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FULL LIST:PenCom, NSITF, ICRC… Tinubu makes spree of appointments in one day

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new leaders for 10 federal agencies and a national project.

On Saturday, Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointments in a series of press statements.

Some of the appointments are subject to senate confirmation.

ADEYANJU TO HEAD NLTF

Tinubu appointed Tosin Adeyanju as the new executive secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF).

“Adeyanju is an accomplished administrator and good governance advocate,” the statement reads.

“The President expects the new Chief Executive Officer to ensure transparency and efficiency in the operations of the agency to actualise the objective of the NLTF as a driver of good causes in Nigeria.”

OLOWORARAN APPOINTED TO HEAD PenCom

The president appointed Omolola Oloworaran as the new director-general (DG) of the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

Ngelale said Oloworaran’s appointment is subject to senate confirmation.

“Ms Oloworaran is a finance and banking expert with many years of experience,” the statement said.

“The President anticipates goal-oriented leadership to drive efficiency and superlative performance in the National Pension Commission as the prime regulator of the Nigerian pension industry.”

AGARA APPOINTED NDE DG

Ngelale said Tinubu also approved the appointment of Silas Agara as the new DG of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Agara previously served as the deputy governor of Nasarawa state under Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and was also a former special adviser on sports.

The presidential spokesperson said Tinubu anticipates an overhaul of the NDE under Agara for optimal performance in designing and implementing programmes to combat mass unemployment in the country.

UMAR MOHAMMED IS NEW NIHSA DG

Tinubu approved the appointment of Umar Mohammed as the DG of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

“Mr. Mohammed is an architect, and also, a construction technology and environment professional,” the statement said.

“The President expects improved outcomes in the agency’s objective of operating and maintaining hydrological stations nationwide, as well as carrying out groundwater exploration and monitoring using various scientific techniques in order to provide hydrological and hydrogeological data needed for the planning, design, execution, and management of water resources and allied projects.”

DAN AGUNDI TO LEAD NPC

Also, the president approved the appointment of Baffa Dan Agundi as the new DG of the National Productivity Centre (NPC).

Dan Agundi was a former majority leader of the Kano state house of assembly.

He was also the principal registrar of the Kano high court of justice.

Ngelale said the president anticipates the DG’s utmost dedication and patriotic zeal in driving the centre’s mandate of developing a national culture of excellence in operational efficiency.

According to Ngelale, Tinubu also expects a performance-driven orientation toward measurable productivity in the citizenry for the overall enhancement of service delivery and quality of life across the nation.

UMAR KOGO TO OVERSEE CCT

Mainasara Umar Kogo was appointed as chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

“Kogo is a seasoned lawyer and analyst in the fields of law, security, economy, politics, and international diplomacy,” the statement said.

“The President anticipates professionalism, integrity, and fidelity to the nation in the discharge of the functions of the Office of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).”

EWALEFOH TO HEAD ICRC

Ngelale also said Jobson Ewalefoh has been appointed as the new DG of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

“Ewalefoh is a professional with years of experience in government and development organizations, in addition to expertise in public-private partnerships, public policy reform, and development,” Ngelale said.

The presidential spokesperson said the appointment is subject to

07/14/2024
US Elections: An Assassination Attempt on Trump

Hooliganism and thuggary reared an ugly head in America yesterday as a gunman identified as Thomas Mathew Crook in an assassination attempt shot at former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pensylvania.

The assassination, which motif is yet to be established as at press time, got the former President, tearing off a part of his right ear with blood streaming down on that part of his face.

The shooter, aged twenty was profiled as a Republican who donated to a group named as the Democratic-aligned.

After the incident, Mr. Trump was harried into a waiting armoured SUV to a medical facility in the town.

Security experts are currently working to put the bits and pieces together in order to arrive at the motive for the assassination attempt which happened from an unmanned rooftop close to the venue of the rally.

Assassination Attempt: Biden, Democrats Condemn Attempt

President Joe Biden and other top Democrats have condemned the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

Mr. Biden, while condemning attempt, said that regardless of whatever the situation may be, Trump should be able to do his rally without any harm to his life.

Trump, while reacting to the attempt, told his supporters via an email, “I will never surrender.”

07/14/2024
Damning Report Reveals Nigerians Paid N721 Billion in Bribes in 2023

A new report from the National Bureau of Statistics, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N721 billion ($1.26 billion) in cash bribes to public officials in 2023.

The report, titled “Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” highlights the widespread nature of bribery in the country. On average, each cash bribe amounted to N8,284, up from N5,754 in 2019.

Judges topped the list of bribe recipients, with an average bribe of N31,000. Customs and Immigration officials followed with N17,800, while members of the armed forces received N16,600 per bribe. Land registry officials and police officers received N11,700 and N10,400, respectively.

The findings also showed that 46% of public officials admitted to offering bribes to secure their employment. This figure is 1.5 times higher than that reported in 2019. Additionally, six out of ten successful candidates in the public sector confessed to using nepotism or bribery to enhance their recruitment chances.

The police were identified as the most prevalent in requesting bribes, with 9% of individuals who interacted with police officials reporting such demands. Nurses and doctors followed at 4%, teachers and lecturers at 3%, and public utility officials at 6%. Contact with Federal Road Safety Corps officials and vehicle inspection officers also resulted in bribe requests at rates of 4% and 2%, respectively.

The report also noted that individuals with higher education levels were more likely to pay bribes than those with no formal education.

07/13/2024
See List: JAMB Names 86 Universities, Making Illegal Admissions

Analysis of data on the admissions conducted for the 2022/2023 academic session in Nigerian universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions of learning revealed that 88 institutions conducted admissions outside of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS.)

According to JAMB, admissions conducted outside CAPS are illegal, null and void.

In a statement titled, ‘Cessation of illegal/irregular admission’, JAMB reiterated that all applications of admissions to First Degree, National Diploma, National Innovation Diploma and the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) into full-time, distance learning, part-time, outreach, sandwich, etc., must be processed only through JAMB.

The report tagged, ‘Compiled assessment of institutions on compliance with the 2022/2023 admission guidelines’, scored institutions who complied fully with admission guidelines 10 points; those with partial compliance were scored five points, while those institutions who failed to comply were awarded zero point.

Under the section for the conduct of full admissions on CAPS, our correspondent observed that 88 institutions failed to comply.

Some of the erring institutions are the University of Uyo, University of Abuja, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yaba College of Technology, Plateau State University, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Coal City University, Crawford University, Crescent University, Ebonyi State University, Rhema University, Borno State University, Chrisland University, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University.

07/13/2024
Many trapped as Abuja building collapses

A section of a two-storey residential apartment collapsed in Abuja on Saturday morning, with several people trapped in the rubble.

According to Vanguard, the building located beside the popular Cupid Hotel on Cupid Road (Sultan Dasuki Way) in Kubwa was formerly a hotel, Al-Hilal. It later became a hospital, but since the hospital owners quit the premises, it became a residential apartment.

While emergency responders and security personnel were on ground, rescue efforts were hampered as the cranes needed for the rescue were yet to arrive as of 8:45 am, nearly two hours after the incident.

Two persons had, however, been rushed to a nearby hospital, while a few others escaped on their own.

One of the escapees who did not want to reveal her identity said that when she woke up around 7 a.m. and came out of the house, she began hearing some cracks and then ran out

07/13/2024
Daniel Bwala Reveals When Tinubu Will Reshuffle Cabinet

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma

Lawyer and public affairs analyst Daniel Bwala has revealed that President Bola Tinubu plans to reshuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.

Bwala made this announcement in response to remarks by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Ali Ndume, who had criticized the federal government for its failure to address security issues and other challenges.

During an interview with BBC Hausa, Ndume expressed frustration over the lack of access to President Tinubu for both ministers and members of the National Assembly, hindering discussions on important constituency matters.

He noted, “The major problem with this government is that its doors are closed, to the extent that even some ministers cannot see the President.”

Following Ndume’s comments, he further told journalists that some forces at Aso Rock have isolated the president from reality.

Bwala, in a piece titled “Ali Ndume, the rant of an expert in grandstanding,” argued that Ndume lacks the qualifications to critique Tinubu, questioning Ndume’s achievements for his constituents over his 21-year tenure in the National Assembly.

Bwala accused Ndume of benefiting from a flawed system without delivering substantial results for his district.

He criticized Ndume’s continuous disparagement of President Tinubu and reminded him that the current administration is dealing with issues inherited from former President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership.

Bwala emphasized that the financial mismanagement of Buhari’s appointees is a significant factor in Nigeria’s current challenges.

Bwala noted that an evaluation of the current ministers had been conducted and President Tinubu would soon announce a new cabinet.

He pointed out that many of the current cabinet members were recommended by influential figures like Ndume, governors, and party leaders, stressing that Tinubu has always been open to reshuffling his team.

07/13/2024
Full List Of States That Will Not Receive LG Allocations From July

The Federal Government will from July withhold local government allocations to Cross River, Enugu, Kano, Rivers, and 16 other states in compliance with the Supreme Court judgement.

The apex court on Thursday delivered a judgment in the local government autonomy suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on behalf of the Nigerian Government, barring the Federal Government from releasing allocations to local governments governed by unelected officials appointed by the state governors.

In the judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim barred the Federal Government from further paying LG allocations through the state governments, noting that the practice had been abused by the governors.

Justice Agim accused the state governors of retaining allocations and utilising them as they please, to the detriment of the local government councils.

Following the judgment, 20 states that have no elected local government chairmen stand barred from receiving local government allocations from July until they conduct elections.

The states are Jigawa, Rivers, Anambra, Imo, Kwara, Zamfara, Bauchi, Plateau, Abia, Enugu, Katsina, Kano, Sokoto, Yobe, Ondo, Osun, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Benue.

07/13/2024
LG Autonomy: Presidency Attacks Peter Obi For Not Commenting On Supreme Court Ruling

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma

Presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga has slammed the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his silence since the Supreme Court gave its ruling granting financial autonomy to Local government areas.

Speaking via his account on Friday Night, Onanuga claimed that Obi’s silence shows he is only quick to tweet unverified news about President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria.

He insisted that a good opposition must be sincere enough to praise his political opponent when he carries out a great deed.

Onanuga urged the former Anambra governor to break his silence and acknowledge Tinubu’s efforts in making Nigeria great.

He wrote, “Why is Peter Obi silent?

“More than 36 hours after the Supreme Court gave a landmark ruling, granting financial autonomy to Nigeria’s 774 local councils, Mr. Peter Obi, the defeated Labour Party candidate, has yet to utter a word on the epochal judgment. His silence confirms the belief that he is always quick to tweet unverified news about the Tinubu administration or our country.

“A good opposition statesman must be candid enough to applaud his political opponent when he has done some great deed. The Tinubu administration has succeeded in giving life back to our emasculated councils, using the instrumentality of the law. Even Atiku Abubakar has grudgingly admitted this. But Peter has been silent. He should break his silence and acknowledge that President Tinubu is making a great Nigeria possible.’’

07/13/2024
Afenifere rejects Supreme Court Ruling On LG Autonomy

The Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, has faulted the Supreme Court verdict that granted fiscal autonomy to local government areas.

It lamented that the Apex Court verdict has “done incalculable injury to the Nigerian state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the leader of the group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and it’s National Publicity Secretary Prince Justice Faloye, made available to newsmen in Akure, the state capital.

It’s entitled ” Tinubu and the Grand Conspiracy Against Democracy and True Federalism in Nigeria.

The statement declared that ” Afenifere views the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case filed by the Federal Government on the so-called Local Government autonomy as sheer judicial conspiracy in cahoots with the Tinubu administration against the Nigerian state and its foundational principles of federalism.

Rather than interpret the constitution to uphold its elementary but overriding federal principle which recognises only a two-tier federal structure of the central government and federating states, the Supreme Court played to the gallery and wittingly allowed itself a most retrogessive declaration that the power of the government is portioned into three arms of government, the federal, the state and the local government.

For the avoidance of any doubt, Afenifere makes bold to say that in line with its negotiated basis of existence, Nigeria is a “Federation consisting of States and a Federal Capital Territory”. as affirmed by Section 2 (2) of the 1999 constitution.

While Afenifere frowns at corruption and misuse of public funds at levels of government, it condemns in most unmistaken terms the subjugation of the states and its constitutional roles including the Local Government system to the whims and caprices of the federal government by any means including obvious manipulation of the federation account as in the present case.

The 1999 constitution, which in spite of its flaws, gives life and power to the Supreme Court provides in Section 162 and particularly subsection (6) that “each state shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the local government councils of the state from the Federation Account and from the Government of the state”.

“Against this unambiguous provision the Supreme Court held that “demands of justice requires a progressive interpretation of the law.

”It is the position of this court that the federation can pay Local Government allocations to the Local Government directly or pay them through the states.

”In this case, since paying them through states has not worked, justice of this case demands that Local Government allocations from the federation account should henceforth be paid directly to the Local Governments .

”Contrary to this invented alternative routes, Section 162 of the Constitution is not ambivalent about the process and route through which “all allocations to the local government councils of the state from the Federation Account and from the Government of the state” shall become payable to the Councils.

‘In other words, the interpretation does not require a voyage into jurisprudential sophistry leading to the absurdity of deliberate judicial amendment of the grundnorm.

“By wittingly or inadvertently equating the Nigerian Federation with the Federal Government in the erroneous belief that both expressions are used interchangeably, such that the President may withold funds to the credit of the Local Governments from the Federation Account, under the guise of having no democratically elected officials, which is obviously subject to the interpretation by the Federal Government.

”The apex court has not only done incalculable injury to the Nigerian state, it has lent itself to setting aside its precedent in the hallowed judgment against the President Obasanjo administration withholding funds to the credit of Local Governments in Lagos State even when the Supreme Court said so.

07/13/2024
BREAKING! Tinubu Names National Theatre After Wole Soyinka

President Bola Tinubu has named the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, after Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, in celebration of his 90th birthday.

This announcement was made in a letter to the literary icon, acknowledging his immense contributions to literature, human rights, and justice.

Tinubu praised Soyinka’s remarkable achievements, including his Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, and his unwavering dedication to human dignity and justice.

He said, “I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka.

“Tomorrow the 13th July will be the climax of the series of local and international activities held in his honour. To underscore the global relevance of the literary giant, a symposium, along with poetry reading was held in Rabat Morocco on 9 July. The event was organized by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA).

“Professor Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Literature Prize in 1986, deserves all the accolades as he marks the milestone of 90 years on earth. Having beaten prostate cancer, this milestone is a fitting testament to his ruggedness as a person and the significance of his work.

“It is also fitting we celebrate this national treasure while he is still with us. I am, accordingly, delighted to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.”

07/12/2024