Buhari Ministerial List received by Senate President

Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters and Chief of Staff to President Muhammad Buhari arrived the office premises of the Senate President by 16:48hours on Wednesday to present the sealed List of Ministerial Nominees to Senator Bukola Saraki.
Following a brief ceremonial presentation, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, confirmed the receipt of the ministerial nominees list from the Presidency.
Saraki made the confirmation on his Twitter handle.
The Senate president, who had earlier on his Twitter handle said he was yet to receive the list as at 4pm, wrote: “I can now confirm that I just received #Thelist of Ministerial nominees.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier in the month promised to submit the list to the Senate.
The Senate will not be screening the nominees earlier than next week Tuesday as it had adjourned on Wednesday till next week to enable members observe the independence day on October 1.

Culled from Eagle Online News

Buhari Should Stop Sidelining Nigerian Media on his actions! Says Human Rights boss

Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, on Wednesday, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond just  body language to provide responsible leadership in governance.

Odinkalu, in a lecture he delivered at the second Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) Annual Colloquium in Abuja, said Nigeria, as presently constituted, needed leaders that could speak and connect necessarily with the citizenry and wondered why Buhari would choose to make his action plans known to foreign audiences, rather than speaking to Nigerians.

The NHRC chairman was referring to the president's earlier visit to Ghana, where he announced that he would constitute hiscabinet before the end of September, as well as the disclosure in Paris, France, that the Federal Government was negotiating with Boko Haram to secure the release of Chibok girls.

"You can't lead a country by body language; we need a leadership that will trust our people and speak to our people," he said and urged the president to speak to Nigerians directly.

Culled from Nigerian Tribune

Behold The Blood Moon! As Full Moon Turned 'Blood' Across the World!

Over the night the full clear moon was seen in the sky  and it appeared to have remained in full sway till early Monday , 28/09/2015. There has been a strong indication that the full moon turned reddish I'm colour in what astronomers described 'blood moon'. By today, (Early morning on Monday in some parts of the world, especially in parts of the West African country like Nigeria; starting from 1AM, depending on time difference), millions of people around the world will enjoy the sight of a “blood moon”, as a lunar eclipse combined with a “super moon” combines to make our natural satellite appear red in colour. 

NIGERIA : Lagos, Abuja and several other cities in the country are set to witness lunar eclipse beginning in the wee hours of September 28.
According to available information, the lunar eclipse will start at 2:07am.
This will be with a partial eclipse.
The eclipse will be at its maximum beginning from 3:47am.
The maximum eclipse will end at 4:23am.
The recession of the eclipse will end at 5:27am, according to available statistics on www.timeanddate.com.
The National Space Research and Development Agency had earlier said Abuja, Lagos and several other cities and towns across the country would experience a lunar eclipse on September 28.
A statement by the agency’s Deputy Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, confirmed the expected development.

11 Facts About the September 27/ 28, 2015 Blood Moon Eclipse

On September 28, 2015, a rare Total Lunar Eclipse of a Super Full Moon will be visible from most of North America, South America, Europe, West Asia and parts of Africa. Here are 11 facts you should know about this eclipse.

Different stages of a Total Lunar Eclipse.

©bigstockphoto.com/alexeys

Animation: Next eclipse in your city

1. A Rare Eclipse of a Supermoon

The full Moon of September 27/28 is a Supermoon – the Moon will be closest to the Earth. or at its perigee, as it turns into a full Moon. A rising Super Full Moon can look larger and brighter to spectators on Earth.

Total eclipses of Super Full Moons are rare. According to NASA, they have only occurred 5 times in the 1900s – in 1910, 1928, 1946, 1964 and 1982. After the September 27/ 28, 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse, a Supermoon eclipse will not happen again for another 18 years, until October 8, 2033.

2. People in the US Will Get Front Row Seats

People in eastern and central areas of the United States and Canada will have some of the best views of the Total Lunar Eclipse on the night of September 27, 2015, weather permitting. Here, the eclipse will begin after moonrise and finish around midnight (00:00 on September 28).

Those on the West Coast will miss the beginning stages of the eclipse because they will happen before moonrise.

It will be the last Total Lunar Eclipse visible from mainland USA until January 31, 2018.

Moonrise and Moonset in Your City

3. Late Night & Early Morning Eclipse

While North and South Americans will be able to see the eclipse after sunset on September 27, 2015, people in Africa, Europe and Middle East can view it during the early hours of September 28, before the Sun rises.

Sunrise and Sunset in Your City

4. No Need for Eye Protection

A partial solar eclipse looks like the Moon has taken a bite of the Sun.

©bigstockphoto.com/underworld1

Lunar eclipses can be spectacular and they are easy to see with the naked eye. Unlike solar eclipses, which require protective eye wear, a lunar eclipse can beviewed without specialized eye wear.

Tips: Moon Photography

5. A Solar Eclipse Takes Place Two Weeks Before

Solar and lunar eclipses come in pairs – a lunar eclipse always takes place two weeks before or after a solar eclipse. The September 27/ 28, 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse will be preceded by a Partial Solar Eclipse onSeptember 13, 2015.

6. It's Part of a Lunar Tetrad

The September 28, 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse is the fourth and final eclipse in a series of four total lunar eclipses called the lunar tetrad. The first three eclipses of the tetrad took place on April 15, 2014,October 8, 2014 and on April 4, 2015.

Notice something interesting about the dates? Each of the eclipses in the tetrad occurs about 6 months apart and have 5 full Moons between them!

Moon Phases in your City

Lunar tetrads can be rare in some centuries and can occur frequently in others. The 21st century will have 8 lunar tetrads, the maximum number of lunar tetrads that can occur in a century. The last time this happened was in the 9th century!

The next lunar tetrad of the 21st century will start with the April 25, 2032 Total Lunar Eclipse.

7. ...And is Being Called a Blood Moon

Rayleigh scattering can cause the Moon to look red during a lunar eclipse.

©bigstockphoto.com/Medardus

In recent years, the term Blood Moon has been frequently used to refer to total lunar eclipses. Some sources suggest that the term stems from the Bible. Christian pastors Mark Blitz and John Hagee claim that the eclipses of the 2014-2015 lunar tetrad fulfill a Biblical prophecy of forthcoming difficult and trying times.

Astronomers do not use Blood Moon as a scientific term. However, it is possible that the term came to describe total lunar eclipses because of the reddish color the eclipsed Moon takes on during totality. This happens because of Rayleigh scattering, the same mechanism that causes colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Why are Total Lunar Eclipses Red?

8. Despite Rumors, the World Will Not End

Relax! The World will not end.

©iStockphoto.com/DNY59

The views of pastors Blitz and Hagee gathered attention in early 2014, because the eclipses in the tetrad coincide with important Jewish festivals. The eclipses in April 2014 and April 2015 occured at the same time as Passover, while the October 2014 andSeptember 2015 eclipses occur during the Feast of Tabernacles. Some people took this coincidence as a sign of the end of times.

Others have dismissed any apocalyptic significance of the tetrad. Data of past eclipses show that at least eight lunar tetrads have coincided with Jewish holidays since the First Century.

The Jewish Calendar is a lunar calendar and Passover always occurs around a full Moon. Since a total lunar eclipse can only occur on a full Moon night, it is very likely that an eclipse will take place on or near Passover.

The Science Behind Total Lunar Eclipses

In conclusion, scientists and astronomers have found no reason to believe that the current lunar tetrad is a sign of the world to end. Even mainstream religious organizations have debunked this claim, so don't start hoarding end-of-the-world supplies just yet!

Doomsday Prophecies That Fizzled Out

9. It will Happen on Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon is the first full Moon of the Northern Hemisphere fall (autumn).

©iStockphoto.com/klagyivik

The Lunar Eclipse on September 27/ 28, 2015 will occur during the Northern Hemisphere's first fall (autumn) full Moon. Called the Harvest Moon in many northern cultures, it is the full Moon closest to theSeptember Equinox, and is astronomically significant.

On average the Moon rises about 50 minutes later every successive day in a lunar month – the time period between two full Moons or two new Moons. InNew York, for example, a new Moon will rise at 6:50 am on September 13. On September 14, the Moon will rise almost 60 minutes later at 7:46 am.

Around the Northern Hemisphere's Harvest Moon, this time difference between two successive moonrises decreases to about 30-40 minutes for a few days. In New York, a full Moon will rise at 6:36 pm (18:36) on September 27 and on September 28, the Moon will rise 40 minutes later at 7:16 pm (19:16).

This curious phenomenon, which is also sometimes called the Harvest Moon Effect occurs because of the low angle that the Moon's path around the Earth makes with the horizon during the northern fall (autumn) months. This effect reverses during the Northern Hemisphere spring. The large angle that the lunar orbit makes with the horizon ensures that the moon rises more than 50 minutes later every day around the northern Spring Equinox.

Because seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are opposite to the seasons in the North, the Harvest Moon Effect occurs around the southern Fall (Autumn) Equinox in March.

A Super Full Moon is also known as a Perigee Moon.

©bigstockphoto.com/Prasit Rodphan

10. It is Part of Lunar Saros Series 137

Like solar eclipses, lunar eclipses tend to occur in 18 year long cycles called Saros cycles. Lunar eclipses separated by a Saros cycle share similar features, including time of the year and the distance of the Moon from the Earth. Eclipses that are separated by a Saros cycle are included in a Saros series.

The September 27/ 28, 2015 Lunar Eclipse belongs to Saros Series 137. It is the 28th eclipse and the last total lunar eclipse in a series of 81 lunar eclipses. The series began with a penumbral eclipse on December 17, 1564 and will end with another penumbral eclipse on April 20, 2953.

11. It's the Last Eclipse of 2015

2015 has 4 eclipses, the minimum number of eclipses that can happen in a calendar year. The September 28 Total Lunar Eclipse marks the last eclipse of the year. It will be preceded by a partial solar eclipse onSeptember 13, 2015.

The first eclipse of the year, a total solar eclipse took place on March 20. Two weeks later, on April 4, 2015the first lunar eclipse of 2015 took placeObservers might not enjoy themselves quite so much, however, if certain prophecies turn out to be true and the phenomenon heralds the beginning of the apocalypse.This  will be the fourth appearance of a blood moon over the last two years, in what is known as a tetrad series. The last time was in 1982; the next will be in 2033

Source: TimeAndDate.Com

Okunrounmu Unveils Politicians Who Lie about their Asset Declarations!

Femi Okunrounmu, a former senator, who was the chairperson the 2014 National Conference Convocation Committee, has stated that more than 90% of Nigerian politicians lie in their asset declarations.

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Femi Okunrounmu

Premium Times reports that Okunrounmu expressed his opinion while speaking with journalists at the 80th birthday celebration of Frederick Fasehun, the leader of O’dua Peoples Congress.
The former senator stressed that if anybody had done something against the law or constitution, the person should be brought to book. He also added that the fight against corruption should be holistic.
“It should cover all the people who are guilty, not just target a few individuals.
“Ninety per cent of politicians declare assets falsely, so the law should go after all the people that are guilty of such false declaration of assets, try them and bring them to justice.
“They shouldn’t just target one or two people,” he said
Speaking about the National Confab, Okunrounmu noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had always opposed it.
“May be, the Constitution is favourable to some parts of the North; many northern APC leaders have always opposed a national confab.
“May be, one can understand why they oppose a confab, but those who know how the current Constitution came to being know that it was fashioned by successive military rulers, mostly from the north,” he said.
Okunrounmu said that the southern wing of the ruling party had always agitated for a national conference. Accoring to him, the APC was opposed to the 2014 confab “for political reasons”.

Commenting on the delay in cabinet formation by Muhammadu Buhari, the former senator stressed that the president can not administer Nigeria without a cabinet.
“Even though there is no specification on the number of days within which he must send the names of ministers, any governance without ministers is governance as sole administrator which is not provided for in the Constitution,” he said.

Meanwhile, the presidency has assured all Nigerians that the highly-anticipated


Culled from Naij.Com

TEN (10) FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE VAGINA

01.The clitoris isn't just a small pink nub

The clitoris has 8,000 nerve endings aimed for sexual pleasure — that's double the number in the penis, according to experts.

The clitoris, which is a small pink organ that lies underneath the clitoral hood, is a powerhouse of pleasure. Although it extends into the vagina for about three inches, and connects with the controversial G-spot area,the clitoris is considered an "external" organ. As researchers noted in a 2011 article in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, "the glans and body are visible, while the roots are hidden, therefore they are not "internal.'"

In other words, the most visible part of the clitoris is only a small part of it — it extends from there like roots of a tree. The length of the whole clitoris has been estimated to be nearly four inches long.

02.A woman takes a bath Good and bad bacteria

It's normal to have bacteria in your vagina. In fact, there are some bacteria known as lactobacilli that keep the acidity of the vagina in the normal range. 

But sometimes the balance between good and bad bacteria can be disrupted. When that happens, women could experience a discharge that smells fishy, or have an itching or burning sensation, Barnes said.

But there are ways that women can keep their vaginas healthy, and keep the good bacteria present, she noted.

"I always tell my patients to avoid douching," she said. "Flushing out the vagina with anything that might kill the lactobacilli can result in an overgrowth of other types of problematic bacteria."

She also recommended using soaps to clean only the hair-covered areas of skin.

"Water is sufficient for cleaning the non-hair-bearing regions," she said.

03.Sex can keep the vagina healthy — especially for postmenopausal women

Through the various stages of women's lives — including childbirth and breastfeeding, as well as normal aging and menopause — the body undergoes hormonal changes that could lead to vaginal dryness.

"Estrogen helps keep the vagina healthy and lubricated," Barnes said. "Once estrogen levels drop, the vagina can become dry, and sometimes even be a source of pain."

Experts say that having sex can prevent the vagina from becoming thin and tight.

“Safe vaginal intercourse can help keep the vagina healthy and dilated,” Barnes said.
To help make intercourse more comfortable, she suggested using lubricants. And for women who experience extreme dryness and discomfort, using hormonal therapies in the form of pills, patches, vaginal rings or creams may be an option.  

"There are some risks to certain types of hormone therapy,” she cautioned, "so it's important for women to discuss them with their doctor before making a decision to use them."

04.Discharges women should worry about

Although the vagina is considered a self-cleaning organ, and some discharge is normal, that doesn’t mean it’s not vulnerable.

“Any vaginal discharge that seems excessive, painful, irritating or foul in odor should be evaluated by a doctor,” Barnes said.

Some women try to diagnose their own vaginal infections at home, and use over-the-counter medications. "Unfortunately, research has shown that patients aren't very accurate when it comes to self-diagnosis," Barnes said.  

She recommends that women get evaluated if there is an abnormal discharge. Although it can sometimes be as simple as a yeast infection, "other times, the infection can be more complicated, or even a sexually transmitted infection," she said.

05.Probiotic supplements could help keep the balance

Probiotics, also known as the "friendly bacteria," have become a popular treatment against the "bad" bacteria that might cause harm to the body. Some evidence suggests they help digestion and combat diarrhea and gut inflammation.

A few studies have also hinted that using probiotics could help against vaginal infections, such as yeast infections, but according to Barnes, “there isn’t enough proof to make a specific recommendation.”

“More research needs to be done to say for sure when, how much, and what type of probiotics are helpful,” she said.

Barnes said she has had patients who suffered from chronic vaginal infections who have felt better after taking probiotics.

"If I have a patient with recurrent vaginal infections, I will recommend probiotics in the form of fermented goat’s milk," she said, but its not right for everyone, including people with lactose intolerance.

06.Kegel exercises don’t only work for orgasms

Along with helping women who have problems reaching an orgasm, Kegel exercises also strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which can help women who have trouble holding in their urine, stool or gas.

“You can do these exercises just about anywhere,” said Dr. Courtney Leigh Barnes, a gynecologist at the University of Missouri.

To do a kegel exercise, act as though you are going to stop peeing and hold it for a couple of seconds, or you can insert your finger into the vagina and tighten your muscles, Barnes said.

"These exercises can also be used to help with pelvic organ prolapse,” Barnes said.

Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition in which the organs in the pelvis—like the bladder—drops and pushes against the vagina.

07.The vagina is just one part of a women’s private parts
Sometimes, a woman's entire genital region is referred to as the vagina. But in fact, the vagina is just a part of the package, so to speak. The outer portion of a woman’s privates is actually called the vulva. That includes the inner and outer labia, the clitoris, clitoral hood and the opening to the urethra and vagina.

The actual vagina is an internal structure, along with the other parts of the female reproductive system including the cervix, uterus, ovaries and Fallopian tubes (which are sometimes called the oviducts).

CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL vs SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI : HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIAL PROCEEDINGS

CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL vs SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI : HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIAL PROCEEDINGS


Dated: 22/09/2015


Read the highlights of the trial proceedings as tweeted by Kayode Akintemi

[22/09 11:30] ‪#‎JustIn‬: Commissioner of @PoliceNG for FCT has announced to Journalists in the CCT Courtroom that there will be no live broadcast allowed
LEAKS: ‪#‎CCTvsSaraki‬: Justice Umar has insisted that Senator @BukolaSaraki should take a plea or Guilty or Not Guilty before moving on

LEAKS: ‪#‎CCBvsSaraki‬: Argument is ongoing regarding whether Senator @BukolaSaraki should seat in the dock or behind his Lawyers.
LEAKS: CCBvsSaraki: Justice Umar has ruled that Code of Conduct Tribunal has jurisdiction to try criminal matters and this case is criminal
#CCBvsSaraki: Dr Bukola Saraki has been docked & charges against him are read for him to take a plea of guilty or not guilty!
Follow more via @nujenews www.twitter.com/nujenews
#CCBvsSaraki: Dr. Saraki has pleaded not guilty to the three charges against him at the moment
[22/09 11:57] : #CCBvsSaraki: Dr. Saraki pleads not to the 13 count charge read to him by the Court Clerk
[22/09 12:02] : #CCBvsSaraki: Counsel to @BukolaSaraki applies to Tribunal to give adequate time for his client to be briefed and understand the charges
[22/09 12:14] #CCBvsSaraki: Justice Umar has now withdrawn bench warrant against @BukolaSaraki
[22/09 12:35] : Animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others .Only TVC showing the live coverage.‪#‎Kontinu‬
[22/09 12:38] #CCBvsSaraki: Justice Danladi Umar has now adjourned the seating of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to allow @BukolaSaraki receive proper brief.

 By Kayode Akintemi
Posted by Lashley Oladigbolu 

Global partnership needs ‘rejuvenation’ to achieve new sustainable development agenda – UN report

18 September 2015

 The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) achieved significant progress over the past 15 years, but persistent gaps in official development assistance and insufficient access to markets, affordable medicines and new technologies have highlighted the need for a rejuvenation of the global partnership for development, according to a new United Nations report launched today.

“Despite gains towards a number of targets, major gaps remain in reducing vulnerabilities for developing countries, including least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States,”Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at a press conference in New York.

In Katibougou, outside Bamako, Mali, workers carefully clip plants in a greenhouse where watermelons, sweet peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables are grown. Photo: World Bank/Dominic ChavezProduced by the UN MDG Gap Task Force, an inter-agency initiative that includes more than 30 organizations, Taking Stock of the Global Partnership for Development monitors the recent achievements and challenges in the implementation of Millennium Development Goal 8.

It also looks ahead towards the new sustainable development agenda that will be adopted by world leaders at a special summit next week, and which will include the launch of a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“I look forward to working together to deliver on the unfinished MDG commitments, tackle inequality and meet the new challenges that have emerged across the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental,” Mr. Ban said.

Key report findings reveal official development assistance (ODA) flows have increased remarkably by 66 per cent from 2000 to 2014.

“The level of ODA committed did rise significantly during the lifetime of the MDGs,” Helen Clark, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), told the press.

“In each of the past two years it has stood at over $130 billion. We must applaud those donors which currently meet or exceed the agreed UN target of allocating 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income to ODA. We thank others striving to reach that target, and the growing contributions of South-South development cooperation providers.”

Also participating in today’s briefing was the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Wu Hongbo, who said ODA is necessary but is not enough.

“In order to implement the sustainable development agenda, all available resources need to be mobilized in addition to the public financing,” he said. “I think we need policy guidance that will encourage the private sectors and the companies [to] come on board and support the implementation financially.”

The MDG Gap Task Force report also covers the latest merchandise exports figures, showing that developing countries’ access to developed-country markets has reportedly improved from 30.5 to 43.8 per cent from 2000 to 2014.

Furthermore, debt burdens have been reduced in most highly indebted poor countries, and mobile phone penetration in developing countries is estimated to reach 92 per cent at the end of 2015, compared to less than 10 per cent in 2000.

“The digital divide between developed and developing countries, however, persists, as it also persists between women and men and between rich and poor within countries,” Ms. Clark noted, adding that only 35 per cent of people in the developing world are using the Internet.

Mr. Ban urged partners across the world to embrace the ambition embodied in the new global goals, which will be the focus of the Sustainable Development Summit that will take place from 25 to 27 September at UN Headquarters in New York.

Source: United Nations News Centre.

Chief Falae's Abduction On His Birthday, A Horrifying Report- Ajulo

Legal practitioner and social activist Barr. Kayode Ajulo has condemned the attack and abduction of former Secretary to the Federal Government and Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, who was kidnapped Monday at his farm in Ondo State.

Ajulo, who is the National Secretary of the Labour Party, described the act as "shocking, traumatizing and downright satanic" while also expressing dismay that the culprits even disregarded the age and position of the septuagenarian.

"When the news reached me, I didn't believe it. It is scary, we are suppose to be celebrating his birthday with him today"

*Chief Olu Falae"It is horrifying that a criminal gang would dare to attack and abduct a man who is so advanced in years and incidentally on his birthday. It is downright devilish to subject an elderly man to such a harrowing experience," he said.

According to Ajulo, what made the news even more personally traumatizing is the indelible contributions of Chief Falae to ensure that democracy takes root in nigeria and the relationship between the abducted Chief Falae and himself.

"I am particularly hit by the news because Chief Falae is not just a face in the crowd to me. He has fought for emancipation of Nigerians even at a great risk to his freedom and life, he has also played the role of a father and a mentor to me; coming from the same political root and belief, Anglican Communion and Yoruba race, our perspectives on most issues have been identical even though we belong to different political parties presently.

"Though Chief Falae is fearless and strong in character but as someone who has experience the trauma of abduction personally, I can relate to what this senior citizen and man of principle will be going through presently.

The Labour Party scribe also called on the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies to leave no stone unturned in the manhunt for the culprits and ensure that Chief Falae is rescued and returned to his family.

"The Labour Party charges all security agencies to rise to the occasion to apprehend the culprits and rescue Chief Falae who has contributed to the nation's development. His family and Nigerians in general expect no less from the police at this period," he said.

Clamouring For Emergence of The new Ooni of Ife.

The next Ooni of Ife may soon emerge as the kingmakers have been placed on a deadline by the Ife East and Ife Central Local Governments Authorities.

The race was formely between the four ruling families; Osinkola, Ogboru, Giesi and Lafogido. But the Giesi family seems to have been penciled down for the throne.

Vanguard gathered this is as a result of a declaration document that was signed by the then Chairman of Chieftaincy Committee of Oranmiyan Local Government; P.O. Olaniyi.

The document which was forwarded for approval on September 14, 1979, was signed on January 28, 1980, approving the rotation of the stool among the four ruling houses, in that orders. The document had been prepared under the reign of the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi who was from the Oshikola ruling family.

The late Oba Okunade Sijuwade came from the Ogboru ruling house, according to the rotation principle, the next in line to ascend the throne could, therefore, come from the Giesi family.

According to Vanguard, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, a fearless and self-made businessman, being the 4th direct descendant of the Giesi family, is in all context, the man for the throne.

"All things been equal he has been tipped to come and rule his fatherland, and we hope he will be willing to rule his people and turn around the history like he is turning around businesses in his area of interests," Vanguard says.

Prince Adeyeye was born about forty years ago into the Giesi Ruling House, Ojaja Royal Compound of Agbedegbede in Ile-Ife.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria Newspaper

HID, A Shining Example to All Women -Ajulo

The National Secretary of the Labour Party, Barr. Kayode Ajulo, has described the recently deceased matriarch of the Awolowo family and wife of the foremost nationalist and politician, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Hannah Dideolu Awolowo who is fondly referred to as 'HID' as "a shining example of womanhood who is worthy of emulation by all women".

Eulogizing the late matriarch who passed away on Saturday, Ajulo said "Mama's" exemplary character had been best described by her equally outstanding husband who during his lifetime consistently praised her in public as his "jewel of inestimable value". He further stated that it was no surprise and by no accident that Chief Awolowo rose to the heights that he did, and achieved the great strides that he did with the love and support of such a woman as HID.

"It is commonly said that beside every great man is a woman. I want to expand that a little by saying it is a great woman that stands beside every great man. In Pa Awo's case, Mama fulfilled the Biblical intention for women to be a helper- a helpmeet for their men. Her unflinching support for him from his youth, during his years as a student abroad, and even during his struggles for Nigerian independence are legendary, and they should be recounted to all women for ages to come. Even during the years of his incarceration, Mama remained a rock for her husband.

"Her character was such that even when Pa Awo passed away, she held fort, and continued to uphold the legacy of Chief Awolowo and all that he stood for. This is evidenced by the number of political considerations that took place at her home while she was alive.

As a matter of fact, the scope of her influence spread beyond the Odua nation to the farthest parts of Nigeria; this is a mark of the type of leadership that Nigerian women have the potential to provide for the nation if they emulate Mama," he said.

The Labour Party scribe further said that the matriarch had lived a fulfilled life, and that Nigeria had been made a lot better by her presence and her influence.

"Nigeria has gained a lot from Mama's counsel and influence, and while it is true that the nation has suffered great loss by her demise and while we acknowledge the fact that the nation will miss her, let us agree that mourning is not enough to honour her. The greatest honour we can give her is to raise young Nigerian girls to follow her steps, and become women of character and substance like Mama HID Awolowo.

"I have a dream of a nation where the women live exemplary lives like Mama did, and I pray I see Nigeria become that in my lifetime. If this is done, the nation would as a matter of course become a nation of achievers because women are the midwives of societies," he said.

Ajulo offered his condolences to the Awolowo family, stating however that they were not alone in their grief as the entire nation had suffered the loss of a great spirit.

"A huge vacuum has been created in the arena of selfless leadership in Nigeria, and even though we know that the Awolowo family will feel the pain more than the rest of us, it must be said that the loss is an entire nation's loss; a great spirit has departed from our realm and gone home to be with the Creator. Rest in peace, Mama," he said.

Unlimited Chain of Corruption: CCB/CCT Vs Saraki Vs EFCC

Opening The Can Of Worms
•Web of alleged graft that binds Conduct Bureau, Tribunal, EFCC, Senate President•Why Senate President must face Tribunal

By Jide Ajani

At a time when it all looked uncertain, Sunday Vanguard dared to tell the world, categorically, in September 2011, that the case by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, against, former governor of Lagos State, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would fail because it was a voyage in misadventure.    It did.    Today, four years after, the same CCB, with its Chairman, Sam Saba, has embarked on another voyage, this time against Senate President Bukola Saraki, at a time when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is also investigating the former for allegations leveled against him by some staff regarding diversion of funds meant for promotion arrears. This report will show why President Muhammadu Buhari must dispel the insinuation that his anti-corruption war, as being polluted by the CCB, the CCT, as well as Ibrahim Lamorde, Chairman of the EFCC, who himself is being investigated by the Senate for alleged diversion of N2trillion in recovered loot, is not his making by bringing-in fresh hands to help him fight this war.    The report will also show why, like Tinubu, Saraki should face the tribunal and get this monkey off his back – if he can.

A WEB OF CORRUPT PRACTICES

 Sam Saba, CCB Chairman

Sam-Saba

A petition from M L Ibrahim & Co Chambers in Kano, against Sam Saba, Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, dated May 7, 2015, was sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.    The particulars of the petition, which was primarily the alleged diversion of over N100million by the Chairman, was signed by Lawan Yaro Mohammed.

Sunday Vanguard gathered from Mohammed during a telephone chat, yesterday, that the petition was, indeed, sent to the EFCC.    He also confirmed that the EFCC had been inviting Saba in the course of the investigation of the matter.

That was not all.

Sunday Vanguard was able to also establish that, as was the case with  a  former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when Saba, working with some officials of Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidency, arraigned Tinubu without informing his fellow Commissioners at CCB, the case against Saraki, without prejudice to its merit, was also kick-started without the full knowledge and participation of fellow Commissioners.    In 2011, the Commissioner in charge of the South-West Zone, as was published at that time, did not even know Tinubu would be arraigned.

Therefore, yesterday, Sunday Vanguard got in touch with the Commissioner in charge of North-Central Zone, Dr. Christie Ekoja.

Asked if she carried out the verification of the assets declaration of Saraki and if the CCB invited the beleaguered senator for clarification, she politely responded by saying “no comment”. The question is, why would the head of an anti-corruption body, enmeshed in allegations of corruption, be the one to set another for arraignment before a court?

Bukola Saraki and alleged false declaration

The charges against Saraki are already well know and are in the public domain, from under-declaration to anticipatory declaration. The CCT is seeking his appearance tomorrow to answer to these charges.

He is also being accused of operating a foreign bank account as a public officer.

Whatever defects he claims the allegations have, he still needs to appear before the tribunal and defend himself.  Until he is discharged of these allegations, they will hang over him no matter the plethora of court orders he gets.

Bribery allegation and Mr. Danladi Umar, CCT Chairman’s Office

Danladi-Umar

The third leg of the web of  alleged corruption is Danladi Yakubu Umar, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. Information available to Sunday Vanguard suggests that, sometime last year, a retired Comptroller of Customs, Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo, who was standing trial before Umar, allegedly negotiated a deal either with Umar or somebody in his office. N10million was the amount said to have been agreed to.    Taiwo, playing along, allegedly paid N1.8million into the account of the PA to Umar.    Now whether it was meant for Umar or the PA was conducting his own private racket, is still being investigated by the EFCC.

Yet, the bulk of the witnesses the CCB and the CCT would be relying on are coming from the EFCC end. Still, it has not pricked the conscience of the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, or Saba of CCB and Umar of CCT that Nigerians would read a meaning of an unholy alliance into  what is at play.

Ibrahim Lamorde of EFCC and allegations of embezzlement

The drama started with the EFCC inviting the wife of the Senate President, Toyin Saraki, for questioning.    She was questioned, last month, but has so far not been charged to court by the Commission. It was after that that, the Senate, acting on a petition by one George Uboh alleging that Lamorde embezzled N2trillion, being proceeds of the sale of forfeited assets and recovered funds.

Meanwhile, the investigation by the Senate Committee is still on.    Therefore, no other time would have been more opportune to rush before the CCT – without prejudice to the facts of the matter as presented before the CCT.

Connecting the dots.....


EFCC-boss-Ibrahim-Lamorde

Once Saraki became Senate President by eyeballing his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and going ahead to defy same when filling leadership positions in the Senate, even a fool would have known that there would be a fight-back.    But no one would have expected the fight-back to come in this form.

The legally laid down procedure for conducting an investigation in the event of any allegation of a breach of its Act by public officers covered by the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act provides thus:

(1)Any complaint that a public officer has committed a breach of or has not complied with the provisions of this Act shall be made to the Bureau. (2) Upon the receipt of any complaint, the Bureau shall cause a notice to be served on the public officer concerned to appear before it within a period of fourteen days from the service of the said notice. (3) The Bureau shall upon the commencement of investigation serve a notice debarring the public officer concerned from disposing of or otherwise dealing with any property which is the subject of investigation

By virtue of the above section, the Code of Conduct Bureau is required and mandated by law to serve notice on any public officer against whom a complaint has been made.

Having spoken with the Commissioner for the North-Central Zone, Sunday Vanguard was reliably informed at the CCB that no service has been made on the Senate President yet.

Whereas President Buhari is bent on fighting corruption, this convoluted approach, especially the web of alleged corrupt practices between the Senate President, Saraki, EFCC’s Ibrahim Lamorde’s on-investigation by the Senate, the petitions against Sam Saba of CCB and Danladi Umar of CCT, all form a staple for corruption unlimited.

Culled from Vanguard News, Special Report
Published on September 20, 2015 at 1:52

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New Principles to Move on a Low Carbon Path, amid Growing Momentum for Carbon Pricing

WASHINGTON, September 20, 2015

Drawing on experiences with carbon pricing initiatives around the world, new research lays out principles for governments and businesses to develop successful and cost-effective schemes to put a price on social costs of greenhouse gas emissions.

The research by the World Bank Group, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation (OECD), with input from the International Monetary Fund, says that well designed carbon pricing schemes are a powerful and flexible tool that can cut emissions causing climate change.

At the same time, a new World Bank Group report, State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2015, shows the number of implemented or planned carbon pricing schemes around the world has almost doubled since 2012, and is now worth about $50 billion.

"The world needs to find effective ways to reduce carbon pollution," said World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim. "We must design the best ways to price carbon in order to help cut pollution, improve people’s health, and provide governments with a pool of funds to drive investment in a cleaner future and to protect poor people."

"With COP21 fast approaching, the need for meaningful carbon policies is more important than ever. Carbon pricing is central to the quest for a cost-effective transition towards zero net emissions in the second half of the century. These principles will help governments to incorporate carbon pricing as a key part of their policy toolkit," said Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD.

"Carbon pricing is effective in reducing emissions that cause climate change, is straightforward to administer, can raise valuable revenues for broader fiscal reforms, and can help address local pollution as well as global climate change. We welcome the opportunity to continue collaborating with the World Bank, OECD, and others on this critical policy tool," said Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund.

By Lashley Oladigbolu, accredited journalist of the World Bank Online Media Briefing Centre.

Why GEJ Bashing Won’t Work -Senator Ben Murray Bruce

President Jonathan’s Senator Pens An Article On Why GEJ Bashing Won’t Work

By Senator Ben Murray Bruce

I am former President Goodluck Jonathan’s senator. He is my constituent in the Bayelsa East senatorial zone that I represent in the Senate of the National Assembly and I am sufficiently aware of what he did and did not do while he was president of Nigeria.

Former President Jonathan achieved a lot of things for Nigeria during his term and I think it is a revision of history for anyone or institution to propagate the narrative that he set Nigeria back. How could that be the case when under him Nigeria became the leading economy in Africa and our average life expectancy grew from 47 years to 51. 7 years which represents the single largest increase in our annals?

Thankfully, these records, especially the one for the increase in life expectancy come from no less a body than the United Nations, so no one can say that Jonathan manipulated these records.It is not that I have set out to defend Jonathan in this piece, but I think someone has to be responsible enough to say that Jonathan is out of the picture and to continue to blame him and his administration for Nigeria’s current problems betrays a defeatist mentality by those who are engaging in that pastime.

This ‘blame it all on Jonathan’ song can sustain those who sing it in the short term, but eventually it will work in Jonathan’s favour. Those in the frontline of the anti-Jonathan chorus are more responsible than anybody else for keeping Jonathan in the consciousness of Nigerians which cannot be good for the present administration.When you are out of political office, your greatest need shifts from the need to be seen as performing to the need for relevance. It is the government in power that needs to perform.

Everybody else only needs to be relevant. And Jonathan’s enemies are making him relevant.In fact, by blaming Jonathan for all of Nigeria’s problems, his enemies make him the main issue in Nigerian politics which is good for him and not for them.

Let me use an analogy here. In the 80s, reggae music was at the zenith of its popularity and all over the world, from the Caribbean, to Europe to Africa, reggae musicians were singing mostly one song. All their songs centred around freeing Nelson Mandela. However, when Mandela was unexpectedly released in 1991, the popularity of reggae music nosedived because reggae musicians had lost their number one source of inspiration!So, while Mandela went on to become the most relevant black man of his lifetime, those that sang about his release gradually faded away into obscurity.Are we seeing a replay of this scenario in Nigeria?

Instead of all this Jonathan bashing, should we not be more concerned about the clear and present dangers facing this nation? For instance, Nigeria has the fastest growing population in the world. While the population of Europe is projected to shrink by 2050, Nigeria’s population is expected to surpass that of the United States and by 2100 it is projected that we will rival China’s population.Yet, as the population of Nigeria is exploding right before our eyes, some people are talking about dismantling the Jonathan era policies that were actually preparing us for the dramatic increase in our population without themselves coming up with alternative solutions.

The new song is to jettison the National Conference report which made progressive suggestions on how to make our economy and polity less dependent on oil which is a diminishing resource.

The agricultural policies of Akinwumi Adesina while he was minister of agriculture are being pooh poohed for political reasons instead of celebrating and continuing with them. The man led changes that reduced our food import bill by over $4 billion and increased our ability to feed ourselves yet we do not want to recognise that because it is a fruit from the Jonathan tree.

The Jonathan administration weeded out 50,000 ghost workers from the federal civil service through the introduction and strict compliance with the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), yet instead of applauding Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for this feat, we are instead bailing out states that cannot pay workers’ salaries precisely because many of those workers are ghost workers!

Tell me who will feed us in 2050 when we have more mouths to feed than the entire populations of those countries to whom we would be looking for help?

Jonathan was building schools for Almajiris and there are those insulting him for that and calling it a misplaced priority forgetting that if we do not educate the 10 million out-of-school children that the United Nations estimate exists in Northern Nigeria, a day will come when the population of out-of-school Nigerian children will be more than in-school children and the resultant effect on our national security will be nothing short of catastrophe!

Nigeria’s politics has to mature. We have to realise that once elections are over, we must all accept the outcome and learn to work with each other. It is a big, big misconception that you have to like people to work with them or to build upon what they started. If man had kept reinventing the wheel, we would never have invented the plane.

Every generation must build upon where the previous generation stopped from.

That is the story of human progress since the fall of man in Eden to the Internet age of today. If Alexander Graham Bell did not invent the telephone, we would not have the Internet today. If we had complained about the complication associated with the land line and jettisoned the idea of a telephone, we would not have made progress in telephony to the point where we have mobile phones!If every new administration keeps starting from the scratch and wastes its honeymoon period demonising its predecessor, both Nigeria and the administration may find it difficult to fulfil their potential.

Enough of this rear view mirror focus we have been regaled with these past few months. It is time to man up and take responsibility for the way things are and take action to make progress.

Thankfully, not everyone has been caught up in the ‘blame it all on Jonathan’ frenzy. Of all the present office holders, the only person that seems to have come to grips with the economic reality Nigeria finds itself in is the current Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele. His idea of introducing home grown pragmatic policies to curtail what we spend our foreign exchange on is the only saving grace that has kept the naira at the level it is in.If not for Emefiele’s decision to stop the sale of foreign exchange for the importation of 40 items, we would have been experiencing perhaps a rate of 500 to $1. By this action, Emefiele has shut out those who previously wasted our foreign exchange importing luxury or non-essential commodities such as toothpicks, glass and glassware, kitchen utensils, tables, textiles, woven fabrics, clothes, plastic and rubber products, soap and cosmetic, tomatoes/tomato paste, margarine, palm kernel/palm oil products/vegetable oil, meat and processed meat products, vegetable and processed vegetable products, poultry — chicken, eggs, turkey — private airplanes/jet and Indian incense.Can you imagine that the CBN had been subsidising the importation of toothpicks, wheel barrows and palm oil which are products that we can conveniently produce in Nigeria?

Are we going to die if we do not import Indian incense? What is that even used for in the first place? Or that at a time Nigeria had become a net exporter of cement we were still allowing people to import cement with our scarce foreign exchange?We have millions of youths looking for jobs, yet, we were allowing people import chicken and eggs instead of financing our small and medium scale enterprises to go into such ventures which will meet our needs while providing jobs for our youths. These are the types of things that deserve our attention and I thank God Nigeria has people like Emefiele who has not allowed himself to be distracted by all the Jonathan bashing such that he is providing a steady hand at a time when other hands are unsteady.

Hopefully, those engaged in this conduct will come back to reality and stop their blame-shifting dance. If there is ever any man to blame for your present condition, it is never the man that sat in the seat you now seat on. It is always the man in the mirror!My name is Ben Murray Bruce and I just want to make commonsense!

Senator Ben Murray Bruce is the senator representing Bayelsa East in the National Assembly and is Chairman of the Silverbird Group. Follow @BenMurrayBruce.