Nedu Echianu's Blog

The Chief Whip, Nigeria House of Representative Ado Alhassan Doguwa pictured leading thugs to a political rally in Kano, SHAME!

The Independent National Commission (INEC) has solicited the collaboration of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecommunications operators for deployment of electronic devices in the conduct of 2019 general elections. Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the appeal when he led management of the commission on a visit to NCC Executive Vice-Chairman, Prof. Umar Dambatta, on Tuesday in Abuja. Yakubu said that INEC was planning full deployment for e-collation and transmission of Ekiti and Osun governorship elections later in the year, and for the 2019 general polls. He said that time had come to electronically collate and transmit election results from polling units to collation and declaration centres, explaining that doing so would enable results to be transmitted faster and more accurately. Yakubu said that while the commission had the software and hardware to do the transmission, it needed to rely on telecommunications operators for the transmission of fi

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday slammed countries that voted at the UN General Assembly against U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying they were against America’s sovereign right to make the recognition. Trump, in a rousing State of the Union Address, his first as president, said: “American taxpayers generously send those same countries billions of dollars in aid every year. “That is why, tonight, I am asking the Congress to pass legislation to help ensure American foreign-assistance dollars always serve American interests, and only go to America’s friends. “As we strengthen friendships around the world, we are also restoring clarity about our adversaries,” he said. Reeling out his accomplishments in office in the past one year, Trump said 2.4 million jobs were created in the last one years while unemployment was at its lowest in 45 years. The U.S. leader also said African-American unemployment stood at the lowest rate ever recorded in histor

A Nigerian man, Obi Okeke, popularly referred to as Doctor Bugatti, has purchased Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Bugatti Veyron for $2.5m According to TMZ, the Bugatti dealer has intentions to resell the vehicle. The Bugatti Veyron 2015 model goes 0-60 mph in 2.5 secs and has only had about 1,000 miles on it. Okeke was the one who sold a similar whip to heavyweight champion, Floyd Mayweather, and he seems to be on the lookout for a buyer for his new ride. “When you’re in the business for as long as I’ve been, you meet a lot of people,” Okeke said in 2015, according to the Business Insider. “When I came here, people knew about me. I’ve been very fortunate to build a deep client database for finding cars.” Mayweather had purchased at least 40 cars from Okeke, including Koenigsegg CCXR Triveta for $4.8m, the Business Insider said in 2015.

The Administrative Panel of Inquiry, which was set up in November last year to investigate corruption allegations against the suspended Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, has recommended the sacking of the embattled DG from public service. The panel, which is headed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, was set up by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun. In the recommendation, which was sighted Punch newspaper in Abuja, the committee also suggested that the suspended DG should refund the sum of N104.85m, which he allegedly approved and received as severance package while still in office. The panel also recommended that Gwarzo be referred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission for further investigation of the allegation of using his position as SEC DG to influence the award of contracts to Outbound Investments Limited. In the report, which has already be

The national summit on security being organised by the Senate has been postponed in honour of the late former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme who will be buried on Saturday. The summit, scheduled to hold on February 1 and 5 at the Banquet Hall of the State House was to be declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari. A statement by the chairman of the Chairman, Senate ad-hoc committee on review of security infrastructure who is also the Majority Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, stated that the postponement was to honour the late former Vice President, and to also enable Federal legislators, particularly those from the South-East, participate fully in the burial programme of the late elder statement. Lawan said a new date for the summit would be announced in due course, and extend the committee's apology to the invited dignitaries. The summit was organised to provide an all inclusive platform for heads of security and defence agencies, Governors, traditional rulers, socio-cultural gro

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has described as misleading and needless the controversy over his interview with the press on the commitment of the Federal Government to the burial of former Vice President , Alex Ekwueme, as he did not attach any figure to what he termed "a deserving national tribute to one of Nigeria's foremost Statesman." A statement from the media special assistant to the minister, Nwachukwu obidiwe on Tuesday, said Ngige only gave a summary of the number of projects the Federal Government has taken to ensure that a man who easily was Nigeria's beacon of democracy was given a decent burial. The statement says for the avoidance of doubt, what Ngige did as a member of the Burial Planning Committee was to give the details of the road rehabilitation projects from the Awka end of the State and from Abia and Imo State axis, all leading to Ekwueme's home town of Oko, as well as the medical services, the Mausoleum and othe

Worried by the multi-dimensional security challenges facing the nation, the Senate in collaboration with the President Muhammadu Buhari and the Executive arm will on Thursday, February 1 and Monday February 5 convene a National Security Summit. The Summit will provide an all inclusive platform for heads of security and defence agencies, Governors, traditional rulers, socio-cultural groups, civil society organizations and others, with a view to finding solutions to acute and long term security challenges in the country. It will be recalled that the Senate had on January 17, while deliberating on the interim report submitted by its adhoc committee on review of security infrastructure led by majority leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, on the crises that erupted in Benue, Taraba and Adamawa States, resolved to convene a summit to interface with security agencies and other critical stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the issue and other related security challenges. The two-day Summi

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has warned its staff against engaging with online publications that threaten the corporate existence of Nigeria or embarrass the station. This was revealed in a January 15, 2018 circular signed by Executive Director, Administration and Training, Dr Steve Egho on behalf of the Director General, and forwarded to all zonal directors, general managers, officers-in-charge of community stations and the rector of the TV College.

The Independent National Electoral Commission says the growing number of political parties may pose challenges for the commission in the 2019 general elections. The Chief Technical Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Bolade Eyinla, said this in Abuja on Monday at a retreat organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru. While delivering a keynote address at the event, which was titled, ‘The Dynamics of Managing Political Parties Professionally, ’ Eyinla said so far, 68 political parties had been registered. Eyinla, who represented INEC, said with over 100 political associations seeking registration, the number might increase before the elections which could cause logistical problems, including the production of ballot papers. The INEC official said if 68 parties participated in the elections, it could also mean that a total of 68 party agents would be at each polling unit, which could cause the elections to be rowdy. “Currently there are 68 registered

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has suspended his planned visit to Kano earlier scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 30. The Chairman of Kwankwaso Visit Reception Committee, Dr Rabi ’u Bichi announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano on Monday. He said the decision followed the intervention of some well- meaning Nigerians who called from home and abroad. “This standoff has attracted the attention of well- meaning Nigerians at home and abroad. ‘’They have called to give advice that mostly borders on the preservation of lives and property of our supporters and admirers. “In view of the above and after lengthy consultations with well -meaning Nigerians, we painfully have decided to shelve the visit at the moment, “ he said. Bichi, therefore, thanked all those leaders and supporters who advised and showed concern as well as put in a lot of time, energy and resources to make the visit successful. “It is important to state that Kwankwaso ’s visit will never be a reason to deliberatel

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he sometimes posts on Twitter while in bed, defending his use of the social networking tool as necessary amid “a lot of fake news” about him. The New York Times had previously revealed that Trump tweets from bed, and this is the first time the president admitted the allegation. “Well, perhaps sometimes in bed, perhaps sometimes at breakfast or lunch or whatever,” Trump said when asked by British journalist Piers Morgan about his tweeting habits in an interview aired on the British ITV channel Sunday. “Generally speaking during the early morning, or during the evening, I can do whatever, but I am very busy during the day, very long hours. I am busy,” he told Morgan. Trump uses Twitter so frequently that the contents of his tweets range from serious policy decisions to hostile war of words against nations or leaders he denigrates. The outspoken president’s frivolousness in both topic choices and wording styles has raised concern over hi

... Ranching, decentralised policing, the ways out To end the herdsmen crisis, the Deputy President of the senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has advised the nation to urgently adopt ranching and do away with open grazing, which he described as “archaic, anachronistic, and out of tune with modern society”. He also reiterated his call for the decentralisation of policing in Nigeria and Africa, saying that it was the continent’s sure way out of its myriad of security challenges. Ekweremadu made these known at the House of Commons, Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK), where he delivered a lecture titled “African Politics: The Dynamics and Lessons”. He, however, explained that the Federal Government’s only business in ranching would be the provision of policy direction, insisting that land matters and regulation of ranching were the responsibilities of the states. Hear him: “Importantly, I believe that ranching is the way to go rather than open grazing. However, it is for the F

The Nigerian Army has called on the public, especially people in the North East, to look out for Boko Haram escapees hiding among them and promptly report them to security agencies. The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen Sani Usman, made the appeal in a statement, saying remnants of the terrorists are on the run and looking for hiding places in communities. Usman said troops had inflicted heavy casualties on Boko Haram terrorists and routed them from their various hideouts in Sambisa forest. “Evidently, the fleeing terrorists will want to take cover and begin to filter into isolated communities. “These defeated Boko Haram terrorists in their desperation to remain relevant, may further resort to employment of suicide bombers to inflict pain and terror on innocent and unsuspecting populace. “In the light of this, communities and peace loving members of the society are advised to be on the lookout for Boko Haram terrorists’ escapees and promptly report any observed

Press Release: EIGHT BILLS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BECOME LAWS UPON PRESIDENT’S ASSENT 1. LEGISLATIVE HOUSES (POWERS &PRIVILEGES) ACT, 2018. 2. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LEGISLATIVE STUDIES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2018. 3. AVOIDANCE OF DOUBLE TAXATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN (DOMESTICATION AND ENFORCEMENT) ACT, 2018. 4. NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRE ACT, 2018. 5. RAILWAY LOAN (INTERNATIONAL BANK) (REPEAL) ACT, 2018. 6. CHARTERD INSTTUTE OF PROJECT MANAGERS OF NIGERIA (ESTABLISHMENT) ACT, 2018. 7. CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ACT, 2018. 8. NIGERIA AGRICULTURAL QUARANTINE SERVICE (ESTABLISHEMENT) ACT, 2018 1. The Legislative Houses Power and privileges Act grant the Legislative Houses: National Assembly and States Houses of Assembly Immunity from Litigation for actions taken in plenary or committee proceedings of the House or committee. It strengthens the power of the Legislators to c

The Deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure his administration not only conducts a credible, free and fair election next year, but also be prepared to accept in good faith, the outcome of the election should he and his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) fail to win next year’s presidential contest. This was even as he decried the sit-tight syndrome in Africa, which he described as a grave danger to African democracies. A statement signed by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu said the Deputy President of the Senate, gave the admonition while speaking at the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK), where he delivered a lecture titled “African Politics: The Dynamics and Lessons”. Drawing inspiration from the words of the former South African president, late Nelson Mandela, Ekweremadu noted that his admonition became necessary owing to the pivotal and strategic roles Nigeria is playing in Africa, insistin

As an HR person, I see over 100 to 200 CVs per day in my job. In most cases during recruitment, I receive over 2000 CVs for a specific job role. You can then calculate the figures when we have multiple job roles. I have decided to offer some advice to job seekers out there who are having lots of difficulties getting job interviews – even for jobs they are well qualified for. As fresh HR personnel, I was flabbergasted by the silly mistakes made by job seekers, but along the line, I became used to seeing it. Your resume is your representative on paper. So if there is something that needs to be well-presented aside you physically, your CV should be that thing. Below are the top 7 mistakes or areas where people let themselves down while searching for a job Spelling, Typos, and Grammar It is no longer news that the average Nigerian student possesses bad spelling habit. There are no excuses; you have to double check your spelling, grammar, in the most efficient way as possible. Yo

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has stated that despite the widespread perception that the National Assembly is being overfunded, it is actually grappling with funding constraints in carrying out it statutory functions. Saraki, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, disclosed this when he paid a working visit to the Chairman and members of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) at their temporary office located in Utako, Abuja on Wednesday. Responding to the request of the Chairman of the Commission, Mallam Adamu Fika, to have a permanent office of the Commission inside the National Assembly complex, Saraki pledged the support of the leadership towards the project, while noting that adequate funding remains the major challenge of the National Assembly. Saraki said: "One of the things that I see here today is the issue of budgetary constraints. However, the impression around the country is often that the

The Federal Government on Wednesday replied to an elder statesman, Olusegun Obasanjo’s criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed, gave the response in a seven - page statement. He thanked the ex-president for the letter. FULL STATEMENT: We have read the press statement by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the State of the Nation. For the record, Chief Obasanjo is a patriot, and he has proven this time and time again. We appreciate what he said concerning the Administration's performance in two out of the three key issues that formed the plank of its campaign: Fighting corruption and tackling insurgency. Specifically, the former President said President Buhari must be given credit for his achievement so far in these two areas. We thank him for this. Apparently, the former President believes that the Administration does not deserve a pass mark in the area of the economy, which is the th

All Progressives Congress National Leader,  Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday said that his visit to President Muhammadu  Buhari was not connected with the critical statement issued by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Buhari’s presidency. Mr Tunde Rahman of  Tinubu’s Media Office said the visit by Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun State,  to the Presidential Villa was scheduled since last week. ”President Buhari periodically schedules talks with Asiwaju Tinubu and Baba Akande, as he does with other Nigerians and APC figures, to discuss substantive issues pertaining to the governance of the country and matters concerning the party. ”This visit was one of such meetings. As such, the meeting had nothing to do with the statement of former President Obasanjo. ”It is totally unconnected. At the time of the meeting,  Tinubu and Baba Akande were even unaware that President Obasanjo had released his statement”, Rahman said. Former President Obasanjo

THE WAY OUT: A CLARION CALL FOR COALITION FOR NIGERIA MOVEMENT Special Press Statement By President Olusegun Obasanjo ———————————————————————————————- Since we are still in the month of January, it is appropriate to wish all Nigerians Happy 2018. I am constrained to issue this special statement at this time considering the situation of the country. Some of you may be asking, “What has brought about this special occasion of Obasanjo issuing a Special Statement?” You will be right to ask such a question. But there is a Yoruba saying that ‘when lice abound in your clothes, your fingernails will never be dried of blood’. When I was in the village, to make sure that lice die, you put them between two fingernails and press hard to ensure they die and they always leave blood stains on the fingernails. To ensure you do not have blood on your fingernails, you have to ensure that lice are not harboured anywhere within your vicinity. The lice of poor performance in government – poverty,