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Friday 29 May 2015
Chief Justice of Lagos state justice Atilade sworn in Mr Akinwumi Ambode as governor of Lagos state.
Some dignitaries present at the event include; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Chief Judge of State, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade, Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Garba Akinola, former deputy governors Mrs. Serah Adebisi Sosan and Mr. Femi Pedro, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti among others.
Ambode in his inaugural speech, praised the duo of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola, both former governors of Lagos for laying the foundation for him to excel as the number citizen of the state.
He said, “The state is blessed that the foundation of its financial autonomy was designed and implemented by that visioner and our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Thus, the state has been partially shielded from the negative trend flowing from the federal level.
“For us to sustain the progressive and radical transformation on-going in the state, we have to redouble our efforts on all fronts for our commitment to excellence. While we must be creative and innovative; we are not citizens until we become responsible tax payers. I want to assure all of us that I will make your taxes work for you. You will surely get a transparent and incorruptible government that will give you good value for your taxes paid.
“Creativity is the most valuable asset in any public institution. Progressive governments must reward contributors of good ideas. Therefore, wherever practicable, we shall practise government by incentives and not government by enforcement. We shall implement creative ideas and concepts that reduce the cost of running government; ideas that make life simpler and happier for our people.
“I, therefore, invite you all, to join hands with me, to offer new ideas that will pull more resources to cater for the poor and needy amongst us. This will be a compassionate government”.
Ambode also said in the spirit of continuity, he will continue the Lagos State Development Plan (2012 – 2025) started by the Fashola’s administration.
The plan is structured under four pillars and they are:
(1) Social Development and Security
(2) Infrastructural Development
(3) Economic Development
(4) Sustainable Environment.
Buhari sworn in as president of republic of Nigeria.
Thirty one years after being ousted in a military coup, Muhammadu Buhari has been sworn-in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, as the new civilian President of Nigeria.
The inauguration of Buhari, a retired General, who won the March 28 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, brought to an end the 16-year reign of the Peoples Democratic Party on the political landscape of the nation and the five-year Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, who became President in May, 2010.
Mahmud swore-in Buhari, who became the Head of State in a December 31, 1983 coup that ended three-month second term reign of Second Republic President, Shehu Shagari, at 10.51am on Friday, marking the beginning of his four-year tenure.
The new President took his oath of office and oath of allegiance, watched closely by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was stepping out of office, about 12 minutes after Prof. Yemi Osinbajo took his oath as the new Vice President.
Osinbajo replaces Namadi Sambo, who became the Vice President to Jonathan in May, 2010.
Jonathan and Buhari subsequently performed the official handing over ceremony by receiving and releasing the National Flag and the Defence Flag, to give authority to the new President’s office as the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
Several foreign Presidents and representatives of governments graced the occasion, held under the scorching sun at the Eagle Square, Abuja, which was filled to capacity. Some guests had to watch the ceremony standing.
Secretary of State John Kerry led the US delegation while notable African Presidents include Jacob Zuma of South Africa; Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe; John Mahama of Ghana; Yayaha Djameh of Gambia among several others.
General Buhari sworn in as president of republic of Nigeria.
He took his oath of allegiance at exactly 10.51am at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
The inauguration ceremony was witnessed by several foreign dignitaries, including the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, British Foreign Minister, Mr. Phillip Hammond, South African President, Jacob Zuma, Mali’s Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and his Guinean counterpart, Alpha Condé, among others.
Thursday 28 May 2015
President Jonathan presents handover notes and recommendations of the 2014 national conference to general Buhari.
President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday presented his handover notes and the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari. The event, which took place at the Executive Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was preceded by the guided tour of the State House complex. At the ceremony, attended by the joint transition committee, Jonathan said the documents were to assist the incoming administration to navigate and resolve most of the problems hindering the nation’s progress.
“Let me formally invite the President-elect to hand over two documents, one of course is the hand over notes, well-packaged. “But the volumes can fill here, the attachments can fill this room, but this is for you with a good executive summary. “In any case, when you take over, the proper handover will be done by the directors and permanent secretaries that will brief their ministers whenever they are appointed.
“But, at least, this will give you a vision statement of the commitment of this government for the past five years in the direction we were going that will help you to navigate. ”So, it is my pleasure on behalf of the Vice President, members of the cabinet and other senior government functionaries to formally hand over these handover notes to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect, who will assume office tomorrow. Congratulations.’’
The president said he was more interested in the implementation of the conference recommendations to resolve many national issues. “There is another document that I will hand over to you. “To me, this document is more important than the handover note. “I have said it all, that the hand over notes are the activities of an administration. it shows how we started and how we were going. In some of the cases, you may follow; and in some, you may take another angle.
“But this is a document that was compiled by Nigerians, the main report of the National Conference 2014. “We gathered almost 500 Nigerians from all aspects of life. They were not influenced by government in any way. “And most of the recommendations here, if followed, most of our grey areas in our politics would be smoothened out. Most of the areas that people complain about bitterly, corruption, everything, this document took care of.
“Some people here were members of that body of about 500 eggheads. We were unable to because of the shortness of time to implement, but we were able to send it the National Assembly. ”But it is a document that we are hopeful that your government will look into it and give it the attention it requires.’’ The president also highlighted the achievements of his administration in infrasturucture development, electoral reforms and economy, human capital development and fighting corruption.
He said the period was full of challenges but that in spite of the odds and the fight against insurgency, Nigeria had moved on. Jonathan said the efforts made to generate employment for the youth, save national funds through financial systems reforms, especially the weeding out of 60,450 ghost workers from 359 of the 425 agencies of government, saved the nation about N185.4 billion.
“Our administration has done its best to intervene robustly and impact positively on key aspects of our national lives. “There is no doubt that challenges still abound but they are surmountable and overwhelming national transformation remains realisable with continuity, commitment and consistency. “Nigeria is blessed with citizens that will always remain faithful, firmly committed to national unity, accelerated political, social and economic development.
“As we hand over the reins of government, I believe that our nation is secure, our democracy is stable and the future is bright. “Let us all work together and with greater resolve continue to build a stronger and more positive nation.’’ In his remarks, the President-elect said he would study the two ducuments before making comments. “I think, I will read and digest the voluminous submissions from your Excellency, the President.
”I don’t think I am in a position to make any strong contribution. But what I did say since that famous call you made, you have changed the course of Nigeria’s political history. ”For that, you have earned yourself a place in our history for stabilising this system of multi- party democracy system. ”And you have earned the respect of not only Nigerians but the World leaders.
“They spoke to me and congratulated us for arriving as a polity and I would like to mention this. “And I could understand a lot of relief in their voices that Nigeria is ready afterall and this is largely owing to your statemanship. “If you attempted to make things difficult, you could have make things difficult and that could have led to the loss of lives of poor Nigerians. “You chose the path of honour and may God help us.’’
The event was attended by the members of the Jonathan’s cabinet and transition committees of the incoming and present administrations.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/jonathan-presents-handover-notes-national-conference-recommendations-to-buhari/#sthash.MTMlKo74.dpuf
Wednesday 27 May 2015
Tuesday 26 May 2015
Rivers Killings: Governor Ameachi and Wike in a war of words.
THE feud between the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Governor-elect, Chief Nyesom Wike, reached a boiling point on Tuesday when the former accused the latter of being responsible for the deaths recorded in the state during the 2015 general elections.
Amaechi had declared during a public lecture in Port Harcourt to mark his 50th birthday that God would not allow a killer to be the governor of Rivers State.
But Wike, who had attended another public lecture in the state capital, said he had no record of killing anybody and expressed displeasure that a public officer like Amaechi could speak in manner that was not expected of him.
Wike expressed optimism that he would be sworn in as the governor of the state on May 29, despite moves by Amaechi to scuttle his inauguration.
Speaking further, Amaechi stated that the governor-elect should realise that he (Wike) was his chief of staff, adding that Wike’s record was with him.
Explaining that he will never kill anybody because of personal ambition, the governor dismissed Wike’s description of him (Amaechi) as a corrupt person, adding that the governor-elect was accusing him of corruption because he (Wike) was looking for a way to negotiate with him (Amaechi) and his supporters.
Amaechi said, “In a bid for Wike to be governor, he hired …. an ex-militant. They killed a young man in Okrika and cut off his private parts. They slashed a young man’s throat and decided to hang his head on a tree.
“When I wanted to become governor, God took me aside and allowed Rivers people to vote for Celestine Omehia and He brought me back. So, nobody died. In 2011, the opposition joined us to vote for us; nobody died.
“But because of one man’s ambition, we were losing human beings everyday. Walking like a thug, killing people like a thug. The God I worship will answer our prayers. God will not allow those who kill people to be governor of Rivers State. God will allow only those who worship Him. I am not perfect.
“Even some of you pray more than me. My priest told me God said we would defeat Nyesom Wike. God said so. The same way God told me in 2007 that I would be governor. God will not allow us to make a killer, somebody who has killed human beings, to become the governor of Rivers State.
“I have been listening to Mr. Nyesom Wike and I have been trying not to reply him. He has been accusing me of corruption and I have been trying to keep quiet over the issue of corruption. A thief cannot call me corrupt. The first lesson he needs to learn is that he was Chief of Staff to my government. If I have no records, I have records on him.
“Why Nyesom Wike is talking the way he is talking is that they are looking for us to come and negotiate with them, so that they can illegally stay in office. They cannot stay like that. We are already in court (tribunal),” Amaechi said.
Recalling how he decided not to probe his predecessor, Dr. Peter Odili, the governor pointed out that the people would at the end ask him about his achievements and not the number of people his administration probed.
However, Wike, who spoke through his Media aide, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, added that Amaechi’s comment against him was an indication that the governor was not worthy of holding public office.
He said, “Only a man who is irresponsible would make such a comment. It shows that he is not worthy of the public office he occupies. He (Amaechi) is making comments that are completely out of place for people who should be in leadership position.
“To begin with and contrary to what Governor Amaechi said, the governor-elect is a God-fearing person, who believes in the rule of law. He is not involved in any killing and he will never be involved. He has never done anything that is outside of the law.
“Such unguarded comments should be disregarded by members of the public and well-meaning persons just like Channels Television did and apologised seriously to Nigerians. Amaechi promoted insecurity everywhere.
“God has already made it possible for Barrister Nyesom Wike to be governor. The people have already endorsed it as they voted for him massively. Amaechi is too small to stop the will of the people. On May 29, 2015, that will would be consummated during the swearing-in of Barrister Nyesom Wike.”
NDLEA defies court order,remain siege at Buruji Kashamu Lekki home.
The battle of wits between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the embattled senator-elect for Ogun-East senatorial district, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, continued on Tuesday with the anti-narcotic agency defying an order of a Lagos Federal High Court barring it from arresting the politician.
The court headed by Justice Ibrahim Buba gave a ruling on Tuesday afternoon ordering the more than 50 operatives of the NDLEA who had laid siege to the Lekki Phase 1 home of the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain since Saturday to vacate the duplex immediately.
Specifically, the judge described the siege to the Ijebu politician’s home as sub judice, stressing that it did not follow due process.
Also, the court barred any move by the NDLEA to arrest Kashamu, who had been holed up in his bedroom ever since, pending the ruling on a fundamental right application he filed before Justice Okon Abang of the same court.
It will be recalled that Abang, on May 8, fixed Wednesday, May 27, 2015, as the date to rule on the said application filed by Kashamu against the Inspector-General of Police and 13 others.
Kashamu, through his lawyers, have been seeking an order of the court restraining the defendants from giving effect to an alleged plot to abduct and forcibly extradite him to the United States of America to face alleged drug trafficking charges.
Buba pronounced the action of the NDLEA operatives as sub judice and ordered the men of the Nigerian Police Force to ensure that the NDLEA operatives vacate Kashamu’s premises “without a free for all.”
Buba held, “I am of the opinion that the justice of this case at this point demands that the men of the NDLEA numbering up to 50 or more stationed at the residence of the applicant be ordered to vacate the premises in view of the subsisting order made by Abang J.
“The parties shall stay all actions pending the determination of the application before Abang J.
“The Nigeria Police Force is directed or informed that there is an alleged contempt proceedings instituted by the applicant against the respondents, and are to ensure that orders of this court are obeyed, as it is the duty of all authorities and principalities and agents of government to obey court order.
“There shall be no room for a free for all.
“The defendants, who are alleged contemnors, are directed by this court not to do anything to undermine the judicial process of this court.”
The NDLEA had said it had received a formal extradition request on Kashamu from the government of the US and was coming to court on Monday to secure an extradition order.
The anti-narcotics agency claimed that the US government had requested Kashamu to stand trial on alleged drug-trafficking offences.
However, the NDLEA, which from all indications had yet to secure a warrant of arrest on Kashamu, failed to bring him to court on Monday but continued to lay siege to his house located on Oladipo Omotosho Street.
But the NDLEA kicked against the court order mandating it to withdraw its officials from Kashamu’s residence, insisting that its action was within the confines of the law.
Kashamu, a financier of the PDP in Ogun State, is also the Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the ruling party in the South-West. He was a staunch supporter of the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shortly after the ruling, the NDLEA, through its spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, issued a statement describing the court order as trivial and an attempt to prevent it from performing its statutory functions.
The agency maintained it had received an order from the United States government to extradite Kashamu for drug related offences and claimed to have served a warrant of arrest on him.
The statement read, “NDLEA has described as diversionary and inconsequential reports of a court order directing its men to vacate the residence of senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, and requesting both the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Bello Adoke and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, to appear in court.
“The NDLEA does not believe that any court will issue an order preventing a government agency from performing its statutory responsibilities in a lawful manner. The agency has, therefore, refused to be distracted and will continue to maintain presence at the residence. It is advisable that Kashamu respects the law by submitting himself to the due process of the law.
“We are prepared to explore all legal means in handling this case to a logical conclusion. The Nigerian Government has received a formal request from the United States government for the extradition of Prince Buriji Kashamu. It also has a provisional warrant of arrest on him contrary to claims by his attorneys.”
The statement stated further that Kashamu had been a target of both the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security for over 20 years.
It added that the politician, who teamed up with President Jonathan against former President Olusegun Obasanjo during the battle for the control of Ogun State had been indicted by the Grand Jury in the Northern District of Illinois, United States on heroin trafficking charges.
Court orders NDLEA officials to vacate Buruji Kashamu residence in Lekki with immediate effect.
A federal high court sitting in Lagos has order NDLEA and its official to vacate Drugs Barron kingpin Mr Buruji Kashamu residence in Lekki phase 1 with immediate effect.
Sunday 24 May 2015
NDLEA TO KASHAMU: Face your problems,stop blaming Obasanjo and Bode George.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday advised the embattled Senator – elect and hotelier, Prince Buruji Kashamu, to face the facts of his case and stop blaming innocent people for his predicaments.
NDLEA urged Kashamu who is under house arrest in his Lekki – Lagos residence since Saturday by the Operatives of the agency, to “act honourably and concentrate on his case.”
In a statement by the Head of Public Affairs unit, NDLEA, Ofoyeju Mitchell, he called on Kashamu to leave the duo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex – Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, out of his personal problem.
Mitchel noted while the Anti – drugs law agency intensifies effort for Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu to appear before the Federal High Court on Monday, a formal request for his extradition has also been received from the Embassy of the United States of America.
Relying on an official report, he stated that Kashamu has been on the wanted list of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“Kashamu was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois, United States on charges brought against him by ICE. According to the United States court documents, Kashamu in his days as the leader of a prolific heroin trafficking ring based in Chicago, Illinois was known as “God,” “Daddy,” and “Kasmal”.
“He is wanted to stand trial on charges of conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, namely heroin, into the United States dating back to 1994.
“Kashamu, who holds dual Nigerian/Beninese citizenship, has taken multiple preemptive actions to thwart U.S. extradition efforts such as making fanciful claims that his is a case of mistaken identity, and that his deceased brother is responsible for the crimes he is being sought after in the United States.
“He has filed injunctions at the federal court both in the Northern District of Illinois, United States and in Nigeria to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
“These are issues that Kashamu should prepare to address rather than point accusing fingers at eminent elder Statesmen who have no connection with the ongoing investigative process.
“The Senator – elect who was placed on house arrest at the weekend is expected to appear in court in less than 24 hours.
“We expect Kashamu as a distinguished senator-elect to demonstrate ample confidence in the Nigerian judicial system and stop the blame game,” the statement reads.
More reactions trail siege laid on Buruji Kashamu resident in Lekki by officials of NDLEA.
More reactions trail the siege laid on the home of the senator-elect Buruji Kashamu by the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
While Kashamu aides characterized the move as illegal, the NDLEA officials explained that the operation was in line with the legal process of extradition.
Kashamu, previously indicted for drug dealing in the USA, is set to appear in court on Monday.
Saturday 23 May 2015
NDLEA surrounded Ogun state senator elect under PDP private house in Lekki Phase 1.
Friday 22 May 2015
FG says power supply may worsen as mega watt drop to 1,327MW.
At 1,327MW generation, FG says power supply may worsen
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