Buhari’s Budget Withdrawal Divides Senate

Buhari’s Budget Withdrawal Divides Senate

Twenty four hours after President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly withdrew the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget  presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 22, 2015 to amend some figures, some ranking Senators appear  divided over the matter.

In separate remarks yesterday, some Senators told National Assembly correspondents that the president’s action was in order. Others sharply disagreed and maintained that the President had no right to withdraw a document that has already been submitted to the National Assembly for consideration.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works,  Kabiru Gaya insisted Buhari’s  action was in order. “I do not think it has been withdrawn but whatever the case is,  the figure of the entire budget will not change. Mostly, there are adjustments of priority projects. So, if the figure under the subhead is not defined,  then he has the right to readjust it and bring it back to us. The adjustment can also be done even while we are still discussing the budget.

“Once the main figure does  not change, it is possible to make adjustments. If we are cutting 30 per cent from the National Assembly budget, then, it has to be done,  pro rata. We must cut across 30 per cent across the agencies, the ministries, and all other government parastatals. There is duplication of figures like purchase of computers. When all the duplications are discovered, it is necessary to take them out,” Gaya said.

Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, in his remarks, vehemently maintained it was impossible for the president to withdraw the budget. “It is impossible to withdraw the budget. It is not a document that you can just write and say you are withdrawing it,” he argued.

I WON’T GIVE YOU ANY DOCUMENT EXCEPT IN COURT, METUH TELLS EFCC

As at 7:42pm this evening, Olisa Metuh has finished answering all questions on the allegations and made a statement to that effect, EFCC says they are waiting for directives from president Buhari to release him or not.

Olisa Metuh’s statement to EFCC was short – 2 pages. He said former president Goodluck Jonathan called him and gave him an assignment. That he carried out the assignment perfectly well, reported back to the former president who was satisfied with job done. That former president directed he should give an account for which the job can be funded and he gave his company account. That he disbursed all monies to those it was meant for but will not give details until he is charged to court. That if the EFCC has any case they should charge him to court. He is ready to defend himself. That he was transferred N400m for the job and he disbursed it to the last kobo. That he submitted a report to GEJ and he has a copy.

Asked for a copy of the report, Olisa said its for his personal records he will not give EFCC but will present it in court. They asked Olisa to make additional statement, he declined and said they should use force if they want him to.

Olisa Metuh is set for Court. It’s now over to EFCC for next move, He has refused to drink water or eat food. They asked him, his reply: “Do you people want to poison me?”.

WE AWAIT INEC TO SWEAR-IN OTTI – OYE

WE AWAIT INEC TO SWEAR-IN OTTI – OYE

APGA Awaits INEC’s Swearing-in Of Otti – Oye

The National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Ike Oye, said yesterday that the party is awaiting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to swear in its candidate, Dr. Alex Otti as the new Abia State governor.

INEC was last Thursday ordered by the Appeal Court which sat in Owerri, Imo State to swear in Dr. Otti.
He spoke to Daily Sun in Umuahia where he gave the reason Otti was yet to be sworn in after the verdict of the Appeal Court which gave the order that he should be sworn in within a specific time frame.

Oye said as a law-abiding party that believes in the Rule of Law, that the Appeal Court made it clear that Otti won the election and so, INEC should make arrangement to swear him as the governor.

“That was the ruling of the Court of Appeal that sat in Owerri. When he will be sworn in is dependent on INEC,”  Oye said. According to him, “the court said INEC should make arrangement, it did not say that APGA should make arrangement, the directive is very clear. If they had said that APGA should do that, we would have sworn him in the same night,” he explained.

He said that his party is  following directive, “waiting for INEC to give us the green light for him to be sworn in. The responsibility falls on INEC for him to be sworn in. That was the ruling of the Appeal Court, he explained further.

He stated that since the judgment was given, Abia people have been up-beat, adding that  they do not expect anything less and as far as the 2015 governorship election was concerned.

Meanwhile, the state police command has warned those  demonstrating  against the Appeal Court judgment which sacked Ikpeazu to desist from disturbing the peace, or face the wrath of the law.

But reacting, Ikpeazu said he has the right to remain in office pending the outcome of the suit he filed at the apex court to challenge the annulment of his victory.

Ikpeazu, in a letter his lawyer wrote to INEC, wondered why the court overruled the tribunal, which upheld his election. His lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had in the letter said: “Our client was elected by the electorate as the governor of Abia State in the governorship election held on April 11 and 25, 2015.

“Upon his return as the governor by INEC, Mr. Alex Otti and his political party, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) challenged his return at the governorship election tribunal sitting at Umuahia, and which tribunal dismissed their petition on November 3, 2015. Being dissatisfied with the judgment of the tribunal, the petitioners appealed to the Court of Appeal, and by the judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on December 31, 2015, the court allowed the appeal and declared Alex Otti as governor of Abia State,” he said.

Forex Restrictions: Nigerians Throng Ghana, Togo, Benin To Source Dollars

Following the various restrictions in the Nigerian foreign exchange market as well as the ban on the usage of naira denominated cards outside the country, some Nigerians have resorted to buying dollars from neighboring countries to be able to pay school fees of their wards schooling outside the country.

LEADERSHIP investigations revealed that to circumvent the ban on the usage of naira cards outside the country, some people go to Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana, among others to source dollars to send via courier or other means abroad.

Also, investigations show that speculators taking advantage of the high demand for dollars in Nigeria buy the greenback from outside the country to sell it in Nigeria. The value of the naira had dropped to an all time low of N283 to the dollar last year but has remained stable since last week at N265.

The Central Bank of Nigeria had placed various restrictions on the foreign exchange market, having removed 41 items from the eligible for forex list and reduced the annual and daily spending limits.

It had also backed the move by banks to stop accepting foreign currency deposits as well as the recent ban on the usage of naira denominated cards abroad, a move that has been condemned by many Nigerians especially students living abroad.

Confirming this, the acting president of the Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigerian (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe said “there are people that now buy euro in Nigeria and convert it to dollar and bring it back to sell. The people doing this are traders that make it their business and not BDCs”
He noted that the speculators who follow international exchange rates take advantage of the high demand of dollar in Nigeria. This he said may spike activities at the parallel market affecting the value of the dollar.

Meanwhile he noted that there may not be dollar sales to BDCs today as they are yet tot receive any notification from the CBN. According to him, “Normally by Monday, the CBN would have told us what they will be giving us and the bank would have deducted it from our accounts by Monday evening. We are confused now and some. Banks as deducting $10,000 others are deducting $30,000, but we are yet to get any notification from the CBN.”

BREAKING News!!! Gunmen Kill NFF’s Head of Protocol, Abubakar in his Home this Morning (Photos)

The chief protocol officer of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Abubakar, has been shot dead by armed robbers in his Abuja home.

According to the federation’s official Twitter handle, the incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday.
The update read: “NFF’s Head of Protocol Ibrahim Abubakar was shot dead by armed robbers in his house in Abuja in the early hours of today.

“Abubakar’s remains is being taken to Kaduna for burial.”
Reacting to the tragedy, media officer of the Super Eagles, Toyin Ibitoye, expressed his sadness over Abubakar’s death.

He tweeted: “Shocking, devastating & tragic news about the killing of @thenff’s head of protocol Ibrahim Abubakar by armed robbers this morning in Abuja.

“May God comfort Ibrahim Abubakar’s family, friends and colleagues on this tragic, untimely loss.”

Cossy Ojiakor Says She Is Getting Married

Finally, busty Nollywood actress Cossy Ojiakor is getting married.
Cossy announced her marriage plans on her Instagram page last night in a post she captioned “Hello 2016…I started this year with work… Helping out… Almost like charity…. That’s when I know It’s gonna be a good year…. This year I will finally become Mrs Cossy Ojiakor……… Fill in the blank space hahhahhaha”

Recall that few weeks ago, Cossy blasted haters on her instagram page saying: “Real men love cossy. the girls hating on me gat my pix in their men’s phone. And all the men hating are all gay. The gay dudes should just chill its not a competition. its money to get tits as big as mine.”
Now we look forward to meeting Mr. Right who is her real man.

Cossy recently visited Germany and was criticised on social media for flaunting her boobs despite the temperate weather over there.

See How Olisa Metuh Allegedly Planned To Escape From Nigeria

According to a travel itinerary obtained by Sahara Reporters, Metuh was scheduled to leave Abuja today, January 6, on an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai.

Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy Senate president, was booked on the same flight and was supposed to travel with the PDP spokesman.

A law enforcement source revealed that officials had received a tipoff that Metuh intended to fly from Dubai to the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The source revealed that the PDP spokesman had obtained citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis through substantial financial investment.

“Our information is that Chief Metuh was planning to move there [St. Kitts and Nevis] to avoid possible arrest and trial [for corrupt enrichment],” the source added.

On Tuesday, January 5, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stormed the Abuja home of the PDP spokesman and whisked him away.

The party’s officials initially claimed that Metuh was “merely” invited for a chat by the EFCC. However, later they changed tunes and raised the alarm over alleged plans by the anti-graft agency to poison the spokesman.