Perspective

The United Kingdom chapter of the All progressives Congress (APC) has advised the ministers to put the country and the people first in the discharge of their duties.

Mr Ade Omole, leader of the chapter, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that probity and accountability remained the sure way through which the ministers could help the APC-led administration to achieve the promises of the “Next Level’’.

Omole congratulated the ministers and expressed satisfaction over the composition of the cabinet, saying that they were round pegs in round holes.

“President Muhammadu buhari has assembled men and women of integrity who are all capable of delivering the promises of the Next Level,’’ he said.

He thanked Nigerians for renewing the mandate of the APC in the last presidential election by re-electing Buhari, saying that their trust in the party was not misplaced.

According to him, the APC-led government will surprise Nigerians as they journey ahead by implementing people-oriented policies and delivering good democracy dividends.

He stressed that the APC-led government was aware that what Nigerians needed at this point in time was good governance, probity, accountability and selfless leaders.

Omole, therefore, advised the ministers to see their appointments as a call to service over other endeavours, adding that they should ensure accountability and openness in their dealings.

He expressed the optimism that going by the calibre of people who were sworn in by the president, it was certain that “Nigeria had stepped on the pedestal of growth.

“In my view, the new ministers have the capacity to look at the cards ahead and deal with situations as they arise in the interest of the country and the people’’.

He urged the new ministers to consolidate on the achievements recorded in various sectors of the economy in the first term of the Buhari-led administration.

Similarly, Mr Jacob Ogunseye, spokesperson of the chapter, called on opposition political parties to join hands with the APC and the Buhari-led Federal Government in building the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja, cautioned new cabinet Ministers against unnecessary altercation while discharging their responsibilities.

Buhari, who gave the warning at the inauguration of ministers at the Presidential Villa, stated that they must work in harmony with their fellow ministers.

He also charged the ministers not to allow political or ethnic differences to affect their performance.

“We can only make meaningful progress in our restoration efforts if we all commit ourselves to addressing the challenges confronting our nation in the best interest of our people and posterity.

“We must not allow issues such as political affiliation, sectional interest, and primordial loyalties to blind us against our patriotic obligation to drive our nation’s growth, development, and prosperity in an atmosphere of enduring peace, security and stability,” he said.

The president explained that the ministers, as heads of their respective ministries, and for effective implementation of their mandates, are required to work closely with the Permanent Secretaries and heads of Agencies under their purview.

He said this had become necessary considering the fact that, the task of moving the country to the Next Level required dedicated, focused, and collective efforts.

“I must emphasise the importance of communication and harmony within our government.

“You must work in harmony with your fellow Ministers. Communication, vertical and horizontal, can only be ignored at a price,’’ he said.

According to the president, his administration’s primary business in the next four years is to work towards delivering dividends of democracy to all citizens irrespective of their socio-political affiliations. Read more

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has concluded plans to extend National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment to Nigerians in the Diaspora, who are residing in Austria and Germany.
Mr Aliyu Aziz the Director-General, NIMC, disclosed this in a statement issued by Mr Abdulhamid Umar, General Manager, Operations/Corporate Communications, NIMC on Tuesday in Abuja.
Aziz said that the exercise would involve the demographic and biometric data capture of Nigerians residing in Austria and Germany in collaboration with Biosec Solution Limited, licensed by NIMC to carry out enrolment across the globe.

He noted that the extension was to ensure that Nigerians in Diaspora were captured in the process.
He said that the idea was in line with NIMC’s mandate to populate the National Identity Database (NIDB) and issue the NIN to all Nigerians and legal residents.

Read more

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu has commended his men for the perseverance and painstaking efforts exhibited that led to the arrest of suspected notorious kidnap kingpin Alhaji Hamisu Bala, popularly known as “Wadume”.

Adamu gave the commendation on Tuesday in a tweet on the official twitter handle of the Nigeria Police Force @PoliceNG.

He said that the arrest of the suspected kidnapper would help to bring answers to circumstances that led to the killing of his men and other innocent civilian by soldiers during his initial arrest in Taraba, on Aug. 6.

“The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni while commending the Police operatives for their perseverance and painstaking efforts, has expressed his profound gratitude to all Nigerians for their unparalleled show of love and empathy to the Force and the families of the officers and patriotic civilians who paid the supreme price in the service of their fatherland. Read more

PRESS STATEMENT:

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has since early hours of today, been inundated with calls that operatives of the Commission raided the residence of the former governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.
We need to state for the records that the EFCC did not raid Ambode’s house. It is instructive that his administration, like other former governors is under investigation, since they no longer constitutionally enjoy immunity against prosecution.
The Commission hereby states with high sense of responsibility that the operatives did not raid Ambode’s residence.

Read more

The Federal Government has called on German authorities to unmask the identity of and try the Aug. 17 attackers of Sen. Ike Eweremadu  in Nuremberg, Germany.

In a statement issued on Monday by Nigerian Embassy in Berlin, the embassy also demanded that the attackers be tried in accordance with German laws.

The embassy stated that investigations would help identify the attackers with a view to bringing them to justice.

The Nigerian embassy, which said that investigating the perpatrators would discourage any individual or group from  carrying out acts of violence against Nigerian government officials on German soil, cited the threat by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to carry out similar attacks on Nigerian dignitaries especially from the Eastern part of the country that would travel abroad.

“The Embassy of Nigeria in Berlin, Germany wishes to react to viral videos of a vicious physical attack on the immediate past Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, by some members of an illegal and terrorist entity named Indigenous Peoples of Biafra in Nuremberg on Aug. 17, 2019. Read more

The Federal High Court Abuja, on Monday, refused to grant a request stopping  President Muhammadu Buhari from inaugurating the 43 ministerial nominees over the exclusion of an FCT indigene from his cabinet list.

The applicant, Mr Musa Baba-panya, who was also the counsel in the case, had, on Thursday, approached the court with an exparte motion, asking the court to stop the president from going ahead on the inauguration.

In suit number: number: FHC/ABJ/CS/878/19, Baba-panya, who is also an indigene of Karu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said the president’s action was contrary to an Appeal Court’s judgment delivered on March 15, 2018.

President Buhari is the 1st defendant while the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) is the 2nd defendant in the case. Read more

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Batsari Local Government Council, Katsina State, assured all victims of banditry attacks that the Federal Government will deploy security measures and strengthen operations to safeguard lives and property, warning that perpetrators will not go unpunished.

Speaking to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), drawn from seven local governments that were affected in Katsina at Basari council secretariat, the President said the Federal Government was fully aware of the plight of citizens and will remain focused on delivering on its mandate of securing the lives of citizens.

He said: “I am very sad that the consequences of these actions have brought hardship and affected the socio-economic life of our people in the localities. Agriculture, which is the mainstay of the economy and source of livelihood is worse affected.

“I would like to assure you that the Federal Government is fully aware of your situation as I receive daily reports from security agencies and the Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, who personally visited and briefed me on the killings and wanton destruction by the armed bandits not only in Katsina but in other states as well. Read more