TheNewsGuru

Tag: Osinbajo

  • We’ll establish N20bn gas industrial park in N/Delta – Osinbajo

     

    The Federal Government says it plans to establish N20 billion gas industrial park in the Niger Delta, following a renewed interactive engagement with oil bearing communities in the region.

    The Acting President, Prof.Yemi Osinbajo, said this on Monday when some international developers and investors of the project met with him at the Presidential Villa.

    Tagged the Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP), Ogidigben, and envisaged to be a regional hub for all gas-based industries, the public private partnership project will cover 2,700 hectares.

    It will also have with fertilizer, methanol, petrochemicals, and aluminium plants located in the park already designated as a Tax Free Zone by the Federal Government.

    Addressing the investors, Osinbajo stated that the Buhari administration “is committed to the development of the Niger Delta, and the importance of this project is underlined by the presidential attention it is attracting.’’

    He declared the presidency’s interest in the project.

    The acting president said, “We already have a Steering Committee in place, chaired by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,that shows the level of our commitment; we are unwavering.

    “We take the project very seriously and glad to see you are committed and ready to make several other commitments.This is a process that we intend to see happen.”

    Before he went on vacation, Buhari had mandated Osinbajo to visit oil-producing communities, to demonstrate the resolve of the administration to the pursuit of a new vision for the Niger Delta.

    The building of an industrial gas hub in Ogidigben, Delta, was revived during the visit to the states.

    The investing consortium comprised fortune 500 companies such as the GSEC of South Korea, the China Development Bank, Power China and several other global operators from Asia and the United Arab Emirates.

    Under the plan presented by the consortium, about $20 billion would be invested to develop the Gas Revolution Industrial Park to generate 250,000 direct and indirect jobs.

    The park, originally conceived by NNPC, is located about 60 kilometres from Warri, and about 1kilometre from the operational base of Chevron Nigeria Ltd.

    It will be connected to over 18 trillion Cubic Feet of gas reserves in fields such as Odidi, Okan and Forcados, located within a 50-km radius.

    The park will also be connected to Nigeria’s most dominant gas pipeline network-ELPS to enable supply of gas to and from the park.

    In his speech at the occasion, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, expressed confidence that the GRIP would bring the much needed succour to the people of the Niger Delta.

    The minister also said that the oil-producing states would benefit from the project.

    Earlier, the leader of the group of investors and developers, Sheik Mohammed Bayo, stated the commitment of the consortium, adding that the project remained important to solving the Niger Delta crisis.
    NAN

  • Osinbajo felicitates with Shagari at 92

     

    Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday in Abujj, felicitated with former President and elder Statesman, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, on his 92nd birthday.

    In a statement by Mr Laolu Akande, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Osinbajo said he joined all Nigerians and Shagari’s family in celebrating selfless service, leadership and steadfast commitment to Nigeria.

    He said that decades after serving as the second republic President of Nigeria, Shagari had continued to advance the unity, peace and prosperity of the nation.

    According to him, the patriotism, principles and lofty values the former President displayed throughout his public life as teacher, politician, parliamentarian, president and now, as elder statesman, make him one of the foremost national leaders.

    The acting president expressed confidence that the honesty and strength of character with which Shagari had been known, would continue to be a source of inspiration.

    While wishing the nonagenarian many happy returns of the day “in good health and joy”, he said that prayer for the former president was that as his days were, so shall his strength and favour be.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Shagari, Turakin Sokoto, was born on Feb. 25, 1925. He was elected president of Nigeria in 1979.
    NAN

  • Osinbajo invites IGP over Southern-Kaduna killings

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has summoned the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, to Aso Rock Villa for explanations.

    A source in the Presidency, who is privy to the invitation of the police leadership, told Sunday Vanguard that government was unhappy with the fresh killing of 21 persons in the troubled Southern Kaduna last week.

    The source said Osinbajo wanted explanations from the police chief and what needed to be done to halt killings in the area.

    The meeting between the Acting President and the IGP came amid reports that the Presidency had ordered security measures, including the deployment of 15, 285 policemen in Southern Kaduna.

    One of the top sources familiar with the meeting said, “The immediate outcome of the IGP’s meeting with the Acting President was the intensification and adoption of a set of additional security measures that would help contain the situation.

    “Besides, deploying over 15000 cops to the area, It was also learnt that the police high command has now concluded arrangements for the establishment of a new Police Squadron in Kafanchan, Kaduna, as part of broad measures adopted to curb the violence.

    “A total of 18 Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and a unit of Belarus-trained police Special Forces have been deployed to Southern Kaduna.

    “The police, in addition, have now increased helicopter surveillance in the entire area to prevent a recurrence of violence in the communities”.

     

  • Why Osinbajo refuses assent to 4 national assembly bill

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday wrote to both the Senate and the House of Representatives why he refused to assent four bills passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com had earlier in the day published a brief on Osinbajo’s intention to withdraw assent to the four bills.

    In the letter which was addressed to Senate President Bukola Saraki and read at plenary, Osinbajo said he was withholding assent to dangerous Drug Amendment Bill 2016; National Lottery Bill; Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund( Amendment Bill 2016 and the Currency Conversion (Freezing Order) (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

    The four letters to Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara by Acting President Osinbajo were dated 7th February, 2017 and his refusal were pursuant to Section 58(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

    In one of the letters, Osinbajo said that he refused to assent to the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund( Amendment) Bill, 2016 because “the concerns surrounding board composition, funding arrangements, limitation of liability of funds and proposals to increase levels of uncollateralised loans from N5,000 to N250,000.”

    He also said he withheld his assent from Currency Conversion (Freezing Orders) (Amendment) Bill 2016 because of “the concern regarding modalities for the communication of asset forfeiture orders.”

    Osinbajo in the other letter explained that he failed to assent to Dangerous (Amendment) Bill 2016 because of “certain words and phrases utilised in the draft bill that may be inconsistent with the Principal Act (for example Section 6 of the bill with Section 21 of the Principal Act) and the spirit behind the proposed amendments.”

    In the same vein, he said he withheld his assent from Assent to National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2016 because the “rationale for withholding assent to the bill is the existence of pending legal challenge to the competence of the National Assembly to legislate on the matter.”

    Meanwhile, the action of the Acting President to return the passed bills to the Senate did not go down well with some of the Senators who protested against it, just as they vowed to override the Acting President at the end of the day.

    The Senators who kicked against the return of the bills to the National Assembly by the Acting President, however accused the presidency of undermining their legislative powers by failing to assent to bills they passed.

    Addressing Journalists after plenary, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said that Senators were of the opinion that they cannot be stopped to carry out their powers in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Earlier in his remarks, Senator George Sekibo, PDP, Rivers East reminded his colleagues of Senate’s power to override the president’s veto, adding, “The National Assembly has power to override the veto of the president.

    The way the constitution is framed they have their own roles to play, we have our own role to play, we check each other and I know that the matter is the court and base on our rules we cannot discuss on it is a different thing but if it is just that the president did not give assent.

    We have to look at the merit of the particular bill if it meets the standard and if the court matter is not going to impede on what we are going to do then we can override the veto of the president.”

    In his remarks, Senator Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West who also kicked against the rejection especially with regard to his Bill on National Lottery said, “I am particularly raising this because I am the mover or the sponsor of that bill. If I have the permission of Mr President before I elucidate I want to bring some relevant sections of the constitution.

    “Section 4 (1) reads “The Legislative Powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be vested in the National Assembly for the Federation which shall consist of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    The National Assembly shall make laws for the peace, order and good government of the federation or any part thereof with respect to any matter included in the exclusive list set out in part one of the second schedule of this constitution.

    “Mr President, the explanation for witholding the assent as stipulated in the letter by the Acting President is because there is a pending litigation on this matter.

    Mr president, democracy is standing on the basic principles on the separation of powers and it has divided this into three; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary and the powers of the executive is in section 4 of the constitution while the powers of the executive to implement these laws is vested in the executive in chapter 5, while the powers to interpret these laws is deposited in section 6 of the constitution.

    “Mr President, the role of the executive is to carry out their fundamental objective by signing anything that has been passed by this House. May that day never come.

    It will become so dangerous for democracy and our powers to legislate must have been taken away from us as enshrined in section 4 of the constitution. So the role of the executive is to assent to any law passed by this House and anyone who has problem with it can go to court in compliance with the provisions of section 6 of the constitution. May it not be a bad day for democracy if we keep quite and allow the powers of the legislature to be usurped by the non-compliance to the provisions of the constitution.”

    However in his response, Senate President Saraki who noted that issues raised by the senators were noted as he promised to forward the returned bills to the National Assembly’s legal department for proper legal advice on the bills to enable them know the way forward, said, “I think the procedure is we would refer this to our legal department to give us advice on interpretation on some of the things that you have said for us to be properly guided but I agree with you that it is a matter that we must take seriously because it goes down to the issue of separation of powers. We would get the opinion of the legal department.”

  • Osinbajo writes NASS, seeks approval of $500m Eurobond to fund 2016 budget

     

    Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has written to the National Assembly, seek ing its approval to issue a Eurobond debt instrument of $500 million to fund the implementation of the 2016 budget, which runs it may 2017.

    The $500 million bond, according to the acting president, would be issued between February and March 2017, subject to market conditions, in order to meet government’s approved capital expenditure funding plan.

    In the letter read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara at Wednesday’s plenary, Osinbajo noted that items 229 and 244 of the 2016 appropriation act, provided for a deficit of N2, 204.742 billion and new borrowings of N1, 818, 675 billion, adding that the Act also provides for domestic borrowing of N1,182,798 billion and external borrowing of N635.877 billion in items 245 and 246.

    He said while “the approved domestic borrowing has been fully incurred, the N635.877 billion external borrowing has not been fully accessed.

    The external borrowings incurred to date consist of $600million from the African Development Bank and USD 1 billion Eurobond from the international capital market only.

    “Thus, based on the 2016 appropriation and applying the average exchange rate, there is headroom to access further international funds”

    The acting president said: “Following the high oversubscription to the recent USD 1 billion Eurobond issuance, we wish to take advantage of favourable market conditions to issue a Eurobond debt instrument of USD 500 million to fund the implementation of the 2016 budget, which is still ongoing.

    “The Rt. Honourable Speaker may wish to note that in line with the requirement of securities issuances in the ICM, a specific resolution of the National Assembly, as a firm confirmation of the approval of the legislature for the Federal Government of Nigeria to borrow the USD 500 million through the issuance of a Eurobond debt instrument in the ICM is required.”

    The letter continued: “The Rt. Honourable Speaker may wish to note that the proceeds of the Eurobond are to be used as funding sources to finance the budget deficit, including capital expenditure projects as specified in the 2016 appropriation act.

    “With respect to the terms and conditions of the Eurobond, the legislature may wish to note that being a market-based instrument, the terms and conditions of the Eurobond may only be determined at the point of issuance.

    “It is important to note that the previous issuances are USD 500 million, USD 1 million (consisting of two tranches of USD 500 million) and USD 1 billion in January 2011, July 2013 and February 2017, respectively, were issued at coupons of 6.75%, 5.125%, 6.375% and 7.875% based on the prevailing market conditions.

    “The Debt Management Office and the Federal Government are appointed transaction parties to the issue and are committed to working assiduously to securing the best terms and conditions for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Accordingly, the Rt. Honourable Speaker is requested to kindly approve by resolution of the National Assembly the issuance of USD 500 million Eurobond in the international capital market for the funding of the budget.”

     

  • How Osinbajo ignored Jonathan’s call to allow PDP use ICC – Fani-Kayode

    Former Minister of Aviation and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has said Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo ignored calls from former President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail in allowing leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP use the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja for their stakeholders meeting on Monday.

    Fani-Kayode said that Jonathan had called Osinbajo after officers of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, ‎barricaded the entrance to the venue for a PDP stakeholders meeting, but he (Osinbajo) was indifferent, and did nothing about the situation.

    The frontline opposition figure revealed this via his Twitter handle @realFFK. He tweeted: “On the day that @OfficialPDPNig was blocked from meeting at the ICC by the police, @GEJonathan called President Yemi Osinbajo to complain.

    “Sadly, Osinbajo did nothing about it. The encouraging news is that @GEJonathan tried his best and showed deep concern. That is leadership.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Ahmed Makarf-led faction on Friday convened a stakeholders meeting after an Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State declared Ali Modu-Sheriff as the recognized chairman of the party. The meeting was scheduled to hold at the ICC on Monday but was however barricaded by officials of the Nigeria Police Force who maintained that there were intelligence reports that both factions (Makarfi and Sheriff) of the PDP were planning to stage a meeting at the same venue (ICC) and it had to barricade the venue (ICC) in the interest of the peace of the nation.

    However, following the barricade, the meeting was later moved to the Ekiti State Government lodge.

     

  • Osinbajo’s achievements are ‘milestones of the Buhari administration’ – Presidency

    Osinbajo’s achievements are ‘milestones of the Buhari administration’ – Presidency

     

    The presidency has refuted reports in some quarters that there were divisions within the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration, maintaining that even in the president’s absence, the successes recorded so far by his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who as being in acting capacity are “milestones of the Buhari administration.”

    This was revealed in Abuja over the weekend by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu.

    Shehu made the remark while dismissing insinuations in certain quarters that there was division in the Presidency.

    The Presidential spokesman maintained it was not true that some close appointees of President Buhari had constituted themselves into a cabal with the aim of whittling down the influence of the Acting President.

    In his words: “This country has one government. When Nigerians voted, they voted for Buhari/Osinbajo on one ticket. Nobody can divide that ticket, so if Prof. Osinbajo achieves a milestone, it is a milestone by the Buhari administration. It is one government, no division in this government.”

    Reacting to calls by some Nigerians for the president to address the nation via a video message, the spokesperson said: “Okay, if you are making a suggestion, we will put it to him, in case he would agree. We will put it to him.‘’

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari proceeded on a medical vacation to London, United Kingdom on January 19 to after writing the National Assembly and handing over power to his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who has been in acting capacity since then.

  • Osinbajo should release El-Zakzaky, he needs medical attention like Buhari – Shi’ites

    Osinbajo should release El-Zakzaky, he needs medical attention like Buhari – Shi’ites

     

    Following the continuous detention and alleged failing health of the leader and founder of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, widely known as Shi’ite , Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenat, the Sokoto State leader of the group, Malam Kasim Umar, has called on the federal government to immediately release the incarcerated leader.

    He stated that just like President Muhammad Buhari, who urgently left the country to take care of his health, Zakzaky too was in desperate need of medical attention.

    “It is confirmed that Malam’s health is deteriorating by the day,” he told newsmen on Saturday.

    “He has lost one eye already and even the second eye is being affected. If left unattended to, he can lose it as well.

    “The gunshot injury he sustained on one of his legs during the military clamp down in 2015 is still there.

    “I am therefore appealing to the acting President who is a pastor and a renowned lawyer to release Malam as ordered by the Court for him to be properly checked and treated’’, he said.

    On purported plan by the federal government to release Zakzaky to the Kaduna State Government for prosecution, Umar expressed Shi’ites’ fears.

    He stated that their leader would not be given fair trial, with Kaduna government planning to charge Zakzaky based on alleged offences committed over 30 years ago.

    Umar appealed to other nations of the world, local and international human right groups to pressurize the federal government to obey existing court order and release the IMN leader.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that an Abuja Federal High Court had on January 30 directed the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Daura to release El-Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenat or risk going to jail.

     

  • Osinbajo assents to Pension Rights of Judges Act, 6 others

    Osinbajo assents to Pension Rights of Judges Act, 6 others

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has assented to Pension Rights of Judges(Amendment) Act, 2017, and six other bills passed by the National Assembly.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang.

    Enang listed other bills assented to by the Acting President as: Oaths(Amendment) Act, 2017; Defence Space Administration Act, 2017; Veterinary Surgeons(Amendment)Act, 2017, and National Film and Video Censors Board(Amendment)Act, 2017.

    Others are- Nigeria Institute of Soil Science(Establishment, etc.) Act, 2017, and Mortgage Institutions(Amendment)Act, 2016.

    He noted that the Acts, other than Defence Space Administration Act and Institute of Soil Science Act, were mainly amendments to the principal Acts, intended to bring them in conformity with current realities.

    Enang explained that the Oaths Amendment Act, enlists courts that were not in existence when the Oaths Act was passed into law.

    He added that the Amendment Act enlists courts which came into being upon amendment of the constitution, creating such courts as the Federal High Court, FCT High Court, National Industrial Court, among others.

    “Defence Space Administration Act establishes the Defence Space Administration, to develop satellite technology and ensure security of the nation’s cyber activities.

    “Veterinary Surgeons (Amendment)Act reduces the membership of the Veterinary Council.

    “National Film and Video Censors Board(Amendment)Act reduces the membership of the governing board and empowers the board to regulate the import and export of movies.

    “Pension Rights of Judges(Amendment) Act expands the meaning of a judicial officer.

    “This is to cover offices of Chief Judge or Judge of the Federal High Court, President or Judges of National Industrial Court and Chief Judge or Judges of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

    “Nigeria Institute of Soil Science(Establishment, etc) Act establishes the Nigeria Institute of Soil Science ,which is charged with the responsibility of regulating the profession of Soil Science.

    “Mortgage Institutions (Amendment)Act reviews the prescribed penalties,’’ he said.

  • Affirmation of Sheriff as PDP chairman is not a threat – BoT Chairman

    The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Walid Jubrin, said Appeal Court’s confirmation of Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman would not threaten the party.

    Reacting to the judgment delivered in Port Harcourt on Friday, Jubril told newsmen in Abuja that the judgment would bring the party members together.

    He expressed confidence in the judiciary but said that the party would go to any length to resolve the leadership tussle.
    Jubrin urged PDP members to be calm and not defect to other political parties, saying that the party was consulting with its various organs to ensure that it remained strong.

    Such organs, according to him, include PDP former and serving governors, senators, House of Representatives members, former and serving ministers, chairmen of state chapters, the youths and the women.

    He assured that the party would come out with a statement about the judgment latest on Tuesday.

    “I am sure that very soon everybody will smile. Those who are crying today will laugh.

    “ Those who are disturbed and worried will smile and PDP will one day become one party as we know it.

    “All these is a question of time,’’ Jubrin said.

    The Appeal Court, which sat in Port Harcourt, in the judgment, also nullified the PDP National Convention held in the Rivers capital in 2016 and the National Caretaker Committee of the party constituted at the convention.

    It held that Ali Modu Sheriff was the authentic National Chairman of the party.

    Two out of the three-member Appeal Court, Justice B.G. Sanga and Justice A. Gumel, in the judgment said the Port Harcourt convention was an abuse of court process.

    Delivering the lead judgment, Sanga said that PDP did not follow the provisions of Article 47(3) of its Constitution in the removal of the Sherrif-led National Working Committee.