UK : We’ve been particularly inspired by our youths, Theresa May tells Commonwealth leaders

British Prime Minister Theresa May says the young people of the Commonwealth, leading the youth forum and participating in other activities, have inspired the heads of government.

The prime minister said this while speaking at the first meeting of Commonwealth heads of government at Queen Elizabeth’s home in Windsor, United Kingdom.

“Good morning everyone and welcome to Windsor castle. I think in the best Commonwealth tradition, in the intimacy and privacy of our retreat today,” she said.

“First of all, I like to thank Her Majesty, the Queen for her generous invitation into her home, the first time I think the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has been held here in the remarkable history of this building.

“I am also struck by the number of heads of government we have assembled here today. That is a powerful demonstration of our commitment to revitalise the Commonwealth and to tap into its vast potential.

“I think I speak for everyone in the room when I say we have all been inspired by what we’ve seen and heard, particularly from our young people.”

May went on to say the onus now lies on the heads of government to build on what was presented by the discussions from the women, business, people and youth forums.

“Yesterday, we spoke about the shared challenges as we strive to build a more sustainable, a more prosperous, a more secure and a fairer Commonwealth.

“And today is a chance to build on that, to talk frankly, and openly with the tradition of the Commonwealth Heads of Government retreat.”

After her opening speech, the leaders began a “closed-door” meeting for “frank” deliberations, which May said would make the leaders “even closer friends” by the end of the week.

The meeting was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and all the heads of state present at CHOGM 2018. - Cable Nigeria

Controversial police commission chair, Mike Okiro promotes Magu, 17 other police officer

The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of the Ag. Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Mustapha Magu to the rank of Commissioner of Police.

The Commission also approved the promotion of AIG Agbola Oshodi-Glover in charge of Zone 11, Osogbo, to the next rank of a Deputy Inspector General of Police.

The Commission also approved the promotion of 16 other senior Police Officers to their next ranks.

A statement in Abuja on Friday by the Commission’s Spokesman,  Ikechukwu Ani stated that the promotion was one of the high points of the Commission’s 27th Plenary Meeting  presided over by the Commission’s Chairman, Mike Okiro.

Other details of the promotion reads: “CP Ghazzali Mohammed, Commissioner of Police, Administration, DLS, Force Headquarters and CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, former Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command and currently, CP, Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters were promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police.

“The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, DCP Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, DCP Ebere C. Onyeagoro, DCP Administration, Kaduna State Command and DCP Moshood O. Gbolarumi, DCP Maritime, Lagos, were promoted to the next rank of Commissioner of Police.”

Other promotions approved by the Commission include; one Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police, nine Chief Superintendents of Police to assistant Commissioners of Police, one Deputy Superintendent of Police to Superintendent of Police,  one assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police and one Inspector to assistant Superintendent of Police.

Chairman of the Commission, Okiro while congratulating the newly promoted officers, urged them to rededicate themselves to the service of their fatherland.

Okiro assured them that the Commission will continue to pay attention to their basic entitlements which include regular promotions. - The Nation

CRIMINAL BASTARDS !!! Minister Adeosun, Saraki, Dogara, Accountant General In N10 Billion Fraud Scandal

Nigerian taxpayers need to know this. Their representatives at the National Assembly, led by Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have just illegally received and shared a hefty N10billion from the national treasury.

The money is not part of the obscene N125billion appropriated for the federal legislature in the 2017 fiscal year for recurrent and capital expenditures.

It is also not part of the N100billion allocated for the controversial zonal intervention projects through which lawmakers have always enriched themselves.

This N10billion, more than enough to pay a year’s salary of 45,000 civil servants on the minimum wage of N18,000 per month, was not appropriated, and insiders say it was not even approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 It was arbitrarily and illegally approved for the lawmakers by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, in collusion with the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.

PREMIUM TIMES and UDEME became aware of this curious cash release while engaged in their joint accountability project of scrutinising how funds released for capital projects are spent.

The money was released to the lawmakers as part of a secret N50billion approved for the execution of the so-called “constituency projects” Mr. Saraki and other lawmakers discreetly inserted into the budgets of several ministries, agencies and parastatals.

That is different from the controversial zonal intervention projects for which N70billion of the N100billion appropriated in the 2017 budget have so far been released to contractors handpicked by lawmakers.

Apart from the N10billion cash given to the National Assembly, another N485million was released for a project conceived by Mr. Saraki – construction of model junior secondary schools across Kwara Central Senatorial District.

Four hundred and fifty million naira (N450million) was approved for the project in the 2017 appropriation law. But an additional N35million cash was released for its execution, in clear breach of the law.

To take possession of the illegal N10billion cash given to them by Mrs. Adeosun, Messrs Saraki and Dogara submitted a list of 82 contractors which they claimed the National Assembly was owing and the amount due to each contractor. It was based on that single document that the cash management office at the finance ministry funelled the huge cash to the lawmakers.

Mrs Adeosun failed to do further due diligence such as asking the lawmakers to provide award of contract letters, Certificates of No Objection issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement and job completion certificates issued by the National Assembly.

Finance ministry insiders described the action as deceitful and illegal, saying since the National Assembly has its own budget, which is usually a first-line charge on the federal treasury, any other cash released to it is extra-budgetary and unlawful.

 Slush funds and fraudulent companies

National Assembly sources described the released cash as slush funds for the leadership of the two chambers and top civil servants at the management unit. Our sources said the national assembly budget already provided for the projects and that there was no need for any extra-budgetary funding from the ministry of finance.

Investigations by PREMIUM TIMES showed that at least 44 of the 82 contractors Messrs Saraki and Dogara claimed they were owing were not registered on the National Database of Contractors, a database of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). That means they are not eligible to be awarded federal contracts. A further check by this newspaper revealed that 17 of the 44 firms were not even registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Our National Assembly sources said the contractors were indeed awarded jobs but that some of them had already been paid while while pending payments were already provided for in the federal legislature’s own budget.

When contacted for explanation, Mrs. Adeosun referred our enquiries to the Accountant-General, Mr. Idris. After three days , the accountant-general sent us a written response saying the controversial payment was sourced from a N20 billion service-wide vote “provided for local contractors’ liabilities under the 2017 Appropriation for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and institutions of Government.”

But while it is true that N20billion was appropriated for the payments of local contractors, experts say it was illegal to pay those hired by the National Assembly from the funds.

Questions were also raised regarding why Mrs. Adeosun would give half of allocations made to pay local contractors to the National Assembly at a time those who built primary health centres and roads and supplied drugs to hospitals were yet to be paid.

One official at the finance ministry also challenged the minister to explain why the funds were first moved to the National Assembly instead of paying the contractors directly. “It is a monumental fraud that they are now desperate to cover up,” the official, who asked not to be named, said.

 ‘Furious activists want investigation’

“The National Assembly already has its own budget of N125billion and it cannot therefore benefit from any other federal funds without appropriation,” said Auwal Rafsanjani, executive director of the advocacy group, ‎Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

“This is a serious financial recklessness orchestrated by the minister of finance and the National Assembly. Here, the Appropriation Law, the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Procurement Act appear to have been broken.

“It is sad that the executive, in a desperate bid to make peace with the National Assembly is now conniving with unaccountable lawmakers to further shortchange Nigerians.

“Nigerians must stand up for their right and the minister of finance must be compelled to explain why she sacrificed integrity and financial prudence to engage in this kind of practice.”

Olanrewaju Suraj of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption believes the nation’s anti-corruption agency should be called in to thoroughly investigate the matter.

“It is a major blight in the anticorruption fight of the government and prudent management of resources by the Buhari government,” Mr. Suraj said.

“The National Assembly has its own budget that should cover capital and recurrent expenditures. So it cannot benefit from any other fund without appropriation.

“Besides, every payment for capital expenditure is not at the whims and caprices of the finance minister. There is always a procurement process that must be certified by the BPP.

“The anti-corruption agency must be invited to investigate the motive, the process and the purpose of the released fund.”

 

Mum is the word from Saraki, Dogara

Messrs Saraki and Dogara declined to comment for this story. Their spokespersons, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan, directed all enquiries on the matter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori.

But Mr. Sani-Omolori did not answer multiple calls made to him by this reporter on Wednesday. He also failed to answer a text message sent to him.

The clerk, through Mr. Olaniyonu, later gave PREMIUM TIMES an appointment for Thursday. But the several times our reporter visited his office, his aides said he was unavailable. Again he did not answer or return calls made to him to remind him of the appointment. He is also yet to respond to a follow-up text message sent to him. - Premium Times

PL : The Arsenal manager's worst moments

And now, the end is near. Arsene Wenger certainly did it his way at Arsenal, but his reign at the club is drawing to a close.

The Frenchman caught the footballing world by surprise on Friday by announcing he will leave the Gunners at the end of the season, ending his 22-year tenure. 

During over two decades in charge, Wenger has won the Premier League three times and lifted the FA Cup on seven occasions.

However, it hasn't always been plain sailing during his time in England. There have been near misses, painful departures and disappointing defeats.

Here, we recall five moments Wenger would probably like to forget (and that is without even mentioning his shoving match with Jose Mourinho in 2014).

THE END OF THE INVINCIBLES

Arsenal's Invincibles were unbeaten in the Premier League since May 2003 when they turned up at Old Trafford on October 24, 2004. However, after 49 games, the run came to an end in controversial circumstances.

Manchester United broke the deadlock when Ruud van Nistelrooy converted a contentious penalty awarded in the 73rd minute for a foul by Sol Campbell on Wayne Rooney, who later scored his side's second goal on his 19th birthday to wrap up a 2-0 win.

The final whistle saw the end of the action on the pitch, only for the bad blood to continue in the tunnel. There was no swapping of shirts and Campbell refused to shake Rooney's hand, despite the pair being team-mates with England.

Wenger reportedly confronted Van Nistelrooy before rival manager Alex Ferguson became involved, leading to what the media dubbed as "The Battle of the Buffet". Food was thrown in the direction of the United boss, who was forced to change before undertaking his post-match interviews.

HEARTBREAK IN PARIS

While he led Arsenal to glory domestically, Wenger has never quite managed to conquer Europe during his long time at the helm of the Gunners, although he may still bow out with Europa League success.

The closest they came to winning the Champions League was in the 2005-2006 season, as they knocked out Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal to set up a showdown with Barcelona in Paris.

Despite goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's early red card for bringing down Samuel Eto'o outside the penalty area, defender Campbell headed Arsenal into a 37th-minute lead.

Yet Wenger's men wasted several chances to double their lead, allowing Barcelona to rally in the closing stages. Eto'o levelled the game before Juliano Belletti grabbed the winner with 10 minutes remaining, beating replacement keeper Manuel Almunia at the near post.

THE DEPARTING STARS

Just three months after losing the Champions League final, Wenger was dealt a further blow when one of his key players left in acrimonious fashion.

Ashley Cole's long relationship with the club came to a bitter end in August 2006. The divorce was particularly messy, with the left-back making the short move to London rivals Chelsea.

Less than a year later, Thierry Henry was gone too. After an injury-hit 2006-07 season, the club's record scorer joined Barcelona, the team that had denied Henry and Wenger in the French capital.

Both Cole and Henry went on to win the Champions League with their new clubs too.

AN OLD TRAFFORD NIGHTMARE

Manchester United 8 (yes, eight) Arsenal 2.  At a ground where the Gunners had clinched the title in 2002, Wenger suffered one of his greatest football humiliations in August 2011.

With his team shorn of several first-team regulars due to injuries and suspensions, the Arsenal manager watched on as his patched-up side were torn to shreds by their long-time rivals.

Rooney led the way with a hat-trick and Ashley Young scored twice, while Danny Welbeck, Nani and Park Ji-sung also found the net, as Arsenal suffered their worst defeat since 1896.

To rub salt in the wound, Robin van Persie missed a first-half penalty against the club he would later join, while full-back Carl Jenkinson was shown a red card in the second half.

CITY SLICKERS INFLICT WEMBLEY WOE

Wenger has enjoyed plenty of success at Wembley, lifting the FA Cup at the famous stadium on several occasions, including the 2017 showpiece when Arsenal denied Chelsea from completing the double.

However, the League Cup has not been so kind for the former Grampus Eight boss.

Having lost the 2007 final against Chelsea in Cardiff, he suffered Wembley disappointment four years later when Obafemi Martins came off the bench to clinch unfancied Birmingham City the trophy at Arsenal's expense.

Yet this season's final loss to Manchester City was perhaps even tougher to stomach. While Pep Guardiola clinched his first trophy with the Citizens in style with a resounding 3-0 triumph, Wenger once again faced questions over his Arsenal future after failing to secure the one domestic honour that eluded him. - Goal

Rev King may escape death by hanging

The Lagos State Government has said Reverend Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, popularly called Reverend King, would get clemency and not go through the hangman’s noose, if he is worthy of it.

This was disclosed by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem.

Kazeem stated this during the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry of Justice, to mark Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s third anniversary.

“The truth of the matter is that the case of Rev King, as high profile as it could be, it is just one of the other cases of people that are on death row. The case of the clergy would be considered like others that had been convicted by the court.

“If and at any point in time, it gets to the stage where the sentence which was imposed by the court is to be carried out, it will be carried out.

“If he is worthy of clemency, that will be given to him. But we haven’t gotten to that stage now. So he could continue to cool his heels in prison,” he said. - Daily Post

Vagabonds in power !!! Police keep mum on withdrawal of VIPs’ escorts as deadline expires

Friday, April 20, is the extended deadline given by Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), for the withdrawal of police officers attached to very important personalities (VIPs), political and public office holders in the country.

But as the deadline expires, the police has kept mum on whether the order is still in place or not.

Giving the directive on March 19, Idris said it had become expedient in view of the current security challenges in the country, and that it will also to enhance effective and efficient policing of the country.

The IGP’s order had come on the heels of the revelation of Mike Okiro, chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), that more than 150,000 policemen – out of a total workforce of about 400,000 officers – were attached to the VIPs and unauthourised persons in the country.

Those affected by the directive, according to the police IGP, also included business entrepreneurs, multinational companies as well as corporate individuals.

However, a few days after the order was given, the IGP extended the date for the withdrawal “to enable the force to carry out a thorough assessment of the current deployment and carry out appropriate withdrawal”.

A statement from Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, had said while the new date is April 20, “members of the public, political and political office holders, including VIPs and other categories of enterprises and corporate individuals and other entities, are to retain the police officers currently with them on deployment.

“They (the VIPs among others) may be provided after the expiration of the period, if found worthy … but should apply for re-validation … before the expiration of the new date.”

When contacted on Thursday, Moshood promised to get back to TheCable on the matter. Calls made to his phone on Friday were unanswered while a message sent was also not replied. - Cable Nigeria

Nigerians will all die if Buhari is given another chance – Ex-Niger Delta agitators

Former Niger Delta agitators under the aegis of National Assembly of ex-Militants, NAE, have vowed to “sack” President Muhammadu Buhari with their Permanent Voters Card, PVCs, come 2019.

The former agitators said Nigerians can’t afford another four years of Buhari’s “poverty ridden administration.”

A statement by the Acting National Coordinator of the group, Ibifuro Pureheart insisted that Nigerians “would all die,” should Buhari secures a second term.

The former agitators declared that they have withdrawn their support for Buhari.

According to the statement, “Buhari’s alleged pursuit of ethnic agenda had left Niger Delta youths poorer than he met them, whereas the President focused more on developing northern youths at the detriment of their counterparts in the Niger Delta region.

“The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, was left in the hands of the members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to polarise the youth of the All Progressives Congress in the region. The President has shown enough disdain for those who worked for him while patronising his political enemies.

“We cannot afford another four years of Buhari’s poverty ridden regime or else we would all die. The poverty being spread currently brings hopelessness and death upon fellow citizens. It is time we tell Nigerians the truth. Even though the President had our support, we are now calling on the people of the region to chart a new course.

“Buhari has disappointed us, we spent our fortunes to bring him to power, we invested our psyche and emotions yet, we have nothing to show for it. With our PVC, we are ready to sack him in 2019.

“Power resides in the citizens and we shall sustain the campaign to boot Buhari out of office in 2019. He’s a huge failure and it is time to bring a more trustworthy leader on board.” - Daily Post

The people who steal energy are the top guys - NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says the “top guys” are responsible for energy theft in the country.

The commission said no amount of technology can eliminate energy theft.

Nathan Shatti, NERC’s commissioner for finance and management services, said this at the April edition of the monthly power dialogue of the nextier advisory in Abuja.

He said the commission had met with Femi Gbajabiamila, the lawmaker who proposed a legislative bill to criminalise estimated billing to consumers by distribution companies (DisCos) in the country.

He said they discussed the proposed legislation and how it will result in chaos in the electricity market.

Shatti further disclosed that a company from Ghana made a presentation to NERC on how the practice of meter bypass could be dealt with in the country using a new kind of metre and that a team from the commission will visit Ghana to understudy the initiative.

“Next week, a team from NERC is going to Ghana because we got a company that is actually devising a kind of meter that can detect energy theft. They came, made a presentation and we felt what they are showing is good and so our team is going to Ghana to look at it.

“But let me just explain something about meter bypass or energy theft. It is beyond regulation and it isn’t beyond enforcing the regulation. It isn’t also beyond technology. There is no amount of technology or checks that you will do to eliminate energy theft.

“However, there are things you can do and it has to do with our moral psyche as Nigerians. If you check properly, the calibre of people who steal energy are the top guys. They are those people who you think will never do such things, not the small people in the society.

“So, it is a problem of a society and we all have a responsibility to stop it.” - Cable Nigeria

PL news : Jurgen Klopp pays tribute to 'outstanding' Wenger

Klopp has hailed Arsene Wenger as an "outstanding personality" after the veteran Arsenal boss announced he would stand down at the end of this season.

Wenger took charge of Arsenal in October 1996, with his three title-winning campaigns helping him to become one of the defining figures of the Premier League era.

The Gunners last won the top flight in 2003-04 and have faded from the title picture over recent seasons, with attendances dwindling at Emirates Stadium of late.

But Liverpool manager Klopp believes Wenger's legacy should stand untarnished.

"I heard it when I came in this morning. I was surprised but it's his decision and we have to respect that," he told a news conference ahead of the Reds' trip to West Brom on Saturday.

"In football he has had a fantastic career. He is an outstanding personality. Just a really big player in a business where thing usually change overnight – he was there for so long."

When a reporter confirmed Wenger's 22-year tenure, Klopp responded with a chuckle and said: "That's long. And he was very successful.

"Maybe in the last few months not everyone was happy anymore about this and that result, but that's a normal part of the business.

"He brought in some fantastic players and he was a dominating guy in the late 90s and early this century, when he was winning everything.

"I admire his work. In Germany he was always seen as a big role model. It's a bit different now in England because we are competing."

In an interview with Sky Sport News in Germany this week, Klopp insisted he does not envisage being in the dugout into old age.

However, he would not be surprised to see the 68-year-old Wenger take on a new challenge.

"It will be interesting to see if he steps into a new job," he added. "He seems quite fit.

"I wish him all the best and hopefully I can meet him and tell him that in a personal talk." - Goal

Soyinka gives Buhari’s govt ultimatum to end killings

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka has given President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration till the end of July to stop killer herdsmen and return displaced persons to their homes.

Soyinka warned that the federal government would be described as a total failure if it failed to stop the killings by the end of July.

He made the statement during the inauguration of the 2018 OAU Ife Festival of Foods and Identity at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state.

Soyinka warned that Nigeria’s food security could be jeopardized by the rampant killings, pointing out that farmersweare the most affected victims of the herdsmen and Boko Haram attacks.

He said: “Our mission in life is to beat the sword into ploughshare. This means that machetes, hoes, the instruments of cultivation, planting, and creating sustenance we must fashion out of the instruments of destruction; we must overcome the instruments of destruction.

“And my message to all those who are concerned is that between the launching of this logo and festival today and the outward manifestation of the festival itself (end of July), we should have seen signs that this battle between the sword and the ploughshare is reversed.

“Nigerians would be given fulfillment as a people of culture, peace and harmony, if the instruments of war and destruction are transformed into instruments of production and creativity.

“Between the annunciation of this festival and the manifestation of the festival itself, we want to see from this government a reversal of a seeming triumph of the gun; and if that has not taken place, let us not lie to ourselves, it means we have no government.

“If those who had been displaced, the farmers who have been displaced in their hundreds from various parts of this nation, especially the North, if those farmers have not been taken back and restored to their productive environment, then it means we have no government.

“Let us all join hands to beat the sword, the guns into ploughshares.” - Daily Post