Buhari must be screened if he's Petroleum Minister - Senate

Buhari must be screened if he's Petroleum Minister - Senate

The Senate's plenary session will hold tomorrow, where president Buhari's ministerial list will finally be unveiled.

The Senators are saying the President must, in line with the constitution, submit himself before the Upper Chamber for screening if he appointed himself Minister of Petroleum. 

They are also set to reject an incomplete list, saying the constitution provides for a nominee from each state of the federation and that any list that did not cover the 36 states would suffer serious opposition on the floor of the Senate.

Woman steals her friend's 9 month old baby in Lagos, takes him to Anambra strate.

Woman steals her friend's 9 month old baby in Lagos, takes him to Anambra strate.

Jennifer Onyebuchi was arrested on September 30th for allegedly stealing a nine-month-old baby in the Ajegunle, Lagos and taking him to Okija, Anambra State.

It was gathered that Onyebuchi, who is from Anambra state, had befriended the baby’s mother, Aina Adetola, for about two weeks before she reportedly stole the infant. 

An eye witness who identified himself as Uche said:sunnexb.blogspot.com.ng

 “It was on Saturday, September 26. We were all shocked that Jennifer (Onyebuchi) escaped with the nine-month-old baby. She had met the victim’s mother for just two weeks before she carried out the act.

“They were both shop owners in the area. On that day, Jennifer took the baby from his mother when he was crying and said she was going to buy him a bottle of soft drink from a nearby shop. 

“When the mother waited for them to return, but did not see them, she raised the alarm. The matter was thereafter reported at the Ajegunle Police Division. Nobody suspected that Jennifer had a devilish motive. It turned out that the woman took the baby to a bus station and travelled on the same day to Okija, Anambra State.”

According to Punch Metro, after they realised what had happened, they reported the matter to police operatives from Lagos, who went after the suspect.

It was gathered that after four days of hiding, Onyebuchi was arrested in Okija, while the baby was also rescued by the police.

 

Adetola, who is the baby's mother said that her husband sent her packing from their house, when he discovered that she had given their baby to a stranger.

She said,

 “I could not eat for four days. I thought I was going to run mad. I wanted to kill myself, but people continued to calm me down. My husband was so angry that he sent me out of his apartment, and I had to be sleeping in my friend’s house. He said if I did not bring the baby back, I should not return to his apartment. I wept throughout that period. 

“I first met Jennifer (Onyebuchi) at a filling station around Boundary bus stop in Ajegunle. She would always assist me when I wanted to buy petrol. She had a shop in the area too. On that Saturday, she had come to my shop when my baby was crying. She carried him and said she was going to buy a drink for him. 

“That was my mistake. After hours of waiting for them, I rushed to Akinbo Street at the house where I knew Jennifer stayed, only to be told that she had travelled. I was shocked. That was when I went to the police to make a report.”

A police source in Ajegunle said when the Police visited Jennifer’s rented apartment, her bf said the only person he knew who was related to the suspect was a spare parts dealer who brought her from the village.

He said:

 “The police located the spare parts dealer, who suggested that the woman might have travelled to her hometown in Okija, Anambra State. So, the dealer and the police went to Anambra, and they were on her trail for two days. 

“On Wednesday, she was arrested. She and the baby were brought back to Lagos on the eve of Nigeria’s Independence Day. 

“Some of the residents of the area wanted the police to release the suspect to them, so they would mob her, but that did not happen.”sunnexb.blogspot.com

Road sweepers hold Cross River SSG hostage,demand unpaid allowance

Road sweepers hold Cross River SSG hostage,demand unpaid allowance

Secretary to Cross River State Government, Mrs Martina Agbor, was  yesterday  held hostage by street sweepers and gardeners at the Calabar Urban Development Authority, CUDA, when she went  there to take inventory of the Authority’s vehicles.

2 Female suspects arested for Nyanya Abuja bomb blast

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Police Arrest 2 Female suspected bombers in Abuja

More than 15 plain clothes police operatives arrested two female suspected terrorists yesterday.
The incident occurred around 10.30am at the Gwarimpa Estate, CITEC end of the pedestrian bridge at the CITEC Junction Bus Stop, when the operatives stormed the spot where the two girls aged between 16 and 18, were standing as if waiting for somebody, and arrested them.

Naira depreciates further at parallel market

OCTOBER 6, 2015 :

   

 

 

Naira notes
| credits: Google

The Naira on Monday further depreciated against the Dollar at the parallel market.

The Naira lost N1.50 to the Dollar as it was traded at N225.5 to the dollar on Monday afternoon.

This is against the N224 to the Dollar recorded last Friday.

Meanwhile, the official interbank rate also dropped by 0.05 to N196.95 to the dollar.

Traders at the parallel market attributed the depreciation of the Naira at the market to insufficient quantity of Dollars at the market.

Buhari, Dogara meet over Saraki’s trial

OCTOBER 6, 2015 : 

   

 

 

Buhari, Saraki and Dogara

There were indications that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, met on Monday night over the ongoing prosecution of the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, for alleged false asset declaration.

The meeting said to have been held late in the night.

Our correspondent learnt that Dogara had reportedly “secured a booking” to meet with Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa.

A senior official of the House told The PUNCH that the meeting was not an open affair and that nobody could gauge the mood of the President.

The official said, “I am aware that he (speaker) secured a booking to see the President this night. But, this will not be an open meeting just yet. I think he wants to first see Mr. President and inform him about the resolution of the House.

“The President’s mood will determine whether he will go on to mediate in the matter to find a political solution as advised by the House.”

The House had in a resolution passed on Wednesday, last week, asked Dogara to intervene in Saraki’s case by meeting with Buhari and the Senate President, who is also the Chairman of the National Assembly, with a view to finding a political solution to the matter.

The move by the House came soon after the Code of Conduct Bureau arraigned the Senate President before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false asset declaration.

The House had argued that a political solution could save the country the heat generated in the polity by Saraki’s trial at the CCT.

It also claimed that a matter affecting the National Assembly could indirectly be a threat to democracy.

Part of the resolution reads, “The House mandates the leadership of the House to meet with the President with a view to politically resolving all outstanding issues relating to National Assembly in the interest of Nigerians.

“Mandate the speaker to intervene in the present issues and challenges being faced by the Chairman of the National Assembly (Saraki) with a view to finding a political solution and protecting the institution of the National Assembly as a whole for the interest of our democracy.”

When contacted for comments, the Chairman, House Ad hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Sani Zoro, said he could not confirm whether there would be a meeting between Buhari and Dogara.

Zoro claimed to have made efforts to reach the speaker but could not because of a meeting of the leadership of the House being held as of 4.44pm when he spoke with The PUNCH.

However, he admitted that Dogara was “eminently placed” to mediate in the issue since his position had not been “called to question by any authority as we speak.”

He added, “While I cannot confirm immediately whether there will be a meeting tonight between Mr. President and the Speaker, I will quickly say that the speaker has been involved in several reconciliation meetings within the party (All Progressives Congress) and other levels.

“It was not by mistake that the House mandated him to intervene in the current issue affecting the Senate President.

“He has been holding several reconciliation meetings.”

But, another member of Zoro’s committee confided in The PUNCH that he was aware that Dogara planned to meet with Buhari between Monday (yesterday) and Wednesday (tomorrow) over Saraki’s case.

The source said two other meetings, one with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, and the other with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, would precede a meeting with Buhari on Wednesday.

“He will likely meet with the VP and the SGF on Tuesday (today) before another leg of meeting with Buhari on Wednesday,” the source stated.

Buhari had said that his relationship with Saraki would be determined by the outcome of his trial by the CCT.

However, the two top officials of the government were photographed on Thursday last week at an event marking the 55th Independence anniversary of the country as they laughed and bantered.

The photograph was said to be intended to portray the two as officials who had no scores to settle.

Buhari and Saraki are said not to have held any official meeting to discuss matters of state since the latter emerged as the President of the 8th Senate on June 9 against the preferred choice of the APC, Senator Ahmad Lawan.

The current peace move being spearheaded by Dogara is coming amid the screening of Buhari’s ministerial nominees by the Senate, beginning anytime from Tuesday (today).

Saraki had on Wednesday last week confirmed the receipt of the letter containing the names of the nominees but noted that the letter would be opened at plenary on Tuesday.

With Saraki in charge of affairs, there are concerns in some quarters that the Senate President may seize the opportunity to take his pound of flesh by influencing senators to reject a number of the nominees.

Senate may involve EFCC, ICPC in ministerial screening

OCTOBER 6, 2015 : 

   

 

 

Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The Senate leadership will adopt the formal procedure for the screening of ministerial nominees behind closed doors on Tuesday (today). It may also involve anti-graft agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission in the screening of those nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari to become ministers under the present administration.

A principal officer, who craved anonymity, disclosed this during an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.

He said the Senate at the close-door meeting would discuss whether to give special considerations for former senators and other members of the National Assembly nominated as ministerial candidates by Buhari.

The principal officer, explained that the meeting became necessary in view of the fact that the leadership of the Eighth Senate had vowed to do a thorough job to ensure that persons with questionable characters were not confirmed as ministers.

He said, “As far as we are concerned, everybody should be equal but at the same time, we have a convention that gives special considerations to former and serving senators or members of the House of Representatives, yet we say there won’t be the usual take a bow approach.

“We also have another convention that says two senators from a state must approve confirmation of the nominee from their state, what happens if the senators are in the opposition party with the nominee?”

Speaking with some journalists in his office, the Peoples Democratic Party member representing Abia North Senatorial District, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said President Buhari must appear before the Senate if he wants to be Petroleum minister.

Ohuabunwa said, “The constitution is clear and we will follow the constitution and the laid down rule. I don’t think the President’s name will be on the list and I also don’t think that the President will say he is a minister.

“If you are a minister one of the conditions is that you must be subjected to screening and approval of the Senate. He, as the chief minister, can be there to supervise any ministry but he cannot be a minister. Whoever is advising him to be a minister is not advising him rightly.”

But the Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, disagreed with Ohuabunwa on the appearance of the President in the Senate for screening before he could function as a minister.

Na’Allah, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, explained that the President and his vice, had been given constitutional powers to carry out all the functions in the executive arms of government without necessarily asking for the permission of the legislature.

He said, “The President does not have to appear before the Senate before he could perform as a minister or oversee any ministry. He has the executive powers to carry out necessary functions alongside the vice president. “

Ohuabunwa, however, added that the Senate might reject the presentation of the ministerial list in batches because “it is unconstitutional.”

He said, “I expect that the list will be complete for us to move on because the constitution never said in batches and the constitution has said one minister from every state, so if you are screening and the other states are not been represented how can you explain that because nothing says that the President must submit list in batches.

“The list will be unveiled tomorrow if the Senate President (Bukola Saraki) keep to his word that the envelope will remain sealed until tomorrow. We know that all we have been reading could be speculations until it is opened. It will be read on the floor of the House and we will know.

“Even the 21 names that people are speculating will be ascertained tomorrow on the floor.”

The senator assured Nigerians that the Senate would be guided by the constitution and the rules of the Senate in screening the nominees.

He added that it would be against the Senate and indeed against the President and Nigerians for the upper chamber to see a very strong allegation of petition on corruption and throw it away.

He said, “Definitely we will not ignore allegation of corruption against any nominee. If we see a strong petition, definitely we will look into it and follow it to a logical conclusion.

“If it requires writing to the anti-graft agencies such as the ICPC or EFCC to give us a report on such a person, we will do that because that is what screening is all about. Screening is not a tea party.

“Integrity is very important. If you have in one way or the other soiled your hands, it will be unfortunate because the Senate will not just say carry go.”

On whether the Senate would waive the painstaking process in order to curry favour from the Presidency, Ohuabunwa said the Senate would not be cowed because of any consideration.