The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has established a seven-member panel to participate in the joint committee tasked with investigating alleged economic sabotage in the petroleum and gas sector.
This development comes after the recent dissolution of the ad-hoc committee previously assembled by the House to probe alleged misconduct in the petroleum and gas industry.
According to a statement by the House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi Jr. the appointed members include the House Leader, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, who will act as the co-chairman of the committee.
Other members of the committee include Iduma Ighariwey, Gboyega N. Isiaka, Sada Soli, Fatima Talba, Tunji Raheem and Patrick Umoh, PhD.
The statement reads, “The urgency and importance of this matter have necessitated close collaboration between the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“This new structure aims to ensure synergy, a holistic approach to addressing the issues, and ease of administrative coordination, resulting in a harmonized and efficient investigation.
“The Committee is expected to commence its duties immediately, with a clear mandate to ensure accountability and transparency in the sector”.
Oil Probe: Abbas appoints new reps committee
Oil Probe: Abbas appoints new reps committee
PDP appoints Oyinlola to head 25-member reconciliation committee
The Peoples Democratic Party has appointed former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as the chairman of the 25-member National Reconciliation Committee.
Former Gombe State governor, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, has been appointed as the secretary of the committee.
The PDP has been grappling with internal discord since last year’s general elections, where they were defeated by the ruling All Progressives Congress.
In a statement issued on Friday by National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP announced that the inauguration of the newly formed reconciliation committee will take place at a later date.
Ologunagba explained that the National Working Committee took this action after receiving approval from the National Executive Committee for the PDP NEC’s constitution.
The statement also noted that Chief Anicho Okoro has been appointed as the committee’s Administrative Secretary.
Other members of the committee include Chibudom Nwuche, Alhaji Bello Tafidan Gusau, Senator Ben Ndi Obi, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, Senator Shuaibu Isa Lau, Dr. Esther Uduehi, Senator Zainab Kure, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Alhaja Mutia Olayinka Ladoja, Dr. Abimbola Ogunkelu, and Ude Oko-Chukwu.
Also included are Dr. Boyelayefa Debekem, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Chief Dan Ulasi, Abdulsamad Dasuki, Segun Showunmi, Amina B.B. Faruk, Alhaji Hamza Akuyan Koshe, Mike Ikoku, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, and Bisi Fakayode.
The statement read in part, “The committee will be inaugurated on a date to be communicated in due course.
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, and teeming members of the PDP to remain focused and committed to the vision, principles, and aspirations of our great party in the overall interest of the growth, development, and stability of the PDP and the nation.”
ECOWAS defence chiefs move to return Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger
The Chiefs of Defence Staff in West Africa on Friday, called for the return of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, made the call when he led other ECOWAS defence chiefs on a Friday visit to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, NCTC, in Abuja.
Musa, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Defence Chiefs, said the return of the three countries to the regional bloc was necessary to defeat the insecurity ravaging the region, especially insurgency.
He said that efforts were ongoing on their part to ensure that the three countries were back, adding that all hands must be on deck to curtail insecurity in West Africa.
“For us, we feel without security, there can’t be progress and the threats we are facing, especially on insurgency, are high.
“We think it is very important that we need to partner together to achieve success. No country can do it alone, and that’s why it’s important.
“We know we have three countries that have decided to step aside.
“We are making all efforts to ensure that they come back to the fold because we know even they, on their own, cannot withstand this.
“We know the relevance that if they fall, it will also drag us down and that is why it is important for us as West Africans to continue to work together,’’ he said.
The CDS appreciated the National Coordinator of NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, for doing a wonderful job in the nation’s counter-terrorism efforts.
ECOWAS defence chiefs move to return Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger
Anyaoku group asks Tinubu to form drafting committee for new constitution
A group of eminent individuals in Nigeria, “The Patriots” on Friday asked President Bola Tinubu to convene a national constituent assembly to produce a new constitution for the country.
The group is led by a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.
Anyaoku, who addressed State House correspondents at the end of a meeting with the president in Abuja, said the constituent assembly would comprise three individuals from each state to be elected by the people on a non-party basis.
He said the formation of the constituent assembly was one of the proposals put forward during the meeting with President Tinubu.
Anyaoku said: “We put some proposals to Mr. President and urged him to send a president’s executive bill to the National Assembly, a bill that will call for two essential measures.
“One the convening of a National Constituent Assembly to be mandated to produce a new draft constitution. We also suggested that such a National Constituent Assembly should consist of individuals elected by the people on a non-party basis.
“Say, for example, three individuals per state, per each of the 36 states and one from the Federal Capital Territory and they should be mandated to produce a new draft constitution.
“We also suggested that in the bill, the National Assembly should be asked to legislate for a national referendum because as our laws stand at the moment, we have no provision for a national referendum.
“We concluded by saying that the draft constitution to emerge from the constituent assembly should be subjected to the national referendum to give the people of Nigeria a chance to determine the new constitution.
“We also talked about the current crisis of protests throughout the country. And we advised the President that in our view, the government at the federal and state levels should dialogue with the leaders of the protests.”
Many prominent Nigerians had in the past demanded a new constitution for the country because of the inherent flaws in the 1999 constitution.
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Shettima welcomes MTN’s N1bn donation to food support programme
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Friday welcomed the donation of N1 billion to the Federal Government’s Food Support Programme and 4,600 units of digital devices for distribution to schools by telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria.
Shettima said MTN’s gesture in support of the FG’s efforts to address hardship in the country is worthy of emulation and indicates its commitment to the development of the Nigerian economy.
“I am hugely proud of your (MTN’s) stability as a company and commitment to the progress of our country,” Shettima told the Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, Mr Stanley Nkwocha, revealed details of the meeting in a statement signed Friday titled, ‘VP Shettima seeks more support as MTN donates N1bn, 4600 digital devices.’
Shettima promised that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Office of the National Security Adviser would manage the donation judiciously.
The VP said the MTN team would liaise with his office to develop the beneficiary criteria and facilitate the distribution of 4,600 digital devices, each pre-installed with the U-lesson application, to secondary schools in the six geopolitical zones.
He expressed confidence that the company’s gesture would go a long way in supporting the government’s efforts to address the situation in the country, including support for the educational needs of the poor and vulnerable.
While calling on other companies in the country to emulate MTN in Corporate Social Responsibility, the VP assured the business community that the President Bola Tinubu administration remains pro-business and that its policies will soon begin to manifest for all to see.
“We have witnessed a couple of changes in the industry, but you have remained stable and strong. On behalf of my boss, President Bola Tinubu, I want to sincerely thank you for this gesture,” Shettima concluded.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of MTN Nigeria commended the Federal Government for its efforts to revive the economic fortunes of the country through various initiatives rolled out across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government.
Ndukwe pledged the company’s support to the present administration, noting that the gesture is in line with MTN Nigeria’s shared value objectives of ‘the AMBITION 2025 strategy’, where MTN seeks to support strategic initiatives of the federal government.
He said the N1bn donation “aims to support the most vulnerable, marginalised, and underserved communities, ensuring no one is left behind through increased collaboration and partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
He also expressed hope that the devices donated by the company will support the FG’s objective to increase digital literacy in secondary schools and improve creativity, analytical thinking, adaptability, and students’ access to current information in science and technology.
England appoints Lee Carsley Three Lions interim manager
Lee Carsley, the current England under-21 manager, will temporarily take charge of the men’s senior team, the English Football Association has announced.
The news was revealed in a Friday statement on the FA’s website titled “Lee Carsley appointed as England men’s interim head coach.
Also, England, #England posted, “Lee Carsley has been appointed interim head coach of the #ThreeLions ahead of the start of our #NationsLeague campaign.”
Gareth Southgate stepped down as England boss after eight years in charge in the aftermath of losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain last month.
Carsley would now follow Southgate’s path by graduating from the under-21 setup into the senior role.
It read, “Lee Carsley has been appointed interim head coach of England senior men ahead of the start of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign.
“Carsley will step up from his role in charge of the MU21s, initially for September’s fixtures away to Republic of Ireland and at home to Finland, but with a view to remaining in the position throughout autumn while the FA’s recruitment process for a new permanent head coach continues.
“The 50-year-old has been MU21 head coach since July 2021 and last year led the Young Lions to a first UEFA U21 European Championship since 1984. Prior to that, Carsley held various coaching roles across England’s development teams and was briefly in charge of the MU20s.”
The new coach will oversee Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September and could remain in the role for longer depending on how quickly the FA finalise their search for Southgate’s successor.
“Carsley will step up from his role in charge of the MU21s (men’s under-21s) initially for September’s fixtures away to Republic of Ireland and at home to Finland,” the FA said in the statement.
“But with a view to remaining in the position throughout autumn while the FA’s recruitment process for a new permanent head coach continues.”
Carsley won 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a player and made over 300 Premier League appearances with Blackburn, Coventry, Everton and Birmingham.
In 2023 he led England to a first win at the under-21 Euros since 1984 and is familiar with a number of the current senior squad due to various coaching roles across the FA’s development teams.
However, he lacks senior managerial experience apart from short caretaker spells at Brentford and Birmingham.
“It’s an honour to step up and lead this England squad on an interim basis,” said Carsley.
“As I am very familiar with the players and the cycle of international football, it makes sense for me to guide the team while the FA continues the process of recruiting a new manager.
“My main priority is to ensure continuity and our goal is to secure promotion in the UEFA Nations League.”
According to the statement, he was involved in the last three major tournaments by supporting the wider technical team at UEFA EURO 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany.
Carsley also has extensive experience at club level having worked closely with the first teams at Coventry City, Sheffield United, Brentford, Manchester City and Birmingham City.
Mark Bullingham, FA CEO, said, “Lee is a fantastic coach who is well known to the majority of our current senior squad having worked with most at international or club level. He offers us a very strong interim solution and we are confident he will perform well in the UEFA Nations League games ahead. We are grateful to Lee for stepping up to manage the team while we continue with our recruitment process.”
In Carsley’s absence, Ben Futcher will take charge of the MU21s for September’s forthcoming 2025 U21 EURO qualifiers, with respective backroom teams for both squads to be confirmed in due course.
England are in UEFA Nations League B Group 2 alongside Finland (September 10), Greece and Republic of Ireland.
Kano anti-graft agency trailing marketers behind artificial price increases
The Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, PCAC, has identified some marketers behind the high cost of flour produced in the state.
The Commission Chairman, Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, after meeting with the Singer Provision and Essential Commodities Market, on Friday, explained that already his Commission has obtained 7 Court orders to prosecute those behind the artificial increases in the prices of flour.
He said, “We have identified seven shops and dealers who are behind the skyrocketing prices of flour and noodles in the state and we already placed one of the biggest dealers, who is at large wanted”.
Rimin Gado said Governor Yusuf has given his office a matching order to ensure that the negative situation of artificial increases in prices of more specifically flour and spaghetti in the state is curtailed immediately.
“Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has formally met with the Singer Marketers Association to get to the roots of what is happening and as well met with the Baker’s association, they all agreed that the increase in the prices of flour is artificially done by some unpatriotic marketers”.
He added, “I’m assuring you that after our meeting today with both the Baker’s and Singer Marketers Associations a common ground has been met that is the Singer People would be supplying Flour directly to the Baker’s cutting up the chain of retailers who take advantage of the protests to inflated the prices”.
Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said already about seven shops have been locked down and a dealer is now on the run as he evaded invitation to answer for a series of allegations against him.
“But, let me sound this warning no matter how far he goes we will get him and make him answer for his misdeeds and negative acts against the lives of Millions of People.
Kano anti-graft agency trailing marketers behind artificial price increases
Rivers gov approves N300m grant for resident doctors
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the release of over N300million as a grant to 389 medical doctors in the State Civil Service who are on residency training.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt Thursday evening.
The released fund will cover two consecutive years – 2023-2024 – Residency Training Grant requirements with payments ranging from N800,000 to N900,000 per resident doctor for each year.
A total of 215 resident doctors received the funding for the year 2023, while 174 resident doctors have so far received the training grant in 2024 in the State.
By this action, the commissioner said Fubara has recommitted the resolve of his administration towards ensuring that the training initiative aimed at supporting the professional development of doctors, at both the Junior and Senior residency cadres, is not frustrated due to absence of the requisite grants that serve as enduring incentives to the health personnel.
She said Fubara particularly expressed the belief that with such support, the benefitting medical doctors will be dutiful with the residency training, which is an essential stage of graduate medical education to acquire the competence needed to enable them offer the best service while working in the employ of the state government.
Oreh acknowledged the importance of the course updates and components to the capacity of the personnel to address the challenges in quality healthcare delivery in the State.
She said: “These are essential for doctors to stay current with the latest medical knowledge and practices, ensuring they can provide the best possible care to patients.
“Research is a critical component of medical training, and these funds help cover the costs associated with developing and presenting research proposals and dissertations.
“Also, travelling to examination centres can be costly, especially for doctors stationed in various parts of the State.
“For these examinations which are usually held outside the State, and in some cases, outside the country, this funding ensures that transportation costs do not hinder their ability to attend necessary examinations.”
On the burden examination fees pose on medical personnel, she said, “The examination fees for the Parts I and II residency exams are very expensive, and by covering these fees, the government ensures that financial constraints do not prevent doctors from advancing in their careers.”
She thanked the governor for paying priority attention to the welfare needs of personnel in the health sector, explaining that the governor’s proactive action and political will to address critical issues that impede human capacity development was worthy of emulation.
The commissioner emphasised that the gesture of Fubara, barely one year in office, will ultimately yield better health outcomes for Rivers people in particular and Nigerians at large.
Ekiti, group bicker over palliatives, federal allocation
The Ekiti State government and a non governmental organisation, Opeyemi Falegan Foundation have disagreed over the allocation accruing to the state and the palliatives from the Federal Government to mitigate the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
While the ODF Founder alleged that the FG palliatives to the state were diverted and politicised just as the monthly allocations could not be accounted for, the state Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the government was open and had nothing to hide on allocations and palliatives.
Falegan, in a statement signed on Thursday, expressed concern over the living conditions of Ekiti people, who he alleged were hungry following the high cost of food prices, fuel and other social and economic services.
The ODF founder challenged the governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, “to explain in concrete terms what he has done with the Federal Government’s palliatives and how he has spent the N6.5bn federal allocation for the month of June, 2024.”
He stated, “We are aware the Federal Government announced a palliative measure of 20 trucks of 25kg bags of rice to each state of the federation and the federal capital inclusive.
“The Federal Government announced that the palliatives should be distributed to vulnerable Nigerians across the states, but unfortunately in Ekiti State, such palliatives were not distributed to the people of the state.
“We are worried and concerned about the plight of the poor masses in Ekiti whose conditions have not been improving despite the increasing federal allocation and the Federal Government palliatives to the state,” Falegan stated.
Olatunbosun, who said the allocations accruing to the state were being prudently utilised, said, “This has earned the Oyebanji-led administration the recognition and laurel from Transparency International and other reputable global bodies”.
Olatunbosun, who described Falegan as “an attention-seeking individual who has lost touch with reality”, explained that “the Biodun Oyebanji government has nothing to hide on the allocations and palliatives. The details of the state’s monthly allocations from the Federation Account have always been made public through the government’s official website.
“Only a myopic and political bigot would fail to recognise the positive transformations taking place in the nooks and crannies of this state.
“Falegan’s perception of the Oyebanji administration is at variance with the popular commendation and applause that the governor has been receiving from the public, even objective critics,” the commissioner said.
Appeal Court: Nnamdi Kanu contends with Abuja court over trial jurisdiction
Aloy Ejimakor, lead Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has filed a brief before the Appeal Court against the ruling of the Abuja Federal High Court.
In the brief, Ejimakor raised objections to the jurisdiction of the Abuja Federal High Court to subject Kanu to trial.
Recall that Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Federal High Court dismissed the objections to her jurisdiction on 19th June 2024.
Following Nyako’s ruling, Kanu had headed to the Court of Appeal.
However, in the brief of argument filed on Friday, Ejimakor said: “Today, I filed a brief before the Court of Appeal raising objections to the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to subject Nnamdi Kanu to trial.
“I raised six issues for the consideration of the Court Appeal and several prayers including halting Kanu’s trial and discharging him of all charges currently standing against him, releasing him from detention. We expect to prevail on the merits.
“This is the Appellant’s Brief of Argument filed pursuant to the Notice ofAppeal against the ruling of
the Federal High Court (Abuja) delivered on the 19th day of June 2024 refusing the Appellant’s Preliminary Objection to the jurisdiction of the trial court.
“The Ruling, subject of the instant appeal is at Pages 413 – 415 of the Record of Appeal while the Notice of Appeal is at Pages 416 – 428 of the Record of Appeal. The Notice of Appeal bears 5 grounds from which the issues herein have been distilled.
“This case was initially commenced on or about 14th Oct.”
Appeal Court: Nnamdi Kanu contends with Abuja court over trial jurisdiction