Home Blog Page 1910

21-day notice: Observers raise alarm over secret plans by APC cabal to force backdated letter on INEC

By
Toby
-
0

 

The Coalition of Independent Observers says it has uncovered a plan by some members of the All Progressives Congress to impose a backdated letter on the Independent National Electoral Commission.

According to the group, the letter purportedly written by the National Secretray to INEC, will be doctored in such a way that it will meet up with the provisions for the 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention.

The observers, which made its stance known at a press conference in Abuja, also said the ultimate is to undermine the nation’s democracy.

In his address, Abdullahi Bilal, the group’s
Executive Director said INEC would be coerced into recognizing the said letter and would ultimately reverse its earlier stance that it had not been properly issued the statutory 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention

Bilal, in clear terms, said Governor Nasir El-Rufai is behind this fresh plot to destabilize the party and force Governor Mai Bala Buni out of office.

“Gentlemen of the press, because there has been no consequences for the criminal acts that these members of the cabal have been engaged in, they have moved to implementing an even more dangerous phase of the their evil plot. They have concluded plans to backdate a letter purportedly written by the National Secretray to INEC sometimes ago in order to meet up with the provisions for the 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention,” he said.

“INEC would then be coerced to into recognizing the forged letter and on the strength of that reverse its earlier stance that it has not been properly issued the statutory 21-day notice of intent to hold a national convention. Certain staff of the Commission have been promised juicy postings for them to accept responsibility for not properly filing the letter when it purportedly arrived on time. It is on the strength of this ploy that the El-Rufai faction of the party is pushing ahead with the convention even though it has not met the conditions necessary to do so.

“In clear terms, a faction of the APC led by Nasir El-Rufai is about to commit forgery in addition to the serial violation of the Electoral Act that it has already committed.

“We are aware that they have also commissioned a media team to launch a campaign of calumny against INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, as part of a plot to remove him from the position for daring to assert INEC’s independence with the manner he rejected the change in CECPC leadership.

“With the spillover to attempting to manipulate INEC, Nigerians must now wake up and realize that the rampaging cabal is no longer the problem of APC alone. It will undermine the 2023 General Elections unless it is quickly brought under control. We are in critical times”.

The observers, therefore, urged Nigerians to “unite in resisting any attempt to make INEC act on a forged letter”.

Bilal further said “ we must also send a strong message that the INEC Chairman and Commissioners must not be victimized for doing the job they were appointed to do”.

Igbo group accuses Nigeria Governors Forum of being enemies of Nigerian youths

By
coic
-
0

On Sunday, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) slammed the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), calling them the true enemies of Nigerian youths.

According to the council, the 36 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have denied Nigerian youths political and economic opportunities to compete with their counterparts in other countries.

The Nigeria Governors Forum, led by Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, should avoid the upcoming 2023 presidential election, according to an OYC release signed by its National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, made available on Sunday.

Read Also:  Confusion in Ondo community as bird with cipher ring falls from sky

The Igbo youths scowled at “the over-ambitious political mentality of Nigeria’s failed governors since 1999,” as they put it.

“The state governors’ corruption tendencies and tyrannical approaches to local government elections, as well as the mismanagement and diversion of funds from local government councils, are definitions of incompetence, and such a class of political gangsters in Nigeria cannot be trusted with the Nigerian Treasury in the president’s office.”

“In all likelihood, the 36 members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) are the real enemies of Nigerian youths.” They have deprived Nigerian youths of political and economic opportunities that would allow them to compete with their counterparts in other countries.

“With the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) record of 774 local government areas and 8,809 wards since 1999, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has denied 18, 576 youths the opportunity to be local government Chairman/Vice-Chairmen and 105,708 youths the opportunity to be Councillors, bringing the total number of politically incapacitated youths in Nigeria to 124,284.”

“The local government council elections could have been held 12 times if the LGA Chairman and Councillors had a two-year term,” Comrade Igboayaka said.

Read Also:  VP Osinbajo meets with religious leader, calls for peace

“We frowned at the NGF’s statement stating that “Nigerian Governors’ Forums of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and People’s Democratic Party, PDP have been meeting and consulting on producing Presidential candidates of both the APC and the PDP,” and that their consultations have advanced to a level of reaching consensus on who they are to the front in the two political parties to contest for president, come the 2023 presidential election,” according to the Igbo youths.

The Nigeria Governors Forum’s plot to merge APC and PDP presidential candidates, according to the youth group, is a futile effort.

Blackout: NBET owes us N1.644trn, GENCOS claimed

By
coic
-
0

On Sunday, the Power Generation Companies (GENCOS) claimed that the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) owed them over N1.644 trillion in stranded or unutilized power debts dating back to 2015.

In response to a statement issued by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on March 8, 2022, which attributed low power generation to GenCos’ inability or refusal to generate power, the companies claimed that a large portion of their generated power was stranded.

Dr. Joy Ogaji, the Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), said the development was affecting the GENCOs’ smooth operations at a press conference in Abuja.

Read Also:  GenCos Blame Inefficient Grid Management for Poor Electricity Supply

According to the breakdown, a minimum of 3010 megawatts were stranded on a daily basis from 2015 to January of this year, resulting in a huge payment loss, she said.

“…,” she said. Since 2013, I’ve been warning you that power is stranded. We now have 6.616 megawatts available, which we have had since 2015 or 2016. A total of 3606MW was taken, leaving 3010MW stranded. In 2015, the capacity payment loss was N 214.93 billion. In 2016, we produced an average of 7000MW, but only 3212MW was used, while the standard capacity was 3888MW, resulting in a capacity loss of N273. 273 billion.

In 2017, we produced 6008 71MW, but only 3599MW was taken, leaving 3302WM stranded. That is the capacity, and the event loss for 2018 was N236.47 billion”.

“Since 2013, when the power sector was partially privatised until today, weak and inadequate infrastructure (transmission and distribution) have continued to render insignificant, a significant portion of the generation capacities recovered or added by GenCos through huge investments done by them to increase their respective generation capacities,” Ogoji said, reiterating the GENCOS’ readiness to generate adequate power for Nigerians.

“While the GenCos’ owners committed to investing and increasing generation capacity to 13,000MW across the country, no corresponding investment or improvement was made at the transmission and distribution ends.” As a result, GenCos have significant stranded capacity, which Nigerians, ironically, require but cannot obtain. Given that capacity utilization is frequently used as a measure of productive efficiency in any market, decisions about power generating capacity investments are based on expected returns and costs”.

However, when contacted, NBET refuted the GenCos’ figures, claiming that only companies with active gas supply and transportation contracts were compensated for unutilized capacity.

Read Also:  Police react after 13 people burnt to death in Kwara auto crash

Henrietta Ighomrore, NBET’s Head of Corporate Communication, explained that only five power generation companies with active gas purchase agreements were paid for unused capacity in the country.

VP Osinbajo meets with religious leader, calls for peace

By
coic
-
0

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s Vice President, says that religious leaders must use faith to promote peace, ensure people’s prosperity, and society’s development, in addition to spiritual upliftment.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Saturday evening when he received the Senegal-based Grand Khalifa of Tijjaniya Movement, Worldwide, His Eminence, Sheikh Muhammadu Mahi Ibrahim Niass on a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, according to a release from the Vice President’s Office.

“We must use our faiths to promote peace and prosperity for our people,” the Vice President said, emphasizing the importance of religion in human development. To ensure that our people benefit from religion, we must work together.

Read Also:  Since We Took Power In 2015, I’Ve Never Had Problem With Buhari: Osinbajo

“We tend to overlook the importance of religion, despite the fact that it is vital to the development of society, not only spiritually but also physically.”

“Many nations around the world have benefited spiritually and physically from the impact of religion. As a result, we must use religion in our countries (in Africa) to assist our people in living better lives, just as religious leaders have done in other parts of the world,” he added.

Prof. Osinbajo urged religious leaders to join forces in order to use religion to address societal challenges, saying that “no matter what the situation is, we in Africa must be able to sit together and talk.” We must never allow situations to arise in which we are unable to sit together.

“In light of recent events around the world, people of faith must continue to emphasize that both major religions (Islam and Christianity) promote peace, and we must allow our citizens to practice whatever religion they choose.”

Prof. Osinbajo praised the group’s leader, as well as the Tijjaniya Movement’s progressive ideals and compassion for the people’s needs.

President Buhari, according to the Vice President, is a model of a leader who accommodates people of various religious backgrounds, citing his 7-year relationship with the President as an example.

“President Buhari is a serious Muslim, and I am a pastor,” he says, “and we have worked together for about 7 years with no issues.”

“The President has shown great leadership; he has demonstrated that he wants a country where people of various faiths live in peace and love.”

Sheikh Niass, speaking in French, expressed gratitude to the Vice President for the opportunity to meet with him and his delegation, describing the vice president as a great personality, one that Nigeria and Africa require.

“The Vice President is a great personality with exceptional character who stands on two feet: one as a political leader concerned about his people’s progress, and the other as a man of God.”

“Africa requires a person of your nature with a strong religious and political background. I pray that Almighty Allah will upgrade you and grant you your desires and aspirations, because, as I previously stated, your leadership qualities will benefit not only Nigeria but Africa as well.”

“Nigeria is the heart of Africa,” he continued, “and whatever Nigeria becomes, Africa becomes.”

The Tijjaniya leader also expressed his gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his support, praying for his safety and for Nigeria to overcome its challenges.

Read Also:  PDP demands certificate of return, alleging massive crackdown on members in Umahi

The vice president promised to convey to the President the Sheik’s warm greetings and appreciation.

The Grand Khalifa of Tijjaniya and other members of the Movement from across Africa gathered in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, to commemorate the Movement’s late leader Sheikh Ibrahim Niass’ 36th International Maulid Anniversary.

Ganduje Flags Off Over N2.5bn Link Roads In Garo

By
coic
-
0

Kano Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has inaugurated a road network in Garo town and neighboring communities in the state’s Kabo local government area.

At the ground breaking ceremony on Saturday, Murtala Sule Garo, the governor’s Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, who was joined by  assured that the Ganduje administration would work round the clock to improve rural infrastructural development.

According to a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, the projects flagged off include an 18-kilometer road from Kanye to Kabo-Dugabau, which crosses eight of Kabo’s ten Wards and was started in 2018 but abandoned halfway.

Read also: GenCos Blame Inefficient Grid Management for Poor Electricity Supply

The contract was revoked after 9 kilometers were completed and re-awarded for the remaining 9 kilometers at a cost of N1.6 billion.

Another road was built within Kabo town, with a total length of 3.9 kilometers and a cost of over N800 million.

“Experts believe that, once completed, the project will greatly assist movement of farm produce among communities, as well as easing individual movement without any hitches,” the statement continued.

“This project, like similar projects in many rural communities across the state, refutes unsubstantiated claims by some that rural communities are being neglected in this administration’s infrastructure development.” Similar projects have been seen elsewhere.”

Ukraine war: Putin likely to be removed by coup or killed – Ex-Russian Minister

By
coic
-
0

Andrei Kozyrev, a former Russian minister, has revealed what President Vladimir Putin may face as a result of his order to invade Ukraine.

Putin could be deposed by an internal Kremlin coup, according to Kozyrev.

He stated that due to the invasion of Ukraine, some key figures in the Kremlin may be plotting Putin’s demise.

Read Also:  Confusion in Ondo community as bird with cipher ring falls from sky

Former Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Kozyrev, who served from 1990 to 1996, recalled that previous leaders in the country were either killed or retired.

According to the US Daily Express, Putin could be deposed soon with a “armed escort either to the grave or to retirement.”

“A large number of Russian czars were killed. Many people were turned down in one way or another.

“Even in the Soviet Union, there were methods; Stalin was allegedly poisoned, and Khrushchev was simply escorted out of the Kremlin.

Read Also:  Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament Assures Democratic Norms Will Be Enforced

“With Putin, I fully expect resistance and dissatisfaction to grow, which will be resolved one way or another.”

“I’m not sure which way it will go, but Russian history is full of surprises.”

“It’s terrifying, but not irrational.” To understand why Putin justified the invasion, we must put ourselves in his shoes.”

GenCos Blame Inefficient Grid Management for Poor Electricity Supply

By
coic
-
0
On Sunday, the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) blamed the outage of some of the country’s turbines on inefficient national grid operation.

 

The intermittent start and stop of plants, according to Dr Joy Ogaji, Executive Secretary of the APGC, causes wear and tear and adversely affects the plants, causing maintenance issues at a time when they should be at their best.

 

“GenCos are supposed to start and stop at most 20 times a year,” she explained, “but in Nigeria, they start and stop 365 days a year, and this wear and tear is affecting the plants, causing maintenance issues at a time when they should be optimal.”

 

She went on to say that while there are low and high seasons, the market’s designers make sure that the impact is minimal.
“At this time, the thermals are supposed to be operating at full blast.”
“It was planned that way.”

 

She did, however, point out that the design is currently unusable due to grid management issues.

 

“GenCos are supposed to start and stop 20 times a year at most, but in Nigeria, they start and stop 365 days a year, causing wear and tear on the plants and causing maintenance issues at a time when they should be optimal.”

Read also: Saudi Arabia executes 81 men for terrorism, while others sentenced to death

“Last year, GenCos hired an expert to look into these issues, and it was discovered that the turbines were affected by the ramp down and ramp-up.
“For example, Siemens has advised Geregu to shut down the machines, stating that if the start-stop pattern continues, the three turbines will be destroyed until maintenance is completed.

Calabar has also been notified about a similar issue and is awaiting maintenance.”

Before the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) took over electricity payments in 2015, the Market Operator used to pay GenCos for capacity and energy charges based on the privatization contract, according to Ogaji, but NBET has been illegally stopping that since 2015.

“At the moment, NBET owes us N1.644.15 trillion in unpaid available capacity charges.”

 

According to the breakdown, about half of the available GenCos are not paid for each year because the national grid is unable to transport the energy to consumers.
GenCos had a 6,661MW capacity in 2015, but the grid took 3,606MW because 3,010MW was stranded, resulting in a N214.9 billion shortfall; GenCos had 3,828MW in 2016, with N273.9 billion in debt; and another 236.4 billion in debt due to 3,312MW stranded power in 2017.

 

In 2018, stranded power was worth N264 billion, and in 2019, it was worth N256.9 billion for 3,599MW of unutilized electricity.
Due to 3,742MW of stranded power, the GenCos will be unable to earn N266 billion by 2020, while the debt for last year was N120 billion, when the GenCos had 6,336MW of capacity but 2,246MW stranded due to grid inefficiency.

Read also: Police react after 13 people burnt to death in Kwara auto crash

“We want to have a sit-down with the government as a matter of urgency if we want sustainability of power in the market,” she said of the proposed solution. “We want to look at these line items and let NBET bring their book for reconciliation.”

 

Meanwhile, NBET disputed the GenCos’ figures, claiming that only companies with active gas supply and transportation contracts were compensated for unutilized capacity.

 

Henrietta Ighomrore, NBET’s Head of Corporate Communication, explained that only five power generation companies with active Gas Purchase Agreements were paid for unused capacity in the country.

 

Dr. Ogaji’s claims that the GenCos have the capacity to generate 9,000MW were inaccurate, according to her, because NBET inspections revealed that the capacity does not exist.

Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament Assures Democratic Norms Will Be Enforced

By
coic
-
0

Despite the current challenges, the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Sidi Mohamed Tunis, has assured citizens of the region that democratic norms and good governance will be entrenched in the region.

Dr. Tunis expressed his optimism during the closing ceremony of the ECOWAS Parliament’s First Extraordinary Session for the year 2022 in Monrovia, Liberia.

The Speaker of the Community Parliament expressed his confidence that the Extraordinary Session’s outcome, as well as the impact of the deliberations and recommendations, will have a positive impact on the region.

Read Also:  Police Rescue Lady Accused Of Killing Husband With Excessive Sex

‘We will continue to intensify our search for democratic rule, which remains the bedrock for political inclusion and good governance,’ Tunis said, “while emphasizing that all hope is not lost, and as we like to say, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

He reiterated that the mantra of the 5th legislature is still direct election of members to the ECOWAS Parliament.

‘This year, we will intensify our efforts by intensifying deliberation and discussions to ensure that this august task is completed, as this will be the hallmark of quality representation that will undoubtedly be purposeful and accountable to the citizens of the sub-region.’

On behalf of the Parliament, the ECOWAS Parliament Speaker expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President George Weah and the people of Liberia for agreeing to host the Session.

“This act of generosity and warmth that we witnessed in the last few days once again demonstrates that Liberians are naturally loving and hospitable people.” We regard this as an act of honor, and we are grateful for the gesture.”

Dr. Tunis also thanked Dr. GoodluckEbele Jonathan, the former President of Nigeria and current Mediator on the Crisis in Mali, and Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the former Executive Secretary of the ECOWAS Commission and current Mediator on the Crisis in Guinea, for attending the August gathering and sharing their perspectives on the political situation in the region.

He expressed the hope that the quality of the presentations and debate at the Session will have a significant impact on the region’s future.

‘In the last few days, we have extensively discussed and analyzed the political situation in the subregion in light of the incessant coups d’états in some Member States, as provided for in the supplementary Act.’

Read Also:  Saudi Arabia executes 81 men for terrorism, while others sentenced to death

“I applaud their selfless deliberations and insightful discussion, as well as their conclusions.”

“I am confident that the outcomes of our discussions and recommendations will be positive in our sub-region.”

The Speaker also thanked the resource people, moderators, and interpreters, as well as the staff and all of the participants, for their invaluable contributions to the Session’s success.

Confusion in Ondo community as bird with cipher ring falls from sky

By
coic
-
0

A large bird, identified as an eagle, fell from the sky in Badore, in Iju Odo, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, causing confusion.

Residents in the area were alarmed by the incident, which they described as strange because the bird had a cipher ring on one of its legs.

The cipher ring’s inscription was written in a Chinese-like script, with a white and black-plumed bird.

Read also:  Police react after 13 people burnt to death in Kwara auto crash

While some residents thought it was a Yoruba spiritual bird known as “Awodi” or “Udi,” which could be a witchcraft bird, others thought it had likely moved from another country.

Following a futile attempt to read the inscriptions, a local, Mr. Ojuola Emi, claimed that most Chinese people prefer to put signs and names on their pets, and that the bird could have escaped from its country or owner to Iju Odo.

Mrs. Taiwo Orimisan, on the other hand, believed it was a spiritual bird whose activity had been interrupted, causing it to mysteriously fall from the sky.

Police react after 13 people burnt to death in Kwara auto crash

By
coic
-
0

The Kwara State Police Command has expressed condolences to the families of 13 people who were burned beyond recognition in an auto accident.

The accident occurred on Saturday in Lasoju, Kwara State, along the Ogbomoso-Ilorin Expressway.

According to reports, a Hummer bus traveling from Lagos was driving against traffic and collided head-on with a truck.

According to a statement released by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP. Ajayi Okasanmi, the accident involved a fully loaded commercial Hummer bus bound for Katsina, Katsina State, and an articulated vehicle carrying cement.

Read Also:  PDP demands certificate of return, alleging massive crackdown on members in Umahi

“He went on to say that 13 passengers on the commercial bus were burned beyond recognition and that six others who were seriously injured are being treated at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital in Ilorin,” he said.

“Due to the state of the dead bodies, public health officials and the families of the victims requested from the police command that the victims be released to them for mass burial,” according to the PPRO.

As a result, he advised motorists to always obey traffic signs and to avoid speeding at all times.

1...1,9091,9101,911...2,856Page 1,910 of 2,856

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©