Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has appointed Dr Hygenius Nwokwu as the new Secretary to State Government (SSG).

The appointment came less than six hours after Prof Bernard Odoh, the former SSG, resigned his appointment.

The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Umahi, Mr Emmanuel Uzo confirmed the appointment in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Tuesday.

He said: Yes, Dr Hygenius Nwokwu has been appointed the new SSG and his appointment is with immediate effect.

The Governor personally signed the appointment letter and the SSG has assumed duty immediately .

Nwokwu has previously held appointments as Commissioner for Education, Commissioner for Rural Development and Commissioner in the Ebonyi Civil Service Commission.

He was until his present appointment, the Permanent Member in Ebonyi Secondary Education Board (SEB).

Odo, appointed SSG in May 29, 2015 resigned his appointment in the late hours of Tuesday, April 2. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Mr. Alexander Mwolwu, Plateau PDP chieftain has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of plotting to discredit the party to promote Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Obasanjo, had in a statement made on Monday, told Nigerians not to take the apology offered by PDP some weeks ago serious and had described it as a corrupt political party.

Mwolwus told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pankshin that Obasanjos pronouncement is very unfortunate and selfish in nature.

While describing PDPs apology to Nigerians through its National Chairman as a right step in the right direction, he said: Only great men own up to their mistakes.

If PDP had apologised willingly having owned up to its mistakes, it shouldnt be castigated for that because every human organisation has its own limitations.

Even though Obasanjos plots to discredit PDP to promote his own political party, SDP, he seems to have missed it and does not know what he is doing. He is the most ungrateful and corrupt Nigerian leader, who never knew how PDP was formed.

But all the same, his party will not be anywhere close to having the confidence of Nigerians if that is the way he wants to go drumming support for it.

Obasanjo was never a member of PDP but out of sheer pity and magnanimity, the party brought him out of prison and made him president on a platter of gold, the chieftain alleged.

Mwolwus further stated, we made him who he is today, yet he had the guts to spit and shout against us.

The PDP chieftain accused the ex-president of introducing corruption and corrupting the National Assembly with his third term failed ambition.

According to him, Obasanjo corruptly sold out government properties to his cronies and spent billions of Naira on electricity. Nigerians couldnt see its impact but only darkness.

Mwolwus described The list of alleged looters released by the federal government on Sunday, as lopsided and unreal since the names of those who jumped from PDP to APC were omitted.

By that list, President Buhari ended up disappointing his ardent admirers and supporters. If people who looted and jumped into APC and those in APC that were caught red handed are not on the list, but only PDP members, then there is question mark on it (list), Mwolwus said.

He called on Nigerians not to be bothered by the game plans of APC and Obasanjo, but should keep faith with PDP, which he said has realised its mistakes and wishes to give them a purposeful leadership in 2019.

Source: NAN

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Former councillors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have elected national executives that will pilot the affairs of members across the country.

The new executives were elected at the forums national convention held in Abuja.

The Patron of the forum, Danladi Etsu Zhin, said the new body would help in setting up structures that would bring development closer to rural dwellers.

Zhin, a former Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the FCT, served as councillor between 1991 and 1993.

He noted that councillors were closer to the grassroots and should be provided with a platform to always contribute towards effective development of their people.

He described the forum as political mobiliser that needed full attention to boost development across the 774 local governments in the country.

Zhin said the idea of the forum was initiated as a means of connecting government to the people at the local level, as well as ensuring APCs victory at the forthcoming elections.

In their separate acceptance speeches, the forums Chairman, Egop Igah, from Rivers State, and Secretary, Hajiya Aisha Yakubu, pledged their commitment to connect political office holders together.

Source: NAN

The governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have met with President Muhammadu Buhari after the February meeting they had in Katsina, but refused to disclose their discussion.

The meeting on Tuesday was held at the Council Chambers in Abuja and all the governors refused to unveil the reason for the meeting.

There are speculations that the governors discussed the issue of tenure elongation of party leaders.

At the end of the meeting, the governors left the State House without speaking with journalists on the outcome of the dialogue.

One of the governor was heard saying that they were directed not to speak with journalists over issues discussed at the meeting.

Sources said that the meeting could not reach consensus on some of the issues discussed including the challenges facing the APC national executives over tenure elongation.

The governors, who appeared divided over the issue of tenure elongation for the APC national executives, had met briefly among themselves before the arrival of President Buhari for the meeting.

Buhari had at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on March 27, said the tenure elongation of the partys executives was illegal and unconstitutional.

The APC National Chairman, Mr John Odigie-Oyegun had earlier today inaugurated a committee to advise the party on the way forward following President Buharis recent opposition to the tenure extension.

The NEC had extended by a year, the tenure of Odigie-Oyegun-led executives and others across all levels of the party starting from June.

The president said the decision was unconstitutional and already causing acrimony within the party.

He said: In particular, I think it is important for me to speak quickly on the contentious issue of the tenure of our National and State Executive Officers.

As we all know, a motion was moved at the last National Executive Committee meeting of February 27, 2018, to the effect that when the tenure of the current executives expire in June this year, they should be allowed to continue for one year.

This motion was duly carried by a majority of members present at the last NEC meeting, even though some of our party members have since spoken up very vehemently against it. Others have even taken the matter to court.

On my own part, I have taken some time to review and seek advice on the resolution. And what I found is that it contravenes both our party Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Another meeting between the APC governors and the President would be reconvened next week at the same venue.

Governors at the meeting include Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Jubrilla Bindow (Adamawa), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Abdufatah Ahmed (Kwara).

Also in attendance are Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Tanko Al- Makura (Nasarawa), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Abubakar Bello (Niger).

The rest include Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).

Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe were absent at the meeting while Gov. Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State was represented by his deputy.

The President had earlier in February met with the APC governors when he was in his hometown in Daura in Katsina State.

Chairman of APC Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, led the governors on the visit, coming exactly one year to the presidential election.

Okorocha told journalists that the governors were in Daura to commiserate with President Buhari over the loss of two members of his extended family.

Source: NAN

Sierra Leones governing party has accused Britain, African Union and ECOWAS of planning to rig the presidential election.

All Peoples Congress (APC) said Britain and the regional blocs were spearheading an international conspiracy to effect regime change by rigging its presidential election.

The party, through a spokesman, said Tuesday the conspiracy involved the African Union, the West African regional bloc Ecowas and the Commonwealth, among others.

Deputy Information minister and a government spokesman Cornelius Deveaux, said the British High Commissioner in Freetown was championing the conspiracy alongside former Ghanaian President John Mahama.

Mr Mahama is heading the Commonwealth Elections Observation Mission in the country.

There is an international conspiracy to steal our victory. It is led by British High Commissioner, Guy Warrington, and implemented by former Ghanaian President John Mahama, Mr Deveaux, told state broadcaster SLBC.

Mr Deveaux, who is also the APC publicity secretary, said they had got evidence indicating that a brother of President Mahama was bankrolling the campaign of the opposition candidate, Brig (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio.

The allegations come as the country anxiously awaits the results of the March 31 presidential run-off election pitching Brig Bio against APCs Dr Samura Kamara.

Both parties have issued statements claiming victory, even without the National Electoral Commission (NEC) releasing any figures.

On Monday, SLPP held a press conference where it presented the outcome of its tally indicating a 2 per cent victory margin for its candidate.

An internationally mediated peace deal in Freetown on the same day paved the way for the resumption of vote tallying after it was stopped due to disagreement between the two parties. At that meeting, the head of NEC, Mr Mohamed Nfa Allie Conteh, promised to announce the final results within the next 48 hours.

There were rumours now that APC was preparing to seek a court injunction blocking NEC from announcing the results.

While the nation awaits, conspiracy theories continue to fuel tension amidst reports of violence in parts of the country, thanks to accusations and counter-accusations of ballot stuffing.

Meanwhile, the Defence ministry has angrily dismissed the opposition allegations of a plot to assassinate its presidential candidate and it called on the police to investigate the matter.

Source:

Source: NAN

Two women died on Tuesday in an auto crash involving the motorcade bearing the wife of Abia Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu.One of the dead was Nwamaka Maduchukwu, the media aide to Mrs. Ikpeazu.

The other woman was identified as Mrs Promise Uche-Nwamkpa, wife of a former member of the Abia State House of Assembly.

Maduchukwu was a senior special assistant on media to Mrs. Ikpeazu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the accident occurred when the motorcade was returning to Umuahia from Ntigha-Uzor in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia, where Ikpeazu had attended a burial.

Witnesses said that the Hummer carrying the deceased somersaulted thrice, when the driver attempted to overtake a vehicle at Ndiolumbe around 5 p.m.

A female occupant of the vehicle, who escaped unhurt, told NAN that the driver was on high speed when the accident occurred.

The driver was on high speed and everybody in the vehicle was asking him to slow down. Suddenly the bus started jumping up and down before it started somersaulting, she said.

She said that the vehicle somersaulted about three times and that she only found herself seated safely on a field by the road.

The middle-aged, fair-complexioned woman, who was wearing a dress designed for the burial, was full of praises to God, saying that I escaped death by His grace.

The driver of the Hummer, Mr Bright Ugwubujor, blamed the accident on brake failure.

Narrating the incident to NAN at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Ugwubujor said that the accident occurred when he attempted to overtake a vehicle ahead of him.

When I tried to overtake the vehicle, I noticed an oncoming vehicle and attempted to retreat but I encountered a bump on the road and when I tried to apply the brake it could not work.

Immediately, the vehicle began to somersault, he said.

A medical doctor at the unit, where all the victims were brought for medical attention, confirmed to NAN the death of the two women.

He said that other occupants of the bus, including the driver sustained bruises and minor injuries.

He further said Mrs Promise Uche-Nwamkpa, was brought in dead to the hospital.

The second woman, Mrs Nwamaka Maduchukwu, gave up while doctors were battling to resuscitate her with the aid of an oxygen, he said

Maduchukwu was a widow and mother of four children.

She was also the chairperson, State Information Chapel of the Abia Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The Chairman of NUJ in the state, Mr John Emejor, who was at the hospital to sympathise with the victims, has expressed shock over the incident.

Also, the former lawmaker, Uche-Nwamkpa, who came to the hospital to identify the body of his wife, wept uncontrollably.

Her body was thereafter taken to the hospital morgue.

Meanwhile, members of Maduchukwus church and colleagues resorted to frantic prayers to revive her.

An aide to the governors wife, Mr Chika Ojiegbe, said the Office of the Wife of the Governor will issue a release soon. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Aside the cost of maintenance and modernisation of nuclear weapons, Nigeria has warned that they also remained a threat to all mankind.

Nigeria stated this in its statement to the General Debate of the 2018 Substantive Session of the UN Disarmament Commission by Faisal Ibrahim, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN.

The cost of maintenance and modernisation of these weapons are both outrageous and inexcusable, when compared to resources allocated by States for more useful and productive ventures.

These more useful and productive ventures could further the growth, development, prosperity and other peaceful and positive articulation of human endeavours, Nigeria said.

Nigeria highlighted the 1996 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed that the threat or use of nuclear weapons constituted a crime against humanity.

The country added that the ICJs opinion also affirmed that the threat or use of nuclear weapons constituted a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law.

Nigeria reiterated its view about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that could result from either a deliberate use and/or unintentional explosion of nuclear weapons.

It said these consequences should serve as a compelling reason for all states to address the question of the continued possession of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear weapons still remain the ultimate agents of mass destruction and their total elimination should be the final objective of all disarmament processes within the broad spectrum of goals being pursued by the United Nations.

To this end, my delegation heartily welcomes the adoption of the landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which opened for signature on 20 September 2017.

My delegation remains proud to have participated actively in the processes leading to its adoption, as well as being one of the first countries to sign the treaty.

Our commitment was guided by Nigerias principled position on the denuclearization of the world.

Nigeria stressed that the universalisation of the Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was dependent upon strict compliance with its three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

As a State Party to the Treaty of Pelindaba, Nigeria welcomes the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones (NWFZ) in parts of the world.

The treaty serves as a shield for the continent of Africa, including preventing the stationing of nuclear explosive devices on the continent and prohibiting testing of nuclear weapons.

Nigeria noted that the NWFZ serves as a measure to ensure a world free from the fear or possibility of the use of nuclear weapons.

It, therefore, called on all Member States to support efforts to replicate it in the remaining parts of the world, including in the Middle East.

Nigeria stressed the need for peaceful uses of outer space, particularly, preventing the weaponisation of the outer space to preserve peace and security to the benefit of all mankind.

In this regard, we strongly support the negotiation of a treaty preventing an arms race in outer space and for interim transparency and confidence-building measures toward that end.

Nigeria remains committed to using its space science capabilities for developmental purposes and, to that end, we have embarked on several developmental projects.

Some of which include desertification sensitivity index, population dissymmetric analysis and carbon emission assessment, among others.

Nigeria firmly believes that space technology has the immense potential to benefit both developed and developing countries.

And in this regard the UN needs to promote equal and non-discriminatory access to outer space, irrespective of levels of social, economic or scientific development.

Nigeria wishes to highlight the efforts of UN Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament in terms of their contributions to disarmament measures and other future challenges.

It noted the valuable input of the Centre in Africa, particularly in its efforts to ensure the provision of a robust programme on capacity-building and in extending technical assistance to many States on the continent. (NAN)

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, has disengaged some 15 local workers at the embassy.

Senior officials at the embassy told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the benefits of the 15 local workers would be paid soon.

They said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, approved the disengagement of the workers due to some ongoing rationalisation of workers at the embassy.

The officials, however, said the ministry had also approved the payment of gratuities to the workers, some of whom had worked with the embassy for more than 30 years.

Some of the affected workers had alleged that the decision to lay them off was arbitrary.

They also alleged that the embassy had no plans to pay their gratuity and other severance benefits.

Further, the local staff, who are mostly Nigerians, accused the Mission of retaining the non-Nigerian employees at the expense of those who are of Nigerian nationality.

However, the embassy officials denied that there was no prior notice to the disengaged workers, saying they actually agreed to the arrangement since February 2017.

They also assured the workers that the processes for the payment of their entitlements had reached an advanced stage.

One of the officials said: In February 2017, there was a decision to disengage some of the local staff.

However, they pleaded to an arrangement to be on contract for another one year, which lapsed in February 2018. The ministry from Abuja approved their disengagement.

As I am talking to you, we have received approval from Abuja to pay their benefits and they would be paid very soon. It is true that some of them have put in up to 30 years of service.

They were engaged on contracts and it is the decision of the government to either continue to renew their contract or to terminate it if their services are no longer needed.

Some whose contracts were terminated in 2013 were not paid in full but we are working out their benefits to make sure that those whose appointments were terminated receive their full benefits.

It is also not true that they were arbitrarily disengaged; they were aware of the contract and they signed on to it since last year.

The embassy in 2017 had disagreements with the local workers over the non-payment of salaries spanning several months, leading to protest at the embassy at the time.

Some of the workers also embarked on work to rule, which disrupted consular services at the embassy before they were paid following approval of three months salary by the ministry. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Militias have stormed a UN base in Southern Central Africa Republic (CAR), killing one peacekeeper and 21 civilians.

The UN confirmed on Wednesday that the attack happened on Monday.

Abbording to a statement from the UN, at around 5 a.m. (0400 GMT), armed anti-balaka militants attacked the base in Tagbara, about 300 km (190 miles) northeast of the capital Bangui.

The UN said ensuing gunfight lasted hours, and 22 anti-balaka were also killed.

It added that peacekeepers discovered 21 dead civilians, including four children, near a Church in Tagbara.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for those deaths.

Nothing can justify such acts that can be considered war crimes.

An investigation will be conducted and will leave no room for impunity, the UN said.

CAR was torn apart after mainly Muslim Seleka rebels ousted president Francois Bozize in 2013, provoking retaliation killings by the anti-balaka.

A 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission has struggled to restore order to the countryside where attacks on civilians are frequent.

The UN Security Council approved an extra 900 peacekeepers in November to help to protect civilians.

The mission has become a deadly one: more than a dozen UN peacekeepers were killed there in 2017. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN

The Federal Government has reacted to the barrage of attacks by some of the named treasury looters and has gone further to name 23 others, most of them members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a press statement, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the list of alleged looters which Government released on Friday was based on verifiable facts, including the amount involved, the date the amount in question was collected and from where it was taken.

Mohammed, also said those complaining that the list was too short apparently did not understand that it was strategically released as a teaser.

”At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or
just to shoot down anything coming from the government,” he said, adding that the Federal Government has a large number of alleged
looters on its list.

Alhaji Mohammed slammed the PDP for daring to challenge the Federal Government over an issue that the party knows is its weakness: Looting
of public treasury.

”What was the PDP expecting when it challenged the FG to name the looters of the public treasury under the party’s watch? Did the PDP actually believe that the massive looting under its watch was a joke?
Did they think it is April Fool?” he queried.

The Minister said the PDP’s reaction to the looters’ list has shown that its recent apology is an election-induced act, contrived to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians to vote for the party in the 2019 general election, even when it has not come clean on its looting spree during its time in office.

”The hysterical and panicky reaction from the PDP has shown that the party is not at all sincere about its choreographed apology. Were it not the case, the party would have followed in the footsteps of one of its leaders, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who simply owned up to his role in the party’s rigging in the past elections and said he had turned a new
leaf.

”It is said that a true confession is done in humility with an attitude of repentance. It is clear that the PDP does not know this,
hence its resort to hubris instead of humility and genuine penitence,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government will neither be intimidated nor blackmailed into silence, adding that it will also not
rest until all those who looted the public treasury have been brought to justice.

SECOND BATCH OF ALLEGED LOOTERS AND THE AMOUNT ALLEGEDLY EMBEZZLED

1. Former NSA Sambo Dasuki: Based on EFCC investigations and findings
   alone (this is beside the ongoing $2.1billion military equipment
   scandal), a total of N126 billion, over $1.5 billion and 5.5 million
   British Pounds was embezzled through his office. A good number of
   these monies were simply shared to persons and companies without any
   formal contract awards.

2. Former Petroleum Resources Minister Dieziani Alison-Madukwe: In
   just one of the cases the EFCC is investigating involving her, about
   N23 billion is alleged to have been embezzled. She is also involved in
   the Strategic Alliance Contracts of the NNPC, where the firms of Jide
   Omokore and Kola Aluko got oil blocks but never paid government taxes
   and royalty. About $3 billion was involved. The Federal Government is
   charging Omokore and Aluko and will use all legal instruments local
   and international to ensure justice.

3. Rtd. Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah: N13.9 billion. N4.8 billion
   recovered by EFCC in cash and property

4. Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika: N4.5 billion. N29m recovered by the EFCC so far.

5. Alex Barde, former Chief of Defence Staff: N8 billion, and EFCC recovered almost N4 billion in cash and property already.

6. Inde Dikko: former CG Customs: N40 billion, and N1.1 billion in cash recovered in cash and choice properties.

7. Air Marshal Adesola Amosun: N21.4 billion. N2.8 billion recovered in cash. 28 properties and 3 vehicles also recovered.

8. Senator Bala Mohammed, former FCT Minister: N5 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

9. Senator Stella Oduah: N9.8 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

10. Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu: N1.6 billion – from NSA.

11. Senator Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor: N12.5 billion.

12. Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State for Finance: N1.5 billion. $829,800 recovered.

13. Senator Peter Nwaboshi: N1.5 billion

14. Aliyu Usman: Former NSA Dasuki’s aide: N512 million

15. Ahmad Idris: Former NSA Dasuki’s PA: N1.5 billion

16. Rasheed Ladoja: Former Oyo Governor: N500 million

17. Tom Ikimi: N300 million

18. Femi Fani-Kayode: N866 million

19. Hassan Tukur, former PPS to President Goodluck: $1.7 million

20. Nenadi Usman: N1.5 billion

21. Benedicta Iroha: N1.7 billion

22. Aliyu Usman Jawaz: Close ally of former NSA Dasuki: N882 million

23. Godknows Igali: Over N7 billion

Source: NAN