@ StateReporter News

A good number of doctors who applied for House jobs at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Ituku have realized that they were duped.
Most of the doctors who were made to pay between N250,000 to N300,000 before they were issued letters of appointments have suddenly realized that they have fallen prey to a well organized scam.

investigations reveal management involvement in the scam with fingers pointing towards the immediate past administration of the hospital led by Dr. Christopher Amah.
Some of the victims who spoke to our reporter said they have already worked for three weeks “because our appointment letters are genuine.”
Hear one of them; “I went to my Faculty and they told me that my name was not included in the list management sent to them for internship this year.
“When we got to the hospital they said our names were on awaiting list, which doesn’t make any meaning. We came before some people whose names are on the list. We are not the only ones a lot of people were affected.”

Doctors working in the hospital were used as middle men in this racket and the ‘genuineness’ of the deal won’t be in doubt because all those involved in the cartel are major stakeholders.
For instance the appointment letter was duly signed by one Ojo Ugwunwa. C (Mrs) for, Director Administration.
There is also another signature and seal of the CMD, UNTH authenticating the letter.

Reacting to the fraud the new CMD of the hospital Dr. Obinna Onodugo confirmed that the past administration took more interns than the hospital can accommodate.
The CMD who spoke through a proxy said there is no way they can accommodate all the people concerned because of the financial implications.

He however denied knowledge of the N300,000 paid by the interns.
READ MORE
Source : StateReporter News

http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/21/419-unth-intending-house-officers-rejected-n300k-bribe/

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A hospital in Kenya has finally confirmed that two Kakamega girls, Sharon Mathias and Melon Lutenyo, are identical twins.

While browsing, Sharon had come across Melon and sent her a “friend request”. No sooner had she ‘accepted’, the request, the two started engaging in a war of words over the authenticity of the other’s online profile.

They were both suspicious of their striking resemblance but after the online altercation, they chose to cut off their communication. The two finally met in December 2018 at a bus stop in Kakamega town.

This was prompted by a constant mention by their teachers and schoolmates about their resemblance. Soon, their communication became frequent to the extent that they introduced each other to their parents.

In April 2019, both families resorted to solve the mystery by seeking professional help. Lancet Kenya then offered to carry out a DNA test at a subsidised cost. The result eventually confirmed that they are twins.

Their mother, Ms Onyango, is said to have gone to Kakamega Hospital while pregnant on August 15, 1999.

She expected to deliver triplets but when she regained consciousness after delivery through a caesarean section, she was informed that she had given birth to twins.

The twins were placed in an incubator for a week due to low birth weight. She said that she had been in doubt since her twin daughters Melon and Melvin did not turn out identical.

Also, Ms Omina, who has just been confirmed not to be Sharon’s biological mother, said that she gave birth on August 14, 1999, just a day before Ms Onyango had her delivery.

However,
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/21/girls-swapped-birth-discover-theyre-identical-twins-facebook-clash/

@ StateReporter News

THE Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is set to commence tracking of its first phase of constituency projects in 12 states.

This was contained in a brief signed by the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Rasheedat Okoduwa, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative launched on April 2, 2019, by ICPC, aimed at ensuring satisfactory execution of all constituency projects as well as obtaining value for money.

Members of the Steering Committee for the initiative included Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Budget Office of the Federation, and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Other members are Premium Times, International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) among others.

According to Mrs Okoduwa, the first phase of the exercise will commence in 12 states across the six geo-political zones of the country.

At least five projects have been identified for tracking in each state.

“The zones and states include North Central; Kogi and Benue, Northeast, Adamawa and Bauchi while others are Northwest, Sokoto and Kano.

“Southeast has Imo and Enugu, Southwest, Lagos and Osun; South-South, Akwa Ibom and Edo.”



(NAN)
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/18/icpc-begin-probe-constituency-projects-across-country/

@ StateReporter News
The fear of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) may be the beginning of wisdom for all Lagos motorists, as the law enforcement officers have lately gone tough on traffic offenders. Unlike in the last four years when the officers were barred from making arrests, the new administration had returned LASTMA to status quo, with heavier sanctions of forfeiture or N200,000 penalty after court trial.

To further embolden the officers, the governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has restored security backups and towing vans for traffic law enforcement operations. He also signed the traffic-related Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Agency amended bill into law, and psyched up the officers with a 100 per cent increase of monthly hazard allowance.

Contrary to general belief, the increase is not on salary but hazard allowance, to which junior officers earn N5,000, while senior officers earn N10,000 monthly, and now set to double by July.

In return, the governor demanded an improvement in the free-flow of traffic statewide, with full enforcement of the Lagos State Traffic Laws 2012 and arrest of all traffic offenders without preference for civil servants, party members, security agencies, friends and family and so on.

The Lagos State Traffic Laws, passed by the State House of Assembly in 2012, was designed to protect law abiding road users, while violators face the consequences of their actions. The sanctions range from N5,000 fine to N50,000, jail terms and forfeiture of vehicles.

But the new regime has introduced a severe penalty of N200,000 for one-way offence, such as is not known to the subsisting traffic laws. Also, all the violations that erstwhile had no monetary penalties now attract fines of between N20,000 to N90,000.

For instance, offences like failure to use seat belt, unclosed doors or standing on the doorway while in motion, all attract N20,000 each. Parking on the highway, obstruction of traffic, picking or dropping passengers on illegal bus-stop attract N50,000 fine.

Also, making a reverse on the highway, driving on kerbs and parking on walkways now attract N50,000 penalty. Driving on BRT designated lanes is N70,000, while dropping passengers on laybys is slammed at N90,000 fine. And for every night a seized vehicle spends in the custody of LASTMA, a N1,000 fine is paid.

The StateReporters News learnt that the severe penalty regime was the initiative of the LASTMA hierarchy, “to ensure that apprehended violators do not easily get out of the offence, unlike before. The law says we should impound a vehicle that drives against traffic, which is the most common traffic offence these days.
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/17/lastma-goes-tough-begins-n200000-penalty-regime/

@ StateReporter News
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has ordered the State Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the issue of Kano Zoological Gardens story of alleged swallowing of the sum N6.8m by a Gorilla in the Zoo.

The order was given by the governor and the Commission has swung into action, immediately after the issuance of the order.



He asked the Commission to look into the immediate and remote cause of the allegation, directing them to unearth everything surrounding the incident.

It could be recalled that, there was a case of alleged missing of N6.7m generated by the Zoo as gate fees collected from visitors of the garden, particularly during the Sallah festive period.
Read more
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/16/ganduje-orders-probe-kano-zoos-gorilla-swallowed-n6-8m/

My Son Will Only Attend That University That Offers Money-Making As A Course

By Anayo M. Nwosu

“Daddy, what course should I read in the university?” my son in Senior Secondary School, class 2 asked me.

“My son, you should study Money-Making!” I answered unequivocally.

“What do mean, Daddy? I doubt if there is a course in any university called Money-making but I know of Entrepreneurship”,

My son said , wondering what had happened to what he once touted as “the ever dependable brain” of his dad. I could guess that the boy was confused and I needed to further explanation.

“My son, I mean to say that you are at liberty to choose any course you are at ease with but you should also figure out how that course would help you to put food on your table and enough money to shoulder your responsibilities.”

“If you choose Agricultural course, think about its applications to making money like commercial farming or setting up Agro-allied industries. If you choose Medicine, think of how to own a medical facility that would provide top-notch services, that would yield the kind of money you want. Do you understand?”
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/16/son-will-attend-university-offers-money-making-course/

Enugu West Senatorial Election: ‘I have documented evidence of illegal thumbprints of ballot papers’ – Ibekaku-Nwagwu to Tribunal

@ StateReporter News
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Enugu West in 2019 general elections, Barrister Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu yesterday 13th June 2019 testified before the National and state Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu.

Mrs. Ibekaku-Nwagwu presented documents before the Tribunal to support her claim of irregularities, electoral fraud and non- compliance with INEC Electoral Laws and Regulations during the election.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in collaboration with INEC officials massively thumbprinted over 100,000 votes and the evidence I have here shows that the election results were skewed to favour the PDP candidate”

Documents presented by Mrs. Ibekaku-Nwagwu and were admitted by the tribunal in evidence were Forms EC8A1, EC8B1, EC8C1, EC8D1 EC8E1 and EC40G

She also presented .electronic evidence of five (5) video clips, ten (10) pictures and two (2) flash drives.

Earlier, some policemen were subpoenaed by the tribunal. In their statements, they admitted that the Smart Card Readers used for accreditation by INEC did not work in many areas.

However, the tribunal granted an objection raised by Ekweremadu’s counsel against the presentation of an ad hoc staff as witness.

An agent from Ngwo-Uno who appeared for the Petitioner said that there were shortage of election materials ranging from ballot boxes, ink, stamp pads, ballot papers. He also reported that Card Readers did not work in most places.

Out of the witnesses listed by the petitioners counsel, sixteen have been called as at the time of filing this report.

Mrs. Ibekaku-Nwagwu is challenging declaration of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Senator representing Enugu West zone citing massive electoral fraud and irregularities.

Ekweremadu who is going to the Senate for the 5th time lost Deputy Senate President elections of the Senate to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on Wednesday 12th June, 2019 during the Inauguration and election of the 9th senate leaders.
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/15/enugu-west-senatorial-election-i-have-documented-evidence-of-illegal-thumbprints-of-ballot-papers-ibekaku-nwagwu-to-tribunal/

@ StateReporter News

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says politicians are a group of people “you must watch very carefully.”

Wike spoke when he received a delegation of Anglican bishops who paid him a solidarity visit.

The governor said he is not carried away by congratulatory messages and would not let his guard down.

“I am not carried away by all the congratulatory and goodwill messages,” he said.



“So, as a politician, one group of people you must watch very carefully are the politicians. They are easily swayed. Some believe; when they believe, they believe.

“Something can entice politicians and they can change. If you watch what happened at the national assembly, you can see that this is the attitude of politicians.

“You see the party has a position; before you know it, they are selling out themselves for one plate of porridge. This one has a case and he wants them to withdraw the case.

“It is difficult for me to give 100 percent trust that a man will continue to be like this or like that. The only person that cannot change is God.

“For human beings, they can always change. That is why they are human beings. You can trust a human being, but be careful to open your eyes because anything can happen.”

On his part, Tunde Adeleye, archbishop of the Anglican Province of the Niger Delta, advised the governor to remain vigilant.
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/15/dont-trust-politicians-wike/

@ stateReporter News
Ondo State Governor, Oluwatotimi Akeredolu, on Sunday evening boasted that with his status, he can no longer be kidnapped; stressing that only those with security convoys are safe from the menace of kidnappers.

Akeredolu, who was speaking during a live TV/Radio programme in the state tagged “Speak With Mr. Governor” revealed that sometimes his convoy has been confronted by suspected kidnappers on Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan highway.

According to him, on those occasions the kidnappers always run into the bush when his security men opened fire.

“I’ve encountered them once or twice as governor.

“My convoy was almost attacked but my security people shot into the air to scare them (kidnappers) to the bush. That’s the advantage we have as governors. It is a serious problem on Akure-Ibadan road.

“I remember, I had to tell my people (convoy) to move. Where ever they are, we confronted them. There’s no need to run away.

Even at a time of such incidence, my orderly was shaking.

“Even if I walk, they can’t kidnap me. I have passed that stage. They dare not try it.
Read more
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/10/ive-passed-level-nobody-can-kidnap-gov-akeredolu-boasts/

Rt Hon Edward Uchenna Ubosi emerge the Speaker of the 7th Assembly Enugu State House of Assembly,

Photos
Details later

Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/10/breaking-rt-hon-edward-uchenna-ubosi-emerges-the-speaker-of-the-7th-assembly-enugu/

@ StateReporter News
Lagos – Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has berated the volume of smuggled goods coming into Nigeria through the Republic of Benin.
Dangote spoke at a stakeholders’ session in Lagos between the private sector and the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
He said smuggling activities from the Benin Republic route is killing manufacturing in Nigeria.
His words: “Smuggling is killing Nigeria and most of these smuggled goods come from the Benin Republic. There is no country that can survive with Benin Republic as a neighbour.
Read more
Details later…
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/08/no-country-can-survive-with-republic-of-benin-as-neighbour-dangote/

@ StateReporter News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over the judgement of the federal high court, Abuja, directing it to issue a certificate of return to Rochas Okorocha as senator-elect for Imo west senatorial district.
In a statement on Friday, the commission said it is worried that “if electoral impunity is allowed to flourish, any individual can harass, intimidate and put the Commission’s officers under duress, procure a favourable declaration and be rewarded with a Certificate of Return.”
INEC, however, said it would meet to “do the needful” over the court judgement as well as another one from a high court in Imo state directing it “not to issue a certificate of return to any of the candidates that contested the Imo west senatorial district election.”
The commission had refused to issue the certificate to Okorocha who was declared winner of the poll after the returning officer reported that he declared the former governor winner under duress.
It said while the order from the high court of Imo was issued on May 23, “the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja is the latest in time and determined the rights of the parties in relation to the subject matter of the Certificate of Return, in respect of the Imo West Senatorial Election.”
“As a law-abiding institution, the Commission will continue to obey judgements of all courts of competent jurisdiction,” the statement from Festus Okoye, INEC director of voters education and publicity, read
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/08/wont-allow-impunity-flourish-inec-challenges-court-judgement-okorocha/

@ StateReporter News
The ongoing gimmicks and intrigues for the position of the president of the 9th Senate took another dimension yesterday as a major aspirant, Senator Danjuma Goje stepped down after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari brokered by Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State.
The power tussle is now between the longest-serving member of the National Assembly in the 9th Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan, the current Senate majority leader and his predecessor, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume.
Both aspirants, from Northeast extraction, are ranking members of the Red chambers and are chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). While the party machinery has been swayed to favour a Lawan Senate presidency, Ndume is more of a political orphan deriving a political right to contest from our extant laws.
Although the ruling party is circumscribed to only an external influence, Lawan needs the internal cohesion of his party and the support of the main opposition party in the upper legislative chambers, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge victoriously.
This has become the bane of Lawan whose party support and that of the presidency is unwavering. His fears are not unconnected with the dissatisfaction of notable senators from within his party as a result of Adams Oshiomole’s unilateral endorsement of his candidature without any form of consultations. The senators who were irked by that tyrannical imposition of candidate on them have vowed to teach Oshiomhole some lessons on how to best govern a political party with many entrenched interests.
That political misgiving of the former labour leader has been capitalised on by the PDP to spur the many APC senators whose feathers were left unruffled by that endorsement to go against the wish of the party. It was turned into a game of pride. So many lawmakers who spoke to StateReporter News were of the considered view that Oshiomhole’s actions were a slap on their sensibilities meant to deride their political powers and must be resisted.
A few others also differed preferring the candidacy of Senator Ali Ndume who they said is more humble, accessible and possessed the requisite qualities to occupy the position. While the intrigues went on, many lawmakers, especially of the PDP, are said to have been indecisive waiting to follow the lead of the outgoing Senate President, Sen. Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki before they could finally decide on where to stamp their votes on the 11th of June when the Senate will be inaugurated.
The outgoing Senate President is said to have been averse to the candidacy of Senator Ahmed Lawan owing to the way the ruling party is going with his candidature. The London trained medical doctor also fears that the Senate under Lawan’s leadership will not be “bold” and “courageous” enough to deepen our Democracy by insisting on an independent Senate.
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/07/senate-presidency-lawans-support-base-suffers-heavy-blow-saraki-power-play-changes-equation/

@ StateReporter News
New Oyo state governor orders all former political office holders to return official vehicles
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has ordered all former political office holders to return government vehicles and other assets in their custody with immediate effect.

This was contained in a statement signed by Chief Bisi Ilaka, his Chief of Staff and made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Wednesday.

”It has been observed that some former political office holders are still in possession of official vehicles attached to their offices in spite of the fact that they are no longer in the service of Oyo state.

”Consequently, His Excellency, Gov Seyi Makinde, has therefore directed that all former political functionaries who are still in possession of government vehicles to return the same to government transport pool within 48 hours.

” Failure to which the security agencies shall be directed to retrieve such vehicles from where they may be kept,” Ilaka said.

He said the State Government would take all necessary steps to ensure that all assets illegally taken away by the former officials are returned.

(NAN)
Source : Read more
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/06/new-oyo-state-governor-orders-former-political-office-holders-return-official-vehicles/

@ StateReporter News
Group reports El-Rufai to President Trump over ‘ethno-religious clean-up of Southern Kaduna’
A group, Voice of Northern Christian Movement in Nigeria, VNCMN, has alleged that since the emergence of Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai as governor of Kaduna state, peace has evaded the erstwhile peaceful Kajuru chiefdom.

VNCMN Executive Director, Rev. Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa, stated this in a strongly-worded letter to the United States President, Donald Trump titled: “Ethno-religious Clean-up of Southern Kaduna by Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai”.

The statement made available to newsmen, reads, “lt is very important to state that the Adara Chiefdom in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna state has had a good, cordial and peaceful working relationship with the successive administrations of former governor’s Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Namadi Sambo, Patrick Yakowa and Labaran Yero respectively.

“However, since the emergence of Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai, peace has evaded the erstwhile peaceful chiefdom. By virtue of his divisive poisonous utterances and policies, the people in Adara chiefdom have never been more divided along religious lines.



“He unilaterally proposed to create a purely Islamic Emirate for the handful of Muslims in Kajuru town over large swaths of ancestral Adara land. This coupled with vindictive arrests and detention of any outspoken Adara citizen has shattered any existing cordial relationship in the area.

“In the light of the foregoing, the Chief of Adara, Chief Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima was invited for a meeting with governor El-Rufai and while on his way returning from the meeting with the Governor, he was ambushed and abducted together with his police guard, wife and daughter. The wife and daughter were eventually released but the police guard and the Chief were murdered. Since then, the Adara chiefdom and the entire Kajuru local government area are faced with constant threats, attacks, killings and
Read more
Source : StateReporter News

http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/06/group-reports-el-rufai-president-trump-ethno-religious-clean-southern-kaduna/

@ StateReporter News
Okorocha, Amosun lead plot to remove Oshiomhole as APC chairman

There is a cold war brewing in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party chieftains, irked by the way the national chairman is running things, especially the role the former labour leader played in frustrating the bid of some party stalwarts who wanted to have a say in who succeeds them, are making frantic efforts to capitalise on the Supreme Court ruling which sacked all the APC elected candidates in Zamfara State to make a strong case for Adams Oshiomhole’s lack of grit on the party and call for his eventual removal.

Sources within the party told a correspondent of StateReporter News that anti Oshiomhole forces seem to have been presented with a valid argument against his continued stay in the party hence the powerful forces have made desperate efforts to rally round other decision makers in the party to join forces with some ranking lawmakers of the party who are also disgruntled with the despotic way Oshiomole nominated Sen. Ahmed Lawan as the party’s choice for the presidency of the Senate and end what he described as Oshiomhole’s “tyrannic” rule in the party.

A source who spoke to our correspondence in confidence revealed that the move was initiated by the past Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha who went in search of other members who possibly have political scores to settle with the party chief so as to first form an alliance on common interest. The source went on to reveal that while it took no much persuasion to bring Ibikunle Amosun on-board, it took a lot of intrigues and persuasions for the erstwhile Governor of Ondo state, Gov Rotimi Akeredolu to key into the project. When the three southern governors on the platform of the party reached a common ground, they moved ahead to find other ranking members of the party who will not have reservations about the hatchet plot. The source also disclosed that the ex-Minister of Transport, Hon Rotimi Amaechi could not boldly support the course but promised solemnly never to be an obstacle. The group, however, got the green light of Senator Magnus Abe from Rivers state in Amechi’s place.

In the National Assembly, the group needed no much stress in getting some ranking lawmakers to support their plot as most of the legislators have been in one way or the other flared by the uncompromising nature of the national chairman of the party especially his recent unilateral decision to nominate Sen Ahmed Lawan from Northeast Yobe state as the choice of the party for the 9th Assembly senate presidency position. The group got Senator Kabiru Marafa, the vociferous chairman senate committee on under-water resources to be its conduit. Senator Danjuma Goje is said to be sceptical about making public his resentment of Oshiomhole’s high-handedness in the party owing to his ambition to occupy the position of the presidency of the Senate and thus would not make public his support of the group. According to the source, the group has over 40 members of the national assembly in support with uncountable state assembly members.

The source also revealed that Akereodolu suggested the recruitment of a national executive committee (NEC)’s member possibly of Northern extraction to come public with the fight as part of the group’s sensitization program to gain public acceptance and demystify Oshiomole from within. It was in furtherance of that agenda that the deputy national chairman of the party, North, Sen Lawan Shuaibu was engaged to push the media fight.

Read more
Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/04/okorocha-amosun-lead-plot-remove-oshiomhole-apc-chairman/

@ StateReporter News

The governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Lawrence Ugwuanyi has announced his first appointment after his inauguration for second term in office on 29th May.

The Governor announced the reappointment of Mr. Sylvester Onoyima as Special Adviser on Due Process during a meeting with Permanent Secretaries of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), at the Government House, Enugu

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Source :http://www.statereporters.com/2019/06/01/gov-ugwuanyi-announces-first-appointment-statereporter-news/

Gov. Ugwuanyi

@ StateReporter News

2nd Term Inauguration: My govt will engender more massive rural development, says Gov. Ugwuanyi

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State who was sworn in for a second term in office on Wednesday at a colourful and well-attended ceremony has assured the people of the state that his new administration will continue to build on the solid foundation it has laid in line with its four point agenda, promising that the next four years will witness massive deployment of resources to further engender development at the rural areas.

Gov. Ugwuanyi, who was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife, Monica, addressed the elated audience and expressed gratitude to God for his grace and the people of the state for their “overwhelming mandate and immeasurable love, self-sacrifice, sense of justice and equity, and unrivalled commitment to the peace, good governance and development of our state”, promising further that his administration will continue to close the gap between the hinterlands and urban areas.

The governor described the inauguration, which was graced by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke and notable leaders of the state, such as the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi; former Governors Okwesilieze Nwodo and Senator Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani; former Military Administrators of old Anambra State and Imo State, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke and Commodore James Aneke; former Inspector General of Police, Ogbonnia Onovo; former deputy governors, past and present members of the State and National Assemblies, Enugu State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barr. Ben Nwoye; heads of Christian denominations, among others, as a beginning of another promising journey to a better and greater Enugu State. He added that “it signifies a renewal of the social contract between my humble self and the good people of Enugu State”. His deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, was also sworn in as the Deputy Governor of the State.

Narrating the landmark achievements of his administration in the last four years, Gov. Ugwuanyi, recalled “the dire financial outlook of the State when we mounted the saddle of leadership in 2015”, stating that “it was one characterized by plunged allocations from the centre, high debt profile, and daunting salaries and pensions arrears”.

He therefore disclosed that his administration was able to surmount the challenges of lean resources and a national economic recession “by sheer belief in the miracle of five loaves and two fish and by applying ourselves to honest and prudent management of resources”.

The governor added that his government raised Enugu to one of the few most solvent States, with the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) hitting its highest mark in a single year since 1999.

“Only recently, the Nigeria Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) named Enugu State as one of the eight financially stable States”, Gov. Ugwuanyi revealed, recommitting himself to principles that will lead to breaking down of all barriers to honest, prudent, and people-oriented leadership.

According to him, “our government shall continue to implement creative ideas, templates, and processes that will further mobilise resources to address our development needs. We will improve on oversight and reforms to reduce the cost of governance in order to deliver happiness and democracy dividends to the people of Enugu State”.

On peace and security, the governor emphasized their importance as the foundations of any development and the greatest incentives for investment and stated that the state government has invested heavily in securing lives and property, which resulted in the state’s rating as one of the most peaceful and secure states in the country, saying that his administration remains “committed to sustaining the thriving amity and security in our state”.

On infrastructure, Gov. Ugwuanyi said that his administration has taken giants steps to change the landscape of the state through massive roads construction and rehabilitation both in urban and rural areas, in keeping with its promise to create new cities and decongest Enugu metropolis.

“Having undertaken major infrastructural renewal projects in our first term, we are resolved to revisit some abandoned but strategic projects that will add socio-economic value to our people. Work is already underway at the Enugu International Conference Centre to tap into the great social and economic promises it holds for our people and consolidate Enugu’s place as a preferred tourism destination and home to Ndigbo and all sons and daughters of the defunct Eastern Region”, he added.

Declaring the state government’s support for local government autonomy and every constitutional step to strengthen it as a third tier of government, Gov. Ugwuanyi advised “every critical player in local government to stay or live in his or her respective domain to promote effective local administration and development”.

Appreciating the veritable contributions of the civil service as the engine room of any government, the governor pointed out that the government has kept faith with Enugu State workers and not only pays salaries on 23rd of every month but also pays the 13th month, stressing that “in the next four years, our civil service will be further reformed and strengthened to provide top-notch service comparable to and possibly better than the private sector”.

The governor equally promised to continue and consolidate on the achievements his administration has recorded in other sectors of development, such as education, health, judiciary reforms, youth empowerment, water supply, investment drive, sports, etc, to further improve the living standard of the people of Enugu State, saying: “I stand before you today with a renewed strength as I embark on this last lap of my journey as your Governor”.

His words: “My team and I will continue to count on your prayers every step of the way. With your prayers and angels leading the way, every mountain shall be broken, every valley shall be filled, crooked ways shall be made straight, and all rough parts shall be smoothened to ensure the continuation of good governance and delivery of democracy dividends in Enugu State.

“On my part, I will continually strive to make our State a citadel of peace and inclusive governance. Enugu State is one big family and no one will be left behind. Politics is over, governance takes the centre stage, and all hands are encouraged to come on deck irrespective of age, party affiliation, and social status in order to make Enugu State greater.

“We are open to ideas that will add value to the lives of our people. There is work to be done and we need the right people to do the job. I welcome you all from all political divides and shades of opinion. Let us join hands and get the work done”.
Enugu State is truly in the hands of God! #amokelouis
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/29/2nd-term-inauguration-my-govt-will-engender-more-massive-rural-development-says-gov-ugwuanyi/

@ StateReporter News
Okorocha Left N300bn Debt For Ihedioha – PDP

The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the outgoing Governor, Rochas Okorocha, of leaving the state in very bad shape, with a liability of N300 billion.

The PDP explained in Owerri yesterday that Okorocha incurred over N100 billion debt and abandoned projects worth more than N200 billion across the state.

The publicity secretary, Damian Opara, was reacting to the claim by Okorocha that he was leaving over N42 billion for the incoming administration of PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha.

According to PDP, Okorocha’s claim was unverifiable, baseless and bad precedence for the Imo government.

“We have it on good authority that Rochas abandoned projects worth more than N200 billion all over IMO. He abandoned the five-star hotels he was building in Okigwe and Owerri. He abandoned the 27 general hospitals he started. He abandoned the 15km rural roads he said he was going to construct.

“What is he leaving behind? He is leaving behind a debt of N100 billion for Imo State. He is leaving over 90 months of pension arrears. He is leaving the Imo civil servants in agony. He owes them for the past four years and their 48 months salaries were not paid in full. He is talking of money we will get by counterpart funding. That was just a trap for the incoming administration, but we are going to overcome it,” Opara stated.
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Source : StateReporter News

http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/29/okorocha-left-n300bn-debt-ihedioha-pdp/

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Mr Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday dragged 247Ureport, an online media and its Editor-In-Chief to court, demanding N5 billion in damages.

The suit was over a libelous publication made on May 21, 2018.

A news agency gathered that the said report read: “Buhiari holds secret talk with Sheriff to push for 2019 EFCC Chairman’s Guber ambition.”

NAN also gathered that the said report contradicted the will of the acting chairman of the EFCC, who hails from Borno and that there was no such ambition.

The acting Chairman in his originating summons before the court, prayed for a declaration that the publication made by the media house amounted to libel.

He also prayed for an order, restraining the media house and its agent from further publishing any other report damaging to his person.

He also prayed for an order of the court, awarding N5 Billion fine on the defendants as general damages.

Magu prayed for an order of the court directing the defendants to tender a public apology to him in regards to the false and misleading information.

At the resumed hearing of the matter on Friday, the EFCC counsel, Mr Daniel Bwala prayed the court for a short adjournment on the grounds that the senior counsel who was handling the matter was not around.

On his part, the defendant’s counsel, Mr Nnamani Ogbonna also prayed the court for an adjournment on the grounds that he was yet to be briefed.

“I align myself with the prayers of the EFCC counsel. We are only asking for a long adjournment to allow us prepare,” he said.

Meanwhile, Justice Danlami Senchi adjourned the matter until June 20 for hearing.

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Source : http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/25/magu-drags-247ureport-court-seeks-n5bn-damages/

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WHEN THE GOVERNOR BECOME ALONE

StateReporter News has gather the picture of zamfara State Governor H.E AbdulAziz Yari at supreme court

This is AbdulAziz Yari of Zamfara State seated at the Supreme Court 4hours after everyone had left.
He’s lost his lifeline 5 days to the end of his tenure as governor and no Senate. His legs couldn’t carry him. POWER IS TRANSIENT but politicians won’t understand.

From Chairman of Northern Governors’ forum to a regular politician, he didn’t even make it to the Senate.

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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/25/supreme-court-when-the-governor-become-alone-statereporter-news/

@ StateReporter News

Yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court which nullified the victories of the APC in all the elections held in Zamfara State came to the APC as a rude shock and led the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), going into an emergency meeting.

Speaking shortly after the meeting, Ntufam Hilliard Eta, the APC National Vice Chairman, South South, said though it is very painful, the party has no option than to accept the ruling of the Supreme Court that nullified its victories at the governorship as well as state/federal legislative polls in Zamfara State.

He also said the party had learnt some lessons from the Zamfara scenario.

It’s a sad day for every member of the APC. It’s a very sad day for us.” Asked if the party mismanaged the crisis, Mr Eta said, “I don’t think the party mismanaged the crisis in our Zamfara chapter. We don’t have any option than to accept the judgment of the Supreme Court and go ahead and learn some lessons from it. That is what I can say for now.”
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/25/the-outcome-of-the-emergency-meeting-of-apc-nwc-on-the-supreme-court-ruling-on-zamafra-election/

@ StateReporter News


15 wounded as touts take over Onitsha Enugu Expressway

There was a total breakdown of law and order Friday at the Niger Bridge Head area of Onitsha near the status of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, when touts wielding machetes and other dangerous weapons took over the Onitsha Enugu expressway, attacking anybody on sight.

The touts were chanting “No ticket, no peace” “We own Anambra State, and we will continue collecting our levies” “Nobody will stop our work.”

About 15 people sustained various degrees of injury as they run for their lives, while oncoming vehicles and tricycles knocked others down, resulting in different bodily injuries as they tried to escape from the attack of the rampaging machete brandishing touts in the area.

This is even as members of the Executive Friends Drivers Welfare Association, EFDWA, the commercial drivers that ply Onitsha -Asaba routes, engaged in a protest against the extortion of over N4800 from them by illegal revenue collectors and touts that operate at the Niger Bridge Head end of Onitsha Enugu expressway, and touts at the Upper Iweke area of the road.

Some of the placards carried by members of EFDWA, read, “Nelson Enendu what revenue you collecting after the State government banned IGR” We say no to illegal extortion by Nelson Enendu” Governor Obiano listen to the cry of poor innocent drivers” “We are happy to be affiliated with RTEAN”
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/24/15-wounded-touts-take-onitsha-enugu-expressway/

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News reaching us has it that a new vice chancellor has been appointed today for the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). He is Professor Charles Arizechukwu

Igwe.

Professor Igwe, until his appointment was the Deputy Vice-chancellor Administration. He will take over from the outgoing vice chancellor, Professor Benjamin Ozurumba.

Professor Igwe is expected to assume duty on June 4, 2019.

Before His appointment today, Professor Igwe performs th3 following functions in the premier university;

Administrative Records at University of Nigeria
Member, University of Nigeria, Senate (2003-Date)
Head, Department of Soil Science (2005-2008)
Associate Dean, Faculty of Agriculture (2006-2008)
Dean, Faculty of Agriculture (2008-2010)
Director, External Studies Unit ( 2009–Date)
Member, University of Nigeria Governing Council (2013-Date)
Member, Appointment & Promotion Committee (Academics) (2013-Date)
Member, Tenders Board, University of Nigeria,Gov. Council (2013-Date)
Director, University Advancement Centre (2014-Date)
Member, UNN Transition Committee on IGR (2014)
Member, UNN Transition Committee on Municipal Services (2014)

Lectures on the following Courses;
Principles of Soil Science
Climatology and Biogeography
Soil Chemistry & Mineralogy
Soil & Water Conservation
Soil Physics
Irrigation & Drainage
Soil Genesis & Classification
Advanced Soil Chemistry & Mineralogy



Source: StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/23/breaking-news-unn-new-vice-chancellor-emerges-read-his-full-profile/

@ StateReporter News

Adbulrasheed Akanbi, oluwo of Iwoland in Osun state, has called on the federal government to make provision for security votes for the traditional institution to help fight insecurity in the country.

Akanbi, who spoke to journalists in Osogbo, the state capital on Monday, said the traditional rulers are closer to the grassroots and are privy to the intelligence needed to curb crimes in communities.

According to him, the police cannot effectively perform their duty of securing the people because the force is “underfunded and understaffed”, hence the need to collaborate with traditional rulers.

“Traditional rulers should be empowered to domesticate security at the grassroots which constitutes higher percent of the hideouts for kidnappers. Co-opting monarchs will unavoidably decimate security threat,” Akanbi said.



“But traditional institution
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Source : StateReporter News

http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/21/give-traditional-rulers-security-votes-if-you-want-to-end-insecurity-iwo-monarch-to-fg/

@ StateReporter News

Cross River State remains one of the states that has been favoured by President Buhari with sensitive appointments to various ministerial positions. Ironically, the said appointees were so selfish and elitist that the impact of the appointments did not trickle down to the grassroots.

The selfish and arrogant nature of the state’s big names in the All Progressive Congress (APC) is quite overbearing. The same class of people had appointments, shared contracts to cronies and neglected core grassroots APC mobilisers who struggled to fix their names in all party committees. They were so self-serving that the projection of their ego mattered more to them than party interests. Their concentration was never to build the party, flaunting their ego was more important to them than building the party. Their ego fight plunged the party into one form of irreconcilable fight to another. Giving appointment to any of them will further cause infighting and division that will decimate the APC in the state.

While some grassroots mobilisers stayed firm in pursuit of party agenda, the supposed big names constantly played APC in the day and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at night and were often selling the party for some contracts or appointments from PDP governors.

What this government needs is fresh and committed party men for ministerial slot in Cross River State. The state’s big names are over-fed and uncommitted to the party. A dedicated and energetic party man will serve CRS interest than the recycled old names.

Names like Usani Uguru Usani who was appointed minister in Niger Delta and was at the arrow head of all the crisis in the state must be ignored. Report of anti-party activities against him led to his eventual suspension by the APC National Working Committee and the mention of his name breeds animosity.

Usani appropriated the Niger Delta Ministry to himself without empowering any party man. His major personal aids are non-indigenes of the state. He played the spoiler game when he could not get the party’s ticket and used false claims of being the APC flag bearer in court to make gain so much fraudulent and unmerited favours from some supporters across party lines and friends of the President.

Another name is Victor Ndoma Egba. He still has PDP blood running in his veins and is largely elitist and empowers only his family members. He was the chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board who constantly fled from responsibilities by claiming that he was not running any election.

He fought against Buhari in the 2013 Presidential election and quickly decamped to APC after GEJ lost. On the day he decamped from PDP to APC, he claimed he was not interested in any position but has come to build the party but today, he has become the most desperate for appointments. He later manipulated himself to NDDC and is still cutting all corners in desperation for CRS ministerial slot. Ndoma-Egba brags of his relationship with Vice President Osinbajo who doubles as his school mate and birthday mate and feels very little need to build the party. His lack of depth made his unpopular political son, Sandy Onor, to win him with a large margin as the incumbent PDP Senator representing central senatorial district in the state. Ndoma is constantly at the corridors of power with no grassroots base because of his selfish and elitist style of politics.

Then there is Okoi Obono Obla who is both the senior adviser to the president on prosecution
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Source : StateReporter News

http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/17/ministerial-appointment-big-names-criver-buhari-must-avoid/

StateReporter News

Contrary to the popular impression that the Foreign Affairs ministry facilitated Zainab Aliyu’s and Ibrahim Abubakar’s release, it actually failed to move when told of the duo’s ordeal, The Reporter learnt yesterday.

The personal interventions of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, got freedom for Zainab and Abubakar, who were arrested for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia. The offence carries a death sentence.

The Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah has taken custody of Zainab and supporting her to perform the lesser hajj before returning home.

The student of Maitama Sule University, Kano, who embarked on the lesser hajj in Dec. 2018, was said to be with the family of the Consul-General yesterday.

According to a source, the ministry was not “forthcoming” on Zainab and other Nigerians arrested for drugs until Hon. Dabiri-Erewa drew the attention of the President to it about three weeks ago.

The source said: “Before Abike Dabiri-Erewa drew the attention of the President to the cases of Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, the Nigerian Consul-General in Jeddah, Amb. M. S. Yunusa, wrote two memos to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, on December 3, 2018 and February 6, 2019 but no action was taken.

“No attempt was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to link up with the father of Zainab and the relatives of those with cases. The Nigerian Consulate was just left to its fate;

“Upon meeting with the President on the problems at hand, Buhari immediately directed Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa to meet the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).

“The President later got security reports from relevant agencies which made him to open talks with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His personal diplomatic ties with the Saudi Government facilitated justice for Zainab and Ibrahim.

“This background is necessary to underscore the importance of putting things in order in our Foreign Affairs Ministry to avert a repeat of this type of challenge.”

In an April 18th, 2019 memo to the AGF by Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, signed by its Legal Adviser, Mr. A. Bello, more insights were provided on Zainab’s travails.

The memo said: “Based on the complaint of Zainab’s father on 26th December, 2018, the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport commenced investigation into the case of unlawful exportation of Tramadol to Saudi Arabia by a syndicate of workers at the airport.

“After a thorough investigation carried out by the NDLEA, all the culprits were arrested and six of the seven suspects have been charged to the Federal High Court sitting in Kano with conspiracy, unlawful exportation and transportation of prohibited drugs.

“The NDLEA, however, found that Zainab Habibu Aliyu is not the owner of the second baggage tagged in her name in which the prohibited drugs(Tramadol) were found.

“The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation may wish to note that the findings by the NDLEA as regard the innocence of Zainab Habibu Aliyu as well as the arrest and prosecution of the culprits before the Federal High Court, Kano has been communicated to Saudi Arabia Authorities through Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“We wish also to draw the attention of the HAGF to Paragraph 6b of Annexure ‘C’ that one Ibrahim Abubakar is also being detained in Saudi Arabia on circumstances similar to that of Zainab Habibu Aliyu. Investigation into his case is currently ongoing.

“In view of the foregoing, it is our prayer that the HAGF uses his exalted office to prevent Zainab Habibu Aliyu from being prosecuted wrongly.”

As at press time, Zainab was with the family of the Consul-General, who insisted that she must perform the lesser hajj before returning home.

“The family and fellow students are eager to receive Zainab but we learnt the Consul-General took Zainab to his family and asked her to perform lesser Hajj before returning to Nigeria.

“No one can say when she will leave Saudi Arabia.”
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/05/02/buhari-dabiri-saved-zainab/

StateReporter News
Why is the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, opposed to the inauguration of a former Secretary-General of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Frank Kokori, as chairman of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)? How did Ngige get President Muhammadu Buhari to review Kokori’s appointment as NSITF chairman?

These questions naturally followed the April 18 disruption of a move by the minister to inaugurate the NSITF governing board at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity in Abuja. Protesting unionists disrupted the planned inauguration of an NSITF board without Kokori as chairman.

An April 17 statement by the labour ministry, signed by the Assistant Director, Press, Rhoda Illiya, had announced Mr. Austin Enajemo-Isire, a chartered accountant, as the new NSITF chairman approved by President Buhari. According to the statement, Chief Kokori had been appointed to head the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies. It’s unclear why Kokori’s initial appointment as NSITF chairman was reconsidered. The labour ministry explained that the change followed due process and had the approval of the President.

Ngige claimed on Channels Television: “The truth of the matter is that labour made a recommendation for somebody to be chairman of the NSITF board. It was not in the labour’s ambit to do so. We have the NSITF Act. The power to make recommendations to the President or Acting President for the chairman of the NSITF board rests solely on the minister.” This suggests Ngige had recommended Kokori’s replacement. But who initially recommended Kokori for the NSITF position?

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba described as “falsehood of the highest order” Ngige’s claim that labour had recommended Kokori for the NSITF position. According to Wabba, Kokori “got his nomination to chair the Board of NSITF as a chieftain of the ruling party in Delta State and in his own right as a distinguished and forthright elder statesman.”

About four months after Kokori’s appointment was announced in October 2017 by then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Kokori had protested during the 14th edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium held in Lagos on January 15, 2018: “Today, my rights are being abridged by a minister. You have this Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) where Nigerian workers and employers contribute money to, their pensions, their gratuities, their compensations are all there. Anytime they put a board in place, the board will almost eat the whole money. Now they sacked the board, a woman was the chairman; they say they are looking for her…The government, in its wisdom, when Nigerian labour and organised private sector, NECA, went to meet the president and said, please this is our board, reconstitute this board for us…we have two members, NECA has two members, Central Bank has one member, just like that, and three executive directors, we want to protect our money.”

Kokori continued: “The Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, phoned me and congratulated me that the president has made me the chairman of the NSITF. I should come to Abuja for us to negotiate the inauguration. Since then…I go to Abuja every day. Ngige now runs the board. A board that was set up, where I am the chairman, I now go and beg Ngige every day. Let us swear in…he will say tomorrow he is going to bury his grandmother. The next day, he is going to a naming ceremony. Ngige has no time to swear in the board. He was busy employing hundreds and hundreds of his own community people until recently they had to stop him…Up till today, four months after I was appointed by the president Ngige runs the NSITF singlehandedly and as a minister, and he does what he likes. This is what we call impunity.” If Ngige had congratulated Kokori on his appointment as NSITF chairman, why is the minister singing a different tune now?

A month later, Ngige inaugurated a nine-member Administrative Panel of Inquiry (API) to probe the finances of NSITF, saying the move was in line with the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption war. Ngige had said: “The last Board and Administration of the NSITF left negative trails inimical to any advancement and progress for both the human and infrastructural components of the NSITF. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had discovered various acts of fraudulent diversions from the Federal Government and Private Sector Contributions amounting to N62.3 billion as at 2015, allegedly perpetrated by the past board and management staff of the NSITF.”

It is noteworthy that the EFCC had arraigned a former NSITF managing director, Umar Munir Abubakar, and four others for alleged diversion of N18bn of the said money. The EFCC had also questioned and detained a former NSITF chairman, Dr. Ngozi Ojeleme, for alleged diversion of over $48m from the agency’s account.

Following the disruption of the curious inauguration, Wabba had highlighted Ngige’s curious delaying tactics. “The first was that the appointment was made by the Acting President and that he needed to revalidate it from the President which he did,” Wabba said. “The second reason was that there has been corruption in the place and that he needed to clean it up and we said there was no problem because we are against corruption.”

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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/04/29/ngiges-hidden-agenda-statereporter-news/

StateReporter News

By Michael

President Muhammadu Buhari has secretly constituted his cabinet in london, it has been gathered.
Buhari departed Nigeria for London after a project commissioning visit to Lagos and Bornu states respectively.
According to his senior spokesperson on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu. the President is scheduled to spend 11days in London on what the publicity scribe described as a personal visit.
Many Nigerians have however reacted to the rationale behind the President’s unscheduled London visit. Many assumptions have been made chiefly pointing to the possibility of the President visiting London for medical attention.
A top politician who is very much abreast with the happenings in the camp of the President spoke with the NigerianNews laughing off the insuations about the President being on a medical visit to London. The party chieftain who does not want his name mentioned said.
“The people are ignorant. We do not blame them. The President is hale and hearty. The undertone behind the President’s visit is to be free from any pressures so as to carefully select capable hands that will run the administration for the next few years. Mamman Daura is there with him. They are coming back with the names of the favoured appointees. You do not have need to panic”.
All efforts made to get the names of the possible cabinet members selected in London from the influential politician met a brisk block as he urged our correspondent to await its unveiling on May 29.
Recall that there has been pressure mounting on the president to name his cabinet especially, with the ruling party recently compiling a list of what it called “loyal party men” ostensibly to be considered for appointment by Mr President. The president is also said to be considering enlarging his cabinet to 42 members to contain the many interests within and outside his party. This possibility stems from the defeat suffered at the polls by some arrowheads within the party and staunch supporters of the President at the 2019 general elections and the need to accommodate them to avoid their crepting into political wilderness. Chiefly among these is, Senator Geoge Akume who lost re-election to a three time member of the house of reps and the chairman house committee on rules and business, Rt Hon. Emmanuel Orker Jev of the PDP, the immediate past senate minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio who defected to the APC and lost re-election to the hallowed chambers of the senate to now Sentor-elect, Christopher Ekpeyong also of the PDP among others.
The president is said to be confused on how to accommodate the hundreds of very serious political interests in a position requiring not more than 42 men hence his private visit to London with Mamman Daura to efectively select from these men without undue influence.
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Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/04/28/revealed-buhari-secretly-constitute-cabinet-in-london/

StateReporter News

The U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, in collaboration with the American University of Nigeria, AUN, is to re-establish basic education in the conflict-ravaged areas of the Northeast.

A statement by the U.S. Embassy on Friday in Abuja said that the university partnership would help strengthen basic education for 200,000 students in Adamawa and Gombe states.

It quoted USAID Education Office Director Denise O’Toole as saying that under a three-year 13.3 million dollars agreement, AUN would collaborate with Columbia and Kent State universities in the U.S.

“The collaboration also involves local government and community leaders to implement ‘Addressing Education in Northeast Nigeria’, AENN, to improve the ability of education managers to plan and deliver basic services in-line with the states’ education sector strategy.

“There will be a special emphasis on training female leaders.

“AENN will also address the social and emotional challenges that both educators and learners face from the disruptions caused by extremists insurgency.

“This new activity focuses on some of the most vulnerable areas of Nigeria, where insurgents have made eradication of education a specific tenet of their policy,” said Denise O’Toole, the USAID education office director.

Our support helps a major institute of higher learning in the Northeast re-establish the basics of primary education for thousands of students,” he said.

According to him, AENN will address the daunting challenges facing the education systems in Adamawa and Gombe by training 100 education managers, improving the instructional skills of 5,000 teachers, and focusing specific training for female teachers in 200 primary schools.

He said that those efforts were expected to improve the learning outcomes for 200,000 primary school boys and girls.

“Access to education in the Northeast has severely declined since the Boko Haram and Islamic State-West Africa insurgencies began displacing families and communities a decade ago.

AENN will address the resulting acute educational needs while laying a foundation to rebuild and transform the education system.

“It will help provide educational continuity, stabilise instutional capacity, improve the quality of teaching and learning, increase equitable access, and integrate peace building and safety considerations into school communities,” he said

NAN

Source : StateReporter News
http://www.statereporters.com/2019/04/27/usaid-american-university-nigeria-support-200000-students-adamawa-gombe/

StateReporter News

Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State and a former Spokesperson of the defunct New Peoples Democrstic Party, nPDP, has accused the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, of setting aside a whopping sum of N100 billion for a media campaign against the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.

In a statement on Thursday, Eze also alleged that Governor Wike was recruiting a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, spokesperson for the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, Imo Ikenga, among others, to lead the media campaign.

Eze said impeccable sources, who are well informed of the plot, said the governor had already assembled the team of sworn anti-Amaechi in the PDP and other opposition elements, including Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, the National Chairman of Zenith Labour Party ZLP, to be supported by Barr Emma Okah, the Rivers state Commissioner for Information, with Senator Magnus Abe as coordinator of the project.

Eze added that the primary target of the sponsors of the project, represented by the Rivers state governor, is to smear the image of the minister.
Source :
StateReporter News

http://www.statereporters.com/2019/04/26/gov-wike-employs-fani-kayode-omokri-ikenga-abe-others-stop-amaechis-ministerial-appointment/