Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Controversial NTDC boss, Sally Mbanefo, sacked by FG

Sally Mbanefo...eased out quietly
Federal Government on Wednesday eased out the controversial Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo.

The Director General has been asked to handover the affairs of NTDC to the next most senior officer.
The removal of the Chief Executive was contained in a 27th November, 2016 letter which was signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir David Lawal.

The letter was titled “Notification of de-secondment from the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

The letter reads: “I refer to the attached letter, Ref. No. SGF.6/S.23/1/568 of 8th October, 2013 in respect of your secondment from the Keystone Bank Limited to serve as Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) for a period of two years with effect from 6th May 2013.

You may note from the foregoing that the period of your secondment at the corporation had since lapsed on 5th May 2016.

Consequently, you are to handover the affairs of the corporation to the most senior officer on or before Wednesday, 30th November, 2016.”

Omo-Agege replaces Akpabio as Senate Minority Leader



Senator Saraki with Senator Omo-Agege...after the swearing-in

*Senator Yele Omogunwa dumps PDP for APC

By Sandra Onyekwere

Senate on Wednesday in Abuja replaced former Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio with Labour Party Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, as the latter led a walk out on the parliament. He has been sworn0in immediately.

Angered by the defection of one of them, the senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday, staged a walk out of plenary session.

They were apparently piqued by the defection of the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Senator Yele Omogunwa, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Senator Yele Omogunwa...now APC
Omogunwa’s defection was formally announced at plenary by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, raised a point of order to the effect that Senator Omogunwa’s seat should be declared vacant.

Akpabio was however, ruled out of order by the Senate President, a development that prompted the opposition senators to stage a walk out of plenary.

As at press time, Senator Akpabio, flanked by other Minority Principal Officers was addressing the press on the development.

Shortly before the 26th November governorship election in Ondo, the Senator joined some PDP big wigs in the state like former House of Representatives member, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye to dump the PDP.

Ondo state will now be controlled by the APC from February 2017, when the outgoing Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, is expected to hand over.

Political pundits opine that more PDP Senators may defect to APC in weeks to come meaning that the PDP Senators may have so many other walk out protests to make.

My suspension won't increase your height - Shehu Sani tells el-Rufai

Senator Shehu Sani and Governor Nasir el-Rufai
My "Indefinite suspension" by Governor Nasiru el-Rufai controlled, induced and misinformed self acclaimed "APC excos" and the paper it was written upon is as worthless and as useless as the used sanitary pads in the toilets of his family official residence. It's as valueless as the used tissue papers of his gluttonous and bulging poodles and lackeys.

 I wish to fully assure the bespectacled pygmy and his running dogs that the "new suspension" will not give them the public support they couldn't gather with the "first suspension".
 

For a man who has been unable to address the pervasive insecurity and genocide in southern Kaduna for a man who has been unable to stem the tide of rampant kidnapping and abductions in Kaduna, "suspending" Shehu Sani cannot be counted as an achievement. Mr Governor, my suspension will not increase your physical height nor give you the flesh or muscle of a macho.
 

El-Rufai remains a typical establishment man, who was brought to limelight by the PDP, nurtured by the PDP. He is a dubious progressive and a bogus representation of change. If el-Rufai represent change, then Mobutu, Batista, Kamuzu Banda represent change.

El-Rufai is a bug, a lice and a parasite to PMB administration. His loyalty to PMB is nothing but self serving and self preservation. El-Rufai is a foul air to any serious concept of change. El-Rufai remains the excrement of the toilets of PDP Wadata House and no broom or deodorant of change can give him a new identity.
 

 We will continue to work for the masses and defend their interest.
 

Senator Shehu Sani
Kaduna Central

Data rate increase: Nigerians mobilise for mass protest



President Muhammadu Buhari...protest against his government's decision
We want to alert Nigerians of the plot by the Federal Government led by President Buhari to take away internet and cut off people from social media, the only avenue connecting the people with one another to discuss the issues as it affect them.

According to a campaign which is not signed but is widely circulated. It ran thus, “recall that Federal Government tried to ban Social Media through the National Assembly but it failed. Now, the Federal Government has instructed all the TELCOS - MTN, AIRTEL, GLO, ETISALAT etc to increase the cost of data by 300%. You may have received the SMS notification from them.

What it means is that the N,500 data will now be N6,000.

Buhari has purposely created this Recession and economic hardship to make life hard for the people as a means of getting more "absolute powers".

He also tried to get absolute powers but the Senate stopped him. Even now Buhari is operating a military dictatorship.

We call on all Nigerians to come out en-mass to Social Media from today and vent their anger using the hashtag #"NoToTariff Increment" if you really hate what is going on.

Don't let Buhari use this ploy to cut off our fellow Nigerians who may be unable to afford this current high tariff from the internet.

We Won't allow him to take away the only tool we are using to criticise his bad government, don't be cowed by a tyrant, read the release.

NIGERIANS ARISE!!! SPEAK NOW

APC, John Oyegun and the looming PDP fate

Oyegun, Tinubu, Atiku with President Buhari

From Emmanuel Ado

Immediately after the swearing in of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, Engineer Barnabas Gemade became a constant face at the Aso Rock residence of Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The plot to kick out Solomon Lar who led the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to a resounding victor in the general elections, had started in earnest. 

Long before Obasanjo 's swearing in, Lar the Apostle of Emancipation had been sentenced to political death. His "real crime", opposed to the "public lie", was that Obasanjo wanted absolute control of the party. The "public lie" was Lars' lack of capacity to lead the PDP. 

So to date, the PDP has had Solomon Lar, Barnabas Gemade, Audu Ogbeh, Ahmadu Ali, Vincent Ogubulafor, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Bamanga Tukur, Muazu Adamu, Mohammed Bello and Senator Ahmed Makarfi as chairmen. 

Of all the chairmen, only Ali served out his tenure, without the usual "PDP " treatment. A feat which was made possible by the willingness of Ali to do Obasanjo's dirty biddings unquestioningly.

From the orchestrated campaign against John Oyegun, it is obvious that the All Progressive Congress (APC), that prides itself as agent of change, wants to travel the same PDP road, with the same obvious implication for itself and the polity. How can Nigerians ever trust again, if the APC that held out so much hope, dashes it so willfully? Will this not be the confirmation that they are all the same? And that the people hardly ever matter. 

If Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Timi Frank had their way, John Oyegun during the recent visit of Mr. President to Edo State, would have been addressed in the past tense and as "your excellency" in obvious reference to his ambassadorial position, which they had proposed to Mr. President, as part of the plot to ease him out. 

Sources claim they already bought Oyegun a one way ticket to Sweden, where he will be far removed from the politics of Nigeria. Oyegun's crime according to Bola Tinubu and Timi Frank, is his lack of leadership, as evidenced by his "failure to resolve the internal crisis of the party." 

The other allegation as articulated by Tinubu is that Oyegun lacks integrity. Atiku on his part hasn't really been as clear as Tinubu and Frank, as to his grievances, with Oyegun. He is obviously fishing in troubled waters, to help push out an obstacle to his presidential ambition.

The charges against Oyegun are weighty. But unfortunately the events don't support the allegations. Take the specific case of Kogi and Ondo States. But for the death of Alhaji Audu Abubakar, the then Governorship candidate of the
All Progressive Congress (APC), Oyegun would not have crossed paths  with James Faleke and his main sponsor Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu holds Oyegun responsible for his failure to gain a foothold in the North. The other man equally as guilty as Oyegun in the "travails" of Tinubu is Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation. And he has been thoroughly  thrashed by the famed Lion of Bourdilion. Malami's crime  was that his legal advice denied James Faleke, from becoming the Governor of Kogi State. 

But while all kinds of conspiracy theories are being bandied about, not many people  have bothered to read the position of the law. Thankfully,  the law courts from the tribunal to the Supreme Court have spoken eloquently, in support of the tricky road the party and the Independent Electoral Commission adopted in resolving a unique situation.

Again as in the Kogi State case, Tinubu had preference for Abraham as the flag bearer of the APC for Ondo State. He had every right to. But  his candidate was trounced by Rotimi Akeredolu, a man that he Tinubu had in 2012 "awarded" the Action Congress of Nigeria ticket to. In the murky world of politics, only God knows Akeredolu's crime, that made him a political leper.

In his widely publicised statement, Tinubu claimed the National Working Committee(NWC), voted for fresh primaries. A claim the party has strongly refuted. The two critical issues remain that to date, nobody has showed proof of those who ought to vote, who didn't vote or of those who shouldn't have voted, but voted. It is not about money, that was freely spent. Thursday 22nd September, 2016, the day the NWC was meeting, was also  the final day for submission of candidates by political parties. 

The implication was that if for any reason a fresh primary was indeed needed, and was in fact conducted, the APC would have automatically shot itself in the foot, as the party would have technically knocked itself out of the race. Was that a preferable course of option to Tinubu? There was need for political brinkmanship. But this word is absent from the lexicon of the average Nigerian politician.

The question that continues to agitate Nigerians, is the lack of political skills by Nigerian politicians. Why is it so difficult to resolve political issues politically? How can Oyegun be solely blamed for all the problems of the APC? Is Oyegun to be blamed for the continued quarrel between Rabiu Kwankwaso and Ganduje? 

Even after sending fact finding teams to Kano State  to "resolve" the issues? Is Oyegun also to be held responsible for the brewing crisis in Adamawa State, where a governor has said it is either Atiku for 2019 or nobody? Politics ís the act of agreeing to disagree, but in Nigeria it is agreeing to destroy. Today, the national legal officer of the PDP has lost track of the cases in various courts. That is the part, that those pushing for Oyegun's removal are pushing the party to.

Those opposed to Oyegun want President Muhammadu Buhari (the Super Man) to intervene in the crisis of confidence rocking the  party. They want him to become like Obasanjo. They say that the only reason they want to hijack the party is to save it from collapse before 2019. That if the  party is left in the hands of Oyegun, it would be bye-bye to APC in 2019. The signs are there, that by 2019, the APC would have been factionalised beyond recognition. But it won't be  because of Oyegun.

The fate of the APC is not in the hands of Oyegun alone. Yes, as party leader he has the moral duty of providing direction - a wealth of experience that he possess in quantum. But what do you do with party members that insist the party must be run on their dictates? The greatest undoing of the PDP was its impunity, and the APC is beginning to manifest those tendencies that sent the  PDP to the intensive care unit.

The governors from their meeting with the President, henceforth want to determine who gets what and on what terms. Their next move will be to "impose" a national chairman. And like the irrepressible Fela would say everything "go scatter".

Let's admit that APC is in crisis, but without conceding. The question is what led to  the crisis? Has it got to do with implementation of party policies? Unfortunately, the crisis is about the next election. The APC is surely facing trying times - an economy in recession and failure of the Federal Government to dispense patronage to those who "laboured " for the party, hasn't helped. 

All stakeholders must join hands to build a strong APC. We need a strong party, disciplined and focused in delivering and a strong alternative in the event the party in power, begins to take the people for granted like the APC is currently doing.

Mr Ado contributed this piece from Kaduna

Kano may host National Sports festival – Abba Yola

Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano

*Ganduje ready to host event

By Oluwole Francis

Due to the obvious inability of the Cross River State government to host the 19th National Sports Festival (NSF), there are reliefing indications that the government of Kano State may come to the rescue of the nation to host the championship  if the Ministry of Sports asked.

The championship which was supposed to take place every two years has not been staged since the last one in Lagos State in 2012 due to the cash crunch occasioned by the current recession biting the government of Cross River State. The state had to bow out from hosting the event.

Kano’s ability and intention to host was cheerily dropped by a former Special Assistant to the Director General of the defunct National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Abbah Yola who told www.gongnews.net in Abuja that the government of Kano State is ready to host the event should the Ministry of Youth and Sports ask the state government ask for support.

Yola who regretted that the country has lost the opportunity of organising the championship since 2012 added that the delay has also caused the nation the benefit of identifying some young and untapped talents that would have been so discovered.

According to him, Kano State has the facilities to host the sports festival and that Governor Abdulahi Ganduje will be eager to play host to the youths of Nigeria any time it is fixed.

“It very regrettable that for four years the country has not been able to organise the National Sports Festival which means that we have lost two championship opportunities that would have given us the chance to identify young and untapped talents.

“I also know that the governor of Kano State will be very ready to host the championship. We are very convinced that he will grant the approval as soon as the proposal gets to him. The only issue there is whether the Ministry of Youth and Sports who have said they will now host the games in Abuja will agree to give Kano the chance.”



Kale Ayo to grace Nuela handball finals in Omu-Aran


Trophies at stake to be won in Omu-Aran

Kale Ayo and officials of Kwara state government...expected in this year's finals
*Winning national titles is our focus - Isiaka Atanda

Omu-Aran, the ancient Igbomina town, will be accommodating handball guests from the 1st to 3rd December when the finals of the 2016 Nuela Cadet championship for U-12 and U-15) will be played at the Government Secondary School.

Different schools in the state had competed for the championsips’ preliminaries which were zonally played across the state’s 16 local government councils. Six local government areas played in the pool producing the top four teams, two males and two females in the two categories.

All semi-final matches were also played in a round robin format to enable the teams have enough playing time and experience. The championship which is in the second edition is funded by the Nuela Group of companies.

Kwara state Commissioner for sports, Pharmacist Kale Ayo will be expected to be the special guest of honour in the state’s premier handball championship which has repeatedly brought honour and pride to the state in the last couple of six years.

Sharing the jys of winners in last year's final
The two finalists were yet to be determined as at when we went to press. Teams are involved in the tough battle to ensure they get to the finals and do not just their school but their local government councils and family proud. Handball has produced career prospects for great number of children in the state.

Speaking on phone, the coach coordinating the championship, Isiaka Atanda, he said, "first, our gratitude goes to the chairman of the state hanball Association, Mr Emmanuel Olubiyo for his well grounded faith in both the sport and the children who are benefitting from this championship.

Despite the economic recession in the country, he still had the space and resources to pump some money and insisted that this tournament must go on, we can't be less encouraged by him. Ironically, the standard exhibited by the participating schools has been so high. Even some of the schools that lost in the preliminary stages showed some high quality of talent. 

In all, we have enough room to pick the very best boys and girls from  the tournament that we can start to groom to esure we retain the national titles again this new handball season. Winning the national titles and getting the ticket to represent Nigeria is an ambition we have also raised here to justify all these investments.


Tuesday, November 29, 2016

TUC blasts FG over proposed increase in data rates


Adebayo Shittu, Nigeria's communications minister

*Government and its capitalist’s cronies conspire against common man

Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has kicked against the proposed increase in the cost of data rate by telecommunications operators in the country, describing it as a complete conspiracy against the collective interest of the common man.

In a statement made available to www.gongnews.net and signed by the President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Acting Secretary General, Comrade (Barr.) Simeso Amachree, the Congress said the proposed increase was unacceptable as it was aimed at frustrating the lives of the Nigerian people.

The statement reads: “the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria warns against the on-going conspiracy between the Federal Government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and some major telecom companies, especially MTN to further increase their data rates from 1st December, 2016. It is really startling the extent government and its capitalist’s cronies would go to frustrate the lives of Nigerians.

“We feel particularly awful about the move because data is one of the cheapest ways to empower the teeming youths. This move if allowed would make it unaffordable. In our view, this is insensitive and criminal on the part of the parties involved.

“We are not surprised that MTN has thrown its whole weight behind the policy; but the telecom giant should realise that trying to lobby the government will not save the organisation when the chips are down. Of course, this cannot happen in South Africa.

“Naturally, we had expected that government would increase awareness for greater citizens’ participation especially in ICT, but unfortunately they are doing the opposite. One cannot really situate Federal government policy direction these days.

“On the one hand, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is banking on ICT for youth empowerment while on the other, the NCC is trying to cut youth participation. All the promises made to the Chief Executive Officer of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg when he visited the country cannot be achieved if the policy is implemented.

“This is not the best way to make money. This move is spineless and should be done away with. What then would be the benefit of the policy to the self-employed who depend on data for their businesses? The truth is, cheap internet data is a vehicle of some sort to economic development.

“It is very unfortunate, very unreasonable and inhuman to come up with such idea at a period of recession. Any call for increase in anything for now is most unreasonable, uncalled for and a calculated attempt to record more suicide cases and insecurity in our already tension-soaked country.

“The telecoms sector was often used as a case study to justify the removal of fuel subsidy. But the question is, is the telecoms sector truly deregulated? What happens to the issue of free market in the telecoms sector?

“There is so much deceit and insincerity in the system. We are calling on government to come up with godly policies that would encourage investment and stimulate growth, instead of deliberately trying to stifle businesses.”

Uniben primary school rape of 3 year old girl in court



*Child Protection Network mobilise to attend sitting


Ibrahim idris Inspector General of Police...his men did a sloppy job
Today (30th November) in the ancient city of Benin, the University of Benin Consultancy primary school where a three-year old girl (name withheld) was brutally defiled by unknown staffers of the school and which the Nigerian police has failed to properly investigate but instead dragged the school to court for negligence comes up for mention.

Child Protection Network (CPN), a coalition of civil society organisations led by Jennifer Eros said in a statement issued in Benin-City, “we have mobilised ourselves to invade the court and this we shall continuously repeat until justice is done and the real perpetrators are brought to book.”

The court will be sitting at 9:00am at Egor Court II, Sapele road after Santana Market.
Meanwhile, a petition has been submitted by www.gongnews.net demanding the National Human Rights Commission and the Inspector General of Police to separately look into the circumstances of the investigation by the Edo state Police Command which has been less than professional in the way and manner of the investigation.

As we speak, none of the male workers in the school where the rape has been committed has been invited by the police nor arrested. This is, according to sources, is not the first time such incidents have been happening in the school.  

2017 BUDGET :THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER HUGE JOKE?


Kemi Adeosun Nigeria's Finance Minister

Emmanuel Ado is host of Let's talk - Budget Transparency 


Nigeria is very notorious for coming up with fantastic and grandiose plans. We have had the era of Fixed Term Planning, Rolling Plan, Fixed Medium Term Plan, the National Economic Empowerment & Development Strategy (NEEDS), Vision 2020. 

They all fizzled out and  have gathered dust in archives-  the money wasted and the beautiful ideas touted as our guaranteed part to greatness jettisoned. Always moving, but motion without movement. 

If officials of the Federal Ministry of Budget&Planning and the  Budget Office, have their way, the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS ) project,would suffer same abrupt abortion,like the other policies before it.This is the only explanation for the refusal or failure of the Budget Office to present the 2016 budget in the six(6) Segments of the National Chart of Accounts and Templates of IPSAS Compliant Budget Format.

And thank God, the Senate has woken up to its responsibility. And has severally given the government, not just the Minister of Budget and Planning a bloody nose.

On 28th July, 2010 the Federal Executive Council approved the adoption of the provisions of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for the Private and Public Sectors respectively.

Consequently a Standardised National Chart of Account to be used by Federal, States and Local Governments designed in line with  the provisions of the Government Financial Statistics (GFS) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was adopted.

The objectives of IPSAS include improving accountability and transparency, greater disclosures,that would provide information for better decision-making and value for money, especially in areas of capital expenditure- loans, asset purchase, nationalisation and non exchange transactions. These after all is the purpose of government.

The decision of the Goodluck Jonathan administration is backed by several laws, including the Finance (Control& Management) Act of 1958, and the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007. By that decision, IPSAS Compliant Budget Format became the approved basis for budget preparation and implementation in Nigeria. And the Buhari administration has signed off, by implementing Treasury Single Account (TSA), a key component of IPSAS. IPSAS is a package.

The six main segments of IPSAS are: Administrative Classifications- it depicts organisations receiving budgetary resources, Economic Classifications- detailed breakdown of budget revenues, borrowing and expenditures, Functional Classification- it shows the revenue and expenditure by functions of government, such as Pubic Order and Safety Matters.
 
Programme Classification- planned budgetary allocation to specific programmes, such as poverty alleviation. And 21 programmes were identified for implementation by the federal, states and the local governments. 

Fund Classification- denotes funds under which public funds are authorised (Consolidated Revenue Fund, Capital Development Fund etc). 

Geo-Location Classification - location of projects or government institutions undertaking transactions. The National Chart of Accounts (NCOA), is key in ensuring that budget data is captured in greater detail, including source  and reason for every transaction, which is currently missing, because the Budget Office presented the 2016 Budget expenditure in  Administrative and Economic segment, as opposed to programmes. 

Programme is the preferred option, due to the inadequacies of the Administrative and Economic option in analysing impact of government expenditure on health, education etc.


The world today is a global village, so standardisation of governments financial reporting has become imperative. IPSAS is an international framework for government financial reporting. It has set rules on how the accounting system measures, records and processes economic transactions, including presentation and disclosure requirements.

IPSAS provides complete and accurate view of public sector financial statements. There is also greater credibility being the same accounting standards used by most governments of the World and better planning and management, as a result of more precise estimates of income and expenditure. Emphasis- precise estimates of income and expenditure.

Federal, State and Local Governments budgets must be  prepared based on the six segments of the National Chart of Accounts and Templates of IPSAS Compliant Budget Format. The difference between IPSAS and the former budget system based on administrative and economic  classification, is that it doesn't offer much.

It is not surprising that the 2016 budget suffered and has continued to suffer "internal bleeding". For instance,the medium term projections of aggregate revenue,expenditure and financing by economic and programme and actual of the two preceding years was missing, so Nigerians were denied a comprehensive overview of the fiscal policies. 

It also lacked summary and detail revenue from the federation accounts, summary and detail independent revenue of the federal government by sub-organisations (MDA's) summary and detail capital receipts - internal and external borrowings, Aids & Grants by sub-organisations ring fenced to capital projects. These are projections the sleeping Senate is now asking for. 

The consequence of preparing the budget based on economic and administrative is that 83% of the total capital expenditure of the 2016 budget would be spent  in the Federal Capital Territory. And the balance 13% in the other 36states of the federation. It is a scandal of gigantic magnitude that a president that made reconstruction of the North East, a cardinal programme would be spending only 2,145,411,867 billion naira in Yobe State and 7,439,000,272 billion naira. 

In Borno state  devastated  by the Boko Haram insurgency. But if the 2016 budget was prepared based on the 6 segments - Geo-Location and economic etc, the president would have seen at a glance  the spread of capital expenditure projects and the nature of the assets that would be acquired to advance economic development, not just in the 36 states and Abuja, but in the 744 local government areas. This is the power of IPSAS.

For instance the Medium Term Projections of Aggregate Revenue, Expenditure and Financing by Economic and Programme and Actual of the two preceding years was not included in the 2016 Budget. It's inclusion would have provided a comprehensive overview of fiscal prospects to all stakeholders. Again, the Senate is right in asking for  these projections. 

The media has consistently tagged the demands of the Senate, as signs of brewing crisis between the Senate and the executive. There is definitely no crisis. The Senate  only finally woke up to its responsibility. Why has the Minister of Finance who issued the Fiscal  Sustainability Plan (FSP) that was approved at the  67th meeting of the National Economic Council(NEC) on the  19th May 2016, hasn't by November provided the performance implementation to date of the 2016 budget, and they are busy preparing for 2017?

And are still seeking to borrow to fund the 2016. God save Nigeria.

The major problem with  with the 2016 budget was that the approved format was deliberately ignored by the executive.And the legislature,which due to high turn over of members  "didn't" know  and never bothered to find out,approved the  trash that was presented to it. 

The Fiscal Responsibility Act is the roadmap for the appropriation process,the Senate must insist on it. In accordance with the FRA, the  process should commence  with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and its underlying Medium Term Sector Strategies. And they must be conservative.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act is like lawyers would say is unequivocal that the MTEF is the basis for the preparation and implementation of  budget. It is heart warming that the senate is insisting on doing the right thing. Will presenting the budget in the appropriate format equal development? Yes. The National Assembly owe it as a duty to Nigeria and themselves to save the 2017 Budget.

Mimiko congratulates Akeredolu


Akeredolu...got congratulatory message from

*Promises support to incoming administration, thanks the people


Outgoing governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on Monday sent congratulatory message to the state’s Governor-elect, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, made available in Akure, Mimiko said “it behoves on me as Governor of Ondo State to congratulate the Governor-elect, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and wish him success in the challenging task of governing our dear state.”

The Ondo State governor added that “it is incumbent upon me as Governor to facilitate smooth transition between my government and the incoming one. I will, to this end, provide the ambience for a smooth and seamless transition process.”

While promising to continue to provide leadership to the state until the takeover date, Mimiko expressed appreciation to the people of the state.

He added that “I use this medium to express my sincere appreciation to all our citizens for the very peaceful manner in which they conducted themselves throughout the election period.

“I will not waiver in providing needed leadership to our dear state till the last day of my term.”

He then urged residents to strive to sustain the peace enjoyed in the state for the past seven years and promised to speak with the people as occasion demands “as my eight-year tenure inches to an end.”

Why we weeded out some referees who are ageing - NRA President


Show me a corrupt referee

*I don't know of referees who collect bribe 

By Oluwole Francis

President of Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Tade Azeez, reacted to the widely held concern of key stakeholders in the game, especially referees, that they were cheated because they were not up to 45 years required.

“For those that were retired, its not because they're 45. For this exercise we choose people that would be 43 and below as of January 2017. The truth is we have massive number of referees in the lower league who are very young and good. For those retired we have some of them that have been officiating in the premier league for the last 10, 15 years. Whatever you have done for 15 years, this must be a way to ease you out if you don't want to go and allow others to take the challenge.

This game is played by younger people. You can't see a 45 year old player. The boys that are playing this game are within the range of 20 years and most younger than that. You can hardly see anyone that is 30 in the playing rank. So why should a referee be 45? Running in the midst of younger people. Its obvious that the younger people will be faster than him.
And the referee is ordinarily supposed to be ahead of this player. That’s what informed the decision to retire them at that age. Some people say we should retire them at 40. But I said some of the young ones still needs to learn from the experienced one's. For me as NRA president, I don't have any biological son here. These referees are not my cousin, my nephew, my children
Tade Azeez, NRA President

Asking him about referees who are alleged to collect bribe he said prove to me that you have seen anybody collect bribe in your presence. You've no evidence and you are making claims. As far as am the president of NRA, it has not come to my notice that referees are collecting bribe.

He also spoke about the NRA decision to give the responsibility of federation cup final to the young Adebimpe. Are we all impressed with what we saw? Whether the man was young or old did he discharge his duties accordingly or not. Were you not impressed with what you saw? Before we do appointment of referees for matches, we are conscious of where the referee is from, where the teams playing come from.

ARG congratulates Akeredolu, Ondo State people




Akeredolu, his wife, Betty, joins in the celebration
Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has congratulated Ondo State people for their faith in democracy and using the opportunity it presents to determine the direction of their future as a people.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Hon. Olawale Oshun, ARG also praised the recipient of the people’s mandate, Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and other candidates for pursuing their ambitions within the ambit of the Rule of Law. Such maturity and statesmanship, the group said, is needed to restore the pride of Yoruba land.
“We charge Akeredolu, as the guardian of the people’s mandate, to continuously and consistently prove himself a leader worthy of his people’s trust, by constantly communicating his vision and managing the resources of the state towards the development and wellbeing of Ondo State. We also charge the people to cooperate with the governor-elect, be alert to their civic duties and keep the government on that path of straight and narrow,” the statement said.
“We trust that Akeredolu’s administration will prioritise good governance over partisanship, in the noble and progressive tradition of Awolowo and Ajasin, which is the main reason he earned our endorsement.” 
“Most importantly, we are hopeful that in active collaboration with the governors of other Southwest states, Akeredolu’s emergence will make easier the pursuit of regional integration, which has already gained credible momentum in our region. We therefore call on other Yoruba governors to embrace him into their fold, in the renewed spirit of brotherhood and reconciliation in Southwest.”
“As a pan-Yoruba socio-political group, ARG will continue to stand for and protect the interest of Yoruba people.” 

Coalition of civil societies wants Supreme Court to expedite actions on NFF case


Amaju Pinnick and Chria Giwa

*Says FIFA won’t ban Nigeria

Forum of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria has called on the Supreme Court of Nigeria to proceed with the case between Ambassador Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick-led factions of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before it without fear or favour, stating that the world football governing body FIFA would not suspend Nigeria if she delivers judgement in favour of either of the parties.

National president of the coalition group, Comrade Ishaku Nok, while addressing the press on Monday in Abuja said it has become imperative for his group to assess the on-going NFF crisis from a civil society perspective.  He condemned the actions of a group of individuals who are bent in destroying the nation’s football with illegality.

“In consonance with our vision statement in advocating for national economic potentials, we are thus, compelled by the public to engage in the assessment of the crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). It is important to note that Nigeria as a football loving nation has been bamboozled by some group of individuals who are purporting that Nigeria would be suspended by FIFA if the Supreme Court gives justice on the matter because they are bent on staging illegality on legality.”

Comrade Nok says Nigerians should disregard the assertion by the Pinnick-led faction of NFF that if Supreme Court judgement does not favour them in her judgement FIFA would suspend Nigeria and stop them from the on-going world cup qualifiers.

According to him, “that statement by Amaju Pinnick is false, fraudulent and untrue because Argentina football body also had issues that were resolved in court and FIFA did not suspend them.”

However, the civil society group has advised the Pinnick-led faction to stop misinforming Nigerians with baseless assertions of the FIFA suspending Nigeria, adding that since this renewed court case on the 8th April, 2016 FIFA has not interfered with the internal matter of the nation’s football and so they would not if the Supreme Court judgement favours either of the parties.

They also advised all those connected to the Federal Government to allow the law take its course in the NFF case because the present administration of President Mohammadu Buhari is not condoling illegality.