Full Transcript Of Buhari's Broadcast To The Nation (Monday, August 21, 2017)

BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 2017

My dear citizens,

I am very grateful to God and to all Nigerians for their prayers. I am pleased to be back on home soil among my brothers and sisters.

2. In the course of my stay in the United Kingdom, I have been kept in daily touch with events at home. Nigerians are robust and lively in discussing their affairs, but I was distressed to notice that some of the comments, especially in the social media have crossed our national red lines by daring to question our collective existence as a nation. This is a step too far.

3. In 2003 after I joined partisan politics, the late Chief Emeka Ojukwu came and stayed as my guest in my hometown Daura. Over two days we discussed in great depth till late into the night and analyzed the problems of Nigeria. We both came to the conclusion that the country must remain one and united.

4. Nigeria's unity is settled and not negotiable. We shall not allow irresponsible elements to start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with their blood.

5. Every Nigerian has the right to live and pursue his business anywhere in Nigeria without let or hindrance.

6. I believe the very vast majority of Nigerians share this view.

7. This is not to deny that there are legitimate concerns. Every group has a grievance. But the beauty and attraction of a federation is that it allows different groups to air their grievances and work out a mode of co-existence.

8. The National Assembly and the National Council of State are the legitimate and appropriate bodies for national discourse.

9. The national consensus is that, it is better to live together than to live apart.

10. Furthermore, I am charging the Security Agencies not to let the successes achieved in the last 18 months be a sign to relax.

11. Terrorists and criminals must be fought and destroyed relentlessly so that the majority of us can live in peace and safety.

12. Therefore we are going to reinforce and reinvigorate the fight not only against;

· elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of attacks on soft targets

· kidnappings, farmers versus herdsmen clashes,

· in addition to ethnic violence fuelled by political mischief makers. We shall tackle them all.

13. Finally, dear Nigerians, our collective interest now is to eschew petty differences and come together to face common challenges of;

· economic security,

· political evolution and integration

· as well as lasting peace among all Nigerians.

14. I remain resolutely committed to ensuring that these goals are achieved and maintained. I am so glad to be home.

15. Thank you and may God bless our dear Nation.

University Students Protest Unfair Treatment By Lecturers

By Ipoola Ayodeji

Students of the Federal University, Oye - Ekiti on Monday staged a serious protest in the university environment. The students accused Dr. Dosu Malomo , who is the Ag. Dean of  Students ’ Affairs in the university to have been collecting N500 each from some students for tutorials without issuing them receipts.
The main gate of the university was barricaded to protest against the extortion by lecturers in the institution.

The blocking of the main gate of the institution prevented the academic and non-academic staff members from entering the campus and also destabilises normal activities.

As part of the students' protest, they also  demanded that the institution authorities put necessary machinery in motion that would facilitate the conduct of student union elections.

The speaker of the student representative council, Victor Akinnibosun then that they students' will not sit for the 2016/2017 second semester examinations until the SUG was inaugurated. The students also demanded for the immediate removal of Dr Malomo and the reinstatement and extension of the tenure of the outgoing Dean , Students ’ Affairs, Dr Olugbenga Adeyemi.

While the protest was still ongoing,  Akinnibosun and Dr Olugbenga Adeyemi jointly briefed the students on some resolutions reached after a brief meeting has been held between the duo and the university management. They said that the meeting had agreed to extend the tenure of Adeyemi as Dean, Students Affairs until the end of 2017.

The management also promised to refund the alleged money collected from students for tutorials from Tuesday, July 25, and the conduct of student union election in the next three weeks.

Dr Adeyemi advised the protesters to go back to their hostels and homes in peace and return for normal lectures on Tuesday.
The gate to the institution was later opened for business of the day around noon .


Source- Punch Ng

Court Orders Forfeiture Of Properties Of Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister

By Ipoola Ayodeji

A Federal High Court based in Lagos State has ordered the interim forfeiture of an estate in Banana Island area of the Lagos state linked to former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Deizani Alison Madueke.

According to reports, Mrs Diezani and her cronies have fraudulently siphoned about $11Billion from offshore processing agreements (OPAs) popularly known as oil swap. The report also stated that during her stay in office, Nigeria lost about $50 billion in the petroleum sector.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of money that been fraudulently siphoned by the former Minister during her stay in office.

Justice Chuka Obiozor who presided over the case made the forfeiture order after listening to an exparte application brought by the Head of Legal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) Mr Anselm Ozioko.

A directive has also been given to the EFCC to publish the court orders in newspapers so that any interested party who does not want the money to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government could appear in court within 14 days.

Reports also made it known that the former minister will be ready to name over 200 accomplices who helped and participated in the alleged fraud.

The case was adjourned to August 7, 2017 for anyone interested in the property and funds to appear before him.

Kogi State Governor Threatens KSU With Sack Letter

By Ipoola Ayodeji

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has announced the proscription of the Kogi State chapter of the Academic staff union of Universities (ASUU) with immediate effect.
The governor announced the proscription on Wednesday after an emergency State Executive committee meeting.
He then called for an immediate resumption of lecturers to academic activities or be sacked with immediate effect.

The governor said his decision became necessary as all efforts to make members of the institution see reasons to call off their over six month-old-strike action had failed.

62,140 Candidates To Rewrite UTME On First July

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday said that 62,140 candidates, who had issues with late registration, biometric non-verification and cancellation of results would have to rewrite the examination.

The board said the rescheduled examination would hold on 1st of July 2017 across the candidates’ centres.

JAMB Registrar Is-haq Oloyede spoke yesterday after a meeting of the board’s management with chief external examiners and other major stakeholders on the conduct of 2017 UTME, at its headquarters, Bwari, Abuja.

Oloyede said the meeting candidates approved the cancellation of the results of 1,386 candidates for examination
He added that these candidates would not be allowed to rewrite the examination.

The JAMB registrar said: “The meeting approved the cancellation of the results of 1,386 individual candidates found culpable of examination malpractice. The cancellation of results of 57,646 in centres-induced malpractice. The cancellation of the two results of the 666 candidates engaged in multiple examinations.

“The meeting also agreed on the rescheduling of examination for candidates of centres with mass malpractice, but who are deemed innocent, biometric non-verification machine related issues, late registration, four lost sessions in three centres due to malfunctioning of three servers at the centre and incomplete results.”

According to him, the meeting also approved the delisting of 48 computer based test centres from participating in JAMB examination because of various infractions.

The 62,140 cancelled results include 57,646 candidates in centres-induced malpractice, 3,811 late registration, and 683 candidates who had biometric challenges.

“The meeting approved the suspension of 24 computer based test centres for one year due to technical issues. These centres would not participate in the 2018 unified tertiary matriculation examination but they can be reconsidered for 2019 and above.

The delisting of 48 centres from participating in the board’s examination in future as a result of serious technical deficiencies, extortion, organised examination malpractices and other damaging infractions,” he added.

INEC Begins Voter Registration Nationwide

   Voter Registration across the country begins today, 27th April 2017. According to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, "the exercise would be held throughout the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. He therefore advised Nigerians who are 18 years and above to take advantage of the opportunity and not disenfranchise themselves. He also urged registered voters who were yet to collect the Permanent Voter's Cards (PVCs) to visit the commission's office where they registered to collect them.

          INEC Secretary in Niger State, Aliyu Bungudu said that the voter registration would be conducted in public places for ease of access. He also solicited the support of politicians, traditional and religious leaders in mobilizing the populace to participate in the exercise.

          The exercise would take place on weekdays (Monday - Friday) from 9am to 3pm excluding public holidays. INEC also stated that it was a criminal offence to register more than once.

JAMB Reduces Time For UTME To Two Hours

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Registrar/Chief Executive Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during the opening ceremony of a strategic planning retreat on the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of 2017 UTME stated that candidates writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) this year would spend two hours instead of three hours.

He said the reduction in exam time was in line with international best standards and practices where no candidate is kept in an examination such as UTME for more than two hours. In his words: “We are going to reduce the duration of the examination for this year’s UTME. You cannot keep children of this age for three hours. For their age, the maximum time you can keep them is two hours. So, we are considering the reduction in the time they spend because once it is more than two hours you can’t expect that they will retain their presence of mind.”

Oloyede added that out of 13 commercial banks and the Nigeria Postal Service that have signified interest in the sales of the admission forms, only nine have paid for the number of application documents they required in the first instance. In a related development, since JAMB started the sale of the 2017 UTME form, candidates have been finding it hard to complete The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Registrar/Chief Executive Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, today in Kaduna, during the opening ceremony of a strategic planning retreat on the monitoring, supervision and evaluation of 2017 UTME stated that candidates writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) this year would spend two hours instead of three hours.

He said the reduction in exam time was in line with international best standards and practices where no candidate is kept in an examination such as UTME for more than two hours. In his words: “We are going to reduce the duration of the examination for this year’s UTME. You cannot keep children of this age for three hours. For their age, the maximum time you can keep them is two hours. So, we are considering the reduction in the time they spend because once it is more than two hours you can’t expect that they will retain their presence of mind.”

Oloyede added that out of 13 commercial banks and the Nigeria Postal Service that have signified interest in the sales of the admission forms, only nine have paid for the number of application documents they required in the first instance. In a related development, since JAMB started the sale of the 2017 UTME form, candidates have been finding it hard to complete their registration. Some have been complaining about difficulties in getting the pin to be used to register for the exam. be used to register for the exam.

 Source 

NLC To Protest On Thursday 9th February Over Dire Economic Situation In Country

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has stated that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) will stage a protest over the state of things in Nigeria on Thursday January 9, 2017.

The protest which is tagged ‘National day
of action against corruption and for good
governance’ will hold simultaneously in Abuja and Lagos.

According to Wabba, Thursday would be
marked with marches and rallies. The unions will also seize the opportunity to submit a petition containing a list of demands to the government at the Presidential Villa and National Assembly.

Workers and Nigerians are expected to gather as early as 7am at the Unity
Fountain, Abuja from where the protest will head to the Federal Secretariat, the National Assembly and to the Presidency.
The NLC president,  Comrade Ayuba Wabba argued that the need for good governance in the face of recession and the negative effect of free for all multiple exchange rate regime necessitated the protest.

He also said that issues to be addressed in the protest also include an upward review of minimum wage and payment of salaries.

 Source 

Non-Academic Staff Unions Of Universities Suspend Warning Strike

The Non-academic staff unions of Nigerian universities on Thursday in Abuja suspended its 5-day warning strike.

The unions are the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non–Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the unions announced the suspension in a communiqué.

The communiqué was jointly signed by Mr Sani Suleiman, President (NAAT), Mr Solomon Alfa, Vice-President (SSANU), Mr Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary (NASU).

Others are: Dr Jamila Suara, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Permanent Secretary in Labour and Employment Ministry, Mr Clement Illoh.

The Deputy General Secretary of SSANU, Mr Festus Ajayi, read the communiqué to newsmen at the end of the meeting with the Federal Government.

“The meeting urged the members of JAC to suspend its ongoing warning strike.

“JAC agreed to suspend the strike with effect from Friday, Jan. 20.

“After due consideration by the leadership of JAC, they agreed to convey the outcome of the meeting to their respective congresses to suspend the strike”, he said.

The communiqué stated that on the issue of Earned Allowance that any arrangement by government in this regards should involve all workers and employees in the university system.

It also stated that on the judgement of the National Industrial Court (NIC) on staff schools in the universities, there was urgent need to put the university system on notice to avoid further termination of teachers’ appointment.

The communiqué noted that a committee will be inaugurated by next week to look into the issue of corruption in some of the universities.

Ajayi urged the Federal Government to ensure that they do not renege on the 2009 agreement as reaffirmed in the just concluded meeting.

Illoh, who represented the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, commended the unions for their understanding.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the unions had declared a five – day warning strike effective from Jan. 16.

 Source