The Nation Newspaper

Tag: crisis

  • Crisis brew in tourism sector, as NTDC staff wants Dg sacked

    •Accuses her of corruption

    Workers of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Director General of the Corporation, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, accusing her of diverting funds meant for the promotion of tourism in the country and mismanaging the organisation.

    The workers under the auspices of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) have embarked on a work to rule action, refusing to sit in their offices and work until the Director General is removed from office.

    They argued that if President Buhari is interested in promoting the nation’s tourist potentials as a means of diversifying Nigerian economy, he must take immediate steps to reorganize the Corporation by first removing the Chief Executive.

    The Staff of the Corporation who now gather every morning at the Village Hall located within the premises of the corporation, singing solidarity songs said they were protesting non-activities in the NTDC since the appointment of the current Director General, demanding her removal for alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office.

    The staff are also accusing Mrs. Mbanefo Of killing the tourism sector and destroying all the structures put in place by her predecessor, whom they claimed built the sector before his removal by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    When Journalists visited the premises of the Corporation on Tuesday morning, the place was deserted as no staff was in the offices, and the journalists were prevented from gaining access into the office complex by the two security officers on duty on the excuse that there was nobody inside the building.

    The Nation however noticed that the workers were sitting inside the Village Hall, singing solidarity songs before the leadership of  AUPCTRE addressed them on their inconclusive meeting at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity on Monday.

    The union Secretary of AUPCTRE, Comrade Dankano Chise Kunama, told journalists that the workers had earlier written to the Department of State Security (DSS), on their on-going protest and actions before they embarked on it, adding that the union and the DG had earlier dragged themselves to the DSS where they reached and signed an agreements which the DG failed to implement.

    Efforts to speak with Corporation’s Spokesperson identified as Grace failed as a text message was not acknowledged and calls to her phone line were not answered.

    The Director of Administration, Boniface Eboka, also sitting near the entrance of the NTDC building when journalists came declined to speak on the development saying, “you know I am a public servant and I am not permitted to speak.”

    Mrs Mbanefo refused to answer calls yesterday.

    Comrade Kunama said: “We want her removed. She is killing the tourism sector. Except the government is not serious with tourism, but if government wants to tap into the potentials of tourism to diversify Nigeria economy, they have to remove her and bring in a professional that has a vision for the sector.

    “She has destroyed the system from what it used to be before. She has destroyed all the structures put in place by her predecessor. Just look at the physical structure here, it was put in place by somebody.

    “Now if you enter our hall, it is leaking. See the entrance, see how dilapidated it is? Look at the water fountain, for two years now it is not be working. The bolehole that has been serving the offices has been shut down. Staff now pay N20 outside the premises to use toilet, see how deteriorating the situation has been.”

    While saying that the workers received her warmly when she resumed in May 2013, where she made promises which has not been fulfilled, Comrade Kunama said the crisis in the corporation has lasted for more than one year, during which the union has written her twice on their grievances and also signed agreement with her twice but nothing came out of it.

    The union accused her of siphoning the money meant for the corporation, co ing to work once every two weeks and failing to attend all international tourism fares and local festival where NTDC are partners.

    He said: “NTDC mandate is to promote Nigeria in the international market. Since she came, she has killed those fares, she has not been going to Berlin, WTN London, Dubai, Spain and all these places, the target markets we have been going. Right now, if we will go back, we have to pay all our dues over these time because we are affiliated to UNWTO, before we even pay for the year we want to participate.

    “Our domestic tourism which we want to promote within, Osun Osogbo, Yam festival in Anambra, Argungu Fish festival, we didn’t go. Normally, we go there to market and to take statistics of tourists and how much that festival is contributing to the economy of Nigeria.

    “She signed MOU with different organisations ABC, Vigo, but we are not seeing the profit. At the International Airports, the companies are there using our desk and our ID card to make money. Is that not a fraud, NTDC staff are not well taken care off but you are now giving and ID card to private Organisation that is making money in our name to their own coffer. So these are some of the agitations.”

     

  • Leadership crisis: Battle-weary NLC seeks out-of-court settlement

    There is a glimmer of hope that the leadership crisis rocking the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) will soon end. TOBA AGBOOLA writes that besides the judicial intervention being sought at the National Industrial Court (NIC), the two camps battling for the leadership have indicated interest to embrace a peaceful resolution. 

    Crisis-weary Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) factions may soon close ranks. Embroiled in what many call “an avoidable rift”, the workers’ umbrella union has, in the past four months, operated at cross-purposes under factional leaderships.

    The division in 23 of the 36 affiliated unions in the organised labour was triggered   by sundry issues, including alleged corruption and electoral malpractices.

    The botched election of March 12 that threw up Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero as factional presidents left the local chapters of the NLC in many states confused as to who the authentic leader is, thereby exposing the body to manipulation by external forces.

    The state branches, which are the basic building blocks of trade unions, have been in disarray since the election.

    But, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. National Industrial Court (NIC) President Babatunde Adejumo has advised the two factions to embrace peaceful reconciliation of their dispute.

    Justice Adejumo’s counsel came on the heels of a legal suit, which came up for hearing before his court in Ikoyi, Lagos, between the two factions.

    The suit stemmed from the 11th National Delegates Conference of the NLC in Abuja on March 12.

    Loyalists of both camps, in their hundreds, stormed the court as early as 7am, jostling for space in the court room and within the premises.

    Chief Gani Adetola Kaseem (SAN), Mrs. Aisha Aremu-Ogunlade and Ahmed Adetola  Kaseem, among other lawyers, are in the legal team  of the Wabba-led faction. Lawyers from the Enobong Etteh’s & Nnamonso Ekanem’s Chambers are holding brief for the Ajaero-led faction.

    After listening to Wabba’s counsel, Justice Adejumo, in an admonition, urged the various unions to embrace mutual reconciliation rather than traversing court rooms   for an intervention that would further widen the gulf among workers. He advocated an amicable and out-of-court settlement of the crisis.

    The NIC president noted that the ordinary union members and the nation at large hold the labour movement in high esteem, given its historic role in the nation’s history.

    He urged the lawyers representing the factions to join hands in resolving the lingering dispute, reminding them that a divided NLC would not bring anything good for its members.

    Stressing the importance of labour in the development of a nation, Justice Adejumo said workers constitute the “engine-room of the economy”, adding that a united NLC is better off than a divided one.

    Justice Adejumo described Issa Aremu, one of the 11 defendants served with originating sermons, as a tested and respected labour leader, who can use his wealth of experience to resolve the crisis.

    He said: “With the likes of Comrade Issa Aremu and others who are respected labour leaders in Nigeria, reconciliation should not be ignored.”

    The judge, however, warned that the court has the powers of conciliation in matters such as NLC’s internal dispute. These powers, he said, are contained in Section 20 of the NIC Act.

    According to him, it is an implied duty of the court, which may warrant it to appoint a Trustee for the NLC, urging the counsels to explore opportunities for reconciliation on a ‘no loser, no vanquish’ basis.

    Before adjourning the case to October 8, Justice Adejumo stated that he gave the advice without prejudice to the case before his court.

    Reacting to the development, the National President of the National Union Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Oladele Hunsu, commended the NIC President for his counsel for amicable reconciliation against litigation.

    “We also acknowledge the spirited effort by the highly-respected labour veterans to reconcile both factions following the discredited 11th Delegates’ Conference and Special Delegates’ Conference of NLC respectively”, he said.

    Noting that his union, where  Aremu serves as the general secretary, supported the reconciliation option, he called on other labour leaders to take advantage of the admonition of the NIC President to unite and resolve all outstanding issues in order to forge a common front to defend the workers in the face of the harsh economic situation.

    The Wabba led-camp had returned to the NIC, seeking among others, a declaration that the Special Delegates’ Conference of NLC, where Ajaero and others emerged officers of the Congress, was not organised by the   NLC in line with the Constitution of the Congress in 2011 and should therefore be declared illegal, null and void, and of no effect whatsoever.

    But, in the spirit of the out-of-court settlement, initiated by veteran unionists, led by the founding NLC President, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu, the belief of concerned members is that the period of the adjournment will be used by the factions to find an enduring and a win-win solution to the problem.

     

    Blackmailing and impersonation

    Events in the past may have further widened the gulf between the two factions. Despite the fact that the Ajaero-led group has expressed its disposition to reconciliation, the other faction under Wabba, has on several occasions accused the group of impersonation.

    Wabba, in a recent statement, said the NLC headquarters took exception to the issuance of statements  by the Ajaero faction on behalf of the Congress.

    His words: “The attention of the Congress has been drawn to the serial impersonation by Comrades Joe Ajaero and Issa Aremu since they both lost their bids to be President and Deputy President of the NLC at the rescheduled March 14, 2015 elections of Congress.”

    Wabba explained what informed his reaction, citing a statement credited to Aremu, in which he called on the National Assembly to, in line with the economic realities, further reduce its N120 billion vote.

    He stated: “While we had restrained the National Secretariat from publishing a disclaimer in the hope that common sense and sanity would eventually prevail on our comrades to stop this delusion, it has become clear to us and the entire labour movement that Comrades Ajaero and Aremu are determined to continue in their enterprise of impersonation as president and deputy president of the NLC.

    “It is for this reason that Comrade Aremu had continued to issue statements in which he continually purport himself to be the deputy president of Congress and on behalf of our revered organisation.

    “One of such statements, and which was given wide publicity in at least four national dailies, contended that the alleged decision of the National Assembly to voluntarily cut its budget from N150 billion to N120 billion was “too token and not far-reaching enough.”

    Wabba stressed that though they (Ajaero and Aremu) can issue statements or speak on behalf of their respective unions, being affiliates of the NLC, they have no right to issue statements or speak for the NLC.

    He said: “As general secretaries of their respective unions, that are affiliates of the NLC, we cannot stop Comrade Aremu of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria and Ajaero of the National Union of Electricity Employees, or any officer of an industrial union, from speaking on any national issues they feel strongly about.

    “However, no affiliate, industrial union, or their officers, enjoy the liberty to issue statements in the name of the NLC, unless such an affiliate is expressly mandated to do so.”

    He said all instances since Ajaero and Aremu lost their bids to be elected as president and deputy president are clear cases of impersonation.

    “We had course to recently alert our international allies – Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), International Trade Union Confederation-Africa (ITUC-Africa) and International Labour Organisation (ILO), among other labour bodies – to discountenance with any correspondence from Comrades Joe Ajaero and Issa Aremu if it is purported to be on behalf of the NLC.

    “While Comrades Ajaero and Aremu pretend to be advocates of democracy, they have both become clear embarrassments, to themselves and unfortunately to the entire labour movement, since they lost the elections to become national officers of Congress.

    “They have failed to show even an iota of democratic civility by approaching law courts if not satisfied with the process that produced the new leadership of the NLC on March 14, 2015. Instead, they have since then been engaging in what are clear cases of obfuscation, blackmail and impersonation.”

    According to Wabba, the NLC will soon engage the leadership of the National Assembly on the budget.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, on the issue of the budget of the National Assembly, on which Comrade Aremu was reported to have issued a statement, we have since met with the National Assembly and we will similarly engage Mr. President on a range of national and labour-related issues, whenever we have an audience with him”, Wabba said.

    In a swift reaction, Aremu lashed out on Wabba, whom he accused of wasting workers’ funds on litigation, pointing out that he should have taken debtor-governors to court over the non-payment of salaries, if only to demonstrate his love for the  NLC.

    According to him, Wabba should dissipate his energies and resources in tackling issues on workers’ welfare welfare and national development, instead of taking the Ajaero’s faction to court.

    He said: “Governors who owe workers several months of salaries should have been taken to court of public opinion and international organisations instead of taking us to the NIC.

    “The court in its wisdom knows we are not impersonating; that we are the authentic representatives of the Congress and that we have more to talk about the ministerial appointments, the National Assembly and other issues of national importance.

    “We (labour leaders) have been together before, and by the grace of God, the issue will be settled since a reconciliation process has started.”

    He said the strength of the organised labour cannot be in fighting one another but in fighting a common enemy, adding that a united NLC will critically move the economy of the country forward.

    The NUTGTW scribe noted that labour veterans in the Sumonu-led committee have begun reconciliation moves to ensure that both parties work together as one organisation.

    He added that the man-hour lost to litigation will not add to the growth of the economy, warning that division could be counter-productive.

    Aremu, however, insisted that the on-going reconciliation must be based on the core values of the labour movement.

    “A united NLC will be better positioned to critically address the nation’s challenges. Trade union must use the power of labour to fight for Nigerians”, he stressed.

    The National President of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who doubles as the Deputy President of the Ayuba-led camp, Alhaji Najim Yasin, also confirmed the on-going reconciliatory move.

    “We believe that we should all come together and speak with one voice in the general interest of all Nigerian workers”, he said.

    He expressed the hope that the reconciliation move will go a long way in ending the crisis, which he admitted, has polarised the body.

    Yasin commended the workers and labour leaders for their understanding, assuring them that the NLC will come out of the crisis stronger.

     

    Oshiomhole, ex-NLC leaders, factions meet over crisis

    Efforts at resolving the protracted crisis in the NLC continued in Abuja as Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and other fromer labour leaders, including  Sumonu, met with factional leaders.

    The meeting, which was earlier scheduled for Benin City, the Edo State capital, was moved to the Federal Capital City (FCT).

    Expectedly, Wabba and Ajaero, led their factions to the meeting  with the committee of veterans.

  • Senate crisis: Saraki’s loyalists beg Buhari

    Senate crisis: Saraki’s loyalists beg Buhari

    •Ndume, Gaya, Aliero lead emissary

    •Dogara’s compliance with party’s directive puts Senate President under pressure

    Some loyalists of Senate President  Bukola Saraki are beating a retreat in the lingering cold war with the All Progressives Congress (APC)   hierarchy  over the leadership  crisis  in the Red Chambers.

    They  have already  reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari for the purpose of reconciling with him and, by extension, the party leadership.

    It was learnt that members of the peace team  are also likely to meet with a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    However,the Saraki loyalists were said to have left  the first meeting with  Buhari “uncomfortable” on account of his  body language.

    Saraki and his loyalists  had defied the party by rejecting  its candidates for principal positions in the Senate.

    They shunned the June 9 meeting  convened by the APC to resolve the matter and teamed up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect their own candidates including Saraki as Senate President and PDP’s  Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy.

    It was gathered that House of Representtives Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s compliance with the APC’s directive on the choice of principal officers in the House  was largely responsible for the change of heart  by Saraki and his supporters having being put  under pressure by Dogara’s move.

    It was gathered that  the  Buhari/ Saraki’s  loyalists and strategists  meeting  took place at the Presidential Villa a few days ago.

    It was  shielded  from  reporters for  what a source described as “avoiding media backlash on the fresh peace process.”

    The  “peace team” ,according to sources,was led by  Senate Leader  Ali Ndume.

    Among those who  accompanied  him were Senators Adamu Aliero, Danjuma Goje, Kabiru Gaya and Abdullahi Adamu.

    Two of the Senators  admitted last night  that they were at the meeting.

    The  others could not be reached.

    Investigation revealed that the Senators were disturbed that all is not well between the Senate and the Presidency.

    The mild drama at the Abuja Eid  ground during the last Eid-el-Fitr festival when the President and Saraki barely exchanged greetings  was said to have made the “peace session” inevitable.

    Besides, the President is said to have  refused  to meet and discuss policy issues with Saraki,causing more anxiety for  loyalists of the Senate President.

    A reliable source: “These Senators, comprising mainly of some former governors came to explore peace between the Presidency and the Senate.

    “Obviously, the Senators were subtly running an errand for Saraki. I think their trip was a consequence of the Abdulsalami  Peace Committee’s meeting with Saraki.”

    One of those at the meeting with Buhari said: “It was actually a family affair thing. When you see a threat looming, you do not need to wait till it becomes a bigger challenge.

    “We are doing everything to reconcile the President and the Senate President and other stakeholders in APC to move forward.

    “We want to see that everything goes on well. Whatever is the problem, we are going to sort it out.

    “There is no point pretending. The President and some APC leaders have been unhappy with the Senate President. We cannot allow the crisis of confidence to fester. This is why we decided to intervene.”

    Another source on the trip said: “Yes, the President gave us audience in spite of the fact that he was not too happy with some of us on the roles we played. But I commend his magnanimity.

    “We explained the situation of things to him and why he should forgive and forget whatever went wrong. We know what to do in the spirit of reconciliation to accommodate the Ahmed Lawan group.”

    Asked  about  the countenance of the President after the session, the source added: “Uncomfortable but hope is not lost. I won’t tell you what the President said at the meeting.

    “I think the President’s grouse was that the party’s directive was ignored despite his appeal that Senators should respect party supremacy. He does not hate Saraki.”

    It was gathered  last night that some Senators had been approaching a national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for reconciliation on the Senate crisis.

    It was learnt that Senate Leader  Ndume is also coordinating the “reach-out- to-all initiative.”

    There were strong indications last night that Ndume might have made some shuttles to Lagos to meet with Tinubu and some APC leaders.

    The overtures could not be independently confirmed from Ndume as at the time of filing this report.

    A respected APC top shot said: “I think it is  a jealously guarded script being driven by Ndume.

    “The reality is that Dogara’s deference to party’s directive has put pressure on Saraki and the APC caucus in the Senate.

    “While Dogara opted to be his own man at the last minute, Saraki’s loyalists stuck to their script which has put the Senate on the edge and created mutual distrust between the President and the Senate President.”

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on June 23 letter wrote Saraki on the party’s position on the sharing of principal offices in the Senate.

    The letter, referenced APC/NHDQ/NAM/01/015/05, said: “Please find below for your necessary action names of principal officers approved by the party after excessive consultations for the 8th Senate as follows: Sen. Ahmed Lawan (Majority Leader)—North-East; Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Chief Whip)—South-West; Sen. George Akume (Deputy Majority Leader) —North-Central; and Sen. Abu Ibrahim (Deputy Chief Whip) —North-West.”

    But Saraki said it was impossible to comply with the directive of the party because the principal officers had already been selected before the letter was received.

    A source in Lawan’s camp said: “We were aware of the meeting between the President and the affected Senators. They said they are after peace, but without putting options on the table.”

    Saraki himself is confident that the Senate will bounce back after what he calls some distractions.

    The Senate President in a tweet yesterday said: “Although the 8th Senate has had some distractions,we have hit the ground running.

    “When we return, Nigerians can expect more oversight actions.”

     

  • Buhari names Obasanjo special envoy to Guinea Bissau crisis

    Buhari names Obasanjo special envoy to Guinea Bissau crisis

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is to mediate in the unfolding political situation in Guinea Bissau on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Buhari yesterday named Obasanjo as special envoy on the crisis following the dismissal of Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira and his cabinet by President Jose Mario Vaz.

    Obasanjo embarked on the first leg of his mission by consulting with the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Macky Sall of Senegal in Dakar on Thursday.

    The consultation was in progress when Pereira was replaced as Prime Minister by Baciro Dja.

    President Buhari appealed for calm and asked the authorities in Guinea Bissau to exercise utmost restraint and ensure the maintenance of law and order as efforts continue to resolve the current crisis.

    The Guinea Bissau government and the military, according to him, should ensure respect for constitutional order, sanctity of life and safety of citizens, and avoid taking any further action capable of threatening the fragile democratic institutions recently established in the country.

    Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr.Femi Adesina, said the President’s intervention was in line with true African solidarity and brotherhood.

  • Ekiti PDP crisis: Court orders service of summons on Fayose’s faction, others

    Legal battle began yesterday on the festering factional crisis rocking the Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with an Ado-Ekiti High Court ordering service of court processes on the factional loyal to Governor Ayo Fayose.

    The court also ordered substituted service on the PDP National Secretariat through the state chapter of the party.

    The suit was instituted by Tunde Olatunde, Tope Aluko, Afolayan Akutupu, Tunji Olanrewaju, Mrs. Busola Oyebode, Ganiyu Bankole and Femi Ogunleye.

    Defendants are PDP (first) , Idowu Faleye (second), Kola Kolade (third), Ajibola Samuel (fourth), Sina Animasaun (fifth), Mrs. Lanre Fajuyi, (sixth), Kola Lawal (seventh), Babade Ige (eighth),  Lateef Agbaje (ninth) and Ayo Ogungbuyi (10th).

    The second defendant is the chairman of the faction loyal to Fayose. The third to tenth defendants are members of a Disciplinary Committee, which recommended suspension and expulsion of four members of the State Working Committee (SWC).

    The four SWC members, who were pronounced expelled for alleged anti-party activities, are Olatunde (acting chairman), Aluko (secretary), Olanrewaju (auditor) and Mrs. Oyebode (women leader).

    Justice Lekan Ogunmoye heard a motion ex-parte moved by counsel to the claimants/applicants, Oluwatobi Fatoki.

    The motion was supported by a 10-paragraph affidavit and supported by a written address brought pursuant to Sections 96 and 97 of the Sheriff Act and Order 7 Rule 5 (a) of Ekiti State High Court Civil Procedure Rule.

    After the motion was moved by Fatoki, Justice Ogunmoye granted the claimants/applicants leave to issue originating summons and other processes filed in the suit on the first defendant (PDP) in Abuja, which is outside the jurisdiction of the court.

    Justice Ogunmoye also granted an order of substituted service of the originating summons and all other processes to be filed in the action on PDP through Ekiti State Chapter at No 161, Ureje, Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti.

    The judge further granted an order of substituted service on the second to 10th defendants since personal service on them might be difficult for the claimants/applicants.

    He held that since the application was ex-parte, the facts therein remained incontrovertible and they were granted after being carefully and dispassionately considered.

    Parties in the suit are expected back in court on October 14.

     

  • Presidency: don’t drag Buhari into ISIS chief’s visa crisis

    Presidency: don’t drag Buhari into ISIS chief’s visa crisis

    The Presidency yesterday cautioned against dragging the name of President Muhammadu Buhari into the controversy over how a leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Ahmed   Al-Assir, got a Nigerian visa.

    A presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, said yesterday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has demanded a report from the Nigerian mission in Lebanon, should be allowed to carry out the assignment.

    Shehu said it was mischievous to drag the person of President Muhammadu Buhari into how the ISIS chief secured the visa.

    Al-Assir, said to be the Chief Imam of ISIS was arrested on August 15 at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport in Lebanon on his way to Nigeria through Egypt.

    In spite of being on the watch-list of Lebanon’s security services since 2013, Al-Assir was detected while holding a fake Palestinian passport with the Nigerian visa.

    The Lebanese government accused him of involvement in the death of 17 Lebanese soldiers.

    He was also sentenced to death in absentia by a Lebanese court.

    But how he beat the visa process at the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon is creating ripples in security circles.

    The Federal Government is said to be disturbed that Al-Assir succeeded in deceiving the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Embassy officials.

    Although the suspect reportedly changed his identity and looks and presented superficial documents for visa, the government decided to probe the incident to ascertain that there was no internal collaboration at its mission.

    Some security agencies, including the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), will also be involved in the investigation to get to the root of the diplomatic challenge and how to avert a re-occurrence.

    A source said: “As I talk to you, those at the nation’s embassy in Lebanon have been queried on how things went wrong.

    “The embassy has been mandated to submit a comprehensive report to the Federal Government within 72 hours.

    “The report is expected to cover how Al-Assir applied for visa, the documents submitted, what he claimed as his mission to Nigeria, the procedure adopted in verifying his claims; whether or not there was any collaboration with security agencies in Nigeria; and the timeline for the issuance of the visa.

    “The government is also interested if the ISIS chief was questioned on where he would stay in Nigeria, his host and the duration of his trip.”

    Another source added: “Besides the report, the security agencies will also look into the list of those granted visa in the last few months to ascertain whether ISIS members had covertly applied.

    “We are worried because Boko Haram has pledged loyalty to ISIS. And the botched trip of Al-Assir is reawakening because it has confirmed Boko Haram’s claim.”

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for a full report on the case and it is investigating it.

    “But it is mischievous for anyone to attempt to drag the person of President Muhammadu Buhari into the incident. The Buhari administration had nothing to do with the suspect or the supposed visit of the ISIS chief.

    “Without prejudice to the ongoing investigation, it should be noted that Nigerian missions are to serve, they can adjudge an applicant for visa on the basis of documents presented to the Embassy. What is hidden in their heart, you will not know

    “And for this applicant, we have read report of how he concealed his identity and wore a new look to get the visa.

    “Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking into the matter, let us await the outcome of the investigation.”

  • Crisis brews as Dogara moves to strip Lasun of powers

    Crisis brews as Dogara moves to strip Lasun of powers

    The House of Representatives may be heading for another crisis when it resumes from its recess on September 29.

    This is because the Ad Hoc Committee on Standing Orders  raised by the Speaker , Yakubu Dogara,  is set to reduce the powers of the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun.

    The machinery for achieving this purpose is near perfection, The Nation learnt, as the committee  has set the ball rolling in its report, which was laid before the House before it went on recess.

    In one of its recommendations, the committee proposed that the Speaker should preside over the Committee of Whole, which is responsible for consideration of reports on bills and investigative hearing as provided by the Standing Orders of the Seventh Assembly.

    According to the committee, Order 25 which provides that “the Deputy Speaker shall be the Chairman of Committee of the Whole House, save when the House goes into the Committee of Supply or Ways and Means,” should be amended.

    Order 25 (i) which deals with the duties of the Deputy Speaker, states: “In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker shall perform all the duties and functions of the Speaker.”

    25 (II) further states: “The Deputy Speaker then shall be the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House, save when the House goes into the Committee of Supply or Ways and Means.”

    The move to whittle down the powers of the Deputy Speaker is being seen by some as  part of a larger plan to reduce the influence of the Deputy Speaker in the Eighth House.

    According to a source, the underlying reason might not be unconnected with the belief that Lasun’s benefit in the Eighth House far outstrips his contributions to the Dogara project.

    However,  sources said some elements in the erstwhile Dogara camp might be the ones pushing for the move to push Lasun into irrelevance.

    Lasun appeared to hit the limelight with his emergence as the Deputy Speaker with a perception that he was little known in the Seventh House due to his being inactive.

    However, against all odds and the negative perception, Lasun’s handling of legislative matters on the floor of the Green chamber has left no one in doubt about his grasp of his legislative duties. In the just over 50 days of sittings, Lasun presided over a Committee of the Whole House as well as presiding over plenary in the absence of the Speaker to the admiration of his colleagues and observers.

    Dogara must have realised the qualities of his deputy as he delegated several assignments for Lasun to handle.

    It was learnt the report presented to the House before its six-week recess promises to be contentious and will not be taken lightly by Lasun and his supporters .

  • Osun ’ll soon be out of cash crisis, says Rep

    A member of the House of Representatives Alhaja Ayo Omidiran, has predicted that Osun State will soon be out of its economic crisis.

    She said with the beginning of implementation of the communiqué of the stakeholders’ conference held on August 10, in Osogbo, the state is set for an economic turnaround.

    The conference was organised by the Osun Legislators’ Forum and attended by public office holders and civil servants.

    Top players in the organised labour and private sector also attended, the event, where decisions on the way forward were taken.

    Mrs. Omidiran, who represents Irewole Federal Constituency, was one of the prime organisers of the conference.

    She said Governor Rauf Aregbesola has started to implement the meeting’s outcome.

    “The idea behind it was for us to bring the ideas together so that the state can harness its resources to continue to move forward. We were happy the governor supported it and put all the government machinery behind it. We are confident the outcome will positively influence the state,” Mrs. Omidiran said.

    Osun is one of the states badly hit by the financial crisis that followed the drop in oil prices, which adversely affected the cash flow into the nation’s treasury.

    The state is just clearing the backlog of salaries to its workers.

    The communiqué of the conference read by the representative of the labour unions at the meeting, Mr. Richard Afolayan Oyegbami, recommends that:

    * government should plug the loopholes in the way revenues are collected;

    * Osun people must pay taxes and rates before being compelled to do so;

    *the need to review the cost of governance, particularly to ascertain accurately the recurrent expenditure.

    *government should embrace public private sector partnerships in agriculture, mining and tourism;

    *government should patronise competent local contractors to deepen the state’s economy; and

    *parents should contribute a token to augment the free education programme.

  • Sunmonu to resolve NLC leadership crisis

    Sunmonu to resolve NLC leadership crisis

    An end may be in sight to the leadership crisis that is rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), with the constitution of a seven-man reconciliation panel headed by a former president of the congress, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu.

    There are two factions in the union –– one is headed by Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who was elected in Abuja at delegate  conferene.  Comrade Joe Ajaero heads the other. He was elected in Lagos.

    Former President of the Congress and Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole told reporters at the end of the reconciliation meeting called by veterans of the congress that a seven-man committee headed by the founding President, Comrade Hassan Sumonu has been set up to iron out all issues that were raised by both parties in the crisis.

    Oshiomhole said that each of the two factions are to be represented by three people including  Comrades Wabba and Joseph Ajaero.

    The mandate of the Committee, he said, will be to meet regularly to iron out the issues in contention until they are resolved. He said the major issues are not about positions since the two factions recognised that only one person can be President at any given time.

    He explained that the reconciliation meeting looked at the issues that arose and concluded that these are all family issues and in every family, it is not unusual to have some disagreement, adding that  “we all deeply regret all that has happened that led to the discordant voices that people were beginning to hear from among the leadership of the NLC”.

    He said that they have all resolved to work together and build peace within the labour movement as well as in the state councils, adding that those who were thinking that the NLC will break up have been disappointed by the out come of the reconciliation.

    He said: “Having listened to all the parties, we all agreed that there is only one NLC and at any given time, only one person can lead and other will follow. But leadership and followers is not a relationship between a tenant and owner. Everybody is a member of the movement.

    “Having deliberated on this, we agree that a committee of seven persons be drawn up with members of three each drawn up from each shade of opinion from the NLC family and our founding president, Comrade Sumonu will provide leadership for this committee of seven and they will meet and ensure that NLC is managed on the basis of inclusion and not exclusion.

    “They will help the leaders of the congress to operate in such a way that everybody will have a sense of belonging. We all agreed that all the issues that has been raised should be revisited. Issues of ethics, morality, customs and practice, traditions of the trade union movement and law.

    “All these issues and others will be addressed in a manner that will help NLC regain internal cohesion and have a coherent voice, not only in running its affairs, but being able to comment authoritatively on matters affecting the politics and economy of Nigeria”.

    Oshiomhole said they have also directed that the matter before the National Industrial Court should be withdrawn unconditionally because the Congress has the internal mechanism to resolve its own crisis.

  • Groups trade words as Bayelsa PDP’s crisis worsens

    •Party groups blame acting chairman •Defectors will come back to PDP, says forum

    The crisis in Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has worsened, following the defection of its Chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd), and many others to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Inokoba led about 2,000 PDP members to the APC on Saturday at a mega rally at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    But a scathing statement on Inokoba and the defectors, credited to PDP’s Acting Chairman Serena Dokubo, was said to have pitted PDP members against the acting chairman.

    Dokubo said Inokoba was suspended on alleged corruption and anti-party activity.

    The acting party chairman described the defectors as spent forces without electoral value.

    But a group in the state’s PDP, Bayelsa Great House (BGH), condemned the statement ascribed to Dokubo.

    It accused him of instigating and deepening the party’s crisis.

    BGH’s Chairman Ebinimi Owei and Secretary Victor Woyinkuro said Inokoba took the right decision by leaving “confused persons, liars, greedy and desperate politicians in the PDP under the Restoration Government for the APC”.

    They urged Dokubo to explain when and in which court of competent jurisdiction Inokoba was judged and found guilty of being a questionable character.

    Owei, for instance, accused Dokubo of being envious of the “sterling qualities of Inokoba”.

    The BGH’s chairman described the defected PDP chairman as “a seasoned administrator and one of the finest the PDP has produced so far”.

    He advised Dokubo not to drag his age through the mud because of cheap politics.

    Owei accused Dokubo of doubling as an acting chairman of PDP and an employee of the Judiciary Commission.

    The BGH chief reminded the party chairman that Governor Seriake Dickson, during a PDP meeting at the Government House on July 30 attended by Acting National Chairman Uche Secondus; National Secretary Dr. Abila acknowledged that Inokoba did not steal the party’s money.

    He said: “We implore Serena Dokubo to face reality because PDP Bayelsa is sinking every moment he engages in lies, deceit and other cheap political propaganda. Sam Inokoba’s qualities cannot be bought or destroyed by anyone.”

    On the description of the defectors as yesterday’s men, Owei reminded Dokubo that politics was a game of numbers, adding that the PDP was finished under his watch.

    He said: “We, therefore, state that Governor Dickson should hold Serena Dokubo and Fynman Wilson responsible, if he fails the governorship election, which is very clear. The PDP is never an Ijaw party.

    “It was Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who empowered Isaac Adaka Boro, our foremost activist; in 1996, (the late Head of State), Gen. Sani Abacha gave us a state called Bayelsa and the late President Umaru Yar’Adua gave us amnesty, the peace we are enjoying today.”

    Also, another group, the PDP Unity Group (PUG), said the defectors would return to the PDP.

    At a separate media briefing in Yenagoa, PUG’s Coordinator Mrs. Marie Ebikake noted that the defectors would return the moment the ideals the group was pursuing were achieved.

    She hoped that the souls and spirits of the defectors, despite their reasons for dumping the PDP, were still with the party.

    Mrs Ebikake said the shouting of the PDP slogan, instead of the APC’s by Inokoba at the APC mega rally last Saturday, was an indication that the souls and spirits of those who left the party were still with the PDP.

    She said: “Whereas the defectors have a right to their actions and some of their claims against the PDP may be true, the PUG is relentless on a mission to right the wrongs within the party, and there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

    “The group was instrumental to the last-minute change of heart of some members who would have defected last Saturday and we will continue to constructively engage other intending defectors.

    “There are strong indications that some of those who crossed are ready to return to the party the moment the ideals being pursued by the group are achieved.”