Panics As FG Goes After Sudden Billionaire/Millionaire Civil Servants

Serving and former public office holders will henceforth be made to account for their wealth, Vice President Yemi Osibajo (SAN), has said. He stated this at a town hall meeting convened by the United Action for Change, UAC in Lagos today Saturday April 23rd.

Osinbajo who fielded questions from various labour and professional organisations as well as individuals at the meeting held at the Ikeja Airport Hotel, said "the era of people becoming emergency billionaires is gone" and would no longer be tolerated by the Buhari-led administration.

“Anybody who can't explain his wealth must be brought to account. Everyone who has served in public office must account for what they own. This is the change we want Nigerians to support”, he declared, adding that the dream of the Buhari government is to have a “country where integrity is our national culture.”

The VP assured that the policies of the government are not tainted by any hidden agenda, stressing that at the end of their tenure, Buhari and himself will be ready to present their bank account details and assets owned to convince Nigerians they never abused their positions to get richer.

While pleading that Nigerians should be more patient with the administration, Osinbajo said the change mantra of the government was not and will never be a mere slogan but a necessity they are irrevocably committed to.

“Nigerians should never lose hope in the face of present difficulties. We have the best opportunity to change this nation now because we have a leader who is honest in all his dealings. There is a determination by this government to change the nation’s direction”, he assured.

Answering questions on the social security scheme promised some categories of Nigerians, the VP said the government remains committed to a health insurance scheme that will provide coverage for all Nigerians. He assured that the N5,000 monthly stipend promised poor Nigerians will soon take off, adding that a list of one million beneficiaries for a start is already being complied across the country.

He pleaded for the understanding of Nigerians on the biting fuel scarcity across the country, promising that a policy that will provide final solution will be unveiled in a matter of weeks. UAC Covener and National Legal Adviser of the ruling APC, Dr Muiz Banire, SAN in his opening remarks called for continuous support for the change Nigerians voted for at the 2015 general elections.

He explained that the body was “conceived as a vehicle to engage and sensitize Nigerians on the philosophical and moral significance of change working through its major platform: Change Nigeria.”

I Have Not RESIGNED - VP Osinbajo

Contrary to reports by an online news platform which reported that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has stepped down from his position as a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the VP has responded to the insinuation describing it as ‘misleading and baseless’.

The VP responded to the report through a statement released on Wednesday by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant-Media & Publicity to the Vice President in a bid to clear the air on the misleading report.

“Our attention has been drawn to a false publication by a certain online medium, IGBERETV, to the effect that Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has resigned as a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

“The report is misleading and completely baseless. Prof. Osinbajo continues to serve as a Pastor in the RCCG, honouring the call of God on his life.

“He is in fact the Pastor-in-Charge of RCCG Lagos Province 48, a position he has held in the past three years and in which he continues to serve.

“This completely fabricated report should be ignored and disregarded in its entirety.” The statement read in full.

Budget Impasse: Saraki, Dogara Lampoon VP Osinbajo In Secret Parley Meeting, Vow Fight To Finish With Presidency

Controversy over the 2016 budget is far from over, as Senate President Bukola Saraki has moved against attempt by President Muhammadu Buhari to doctor the 2016 budget.

The Senate president has therefore insisted on overriding the president’s veto at the expiration of 30 days according to the constitution.

According to a source, Saraki has initially refused to attend a meeting with the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to solicit the assistance of the leaders of the National Assembly to include fresh details omitted by the presidency in the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

But after pleading from chief of staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari, to Saraki, he later attended the meeting where he reportedly told the vice president that, “You can’t strip us naked in public and then dress us in white robes behind closed doors.

“Sorry Mr. Vice President, we cannot help you; let us continue to follow the law and abide with our constitutional duties in the interest of Nigeria,” Saraki reportedly told Osinbajo in refusal to manipulate the contents of the 2016 budget through the backdoor.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara was also said to have re-echoed what Saraki said, noting clearly that the president and his top officials had repeatedly abused the fundamentals for any cordial relationship.

Saraki is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, for discrepancies observed in his asset declaration while he served as a two-term governor of Kwara State.

The trial is believed to be a political witch-hunt masterminded by the presidency and some elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, who were unhappy with Saraki’s emergence as Senate president.

President Buhari, a retired military general himself, was said to have described Saraki’s emergence as a “coup.”

Culled from Nigerian Pilot

No Foreign Trip of VP Osinbajo Cancelled Because of Saraki - Presidency

Following an online news medium, Sahara Reporters' report that Vice President prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s planned trip was cancelled when it was discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari would also be out of the country at the time, the Presidency on Sunday denied the cancellation of the trip to India for fear that the embattled President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, may become acting President.

Sahara Reporters' report had insinuated that the Vice-President’s trip was called off in order to ensure that Saraki, who is the third in hierarchy in the country, did not emerge acting President in the absence of Buhari and Osinbajo.

But a source  in the Presidency according to Punch Newspaper said, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that it was an unwritten rule that the President and Vice President could not be outside the country at the same time.

The source said it was wrong to think that cancelling Osinbajo’s trip had anything to do with Saraki, adding that the unwritten rule preceded the present administration.

Besides, he said if he had embarked on the trip, the Vice-President would have returned to Nigeria latest by Wednesday, stating that Buhari, who is travelling to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, is scheduled to return on Tuesday.

“If the President is travelling on Monday and will return on Tuesday, how many hours are you expecting Saraki to begin to wield the powers of a President?” he said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, told journalists that there was no truth in the report that the Indian trip was cancelled.

Akande said, “Nigeria has been invited to the Indian/African Summit and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will be leading a delegation to the event.

“There is nothing like cancellation. Remember that the visit of the Vice-President to any country is not treated in secrecy.

“Whenever the Vice-President is to travel out of the country, we inform Nigerians. So, this story in question is a bunch of speculation. There is no cancellation.”

Why Gov. Ben Ayade Must Be Impeached By C'River House of Assembly, By Obono-Obla

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari laid a good and exemplary precedent by writing to the National Assembly pursuant to Section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) that he would be proceeding on vacation and in his absence his functions as President should be performed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Acting President. Section 145 of the Constitution provides that whenever the President is proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his Office,he shall transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to that effect, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, the Vice President shall perform the functions of the President as Acting President.  

This section of the Constitution was introduced after the legal conundrum that resulted from the failure of late President Umaru Musa Yaradua to hand over to the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan before travelling to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment in November, 2009.  

It is well settled that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has been out of the country for the past one month. However ,he bluntly refused to transmit a written declaration to the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly as contemplated by Section 190 subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999, that he is unable to discharge the functions of his Office and to that effect Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Esu shall perform the functions of his Office as Acting Governor! The vacuum created by Governor Ayade blatant violation of Section 190 subsection 1 of the Constitution has lead to the absurdity and illegality of one Frank Ayade usurping and assuming the functions of the Governor of Cross River State! The foundation for this flagrant violation of the Constitution was indeed laid by Governor Ben Ayade himself when in thanksgiving Church service in Obudu Local Government Area way back in August 2015 introduced Frank Ayade as "Co-Governor" to bewilderment and consternation of those present and the media alike!  

I submit that the failure of Governor Ayade to comply with the provisions of Section 190 subsection 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in transmitting a written declaration to the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly to the effect that by his travelling abroad he would be unable to perform the functions as Governor and that the Deputy Governor, Professor Esu would discharge those functions as Acting Governor of Cross River State of Nigeria. Without much ado, I submit that the action of Governor Ayade is a gross misconduct which undoubtedly is a ground for the Cross River State House of Assembly to initiate and indeed activate the process for his removal from office.

Okoi Obono-Obla ‎

N5k Stipend To Unemployed: Confusion As VP Osinbajo Counters Buhari

Confusion has taken over the N5000 monthly stipend campaign to the unemployed Nigerians by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo issued counter statement saying the scheme will still be executed, against President Muhammadu Buhari stance as reported by the media from Saudi Arabia, News Punch understands.

Reports had earlier stated that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared that he would not pay such money as promised, but rather channels the money to other sectors of the economy.

In a what could be perceived as contradictions, Osinbajo on Monday insisted that the money would be paid but to the extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians because it is the welfare package of the administration.

Osinbajo’s position came as Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura and his Imo State counterpart, Owelle Rochas Okorocha disagreed on the initiative. While Al-Makura supported Buhari’s decision not to pay the stipend, Okorocha said it was a noble project that should be implemented.

The two governors spoke at the State House on Monday after a meeting with Prof. Osinbajo.

The Vice President, through his spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, told newsmen yesterday that the payment of the stipends had been captured in the 2016 Budget before the National Assembly but that the scheme would not be extended to unemployed graduates.

Buhari had declared in Saudi Arabia that the payment of the N5,000 stipend which the APC promised Nigerians was not on his priority list because he did not see any reason to pay money to people who don’t work.

Akande however, declared that the N5,000 stipend promise for the vulnerable and poor Nigerians still stands because the 2016 Budget has an allocation of about N500 billion for social investment, including the stipends.

His words: “The budget for 2016 which has been submitted to the National Assembly has made an allocation of half a trillion naira, the first time in the history of this country’s budget where you have that huge chunk of money allocated for social investment.

“In that N500 billion which is half a trillion naira, close to about 20 percent of the entire budget, there are six social safety net programmes. And one of them is the conditional cash transfer where government is going to pay N5,000 monthly to the vulnerable and extremely poor Nigerians. That promise stands.

“The President never promised to pay unemployed graduates N5,000; the President never made that promise and the government never made that claim that it will pay N5,000 to unemployed graduates.

“The programme for unemployed graduates is the direct creation of half a million teaching jobs so that they will be trained; 500,000 unemployed graduates will be trained to teach and they will be deployed to teach, while they are looking for their career paths or jobs. That still stands!

“In addition to that, there is also a scheme to train 370, 000 non-graduate youth for skill acquisition and vocational training. During the time of that training, they will also be paid.

“So, the President did not say that he would be giving unemployed graduates N5,000. The N5,000 monthly stipend, which is already in the budget, is for the vulnerable Nigerians and the extremely poor, and this year by the grace of God, once the budget is okay, one million extremely poor Nigerians will receive N5,000 monthly.”

Al-Makura declared that Buhari was at liberty to renege on the promise and should not therefore not be challenged.

The governor pointed out that Buhari reserved the right to change his mind or review the promise based on the prevailing realities.

The governor told journalists after he met with Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa to discuss security and power supply challenges in Nasarawa State that “the President is the person that can tell you precisely how he is working on promises and interventions that he has created by his ingenuity.

“And if at any point in time the president is reviewing that issue, I think he is the only person to do that because what he is doing is in the best interest of the country. So, it is not challengeable by anybody, whatever his position.”

The governor said he discussed with the Vice President the long-standing communal clashes between Funlani and farmers and Agatu communities in Nasarawa and neighbouring Benue State.

Okorocha, who met with Osinbajo, told State House correspondents that the N5,000 stipend promised Nigerian jobseekers by the APC remains a fantastic policy that will be implemented “one way or the other” in spite of the President’s reluctance.

His words: “To be honest with you, it is a great idea, but there are many ways to give that support. Sometimes, it could be in cash which has its own challenges. Handling of that is also in itself a wonderful and great idea.

“Take for instance, in Imo State, they used to now, have introduced what is called empowerment. They buy motorcycles and give people N5,000 or N 10,000.

“For me, that is not my style. My style is to declare free education-from primary, secondary to university. Nobody pays one naira in Imo State.

“The very poor people who have to ensure a lot of social inconveniences of school fees is no longer dong that, what has happened is that he has saved that money to produce further wealth.

“If you keep money through that system, it creates more impact than physical cash. Physical cash sometimes creates more problems.

“So, it is great idea, we have to do it one way or the other as time comes,” he said.