Members of the forum of Commissioners of Finance yesterday debunked the claim by the former Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that the Federation… Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) approved the withdrawal $2bilion from the Excess Crude (Foreign) Account.
Reacting to Okonjo-Iweala’s claim, the commissioners’ forum in a statement said “This statement is far from the fact and it is misleading”.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that former Aviation Minister, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, not only lied but also distorted facts to reach a prepossessed conclusion on the party’s comments on the Federal Government’s proscription of the Boko Haram sect.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Fani-Kayode’s emotional response to an earlier statement by the party failed to wash off the thick mud he splashed on himself when he returned to his vomit, repudiated everything he ever said he stood for and made himself available to be used to castigate the opposition on the altar of glaring exigency.
It said, however, that in the true spirit of the party’s belief in dwelling on issues rather than pettiness, it has decided not to engage Fani-Kayode in brickbats but to simply set the record straight, for the sake of posterity.
APC said the action was meant to expose Fani-Kayode for who he truly is: “a Janus-faced, brassy personality who stands for nothing and will fall for anything”.
The statement said: “On June 9, 2013, the ACN issued a statement in which it said in the opening paragraph: ‘The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said that the recent proscription order against Boko Haram and Ansaru, desirable as it may be in tackling the terrorist organisations, violates the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by stifling the press and tampering with the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.’
“Any person, especially one who supposedly had the benefit of a sound education, who interprets this statement as a condemnation of the proscription itself is either acting out of deliberate mischief or has failed to take advantage of his good education, perhaps in a desperation to escape justice at all cost.
“What the statement means is that in as much as the Federal Government may have done a desirable thing in proscribing the terrorist groups, a section of the proscription Order violates the constitution by stifling the press and tampering with the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.
“We then quoted that offensive section of the Proscription Order as Section 5 (1), which prescribes a term of imprisonment of not less than 20 years ‘for any person who knowingly, in any manner, directly or indirectly, solicits or renders support for the commission of an act of terrorism or to a terrorist group’.
“We said: ‘Support, as defined by the Order, includes “incitement to commit a terrorist act through the Internet, or any electronic means OR THROUGH THE USE OF PRINTED MATERIALS OR THROUGH THE DISSEMINATION OF TERRORIST INFORMATION” (emphasis ours). We said this section is in conflict with Chapter II Section 22 of the Nigeria constitution, which says: ‘The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media, shall AT ALL TIMES BE FREE (emphasis ours) to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.’
“We said by stifling the press, the Order is abridging a part of the fundamental human rights guaranteed every citizen under Chapter Four of the Nigerian Constitution in Section 39 (1), which states thus: ‘Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information WITHOUT INTERFERENCE?’ (emphasis ours), and warned that this section could be used against journalists and the opposition,” APC said.
In order not to be misunderstood or to have our stand distorted by mischief makers seeking to feather their own nest at the expense of the truth, we then said: “Against the background of insinuations in government circles, let us be clear that we do not condone the activities of these sects that have killed and maimed innocent Nigerians and turned a section of the country into a battle field.
“Terrorism, in all its ramifications, is condemnable, and no responsible government will allow any group, no matter its name, grievances or ideology, to carry out terrorist acts unchecked.”
The party said its intervention was deemed sufficiently weighty enough to warrant instant clarifications from the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It quoted a Presidency’s statement as saying: “For the avoidance of doubt, the Order is not meant to stop journalists from carrying out their duties or the function of news gathering or reporting, as they differ from terrorist activities. Rather, the Order is out to criminalise acts of incitement by anyone, group of persons or institutions to commit terrorist acts through dissemination of terrorist information.”
APC also quoted the PDP’s statement: “For the avoidance of doubt, no section of the Order stifled the press; violated or seeks to violate any provision of the constitution. Instead, the Order reinforced the provisions of the constitution guaranteeing the security and welfare of all Nigerians.”
The party said it was baffling that “anyone would still take this statement to mean that APC is against the proscription of Boko Haram”.
It said Fani-Kayode’s attempt to back away from his earlier statement that Boko Haram is the armed wing of the APC would not excuse him from tendering whatever evidence he has to support his irresponsible, malicious and libellous claim in court.
“In line with his shifty and deceitful style, Mr. Fani-Kayode, in his rambling response, tried to tone down his earlier statement by saying: ‘I believe strongly that the APC comprises at least a handful of Boko Haram sympathisers and questionable individuals who have, at various times, expressed a certain degree of support for Boko Haram.’
“But our response to this toned-down version of what he said on television is that it is too late in the day for him to back away from his earlier statement, for which he must apologise or face a court action,” it said.
APC reminded Fani-Kayode, “who prides himself as a man of good breeding”, that there is no better indication of good breeding than for a man to have integrity and principles that cannot be mortgaged, even with the dangling of a dangerous carrot that could pervert the course of justice to his benefit.”
The Kwara State Government has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of distorting facts in the name of politics.
The PDP accused the government of building a house for former Governor Bukola Saraki in Ilorin, the state capital.
In a statement, the Secretary to the State Government, Isiaka Ishola Gold, said: “The Kwara State Government does not pay and has not paid Saraki any utility or domestic allowance.
“Till date, neither Senator Saraki nor any of his family has claimed any medical expenses and the government has never built any house for Saraki.”
Gold said despite the former governor’s entitlements as contained in the law, he has not requested for any provision for domestic staff.
“So to say that it was because of Saraki’s pension package that the state could not pay salaries is false and yet again an act of desperation by PDP to raise false alarm.
“We make bold to say that Kwara State pays salaries on the 25th of every month or earlier if that date falls on the weekend.
“For the avoidance of doubt and to set the record straight, the former governor does not enjoy anything more than retired civil servants, especially permanent secretaries who receive their last gross salaries as pension.
“What he enjoys from the state is his last salary, which is N1,262,626. Before 2012, the figure was only N826,848 monthly as is the norm in most climes, hence there is no basis for comparison between Saraki and the Akwa Ibom saga.” .
The SSG said though Saraki might be the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in the state, he ceased to be governor three years ago.
“The law was not meant for him, but past governors. However, it is within democratic practice, for any individual or group to initiate bills or amendment of bills in the legislature.
“The PDP, or any group or individual is not denied such right,” the government said.
“The truth, which is in public domain, is that Kwara earned just N38.7billion last year and not N49billion as insinuated by the PDP, yet the administration is deepening the developing of infrastructure in the state.”
Wikki Tourist FC of Bauchi media officer, Usman Abbas has expressed dismay and disappointment over a fabricated statement against the fans of the club by Kwara United FC.
The Afonja Warriors had last week condemned Wikki Tourists fans for their unruly behaviour and attack on their fans during the week nine of the Nigeria National League (NNL) clash played at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium.
In a release made available to SportingLife, Abbas disagreed and condemned in totality the statement credited to Kwara United, insisting that their fans are law abiding citizens.
“My intention is not to join issues with the management of Kwara United or whoever was responsible for that untrue publication because Wikki Tourists and Kwara United have been friends for long. As far as the team is concerned, Wikki Tourists fans are the best supporters in the national league. This is because the club’s supporters recently received two commendation letters from two different cubs that have played in Bauchi and were defeated but yet satisfied with the sportsmanship behaviour of Wikki fans before, during and after the match,” Abbas said.
He also disputed Kwara United’s allegation that their fans harassed the match officials that handled the match. “After the goalless first 45 minutes, the match officials were peacefully taken to their dressing room by the security and brought back to the pitch for the second half. And if it was true that the match officials were harassed they should have reported the matter to the organisers of the league immediately after the match. The question to ask Kwara United is, have they reported any unfair treatment of Wikki supporters to the match commissioner or have Kwara United reported the brutal attack of their supporters during the pre-match meeting to the match officials,” he asked.
Abbas also drew the attention of Kwara United: “During the pre-match meeting, the match commissioner asked the visiting team if they have supporters so that the state’s F.A. will show them where to stay, but the Kwara United officials at the meeting said they don’t have supporters. So, why is Kwara United now claiming that their supporters were brutally attacked. Does it mean they lied to the match officials that they don’t have supporters or are the supporters’ ghosts?
“On the issue of their media officer, it was a fabrication and he is not fair to me as the media officer of Wikki Tourists because in whatever situation I try to protect all media officers and their cameramen that come to Bauchi for matches. In this case, before the match I joined him with my cameraman and they worked together beside the press gallery while I was right behind them. Nobody said anything to him till the end of the match when he and my cameraman went to the Kwara United bus.
“We have a name to protect and our supporters were trained in a seminar and workshop for one week before the commencement of the league and therefore they cannot do anything funny, stupid or uncivilised to any club to cause confusion for Wikki Tourists. Our target is to maintain the lead in our group to the end of the league and to see us back to the premier league by the grace of God and for Kwara United they should accept defeat in good faith for the game of football to progress instead of blaming match officials or opponents,” Abbas concluded.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has cleared the air on the controversial N92 billion earned allowances contained in the 2009 agreement reached by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.
The NUC said the earned allowances of N92 billion in the agreement covers the earned allowances of the academic and non-academic workers.
While the Federal Government claimed it had released N100 billion for infrastructure in federal universities, ASUU insisted that the amount due for injection is N500 billion.
The government also said it has met substantially, the agreements reached with the union, except the N92 billion earned allowances.
But in a letter dated August 26, 2013, signed by the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, addressed to the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, the NUC boss directed the governing councils to provide oversight in the administration of the released earned allowances to “deserving academic and non-academic workers”.
Speaking in a telephone chat with reporters in Ibadan, the Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, said ASUU had been vindicated by the campaign of calumny by the Federal Government to the effect that the earned allowances was for only academic workers.
He described the initial claims by the government representatives that ASUU was demanding N92 billion earned allowances for its members as a blackmail, which has “now fallen like a pack of cards”.
According to him, “Nigerians should by now see that our government is a government of deceit”.
“The government that told Nigerians some weeks ago that ASUU was demanding N92 billion as allowances for its members has now written a letter that the amount is for both academic and non-academic workers in Nigerian federal universities. This shows our government lies with impunity. Nigerians should know that the N92 billion is to service earned allowances of the academic and non-academic workers in the universities for three and a half years from 2009. ASUU is insisting on total implementation of the 2009 agreement and the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). We are not interested in tokenism. As at now, the amount due for injection into the universities in the agreement is N500 billion and not N100 billion. We want our universities back on track and we want the best for our children. Nigerians should join the union in pressurising the government, which had lied that it had no money, only for it to approve N100 billion. Federal Government must inject the remaining funds into the educational system.”
Former Derby County, Plymouth and Inter Milan defender Taribo West has been accused of lying about his age.
The former Nigeria centre half, now retired, joined Serbian team Partizan Belgrade in 2002 after leaving Derby County and told club bosses he was 28.
But now the ex-president of Partizan, Zarko Zecevic, has accused him of lying, saying the defender was actually 40.
“He joined us saying he was 28. We only later found out he was 40, but he was still playing well so I don’t regret having him on the team,” Zecevic said.
But according to the Croatian media, the former defender known for his colourful hairstyles also lied when trying to join Croatia’s Rijeka club.
At the age of 44, they said West told club doctors he was only 32.
It was only after an examination that the doctors raised suspicions with the club because West’s knees suggested he was older.
He wasn’t signed to the team but later joined Plymouth and then Iranian side Paykan FC, where he ended his career at the age of 46 in 2008.
Today his Wikipedia entry says he is 39.
Culled from Daily Mail