Senate president Bukola Saraki finally bowed out of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday, after weeks of speculations and expectations.

I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Saraki said on his Twitter feed.

Abdulfattah Ahmed, Governor of Kwara State and Sarakis protege also declared his exit from the APC, simultaneously, with his boss

Sarakis exit from the party was an anti-climax as he had openly romanced with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, of which he was a member until 2014.

The resignation also came amidst expectations that the APC would formally expel him and Speaker Yakubu Dogara from the party.

Both senior members of the ruling party had been accused of disloyalty and anti-party activities, the latest of which was the joint statement issued by the duo accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of masterminding the political crisis in Benue state.

On Monday, the National Working Committee of the APC stripped Saraki and Governor Ahmed of the control of the partys structure in the state, by dissolving the executives from the ward to the state level, an indication that the party was finished with them.

The party appointed a caretaker committee to take control of the party affairs. The party hinged its action on the partys constitution.

Source: NAN

The University of Ibadan on Tuesday renamed its Arts Theatre after Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. The university also named the Practical Theatre as Geoffrey Axworthy studio.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Axworthy was the founding Director of the School of Drama of the university in 1962.

Soyinka was also the founding head when the school was transformed into a full Department of Theatre Arts in 1970.

Speaking at the unveiling of the theatre, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, said the event marked a landmark in the history of the university.

The vice-chancellor said the two iconic figures had played significant roles in the development of the department and the growth of performing arts in the country.

According to him, the quest to rename the theatre after Soyinka received the approval of the Senate at its meeting in October 2017.

But the honour being conferred on Prof. Wole Soyinka today belongs to a special class.

Not only is he being honoured during his lifetime, he is physically present to receive it in good health of body and mind, he said.

According to him, the theatre was constructed in 1956 to provide a forum for performances and other forms of entertainment.

Now that the Arts Theatre is being renamed, we are hopeful that the new vision for Wole Soyinka Theatre will be realised sooner than later with the active support of benevolent philanthropists and well-meaning corporate organisations, he said.

In his remarks, Soyinka said he was happy to be in the university, adding that he was in a familiar environment with lots of memories.

This is a place of memories for me, I also felt contented co-honouring me with Geoffrey Axworthy who fought so hard to make the department what it is today.

It is very easy to forget pioneer, but I have to say that our successors here have a sense of history, so, I must thank you all for this, he said.

The Nobel Laureate, however, urged the lecturers and students of the department to continue to make it great with creative production.

You all should try and have fun like we used to and continue to make the department great with creative productions, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2nd Geoffrey Axworthy lecture entitled, Geoffrey Axworthy and the Modern Nigerian Theatre, was delivered by Prof. Ahmed Yerima, the Vice-Chancellor of Reedeemer University, Ede, Osun.

Yerima said Axworthy used his position as the Director of the School of Drama to influence policy development and implementation.

Axworthy, he said, also promoted the relationship between the town and the gown.

NAN reports that Soyinka was a student at the University of Ibadan between 1952 and 1954.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.

Dignitaries at the event included Prof. Femi Osofisan, John Pepper Clerk, Dr Kolade Musoro and Chief Gbenga Arulogun

Source: NAN

By Ebere Agozie

Alhaji Ibrahim Goni, Conservator General, National Parks Service (NPS), says 107 rangers lost their lives worldwide in the line of duty between July 31, 2017 and July 31 2018.

Goni disclosed this while delivering the speech of the President of the International Rangers Federation (IRF) at the 2018 World International Day celebration in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the natural world was under immense pressure through the loss of species, habitat destruction, climate change, and environmental crime issues.

These challenges need urgent attention and the many solutions to the problems varied and are complex, therefore rangers must play critical frontline role in defending our natural heritage, now and always into the future.
The Conservator-General gave assurance that the service was working tirelessly to strengthen and equip its officers for effective park patrols.

He noted that the service had obsolete and low calibre firearms and ammunition and required, as an immediate measure, light arms and ammunition for effective park operations.

We are working in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force in fighting insurgency, banditry and cattle rustling in the park.

This will help reduce the constant conflicts between the park staff and cattle grazers in the park as a result of the lack of designated cattle routes and functional grazing reserves, which had led to death of many staff and others getting maimed.

We will rehabilitate access roads to ease park surveillance and anti-poaching patrol to boost wildlife viewing, and enhance park monitoring and evaluation, he said.

Dr Okeyoyin Okedeji, Assistant Conservator -General, Ecological Resource Management of the service, gave a roll call of the fallen heroes.

We lost 107 rangers worldwide, Africa 63, Nigeria 3 and a total of 29 officers died in active service since the inception of the National Park, he said.

In his good will message, Dr Rufus Ebegba, Director General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), congratulated the rangers who risked their lives to protect the environment.

I give you my gallant salute for preserving and conserving our natural resources.

I also congratulate the Conservator-General for what he has been doing in reviving the National Park to meet the international standard and wish that rangers are properly kited and well armed for law enforcement.

Our country is very dangerous when it comes to enforcing the law, people lose their lives trying to protect the law, he said.

Mr Jonah Moses, one of the rangers, thanked the Conservator General for the training given to the rangers to be able to carry out their jobs effectively.

The Service in conjunction with Health is Wealth for life sustainability in Africa as part of the world rangers celebration, held a Medical Outreach programme on Malaria Testing and Treatment in three Park Headquarters Neighbouring Communities.

The communities are Kuchigoro, Karemajiji and Ruga all in the Federal Capital Territory.

Source: NAN

The Buhari administration is deploying a 1000-strong mixed force, comprising the army, air force, police and the civil defence to launch counterattacks on the bandits terrorising the villages and towns of Zamfara State.

Following directives by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has also begun the deployment of fighter aircraft to Katsina, the airport with the closest proximity to Zamfara State to make for immediate and effective response to the menace posed by the bandits.

“This had not been possible in the past because there was no fuel depot facility in Katsina, but NAF has devised a way around the problem”, Malam Garba Shehu, the SSA Media to the President explained.

According to him, the President has also authorised the engagement by NAF, of advanced satellite surveillance technology to help in accurate detection of movement and locations of the bandits.

“The government had to go to this extent because of the limitations of conventional surveillance, as the use of satellite technology could make the task of NAF less problematic. Following directives from the President, at the weekend, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, was in Gusau where he met the Deputy Governor of the State”, Garba said.

“The Chief of Air Staff reiterated the President’s pledge that he would never abandon victims of attacks to their fate, reaffirming that security remains one of the cardinal pillars of his campaign promises and no leader would be happy to see his own citizens killed by criminal groups across the country”.

The new presidential directive followed renewed attacks by bandits in some areas of the state. On July 24, bandits struck attacked villages in Mashema District of Zurmi local government area.

The army arrested three of the suspected bandits. But on Saturday, irate youths in Zurmi town, attacked the community police station demanding that officers should hand over the three suspected bandits arrested by the army to them.

The Public Relations Officer of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Gusau on Sunday said the police station was attacked on Saturday evening.

Shehu said that the angry youths also burnt down a vehicle and some motorcycles at the station.

On Sunday, the Speaker of Zamfara state house of assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji reported the kidnap of 15 persons on Saturday in Maradun local government area of the state.

The latest directive by the president to beef up security in the state may contain future security breaches.

According to Garba, President Buhari since 2015 has kept faith with his promises to re-equip and motivate the country’s military and other security services.The army and other security services are now better equipped and motivated to face their responsibilities.

“The Presidency, therefore, appealed to all Nigerians to unite and speak with one voice on security issues and urged politicians to stop exploiting national security challenges.

“Those praying for the President to fail in this effort can be likened to one stabbing oneself in the heart and celebrating about it. In this regard, security should not be reduced to petty politics as doing so could only embolden the terrorists and other murderous gangs”.

Senator Sefiu Adegbenga Kaka has declared his intention to join the governorship race in Ogun state, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

Kaka, who was deputy of Governor Olusegun Osoba, from 1999-2003, made the declaration in Abeokuta on Monday.

He spoke at a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State council secretariat at Oke Ilewo.

As a former Senator, he represented Ogun East from 2011-2015.

I am your man, I have the experience, the integrity and commitment, he told the newsmen.

He said as Ogun State stands today, there is ample room for improvement in agriculture, education, healthcare, employment and empowerment of our youth and female folks, rural development, sports and tourism.

Kaka was born on 14 April 1952, to a Muslim family in Ijebu-Igbo. He was educated at Ijebu Muslim College and graduated in 1972.

He later went to University of Ibadan, where he bagged a degree in Agriculture and University of Lagos, where he got an MBA in 1985.

He had been commissioner in different ministries in the state and Chairman and member of numerous Boards of Corporation and Parastatals.

In politics, he was the vice-chairman, Alliance for Democracy in Ogun State before he was named the Deputy Governor, to run with Osoba.

He won the 2011 race into the senate as the candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria, beating candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN).

Source: NAN

By Peter Okolie

The Senate has approved the reimbursement of N37.9 billion out of N43.5 billion expended by Anambra Government for the rehabilitation of some federal roads in the state.

Sen. Victor Umeh (APGA-Anambra)made the disclosure at the inauguration of the Awka North Local Government Chapter of his Campaign Organisationat Isu-Aniocha near Awka on Monday.

Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, saidthe Senate has approved various refunds to 21 states for various monies spent on federal projects, particularly roads.

Anambra had a claim of N43 billion over time but the Senate secured approval for N37. 9 billion for Anambra.

Our hope is that the Federal Government will pay this money as quickly as possible because Gov. Willie Obiano is in a hurry to execute more projects, Umeh told the party faithful.

Umeh, who is the Chairman House Committee on Labour and Productivity, commended Obianos passion toward developing the state.

He also described his recent victory at the Election Petition Tribunal in Awka as victory for democracy and Nigeria.

I was happy the tribunal dismissed the petition with harsh words. We will now move on without distraction, he said.

Umeh appealed to oppositions to rather join forces with him and the party to develop the state.

According to him, APGA has done so much to make turn the fortunes of the state.

Obiano and APGA legislators are doing well. I believe that it is Gods will that APGA is in Anambra to solve its problems, he said.

He expressed confidence that with two Senators and six House of Representatives members, the party would further make inroad in the 2019 general elections.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Nkem Okeke, who described Umeh as a performing senator, urged members of the constituency to support the senators re-election bid.

Source: NAN

The presidents of Somalia and Eritrea on Monday signed an agreement to establish diplomatic ties after over a decade of animosity, in the latest lightning rapprochement between Horn of Africa rivals.

The two countries will establish diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors, read a joint declaration on brotherly relations signed in Asmara by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Mohamed.

The declaration came just three weeks after Ethiopia and Eritrea declared an end to two decades of conflict, rapidly restoring diplomatic ties and flights between their capitals.

The history of the three nations, and their fallouts, have been intertwined.

Somalia and Eritrea were once close. Under Somali dictator Siad Barre, the military regime in Mogadishu backed Eritreas long fight for independence from Ethiopia, which was attained in 1993.

In 1998 Ethiopia and Eritrea began a bloody two-year war over their shared border which left 80,000 dead before settling into a bitter cold war.

After the fall of Barre in 1991, Somalia fell into chaos.

By around 2006, it became the site of what observers called a proxy war between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Ethiopia backed a weak interim government in Mogadishu while Eritrea was accused of backing the Islamic militants fighting to overthrow it, a charge it denied.

The United Nations Security Council in 2009 imposed an arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Eritrea for its alleged support of the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab militants, which continue to launch regular deadly attacks despite losing territory in recent years.

The declaration placed special emphasis on its support for the Somali government.

Eritrea strongly supports the political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia as well as the efforts of the people and government of Somalia to restore the countrys rightful stature and achieve the lofty aspirations of its people, it said.The document, posted on Eritreas information ministry website, also said the two nations will endeavor to forge intimate political, economic, social, cultural as well as defense and security cooperation.

They will in addition work in unison to foster regional peace, stability and economic integration.

At a state banquet on Sunday, Afwerki bemoaned the gloomy post-Cold War history of the Horn of Africa.

He said the region had been destroyed by ethnic and clan cleavages and external pillage and internal thievery in the speech which also lashed out at the micromanagement of anarchy by the United Nations and NGOs.

Under these bleak realities, interventionist and expansionist regional agendas in the name of religion, cultural intoxication under various extremist ideologies, terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, as well as trade in weapons and narcotics became the new normal, he said, according to a speech posted on the information ministrys website.

Source: NAN

Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have described the move by eight members of the Benue House of Assembly to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom as illegal.

In a joint statement, the two leaders, who are being expected to join the Peoples Democratic Party, from the All Progressives Congress, said the move was a desecration of the legislative sanctity.

In a joint statement on Monday, they condemned a situation where 22 other members, the majority, are kept away from the Assembly Complex by the police.

Saraki and Dogara called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and stop them being used to achieve political purposes.

We have monitored closely the development in Benue State in which the impeached Speaker, Terkimbir Ikyange, led seven other members to serve impeachment notice on the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, while the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third majority have been prevented from having access to the chamber. We believe this is illegality and does not conform to parliamentary procedure on impeachment.

We also note with surprise the role of the Police in this undemocratic event in which the minority is seeking to impeach a Governor against the position of the majority. We believe it is the sacred institution of the legislature that is being desecrated and rubbished in all these negative developments.

The situation in Benue State House of Assembly has grave implication for the nations democracy and it represents a throw-back to the period of dictatorship in our country. It also represents how the Nigeria Police are being misused to achieve political end. In a statement recently, the Presidency derisively referred to an era in the past where a minority number of legislators was used to impeach Governors who were unfriendly with the Federal Government. What we are seeing in Benue now is a return to that inglorious era.

We believe this unlawful and unconstitutional move to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom by a minority should be condemned by all lovers of democracy, at home and abroad. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and prevent a break-down of law and order. We also call on friends of Nigeria in the international community to lend their voice in condemning the perpetration of illegalities and actions that can subvert our democracy.

There is already a tense atmosphere in Benue State following the recent killings. Nobody should encourage any action or move which may exacerbate the security situation in the North Central State. As leaders of the Federal legislature, we are ready to work with our colleagues in both chambers of the National Assembly to prevent any attempt to destroy any state legislature or use it to derail democracy, Saraki and Dogara stated.

Press Statement

Source: NAN

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Monday arraigned three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and charged them with receiving N179.8 million stolen money as bribe from former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The men,Yemi Akinwunmi, Atiba Dickson and OgunmodedeOladayo, docked before Justice Muslim Hassan, of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi are being tried on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, diversion of public funds and money laundering.

The defendants- -were alleged to have collected the slush funds in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.

Investigation revealed that the money was disbursed to some chieftains and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as well as some retired staff of INEC in Ogun State to compromise the 2015 general elections.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.

However, counsel to the defendant, Ayo Ogungbesan, moved an oral application for bail on behalf of his clients.

In refusing the bail application, the judge held that the defence counsel must make a formal application for bail on behalf of his clients.

Consequently, Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to August 6, 2018 for hearing of the bail application and ordered the defendants to be remanded prison custody.

Source: NAN

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo has finally dumped his deputy, Mr Eze Madumere, who has been locked in a fight for political supremacy against him.

Madumere was impeached on Monday by 19 out of the 27 members of the state assembly, despite his 11th hour effort to stop the process by the court.

The Speaker of the House, Acho Ihim, said the impeachment followed the outcome of a report of a seven-man panel which was constituted by the Chief Judge of the state to investigate allegations of gross misconduct.

He was accused of being absent from work without reasons for three months and also failing to perform constitutional duties like attending state executive and state security council meetings.

He was also accused of failure to attend meetings with the Governor and other government functionaries as well as an alleged concealment of felonious act in the United States.

Madumere had tried to stop the impeachment process, instituting several actions in the court. Hearing was slated to begin today.

Madumere, in his first suit against the state Chief Judge, the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly and the Imo State House of Assembly, contested the validity of the Assemblys motion and the Speakers request to the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-man panel to investigate the alleged gross misconduct levelled against him.

Apparently irked by failure of the defendants to respect the pendency of the suit, the deputy governor again filed two fresh suits against the defendants in the original suit and the seven-man panelists. Joined in the fresh suit as the second to eight defendants, are Nze Saba Nze, Charles Okoro, Barth N. Opara, Mr. Chika Anosike, Mr. Nwokocha Chidozie, Mrs. Olivia Nwanekezi and Amadi Chidinma.

The deputy governor urged the court to determine whether the Chief Judge can legally constitute a panel of seven persons of unquestionable integrity, to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the plaintiff, by the Speaker and the Imo State House of Assembly, during the pendency of suit number HOW/531/2018, which he instituted against the Chief Judge, the Speaker and the Imo State House of Assembly, in respect of the invalidity of the Assemblys motion and the Speakers request to the Chief Judge to constitute the said panel.

According to Madumeres 12-paragraph affidavit, the defendants were duly served with the originating summons and other processes in the suit on July 16, 2018, and they were aware of the pendency of the said suit.

He equally prayed the Court to, among other things, set aside the appointment of seven persons by the Chief Judge, as members of the panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct made against him, by the Speaker and the State House of Assembly.

In the second suit, the Deputy Governor then sought an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the panel and the Speaker, from investigating or continuing to investigate the allegations made against him, or sitting or continuing to sit, or to inquire or continuing to inquire, or deliberate or continuing to deliberate on the aforesaid allegations of gross misconduct against the plaintiff, or make any findings or continue to make findings against the plaintiff, pending the determination of this suit.

Another prayer before the Court is an order restraining the Speaker and Imo State House of Assembly, from receiving or accepting or acting on any report presented by the second to eight defendants, pending the determination of this suit.

Source: NAN