Lawmakers vow to push for Saraki’s resignation

NIGERIA NEWS notes that the lawmakers vow to push for Saraki’s resignation after he quit the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Saraki has shot himself in the foot, particularly now that the APC has the majority in the Senate and in the National Assembly. If he is a man of honour, he will as well resign as the Senate president,” former governor of Nasarawa state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu told the newspaper on the telephone.

Senator Adamu said Saraki’s decision to leave the APC did not come as a surprise to him as he had alerted the party about the Senate president’s intentions to defect.

“I’m not surprised at all. I have said it many times and I’ve been proven right and I thank God for this. I alerted my party to that fact, I alerted the government to that fact and I alerted Nigerians to the fact that they have made up their minds to decamp from APC,” Adamu said.

“The guys were hanging on before going to ensure maximum damage and as far as they are concerned they have attained the level they wanted. They have caused disaffection in the party but what they have failed to create a division in the party. They have failed woefully in this regard.”

The lawmaker said it was not going to be visible to allow Saraki to continue to preside over the Senate.

In the same vein, another senator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who is from the north east urged Saraki to summon courage to resign from his position because he clinched it as a member of the ruling party. ‎

In an earlier report, NIGERIA NEWS had reported that Bolaji Abdullahi resigned as APC national publicity secretary as he defected to PDP.

Sokoto state Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has formally announced his defection from APC to PDP. 

He made the declaration on Wednesday while addressing a gathering at Government House, Sokoto. 

Details shortly

All My Appointees Have Abandoned Me – Gov. Ortom

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom yesterday lamented that he has been abandoned by all those he gave positions in his government, regretting that all his appointees have not been able to stand for him in the face of opposition.

He spoke while inaugurating the governing board members and two governing councils at the Government House in Makurdi. Names of the Boards and Governing Councils are; Alfred Akawe Torkula College of Advanced and Professional Studies, Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture, Yandev, Colleges of Education, Katsina-Ala and Oju.

Others are; Benue State Examinations Board, IBB Square Management Board, Benue Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA), Benue State Scholarship Board, Benue State Planning Commission, Benue Sports Council, Land Use Allocation Committee and Adult and Non-Formal Education as well as Boundaries Committee, Council for Arts and Culture, Radio Benue, Benue Tourism Board, Benue State Urban Development Board, Benue State Water Board and Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board.

Ortom said that rather than defending him wherever his government is being battered by opposition, “They will rather keep mute,” adding that the appointees have not contributed meaningfully to the success of his administration in the past three years.

“l know all these while that l have nobody in my government. It is unfortunate that l had surrounded me with appointees who cannot defend me or this government. I have realized that I have given the opportunity to serve with me in this government are not doing well to me.

“I’m all alone. This is because each time they are confronted with issues regarding me or the government, they would not defend me or the government, and rather they would remain mute. But l know that God will see us through.”

The governor, however, charged the newly appointed board and governing council members to do their best in order to meet the yearnings of the people of the State.

He said that his administration has zero tolerance for corruption, saying he would not hesitate to deal with anyone found diverting public funds into private pockets.

According to him, “It is necessary to urge all the appointees that they have come to serve at a time that challenges are numerous but the people’s expectations are high. The implication of this is that you should swiftly deploy your experience to respond to all these challenges and expectations. The meagre resources of the State must be frugally managed to get the best results for the people.”

CAN Raises Alarm Over Plans To Attack Kaduna, Others, Gives Breakdown Of Plateau

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has raised the alarm over planned wave of attacks to be unleashed on Southern Kaduna and other areas dominated by Christians in some states of the Middle Belt region.

Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, spokesman to CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, in a statement sent to DAILY POST on Wednesday said Southern Kaduna Chiefdom and towns that include Gumel, Dagwarga, Daddu, Mariri, Kagoro, hotels, Open University and other soft targets, among others, are being targeted


“While we are prone to dismiss these planned attacks as products of figments of imagination, we are, however, constrained to call the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and other security agencies to be aware and take precautionary measures.

“Having witnessed unprecedented human carnage on the Plateau, we call on President Buhari to place the security agencies on red alert in order to avoid a similar recurrence.

“While we are happy at the statement credited to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that perpetrators of the Plateau carnage would not be allowed to escape justice, we are quick to remind and appeal to the Federal Government to at least stand by its promise to ensure that these blood-thirsty herdsmen are brought to book to face the full wrath of the law.

“As the umbrella organisation for all Christians in Nigeria, we are at pains at the tragedy that has befallen our members. We mourn the death of over 200 Christians slaughtered on the Plateau at the weekend and we passionately appeal to the Buhari-led Administration to rise up and put a stop to further killings of innocent people, including defenseless women and children.

“Following the killings that took place on the Plateau, CAN has obtained reliable information on the number of dead as recorded in B/Ladi & Riyom LGAs from Sat. 23rd to Monday 25th June, 2018

“1. Gashish District:
-Nhyer – 80
-Exland(G/Akwati) – 40
-Ruku – 34
-Kakuruk – 6
-Kuzen – 5
Total – 165

2. Ropp District:
-Gana Ropp – 34
-Razat – 1
-Kwang Jot Near Gen. Hospital (Takwok) – 1
-Rakwok – 2
Total – 38

3. Bachi District:
-Shonong – 8
Total – 8

4. Riyom District:
-Kwi – 1
Total – 1

5. Heipang District:
-Chit Heipang 2
Total – 2

6. Vwang District:
-K-Vom Vwang Jos South 1 (OPSH Killing)
Total – 1

7. Zawan District:
-Anguldi – 3 (OPSH Killings)
Total – 3

Grand Total – 218 deaths

“Apart from the total number of the death, there are still missing persons. Many people also sustained various degrees of injuries.

“Villages that have been under constant attacks are:
1. Tanjol Jol, Riyom LGA
2. Rim, Riyom LGA
3. Wereng, Riyom LGA
4. Kwi, Riyom LGA
5. Bangai, Sharubutu Ward, Riyom LGA
6. Kyeng, Dum, Sharubutu Ward, Riyom LGA
7. Lwa, Shonong Ward
8. Gassa, B/Ladi
9. Lokajoro, Ropp B/Ladi
10. Kwang Jot, Ropp B/Ladi
11. Rakwok
12. Rakung B/Ladi
13 Sho, B/Ladi
14. Razat
15. Tabam, Heipang B/Ladi
16. Chit, Heipang B/Ladi
17. Rafan, Fan B/Ladi
18. Tafan, Fan B/Ladi
19. Nding B/Ladi
20. Gana Ropp
21. Kuzen Gashish, B/Ladi
22. Exland Gashish, B/Ladi
22. Shwei Gashish, B/Ladi
23. Nhyer Gashish, B/Ladi
24. Kuzen Gashish, B/Ladi
25. Kakuruk Gashish, B/Ladi
26. Tenti, Bokkos
27. Daffo, Bokkos
28. Ruku Gashish, B/Ladi
29. Darwat, Jol Ward, Riyom
30. Tashek Jol Ward, Riyom
31. Wereh(Dorowa Babuje) Ropp B/Ladi
32. Lobiring Ropp, B/Ladi
33. Sho Ward Ropp, B/Ladi
34. Tarai Jol, Riyom
35. Vwak Jol, Riyom
36. Dakku Jol, Riyom
37. Loton Jol, Riyom

Villages sacked in Bokkos LGA:
-Hurti village in Mangunna Ward
-Josho Village in Daffo Ward
-Morok Daffo Ward
-Ganda Mandung Daffo Ward
-Hotom wurrim Daffo Ward
-Na kudung Daffo Ward
-Fara Dong Hai in Daffo Ward

“CAN calls on all security agencies to wake up to their constitutional responsibilities of protecting lives and property. We urge them to be pro-active in doing their jobs. Mobilising troops and policemen after the havoc has been done does not make sense. A government that cannot protect the citizens is a failed government.

“CAN is, once again calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to replace all the security chiefs and the Inspector General of Police because they have overstayed their welcome. It is ridiculous and embarrassing that in the last three years, none of these criminals have been apprehended, detained, arraigned and convicted.

“This is what is emboldening them to kill the innocent with impunity. We are approaching a state of anarchy faster than we can imagine. Why are we following the footpath of Rwanda daily with these unprecedented killings and mass burials when we are not at war?ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”

African Strides: 'Help': Oby Ezekwesili Protests Alone Over Plateau...

African Strides: 'Help': Oby Ezekwesili Protests Alone Over Plateau...: Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili has embarked on a one-woman march to protest weekend attacks by Fulani herdsmen in Plateau where m...

'Help': Oby Ezekwesili Protests Alone Over Plateau Killings

Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili has embarked on a one-woman march to protest weekend attacks by Fulani herdsmen in Plateau where many innocent citizens were killed. She walked through the streets of Abuja while clutching a placard condemning the killings.Written on the placard is 'HELP'.

N 578 billion budget padding tears NASS apart

The stunning revelation by the Presidency that the National Assembly inserted personal projects worth N578 billion into the 2018 budget has stirred a serious dissension among members of the National Assembly, Vanguard learned, yesterday. It was learned that many members of NASS who were unaware of the huge amount of money and phantom projects ‘built’ into the budget by the leadership, became very upset with the expose by the Presidency and have threatened to vent their anger on those who perpetrated the ‘cheating’ as soon as the legislature resumes. The lawmakers are upset that most of them were allocated meager projects and services valued at less than N50 million by the leadership of NASS, whereas each of them would have gone home with at least N1 billion allocation of the N578 billion. There are 109 Senators and 360 House of Representatives members in the NASS and given the amount of N578 billion alleged to have been inserted into the budget, each member is supposed to have received at least N1 billion worth of project amounting to N469 billion, with a surplus of N109 billion for the top leaders of the legislature. But one of the lawmakers from the South-West, who pleaded anonymity, said he was disappointed that the leadership of the NASS ‘actively short-changed’ some other members by allocating very small amount to them to service their communities but unjustifiably set aside huge amounts to themselves. “We have to thank Mr. President for this eye-opening revelation on the padding of the 2018 budget by the NASS and we will take it from there when we resume in short while from now. No security vote for State House —Udoma In the meantime, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, has said there was no truth in the report by Amnesty International, entitled Camouflaged Cash: How ‘Security Votes’ Fuel Corruption in Nigeria, which “indicated, in part, that the Presidency was not only appropriating but “has also increased the number of security votes tucked into the Federal budget in the last two years.” Answering questions during the budget briefing session, yesterday, in Abuja, the minister said it was necessary to state clearly that there was no line item as security vote in the State House budget. Udoma said: “There are also provisions for military interventions in the North-East (insurgency), Operation Lafiya Dole, as well as other specific operations of the Armed Forces such as Operation Python Dance, Operation Crocodile Smile and very recently, Operation Cat Race, etc. “Owing to the growing number of internal security issues, a provision of N75 billion was made for these exercises in the service-wide votes, not State House vote, in 2018.”