted that Nigeria’s itinerary to nationhood had been tortuous, bumpy and confounding in the last 57 years, urged continued co-existence among the citizens. The governor said: “We have had moments of serious trials which threatened our tenuous resolve for existential amity. There have been impressions which excite suspicion and commend centrifugal preferences “However, perspicacity, placed on experiential pedestal, suggests, strongly, our continued co-existence as we improve on the level of understanding based on the received national template.” Akeredolu, who also acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring that the country regains its pride of place in the comity of nations, hailed the doggedness of President Muhammadu Buhari and his team for their patriotic duties to the country. He said that there had been promising indices of real development after the excruciating experiences of privation engendered by several years of desultory economic planning. Akeredolu said: “Our country gradually, but steadily, moves away from the destructive path of utter dependency with hope. Our country is lucky to have President Muhammadu Buhari in the saddle.” The governor, however, used the occasion to reinstate his administration’s resolve to make life more meaningful for the people of Ondo State. “We shall protect all and sundry and continue to erect structures which will deter the deviants and undesirable elements,” he said. Earlier, the Christan leaders from various denominations preached unity among the people and prayed for Ondo State and the country to overcome the various challenges confronting the people. In the day’s message, entitled “Exalting the nation through righteousness “, Pastor Peter Abimbola, commended the State Government for its roles in ensuring enduring peace in the Sunshine State. He explained that the church was empowered by God through the instrumentality of prayers to save the country from the myriad of problems confronting her.

Nigeria at 57: There is a lot work to be done – Atiku

Former Vice-president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has admitted there is still work to be done, as the country marks its 57th Independence anniversary on Sunday. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Atiku also disagreed with people who insisted there was nothing to celebrate. “On this October 1st, 2017, I congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians on the occasion of Nigeria’s 57th Independence anniversary. There are those that may say we have very little to celebrate and I will respectfully disagree with them. “In 57 years, Nigeria has faced many challenges, but we have overcome many of those challenges and made progress in multiple spheres of human endeavor. “On October 1st 1960 when we gained independence, there were many nations in existence alongside Nigeria in the committee of nations. “A number of those nations have ceased to exist as a single entity, but 57 years after the fact, we are still one and waxing stronger. That is a cause to celebrate. “In 1960, South Africa and Egypt had a larger economy than Nigeria, yet today our economy is the largest in Africa. That is a cause to celebrate. And finally, average life expectancy in Nigeria in 1960 was just 37.18 years but today, the average Nigerian has a life expectancy of 53.1 years. “A lot of work still has to be done to overcome the many challenges we still face as a nation including terrorism, the national question, sluggish economic growth, youth unemployment and a huge out of school population amongst our youth. “However these challenges are not insurmountable. Thankfully, the prevailing sentiment is that we as Nigerians would rather remain together even as we make positive efforts to build a more perfect union along the lines of the vision of our founding fathers. “We may not be where we ought to be as a nation, yet, we must be thankful that we are not where we used to be. “Happy Independence Day to you and your family from my family and I,” he wrote.

Again, another Boko Haram member arrested in Ondo

Barely one week after a wanted Boko Haram member was arrested in Ondo state, the state Police Command, on Sunday arrested a middle aged man ,Muhammed Bashir, suspected to be a Boko Haram member. Police spokesperson in the state, Femi Joseph, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, that Bashir was arrested along Ifira road in Isua Akoko, Akoko South East area of Ondo State at about 10:15am. He said the suspect has confessed to being a member of the dreaded sect. Joseph said Police on patrol noticed the strange movement of the suspect and swung into action by arresting him. According to him, upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to be a member of the sect. The Police Image maker noted that the suspect confirmed that his father was from Niger Republic and his mother from Borno state in Nigeria. “We posted a special squad to that axis and this squad while on patrol around 10:15 hours ,sighted a man they suspected, may be because of his usual movement and the man looked strange to them and they questioned him and when they were not convinced ,they took him to the station. ” After a lot of interrogation, he confessed to be a member of the boko haram and that he ran away from Maiduguri because of bombardment by the Military as the place becomes uncomfortable for them,and consequently he left for Nasarawa state ,he did not find Nasarawa comfortable also,but he decided to come to Ondo State yesterday, where he said he could have a comfort,but unfortunately, the eagle eye squad created by the Police Commissioner cut up with him,” Joseph explained. He further said that the suspect was in the Police custody for more interrogation. It will be recalled that the Police, had last week at the same Isua Akoko axis of the state arrested a man suspected to be a member of the group.