FG Extends Eid-el Fitr Holiday To Thursday

The Federal Government of Nigeria has added Thursday 7th July, 2016 as Public Holiday for the celebration of Eid-el fitr, having declared Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th July, 2016 as public holidays earlier.

The declaration was made on behalf of the Federal Government by the Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau in a statement on Tuesday signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bassey Okon Akpanyung.

This declaration followed the directive by the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, to the effect that the Ramadan fast continues on Tuesday as a result of the non-sighting of the moon.

The statement urged Nigerians to use this period of sober reflections to ensure harmony, unity and peaceful co-existence, while giving full support to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained effort to pursue socio-economic and political growth of the nation.

Daily Trust

Tsunami Hits Gov. Mimiko, PDP As Aide, Hundred Others Dump Party For APC Ahead Governorship Poll

Political calculations, intrigues, and permutations have begun to sway in Ondo State ahead of the gubernatorial election slated to hold later this year as Special Assistant to Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko on Political Mobilization, Hon. Mosunmola Awotula, popularly called iron lady has led hundreds of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Irele local Government.

Hon. Mosunmola, While speaking on behalf of the Decampees, according to TodayNG said the PDP is a party of broken promises, which has inflicted pains on the people of the state.

She noted that Governor Mimiko has played his last card and can no longer deceive and cajole the people of the state into voting for the PDP.

“We are the strong leaders of the PDP in Irele, I have been a woman leader in ward 2, after that I became organising secretary before Mimiko came to PDP.

“When Mimiko defect to PDP, he rendered us, the executive members useless and refused to carry us along in the scheme of things, that shows that Mimiko is a selfish leader,” she said.

Also explaining why they left PDP, one of the leaders, Hon. Ikuemelo described the PDP is a dilapidated building, saying they left the party before it will collapse on them.

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He said the PDP in the state will soon become a dead party with no strength within the sunshine state.

The community Chief Said with their exit, there is no PDP in Irele local Government anymore.

He assured that the APC will become Victorious in the coming November 26 governorship election.

Engineer Ade Adetimehin assured the defectors of equal treatment, saying no founder, no joiner.

He enjoined them to preach the gospel of APC and mobilize others into the party.

The APC chieftain said the defector must work together with leaders of the party in the area to ensure that APC win the community in the coming election.

Among the decampees were Ayaki of Irele land, Chief Olorunda Ikuemelo, PDP Vice Chairman in ward Four, Dayo Olajide, Comrade Ademuwagun Fakomogbo, Comrade Soji Olowotimehin and Madam Aderotoye Abike.

Others included Akinbamiro Ojuetimi, Olayinka Moyo and Comrade Adebayo Adegoroye.

They were received into the APC by the deputy chairman of the party in the state, Engineer Ade Adetimehin.

Fresh Plot Nail Saraki, Ekweremadu Hatched

The Chair­man, Senator Commit­tee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sena­tor Dino Melaye (Kogi West) has raised alarm on attempt by certain individuals to doctor the police report on the alleged forgery by the leadership of the Senate ahead of the July 11, 2016 contin­ued hearing of the forgery case against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his Depu­ty, Ike Ekweremadu and two others, at the FCT High Court.

Melaye, in a state­ment in Abuja on Mon­day, stated that those behind the sinister plot are scheming to forge a police report different from the one signed by AIG James Caulcrick in order to justify and prove a case of forgery against the Senate Presi­dent and his Deputy.

He said it was neces­sary for members of the public to be aware of the ‘unlawful plan’.

The statement reads: “We have our own sources and we have been reliably informed that the prosecution having realised that there is a big hole in their case against Saraki and Ekweremadu who were not mentioned in the police report, are now trying to doctor the report and include the names of both presiding officers of the Senate.

“We are aware of that development and we want members of the public to know the level of desperation that these people are ready to go to nail the Senate President and his Deputy.

Abia State Conundrum: The Limit of Executive Arrogance, By Barr. Ibrahim Lawal.

It is no longer news that the political situation in Abia State had thrown up two governors. One is the defacto, the other dejure. It is also note worthy that both sides of the divides had thrown up issues albeit from the sublime to the extreme to justify their rights to the leadership of the state .

The crisis of confidence arose from the challenge by Mr. Uche Ogar of the eligibility of Governor Ikpeazu to stand as the Candidate of the PDP. His main grouse is that Ikpeazu by virtue of INEC declaration is not qualified to contest because of his failure to pay his tax as at when due. Ogar's contention was that the three years tax certificate provided by Ikpeazu was issued in a day. The matter was fought from the Federal High Court up to the Supreme Court.

I was present at the Supreme Court when this suit was eventually decided. Dr. Alex Iziyon SAN appeared for Ogar while Mr. Oladipo Olasope and myself appeared for INEC. The Supreme Court while upholding Ogar's appeal lampooned INEC as the real harbinger of the needless trouble as they should have exercise their power by doing the needful. In the word of the Supreme Court, it is unfathomable to discover that a candidate who wants to be a governor could not pay his tax as and when due. The Supreme Court agreed with the learned SAN contention that from the exhibit before them, it was clear that the three years tax certificate was procured in one day. What is more, the serial number of the certificates followed one another. The Supreme Court therefore, returned the suit back to the trial court for retrial.

One would have expected Governor Ikpeazu to have sought for political solution to the issue having read the body language of the apex court. Governor Ikpeazu should have sit down with Ogar for some sort of political solution by way of agreement and compromises. The Governor should have come down from his high horse to ensure that Ogar withdraw the case from the court.

I also learnt that in an attempt to frustrate the effort of Ogar to reap the fruit of his labour, the Abia State PDP had expelled him from the party. This to my mind is a sheer waste of time as the PDP had traversed the wrong road in 2007 when Ifeanyi Ararume was treated in the same way and the court nullified his expulsion in Ararume v. INEC &2 Ors (2007) 9NWLR (Pt. 1038) pg. 1277.

It is also laughable reading some publications laying Abia crisis at the door step of the APC. It is a lazy attempt to explain a failure by the PDP to arrest the ugly situation when occasion demands.

The resort to declaration of two day public holiday, black market injunction and filing of stay of execition of judgment is a mere postponement of the dooms day. The reality is that Governor Ikpeazu actually shot himself in the leg by his failure to act when it is necessary.

This is a lesson for those who think power is everything, a stitch in time they say saves nine.

Ibrahim Lawal is a legal practitioner based in Ibadan.

Senate Forgery Scandal: Atiku Disowns Saraki

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,  a former Vice President‎ and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, on Monday disowned the leadership of the Senate over the statement credited to him by the Senate bothering on the alleged forgery of the Senate’s rules.

The Senate had in a statement claimed that the former Vice President said “it is time to move on”‎ from the ongoing crisis of the National Assembly.

However, Abubakar said ‎he has not made any comment on the ongoing battle between the leadership of the Senate and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over the forgery trial of the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

In a statement made available to the media in Abuja on Monday by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, the former Vice President said the last time he made any comment on National Assembly matters was in July 2015 during the leadership crisis in the legislature.

The statement said the former Vice President was taken by surprise that a section of the media chose to take his 2015 comment, rework it and credited same to him in the current battle of supremacy between the Senate and Malami.

Ibe said the last time Abubakar issued a statement on National Assembly matters was on July 2, 2015 when he called for an amicable resolution of the crisis of confidence that arose from the election of principal officers, which bitterly divided the leaders of the Assemblt and their supporters.

That statement was titled: “It is time to shift ground and move to the centre.”‎

Saraki and Ekweremadu are currently battling with alleged forgery of the Senate’s rules in the court. ‎

The statement stated that the Senate is calling on all parties, Mr. Malami, the Attorney General inclusive, to heed the wise, timely and apt advice of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that “it is time to move on”.

The EagleOnline

Humble Buhari Serves Meal To Disables, IDP At Breaking Ramadan Fast In Aso Rock, See Photos

President Muhammdu Buhari Serving Meal To The Disables
Yesterday At Presidential Villa, Abuja To Mark Last
2016 Ramadan Fast

President Muhammdu Buhari yesterday evening hosted some physically-challenged people and Internally Displaced Persons to mark the assumed final breaking of the Ramadan fast this year.

During the event, the President personally served all the physically challenged people and the displaced. 

The photos of the event which were shared by the President's daughter Zahra Buhari read and embedded bellow:

President Muhammdu Buhari Serving Meal To The Disables
Yesterday At Presidential Villa, Abuja To Mark Last
2016 Ramadan Fast

President Muhammdu Buhari Serving Meal To The DisablesYesterday At Presidential Villa,
Abuja To Mark Last2016 Ramadan Fast

President Muhammdu Buhari Serving Meal To The DisablesYesterday At Presidential Villa,
Abuja To Mark Last2016 Ramadan Fast

Police Authority Promotes 7 To DIG, See List

Following Last week retirement of 21 AIGS whose careers were cut short because they had seniority over Mr.  Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, the new Acting Inspector General of Police appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari the Police Service Commission (PSC) has promoted several officers and named a new management team for the Nigeria Police Force.

The PSC In a statement released yesterday announced its appointment of seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) to head various management departments in the country’s police force.

Among the new appointees is former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Shuaibu Gambo, who is now the DIG in charge of the Department of Finance and Administration. Other appointments are Joshak Habila, the DIG for the Department of Operations; Maigari Abbati Dikko, DIG for the Department of Logistics and Supply; H.M. Dagala, DIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID); Emmanuel T. Inyang, DIG, Department of Training and Development, and DIG Ntom Chukwu, assigned to Department of Research and Planning. 

The other new assignments are DIG Folusho A. Adebanjo, who will take charge of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Abdul Bube, an AIG who will assume the role of police secretary. 

The PSC statement disclosed that notice of the new appointees had been forwarded to the Inspector-General of Police for implementation, Ibrahim Idris.

BREAKING: Sultan Declares Wednesday Eid-el-Fitri Day in Nigeria

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has declared Wednesday, July 6, as Eid-el-Fitr day in Nigeria.

The President-General of the organisation, and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, who made the announcement, said the new moon of Shawwal had not been sighted anywhere in Nigeria.

He therefore, enjoined muslims in the country to fast on Tuesday and observe the eid prayers on Wednesday.

The NSCIA had on Sunday asked every Muslim in the country to look for the new moon between Sunday and Monday for the Eid el-Fitri.

The Secretary-General of the council, Is-haq Oloyede in a statement on Sunday, said the council, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, enjoined all Muslims to look for the moon.

Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and a few other countries had earlier announced Wednesday as Eid-el-Fitri day in their various countries.

Eid-el-Fitri celebrations are used to mark the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

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