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Tag: Osinbajo

  • Judiciary contributing to delay in fight against corruption – Osinbajo

    Judiciary contributing to delay in fight against corruption – Osinbajo

    …Says ‘we won’t relent in fight against anti-corruption despite challenges’

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government will remain resolute in its fight against corruption in spite of the daunting challenges.

    Osinbajo said this in Lagos at the 5th Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity entitled: ‘Prevention is better than Cure even on the Issue of Corruption’.

    The lecture was organised by the Integrity Organisation Limited, an anti-corruption, research and advocacy organisation concerned with issues of public accountability and transparency.

    “We must ensure that corruption is prosecuted. In the last two years, we have had many cases of persons accused of corruption taken to the courts.

    “We have a hardworking and courageous team as most of our law enforcement agencies and the EFCC have worked commendably despite daunting challenges.

    “Of course they are not perfect and there are several complaints, but what is obvious is that they have focused on the work of investigation and prosecution and in fact, very few convictions and there are several reasons for that.

    “The most notorious of which are the delays in our administration of justice system mainly caused, sometimes by lawyers whose defence strategy is delayed.

    “Often judges have indulged these tactics by not taking firm control of their courts. A witness in a case being cross examined for over a month.

    “An important lesson for any society that is fighting systemic corruption, is that corruption will fight back viciously, using every means possible, and sometimes, using the very constitutions that are created to fight it.

    “We have experienced and continued to experience that but the antidote is single minded commitment.

    “And I must say that we are permitted to ensure that we will continue to fight against corruption despite whatever obstacles involved,” Osinbajo stated.

     

  • Osinbajo appoints 14 Resident Electoral Commissioners

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has approved the appointment of 14 new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The Director of Press, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Bolaji Adebiyi, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    While 13 of the new appointees were on their first term, Hussaini Halilu Pai of the FCT was re-appointed.

    The new appointees are: Prof. Godwill Obioma (Abia), James Lorliam Apam (Benue), Dr. Nwachukwu Orji (Ebonyi), Dr. Iloh Joseph Valentine Chuks (Enugu), Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda (Plateau), Umar Ibrahim (Taraba) and Mr. Emeka Ononamadu Joseph (Imo).

    Others are Obo O. Effanga (Cross River), Prof. Francis Chuckwemeka Ezeounu (Anambra), Dr. Briyai O. Frankland (Bayelsa), Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa), Agboke Mutiu Olaleke (Ogun) and Alhaji Ahmad Makama (Bauchi).

    “These appointees have been confirmed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore, the appointments are with immediate effect,” Adebiyi said.

    The RECs also have a five-year renewable tenure, same as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

     

  • News Hour 28-06-2017 I TNGtv

  • BREAKING: Osinbajo signs Executive Order on asset declaration

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday signed an Executive Order to back the Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme.

    Osinbajo signed the Executive Order during the formal launch of the VAIDS scheme at the Presidential villa, Abuja.

    Speaking during the signing, the Acting President said the new initiative is targeted at increasing tax awareness and compliance, as well as grant tax payers a time-limited opportunity to regularise their tax status without penalty.

    Osinbajo noted that the scheme which will be jointly executed by the Federal and State Governments would concentrate on the obligations of all Nigerian companies and citizens to pay their taxes, wherever their income is earned.

    The signing of the Executive Order was witnessed by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Governors of Ogun, Kaduna, and Zamfara among others.

  • Osinbajo approves appointment of 14 CMDs for federal hospitals

    Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday approved the appointment of 14 Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors in teaching hospitals, federal medical centres and specialty hospitals in the country.

    The Director, Media and Public Relations, at the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Boade Akinola, confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday.

    According to the statement an approval letter signed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the acting President had been sent to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.

    The appointment which takes immediate effect of four years tenure is in two categories. Five of the appointees will be serving their second and final term while the remaining nine will be serving their first tenure.

    The name of the new chief executive officers and their health facilities are; Prof. Bisala Ekele (University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada); Dr V.A. Osiatuma (Federal Medical Centre, Asaba); Prof. Idris Suleiman (Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu); Prof. Abdus Musa (Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta); and Dr. O.O. Alabi (Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja).

    Others are, Dr. Adejuwon Dada (Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos); Dr. Ibrahim Wakawa (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri); Dr. O.C. Ogun (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Lagos); and Dr. Shehu Sale (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Sokoto).

    The five that will be serving their second tenure are, Prof. A.Z. Mohammed (Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano); Prof. Anthony Igwegbe (Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi); Dr. Wiza Inusa (Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo); Dr. Joseph B. Okegbe (Federal Medical Centre, Calabar); and Dr. Sunday Olotu (Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin-City).

    While congratulating the appointees, the minister charged them to reciprocate the Federal Government’s gesture by taking their appointment as a call to service.

    He also advised them to hit the ground running by ensuring that they operate an all-inclusive administration that will promote efficiency, transparency and accountability.

     

  • We’ll resist plans by Yoruba leaders to make Osinbajo President – Northern groups

    We’ll resist plans by Yoruba leaders to make Osinbajo President – Northern groups

    A Coalition of Arewa Youths has alleged that some Yoruba leaders are plotting to make acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo President of the country in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently receiving treatment at a London hospital.

    The group, however, insisted that the North will complete its eight years tenure and resist any attempt to abort it.

    The warning was contained in a statement signed by Muhammed Shehu and Tanko Abdullahi.

    The group further revealed in the statement that the North ‘compensated’ the Yorubas by conceding the presidency to them (the Yorubas) in 1999 because of Abiola’s mandate which was annulled by the then Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB).

    It says despite all these efforts and much more, the Yorubas are beginning to ‘join forces’ with the Igbos by discrediting the person of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2019 polls.

    The statement reads, “We are very much aware that all the attacks against President Muhammadu Buhari were planted in the media by the Yoruba and spread by southerners generally just to discredit the north in order to pave way for their son, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to become president.

    “But their plans will fail Insha Allah.

    “We shall resist every of such plans and ensure by all means possible, that the North completes its eight-year tenure and possibly even continue after then, and that the federal structure of Nigeria as it currently is, is not tampered with by secession mongers and their collaborators.”

    Describing Yoruba’s as the “most ungrateful stock in Nigeria,” the group said, “Having given power to the Yoruba on a platter of gold in 1999 as a way of compensating them for the June 12 saga, it is quite worrisome and unfortunate that they have lived up to their legendary reputation of backstabbing and betrayal by supporting the divisive calls for restructuring or dismemberment of the nation against the will and desire of the north.

    “We gave the late Chief MKO Abiola the mandate in 1993 but shortly after that, as it is with the Yoruba as a culture, they immediately started circling around Abiola plotting on how to emasculate the north and strip us of every access we had to the politics and economy of this nation.

    “They had also raised a secret army of their elites to carry out these sinister plans against the north if Abiola eventually became president. It was this army that was unleashed on the nation in the guise of NADECO during the June 12 impasse.

    “May we remind the Yoruba that without the willingness and magnanimity of the north, there was no way Abiola could have purportedly won that election and that all the Yoruba have now as assets in the south-west, especially Lagos, were given to them by our leaders out of our own usual magnanimity.

    “However, time and time again, the Yoruba have always turned their back on us whenever their support is needed. They have chosen to pitch tent with the Igbo this time around just to spite us, but we shall not succumb to their antics.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that recently, some prominent Northern youth associations after a joint meeting tagged ‘Kaduna Declaration’ issued a serious threat to Igbos residing in the region to vacate on or before October 1(Nigeria’s Independence Day) 2017 or face physical attacks.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that one of the major conveners of the meeting, Yerima Shettima has however promised to turn himself in when declared wanted by the security agencies.

  • Leaking roof: We are upgrading airport to meet Osinbajo’s Executive Order – FAAN

    Barely few hours after a video showing a leaking roof at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, has gone viral, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Wednesday reacted said the leaking roof was due to ongoing construction works at the airport.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the lobby and Gate ‘D’ Departure area of the airport was entirely flooded by a heavy downpour that flowed directly through the damaged roofs.

    FAAN, in a statement signed by its Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Herrienta Yakubu in Lagos, said the upgrade was in compliance with the recent Executive Order issued by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Yakubu, who was reacting to a viral video of the incident, denied claims that the facilities at the airport were in a deplorable condition.

    “It is regrettable that the story, which was capable of creating fear in the minds of intending passengers, was not based on the assessment of the said facility by the reporters.

    “This is more so because the reporters could easily have cross-checked their facts with our Corporate Affairs Department before going public with such a sensitive issue.

    “Following this malicious video clip targeted to tarnish the authority’s hard earned reputation, management wishes to put the records straight that the leaking roof was as a result of the on-going works at the MMIA, Lagos.

    “This upgrade is coming at the heels of the Executive Order issued recently by the Presidency aimed at Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, and the authority is doing everything possible to improve the quality of her services in line with the order.’’

    According to her, the management in compliance with government policies has since initiated practical steps to improve on safety and security architecture of the nation’s premier airport and also improve comfort and passengers experience.

    Yakubu noted that consequently, upgrade of facilities was on-going in different areas at the International Terminal building of MMIA Lagos with its attendant challenges to FAAN operations.

    “Sequel to this on-going works, we recently experienced some leakages from the roof at the “D Wing” of the Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, owing to a heavy rain accompanied by a wind storm.

    “This is directly connected to the civil engineering works going on at the roof top at that location, which temporarily interrupted our engineers who are replacing the old roof members with new ones at that instance.

    “It was practically impossible to work at that location due to its altitude and slipperiness while the rains lasted, but work immediately resumed after the rain subsided, and the integrity of roof was restored.

    “We want to state clearly that this defect did not affect operations in any way or at any time at the terminal,” she said.

    Yakubu reassured passengers, airport users and the general public of FAAN’s commitment to a safe, secured and improved facilitation at the nation’s airports.

     

     

     

  • Osinbajo to continue consultations on Nigeria’s unity

    Osinbajo to continue consultations on Nigeria’s unity

    The consultations by the Presidency with various segments of the Nigerian society will continue, the Spokesman of the Acting President, Mr Laolu Akande, said on Tuesday.

    He stated this in a release while emphasizing the import of the dialogue the Acting President had with leaders from the North, Southeast and the media over the last two weeks.

    “While this set of consultations was concluded last week, the presidency will continue to actively engage with different segments of the Nigerian population at different stages and formats in the near future.

    “The meetings were convened to provide a platform for frank and open discussions between the concerned stakeholders and by extension the Nigerian public on issues relating to the unity, peace and security of the country,’’ the release said.

    In the course of the interaction from June 13, to June 22, the Acting President gave the assurance that the Muhammadu Buhari administration was not deaf to grievances in parts of the country and would address them.

    He, however, urged that such grievances should be expressed with grace.

    According to Akande interactions began following the recent spate of agitations pitting some groups in the North against others in the Southeast while Osinbajo used it to douse inter-ethnic tension using political, religious, traditional and media leaders.

    He said the meetings established some common ground on a number of issues such as the condemnation of all the hate and divisive rhetoric by the concerned groups of Northern and Southeastern youths.

    “They affirmed the need for all leaders and elders, regardless of political or ideological persuasion, to speak out more forcefully to counter divisive and hate speeches and any form of warmongering.

    “They also affirmed the primacy of the country’s constitution, the ultimate basis for the unity of Nigeria.”

    Also during the meetings it was agreed that the constitution guarantees freedom of residence and of movement for all Nigerians anywhere in the country, without fear of discrimination or prejudice.

    They also affirmed the need to draw a line between the freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution and the degeneration of such expression into hate rhetoric and prejudice.

    The interactions similarly affirmed the necessity of confronting all grievances and frustrations head-on, however uncomfortable they might seem instead of ignoring issues and allowing them to fester.

    The Acting President expressed appreciation to all the leaders for their time and commitment to the unity, peace and progress of the nation.

    He also assured Nigerians of the determination and resolve of the Buhari administration to ensure their well-being and security at all times.

  • Ethnic grievances: Your messages well delivered, to be addressed soon, Osinbajo assures Nigerians

    Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has assured Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government will address all the grievances as demonstrated in some parts of the country.

    But he urges that such grievances be “expressed with grace”.

    The acting president’s office said this emerged from the highlights of the series of consultations Osinbajo called to interact with leaders from the North, Southeast and the media over the last two weeks.

    An updated statement from the presidency Tuesday said “the meetings were convened to provide a platform for frank and open discussions between the concerned Nigerians on issues relating to the unity, peace and security of country.”

    While this set of consultations were concluded last week, the presidency will continue to actively engage with different segments of the Nigerian population at different stages and format in the near future, the statement said.

    In response to the recent spate of agitations pitting some groups in the North against others in the Southeast, the Acting President commenced a series of engagements and consultations with political, religious, traditional & media leaders from across the country as follows:

    · Northern Leaders of Thought: Tuesday 13 June, 2017

    · Southeast Leaders of Thought: Wednesday 14 June, 2017

    Southeast Traditional Rulers: Sunday 18 June, 2017

    · Northern Traditional Rulers: Tuesday 20 June, 2017

    · All State Governors: Wednesday 21 June, 2017

    · Media Publishers and Editors: Thursday 22 June, 2017

    The meetings touched on various issues relating to the ethnic agitations that have manifested most recently in a call for secession by some groups of youth from the Southeast, and an ultimatum by Northern youths for south-easterners living in the North to leave the region by 1st October 2017.

    According to the statement, the meetings established common ground on a number of issues, as follows:

    · Condemned all the hateful and divisive rhetoric by the concerned groups of Northern and Southeastern youths.

    .Affirmed the primacy of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the ultimate basis for the unity of Nigeria. That Constitution guarantees freedom of residence and of movement for all Nigerians anywhere in the country, without fear of discrimination or prejudice.

    · Affirmed the need to draw a line between the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution and the degeneration of such expression into hateful rhetoric, prejudice and hatred. Under no circumstances will Government condone or tolerate hate speech in any way or form.

    · Affirmed the necessity of confronting all grievances and frustrations head-on, however uncomfortable that might seem now; instead of ignoring issues and allowing them to fester.

    · Affirmed the need for all leaders and elders, regardless of political or ideological persuasion, to speak out more forcefully to counter divisive and hate speech and any form of warmongering.

    The acting President expressed appreciation to all the leaders for their time and commitment to the unity, peace and progress of the Nigerian nation. He also assured the Nigerian people of the determination and resolve of the Buhari administration to ensure their well-being and security at all times.

    “The Federal Government will continue to actively engage with Nigerians of all shades and opinions in its bid to move the country forward on a path of socio-economic development and ultimate greatness,” the statement said.

     

  • APC UK backs call for Sagay’s sack over failure to declare his asset

    The All Progressive Congress (APC), United Kingdom chapter has backed calls for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to sack the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay for failure to declare his assets at the CCB in accordance with the law.

    The APC UK chapter, which made its stand known on its official Twitter account, directly asked @PACAC , if asset declaration was limited to elected officials?
    The party also requested why Prof. Sagay is yet to declare his assets.

    Also contained in the APC UK tweet is a media report of a statement released by a pro-democracy group, National Committee of Yoruba Youths (NCYY), signed by its national president, Comrade Oladimeji Odeyemi and made available to journalists, stated that Sagay evaded that constitutional responsibility on him to declare his assets.

    “The consequences of this illegality is for Professor Sagay to be sacked from office and be immediately prosecuted. “We, therefore, give the respected Acting President Yemi Osinbajo who is a Professor of Law and senior advocate to put a stop to this illegality within 48 hours. “We also call on the CCB to within 72 hours commence the prosecution of the PACAC chairman at its tribunal,” the group said.

    “We, therefore, give the respected Acting President Yemi Osinbajo who is a Professor of Law and senior advocate to put a stop to this illegality within 48 hours. “We also call on the CCB to within 72 hours commence the prosecution of the PACAC chairman at its tribunal,” the group said.

    The group further claimed that its investigation showed that tSagay’s circumvention of the law was known to the former board of the CCB headed by Mr Sam Saba and that the board deliberately covered up the act of omission only for the facts to become known now that the CCB has no board. “We are surprised and disappointed to find out that Sagay continues to go to equity with soiled hands. He is the one who is loudest about the anti-corruption fight of the government, yet he does not deem it fit to be transparent by declaring his assets as demanded by law.

    “We are surprised and disappointed to find out that Sagay continues to go to equity with soiled hands. He is the one who is loudest about the anti-corruption fight of the government, yet he does not deem it fit to be transparent by declaring his assets as demanded by law.

    “We are surprised and disappointed to find out that Sagay continues to go to equity with soiled hands. He is the one who is loudest about the anti-corruption fight of the government, yet he does not deem it fit to be transparent by declaring his assets as demanded by law.