President Buhari arrives polling unit for APC ward congress in Daura

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Polling Unit
Sarkin Yara A Ward of Daura Local government area
of Katsina state for the All Progressives Congress
(APC) ward congress.

 gathers that Sarkin Yara A consists of
15 polling stations and 26 party executives.
The ruling party had fixed May 5 for the ward
congress, fixing the local government area (LGA)
and state congresses for May 12 and May 19
respectively.
President Buhari joined members of the governing party, the
All Progressives Congress (APC) at his Sarkin Yara Ward,
Daura LGA. Photo Credit: Bashir Ahmad
President Buhari participated in the ward
congress of the APC which held on Saturday,
May 5. He was joined by Katsina state governor
Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari and welcomed by
congress officials as he arrived.

President Buhari is participating in the APC Ward Congress
holding in Daura, his hometown. Photo Credit: Bashir Ahmad
Among those in attendance were Katsina state
APC chairman, Mallam Shittu S. Shittu; member
House of Representatives for Daura, Sandamu
and Maiadua, Hon. Sani Saidu; and chairman
stakeholders, Alhaji Sani Abubakar.
Buhari was joined by Katsina State Governor Rt. Hon. Aminu
Bello Masari. Photo Credit: Bashir Ahmad
President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Daura on Friday, May 4.
Photo Credit: M.kabir Salim Babajo Twitter
Buhari departed Abuja for Daura, his hometown
in Katsina state, for the ward congress on Friday,
May 4.
The APC is holding its ward congress across the country.
Photo Credit: M.kabir Salim Babajo Twitter
The presidential jet conveying him touched down
at Umaru Musa Ya’Adua Airport , Katsina state at
exactly 4:28 pm and shortly after, President
Buhari was conveyed in a police chopper to
Daura.

On hand to receive the president on his arrival
at the airport were Governor Aminu Bello
Masari, Senator Abu Ibrahim and the Managing
Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)
Hadiza Bala Usman, among others.
Meanwhile the ward congress in some states has
been been marred by violence. One person died
in Port Harcourt on Friday, May 4 , as
unidentified persons, suspected to be political
thugs vandalised the secretariat of the APC
located at the Old Government Residential Area
in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
The Rivers command of the Nigerian Police
quickly intervened by deploying tear-gas to stop
further destruction of the party’s secretariat.
Gun shots were fired into the air to scare riotous
members and in the process one death was
recorded.

One killed as irate youths vandalise APC secretariat in Rivers

Ahead of the APC ward congress in Rivers state, irate
youths vandalized the secretariat of the party in Port
Harcourt
- One death was recorded as the police fired gun shots
to scare the youths
- Chris Finebone, publicity secretary of APC in Rivers


blamed some party leaders for the violence
One person died in Port Harcourt on Friday, May
4, as unidentified persons, suspected to be
political thugs vandalised the secretariat of the
All Progressives Congress (APC) located at the
Old Government Residential Area in Port
Harcourt, Rivers.
The Rivers command of the Nigerian Police
quickly intervened by deploying tear-gas to stop
further destruction of the party’s secretariat.
Gun shots were fired into the air to scare riotous
members and in the process one death was
recorded.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that APC
members aspiring for various positions at the
Ward levels had come to the party secretariat to
pick their forms before the incident.
A ward chairmanship aspirant told NAN that he
was unable to pick the form after paying the
required amount through the bank. He said that
trouble occurred after a long wait by the
aspirants.
“As you can see, most of us that are vying for different
positions in our wards are here to pick the form but nobody
is here to address us. We were told that sales of forms will
commence by 3 pm but up till 5:30pm we didn’t see
anybody attending to us,” he alleged.
NAN learnt from witnesses that violence broke
out following the long wait. The party’s
secretariat was vandalised.
Efforts made to get reaction from the police did
not yield result.
Chris Finebone, publicity secretary of APC in
Rivers via a text message said that what
happened at the secretariat was an act of
wanton destruction that should be condemned by
all.
“ We regret that party leaders who have been canvassing
for elections turned around to demand for consensus
arrangement only to turn around to prevent the process of
election through violence. We know them and time will
prove them wrong ,” Finebone alleged.
There are 319 wards across the 23 local
government areas of the state.
The ruling party fixed Saturday, May 5, for the
ward congress while it fixed the local
government area (LGA) and state congresses for
May 12 and May 19 respectively.
In Adamawa, over 10, 000 forms were said to
have so far been issued to candidates for the
Saturday ward congress in the state. Alhaji
Ahmed Lawan, the state organizing Secretary of
the party, made this known Friday, May 4, in
Yola while briefing newsmen on the exercise.
 reported that Lawan said while women
and physically challenged candidates were given
the forms for free, others had to pay N10,000 for
chairmanship and N2,000 for other positions.
Meanwhile, President Buhari on Friday, May 4,
arrived his country home, Daura to participate in
the party's ward congress at Sarkin Yara A ward
slated for Saturday, May 5. Sarkin Yara A
consists of 15 polling stations and 26 party
executives.
The presidential jet conveying him touched down
at Umaru Musa Ya’Adua Airport, Katsina state at
exactly 4:28 pm and shortly after, President
Buhari was conveyed in a police chopper to
Daura.

FG approves 13 modular refineries - NNPC GMD Baru

A total of 35 firms expressed interest to establish
modular refineries in Nigeria
- Less than half got the approvals from the
department of petroleum resources as only 13 were
given licenses
- The government hopes to use the modular refineries
to stop illegal refining of crude and also create
employment in the Niger Delta region
Out of the 35 firms that expressed interest to
establish modular refineries, 13 have been given
licenses by the Nigerian government.
Maikanti Baru, the group managing director of
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) made the announcement at the Offshore
Technology Conference 2018 Nigeria Oil Industry
Award Dinner in the United States, where he was
the special guest of honour and received an
award.
According to him, the corporation and the
Ministry of Petroleum Resources were
collaborating to encourage the establishment of
modular refineries in the Niger Delta to
encourage job creation.
Baru stated that in the months ahead, the dream
of transforming Nigeria from a net exporter of
crude oil to a net exporter of petroleum products
would become a reality.
He said he was committed to achieving the
December 2019 target set by the federal
government to end the importation of petroleum
products into the country.

On efforts being made to refurbish Nigeria’s four
existing refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and
Kaduna, the NNPC GMD said there is an ongoing
arrangement with the original builders of the
refineries to return them to at least 90% capacity
utilisation before the 2019 deadline.
He stated that the process for companies
interested in the rehabilitation of the refineries
using a contractor-financing model had been
completed and successful and the companies for
the different projects would be announced soon.
“ This model is expected to be a self-sustaining financial
model with near zero reliance on the federal government
funds. For smooth running and implementation, we are also
changing the operating and commercial framework of the
refineries to make them work efficiently and be
commercially viable ,’’ he said.
In an earlier report by NAIJ.com , the the minister
of petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, said that
the proposed modular refineries for Delta and
Rivers states were not meant to address the
current refining challenge faced by Nigeria.
He said the modular refineries are expected to
only produce an average 2,000 and 10,000 at
most capacity per refinery while the average
consumption of fuel by Nigeria stands at 630,000
barrels per day.

“ On modular refineries; modular wasn’t supposed to
provide a sufficient solution to your product needs, modular
are on the average between 2,000 and 5,000 maybe 10,000
at most capacity per refinery.
"Your consumption is about 630,000 barrels per day, that is
not the essence of modular, what modular was supposed to
do for us is provide work within some of these communities
where people are busy doing illegal refining," he said

Unapproved $496m jets: Buhari presents documents to National Assembly

President Buhari has presented documents he
obtained after purchasing 2 fighter jets from the US to
the National Assembly
- The president also presented the letter he got from
the US giving him a deadline for acquiring the jets
President Muhammadu Buhari has presented
documents and a letter from the United States
Government to the Senate Committee on
Judiciary and Legal Matters on why he decided
to pay $496 million for 12 Super Tucano fighter
jets in anticipation of approval by the National
Assembly.
The Nation reports that the presidency also gave
a list of precedents by past governments which
embarked on similar purchases or expenditures
due to exigencies.
One of the document reportedly presented was a
letter from the US government giving Nigeria a
deadline of February 20, 2018, to purchase the
jets or renogiate after two years.
-
NNPC GMD Baru
A top source in the presidency said: “The payment
of the $496 million for the Super Tucano jets was not ill-
motivated or scandalous as being painted.
“It was effected in the interest of the nation’s security and
not an attempt to undermine the National Assembly in any
form.
“If you go to Section 82 of the 1999 Constitution, it says the
president may authorise withdrawal of money from the
Consolidated Revenue of the Federation for the purpose of
meeting expenditure necessary to carry on the services of
the Government of the Federation for a period not
exceeding six months until the coming into operation of the
Appropriation Act.
“There were also past precedents by some ex-Presidents,
including Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Mallam Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.”
 earlier reported that some Nigerian
senators have on Thursday, April 26, called for
the impeachment of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s for not seeking National Assembly
approval before the withdrawal of the $496
million used for the purchase of aircraft from the
United States.
Senator Matthew Uroghide representing Edo
state, moved the motion, claiming that President
Buhari’s move was a violation of the constitution
and thus, he should face the consequences.

Melaye admitted to Police Medical Center, vows to challenge court ruling

The spokesperson for Senator Dino Melaye, Gideon
Ayodele, has disclosed that his principal is currently
at the Police Medical Center in Lokoja, the Kogi state
capital.
This is following the decision of a magistrates’
court to remand the lawmaker in police custody
for six weeks.
Ayodele said that Melaye’s lawyers would file
fundamental rights enforcement at the Federal
High Court, Lokoja, on Friday, May 4,
challenging the court ruling, Punch reports.

remands him in police custody
The lawmaker’s spokesperson said the lawyers
believed the decision to remand Melaye in police
custody was flawed.
Ayodele noted that the team would spare no
effort in ensuring that Melaye did not spend six
weeks.
He said: “It is important that we approach the Federal
High Court tomorrow morning.”
previously reported that the police
arraigned Melaye before a magistrates court in
Lokoja on Thursday, May 3, on seven counts of
criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of
firearms.

Melaye was conveyed to the state in an
ambulance by the police authorities.
Sulyman Abdullah, a senior magistrate in his
ruling said Melaye should be remanded in police
custody till June 11 but the inspector-general of
police must provide essentials for his health.

Breaking: Court nullifies ruling preventing Kashamu's arrest

An Appeal court has nullified a previous ruling
preventing the arrest of Senator Kashamu
- The senator is wanted in the US for drugs charges


The Appeal Court in Lagos has on Friday, May 5,
nullified a previous ruling by the Federal High
Court preventing the arrest of Senator Buruji
Kashamu, representing Ogun East district, by
Nigerian law enforcement agencies.
Kashamu, wanted in the United States for alleged
drugs charges had earlier secured a ruling
preventing his arrest.
Premium Times reports that the appeal court
panel led by Yargata Nimpar overturned the
ruling which was delivered by Okon Abang of the
Federal High Court in 2015.
.
His statement reads: "My attention has been drawn to
today’s judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos in
an appeal filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation
(AGF) against the judgment delivered by the Federal High
Court, Lagos, in my favour in a fundamental human rights
enforcement suit.
"Let me state from the outset that contrary to the wrong
impression being created by a section of the media, there
isn’t any extradition matter against me in any court in
Nigeria or abroad. The illegal move surreptitiously
introduced by the powers-that-beafter the 2015 abduction
plot was exposed has been dismissed. That was in Suit No.
FHC/ABJ/CS/479/2015. The suit was dismissed on the 1st of
July, 2015, for being an abuse of court process. Anything to
the contrary is sheer mischief and over sensationalism by
some reporters."
 previously reported that
Kashamu, has warned members of the Peoples
Democratic Party not to support the ambition of
Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose, for 2019
presidential election. Kashamu said Fayose will
not get close to the party's presidency in 2019.
In a statement released on Tuesday, February 6,
the senator berated Fayose for positioning
himself as a vice-presidential candidate.

Saudi Arabia agrees with Vatican to build churches

Top Islamic nation, Saudi Arabia has agreed to build
churches for her Christian citizens
- To this end, an agreement was signed by the
secretary general of the Muslim World League and
president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious
Dialogue
- The Muslim country's new found openness with the
non-Muslim world is said to be as a result of her
desire to reduce dependency on oil resources which is
its major economic driver
Saudi Arabia has reportedly entered into a joint
agreement with the Vatican to build churches for
Christians living in the officially Muslim nation,
Breitbart reports.
Reports says the agreement was signed by Sheikh
Mohammed bin Abdel Karim Al-Issa, the
secretary general of the Muslim World League
and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the
Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue in
the Vatican.

Breitbart, quoting Egypt Independent newspaper
reports that Saudi Arabia’s newfound openness
to and socio-cultural cooperation with the non-
Muslim world was as a result of her desire to
reduce dependency on oil resources which is its
major economic driver.
According to the agreement, a coordinating joint
committee will be established comprising two
representatives for both sides to organize future
meetings.
It was also reported that the meeting of the
committee will be held once every and will be
alternated between Rome and a city chosen by
the Islamic World League.
Reports also says Saudi Arabia is the only
country in the region without a single Christian
church.
The country was also said to have embraced
Islamic Wahhabism, which bans all forms of
non-Muslim religious activities.
Tauran, in an interview with the Vatican News
newspaper was quoted to have said that he was
pleased by what he described as ‘the beginning
of the rapprochement’.
“It is a sign that the Saudi authorities are now ready to give
a new image to the country,” he added.
 had reported that the
Deeper Life Christian Church had completed its
main auditorium located at the church’s
headquarters in Gbagada area of Lagos state and
it is valued at over N5 billion (about $16
million).
The 30,000 capacity church project which had
gone on for about 13 years is said to be the
fourth largest completed church auditorium in
the world.

El-Rufai blasts Kaduna senators over $350m World Bank loan

Governor Nasir El-Rufai takes a swipe at the three
senators representing Kaduna state at the National
Assembly (NASS)
- The Kaduna state governor described the senators as
enemies of the state’s progress and democracy
- The three senators namely Suleiman Othman
Hunkuyi , Shehu Sani and Danjuma Laah were
unanimous in their rejection of the loan for the state
Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Friday,
May 4, said the three senators representing his
state are ignorant of the real indices of
development and progress in a democratic
setting, describing the lawmakers as the enemies
of democracy, The Cable reports.
 gathered that the governor said this at
the Kaduna Township Stadium, weeks after the
senators — Shehu Sani (Kaduna central),
Sulieman Hukunyi (Kaduna north), and Danjuma
Leah (Kaduna south) blocked a $350 million loan
request by the Kaduna government.
The state had sought to get the facility from the
World Bank but the federal lawmakers said the
loan would erode the economic viability of
Kaduna.

El-Rufai who spoke in Hausa, told the thousands
of people that the senators conspired to stop his
government from obtaining the loan to build
infrastructure and develop the state.
The governor said the action showed that they
were irresponsible and asked the people not to
allow “opportunists” like them to remain in the
national assembly, adding that
He described their stay in the upper legislative
chamber as a bad omen, saying they were also
targeting President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The senators from the state who worked against the
World Bank loan are useless; they came out and said this
loan should not be given. What is their reason for rejecting
the loan? It is because they are haters of the masses in
Kaduna state.
“If a road project is initiated in your town, they don’t want
it to be completed. If we start renovating a hospital, they
don’t want it to be completed. If five schools are renovated
and 10 are remaining, they will not want the remaining 10
to be renovated.
“Today, there are no haters of the masses of Kaduna state
like Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi and Danjuma Laah, God
will curse them. God will reward their wickedness against
the masses, may God never bless them. All members of the
house of representatives from this state, God bless them,
may God return them to their seats in 2019.
“Members of our state assembly who gave us their
cooperation before the World Bank approved the loan to us,
may God bless them and may God return them to their
seats in 2019. But those ones that are cursed, if they come
to Kaduna, shave their heads and beard. They have shown
that they are bastards, they have no origin, therefore, it is
important to tell them that they did not originate from this
state.
“If the time for election comes, answer them with votes,
show them that you don’t like them… Let them go back to
where they come from. Let them go to the people they are
working for to vote for them.
“I want my people to comprehend the simple logic that the
three senators representing my state at the senate are
starkly ignorant of the real indices of development and
progress in a democratic setting,” he said.
“Their major concern is to amass money at the expense of
their people. The electorate are at liberty to call their buff,
and this is the right time.
“I really commend all our legislators serving satisfactorily
at the house of representatives and equally thank all the
legislators at the state assembly for their absolute
commitment and sacrifice. I believe that with the confidence
of the electorate they are earning, they are poised to
surmount every obstacle,” he said.

previously reported that Senator
Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC Kaduna North) on
Sunday, April 29, escaped being killed by thugs
during a political gathering of stakeholders and
leaders of the ruling All Progressive Congress
(APC) he convened in Kaduna.
Hunkuyi had convened the meeting to sensitise
party supporters to resist an alleged plan to
impose candidates on them during the APC
Congresses scheduled from May 5.
However, thugs stormed the venue of the
meeting at ENDwell Hotel in the city center,
brandishing all kind of weapons and throwing
stones on the supporters chanting “Kaduna sai
Uba Sani, Kaduna Sai El-Rufai in 2019.”

There is no president in Nigeria that has ever managed the economy like Buhari - Gov Ajimobi

Ajimobi of Oyo state for his integrity
- According to the governor, Nigeria is lucky to have a
president like Buhari
- Describing the APC as the greatest party in Africa, he
promised that the congress committee would not be
influenced
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has stated
that no other president in the country has
managed the nation’s economy better than
President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor spoke in Ibadan on Friday evening,
May 4, while receiving members of the National
Congress Committee of APC at the Government
House.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the
committee led by Alhaji Musa Aliyu were in the
state for the ward congress of the APC scheduled
to hold on Saturday.
“ I read Economics and Finance, and there is no economic
theory that we have not read. The most important part of
all the economic theory is leadership.
“And Nigeria is lucky to have that leadership. There is no
president in Nigeria that has ever managed the economy
like Buhari ,” he said.

Ajimobi, who described the APC as the greatest
party in Africa, said Buhari was the most
credible president that Nigeria has ever
produced.
“ I was in one of Buhari’s delegation to London and when
he was asked to speak he said ‘I have no money to
distribute. All I have been selling is my integrity ’,” he
said.
The governor said that Buhari has been able to
maintain that integrity till date.
“ Politics is just a game that if God plays it, some people
will abuse Him no matter the performance. I use to tell the
president anytime I meet him not to worry people are
abusing him.
“I told him that people abused Prophet Muhammed and
Jesus Christ, who are godsend not to talk of us ordinary
human beings. That is why God has created the world a
binary one ,” he said.
Ajimobi promised that the congress committee
would not be influenced, assuring them of their
support.
Earlier, Aliyu said the committee was in Ibadan
on a national assignment of the party, which he
said the committee would do satisfactorily.
He said that the party was known for internal
democracy, adding such was the cardinal
principle preached by Buhari, the leader of the
party.
“ We intend to work closely with the local chapters in
achieving the desired success, so that the party will come
out strongly,” he said.

NAN reports that on the committee were Hon
Usman Ibrahim, Hon Mohammed Ibrahim, Hadjia
Halima Jabiru and Fola Olasehinde.
Also in attendance were Chief Akin Oke, Oyo
state APC chairman and some House of
Representative members from Oyo state.
The ruling party fixed Saturday, May 5, for the
ward congress while it fixed the local
government area (LGA) and state congresses for
May 12 and May 19 respectively.
 earlier reported that President Buhari
on Friday, May 4, arrived his country home ,
Daura to participate in the party's ward congress
at Sarkin Yara A ward slated for Saturday, May
5. Sarkin Yara A consists of 15 polling stations
and 26 party executives.
The presidential jet conveying him touched down
at Umaru Musa Ya’Adua Airport, Katsina state at
exactly 4:28 pm and shortly after, President
Buhari was conveyed in a police chopper to
Daura.