Nedu Echianu's Blog

President Muhammadu Buhari was on Tuesday elected Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Buhari was made Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the just concluded ECOWAS Summit in Lome, Togo. His media aide Bashir Ahmad made this knwon on his Twitter handle he said “President Muhammadu Buhari has been elected the new Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the just concluded ECOWAS Summit in Lome, Togo’ The announcement was made shortly after a closed session of Heads of State of the Commission.

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI, CON, ON JULY 31, 2018. I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This is not a decision that I have made lightly. If anything at all, I have tarried for so long and did all that was humanly possible, even in the face of great provocation, ridicule and flagrant persecution, to give opportunity for peace, reconciliation and harmonious existence. Perhaps, more significantly, I am mindful of the fact that I carry on my shoulder a great responsibility for thousands of my supporters, political associates and friends, who have trusted in my leadership and have attached their political fortunes to mine. However, it is after an extensive consultation with all the important stakeholders that we have come to this difficult but inevitable decision to pitch our political tent elsewhere; where we could enjoy

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has formally announced his departure from Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, made a similar announcement at about the same time. Mr Saraki made his announcement on his official social media handles. “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he wrote on his Twitter handle. Nigerians have largely expected Mr. Saraki’s defection from especially after all the federal lawmakers from his Kwara State left the APC last week. The Senate President is expected to join the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Governor Ahmed, Mr Saraki’s political ally, also defected to the PDP. A statement by his media aide, Muyideen Akorede, said the decision followed consultations with people in the state. “Following due consultations with the people and in response to calls

Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is at the EFCC office, multiple sources have told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Ekweremadu was said to have arrived at the anti-graft agency’s office in Abuja between 9-10:00 a.m. “He is currently at the interrogation room,” a source told PREMIUM TIMES. Another EFCC staff also said Mr Ekweremadu is with anti-graft detectives, but could not say when he would be released. “We have some questions for him bordering on corruption,” a source said. “But we do not know yet when he would be released, we will know this by 5:00 p.m.” Mr Ekweremadu, the most-senior member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in public office, was invited for questioning last week Tuesday. The invitation became public hours after EFCC operatives laid a siege to the top lawmaker’s home at Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja. Mr Ekweremadu has faced multiple allegations of sharp practices in recent years, including claims that he forged Senate standing rules which led to th

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto, has resigned. He has also renounced his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and had crossed over to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Ibeto was reported to have arrived Nigeria from Pretoria on Sunday and on Monday morning, he handed over his letter of resignation at the Ministry of External Affairs. There was no confirmation if the envoy saw President Muhammadu Buhari before returning to Minna on Monday evening. Ibeto was a deputy governor of Niger State on the platform of PDP. Checks revealed on Tuesday that Ibeto have left Minna for his home town of Ibeto in Magama Local Government Area of the state. According to sources, the former deputy governor was received by over 1,000 supporters on his way to Ibeto. Reports say while Ibeto, the ex-ambassador would first resign his membership of the APC and assume PDP membership. A source close to the former deputy governor said he woul

There was drama at the Imo State Government House, Owerri, on Tuesday as a state High Court sitting in the state capital stopped the swearing-in ceremony of the  deputy governor-designate, Callistus Ekenze. After waiting for four hours for the swearing-in of the deputy governor -designate following the impeachment of the former deputy governor, Eze Madumere, on Monday by the state House of Assembly, guests, government functionaries, including Governor Rochas Okorocha, were visibly disappointed as the court ordered the state Chief Judge not to proceed with the swearing-in ceremony. While  guests, especially the deputy governor-designate and his family members were waiting for the CJ to commence the administering of the oath of office, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General  of the state, Militus Nlemadium, broke  what became a bad news to the audience in the Sam Mbakwe hall. Nlemadium told the audience that there was a court order made by Owerri High Court on Tuesday morni

The Provost of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Academy, Prof. Sola Akinrinade, has identified fraud, sexual harassment and certificate forgery as some of the factors affecting the development of the educational system in Nigeria. Akinrinade, who is a former Vice-Chancellor of the Osun State University, said this in Iwo during a symposium organised in honour of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Prof. Mathews Ojo. He urged the governing councils of Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions in the country to always carry out detailed background checks on whoever would be appointed into offices to avoid damaging the credibility of the institutions. The provost said, “If you appoint people who lack integrity to important offices, they will ruin the institutions and the lives of the people there. Appoint people who can be trusted with the responsibilities of guarding resources, lives  of people and ensuring that the produ

Businesses in the country spend an estimated $14 billion (about N5 trillion) annually importing, fueling and maintaining generators, the Executive Director, Rural Electrification Funds at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mr Sanusi Ohiare has said. In his presentation on off grid and mini grid goals of the agency, at the recent 4th National Council on Power (NACOP) in Benin City, Edo state Dr. Ohiare said, “We thought that if we wanted to replace these technologies which is not efficient in terms of cost; if we wanted to go for cleaner and sustainable energy from renewable sources, we have potentially an investment of about $9.2bn annually (about N3.2trn).” He said the agency sees this challenge as an opportunity for investments to provide access to cheaper electricity. “We want to channel that generator investment into renewables. There is a high potential for scaling up mini grids which is creating independent generation and distribution in different places especially in rur

Imo State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, has been impeached by the State House of Assembly. He was impeached by 19 out of the 37 members of the Assembly. Following the impeachment, the state House of Assembly confirmed Mr Calistus Ekenze as the replacement of Madumere. The confirmation was after the Majority leader of the House, Mr. Lugard Osuji, moved the motion for the adoption of Ekenze, as Madumere’s replacement. Until the Ekenze recognition by the state House of Assembly, he was the head of Imo state civil service.  Ekenze is from the same Mbaitoli local government area, of the impeached deputy governor. The impeachment came after an Imo State High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Ben Iheka, restrained the state Chief Judge, Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly and the State House of Assembly from taking any further action in the planned impeachment of Madumere until the hearing and determination of a case before it in which the deputy governor was seeking to stop his

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has linked Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State to an alleged fraud to the tune of N22bn. This is just as the EFCC revealed that 21 members of the Benue State House of Assembly are under investigation for allegedly diverting N375m meant for the procurement of vehicles that would be used for oversight functions. The allegations are contained in a report of an investigation which began in 2016 but was made available to newsmen on Monday. According to the report, the governor, between June 30, 2015 and March 2018, ordered the withdrawal of N21.3bn from four government’s accounts in Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank of Nigeria and the United Bank for Africa. On paper, about N19bn out of the money was said to be meant for the payment of six security agencies that had been deployed in the state to address the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers. However, the EFCC stated that less than N3bn of the money was paid to the security agencies

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress APC has dissolved the Kwara state executive of the party, citing electoral malfeasance in the last ward, local and state congresses. “The National Working Committee NWC at its meeting of 30th July, 2018 examined the unfolding developments within the party in Kwara state, specifically the irregularities that characterized the conduct and outcome of the congresses that produced the leadership of the party at all levels (Ward, local government and state). Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had at the weekend reportedly asked party officials loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki to resign their appointments and announced Bashir Bolarinwa as the new state chairman of the party. The NWC has now asked Mr Bolarinwa to assume office “with immediate effect”. Consequently, at the end of the NWC meeting Monday evening in Abuja, National Chairman of the Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the National Secretary of

The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere, has been impeached, Channels Television reports. He was impeached by 19 of the 37 members of the Imo House of Assembly, the station reports. The Assembly had earlier received a report by a panel set up by the state chief judge which allegedly indicted Mr Madumere of gross misconduct. Mr Madumere has been having a running political battle with Governor Rochas Okorocha over the latter’s successor in 2019. While Mr Madumere seeks to succeed Mr Okorocha, the governor reportedly supports his son-in-law. The crisis worsened during the APC local and state congresses in the state with Mr Okorocha and his deputy supporting separate factions. Although the APC faction supported by Mr Madumere and a senator, Osita Izunaso, was initially recognised by the national leadership of the party, its election was upturned by the court.

Justice Ben Iheka of the Imo State High Court on Monday restrained the panel set up by the Chief Judge of the state, Paschal Nnadi, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, and the State House of Assembly from taking any further action in the impeachment process of the state deputy governor, Eze Madumere, until the hearing and determination of the suit. The panel was set up by the chief judge to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the deputy governor by the state House of Assembly. Justice Iheka also directed the three members of the impeachment panel that were yet to be served the motion for interlocutory injunction to respect the suit, which is before the court. Counsel to the deputy governor, Ken Njemanze (SAN), told the court that his client was ready and prepared to allow his impeachment process to be determined by the court. He said that his client was relying on the court to dispense justice in the matter which bordered on the person

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has described the Senator representing Nasarawa West, Abdullahi Adamu, as a compulsive liar and an unreliable man who will do or say anything to suit his situation at any point in time. Saraki was reacting to the claim by Adamu that the Senate President once referred to Senator Dino Melaye as " clown" in a private chat with him. The Senate President stated that the Senator from Nasarawa State has been peddling insults and lies about him but he has ignored him out of respect for his age. In a statement signed on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki stated that: "I have deliberately ignored the antics of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, especially his constant media attack on me and the Senate since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dusted his file on alleged case of corruption and also went ahead to arraign his son in court. So far, I had refrained from responding in

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has described the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as the fastest growing political party in Africa. He said what the nation witnessed in the last few days, being the defection of scores of federal lawmakers and the return of the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to the PDP was “a tip of the iceberg”. He spoke at Awgu, Enugu State on Saturday during the inauguration of the Agwu Local Government chapter of the Gburugburu Movement, which champions the reelection of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He said: “Spirits have been high within the PDP family and Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, for sometime now, especially following the joining and rejoining of the PDP and the coalition by scores of National and State Assembly Members as well as the Governor of Benue State.  “We are happy for this. But I have good news for you. Nigerians have only witnessed a tip of the iceberg. More are on their way be

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has fined DAAR Communications (owner of AIT/Raypower) N500,000 for persistent violation of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. NBC’s Head of Public Affair, Maimuna Jimada, via a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, said comments made on Raypower’s programme “Political Platform” was against the broadcasting code. Mrs Jimada said that the organisation was sanctioned due to “provocative, inflammatory and divisive comments” by anchors of the political platform. She said the Commission on May 2, 2017, Aug. 15, 2017 and February 2018, held meetings with staff of DAAR Communications to caution them on unprofessional manner of anchors of the programme. She stated that the Commission had charged the team handling the programme to be fair, and balance their reportage. According to her, during the Feb. 7 meeting, the Commission stressed the need to comply with the broadcasting code to avoid sanctions. “The Political Platform

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has placed a has N20m bounty on killers of Imo All Progressives Congress, APC, newly elected Local Government Area chairman, Mr Sunny Ejiagwu.  Governor Okorocha made the promise hours after the LGA Chairman was shot dead by unknown gunmen believed to be political assassins. Late. Ejiagwu was killed on Friday, four days after he was elected as the APC Chairman of Ideato North Local Government Area.  He was killed along the Orlu-Akokwa Road on his way home after attending a meeting at the APC Secretariat in Owerri, the state capital. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Imo State Police Command, Mr Andrew Enwerem, said the police have launched an investigation into the killing.  Vanguard

Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who was diagnosed with acute leukaemia in July 2017, has announced his retirement from football at the age of 32. The Nigeria international has been with the Molineux club for his whole career, making more than 200 appearances. In June, Ikeme said he was in "complete remission" after "a tough year and intense chemotherapy". "Thank you for the support over the years," he posted on social media on Friday. "My last day as a footballer but one I am happy and grateful for. Thanks to everyone to do with Wolves and everyone in football I have met." Ikeme's decision to retire has come after consulting medical experts and he told his team-mates on Tuesday. In a statement, Wolves chairman Jeff Shi praised the goalkeeper's strength of character in "what has been a very challenging time for him". "Carl is more than just a player in our eyes - he is our brother and an important part of our family,&q

Gunmen suspected to be assassins in the early hours of Friday murdered, Sunny Ejiagwu, the All Progressives Congress chairman in Ideato North Local Government of Imo state. Ejiagwu, popularly known as Ohaneze was one of the 27 LGAs chairmen inaugurated on Monday by the new state chairman, Daniel Nwafor, after the state APC rescheduled election as ordered by the court. The state commissioner of police, Dasuki Galandanchi, who confirmed the murder to our correspondent in a telephone conversation, said that the corpse had been evacuated to a nearby mortuary. According to the CP, the politician was killed along the Akokwa road in the Ideato North LGA . The CP said “the APC chairman in Ideato North has been murdered. I was at the scene of the crime and only came back. His corpse has been evacuated to a mortuary. There is no preliminary suspicion but the investigator would find out.  The blood of the innocent would expose them.” Briefing newsmen at the state party secretariat, APC state c

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce on Thursday raised an alarm that Senator Dino Melaye has been abducted by unknown persons, while he was on his way to Kogi State for a court hearing. On his Twitter handle, Murray-Bruce revealed that Melaye’s brother, Moses Melaye informed him of the abduction. He wrote; “I have just been informed by Moses Melaye, @dino_melaye’s brother, that Dino has been abducted by unknown persons in a Toyota Sienna that blocked their car and overpowered them on their way to Kogi to answer to Dino’s court case. Let’s be on the watch out. Will keep you updated.” Punch

Two senators, Abdullahi Danbaba and Isa Hama Misau from Sokoto and Bauchi States have condemned the statements credited online to their colleague, Adamu Abdullahi (Nasarawa) in which the latter claimed the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, "merely collated the list of Senators he feels are not happy with the party (APC) and announced them as Defectors", and said he was only spewing forth lies unbecoming of an elder. The two Senators in a statement signed by them stated that Abdullahi thought all Nigerians were dumb by saying names of Senators were just announced when in actual fact the concerned Senators are individual political leaders in their different constituencies and were present on the floor when their names were read out from a letter signed by all of them. "People like Senator Adamu have become agents of instability and division in the Senate. This same Senator who was genuflecting before Saraki to get a Senate committee c

Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, has told the police that there was no evidence that linked Senate President Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed to the armed robbery attack that left 31 persons dead in Offa, Kwara State, in April. Premium Times reports that Mr Malami advised in a June 22 letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, that the police would need to ramp up their investigation and also painstakingly explore all critical areas before identifying the Senate President as a suspect in the carnage, much less filing charges against him. Yusuf Abdulwahab, Mr Ahmed’s chief of staff who was amongst state officials arrested for allegedly conspiring with the prime suspects, was also cleared, with the prosecutor saying “no evidence is credible enough to sustain any charge based on any offence known to law against him.” The attorney-general’s office said only six prime suspects should be charged to court for armed robbery and murder whic

...Expresses fear for Nigeria’s democracy ...Lauds Nigerians for solidarity     The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has given more details on the siege to his Abuja residence by men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the security agencies, warning that Nigeria’s democracy was seriously on the decline. Ekweremadu was, however, full of praise for Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, the press, civil society organisations, and the Nigerian youth and public  for rising in defence of democracy. He spoke to reporters when Senators paid him a solidarity visit in their numbers and across party lines at his Apo Legislative Quarters residence Tuesday evening. He said:  “This (Tuesday) morning, some people laid siege to my house. They left at about 12:20pm after spending about six and half hours.  “We anticipated that a number of our colleagues in All Progressives Congress (APC) would defect and join Peoples Democratic Party (P

Rap star, MI Abaga just tweeted that he has two undisclosed announcements to make. Writing on his twitter account @MI_Abaga, he said the announcements will be made 7 and 8 pm tonight. Some of his followers on twitter are already guessing... some said he is droping an album, others said he is about to get married while some said he is about to declare for President, we wait to find out.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom formally announced his membership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Ortom also said that the APC ward chairman in the state was “ready to join” him in PDP. He said that he has forwarded the letter of his resignation from the All Progressives Congress to his ward chairman. Ortom was elected on the platform of the ruling APC in 2015. According to his Wiki citation, Ortom had served in different political parties in Benue State, and the parties include the National Centre Party of Nigeria, where he served as State Publicity Secretary. He also served as the State Treasurer of the All People ’s Party; and State Secretary as well as State Deputy Chairman of the People ’s Democratic Party. He was also Director of Operations of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in Benue State in 2007 and Director of Administration and Logistics of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2011. Ortom was also the PDP National Auditor, before his appointmen

African football  has been  rocked by another bribery scandal after  Super Eagles assistant coach Salisu Yusuf was filmed by an undercover journalist  last year allegedly receiving a bribe to include two unnamed players in his squad for the Morocco 2018 African Nations Championship. The former Kano Pillars and  Enyimba manager  thus  joined the list of African football personalities who have been implicated in bribery scandals. Former  CAF and FIFA executive member  Amos Adamu, former  Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi and Kenyan referee Aden  Marwa were banned by the world football body after being filmed by undercover journalists either demanding or receiving  cash gifts to influence their decisions. A BBC  footage published on Tuesday   showed  Salisu  allegedly receiving a cash gift  said to be $1,000 from investigative Ghanaian  journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who   reportedly   implicated  Nyantakyi after he allegedly   demanded bribes and received kickbacks.

The Presidency has frowned at what it described as “orchestrated campaigns against President Muhammadu Buhari ” whenever a Very Important Person is invited by the law enforcement agencies in the discharge of their legitimate duties. The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday said “ the law of the land is intended for all , not for the poor or those at the lowest rungs of the social ladder. ’’ The presidential aide was reacting to various comments by VIPs and other Nigerians over the invitation of the President of the Senate , Bukola Saraki , by the Police over the Offa robbery incident where over 30 people were killed. The Police had , on June 4, asked for Saraki ’s reaction to the statement made by some of the suspects arrested in connection with the deadly robbery incident . Saraki wrote a statement dated 7 th June . The Inspector General of Police , Ibrahim Idris , had , on July 23 , asked the Senate President to report on J

Security operatives this morning cordoned the residences of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu. Saraki was to report to the police in Guzape Abuja following an invitation to make himself available for questioning on the Offa bank robbery which led to the loss of several lives. The police is linking the robbery suspects to Saraki, a charge which he has vehemently denied. Details later...