A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – THE Presidency Monday replied former President Goodluck Jonathan on his claims that his administration handed over to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress government a robust economy, saying what the present government met was a battered, mismanaged and corrupt economy.President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
The presidency also alleges that the Jonathan presided over a government that was the most monumental and tragic economic mismanagement recorded in our national history.
Former President Jonathan had at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, non elective convention at the Eagle Square Abuja, Saturday was quoted to have said that corruption in Nigeria is worse under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari against the claims by the current government that corruption was at its peak while he ( Jonathan) was in government.
Jonathan according to reports said that his government had better economic policies than the current government of President Buhari and that his government put in place structures that reduced corruption to its barest minimum and as well left behind a robust economy for the Buhari administration in 2015.
But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in a statement he entitled, "Your Excellency Dr Jonathan, this is the economy you left behind, in case you have forgotten.", said under the previous administration, there was a boom in the oil sector with the oil prices as high as US$ 120 and relative peace in the Niger Delta.
The statement read, "With due respects to the former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, these are the facts about the economy you left behind, in case you have forgotten.
"I hope this will help to erase the wrong statement credited to you at your party, the PDP Convention at the Eagle Square last weekend that you handed to President Buhari a robustly healthy economy.
"To the same extent, this should also help to erase yet another false statement by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, the Caretaker Chairman of the party, to the effect that under the previous administration there was money but now things are very hard.
"Let me start by reasserting an obvious statement, which is that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was handed an economy ravaged by years of mismanagement and corruption.
"It is understandable that Dr Jonathon kept his comments short, because a cursory look at any sector clearly indicated that he and his Government presided over the most monumental and tragic economic mismanagement recorded in our national history.
"The oil sector boomed under his tenure, with oil prices as high as US$ 120 and peace in the Nigeria Delta. Nigeria earned unprecedented dollar revenues. Sadly,that is where the story turns sour. There is nothing to show for the revenues earned, no major capital project was completed, neither power generation, road development, rail or agriculture benefitted from the windfall earnings.
"Rather the administration presided over the diversion of oil revenues on a such a massive scale, that even without the protection now accorded to Whistle blowers, the then Central Bank Governor blew not only a whistle but a trumpet. He was hurriedly shown the door.
"Meanwhile, the acquisition by public officers and their cohorts of private jets, luxury yachts and the accumulation of expensive property portfolios world-wide continued unabated. Indeed the President once celebrated having the largest number of private jets, whilst our youth languished without jobs, our fields stood idle and our factories began the lay off of workers.
"Government simply reticulated oil revenue through personal spending by corrupt leaders, wasteful expenses and salaries. This was done rather than investing in what would grow the economy. Economies grow due to capital investment in assets like seaports, airports, power plants, railways, roads and housing. Nigeria can not record a single major infrastructural project in the last 10 years. In short the money was mismanaged.
"Such was the looting that even the goose that was laying the golden egg was being systematically starved. The direct contractual costs of oil produced, in the form of cash calls, remained unpaid. The incoming, President Buhari's welcome from the oil majors included demand for US$6Bn owed by Nigeria for oil that had already been sold or stolen."
Continuing, Shehu said, "At the inception of the current administration, 21 States were unable to meet their salary bills and the spectre of workers arrears had commenced. The PDP solution was the raid the Ecological Fund and selectively grants N2Bn each to the PDP States.
"It was only aggressive borrowing by the Ministry of Finance under Dr Okonjo- Iweala that prevented Federal Government from also owing salaries. The economic wisdom of borrowing to pay recurrent bills is a questionable one, particularly as those paid would have included over 45,000 that have subsequently been removed by the Buhari led administration as ghost workers.
"It also included the lavish costs of chartering private jets, first class travel and other wasteful acts that have been eliminated under this administration.
"To compound the problem the government was borrowing heavily and owed contractors, and international oil companies. When this government took over we had accumulated debt back to the level it was before the Paris Club Debt Forgiveness.
"All these factors were building up to Nigeria heading for a major crisis if the price of oil fell. Nigeria did not have fiscal buffers to withstand an oil shock.
"The oil shock should and could have been foreseen. When Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS crisis started, it was clear that the United States of America wanted to cut off funds to terror groups by crashing the price of oil. When America granted permission for exploration of oil on land (Shale) the warning signs were evident, but these were ignored by Nigeria's economic managers.
"Such was the looting that even the goose that was laying the golden egg was being systematically starved. The direct contractual costs of oil produced, in the form of cash calls, remained unpaid. The incoming President Buhari's welcome from the oil majors included demand for US$6Bn owed by Nigeria for oil that had already been sold or stolen.
"At the inception of the Buhari administration, 21 States were unable to meet their salary bills and the spectre of workers arrears had commenced. The PDP solution was to raid the Ecological Fund and selectively grant N2Bn each to the PDP States.
"It was only aggressive borrowing by the Ministry of Finance that prevented Federal Government from also owing salaries. The economic wisdom of borrowing to pay recurrent bills is a questionable one, particularly as those paid would have included over 45,000 that have subsequently been removed by the Buhari led administration as ghost workers.
"It also included the lavish costs of chartering private jets, first class travel and other wasteful acts that have been eliminated under this administration.
"In summary Nigeria earned a lot of money when oil prices were high but there is nothing to show for it. Now oil prices have fallen we are suffering."
Asking rhetorically what the previous administration could have done differently, he said, "They could have begun doing the very things that the Muhammadu Buhari administration is doing so painfully now.
"Fight corruption; sanitise the huge salary bill by eliminating payroll fraud, reduce wasteful expenses like First Class Travel and Private jets and encourage State Governments to reform their spending and build savings or investments."
Others he said included, "Increase spending on capital projects especially on infrastructure needed to make Nigerian businesses competitive and create jobs, block the leakages that allowed government revenues to be siphoned into private hands and focus on key sectors ( apart from oil) that can create jobs and or generate revenue such as Agriculture, Solid Minerals and Manufacturing.
"If these things had been done when the oil price was as high as US$120 per barrel, Nigeria would not be in the current predicament.
"We would not be suffering now if we had no cash reserves but we had power, or a rail system, or good roads, or good housing. But we don't have money and we don't have the projects either.
"Now that the oil has fallen below those levels, it is very difficult to do what is needed but they must be done to save Nigeria. There is no other way if we want to be honest.
"If PDP were still in power they would have continued deceiving people, by borrowing to fund stealing and wastage and the problem would have simply been postponed for future generations to face.
"One of former President Jonathon's specific boasts is that dollar under him was N180 compared to today. With such a line of argument it is clear why we are where we are. With oil prices as high as $120 the average inflow of dollars each month was high, making it easy to support cheap dollars.
"However with oil price plummeting as low as $28, the fundamental laws of supply and demand dictated that the currency would need to adjust, since oil was the sole export. It is instructive to note that virtually every major oil exporter has witnessed currency adjustments with the fall in oil price.
"The Buhari administration has taken a long term strategic view of supporting a stable naira on both the supply and demand sides. President Buhari has driven Import substitution to reduce demand for dollars to buy things we can produce thereby creating thousands of rural jobs in rice and other staples.
"In addition, there is a credible plan to diversity our revenue sources away from oil, with focus on export crops as well as solid minerals, with the release of US$100M fund to develop solid mineral extraction.
"President Muhammdu Buhari has a positive and prosperous vision for Nigeria. A nation in which the natural talent and hard work of the people is being supported by an enabling environment of infrastructural development and policy reforms that will develop a firm future for our nation.
"Nigerians are looking forward and the PDP's lurking in the economic rear view mirror only underscores the resolve of Nigerians, that as far as the economy is concerned it is '’never again.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday in Abuja announced that the Peoples Democratic Party had returned from limbo and would reclaim power in 2019.
Jonathan asserted this in his address at the party's a special national convention read the full speech
It is my honour and privilege to address you on this auspicious occasion of the non-elective convention of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). former Preident Goodluck Jonathan State during the Non-Elective National Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party at the Eagle Square, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida 2. Let me start by paying tributes to the founding fathers of our great party and all others who had laboured so hard over these past months to restore peace and tranquillity in our party. The PDP like every successful human organization has gone through a momentous time in the last one and half years.
3. As a party that heralded Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, the PDP had become so accustomed to success in its 16 years in power that the first time our fortunes changed at the polls, it was obvious that the party would suffer the aftershocks of the loss. It was in deed a most trying period for us as a political party.
4. However, it is not an experience that is peculiar to us. This is because all over the world, any party that loses election at the centre as we did will, first of all, struggle to hold together, before regaining its composure to effectively present the strong voice of the opposition, and resume the contestation to return to office.
5. But we thank God that the worst is over for our party. It is to his grace that we were able to emerge from this unsavoury experience, from which some political parties in other emerging democracies hardly recover, to become even stronger, within a short period of time.
6. The PDP is in deed back to reclaim its prime position as the party to lead Nigeria to greatness. As a human institution, we cannot claim perfection, but obviously as a political party, our accomplishments as at 2015, far outweigh our shortfalls.
7. Our giant developmental strides are there for all Nigerians to see. There is ample evidence to demonstrate that PDP has indeed proved to be a party of vision and accomplishments.
8. As I said when I addressed our members in April during the stakeholders' forum which I convened; the 2011, 2015 general elections and other polls conducted by our administration were accepted globally to have met the international standards for free, fair and transparent elections. There is no gainsaying the fact that our disposition in freely handing over power to the opposition, after the 2015 polls, helped to deepen our democracy and project our country as one of the world's stable democracies.
9. This wouldn't have been possible if our Government did not reform the electoral and political process, by giving the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the autonomy it requires, to enable it to conduct free and fair elections.
10. On the economic front, we provided focused leadership, through institutional and sectoral reforms which impacted positively on the fundamentals for growth, especially in the last four years of our time in power. The effect was that we tamed inflation at a single digit, maintained price stability, grew the economy to become the largest in Africa with a GDP of over half a trillion US dollars, and the number one foreign direct investment destination on the continent.
11. I learnt that some people said that if PDP had remained in power beyond 2015, the economy would have performed worse. This couldn't have been the case, because we had a sound economic team in place, managing the economy. Let us not forget that the great floods of 2012 was a major calamity that damaged homes and farmlands on the plains of River Niger and Benue. But despite the devastating effect of this natural disaster, there was no food shortages or arbitrary increase in prices, because of what we were able to accomplish with our Agriculture Transformation Agenda, which considerably boosted food production.
12. If we say that we rekindled hope in our people and regained international goodwill, it is because we pursued a number of policies and programmes that were not only richly rewarding for our people, but were also being copied by many countries across the globe, a few of which I will mention here.
13. We can all recall that our agricultural transformation agenda rapidly transformed key agricultural value chains, boosted local production, and created a new generation of young commercial farmers and agriculture entrepreneurs we proudly identified as Nagropreneurs. One very remarkable achievements of the reform we introduced was that it ended decades of fertiliser sector corruption through electronic wallet system. Since then, its success has continued to resonate outside our shores. The programme is not only being scaled up by the African Development Bank but is already being replicated in close to 20 African countries.
14. In fact, three days ago, my attention was drawn to The Guardian newspaper publication about a contract that has just been awarded to a Nigerian IT solutions firm, Cellulant, to export the e-wallet system which we conceived, to Afghanistan. This is in deed, a good development for our country.
15. I understand that the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock in Afghanistan, which contracted them in their bid to establish a market-based input distribution technology, might have been inspired by our own experience, in successfully deploying the e-wallet technology to increase food production.
16. In the same vein, Our Youth Enterprises with Innovation (YouWin) designed to turn thousands of youths into entrepreneurs and employers of labour, has been endorsed by the World Bank for replication in other developing countries.
17. The ECOWAS Commission has since expressed interest in partnering with Nigeria with a view to establishing an automotive policy for the subregion, in line with our administration's auto industry development policy, which led to the establishment of many vehicle assembly plants, including indigenous companies.
18. Our approach to fighting corruption may not have plugged all the leaks in the system; in fact, no nation has ever been successful in eradicating the cankerworm of corruption.
19. But we went about it in a sustainable and measurable manner, by, among other measures, creating institutional tools like bank verification number (BVN), the treasury single account (TSA) designed to block leakages, as well as the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS), which eliminated tens of thousands of ghost workers, during our time.
20. I have just pointed out these few programmes, out of our other numerous great achievements in such sectors as roads infrastructure, rail services, communications, public financial management and social services, for you to know that our records, as members of Nigeria's biggest party, still speak for us and we should be proud of them.
21. We should always celebrate the fact that the PDP introduced key policies that improved governance, enhanced welfare, boosted and stabilized the economy of our great country, and above all, gave our people hope.
22. In closing, I wish to remind all of us that as politicians, we are bound to have differences. It is important we manage our differences responsibly, with an eye on the divine role of the PDP to lead Nigeria to greatness. Let us rededicate ourselves to playing by the rules.
23. Let us all ensure that the PDP is renewed in vigour to deliver on its divine responsibility to Nigerians. Let us forget the grievances of the past, and look to the future with confidence and optimism.
24. While I congratulate all delegates to this convention, I urge you to go back to your respective constituencies to promote the ideals of our great party. Let it be known that our party has been born anew, committed to the best ideals of democracy.
25. Let it be known, in all nooks and crannies of our country, that the PDP is back to claim its rightful place in the affairs of the nation. As we have always done, we are ready to return Nigeria to the path of unity, peace and prosperity.
26. I congratulate the Caretaker Committee, our relentless Governors, the Board of Trustees, National Assembly caucuses, former Governors, the ex Ministers' Forum, our teeming youths and women for your steadfastness and dogged contributions to the sustenance of this great party.
27. My appreciation also goes to all PDP members and supporters, both at home and in the Diaspora.
28. I thank the Convention Planning Committee for putting this August event together. I also congratulate all delegates for the successful trip to the convention.
29. Finally, I wish you all successful deliberations at this convention. May God return you all back home safely.
The coalition of democracy and good governance groups, '#Resume or Resign' and 'Our Mumu don do,' have described as, lies from the pit of hell, an allegation in some section of the media claiming that the current governor of Gombe state, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, the immediate past governor of Ondo state, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and other politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are the ones sponsoring the sit-out rally demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari who has been in London since May 7 returns back to Nigeria to resume his presidential duties or that he resigns if incapacitated by ill health.
A pro-Buhari group, Coalition for Truth and Justice, CFTAJ, had on Sunday, alleged that the current rally by the groups calling for Buhari's resumption or resignation were being sponsored by the aforementioned governors in the tune of three hundred million Naira (N300m).
The National Coordinator of CFTAJ, Charles Timothy, at press conference in Abuja, called on security agencies to place them “under passive watch”, because the protests were being sponsored to destabilise the country.
'Resume or Resign' and 'Our Mumu don do,' leaders, Deji Adeyanju & Charly Boy
He said, “It is true that the installment death of the corruption industry is compelling Nigerians to live within their means, which some have interpreted as hardship in the land. Nigerians should therefore task these protesters to inquire from their sponsors if the N300 million paid to celebrity activists – Deji (Adeyanju), John Danfulani and Charles Oputa aka Charlie Boy couldn’t have been better deployed to ameliorate the condition of those facing economic hardship.
“We therefore want to issue firm warnings. Because we know these protesters are mere fodders, tools in the hands of those that paid them to take to the streets, our warning is not directed at the protesters but at their sponsors. We therefore warn Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko who are the brain behind the protest against the ailing President.
But in a statement signed by Charles Oputa (Leader, #ResumeOrResign Movement) for 'Our Mumu Don Do Movement' and Deji Adeyanju (Co-Convener, #ResumeOrResign Movement) for 'Concerned Nigerians,' the anti-Buhari protesters said their movement was never and will never be sponsored by anybody especially because it is in line with the provisions of the constitution.
"We have seen the lies and false assertions of a pro government group called Coalition for truth and Justice alleging that the Concerned Nigerians and the Our Mumu don do movement are being sponsored by Former Governor of Ondo state Dr Olusegun Mimiko and Governor of Gombe state Ibrahim Dankwambo.
"The allegations are not just lies but are ridiculous and even embarrassing to those making the allegations. We understand that this is the handwork of detractors that are against our honest agitations for the Resumption or Resignation of President Buhari.
"Concerned Nigerians and Our Mumu don do Movement are not being sponsored by anybody or government figure and will remain unsponsored. Our activities are in line with the provisions of the constitution and we will continue to carry out our daily sit out activities and not be intimidated.
"Furthermore, we will no longer respond to any prevalent distractions or consequent allegations by this administration but we will remain focus in demanding for the President to either Resume or Resign."
The groups also reiterated their stand that President Buhari must resume or resign. They said they will take their rallies for the demand for Buhari's resumption or resignation to several cities across Nigeria.
"Wednesday August 16th, 2017 will mark 100 days since President Muhammadu Buhari travelled to an undisclosed hospital in the United Kingdom to treat a yet to be disclosed illness. During this period President Buhari has rarely been seen in public and has not communicated with the Nigerian people in a language that a majority of the people can understand. "A few days ago the Presidency released images and video footage of the President receiving some of his aides. However, Nigerians were informed that his medical sojourn to the United Kingdom will continue a while longer as his doctors have not given him clearance to return to the country and resume the execution of his duties as President.
"In view of the above, we will hold peaceful processions in several cities across Nigeria and the world at large to press home our demands that President Buhari either returns to the country soon or resigns from office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
However, the pro-Buhari group maintained that the anti-Buhari rallies were sponsored by politicians who are power players in PDP.
The group's National Coordinator, Charles Timothy, called also said that those calling for Buhari's resumption are rather victims of their sponsors 'alleged clandestine motives and urged them to instead, join other Nigerians and pray for the President's quick recovery.
He said, “Both Dankwambo and Mimiko are entitled to throw away their humanity on the altar of ambition but they must be aware that whatever position they are desperate to attain is not worth plunging the country into crisis over. They are free to spend their money any way they want but financing urchins, riffraff and celebrity activists but truly patriotic Nigerians will not sit by and watch them plunge the country into trouble.
“We urge the law enforcement agencies to place these men under passive watch same as their foot soldiers on the streets to ensure that there is no unexpected breakdown of law and order. This does not in any way suggest that the right of Nigerians to lawful assembly should be abridged, what we are saying is that criminal elements should not be encouraged to use President Buhari’s medical vacation as a cover to wreak havoc on the streets.
“Nigeria is again at crossroads as those that are desperate to collapse the country are again at work. They have tried all manners of gimmicks in the past and woefully failed to compromise the integrity of Nigeria. Some of them have sponsored terrorism or militancy, depending on the region, and failed to use these to bring Nigeria down. They have now resorted to street protests under the guise that they are demanding President Muhammadu Buhari to cut short his medical vacation and resume duties.
“For those who have not noticed, we want to point out that these protesters are not new. They had held similar protests in the past under different names and with multiple excuses. What they have simply done this time is to rebrand their name into #ourmumudondo and add a few more desperate celebrity activists to their ranks; their driving ideology for causing chaos has not changed one bit.
“It is most unfortunate that these motely crowd of desperate people equated themselves with patriotic citizens that followed due process in staging a march to express their feeling about the performance of government. The patriotic citizens conducted themselves in orderly manner and cooperated with law enforcement to ensure their march was not hijacked. Same cannot be said for the #ourmumudondo protesters, whose thugs were confrontational against law enforcement agents from the start.
“To Nigerians, our position remains to renew the invitation to pray for the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari and for return of peace with prosperity to the country. We appeal to citizens not to buy into the campaign of negativity being financed by the likes of Dankwambo and Mimiko.
“It is tragic that these protesters are victims of their own puppet masters, who are exploiting their joblessness to further personal political interests. We expect that people should, even when they are unemployed, interrogate the long-term plan of those asking them to take to the streets and cause mayhem. When protests degenerate into unruliness it is natural that the peace has to be maintained so these protesters were quite unawares that they were guinea pigs in their paymasters’ poltical experiment.
“Another thing that these protesters are unaware of was that their sponsors have equally mobilized thugs to join the so-called protests for the sole aim of fomenting trouble. The strategy is for these thugs to deliberately clash with law enforcement and then cause widespread violence, arson and looting that will eventually result in a breakdown of law and order. Even more worrisome is the specific request from these sponsors that the thugs must ensure there is loss of life from the protest so that they can claim that security agencies and by implication the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is killing protesters."
The Niger House of Assembly on Monday pledged to enact laws that would ensure an environment conducive to woo investors to the state.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, made the pledge in Minna during the 2017 Niger State Investment Summit which had as its theme: "Impact Investing for Advancing Agricultural Economy and Innovation."
Marafa said there were enormous investment opportunities in Niger, adding that it was time to transform "our resources and knowledge to positive action".
"The investment opportunities in our state are enormous as we account for 10 per cent of Nigeria's land mass.
"We are committed to passing legislation that would allow investors harness our huge potentials for maximum growth and development of the state.
"This summit could not have come at a better time as the state government strives to uplift the living standard of its populace," he added.
He said the assembly would play its part in driving the investment promotion strategy of the state, noting that it was close to passing a bill to set up an investment agency in the state.
Also, the Commissioner of Investment, Commerce and Industry, Mrs Ramatu Yar'adua, said Niger had the potentials to become a top investment destination in the country. She said this year's summit focused on agricultural business, given that the sector was key to moving the country out of recession.
Newsmen report that the aim of the summit, which attracted economic experts, manufacturers, industrialists as well as some state governors and ministers, is to position the state as an investment hub.
Rafael Nadal was assured a return to world number one for the first time since July of 2014 on Monday when 19-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer withdrew from this week’s ATP Cincinnati Masters tournament.
Federer-Nadal
Third-ranked Federer said he injured his back in Montreal, where he lost in the final to Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
Federer, this year’s Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, was the only player who could have denied world number two Nadal the top spot in next Monday’s rankings.
The 31-year-old Spaniard, who won his 15th Grand Slam title at this year’s French Open, will overtake Britain’s top-ranked Andy Murray, who withdrew from Montreal and Cincinnati with a hip injury.
Federer, a seven-time champion on the Cincinnati hardcourts, could yet move into the world number one spot, but his next chance will come at the US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam event that begins August 28 in New York.
“I am very sorry to pull out of the Western and Southern Open as I always enjoy playing,” Federer said. “Cincinnati has some of the best fans in the world and I am sorry I will miss them.
“Unfortunately, I tweaked my back in Montreal and I need to rest this week.”
Nadal, who has spent 141 total weeks in the top spot, became world number one for the first time in August 2008 after a semi-final run at Cincinnati.
For Federer to have taken the top spot at Cincinnati, he would have had to at least reach the semi-finals. Had Federer reached the final, Nadal would have had to win the title to stop the Swiss star from becoming number one.
Federer will be replaced in the men’s draw by Italian lucky loser Thomas Fabbiano, the world number 85 who will enjoy a first-round bye and face either Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman or Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the second round.
The Niger-Delta Power Holding Company of Nigeria (NDPHC) says it has embarked on construction of 120 transmission stations and sub -stations and 10 critical generation projects to support power generation and supply in the country.
The Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr Chiedu Ugbo, said this in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Monday.
He said that the company was also involved in the construction of distribution lines to increase distribution of electricity to the rural communities.
"We have projects on going; we have 10 power generation projects; we have completed eight of the projects and two is on the verge of completion when commissioned, it will be transferred to the grid."
According to him, among the 10 critical generation plants, two of the projects, Olorosogun project in Ogun and Geregu in Kogi, are not located in the Niger-Delta region.
He listed the other generation projects in the Niger Delta to include projects those in Calabar, Abia, Omaku in Rivers and Bayelsa.
Others are Sapele in Delta, Benin and Omotosho projects in Ondo State.
Ugbo said the company had also completed a distribution line for Ibadan DisCo to consolidate the supply of electricity to communities in its franchise area.
"The Maboro project is a line we did from Okaro substation; it is a 33kv line and every community along that line will tap in to it; so it is for Ibadan DisCo.
"We provided the line and the communities have not had light over the years; Ibadan DisCo is gradually connecting the people ."
He urged DisCos to energise and make use of the distribution projects provided for them.
This, he said, would deter vandals from destroying the completed projects.
The Mamanging Director said that the company was getting adequate support and funding from the Federal Government to execute its projects.
He, however, decried the spate of vandalism on some of its on-going projects in the country.
"Government is giving us all the support; vandalism is the major challenge; the line we are doing from Ikotu Ekpene to Afam has been vandalised; so it is a challenge. But we are beefing up security in that area."
He said NDPHC was expending huge amount of money to repair and restore some of the installations destroyed by vandals.
" We are spending up to N50 million to N70 million on changing and repairing projects that were vandalised.
"It is a huge loss, but we have to do it because Nigerians must have light and that is the mandate that the President gave us.”
Rio de Janeiro drug gangsters gave a famous statue of Michael Jackson a scary new prop in a photo circulating on Brazilian social media: an assault rifle.
Michael Jackson
Police said Monday that the picture, in which the military style semi-automatic is slung around the King of Pop’s neck, was taken “by criminals.”
“The suspects have been identified and an operation is underway to arrest them,” police said in a statement.
The picture, taken in daylight, showed off drug traffickers’ brazen control over many areas of Rio’s favelas at a time of steadily growing violent crime.
The statue was inaugurated in 2010 in Santa Marta favela, a year after Jackson’s death.
With arms outstretched and fists clenched, the statue commemorated Jackson’s 1996 filming of the video “They Don’t Care About Us” in Santa Marta. At the time, the favela was a violent slum but by 2010 it had become a symbol of a new police policy known as “pacification” that ousted traffickers and brought in tourists.
In the wake of the 2016 Rio Olympics, control over the favelas has again begun to slip away from the police and into the hands of well-armed drug gangs.
A cross section of people belonging to pro-Buhari groups, on Monday, said that President Muhammadu Buhari has not violated any section of the constitution due to his prolonged medical vacation in London.
The groups said this during a solidarity walk in support of President Buhari at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.
It would be recalled that an anti-Buhari group had called for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari, due to his ailment.
Mr Abubakar Waiya, the Secretary General, Conference of Patriotic Nigerians, said that the support was imperative as Mr President has not violated any section of the constitution.
"It is unfortunate that some people with questionable characters, people that are not supposed to talk, they are coming to talk on our behalf.
"Today, we are saying that they are not representing us and we are here to say, as Nigerians we believed in President Buhari.
"Therefore, we believed that they are all political jobbers and they are not speaking our minds and they are not representing the entire Nigeria.
"We are also here to tell the whole world that Buhari we voted for, that we will stand by him," he said.
He called on Nigerians to pray for the quick recuperation of Mr President and also to support the fight against corruption.
Ms Maryam Shettima, National Coordinator, "I StandWithBuhari'', said the rally was to reiterate their support for President Buhari.
"The president is the man of the people and he has capacity to rebuild the nation no matter his health condition, he has done a good work and has shown seriousness and fairness,'' she said.
According to Shettima, President Buhari has not violated any section of the constitution because he rightfully handed over power, as specified in the constitution to his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
"So, we will stand with him, even though everyone is entitled to his own opinion,'' she added.
Mr Adamu Kagarko, APC's Media Agent from Kaduna, said that the walk was organised by a group of concerned citizens of Nigeria who supported the president and wished him good health.
Kagarko called on Nigerians to show concern and understanding to President Buhari's health condition, saying that he was trusted to lead the nation.
He added that the rally was also to send message to the anti-Buhari's group to reconsider their stand, and change their mind.
Newsmen report that the protest carried placards with various inscriptions like, "Buhari we stand with you totally, "We must fight corruption or corruption will fight you back.
Others are, "We demand for good governance not cheap popularity and insensitivity, "PMB we love you, get well soon,'' among others.
Hundreds of All Progressives Congress (APC) members converged on the Bishop Aggey Sports Centre in Mushin, Lagos on Monday where one of the party chieftains, Dr Muiz Banire, was expected to appear before a Ward disciplinary committee.
Newsmen report that the crowd, however, waited in vain to see Banire, as he failed to show up before the committee.
Ward C, Alafia/Adeoyo in Ilasamaja, in a letter dated July 10 and which was circulated Aug. 10, had asked Banire to meet the committee at the venue on Monday.
The ward, in the letter signed by Badru Olaide, the ward secretary. said Banire should come and answer questions and allegations against him by some party members.
The Ward had invited interested members of the public to the event and urged guests to be seated by 9.45 a.m.
After a long wait with no word from Banire or a representative at the venue on Monday, the four-man committee headed by Mr Bolaji Abbas, decided to kick-start the proceeding.
The secretary of the committee, Alhaji Laide Badru, told the gathering that Banire was duly served invitation to appear and that the committee got proof that the invitation was received.
"We sent the invitation to him by DHL and we got a receipt, which is proof that he got our invitation.
"Also we published the invitation in major newspapers as well as other prominent platforms. So we are sure he is aware,'' he said.
Dr Wunmi Bewaji, a former member of the House of Representatives and counsel to the committee, assured that the committee would be fair, even in Banire's absence.
"We will be fair even though we cannot force anybody to appear before the committee. We will be fair,'' he said.
Mr Olukayode Tolu, one of the two members who had petitioned against Banire, said during the hearing said his action had become inevitable.
He said though he co-wrote the petitions that led to the setting up of the committee, all members of the ward supported his action.
Tolu said members of Banire's ward were tired of his activities in the state and the party, hence the petition.
"The ward is the most important component of the structure of any party. Yes, you can be at the National level, but the ward is the most important.
"Banire has not attended any meeting at the ward for the past two years and he has not paid any dues.
"Also, his activities shortly before the last council election in the state, smacked of anti-party,'' he alleged.
Tolu said that Banire was not bigger than the party and should be disciplined.
"On behalf of all APC members in Mushin Ward C, I pray the committee to suspend him from the party for 10 years and that he should never be allowed to hold any post in the party again,'' he said.
A large number of people at the gathering rose in support of the prayer even as the second petitioner, Mr Ayodele Adebayo, endorsed everything Tolu had said.
Bewaji struggling to control anti-Banire chants that had rent the air, said the committee would deliberate on the issue and come up with a recommendation.
He said the committee would do a thorough job based on the facts on ground.
Bewaji said the committee would do its work without let or hindrance and that the recommendation would be out soon.
NAN reports that the party in the ward had a few weeks ago announced the suspension of Banire over the same allegations.
The National Working Committee of the party, however, nullified the suspension, saying the ward executive committee lacked the power to suspend a national officer.
Banire, who is the party's National Legal Adviser, had also described his suspension as `laughable,' saying it was aimed at stopping him from insisting on internal democracy in the state chapter.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift broke down in tears Monday during the closing arguments in her civil trial alleging that a former radio DJ groped her before a 2013 concert.
Taylor Swift
The singer turned away from the public gallery to wipe her eyes as Gabriel McFarland, the lawyer for David Mueller, questioned whether his client would have any reason to assault the star.
“I don’t know what kind of person grabs or gropes a music superstar, but it’s not that guy,” McFarland told the federal court in Denver.
He repeatedly said the singer was wrong in her assertion that Mueller had stuck his hand under her skirt and “grabbed her bare ass cheek” during a meet-and-greet before Swift’s gig at the Pepsi Center.
The singer’s mother, Andrea Swift, had tears in her eyes during the session as she handed her daughter tissues.
Swift alleges that Mueller fondled her buttocks during a pre-gig photo opportunity. Her aides complained to the DJ’s radio station at the time and he lost his job.
Mueller launched a $3 million lawsuit against Swift for loss of earnings, arguing it was her allegations that had got him sacked, while the popstar counter-sued for sexual assault.
US District Judge William Martinez scaled back the case on Friday, ruling that there was no evidence for Mueller to be entitled to damages from Swift personally.
Martinez said, however, it was possible a jury could award Mueller damages for Swift’s staff interfering with his employment contract with Denver station KYGO.
The six woman, two-man jury must decide if Swift’s mother and radio consultant Frank Bell are liable for damages by pressuring the station to fire him.
If the jury finds in Mueller’s favor, damages will be limited to the amount he was owed in the remaining 18 months of his two-year contract.
Also pending is Taylor Swift’s claim that Mueller’s actions constituted sexual assault and battery. She is seeking a nominal $1 in damages.
US officials announced Monday the arrest of a man who sought to detonate a bomb in Oklahoma City reminiscent of the deadly 1995 bombing by anti-government extremist Timothy McVeigh in the same city.
Jerry Varnell
Jerry Varnell, 23, was arrested Saturday after attempting to trigger what he thought was an ammonium nitrate fertilizer bomb — like McVeigh’s — outside a BancFirst branch in the center of the city, according to a criminal complaint filed in Oklahoma district court.
Varnell told an undercover FBI agent and a cooperating source he wanted to attack the government, with his initial target the Federal Reserve in Washington, eight blocks from the White House.
He also considered attacking data centers of Facebook and the Internal Revenue Service before settling on the bank in Oklahoma City, 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of his home in Sayre, Oklahoma.
“I think I’m going to go with what the okc bomber used,” Varnell allegedly told the FBI’s source in an encrypted message.
“What happened in Oklahoma City was not an attack on America, it was retaliation,” he later said. “The time for revolution is now.”
McVeigh killed 168 people when he exploded a fertilizer bomb outside a federal building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. McVeigh was arrested soon afterward, imprisoned and in 2001 executed for the crime.
Varnell’s arrest was announced two days after white supremacist and extreme-right anti-government groups clashed with opponents in Charlottesville, Virginia. One woman killed when an extremist rammed his car into a crowd of counter-protestors, and two police officers died in a helicopter crash.
Varnell told investigators he supported the far-right “III%ers” anti-government movement and wanted to form his own armed militia.
But he told the undercover agent that, unlike McVeigh, he did not want to kill a lot of people with his bombing, but to “cripple the government,” according to the complaint.
Varnell also told the agent he wanted a way to communicate his message about the bombing to prevent other groups like Islamic State from claiming responsibility.
According to the complaint, Varnell and the FBI agent built the bomb in a van, with “inert” materials including blasting caps and dynamite that were all supplied by the agent.
The inert bomb was parked outside the bank and Varnell was immediately arrested early Saturday morning after he tried to used a cellphone to set it off.
The Osun State Investment Company Limited, OSICOL, has said that, Essence Table water, one of its signature products, is now one of the leading brands in the array of similar products in the south western part of Nigeria.
This was revealed during a briefing of the company's activities over the weekend.
The company which is an investment agency of the State Government of Osun, revealed that medical expert now recommends Essence Table water for use in hospitals because of mercury free value that has distinguished it in market.
According to OSICOL General Manager, Mrs Amade H.I, what differentiates Essence Water from other brands is its purity nature made from well researched materials. She noted that Essence Table water applied for Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) from the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, and acquired it within six month.
Speaking on the achievements of OSICOL, Amade stated that the company’s balance sheet has recorded significant improvement from a fortune of about N300m in 2011 when the Aregbesola government came on board to N2.6b in 2017.
Her words "In line of producing healthy water, most water company failed to avoid the presence of mercury in their processed water. Mercury, an element which naturally is found in air, water and soil can cause serious damage to the body when exposed to even a little of the substance.
"When exposed to mercury, the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs, kidney and even the skin might be affected. Mercury also exists in various forms (metallic, inorganic and organic) and these forms determine the extent of health hazard on people exposed to it."
She said the product is available across the country at affordable rates urging the people to choose Essence Water as it is helpful in safeguarding their health.
"Osun State Investment Company Limited has however ensured that not just the people of the state enjoy healthy living, by making sure that there is active distribution of the products within all state of the Federation to ensure that revenue is generated for the state of Osun."
Aside OSICOL Water, the company has nearly completed the biggest gas station in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, delved into real estate with properties in Lagos and Abuja, the federal capital territory coupled with about 526 hectares of land in cultivating cocoa in Ibokun.
The Osun State Investment Company Limited has also won several awards and recognition in commemoration of its excellence in being one of the leading Investment platforms in the south western part of the country.
OSICOL has embarked on diverse business ventures as part of efforts to boost the state’s internally generated revenue drive, create wealth and sustain its economic self-reliance.
The company which was established in 1991 has various business interests, among them, are manufacturing, bulk purchasing, training and consultancy, sales and distribution, real estate, agriculture among others.
The Federal Government remained committed to winning the war against insurgency, the Minister of Defence, Malam Muneer Dan-Ali, has assured.
The Minister gave the assurance on Monday in Kano while briefing newsmen.
He said the military was determined to overcome security challenges confronting the nation, especially in the North-East where the Boko Haram terrorist group had renewed suicide bombings.
He said that in its efforts to end the spate of bombings in the town, the military had undertaken search of residential houses in Maiduguri Township to fish out the hideouts of the insurgents.
He said that the security agencies were collaborating with each other to tackle the security challenges facing the nation.
The minister said he was in Kano to commission the Kano/Jigawa zonal office of the military health services.
According to him, the commissioning of the office will go a long way to address the health needs of serving military men and retirees.
The Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Babatunde Fowler says with the introduction of Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), no Nigerian can evade tax payment.
Fowler said this at the 138th Quarterly Meeting of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) on Monday in Abuja.
The theme of the meeting was "Administering Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) – 2017 in Nigeria: The role of stakeholders.''
Fowler, also the Chairman of JTB said every Nigerian would be held accountable with the introduction of the new scheme.
He said that the so called "untouchable citizens'' were willing to pay tax without forcing them under the scheme.
According to him, the board has received positive response so far on the scheme.
To improve tax compliance, the Federal Government said tax offenders stand to enjoy 29 per cent waiver on overdue taxes if they take advantage of VAIDS.
The VAIDS programme is aimed at reducing tax payers' liability and creates more awareness on the statutory function of every working citizen to pay tax.
The scheme which started July 1, offers a window for those who, before now, have not complied with extant tax regulations to remedy their positions by providing them limited amnesty to enable voluntary declaration and payment of liabilities.
Fowler said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) adopted between the FIRS and State Internal Revenue Service including that of VAIDS had been working very well.
"From the point of FIRS, all the money generated is shared between the three tiers of government; the collaboration between states and FIRS is improving.
"` I hope the collaboration will continue to get better,'' he said.
Fowler said that the JTB meeting had improved the collaboration between private and public sector.
He said the meeting would focus on the review of VAIDS and actions that would be taken after the implementation of the scheme.
"I will also want to thank the stakeholders for all the activities and the Acting President who is in the fore front of the tax drive.''
The meeting witnessed the handing over of the outgoing Executive Secretary and Incoming one.
The new Executive Secretary, Mr Oseni Elamah pledged to serve the body and to take it to a greater height.
"I pledge to serve you as a body and to also support each of you individually in your various capacities toward the realisation of Joint Tax Board in creating a tax friendly environment.
"I will also support you in fulfilling your mandate to optimise revenue for the various tiers of government,'' Elamah said.
Elamah is the immediate past Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Service.
Also speaking, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, the outgoing Executive Secretary of JTB urged the new official to take the board to greater height.
Abubakar, who served for seven years called on the members of the board to support Elamah to enable him succeed.
No fewer than 90 participants from JTB, FIRS, State Internal Revenue Service and representatives of Nigeria Governor's Forum attended the meeting.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday urged commercial banks to lower their interest rates to enable farmers access loans for improved agricultural production.
Obasanjo made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Niger State Investment Summit held at the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi Conference Centre, Minna.
According to him, doing agriculture and charging the rate of interest in double digit is to promote failure.
"The interest rate of banks in Nigeria is one of the obstacles that are affecting our farmers.
"They are not able to pay banks after taking loans and at the same time still able to run their agriculture business successfully,'' he said.
Newsmen report that the summit's theme: ''Advancing Agricultural Economy through Innovation and Truly Niger,'' was organised to attract investors in various fields to boost the state economy.
The summit attracted experts, industrialists, manufacturers as well as governors across the country.
The former Nigeria leader described agriculture as 'a renewable business' that could create jobs and catapult the nation to economic prosperity.
He said paucity of funds and high interest rates were part of factors responsible for the under-development of the nation's agricultural sector.
The former president, however, advised the Niger Government to take advantage of the arable land to attract investors to embark on commercial farming in the state.
He urged the state government to create employment and market through agriculture because of its proximity to Abuja.
"A state cannot develop in isolation, you have to work with other states and take advantage of economy of scale and identify areas that are profitable; then utilise them,'' he added.
He called on the Federal Government to develop infrastructures in the state to enable farmers transport their farm produce to urban centres.
Similarly, a former Head of State, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, expressed optimism that agriculture was taking a centre stage in the nation's drive to diversify the economy.
He urged commercial banks to lower their interest rates for farmers to obtain money for their agricultural activities.
According to him, the interest rate in Nigeria is 18 to 25 per cent, while for farmers it is nine per cent and 2.5 per cent in some other countries.
"If we want to make progress as a country, we need to look into our interest rate to make it easier for our farmers to access loans,'' he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has received a petition for the recall of Mr. Abubakar Kuki, a member representing Bebeji Constituency, in the Kano State House of Assembly, from his constituency.
In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Prince Adedeji Soyebi, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), disclosed that the petition was received on Aug. 11.
He said in accordance with the INEC guidelines for recall, the commission had formally acknowledged the receipt of the petition to the petitioners' representatives.
Soyebi added that it has also written to inform the affected member, Kuki, of the presentation of the petition.
"A timetable and schedule of activities pursuant to the petition will be issued shortly,'' it added.
It would be recalled that INEC also on June 24, received a petition to recall Sen. Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West, in the Senate.
The commission in line with it guidelines issued the timetable for the recall but was latter suspended on July 13, in compliance with a court order issued on July 6, pending the outcome of the court.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had received a petition for the recall of Mr Abubakar Kuki, a member of Kano State House of Assembly.
Mr Adedeji Soyebi, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of the commission, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Soyebi said that the petition emanated from the lawmaker's constituents in Bebeji area, which he represented, adding that the document was received on Friday.
He stated that in accordance with INEC guidelines for recall, the commission had formally acknowledged receipt of the petition to the petitioners' representatives.
He added that the commission had also written to inform the affected lawmaker about the petition.
"A timetable and schedule of activities pursuant to the petition will be issued shortly,'' Soyebi said.
On June 24, INEC also received a petition demanding the recall Sen. Dino Melaye, representing Kogi West Senatorial District at the Senate.
The commission, in line with it guidelines, issued the timetable for the recall but suspended action on it following a court order secured by Melaye on July 13, stopping it from proceeding with the process.
However, INEC has approached the court to vacate the injunction to enable it to continue with the process.
No fewer than 1,119 delegates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) will take part in the party's primary election to produce its gubernatorial candidate for the Nov.18 election in Anambra.
Chairman of the party, Dr Victor Oye, made this known at a news conference in Awka on Monday and said that the primaries would hold on Tuesday in Awka.
Oye said the delegates were made up of 150 statutory and 969 elected from the 326 wards in the state.
He said that the election would be in the mode of 'yes or no' as only Gov. Willie Obiano purchased the form and met all the criteria.
He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police and other agencies had been informed and would be part of the process.
Oye said that there was no controversy over the leadership of the party as he remained the authentic chairman with the full legitimacy to produce APGA's candidate for the election.
He blamed the media for fanning the embers of discord in the party, charging them to stick to the ethics of the profession by observing the principles.
"I have never been embattled; my seat has never been vacant or in contention.
"This matter would have been over long ago if the media played their role nobly," he said.
By Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA-A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek the face of God for what he termed the party's 'ineptitude and incompetence.'
Fani-Kayode, a member of the Forum of former PDP Ministers stated this while reacting to the call by some APC members that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan should apologize to Nigerians for providing a fertile ground for corruption to thrive while he held sway as President.
Femi Fani-Kayode
Dr. Jonathan had at the Eagles Square, venue of the party's Special Non-Elective Convention on Saturday praised the PDP for handing over a robust economy to the APC in 2015 amongst others; a statement that incurred the wrath of President Muhammadu Buhari loyalists such as Chief Osita Okechukwu, Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON) who urged the former President to apologize to Nigerians instead.
But in the words of Fani-Kayode, there was nothing wrong with Jonathan's speech, describing same as the bitter truth. "Jonathan's speech at the PDP Convention was outstanding and inspiring. He spoke the bitter truth. APC are (sic) a party of poverty and shame.
"The APC should stop criticizing it and they should sit down, shut up and ask God for forgiveness for their ineptitude and incompetence," he wrote on his personal Twitter Handle @realFFK, yesterday.
On Okechukwu's allegation that Jonathan did little in the fight against corruption, the ex-Minister said Osita needs help and a 'banana.'
"The ugly little monkey (referring to Okechukwu) at VON who said that Jonathan unplugged the holes for corruption needs to have his head examined. Give him a banana," he added.
Meanwhile, a PDP chieftain and former national officer of the party has collaborated the report of a national daily (not Vanguard) that former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is holding secret talks with the party in a bid to stage a return.
In a chat with this medium, the chieftain who pleaded anonymity said the Reconciliation Committee of the party co-chaired by Nyesom Wike and Ibrahim Dankwambo, Governors of Rivers and Gombe State respectively have reached out to many aggrieved members of the PDP who left at one time or the other to return to the party "where they truly belong."
Asked if the committee has also reached out to the Turakin Adamawa, our source said there's no doubt that has happened because the PDP is willing to welcome home all defectors.
"That committee (Reconciliation) is already working but I am not the one to speak for it. If you ask me if they have contacted the former Vice President, my answer will be yes because you heard when our National Chairman tasked the committee to fling open the door for the return of defectors," he said.
