Yar Adua s

EFCC arrests Ex-Governor James Ibori

The EFCC has arrested the ex-governor of delta state, james ibori for money laundering, credit card fraud and other offences.
He was picked up at the kwara state lodge and is to be arraigned in court on monday.
This goes to show thw world that Nigeria will not tolerate corruption any longer

What's ur take?
Pls comment

Senate Says 2008 budget may not be passed till next year

The senate has said that the 2008 budget will not be passed this year due to uncoopertion of some government agencies and some technical glitches. this was made known by iyiola omisore, chairman committee on appropiation

Naira hits new high against dollar

The Nigerian naira rose to a new high of 117.95 to the dollar on the interbank market on Thursday from 118.40 on Tuesday on the central bank’s support and huge dollar inflows from oil majors, traders said. The naira has gained 6.62 percent against the dollar since Aug. 30 bouyed by steady forex inflows from foreign portfolio investors and weakness of the dolla against major currencies.

Oil multinationals have sold over $260 million to retail banks since Monday, raising the dollar liquidity in the market.

Traders said the naira was also helped by the central bank’s revaluation of the currency to 116.96 per dollar at its forex window on Wednesday versus 117.68 previously.

“Though the central bank did not sell dollars at its auction on Wednesday, it revalued the naira by 0.72 naira and this was reflected at the interbank market,” one dealer said.

Dealers said the naira should maintain its gains in the weeks ahead as the government has pegged the exchange rate at 117 naira to the dollar in its 2008 budget.

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

FG blacklists Siemens

following the latest bribery scandal that rocked siemens AG, the federal government revoked a 128.4 million naira bid for supply of electrical equipments, which was won by the german company.

The government also blacklisted siemens from future contract bids.

its all sad stories for Siemens...

What do you think?

House of Reps sets up 9-man committee to probe Etteh

The house of reps

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua declares Assets...to pass FOI bill

President Musa Yar'Adua yesterday emerged the first president ever in the history of the federal republic
of Nigeria to ever declare his assets.
Presidential spokesman segun akinwunmi said that the president had declared his asset to the code of
conduct bureau and the bureau advised the president not to publicly declare his assets as it
would put pressure on other politicians
but the president said he had given his word to Nigerians that he would declare his assets and he had to fulfill
his promise.
The president's total assets stands at over N689 million with N88.8 million in banks and 2.2 million shares in some companies.
He also declared that his wife had assets in buildings both in abuja and lagos worth 19 million.
This makes him the first president ever in the history of the federal republic
of Nigeria to ever declare his assets.
We doff our hats for Mr. President and lets see if the VP and other politicians will follow.

he also promised to pass the FOI bill into law which of course wld help us to verify facts.
Unbelievable riches for a humble man you might say!

IPMAN calls off strike...as fuel scarcity bites harder in Lagos

The independent petroleum marketers association of Nigeria has called off the strike it started on thursday after the federal government reverted the increased petroleum price. It said it was ok with the reversal.

However, petroleum products have become scarce in the Lagos metropolis as people are in a panic buy because of the coming strike.
If it's this bad in Lagos, it is worse in any part of Nigeria.

However, with IPMAN calling off the strike, it would be a thing of the past in the coming days.

Federal Government Concedes to Labour...

The Federal Government has decided to reverse the increase in petroleum pump price and VAT.

This was made known by the secretary to the Federal Government; Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe coming out of a meeting with the labour representatives. The federal government has reverted the VAT to 5% and put the price of petrol at N70:00.

This is coming just as organised labour was planning on an independent strike on wednesday(20th).

On the other issues of sale of refineries and the NNPC building, the govt. has said that it will question the agency that allegedly sold off the govt. properties to allies of past president Chief Oluwasegun Obasanjo.

This is expected to make labour call off the planned strike although NUPENG and the TUC is insisting on a total reversal of the price of petrol(PMS) or an indefinite strike.

However it is expected that labour will call off the strike today even as it is still holding meetings with the government.

But why must the government always wait for a strike before it acts? President Yar Adua has tried by not allowing the strike to hold unlike his predecessor would have.

Once again kudos to Yar'adua, long live Nigeria

Asari Dokubo Released...Vows to fight OBJ

Niger delta militant leader and freedom fighter, Asari Dokubo regained his freedom recently from a high court after being denied by the Supreme court...but this was politically motivated.

he was released on health grounds by an high court in Abuja
When he returned to his state yesterday a mammoth crowd of youths gathered to welcome him; their hero.

His convoy was one im sure even OBJ would envy.

You would recall that the past govt. had locked him up for 14 mths thereabout on security grounds.

Dokubo has however determined to fight back OBJ for the wrong done to him.

Let's see how this drama plays out....

President Yar Adua orders obeisance to Supreme Court order

President Yar Adua scored another political point when he ordered the solicitor-general and the acting IG to implement the supreme courts ruling and restore Peter Obi as the Governor of Anambra state.

This is in line with his swearing-in speech where he pledged to "obey the rule of law".
This scenario however will be a decisive one, because it will keep the election tribunals on their toes, make them judge cases faster and where Yar Adua is going to have some problems; MAKE THE PDP LOSE MORE STATES!

I don't know how long the PDP can cope with the President but I hope the president has the strenght to rule a nation where the elite don't want things going right.

I say a prayer for the president and I hope you do also, maybe just maybe Umar Yar Adua could become our own Abraham Lincoln.

Supreme Court says Peter Obi is Governor of Anambra State

The Supreme Court; the highest court in Nigeria has ruled that erstwhile Governor of Anambra State Peter Obi did not complete his tenure and declared him as the governor stating that he should be allowed to complete his tenure.

This makes Andy Uba the youngest serving governor in History; he served for 17 days.

Though Andy's camp is saying that he's still the governor-elect, it is evident that going by the constitution another election would be conducted at the end of Obi's tenure(if he does finish w/out impeachment). It will be a tricky situation in Anambra cos they won't be holding elections like other states.

However, Obi(born 19 July 1961 ) will have the new PDP controlled house of assembly to contend with and he'd better start praying and watching his back else we might end up having the speaker(PDP) as the governor.
This is going to be a drama....i'll be watching all the way!

Ehindero has built 10 houses in 2 years!

No fewer than 10 houses have been traced to immediate past Inspector General of Police Mr Sunday Ehindero, all reportedly built during his two years as top cop.

Ehindero, who gave the police a new motto: "To serve and protect with integrity," ran into trouble last week, after some of his former aides were arrested as they were attempting to smuggle over N21 million cash out of the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, in Abuja.

As Ehindero is being probed following the orders of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Daily Sun has been able to locate the palatial mansions he reportedly built in Abuja, Ondo and Lagos States.

The most imposing of the mansions was found opposite Sunview Hotel, Alagbaka quarters in Akure. He also reportedly built another exquisite block of flats situated along Oda Road in the town.
Investigations further revealed that the former IGP built a house similar to that on Oda Road at Oyin Akoko and made sure the road leading to the house was tarred.
Other property in Ondo include blocks of hostel in Akungba, which he let out to students of the Adekunle Ajasin University.

In Abuja, Ehindero is said to have built a mansion at Gaduwa Estate, Constitution Crescent and has one under construction at Wuye.
Ehindero’s houses in Lagos are situated at the Ekoro area of Abule Egba and Ajah, where he had built an expansive school for the wife.
Meanwhile, detectives at the ‘D’ Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja told Daily Sun that Interim Investigation has been completed and a report is being compiled.
Daily Sun also learnt that the Commissioner of Police in charge of Budget, Mr John Obaniyi who had sent his aides to fetched the over N21 million, which he claimed was for Ehindero, had kept the money in his office toilet and inside a television set.

On the heels of the scam, an independent survey has again confirmed the Nigeria Police as the most corrupt institution in the country.
Closely following the police is the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Education Ministry (particularly higher institutions and examination bodies) and the customs service.
The survey also listed the Health Ministry, Justice Ministry, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigeria Railway Corporation and Agricultural Development Authorities as institutions least likely to collect bribe.

These are part of the findings of Nigeria Corruption Index (NCI) 2007 which was released in Lagos on Wednesday by Independent Advocacy Project (IAP), a leading anti-corruption group. The NCI 2007 is a follow up to the 2005 edition.

This is sourced from sunnewsonline

EFCC QUIZZES TINUBU

Lagos state governor bola tinubu was invited to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
After leaving the EFCC hqtrs, he told journalists that he was not being indicted, he was only being invited to clear some issues.
As sunnewsonline says:
Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, says that the dreaded Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials, who quizzed him in Abuja on Monday never humiliated nor disrespected him, stressing that the whole encounter could best be described as an interaction.

Tinubu also urged those calling for the scrapping of the commission to have a rethink as it is an invaluable tool to fight corruption.

He, however, warned that the EFCC must not be used to victimize people perceived as opposition as that will make a nonsense of its work.

Tinubu stated in Lagos on Wednesday, while fielding questions from aviation correspondents before he jetted to Abuja, that he was never afraid of visiting the EFCC since he ran a transparent and well-audited government.
The former governor also stated that the EFCC did not accuse him of fraud, mismanagement of the state's funds or any other form of irregularity.

"Look, they attended to me very well. They're respected professionals. The EFCC that interrogated me respected themselves, but I told them not to forget the fact that we're in a political environment and that a whole lot of rumours might have been gathered and so are fictitious petitions from political rivals.

"My attitude is that if you find anything against me, go to court. I was serious about federalism that I asked the House of Assembly to perform its oversight functions. More so, the auditor general of the state has the records of the transactions of the state and their finances. I said I was not going to attend until there was a court order prompting me to do so. So my lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and the former attorney general of the state, Yemi Osibajo (SAN) advised me that we should take the approach at least in an interactive session", he explained.

On the olive branch extended to the Action Congress (AC) and the former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar by President Umar Musa Yar'Adua, Tinubu said whatever stand the party takes on that lies solely on the executives, adding: "I would not pre-empt the outcome of the meeting, but would make my position known on that at the right time."

As regards his advice to Atiku over the whole election war, he said: "My advice to Atiku won't be on the pages of paper. We'll talk personally. He has the right to challenge anything he finds wrong. That's the only way we can strengthen the polity."

On the accusation that he used one firm, Alpha-Beta Consulting to siphon the state's funds into private accounts, Tinubu said the allegation does not hold water as he grew the state’s internally generated revenue from paltry N600 million to as high as N7 billion monthly.

On life outside power and his future ambition, the former Lagos governor said: "I was ready to leave when I left. Right now, I'm enjoying extra sleep. But I'm going to be politically active and committed to crusade of true federalism and good social responsibility."