FG sets 2019 as deadline for teachers’ qualification - Minister Adamu

The minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu,
says unqualified teachers would have negative impact
on the performance of students


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- He says it is embarrassment that there are many
qualified people without jobs while jobs are given to
people who are not qualified
- Governor Ayo Fayose promotes 45,000 workers
The minister of education, Malam Adamu
Adamu, has urged teachers to ensure they were
qualified, licensed and registered before 2019 or
be flushed out of the classrooms.
Adamu gave the warning while monitoring the
2018 Batch A teacher Professional Qualifying
Examination (PQE) in Abuja on Saturday, June 9.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that
the no fewer than 22,000 would-be teachers sat
for the Computer Based Teachers PQE nationwide
which held from June 7 to 9.


Adamu, represented by Sonny Echono, the
permanent secretary, stressed that if teachers
were not qualified and properly equipped, the
products who are the students would also fall
short and ultimately the country will suffer.
“The person at the centre of it all is the teacher, not the
pupils and if the teachers are not qualified and properly
equipped then how can they give our children the best.
“So as a government we are insisting that we must raise the
standards; we must become like other countries of the
world.
“We have set a deadline for ourselves and we are going to
enforce it.
“If by 2019 you are not a qualified, certified and registered
teacher, you will be removed from our classrooms and we
will give the job to those who are qualified.
“It is an embarrassment to us that we have so many
qualified people without job and we are given the job to
people who are not qualified. It is insane.
”In the past, we did not have the right numbers, so we
appreciate that those not qualified helped us to meet that
shortfall, that is why we have given this time of grace, ” he
said.
He urged the teachers to continue to improve
themselves while their employers would do their
part to continue to train an retrain them.
The minister noted that some people were
opposing the use of computer based test, which
he said was not going to be scrapped.
According to him, all over the world, even
primary school pupils are using tablets and
devices.
Adamu said that the world was not going to wait
for Nigeria, calling on everyone to be vanguards
of upgrading the standards in our schools.
He said that there were some logistics
problems during the exercise, however, the
officials had been able to overcome them.
“We are overwhelmed by the number of teachers writing
the examination, which is a good problem to have.


“If we need to do a third diet, we will to it to accommodate
everybody,” he said.
Prof Josiah Ajiboye, registrar, Teachers
Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), said that
the examination was written in 42 centres across
the 36 states of the federation and the FCT
simultaneously.
Ajiboye, however, said that some states started
the examination on Thursday, June 7, due to the
number of candidates in those states sitting for
the examination.
He listed the states include Bauchi, Enugu,
Kaduna, Kano and Taraba.
”In Kaduna state, we have about 6,000 candidates, in Kano
about 2,000 candidates, in Enugu 3,600, and Taraba about
2,000 candidates.
“The examination will last for 60 minutes to answer 60
questions.
“We have been getting situation reports from the states
that all is moving smoothly."
Ajiboye said that the CBT exam was set based on
the different qualification of the teachers, which
include NCE, degree, masters and PhD holders.
He stressed that by 2019 any teacher who was
found in the classrooms not qualified, licensed
and registered by TRCN would be flushed out.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti state Head of Service,
(HOS), Gbenga Faseluka, has been given one
week to distribute promotion letters to the over
45,000 civil servants who recently sat for
qualifying interview and passed.
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti gave the one-week
ultimatum on Saturday, June 9, to Faseluka in
Ado Ekiti.
He also said that his administration was set to
fulfil an earlier promise of employing over 2,000
new hands into the state public service.

Nigerian pastor arrested for tearing and burning Quran in Kogi

A Nigerian pastor and his accomplice have landed in
trouble after they were reportedly caught destroying
a Quran in Ankpa, Kogi state.
The pastor who is yet-to-be identified and his
accomplice were caught red-handed tearing and
burning the Quran near the town’s central
mosque on Friday, May 8.
Their action made some residents apprehend and
beat them up and they almost got served with
jungle justice, but for the timely arrival of the
police. They were later dragged to the palace of
the King of Ankpa before being transferred to
Lokoja, the state capital.

The pastor and his accomplice: Photo credit: Gossipmill
As at the time of filling this report, the reason for
their action is yet to be ascertained.


In his testimony, the man mentioned that his
father is a district superintendent of a church in
Abuja which name he refused to mention for
security reasons. He also claimed that the former
governor of Ebonyi state, Dr Sam Egwu, is his
uncle.


As seen in the video which circulated on social
media, the man is vast in the Arabic recitations
and is captured bowing down in the video,
saying Allah is the greatest.

Recognition accorded to MKO Abiola and the June 12 struggle is long overdue - Shehu Sani

The senator representing Kaduna-central, Shehu Sani
lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring
the honour of the Grand Commander of the Federal
Republic (GCFR) on late MKO Abiola
- The APC senator also criticised some names that
made it to the list of persons invited to late MKO
Abiola’s GCFR inauguration
- Sani pointed out that most of the invitees betrayed
Abiola in the course of June 12 battle
Senator Shehu Sani, on Saturday, June 9, praised
President Muhammadu Buhari for conferring the
honour of the Grand Commander of the Federal
Republic (GCFR) on late MKO Abiola, presumed
winner of the June 12, 1993 election, The Cable
reports
NAIJ.com gathered that the senator representing
Kaduna-central, in reaction to the news said
Buhari had done “what many of his predecessors
failed to do.”
However, he, added that the timing of the award
gives room for concerns that the move has a
political undertone.


Sani also faulted some names that made it to the
list of persons invited by the president to
Abiola’s GCFR inauguration.
He said: “The recognition accorded to Chief MKO Abiola
and the June 12 struggle by the PMB administration is
commendable. It’s long overdue. PMB has done what many
of his predecessors failed to do.”
“However, the timing of the recognition in an election year
raised issues that the recognition was not without motive. It
is a Golden box of honour containing a note of electoral
expectation from the South west.
“Honoring June 12 is appreciated but exploiting Abiola’s
name for 2019 election will splash oil on the pearl.
“Some of those invited and honored by the villa in the name
Abiola or June 12 were people who betrayed Abiola and
abandoned the struggle even when chief MKO was alive,
others even disowned, condemned and denied him in his
hours of need. There are judases of June 12 now honoured
in the name of Abiola”.
The Kaduna state noted the recognition of the
democracy heroes was not enough, adding that
the government must live up to the ideals of the
honourees.
Sani also said the south-west should not base
their votes for Buhari in 2019 on the honour the
president granted Abiola.
“The greatest honour the government can do to the spirit of
June 12 is to habitually respect the rights of Nigerians to
differ and to dissent without persecution, obey court orders
and prosecute the war against corruption without
discrimination,” he said.
“Honoring democracy heroes will make no meaning if we
don’t live up to the principles and noble ideals they were
identified with and upon which they lived and sacrificed
their lives for.
“Honoring Chief MKO Abiola and the June 12 struggle
shouldn’t be the only reason the south west or any other
part of Nigeria should re elect the Present Government; the
government must strive hard to end the mindless bloodshed
and violence in the country and must respect the rule of law
and rid itself of budding autocratic tendencies.


“There is the need for the National Democratic Coallition,
NADECO to reconvene immediately to guide the President
and the Parliament on how best to honour the June 12
struggle, to avoid the coronation of traitors along with
heroes,” he added.

previously reported that the federal
government announced modalities for the
conferment of national honours on late
multibillionaire businessman and politician,
Moshood Abiola; late prominent lawyer, Gani
Fawehinmi and politician, Babagana Kingibe.
The presidency disclosed this in a statement
signed by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the
government of the federation on Friday, June 8.

FG denies witch-hunting past leaders

The federal government has denied alleged plot to
frame and jail former President Olusegun Obasanjo
- The federal government said the Muhammadu
Buhari's administration is too busy to be witch-
hunting past leaders
The federal government of Nigeria has denied
the allegation by former President Olusegun
Obasanjo that the administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari is plotting to frame him and
have him locked up in jail.
The minister of information and culture, Lai
Mohammed, in a statement issued on Friday,
June 8, said the Buhari administration is too
busy clearing up the mess of the past leaders and
has no plan to witch-hunt anybody, Tribune
reports.
Mohammed said: ”This administration will never
engage in a frame-up of innocent citizens. That is neither in
the character of President Muhammadu Buhari nor in that
of his administration. Only the guilty should be worried. To
paraphrase an African proverb, a man who has no wife
cannot lose an inlaw to the cold hands of death.

”The administration is also strongly committed to the tenets
of democracy, including freedom of speech and the right to
dissent. But we understand that those who, in their time,
were untethered to those principles would find it hard to
believe."
The minister also said he was curious that the
allegation of witchunting is coming barely a day
after President Buhari declared June 12 a
Democracy Day.
He said: "Apparently, the impact of this proclamation
was too much to bear by those who, through acts of
omission or commission, helped to deepen the wounds
inflicted by the blow of injustice that followed an election
that was widely acclaimed to be free, fair and credible,
hence they felt the need for a red herring that will distract
the nation.
"Added to that is the frustration brought about by the fact
that the contraption they have so much hyped as a freeway
to power has failed to gain traction. Faced with this double
tragedy, even the strongest of men may begin to succumb to
a figment of their imagination. They may start crying wolf
where there is none."

Meanwhile, former vice president, Atiku
Abubakar has reacted to the allegation by former
president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Atiku, in a statement released on Friday, June 8,
said such actions would only aggravate the
already heated polity in the land and urged
President Buhari to call the security agencies to
order.

Atiku warns Buhari against arresting Obasanjo

Atiku Abubakar has warned President Muhammadu
Buhari against arresting Olusegun Obasanjo
- Atiku claimed such steps would only aggravate the
already over heated polity
- He urged the president to call the security agencies
to order in order to douse the tension in the land
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has
reacted to the allegation by former president,
Olusegun Obasanjo, that the administration of
Muhammadu Buhari is plotting to frame him up
and lock him in jail for a long time.
Atiku, in a statement released on Friday, June 8,
said such actions would only aggravate the
already heated polity in the land and urged
President Buhari to call the security agencies to
order, Vanguard reports.
The statement reads: "I have received with serious
concern the purported alert raised by former President
Olusegun Obasanjo of an alleged plot by the government to
arrest him on trumped up charges.


"I am disturbed by this turn of events in our dear country
considering the huge price that was paid for us to have
democracy. I wish to advice that government and its agents
should retrace their steps to avoid aggravating the already
over heated polity.
"The alert by President Obasanjo is coming against the
backdrop of earlier alerts by some leaders, especially those
of the opposition of deliberate and orchestrated attempt to
intimidate and frame them up.
"I wish to state without equivocation that President
Obasanjo is a historical figure in Nigeria’s democracy and
that the primary purpose of government is to provide
security of lives and property of all citizens and residents
irrespective of their status, political affiliation, religious
inclination and ethnic leanings.
"Our nation has lost so much precious lives and property
that we can no longer afford to travel that road again.
"I wish to appeal to President Buhari to call the security
agencies to order in order to douse the tension in the land."

Recall that adegokblog.com earlier reported that former
president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that
there is a plot by the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration to detain him indefinitely
based on false charges.
Obasanjo in a statement by his media aide,
Kehinde Akinyemi, on Friday, June 8, claimed
that the government was planning to use fake
documents and witnesses against him.
The former president said the plot against him
would unfold in two stages among which is to
cause the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) to reopen investigation into
the activities of his administration.

Buhari reveals why he stopped Femi Adesina from replying Obasanjo's letter

President Muhammadu Buhari said he stopped his
spokesperson Femi Adesina from replying a letter
written by Olusegun Obasanjo to criticize the
government
- The president said the minister of information and
culture, Lai Mohammed, disobeyed him to reply the
same letter
- He added that the minister, however, did a good job
in his reply to the former president
President Muhammadu Buhari says he stopped
his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi
Adesina from replying former President
Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter against his
administration because of Adesina’s age.
The president explained the reasons when
members of Buhari Support Organisation visited
him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday
night.
Buhari explained further that the second reason
why he deemed right not to reply the letter was
that he and the former president were from the
same (military) constituency.
He, however, noted that Minister of Information
and Culture Lai Mohammed, who “disobeyed’’
him not to reply the letter, did a good job.
He observed that the reply by the minister
showed Nigerians the realities on ground when
the present administration assumed office in
2015 and its ongoing efforts to revive the
inherited damaged economy.
“I really appreciate how you choose this time during
Ramadan to come from across the country to see and
congratulate me for what we were able to do.

“We were constraint to explain our position when the
former head of state wrote a letter; Adesina was agitated
and wanted to immediately reply; I stopped him for two
reasons; first, he was much younger than me and Gen.
Obasanjo.
“Secondly, I am from the same constituent with Gen.
Obasanjo; so, I wouldn’t know how it will affect him if I
allow him to go wild or to go public, but when Lai
Mohammed came, I said he shouldn’t and he insisted. He
disobeyed me.
“He said I must allow him to talk; then, of course, being a
professionally information person, I listened to him and
asked him what are going to say.
“He said he was going to remind Nigerians where we found
ourselves when we came in as a government, where we are
now, what we have done in between with the resources
available to us.
“And I understand he did a good job because a number of
people rang me and said Lai Mohammed has done a good
job because I went public in several times.
“I said it is on record and I challenged anybody to check
from Europe, United States and Asia that between 1999 and
2014 the 16 years of previous administration there was an
average of 2.1 million per day of crude oil at the average
cost of 100 dollars per barrel,’’ he said.
The president said that he deliberately refused to
replace the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria
when his administration took over the mantle of
leadership of the country because he wanted to
give him the opportunity to salvage the economy
from its terrible condition.
Buhari, who thanked his teachers during his
primary school days for their efforts to inculcate
good morale to him and his mates, stated that
his administration would continue to invest
heavily in education to correct social ills in the
society.
He said further that his administration had
resolved to put money in the area of
infrastructural development to address
infrastructural deficits and subsequently ensure
speedy socio-economic transformation of the
country.
“It is now that we are struggling to put the structure on the
ground — the roads — to revive the rail and do the
standard gauge and try to spend objectively on power.
“If we put money in infrastructure, it will create
employment opportunities and then Nigerians will mind
their own businesses, they wouldn’t even mind what the
government is doing once the infrastructure is there,’’ he
said.
The president, therefore, reassured Nigerians
that his administration would continue to spend
more funds to upgrade the nation’s
infrastructural facilities.
He said that the government had also expended
more than N1.3 trillion on capital projects across
the country.
According to him, the government will continue
to ensure financial discipline, accountability and
effective supervision of government spending to
have solid infrastructure to enable the youth to
achieve their missions and objectives in life.


He thanked the members of the organisation for
their support and sacrifices, noting that none of
them had ever made any specific demand from
him.
In his remarks, the leader of the organisation,
Sen. Abba Ali, who narrated the achievements of
the Buhari administration in the last three years,
said they were on solidarity visit to the president
to further reassure him of their support.
He said that the organisation had established
offices in all the 36 states and 774 local
government areas of the country, while efforts
were being made to ensure the re-election of the
president in 2019.
Mrs Paulina Tallen, a member of the Board of
Trustees of the organisation, who spoke at the
event, assured the president that women would
massively vote for him and other candidates of
the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 general
elections.
She, nonetheless, called on the president to bring
more qualified women politicians and
professionals in government to address the
perceived marginalisation of women by APC-led
administration in the country.
Adegokblog .com earlier reported that former president,
Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that there is a
plot by the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration to detain him indefinitely based
on false charges.
Obasanjo in a statement by his media aide,
Kehinde Akinyemi, on Friday, June 8, claimed
that the government was planning to use fake
documents and witnesses against him.

Submit yourself for probe - Fayose tells Obasanjo

Ayodele Fayose says Obasanjo can dismiss the
allegations against him by proving his innocence
- The governor says the former president gave the
impression that he is a brave man who is not afraid of
anything
- Atiku warns Buhari against arresting Obasanjo
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has called
on former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, to
submit himself for probe by the President
Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, June 9,
Fayose said the former president cannot make
his predicament a Yoruba issue and should prove
his innocence if accused of corrupt practices.
He advised Obasanjo to dismiss the allegations
against him by proving his innocence.


The governor stated that Obasanjo’s travails
were a welcome development now that he was
being dealt with by the Buhari administration he
supported during the 2015 general elections.
“ To me, former President Obasanjo should submit himself
for probe and trial. He gave us the impression that he is a
brave man who is not afraid of anything. He is a retired
general in the army who has seen a lot and should not be
raising alarms now," he said in a statement by his
chief press secretary, Idowu Adelusi.
Fayose stated that the former president had
described Buhari as the best man for Nigeria
while promoting him for the 2015 general
elections.
“In his book ‘Under My Watch’, Obasanjo said he prefers to
be jailed by Buhari rather than former President Goodluck
Jonathan being reelected into office. Now prison is
beckoning on him and he wants to dodge. He set up the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) and among others.
“Obasanjo even used those bodies to hound and lock up
many people including state governors, why is he now
afraid of being probed. Let him tell Nigerians how he made
his money. People can recollect the level he was before he
became president and how he left office.
“If Buhari is now telling the whole world that Obasanjo
stole money, it is incumbent on Obasanjo to prove his
innocence.

“Moreover, Obasanjo should stop giving the impression that
he is the leader of the Yoruba people. He is not. We have
more eminent people who qualify to be our leaders. And he
should also not try and sell any dummy that his travails are
that of Yoruba people. I have been tried a number of times
by the EFCC and faced the challenges as a man. He should
also do so."
Fayose said the whole scenario was laughable,
adding that he never knew Obasanjo could cry
out and act like a woman.
“In fact, I am laughing at the whole scenario. That
Obasanjo could cry out. I don’t know he can act like a
woman. It is amazing that he is behaving this way. If he has
anything to clarify, let him do that,” he said.
The governor noted that it was unfortunate that
some people failed to heed his admonition that
whoever brings and rides a tiger may end up in
its belly.
Meanwhile, former vice president, Atiku
Abubakar has reacted to the allegation by former
president, Olusegun Obasanjo, that the
administration of Muhammadu Buhari is plotting
to frame him up and lock him in jail for a long
time.
Atiku, in a statement released on Friday, June 8,
said such actions would only aggravate the
already heated polity in the land and urged
President Buhari to call the security agencies to
order.
He said the alert by Obasanjo was coming
against the backdrop of earlier alerts by some
leaders, especially those of the opposition on
deliberate and orchestrated attempt to intimidate
and frame them up.

Ex-wife of Mohammed Babangida sends emotional message to daughter separated from her

Rahma Indimi who was formerly married to
Mohammed Babangida shared a bit of her pain on
social media recently
- The heart-broken mother penned down an emotional
birthday message to her daughter who was separated
from her after her marriage crashed
- In the message she mentioned how she is still fighting
to gain custody of her two children
Rahma Indimi has kept the reason for the
separation from her estranged husband,
Mohammed Babangida, under wraps for a long
time. The pretty mother of four only got two of
her kids after a solid custody battle orchestrated
by her former husband.


As a heart-broken mother who hasn't seen two of
her kids in almost a year, she regrets being
absent as one of her children in the custody of
her ex-husband turns a new age.
Women are said to share a special bond with
their children, Rahma shared a bit of her pain on
social media through a heart-wrenching birthday
message to her baby girl.

Rahma and her beautiful daughter she hasn't seen in a year


In her post, she revealed she hasn't seen her
daughter in almost a year. She wished her a
happy birthday but also reminded her she won't
stop fighting for her.

MR President young daughter

This is the pics of young daughter of Mr President of the fedral republic of Nigeria
Miss Hanan is the young and beautiful girl she is

The talented photographer has a good eye for
beauty in its simplest and purest form. When she
is not taking pictures of family and friends, at

summer time, she enjoys horse riding with her
brother. She is a devoted Muslim, passionate
about Allah and a football fan.

The reserved beauty turned a year older
recently, and family and friends were present to

celebrate with her. To honour her, we couldn't
resist sharing some more of her lovely pictures.

Impeachment threat: NASS is engaging in ‘hungry throat politics’ - Auchi chief

Alhaji Usman Abudah, the Dan’iya of Auchi kingdom,
has said that NASS’ impeachment threat against Buhari
is nothing short of hungry throat politics
- He also chided the lawmakers for their stance
towards the president’s purchase of 12 Tucano
aircraft; asking them if they wanted Buhari to pick up
his uniform and march into war
- According to Abudah, appearing in well-starched
outfits is not a sincere demonstration of showing
concern for the safety of the nation
The Dan’iya of Auchi kingdom, Edo state, Alhaji
Usman Abudah, has described the National
Assembly’s impeachment threat against
President Muhammadu Buhari as an act of
“hungry throat politics”.
In a chat with newsmen in Benin, Abudah said
the resolution was a “package of idle
representatives of the Nigerian citizenry,” The
Nation reports.
NAIJ.com gathers that he said the lawmakers had
exposed their nonchalant attitude towards the
welfare of Nigerians, by their disposition towards
the purchase of 12 Tucano aircraft to enable the
Nigerian military fight the Boko Haram
insurgency.


He stated: “Mr President is supervising all the security
agencies involved in the war against Boko Haram and is
providing the needed weaponry. One is at a loss as to what
the legislators want Mr President to do - to go and pick up
his soldiering uniforms and march to war?
“I want to believe that our politicians should realize their
functions and those of the commander in-chief, pertaining
to the safety of this nation. Were it in developed countries,
the Senate president ought to have stepped down from his
position until the cases he is being tried for are concluded.
“While I am not advocating for sanity to be put into place
through military coup, I responsibly request our elected
representatives to behave by not threatening President
Muhammadu Buhari with impeachment even when
themselves are not behaving better.
“Intimidating President Buhari with those resolutions is
nothing short of hungry throat politics. Appearing in well-
starched outfits is not a sincere demonstration of showing
concern for the safety of the nation."

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that the
National Assembly was lauded by the Oodua
People’s Congress (OPC) , for its joint resolution
on Tuesday, June 5, to sanction President
Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement, the group’s founder, Frederick
Fasehun said the move was a commendable step
to protect Nigeria’s democracy and check it’s
slide into totalitarianism. He added that it was
long overdue.

Senators erupt in laughter as ‘transmission’ is mentioned in Buhari’s letter

A letter from President Muhammadu Buhari which
was read during the Senate’s plenary on Wednesday,
June 6, led to mild drama in the red chamber.
The letter on an executive bill, which was read
out by Senate president Bukola Saraki evoked
laughter from senators because of the mention of
“transmission” in its title, Punch reports.

adegokblog .com gathers that it was titled, Transmission
of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin
Production Sharing Contracts Amendment Bill
2018.
Upon reading the title, the Senate president also
burst into laughter, before saying, “ let me start
again .”
The president’s letter read: “I forward herewith a
draft Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing
Contracts Amendment Bill 2018 for the kind consideration
and passage by the Senate of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, while hoping that the bill will receive the usual
expeditious consideration and passage by the distinguished
Senate.”


Recall that adegokblog.com previously reported that a
video of the inspector-general of Police, Ibrahim
Idris, purportedly struggling to read, surfaced
online.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday,
May 14, when the Police chief visited Kano to
commission the Police Technical Intelligenc

Buhari is plotting to arrest me on false charges - Obasanjo alleges

Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged
that there is a plot by the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration to detain him indefinitely based
on false charges.
Premium Times reports that Obasanjo in a
statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi,
on Friday, June 8, claimed that the government
was planning to use fake documents and
witnesses against him.
The former president said the plot against him
would unfold in two stages among which is to
cause the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) to reopen investigation into
the activities of his administration.
He alleged that the Buhari administration was
also planning to use fake documents and
witnesses against him.


Obasanjo linked the alleged plot against him to
the re-enactment of the Abacha era in which he
was detained on false charges.
He claimed that he had been informed that his
name was on the government’s watch list, and
that the security of his life cannot be guaranteed.
The former president, however, stated no
amount of campaign of calumny or orchestrated
plot against him would deter him from speaking
out.
The statement reads: " Since Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
declared in his State-of-the-Nation Special Statement on
January 23, 2018, the desperation to frustrate, intimidate
and blackmail him into abandoning his divine mandate to
protect the rights of the people to better life and living
continued unabated and has even taken a bizarre dimension
‘"Impeccable security sources have alleged Chief Obasanjo’s
name is on their Watch List and that the security of his life
cannot be guaranteed. According to these informants, many
of who are in the top echelon of the Nation’s security
management and close to the corridors of power, the
operatives are daily perfecting how to curtail the personal
liberties of the former President and hang a crime on him’.
"Ordinarily, we would not have dignified these reports with
a response but for the fact that many of these informants
are not known for flippant and frivolous talks. Secondly,
this Government has demonstrably exhibited apathy, and in
some cases, encouraged by its conduct, daily loss of lives
and property in many States of the country, the office
cannot be indifferent.
“We are currently in a nation where the Number Three
citizen is currently being harangued and the Number Four
citizen is facing similar threat within the same Government
they serve. There is a groundswell of our nationals that live
in fear that they could be hounded, harassed, or even killed
as the battle for 2019 takes this worrisome dimension.
“For Chief Obasanjo, this is a joke carried too far and being
someone who do not act on unofficial information, he had
cautioned all informants and adopted a wait-and-see
attitude to the propositions allegedly being contemplated to
cow, cage and embarrass him.
“The content of the alleged beastly designs, it was learnt are
two-fold for now. One, to seize his International Passport
and clamp him into detention indefinitely, in order to
prevent him from further expressing angst on the pervasive
mediocrity in the quality of governance, economic
management and in the protection of lives and property by
the Government.
“But, since that could expose the Government to a swath of
international condemnation, embarrassment and outrage, it
is said that another plot being hatched is to cause the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-
open investigation into the activities of Chief Obasanjo’s
administration using false witnesses and documents. This
will be a re-enactment of the Abacha era in which Chief
Obasanjo was one of the principal victims’.


‘The same EFCC that had conducted a clinical investigation
on the activities of Obasanjo in and out of Government, it
was said, would now be made to stand down the existing
report that gave Chief Obasanjo a clean bill of health on the
probes are now to get him indicted, fair or foul for possible
prosecution and persecution like it is being done to real and
perceived opponents, enemies and critics of this
Government’.
"Dissent is a fundamental principle on which liberal
democracy is predicated. A true democrat must be ready to
live with and accommodate dissent and opposition. While it
is regrettable how the Government has sunk in its
shameless desperation to cow opposition, a resort to
blackmail, despotism and Gestapo-tactics being employed
by the goons of this Government would not hold water. And
no government ever remains in power forever.
"For the record, Chief Obasanjo reiterates his readiness to
face probe again after that of the House of Representatives,
the Senate, the ICPC, and the EFCC, but before an
independent, objective and credible panel of enquiry to
account for his stewardship in Government and beyond’.
"Chief Obasanjo reiterates that he has taken a principled
position to ensure that the ship of the Nigerian State does
not capsize and he remains steadfast in his resolve to turn
the tide of maladministration, poor economic management
and rudderless governance model that has tore Nigerians
apart on account of religion and ethnicity which is a great
threat to our democracy’.
"We would like the Government and its supporters to
understand that no amount of campaign of calumny, no
matter how well contrived, orchestrated or marketed would
deter Chief Obasanjo from calling a spade by its name. Chief
Obasanjo is a patriot whose sole agenda is to ensure that
the country’s unity, progress and democracy are not
negotiated on the altar of incompetence and provincialism
and mediocrity.
"It is important to point out that Chief Obasanjo is one
former President and Head of State who has engaged the
current administration privately and in a bilateral manner
on several issues of direct interest to the government and
other matters of national concern. That channel of private
engagement remains open and continues.
"However, should there be the need for public engagement,
the right to free speech will always be exercised and
jealously guarded, again in the best interest of Nigeria and
the government.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari’s
personal assistant on social media, Lauretta
Onochie, has mocked former president, Olusegun
Obasanjo, sequel to the presidential honour
conferred on late MKO Abiola.
Onochie in a tweet on Thursday, June 7, pictured
Obasanjo writing another letter to the president
following the honour bestowed on MKO Abiola.
The former president has been criticised for
failing to honour late Chief Moshood Kashimawo
Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12,
1993, presidential election in Nigeria.
However, President Buhari took Nigerians by
surprise when he declared that June 12 be
observed as Democracy Day in Nigeria as against
May 29.

NASS lacks power to pass vote of no confidence - AGF Malami

Abubakar Malami said the National Assembly has no
power to pass vote of no confidence on IGP Ibrahim
Idris
- Malami said the fundamental functions of the
legislature is lawmaking
- The Senate spokesperson has however disagreed
with Malami
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)
and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami has
said the National Assembly does not have the
legal power to pass a vote of no confidence on
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
Malami made the statement while speaking on a
programme on Channels TV on June 6.
He said: “Within the purview of the constitution, if you
look at Section 4 of the constitution alongside Section 88 of
the constitution, I think the fundamental functions of the
legislature is lawmaking within the context and spirit of
Section 4 of the constitution and two, is oversight.

"The oversight function is not open-ended in all sincerity.
Within the context of the workings of the ministries,
departments and agencies, the major responsibility of the
National Assembly is exposing corruption. That is the
bottom line.
“I cannot in all sincerity come to terms with the reality of
the declaration of the vote of no confidence against the IG,
to situate it within the context of the lawmaking
responsibility of the national assembly and within the
context of exposing corruption.”
Disagreeing with the minister of justice, the
spokesperson of the Nigerian Senate, Senator
Gabi Abdullahi, said the Senate can contribute to
other things apart from corruption.
Abdullahi said: “I don’t agree with that (Malami’s
position) because that section says inefficiency or waste in
the execution or administration of laws within its legislative
competence and in the disbursement or administration of
funds appropriated by it. So, it is not just the issue of
corruption itself."

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com earlier reported that in
reaction to the supposed misconception that the
National Assembly moved to impeach President
Muhammadu Buhari, the minister of information
and culture has said that the House's issuance of
a 12-point application meant no threat to the
presidency.
Mohammed's clarification came after lawmaker
alleged that signatures were being collated for
the president's immediate impeachment.

President Buhari grants financial autonomy to state judiciary and Houses of Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a total of
four bills into law as part of the amendments of the
1999 Constitution
- One of the bill signed by the president grants
financial autonomy to state judiciaries and Houses of
Assembly
- Another bill stops a vice president who completes
the term of a president from contesting for the office
of the president more than once
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, June 8,
signed into law the Constitution 4th Alteration
Bill that grants financial autonomy and
independence to state House of Assembly and to
the judiciary of the respective states.
The president signed a total of four bills into law
as part of the amendments of the 1999
Constitution.
NAIJ.com gathered that the senior special
assistant on National Assembly matters (Senate),
Ita Enang, said: “I just want to inform you that His
Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari today (Friday)
assented to the Constitution Fourth Alteration Bill which
grants financial autonomy and independence to the Houses
of Assembly of the respective states and to the Judiciary of
the respective states.


“The amount due to the judiciary is now to be paid directly
to the judiciary of those states, no more through the
governors.
“And the amount standing in the credit of the State houses
of Assembly in the respective states are now to be paid
directly to the houses of Assembly of that State for the
benefit of the legislators and the management of the State
houses of Assembly.
“Another Act which has come into force today is
Constitution Amendment 21 which relates to the
determination of pre-elections matters. It has reduced the
date and time of determining pre-election matters to ensure
that the pre-election matters in court do not get into the
time of the elections and do not linger thereafter.
“The relevant section of the Constitution has also been
amended by this Act, therefore amending the constitution.
“The other one is Bill 16 which is now an Act. The intent of
that Act is to ensure that where a Vice President succeeds
the President and where a deputy governor succeeds a
governor, he can no more contest for that office more than
one more time.
“The effect is that having taken the oath of President once,
he can only contest one more time and no more. That is the
intent of this amendment.
“The other amendment is Bill 9 now an Act which gives the
Independent National Electoral Commission sufficient time
to conduct by-election. It has increased the time from seven
to 21 days and generally widen the latitude of the INEC to
handle election matters upon vacancy.
“These four bills, added to the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Act,
have now been assented to by the President and have now
become laws.
“The Constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended is hereby
further amended by the assent of the President to these bills
today.”
One of the bills includes an Act that gives the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), sufficient time to conduct bye-elections.
Another bill No 16 which is now an Act, is to
ensure that where a vice president succeeds the
president and where a deputy governor succeeds
a governor, he can no more contest for that
office more than once after the initial tenure.
In a previous report by NAIJ.com , President
Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, January 26,
signed eight bills passed by the National
Assembly into law at a signing ceremony held at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Falana chides Police for ‘illegal’ media parade of suspects

Femi Falana has chided the Police Force for its
practice of parading suspects before the media
- He describes the act as illegal; and noted that only
the poor and the less-privileged are usually victims
- He also lauded the recent abolition of stay of
proceedings in criminal trials, by the Supreme Court
Foremost lawyer and human rights campaigner,
Femi Falana (SAN) has stated that the media
parade of suspects by the Nigerian Police Force is
illegal.
He made the comments at that Civil Society
Roundtable on Administration of Criminal Justice
Act and the Abolition of Stay of Proceedings in
Criminal Trials, which was organised by the
Human and Environmental Development Agenda
(HEDA), Vanguard reports.

adegokblog .com gathers that Falana faulted the practice;
pointing out that it is capable of subverting the
justice system. He also noted that only the poor
and the less-privileged are usually victims of the
‘illegal act’.
He stated: “You don’t parade the big men; you don’t
parade politically-exposed persons. You only parade the
poor.”
The legal luminary further lauded the recent
abolition of stay of proceedings in criminal trials,
by the Supreme Court.
According to him, stay of proceedings was a
crooked and unethical method deployed by some
lawyers to delay criminal trials of the powerful
and the well-connected in the society.
In his words: “It is a class matter; it does not apply to
the poor in magistrate and customary courts.”

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that
Femi Falana said that contrary to the claim by
the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
and some of its leaders, there was nothing wrong
with the listing of looters by the federal
government.
He made the comment at the Second Forum of
the Anti-Corruption Situation Room, which was
organized by the Human and Environmental
Development Agenda.
According to the legal luminary, that there was
nothing wrong with naming treasury looters, if
the Police could parade common men for petty
crimes.

Senate, Saraki have hatred, contempt for me - IGP tells court

Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris has
described the Senate’s resolution declaring him “an
enemy of democracy and unfit to hold any public
office within and outside Nigeria,” as an act borne out
of “hatred and undisguised contempt” for him.
He made the assertion in an affidavit which he
filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on
Thursday, June 7, seeking permission to file a
substantive suit to challenge the resolution of the
upper legislative chamber, Punch reports.

The IGP wants the court to declare the Senate’s
resolution as invalid; and began the process of
suing the upper legislative chamber and its
president, Bukola Saraki, by obtaining the court’s
leave.
Justice John Tsoho, in granting the leave to Idris
on Thursday, said: “I am convinced that the applicant
has shown sufficient interest in the issues raised”.

Recall that adegokblog .com previously reported that the
Nigerian Senate declared the Police boss an
enemy of democracy, following his refusal to
honour an invitation to appear before the upper
chamber for a third time.
The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday,
May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in
Nigeria and abroad.
Senate president Bukola Saraki made the
declaration after the Senate emerged from a
closed-door session where it deliberated on the
non-appearance of the IGP.

3 killed as army raids Babandoka forest in Zamfara

The Nigerian army carried out a raid at Danguru,
Babandoka Forest of Dansadau district in Maru Local
Government Area of Zamfara state against bandits.
3 of the bandits were killed in the operation that
took place on Wednesday, June 6.
In a similar operation, 2 bandits were also killed
while others escaped.

The army said it was working to apprehend the
fleeing suspects.
Read the statement below:
Troops of 223 Battalion deployed in operation
IDON RAINI on 6 June 18 embarked on a raid
operation at Danguru, Babandoka Forest of
Dansadau district in Maru Local Government
Area of Zamfara State following a report of
bandits activities in the area.
Three of the bandits were killed during the
encounter and their camps also destroyed.
Similarly, troops also embarked on raid
operation in Gobirawa and Kwacha villages
around Madaka Forest, still in Dansadau district
in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara
State.
Two of the bandits were neutralized during that
encounter while others fled following a superior
fire power of the troops.
Efforts are on to get other members of the fleeing
bandits by the troops.
Items recovered include:
One motorcycle.
A mobile phone.
The public is once again advised to report any
suspicious activities or movements to the law
enforcement agents for prompt action.

Meanwhile, Zamfara House of Assembly directed
its secretariat to write a letter to the minister of
defence, Mansur Dan’ali, over incessant killings
and security challenges in the state.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the
assembly gave the directive during plenary
session in Gusau on Friday, May 25.
The decision followed a complaint by Alhaji
Abdullahi Dansadau (APC, Maru South) under
matters of urgent public importance.

Mother allegedly suffocates newborn baby to death in Sokoto

A 19-year-old lady, Munirat Bagana, has been arrested
by the Sokoto state Police Command, for allegedly
suffocating her newborn baby.
Bagana, a Kebbi state indigene, however claimed
that she had a still-birth and the dead baby was
premature, Punch reports.

Parading the suspect before journalists, the
public relations officer of the Command, ASP
Cordelia Nwawe, said Bagana would be charged
after investigations are concluded.
Munirat Bagana claimed she had a still-birth (Photo credit:
Punch)
Adegokblog.com gathers that a 32-year-old man, Nnamdi
Nwafor, was also among the suspects paraded.
He reportedly specializes in stealing vehicles at
churches.
The suspect allegedly carries out his crimes by
stealing car keys from victims, after trailing them
to church.
He allegedly stole a Mercedes Benz at a Catholic
church along Ahmadu Bello Way in Sokoto; and

arrested with the vehicle in Kaduna.

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that a
26-year-old woman killed her six-week-old baby
because she thought it was a 'devil' .
The woman moved from Senegal to Newcastle
with her elder daughter to reunite with her
husband. She suffered from a rare mental illness
known as Capgras Delusion, which caused her to
slit her child's throat.

June 12: Humphrey Nwosu also deserves national recognition - Don

Prof Joy Ezeilo has said that the former chairman of
the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria,
Humphrey Nwosu also deserves national recognition
- She pointed out that without the declaration of the
result by Nwosu, it will still be unclear who won the
1993 presidential election
- Ezeilo also faulted the president for failing to
undertake legal and constitutional consultations
before changing Democracy Day from May 29 to June
12
A professor of law, Joy Ezeilo, has decried the
non-recognition of Prof Humphrey Nwosu,
former chairman of the defunct National
Electoral Commission of Nigeria who announced
the 1993 presidential election result.
Ezeilo, who is the dean, Faculty of Law at the
University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus expressed
the worry in Enugu on Thursday, June 7 in an
interview with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN).


“I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for honoring
Chief MKO Abiola by this declaration, I urge him to accord
Prof Nwosu similar recognition because without that result
declaration, it will still be unclear who won the 1993
election.
“Prof Nwosu, against all odds and threats to life announced
the result. I strongly think he deserves presidential national
award while still alive, than waiting to posthumously
receive it,’’ she said.
NAIJ.com gathers that on the change of
Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12, the legal
luminary felt the earlier date should remain
because it was constitutional.
“However, the date may cease to be a public holiday and
the extant law to that effect, repealed.
“The change of democracy date from May 29 to June 12 is
not per se the problem; but failure to do prior consultation
and consideration of other ramifications especially on
constitutional and legal implications of this change,’’ she
said.
President Buhari had on June 6 resolved to
honour the winner of 1993 presidential election,
Chief Moshood Abiola with the highest honour of
Grand Commander of the Federal Republic
(GCFR).
Buhari also announced that Abiola’s running
mate in the election, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe
and the late human rights activist, Chief Gani
Fawehinmi should receive the second highest
national honour of the Grand Commander of the
Niger (GCON).


Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that
Nigerians commended President Muhammadu
Buhari on the declaration of June 12 as
Democracy Day.
The populace said the 1993 presidential elect,
late Moshood Abiola, deserves all the honour
given to him.

Kaduna governor hails IGP for doing an excellent job

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna has praised IGP
Ibrahim Idris for doing an excellent job
- The governor commended the Police boss at a
Ramadan lecture which was also attended by the
minister for information, Lai Mohammed
- El-Rufai also prayed for God to grant President
Muhammadu Buhari good health as he leads the
country
Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris was
hailed by the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-
Rufai, on Thursday, June 7, for doing an
excellent job in the country.
El-Rufai made the comments at the annual
Ramadan lecture in Oro, Irepodun local
government area of Kwara state, The Nation
reports.


Adegokblog.com gathers that the minister for
information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was also
present at the event.
The governor praised the IGP, while thanking the
chief imam of Oro, Mikhail Onisan for praying
for the country and its leaders.
He said: “I thank the chief imam for his prayers for the
country, President Buhari, the inspector-general of Police
who is doing an excellent job, the minister of Information
and others. May God accept his prayers.”
He also prayed that God would bestow good
health on President Muhammadu Buhari, as he
leads the country.
During his speech, the minister for information
also praised the governor; describing him as a
detribalised Nigerian who believes in merit,
rather than religious or tribal sentiments.
He further praised the Oro community for being
religiously harmonious and tolerant; noting that
most chiefs of the community who attend the
annual lecture are Christians, and that some of
the editions of the programme were held at a
church compound.


This development follows a previous report by
adegokblog .com , that the Nigerian Senate declared
Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, an
enemy of democracy, following his refusal to
honour an invitation to appear before the upper
chamber for a third time.
The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday,
May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in
Nigeria and abroad.
Senate President Bukola Saraki made the
declaration after the Senate emerged from a
closed door session where it deliberated on the
non-appearance of the Police boss.