The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • FG inaugurates ‘Light Up Nigeria’ Project

    The Federal Government on Wednesday in Abuja inaugurated a special power initiative tagged: ‘’Light Up Nigeria’’ project aimed at providing renewable electricity to all parts of Nigeria.

    The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who inaugurated the project at Durumi near Mpape, Abuja said the project was part of the transformation agenda for the power sector.

    “We are here today to inaugurate a special initiative of the Federal Ministry of Power called: “Operation light up rural Nigeria.”

    “This is part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda for the sector which is aimed at taking light to every part of Nigeria, including the remotest villages,’’ Nebo said.

    He explained that the project, which is in partnership with some foreign firms – Philips and Snieder of Netherlands and Germany, was aimed at providing 24 hours solar powered energy to all parts of the country.

    Nebo said the ministry deliberately chose a rural area in the suburb of Abuja to start the pilot programme in order to bring the dividends of democracy closer to the grassroots.

    The minister said the three kilowatts capacity solar panel was built to provide power for the over 1,050 households in that community.

    He said that by the time the project was completed, every household in the community would get electricity from the solar panel which they would eventually pay a token as maintenance charges.

    “We have provided temporary building with 24 hours electricity so that you can properly store vaccines from the clinic and charge your phones free of charge,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying at the forum.

    The minister, however, enjoined the community to ensure the protection of the solar panels and safeguard it from vandals.

     

  • Emergency rule: Reps summon Service chiefs

    Emergency rule: Reps summon Service chiefs

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday, summoned the Service Chiefs to brief the House on Thursday at plenary, on the current security situation in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Goodluck Jonathan, on November 6, sent a letter to the National Assembly seeking the extension of emergency rule in the three affected states.

    The resolution emanated from a motion moved by Mulikat Akande-Adeola( PDP-Oyo), the Majority leader, which was unanimously adopted without debate.

    Akande-Adeola, said the House on May 21, considered and adopted the report on the state of emergency (certain states of the federation) proclamation, 2013 by a majority votes of 253.

    She added that by virtue of the provisions of section 305 (6) (c), of the 1999 Constitution, the proclamation would elapse after six months from the date of approval.

    Section 305 (6) ( c) states that,” Provided that the National Assembly may, before the expiration of the period of six months aforesaid, extend the period for the proclamation of the state of emergency to remain in force from time to time for a further period of six months by resolution passed in like manner.”

    The legislator said that, President Jonathan, in a letter to the House on November 12 provided a detailed report by the Chief of Army Staff on the current security situation in the affected states.

    She said that it was pertinent for the service chiefs to brief the House on the current security situation in the states.

    This, she added became necessary in view of the efforts made, so far, by security personnel deployed to the affected states,

    Meanwhile, the House has mandated the Committees on Commerce and Justice to investigate the propriety or otherwise, the appointment of foreign institutions to manage the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF).

    The committees are to report back to the House within two weeks.

    The resolution was sequel to a motion moved by the Minority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos) which was adopted.

    NAN reports that, three foreign institutions: Goldman Sachs, UBS and Credit Swiss, had been appointed to manage the fund.

     

     

  • FEC meeting cancelled

    The weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting did not hold in Abuja on Wednesday.

    No official reason was given for the cancellation.

    President Goodluck Jonathan was in Anambra State on Wednesday for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) campaign towards Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

    Vice President Namadi Sambo is presently attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) meeting in Sri Lanka.

     

  • Eagles return excites Dike

    Eagles return excites Dike

    Toronto FC striker Bright Dike has expressed happiness with his return to the Super Eagles after a long absence.

    Dike, who missed the final cut to the 2013 AFCON and then suffered a long-term knee injury, was a late replacement for injured Heerenveen striker Uche Nwofor.

    The powerfully built striker said he missed the Eagles and was like been away from his family.

    “I am excited to be back in the Eagles. It’s like when someone is away from his family and then comes back to them, it is always a great feeling. Whenever I put on the green and white jersey, I do it with pride,” Dike told MTNFootball.com

    “I have had the first training (Tuesday evening) and it went well.”

    He added: “I will give 100 per cent to ensure Nigeria qualifies for the World Cup in Brazil.”

    The former Portland Timbers striker made his debut on November 14, 2012, in a 3-1 victory over Venezuela in a friendly at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, United States.

    Dike scored his first goal for Nigeria in a 1-1 draw in another friendly against Catalonia shortly before the Nations Cup.

     

  • U.S to designate Boko Haram as terrorist group

    The State Department will formally designate the Boko Haram sect as a “foreign terrorist organization” on Wednesday, congressional sources and others briefed on the matter said.

    The designation is significant because it directs the United States law enforcement and regulatory agencies to block business and financial transactions with Boko Haram, which wants to impose Islamic law in northern Nigeria and has ties to al Qaeda.

    Reuters reports that the move makes it a crime under U.S law to provide “material support” to the group. A State Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Boko Haram and other splinter Islamist groups are seen as the biggest security threat in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and top oil exporter.

    In May, President Goodluck Jonathan increased a military campaign against Boko Haram. His government said last week that the sect has killed 70 civilians.

    The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which a source said has been notified of the decision, has scheduled a hearing on the group for Wednesday.

     

     

  • Suspension of Baraje, Oyinlola, others done in bad taste – Saraki

    Suspension of Baraje, Oyinlola, others done in bad taste – Saraki

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday asked the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to review the suspension of former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Onyinlola, former acting national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure from the party.

    Saraki, who fielded questions from journalists in Abuja, said the suspension slammed on Baraje, Onyinlola, Jaja and Kazaure was done in bad taste.

    He noted that the action of the party had further united the G-7 governors and widened the crisis in the party.

    The former Kwara State Governor added that the court ruling that brought Oyinlola back to the party as national secretary was an opportunity for reconciliation in the party.

    He noted that the opportunity of reconciliation offered by the court ruling on Oyinlola had been lost through the action of the party.

    The suspension, he said, will not help the PDP in its effort to resolve the lingering crisis in the party.

    He said, “We woke up to read in the papers today that some key members of a faction in the PDP had been suspended. PDP as a ruling party, 14 years of democracy, I believe it’s unfortunate.

    “It is a means of circumventing the ruling of the court. We should not take the issue of the rule of law with levity. Since a court had ruled that Oyinlola should resume as Secretary of the party, PDP should comply with the judgment of the court.

    “These are some of the issues that some of us are angry about. The PDP will be there, long after Oyinlola, long after everybody. We should protect the institution.

    “We can’t win always. We would win some, we would lose some. By doing this now, how are we going to help the reconciliation? It will surely not help reconciliation. Some of us thought it was a golden opportunity to begin to reconcile.

    “I think the party should review its action and give peace a chance because to suspend key members of a faction and still expect the aggrieved governors to be sympathetic to the cause of the party and be attending their meetings will be difficult and would not help the party.

    “Apart from the issue of reconciliation, this cannot help our democracy. The party is an institution that we are all holding in trust. We must all protect that institution not by being emotional or by expressing sentiments.

    “ The process sometimes could work in your favour, sometimes it may not. The executive there now will not be there forever. It is very sad because some of us have continued fight how we can bring peace to the party. All these things being done behind the scene, we should give peace a chance.”

     

  • Jonathan presents 2014 budget November 19

    Jonathan presents 2014 budget November 19

    Sequel to the postponement of the scheduled presentation of the 2014 budget before a joint sitting of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday, President Goodluck Jonathan will now present the budget before the lawmakers on November 19.

    A letter to this effect with the short title: “Re: 2014 Budget,” from the President and addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal reads in part:

    “Sequel to” my letter of 23rd October 2013 requesting that the Honourable House grant me the slot of 12:00 noon on Tuesday, 12th November 2013 to enable me formally address a Joint Session of the National Assembly on the 2014 Budget, emergent circumstances have necessitated my having to request for a new date of Tuesday, 19th November 2013 at the same time.

    “It is my hope that the Honourable Members will in your usual tradition, favourably consider my request.”

    The president has also sent a report to the National Assembly justifying the reason he asked for an extension of the emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

    In a letter dated November 5, 2013 and addressed to the Speaker with the title: ” Re: Extension of the period for the Proclamation of a state of Emergency,” Jonathan said he has attached a report by the Chief of Army Staff on the current situation in the affected areas.

     

  • Okadigbo’s assets: Court picks February 2014 for ruling

    Okadigbo’s assets: Court picks February 2014 for ruling

    An Abuja High Court in Maitama has fixed February 4 next year for judgment in dispute over the management of the assets of the late Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, who died over 10 years ago.

    Justice Folashade Ojo chose the date after parties adopted their written addresses on Tuesday.

    Okadigbo’s eldest son Chaka and his brother Osagyefo are asking the court to among others, declare that the deceased’s widow, Margery, now a Senator, is not a beneficiary of the estate of her late husband.

    The plaintiffs also seek the court’s declaration that Mrs. Okadigbo is entitled to share, with the deceased’s children, the assets and property of the late Senate president.

    They urged the court to amend the letters of administration granted the Margery and his other son, Pharoah by substituting Pharoah for Chaka as co-administrator with the widow.

    The plaintiffs also urged the court to direct Margery and Pharoah to account for the deceased’s estate.

    The plaintiffs averred in a supporting affidavit that Margery had failed to render account for the funds accruing from the late Senate President’s bank accounts, stocks, shares in companies and royalty from published books and other properties.

    In her defence, Margery argued that the action before the court is improper.

    She added that there was a letter from Chaka authorising his younger brother, Pharoah to commence the process of obtaining a power of attorney.

    She further claimed that it was on the strength of the letter that his brother became a joint executor of the estate.

     

     

  • Taraba Speaker defies court order on commissioner nominees

    … Conducts screening exercise

    The newly elected Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Josiah Sabo Kente, on Tuesday defied a court restraining him from screening the commissioner nominees in the state.

    He screened the nominees sent to the Assembly by the Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, despite a court injunction barring him from conducting the exercise.

    The court order, dated November 11, was signed by Justice Ali Ibrahim Andeyangtso of the High Court, Jalingo.

    It sought to stop the Speaker and the Assembly from “screening and approving the appointment of commissioner-nominees, pending the hearing and determination of Governor Danbaba Suntai’s motion on notice of No.TRSJ/306/13 filed on September 2.”

    Some of the lawmakers walked out of the plenary, which lasted less than 30 minutes and ended at about 9:00am.

    The screened nominees were immediately sworn (as commissioners) by the acting governor.

    Former Speaker, Istifanus Haruna Gbana and former Deputy Speaker, Abel Peter Diah among others who walked out of the screening plenary said it was illegal to go ahead with the exercise.

    “We decided not to participate in the sitting because we were served the court order restraining us from screening the commissioner-nominees,” said Hon. Diah who added: “On receiving the order we advised the Speaker on the right step.”

    Diah said all the lawmakers, including the Speaker, saw and went through the court order.

    The Speaker, however, denied being served the court order.

    Kente claimed he would have respected the court if the order was received.

     

  • Son slaughters, buries mum in Bayelsa

    Like a scene in a horror movie, a 67-year old mother, Mrs. Rose Jonny, was on Sunday butchered by her 24-year old son identified as Godsgift.

    Instead of bringing good tidings to her mother, Godsgift sent the woman that gave birth and raised him to the world beyond in a horrific manner.

    The indigenes of Oloibiri in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State, were thrown into mourning when they discovered that the son had not only killed the mother, but also buried her in a shallow grave.

    The Nation gathered that the mother of four was killed in her sleep with a machete by a son she loved so much.

    Sources from the community said, after slaughtering his mother, Godsgift dragged her out through the window and secretly threw her body into a shallow grave.

    The incident reportedly occurred at about 9.30pm on Sunday night.

    There was confusion in the land as the elders held many meetings to discuss the matter.

    The chiefs were said to have insisted that the gruesome murder had desecrated their land and that the land must be cleansed through prayers.

    The source who craved anonymity said: “The boy, who is suspected to be disturbed and deranged, had out of anger told the mother that she would not see the next day.

    “At about 8.30pm, he crept into the mother’s room and butchered her in her sleep.

    “He took her bloodied body out of the room through the window and dragged her to the back of the house. He dug a shallow grave and dumped her body. He later covered it with sand.

    “The next morning, people noticed that the woman’s door had remained locked. They knocked on her door many times but she did not answer.

    “Another son of the woman was summoned by the neighbours and they forced the door open. The whole room was soaked with blood and they noticed signs of big struggle.

    “The neighbours and the children of the deceased traced the bloodline created by the movement of the body through the window and saw the shallow grave and the body of the woman.”

    A member of the family identified as Godwin refused to speak on the matter and insisted that they preferred keeping the incident within the family.