AFRICAN NEWS FLASH

Details coming

President Buhari not in any life support or in any hospital in london. Resting in the home of an  APC chieftain in london. Directs acting president to announce major appointments,which includes new management team of cbn.

Trouble is brewing in the National Working Committee the All Progressives Congress following disagreements over who should replace the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal. Lawal, until his appointment and subsequent suspension as SGF, was a member of the NWC as the APC National Vice-Chairman in the North-East. Our insider sources   gathered in Abuja on Wednesday that most of the party’s stakeholders from the zone were favourably disposed to having a congress to elect a replacement for the suspended SGF. It was learnt that some party leaders were allegedly working behind the scene to impose a replacement on them. Some aggrieved aspirants have however written a petition to stop the alleged move. A copy of the petition, entitled ‘Complaint on the brazen abuse of due process and injustice in the nomination for the replacement of the National Vice-Chairman, North East’, was submitted to the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun,

A combined team of policemen, officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission and some officials of the Department of State Services, on Wednesday, raided the 1 Alimi Road residence of former Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Kaduna. An eyewitness told one of our correspondents that the operatives, who arrived at the scene in a bus and Toyota Hilux van around 3pm, cordoned off the road leading to the residence and barred motorists and pedestrians while the two-hour search lasted. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that when the officials came into the residence, they threatened to shoot anybody that failed to cooperate with them. He said, “They pointed their guns at everyone, threatening to shoot anyone who dared to cause trouble. They came at about 3pm and left around 5pm.” It was learnt that an artisan, wearing an overall, accompanied the security officials into the building. The artisan was said to have entered int

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it has formally notified Senator Dino Melaye of the demand by the people of his constituency to recall him from the Senate. It said that the decision to inform Melaye was taken at its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, where the petition submitted by voters in Kogi West Senatorial District was considered. The commission also said that it would issue a notice to the petitioners and Melaye on July 3, on when it would begin the verification of the signatures of those who signed the notice. INEC’s National Commissioner and member Information and Voter Education Committee, Madam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the commission’s decision in a statement in Abuja. Aggrieved voters from Melaye’s constituency were at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday where they presented their petition on their demand for the recall of the senator. Haruna said, “INEC has held its regular weekly meeting today and considered the petition

The long awaited list of cbn management team is delayed due to the absence of president Buhari who is expected back soon. Insider sources confirmed to us the list will be announced any minute from now. Our sources also confirmed that plans are underway to get the acting president announce the list .

The Federal Government is set to release the first tranche of capital release of N350bn to its Ministries, Departments and Agencies for implementation of the 2017 budget. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the public presentation of the 2017 Federal Government budget. The event was attended by top officials in government, including the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma; Minister of State for Budget, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, among others. The 2017 budget christened, ‘Budget of Recovery and Growth’, was presented to the National Assembly on December 14, 2016, and passed by the lawmakers on May 11, 2017. It was signed into law by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on June 12, 2017 and had a total expenditure outlay of N7.44tn, out of which N2.99tn was for non-debt recurrent spending; N2.36tn for capital expenditure; while debt servi

The trial of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, which has been on suspension for about six months is to resume Tuesday before a Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Okon Abang on Monday fixed Tuesday for continuation of the trial after dismissing Metuh’s application for stay of proceedings in obedience to the June 9, 2017, ruling of the Supreme Court. The judge, also in a separate ruling, dismissed another application seeking the release of the Metuh’s passport which is in the court’s custody. The trial had been put on hold due to interlocutory applications by the defence since December 16, 2016, when Metuh called his sixth witness. But ordering the resumption of trial on Tuesday, Justice Abang ruled, “The coast is now clear for the resumption of the trial that was suspended to abide the outcome of the application dated March 17, 2017. The application has been dismissed. “In the light of this, the matter is adjourned until 1

Breaking. Supreme Court to decide pdp leadership tussle next week.

Nigerians reacted most of Wednesday to news that the Code of Conduct Tribunal had cleared Senate president, Bukola Saraki, of false asset declaration charges. The tribunal said the failure of the prosecution to present witnesses who were fully part of the alleged offence against the senate president, made their evidence “incurably defective”. Many Nigerians expressed their views on Twitter and other social media.

Just in : CCT dismisses saraki case. Discharged

Breaking.  New cbn management team to be announced this week. All is now set for the announcement of a new management team for the central bank of nigeria following the signing of the budget by the acting president after speaking with president Buhari earlier today . Insider sources confirmed to us that apart from the signing of the budget,other issues discussed with president Buhari include. Announcement of the new cbn management team , appointment of a new sgf and cabinet shake up.

The acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday signed the 2017 Appropriation Bill into law. Osinbajo appended his signature on the document at about 4:41pm inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The brief event was witnessed by principal officers of the National Assembly, presidential aides and other top government officials. Details later.

The Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions has invited the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and Deposit Money Banks to a meeting on Tuesday over the high interest rates being charged by financial institutions in the country. The Senate panel has also invited the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and several other bodies to the meeting based on a motion by the Chairman of the committee, Senator Rafiu Ibrahim. The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, had earlier criticised the charging of high interest rates on loans by Small and Medium-scale Enterprises in the country, a situation he said had forced some firms to close shops. Saraki had hinted that the Senate would meet with the CBN, the DMBs and other financial institutions on the matter, with a view to bringing down the lending rate. Ibrahim told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday night that stakeholders in the financial and manufacturing sectors had be

A former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, and a former Lagos State governor and All Progressives Congress national leader, Bola Tinubu, have described the June 12, 1993 elections as a part of Nigeria’s history that could not be forgotten. This is just as the Lagos and Ekiti state governments on Sunday joined Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and Osun states to declare June 12 a public holiday. that Election Day in 1993.”  Atiku, who described the late Abiola as a businessman, philanthropist and patriot, noted that the events of June 12, 1993 remained a watershed in the history of the nation.  It partly read, “The Waziri commended Nigerians for moving beyond the challenges thrown up by June 12 and putting in place a democratic system of government that has lasted for 18 years. “He said that it is a testimony to the innate democratic nature of Nigerians that today, democracy is flourishing in the country, adding that the restructuring of the country as being demanded by some well-meaning Nigerians wou

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized a hotel allegedly belonging to Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The anti-graft agency also seized three other properties in Abuja allegedly belonging to Patience. The five-storey hotel is located near Setraco Construction Company, beside Mabushi Kado Expressway. Although the hotel has not been officially valued by the EFCC, some estate agents within the community told our correspondent that the property should be worth about N2bn. The property, which has not been officially opened, has between 50 to 100 rooms, a gymnasium, a fountain and other amenities. Our correspondent, who visited the property on Friday, observed the red inscription, ‘EFCC Under Investigation’ all over the hotel. One of the mechanics working at a filling station located next to the property said Mrs. Jonathan used to visit the hotel in the past but had not come around since January. He said, “She used to come here

Details coming

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has registered five new political parties. They are, Young Progressive Party YPP, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance APDA, New Generation Party of Nigeria NGP, All Democratic Peoples Movement ADPM and Action Democratic Party ADP. At present 95 political associations have applied to INEC for registration as political parties. Two of the associations voluntarily withdrew their applications. Details coming

The Federal Government has paid N375.8m to 20 whistleblowers, who provided information that led to the recovery of N11.6bn. The Director of Information, Mr Salisu Dambatta in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the payment was only for recovered assets that had been declared free of legal disputes or litigation by the Attorney-General of the Federation. He said that in addition, taxes have been removed before final payments to beneficiaries. “This payment, which is the first under the Whistleblower Policy, underscores the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in meeting obligations to information providers under the Whistleblower Policy. “The policy is an essential tool in the fight against corruption. “The Ministry, therefore, encourages all Nigerians with information on misconduct, violation or improper activity which can impact negatively on Nigeria to report it to the appropriate authority,” he said. Dambatta said the Whistleblower Policy was r

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday debunked allegations of engaging in media trial often levelled against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other law enforcement agencies. Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the allegations of media trial were being sponsored by treasury looters in their bid to wage a counter-war against the fight against graft in the country. He also called for the prosecution of international banking institutions culpable in the transfer of ill-gotten funds from Nigerian to foreign nations. Osinbajo spoke in Abuja during the opening session of a three-day ‘Conference on Promoting International Co-operation in Combating Illicit Financial Flows and Enhancing Asset Recovery to Foster Sustainable Development’. The event, which held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was co-organised by the Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Federal M

A group, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, has written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission demanding the investigation of the lawmaker representing Kogi-West senatorial district, Senator Dino Melaye, and Justice Akoh Ikpeme. An online news medium, Sahara Reporters, had on Tuesday released an audio clip in which the judge, who was handling an election petition involving Melaye and Senator Smart Adeyemi of the Peoples Democratic Party, allegedly demanded a bribe from Melaye in dollars. In a petition signed by its chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, the group, on Thursday, urged the commission to urgently commence a high-powered investigation by a team of forensic experts into the allegation. The petition read in part, “In the recordings which capture the telephone conversation between Justice (Mrs.) Akoh and Mr. Melaye, at two different times, the judge is overheard asking Mr. Melaye to give her a bribe in US dollars. “She also sought Mr. Melaye’s as