[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal High Court in Abuja has given judicial backing to the executive order of President Muhammadu Buhari, outlawing the Indigenous People of Biafra and its activities in every part of Nigeria.The Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati, granted the order proscribing the group on Wednesday.It declared that the activities of the group constituted an act of terrorism and illegality.
proscribes IPOB Members
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), with the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata, and some other lawyers from the ministry appeared before Justice Kafarati for the Federal Government.The AGF, argued the ex parte motion in which IPOB was joined as a respondent inside the chamber of the judge.
The Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013, under which the Federal Government’s ex parte motion was brought, permits the judge to choose to hear it inside the chamber.Malami and Apata arrived at the courtroom on the fifth floor of the Federal High Court complex in Abuja at about 12.15pm on Wednesday.The duo were immediately led to the judge’s chamber where the proceedings lasted about an hour.
A copy of the court’s enrolled order, sighted by Grassroots Publishers online, on Wednesday, declared that the activities of the group in any part of Nigeria, especially in the South -East and South-South regions of Nigeria “amount to acts of terrorism and illegality”.It also restrained “any person or group of persons” from participating in any form of the activities involving or “concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise” of the group.
[dropcap]B[/dropcap]arely a week after it intercepted a 20-foot container load of 1,100 pump action rifles, the Tin Can Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service, Monday, uncovered yet another set of 475 rifles shipped in by the same importer.
Vanguard gathered that the guns were discovered after the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Bashir Yussuf, ordered a detailed profiling of the importer of the 1,100 rifles intercepted last week.
The container, belonging to the same importer, was marked CMAU189817/8.
This is the fourth seizure at Tin Can Island Port within eight months. Recall that Customs arrested four persons, but disclosed only two to the press.
uncovered 475 rifles at Apapa sea port
One of those arrested is said to be a senior staff of Tin Can Island Container Terminal.A source, who witnessed the examination of the container, told Vanguard that the rifles were concealed with small connecting pipes.
The source said: “The container is owned by the same importer of the 1,100 guns. After a detailed profiling of the importer ordered by the Area Controller, it was discovered that he still has another container inside the port; so they fished it out.
“But I don’t know why they are hiding the identity of the importer.. It could even be the government themselves importing these weapons.”As at press time on Tuesday, the container was being examined at the enforcement unit of Customs, while a large number of Customs Intelligence and Enforcement Officers barred port users from witnessing the counting of the guns.
However, when Grassroots Publishers online contacted the spokesman of Tin Can Customs, Uche Ejesieme, could not confirm the development, saying: He confided to us that he is not aware and that he knows nothing about it.”
Efforts to reach the Deputy Controller in charge of enforcement at Tin Can Port, Dera Nnadi, proved abortive as all calls to his phone were not answered. Recall that the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (retd) had last Monday displayed 1,100 rifles imported into Tin Can port from Turkey. The importation came through the Tin Can Island Container Terminal.
A customs officer and Terminal Clerk of the terminal were arrested in connection with the seizure.
Ali said the Customs will hold the terminal operator responsible for the illegal import and queried how the container found its way into the examination bay, even though it was not positioned or listed for examination.
He said the all the guns were imported from Turkey.
He added that the bill of lading of the container falsely indicated the content to be wash hand basins and water closets, but a thorough examination revealed that it contained 600 pieces of Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, said the compliance team of the service discovered 18 suspected smuggled exotic vehicles displayed for sale at a shop in Abuja. Ali said this while addressing newsmen on the interception of the vehicles on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that beyond non-payment of customs duty, 13 of the vehicles were bullet proof. Customs boss said that the service was enforcing the law on prohibition of smuggling, adding that possession of smuggled items was an offence.According to him, the vehicles require clearance from the office of the National Security Adviser before importation.
“Based on credible information, the detachment of the compliance team visited the shop (name withheld) in Abuja and discovered the vehicles that were displayed for sales.“In a period of fragile security, we cannot afford to have unauthorised persons use armoured vehicles without end user certificate and possession of these vehicles is illegal.
“For the avoidance of doubt, what we are doing is in line with the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA),” Ali said. Ali said that the law gave the customs power to search premises and to patrol freely. He said that being in possession of smuggled items was an offence punishable under Customs and Excise Act.
The customs boss added that in two months, the service had stepped up its implementation of the Federal Government ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders. Ali said that the re-invigorated anti-smuggling activities had yielded positive results in the past two months, adding that 265 vehicles were seized across the country.“It is unfortunate that the service’s zero stand on smuggling continue to expose unwillingness of most Nigerian importers to comply with the law.
“These unpatriotic elements willingly comply with the law of other countries but refuse to comply with our national guidelines on imports and exports.“The policy of reward for good job and punishment for those who compromise will continue under my leadership,” he added.Ali said that high profile interceptions such as the testimonies showed the positive effects of ongoing reform activities in the service.
He said those who might want to test the service resolve to maintain the new tempo of aggressive anti-smuggling operations should be assured of the management readiness to sustain the tempo.
Ali added that the management would sustain the tempo and increase it by acquiring more working tools to boost effectiveness.
“My experience in Customs has shown that a well equipped and motivated Customs officer can deal decisively with smugglers
and smoke them out of their illicit business.
“I know that together we can win the war against smuggling.
Mr. Olutise Isaac Adenipekun, Head of the Nigeria National Office ,WAEC
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]saac Adenipekun needs no introduction as a Nigerian, He is not a stranger to the struggle for good and quality education . His bonding with West African Examination Council is akin to the umbilical relationship between a child and the mother right from the womb and last all through a lifetime. His antecedents and achievements in West African Examination Council speaks volumes. He is a perfect example of leadership symbolism, the paragon of idealism, the soul of humanity, the heart of warrior, the perfect gentleman. Indeed, some leaders are born, some achieve leadership, some have leadership thrust upon them, while only very few have all three embedded in them. Isaac Adenipekun is a man of immense mettle and a completely detribalized human being with a profound depth of character, whose humility, devoid of discrimination, embraces all and sundry. He soars like an eagle and exudes reverence and integrity. A pragmatic leader full of benevolence; he gives hope to the hopeless, welfare succor to the poor and needy. To everyone who crosses his path, he is a light. He is a friend to the staff , a role model to the young , a helper to many and a visionary man.
He assumed office as the Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), on Wednesday, December 9, 2015. Until his appointment as Head of National Office, he was the Zonal Coordinator, WAEC Zonal Office, Ibadan. Mr. Adenipekun is a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria (FCAI) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM). He has also attended several professional and management courses both in Nigeria and overseas. He is a Christian and married with children.
Isaac Adenipekun is the Head of the council’s National Office. He’s been in charge since December 2015. And he is of the opinion that the development of WAEC has been exponential in terms of growth: “When WAEC was established in 1952, it had just one small office in Yaba before they moved into the high rise in 1973 where it is now situated. It was from the high rise building that it began to establish branches across Nigeria. Today WAEC has 12 zonal offices and 18 branch offices in the council. That, if you ask me, is a huge spread. In its early days, WAEC had less than 500 candidates in the whole of Nigeria but today, we are examining 1.6 m candidates. In terms of staffing, WAEC started with staff strength of about 30. Today, WAEC staff is close to 2,800. In the area of deployment of technology, WAEC took the lead as soon as it started deploying machines to do calculations in the early 70s. And from there, they’ve taken the lead in terms of ICT usage”.
Since its establishment, WAEC has become one of the world’s largest assessment agencies with responsibilities for setting and marking a large number of examinations, both locally and internationally. The council examines approximately 2 million candidates across West Africa each year: “In the early years, candidates had to personally come to WAEC to make enquiries and obtain forms. After that candidates had to come to WAEC office or post office to be given the centers where they would write their exams. And when results are finally processed, they had to come to WAEC offices to check their results. But within the last 20 years, there’s been a lot of improvement. In addition to that, WAEC has been organizing seminars, briefings and training for examiners such that those who are teachers in secondary schools can also gain additional knowledge. The supervisors are also trained on how to conduct standardized examinations and in the process knowledge acquired are not meant to be used for WAEC examinations alone because when they get back to their respective schools, they are expected to deploy the knowledge they have gained in conducting better internal exams”.
“All these are some of the effort that WAEC has put into delivering on their mandate to the Nigerian education sector”. Upon assumption of office, Adenipekun’s vision was to ensure that WAEC continues to have examinations that are credible and issue certificates that have integrity. To continually deploys technology for WAEC to remain a cutting edge organization and to remain the examining body to beat.
Having spent 26 years in WAEC in a variety of senior management, Isaac Adenipekun has given his all to assessing young people at the secondary school level and was able to build their lives around that assessment is a huge responsibility.
Mr. Adenipekun has held several positions of accountability in the Council and has distinguished himself as a primus inter pares (a first among equals). For example, he was Head, Meetings and General Services Department, WAEC, Yaba (February 1996-January, 2001); Head, Examinations Security, WAEC Branch Office, Umuahia, Abia State (February 2001-January 2006); Head, Aptitude Tests Administration Section, Test Development Division, Ogba (February 2006-January 2008); Pioneer Officer-in-Charge, WAEC Satellite Office, Ikorodu, Lagos State (February 2008-September 2009); Branch Controller, WAEC Branch Office, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State (October 2009-May 2011; Pioneer Zonal Coordinator, WAEC Zonal Office, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State (June 2011-December 2011); Zonal Coordinator, WAEC Zonal Office, Kaduna (December 2011-May 2015). In his tenure as Head of National office, his aim is to take WAEC to another level by making the body a world class examining body and a reference point for assessment and conduct for public examination in the whole world.
Nigeria Police has asked Senator Isa Hamman Misau to return to service because he did not legitimately resign from service. Senator Misau has been declared wanted by the nation’s Police Force for alleged forgery and desertion from service.Nigeria Police insists that Misau is still a Policeman.
Misau is currently representing Bauchi Central in the National Assembly.The Grassroots Publishers online recalls that Misau on Friday, condemned “series of fraudulent practices in the running of the Nigerian Police.”
While addressing newsmen at the National Assembly, Misau, a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) alleged that a high level corruption pervades the Force especially in the handling of monies allegedly being collected by the police as payment for special security services rendered by the Police to corporate bodies, oil firms and highly placed citizens in the country.
But the Police spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood has asked the general public and indeed the Senate to dismiss statements credited to Misau, saying everything he said about the IGP and the Police were false.
According to Moshood, Sen Misau is “a habitual and unrepentant liar.
“His real name in the Police is DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman, with Police number AP No. 57300. He is still a Police Officer and not a Senator because his name is still in the Police Service.
“Senate will do the nation good by asking him to return to the Nigeria Police Force to face disciplinary committee and answer all the charges bordering on serious misconduct, unprofessional wrong doings as earlier contained in our press statement released today. “We want the public to know that he is not fit and proper to be a Senator of the federal republic of Nigeria; because that purported retirement letter he displayed today was forged.
“That his forged letter is dated 2014, whereas he contested the 2011 general election. He is wanted by the force for forgery and desertion which are all criminal offences in the Nigeria law books.
“All DSP Hamman was saying were cheap blackmail, distraction and deliberate acts to derail investigation. So the force will want the Senate Ethics and Privileges committee which we have confidence and trust into see reason to ask him to dress up in his police uniform to come and appear before police disciplinary committee to answer charges against him.
“The IGP has no use to distractions DSP Hamman is instituting before the public, and no matter the position any person is, once he or she runs foul of the law, he will be made to answer the charges,” he stated.
One of the distressed buildings being demolished at 152 Adeniji Adele Street, Lagos Island
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that it had started demolishing 57 buildings that were classified distressed and derelict as a measure to stem the rate of building collapse across the state. The General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Lekan Shodehinde, spoke with journalists after some distressed buildings were demolished on Lagos Island yesterday.
The agency demolished a three-storey building located at 152, Adeniji Adele Street; a two-storey building located at 54 Aroloya Street; another three-storey building at 3, Alanaku Street and 31 others on Lagos Island.
Of the 57 buildings already marked for demolition, the agency disclosed that at least 34 were located on Lagos Island, thereby warning against developing buildings without complying with standard rules.
Officials of LASBCA, escorted by armed policemen stormed the Island in the morning to begin demolition of the affected buildings.
After speaking with journalists, the general manager, said the demolition was under the first phase of the demolition of distressed buildings approved by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Shodehinde, said the buildings had been distressed overtime and that government had served owners of the structures notices.
He said the exercise was being carried out to stem tides of collapsed buildings in the state, saying that government would not fold its arm and allow buildings to collapse indiscriminately across the metropolis. He disclosed that 13 buildings were being demolished on Monday and that the exercise would last for two weeks.
Shodehinde disclosed that the agency had identified 114 distressed buildings that needed to be demolished across the metropolis, adding that the others would be demolished during the second phase of the exercise.
Shodehinde explained that once a distressed building had been demolished by the government, the owner would be given 90 days to pay the demolition cost, failure for which government would seize the land.
He said before a building would be demolished, the owner would be given ample time to remedy the situation, which included subjecting the property to integrity test.
The LASBCA boss stated that if after the test had been carried out and the property was found to be unsafe, it would be demolished.
However, the buildings being demolished ranged from two-storey to four-storey buildings.
Deltans have vowed to resist the proposed privatization of the only government transport company Delta Line by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, rather he should call for the total probe and arrest of this five alleged looting musketeers( former General Manager,former Accountant, Former Auditor, O/C salary and Company Secretary ) that grounded the transport company to zero level. The state-owned transport company set up shortly after the state was created in 1991, has become a haven for looting and siphoning money with reckless abandon without check by the authorities of the state.
The massive looting of Delta Line by this five alleged musketeers should not be swept under the carpet, but should be thoroughly investigated and handed over to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and those found culpable be prosecuted as part of measures to rid the Delta Line of corruption. It was on record that when Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan came on board, he donated 185 Toyota Hiace buses and 35 Toyota Corolla cars (all brand new vehicles with full air-conditioners) to the management of Delta Line Transport Company, aimed at adding to the fleet they had earlier. And for his love for Deltans, the then governor warned the management of the state-owned transport company not to increase transport fare(s) even during the festive periods. This was the reason why he approved N40M monthly to the Delta Line as subsidy/ palliatives from January 2012 to April 2015 to ameliorate the sufferings of Deltans and other commuters who use Delta line as their transport company shortly before he left office on May 29, 2015. It is purely clear that the then governor meant well for Deltans but little did he knew that he opened looting bonanza for the accused five aforementioned looting musketeers.
According to reports, in the year 2012, the then governor released N529,261,440; N434,285,760 in year 2013; N361,904,800 in year 2014; N144,761,920 in year 2015; with a total sum of N1,470,213,920 within the four years stated above.
These amounts do not include the money generated by over 300 buses and cars within their fleet that plies the roads on daily basis. For instance, each bus loaded to Lagos from Asaba as at then at N2, 500 which was the official price at 15 persons per bus automatically generate N37, 500 per trip. When you deduct road expenses and fuel money issued to the driver, each bus generates nothing less than N20, 000 per trip, then multiplied by not less than 200 buses on the road daily and public opinions are asking; “where did these monies go to?”
“If the state government can subsidize for their running expenses, why can’t Delta Line Transport Company be the best in Nigeria and how come the past administration could not even pay salaries to its staff before His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa sacked them”, our source under the condition of anonymous stated. It is shameful that the head office of Delta Line Transport Company in Asaba, Delta State is currently under seal by Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) due to non-payment of accumulated unremitted taxes by the past administration which runs in multi millions of naira.
Grassroots Publishers Online further investigation gathered that the gross salary of the company stood at N26M monthly with a net salary of N23.6M. “Why couldn’t the transport company pay its workers comfortably without owing anyone?” Our source queried.
“Instead of the company’s management remitting these monies to the company’s account as required by law, the five suspected musketeers allegedly smiled to their respective banks with public funds to the detriment of the original purpose for establishing the transport company”, it was said.
Unfaultable source within the office of the Delta State Government confided to us that between January and April 2012, Delta Transport Service Ltd, allegedly received over N1.5B as palliative from the Delta state government, but sadly, according to our discovery, the company did not buy a single vehicle to add to their depreciating fleet from that cash flow. Rather the suspected evil cabals were busy enriching themselves and accumulating more fictitious debt owed to their private companies and cronies.
It was on record that immediately Gov. Okowa was sworn in as the Executive governor of Delta State, the Labour Union of the company Delta Line (AUCPTRE), sought for the governor’s intervention on 14th December 2015 when the looting became unbearable for Deltans. His Excellency, the Governor was furious after the report and requested for the names of the suspected Deboras who held the transport service hostage.
The Governor in his known zero corruption character then, allegedly ordered that the names of the ‘locusts’ that ate dip the supposed resources accrued to the state government should be forwarded to the Secretary to the Delta State government, Hon Ovie Festus Agas and also instructed that they should be sacked with immediate effect. But Deltans were surprised that the Accountant, who is supposed to be the engine room of the alleged cabals and O/C salary were not sacked. The question on the lips of Deltans is why was the former Accountant and O/C salary names removed from the Delta Line Labour Union corrupt list submitted to the governor? And even when the General Manager and two others were pronounced sacked by the state government, Deltans were worried that the government of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa cannot set up any probe commission or hand over the sacked General Manager and others to EFCC for proper investigation and recovery of Deltans looted funds; rather these men are working freely on the street after putting Deltans in pains. Why are looters in this state always getting off the hook? Is Delta State a free heaven for looters. Questions! Questions!! Questions!!!
FOUR officials of an Asaba branch of a new generation bank have been arrested in connection with alleged armed robbery attack on a bullion van stocked with N25 million.
The van was conveying the N25 million from a branch of the bank in Agbor to Asaba, Delta State when the hoodlums waylaid it around Otulu/Ubulu-Okiti axis of the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha expressway.
According to eyewitness account, the robbers had a field day during the few minutes operation as they shot sporadically into the air before emptying the contents of the bullion van into their operational vehicles, a Honda Pilot Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a Toyota Corolla saloon car, and zoomed off unchallenged.
One of the escort policemen was said to be severely injured during the operation.
Public Relations Officer of Delta State Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka confirmed the arrest of the bank officials including the Cash Management Officer of the UBA branch in Asaba, one Amina Oyewole, the Chief Security Officer and two drivers.
Aniamaka said the suspects were arrested following preliminary investigation of the robbery incident that occurred on Tuesday.
He said investigation revealed that the suspects, in a bid to cut corners, illegally picked seven police officers from different locations, and engaged them on an illegal escort for the conveyance of the lump sum from Agbor to Asaba.
Besides, Aniamaka said the suspects did not use “serviceable, secure armored bullion van as required by law.
“Needless to state that when the bank officials earlier approached the Operations Department of the command for escort men their request was turned down on the grounds that the bank does not have a serviceable bullion van needed for such operations.
“The command warns that henceforth banks requiring police escort must adhere to laid down regulations on specie escort especially during the ’ember’ months.”
He said the command has already spread out its dragnet to trap down the fleeing gang of armed robbers and bring them to book, and appealed to members of the public to come up with useful information that could help the police.
The officer in-charge of the Anti-Kidnapping and cultism unit of the Lagos State Police Command, Akinde Adejobi, has been removed over corrupt practices. Adjobi was removed by the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Edgal Imohimi, following allegations that he and other officers under him collected bribe from a suspect and sexually abused the younger sister of the suspect who brought food for the suspect.
Police Public Relation officer, Mr Olarinde Famous-Cole, who confirmed the removal of Adejobi said he was being investigated over the allegations. A mother of two, Blessing Taiwo, had cried out to Imohimi, to save her from the hands of officers of the anti-kidnapping and cultism unit, who she alleged were threatening her after detaining her in a cell with hardened criminals.
Taiwo also alleged that the police collected N50,000 for her bail and have seized her phone, insisting that she must pay a balance of N20,000 to make up the N70,000 demanded. The victim, who spoke through an NGO, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), also told the CP to look into the allegation by her sister who was sexually molested each time she brought food for her while in detention.
National Coordinator of NOPRIN Okechukwu Nwangwuma, in a petition to Imohimi urged him to investigate the criminal allegations against the officer in charge of anti-kidnapping unit and other unscrupulous officers under him. Following the out cry and subsequent publications, the CP ordered the removal of Adejobi who is presently being held at the Command headquarters Ikeja while investigation has commenced.
The PPRO in a statement made available to Daily Sun said: “The new commissioner of police has requested that all parties involved in the matter should come for interview at the police command today September 5, 2017 at 09:00am.
Famous-Cole said that the CP has also directed that the Deputy Commissioner of Police In charge of State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba to commence discreet and indept investigation into the allegations against the unit.
He said that to ensure impartial investigation, Imohimi has ordered the immediate removal of the O/C Anti-Kidnapping CSP Adejobi back to the command as he was worried about the allegations and wants justice to be done. He said: “The CP is reassuring Lagosians that officers found indicted by their actions or inaction as regards this matter will face the full weight of the police regulations.
“The era of slap on the wrist of police men whose behaviour tarnish the force is over. The new CP has a zero tolerance of every any form of indiscipline and corruption.”
The Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai has said he is optimistic President Muhammadu Buhari will contest in 2019 ,He has said that governors and ministers under the governing All Progressives Congress have resolved to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2019 presidential election.
El-Rufa’i, who made this known to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, said the governors and the ministers made the call as members of the “Buharist Group”.
The “Buharist Group” is an association of APC governors and ministers, whose primary aim is to promote and defend the perceived sociopolitical interests of President Buhari.
The governor dismissed the assertion that he was being groomed to replace President Buhari in 2019.
According to him, as a member of the “Buharist group’’ he has no presidential ambition as being speculated since he left the public service as minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2007.
“My name has continuously been mentioned as a Presidential aspirant since 2007 after my years in the FCT, there is nothing new about that. “What I want to say here very, very clearly is that I have never been a Presidential aspirant, I have never even been a gubernatorial aspirant.
“I am governor today by the grace of God because President Buhari called me and said go and run for Governor of Kaduna state.
“As far as 2019 is concerned, my position is the President (Muhammadu Buhari) is looking very well, he is recuperating very fast. My hope and prayer is he will contest in 2019,’’ he said.
On the recent political comments attributed to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aishat Alhassan, El-Rufa’i said Nigerians should not be surprised or shocked over her utterances, saying she was never in the Buhari camp.
Aishat Alhassan had on Wednesday disclosed in a BBC Hausa Service interview that she would rather resign as minister than abandon the former vice president “if he decides to run for presidential elections in 2019’’. However, El-Rufa’i said that Alhassan neither supported Buhari’s candidature during the APC National Convention nor voted for (Buhari) him during the party primaries.
“This has always been her position because from time she has never supported Buharism or what Buhari stands for.
“Being part of Buhari government is a different thing because government sets policies and if you are a minister you execute the policies. You can execute those policies while pursuing a different brand of politics,’’ he said.
The governor, who said he was at the Presidential Villa to wish the President “very happy Sallah’’ and also join him in performing the Juma’at prayer, said it was the President’s prerogative to either retain or remove the minister from the cabinet.
He said: “Look, you can retain a person in the cabinet even if he doesn’t support you if he adds value to the country. Because this is a government, it is not a political group fighting for some political progress.
“If Jummai Alhassan is coming as Minister of Women Affairs and adding value to the government and the people of Nigeria it is the President’s prerogative to retain her in spite of her political views.
“But if she is not adding value in spite of her political views she can be dispensed with…… people shouldn’t get worried about it. I have worked closely with the President, I know him and I know how he thinks. He doesn’t take these things personally…. What is primary to him is Nigeria’s progress… that is what matters ultimately.”
On the ongoing debate on restructuring the country, El-Rufa’i, who is chairing the APC committee on true federalism, said his committee would start public hearings on the matter from Sept, 18.
He said that the committee had started receiving a lot of comments and memoranda particularly from young people who had never been part of the restructuring conversation.According to him, the committee will have 13 public hearings across the country.
“By the time we listen to Nigerians and synthesize their views, we will write and make recommendations to our party how to operationalise true federalism as we have promised in our constitution,’’ he said.
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