Sabinews Evening News Update for June 25, 2015

Reps exchange blows over leadership tussle

A serious fight has broken out among members of the House of Representatives, with the federal lawmakers exchanging blows.

At the plenary of the House on Thursday, the tension and divided interest among the legislators led to a brawl, which is still ongoing as of the time of filing this report, between the two factions in the chamber. Read more

Osun judge ready to testify against Aregbesola- Speaker

The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, said on Thursday that Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, who wrote a petition calling for the impeachment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, has expressed her readiness to defend her allegations against the governor.

The Speaker said this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo through his media aide, Mr. Goke Butika. Read more

PDP condemns House fracas, accuses Buhari of bias

The Peoples Democratic Party has condemned what it described as a show of shame and national embarrassment, Thursday’s fracas in the House of Representatives.

It said the ugly development brings to question President Muhammadu Buhari and his party’s commitment to democracy, unity and the stability of the country.

The PDP said “the disgraceful act” was a direct consequence of President Buhari’s lack of democratic credentials to respect the independence and sanctity of the legislative arm of government, the very citadel of democracy, as enshrined in the nation’s constitution. Read more

Customers, bank staff fight over BVN registration

The rush to beat the bank verification number enrollment deadline took an ugly turn in Enugu on Thursday as customers of an old generation bank engaged in fisticuffs with staff of the bank inside the banking hall.

The deadline for the BVN enrollment exercise is June 30, 2015, and in Enugu, customers who are yet to enroll have been gripped by fear over insinuations that there bank accounts would be frozen, arbitrarily. Read more

Why Buhari won’t intervene in NASS crisis – Aide

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari would not intervene in the leadership crisis currently rocking the National Assembly until the All Progressives Congress’ state governors ask him to do so.

Shehu said this while featuring on Sunrise, a programme of a Lagos-based private television station, ChannelsTV. He said Buhari would only step into the matter at the point when the APC state governors inform him that they cannot fix the problem. Read more

Burundi Vice President flees to Belgium

Gervais Rufyikiri, second Vice President of Burundi, has fled to Brussels, in a protest against President Pierre Nkurunziza’s bid to seek a third term in office.

He said on Thursday that he could no longer support Nkurunziza’s unconstitutional attempt for a third term, adding that Nkurunziza’s actions have plunged the country into a deep crisis.

Report from Bujumbura said before Rufyikiri, 50, fled to Belgium, where he earned his doctorate, other officials had left the country, including a constitutional court judge and members of the electoral commission. Read more

Senate: Ndume, Na’Allah, Alimikhena assume office as principal officers

Three out of the four principal officers of the Senate assumed office on Thursday after the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read their nomination letters from their respective zonal caucuses in the red chamber.

Saraki, at the resumed sitting of the federal parliamentarians, read out the letters addressed to him by the APC senate caucuses from the North East, North West and South South. He said the North East Senate caucus had endorsed and nominated Senator Ali Ndume as the Majority Leader; while the North West caucus adopted Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah as the Deputy Leader. Read more

US condemns latest Boko Haram attacks

The United States of America has condemned the latest Boko Haram attacks in Borno State which resulted in the death of more than 40 people.

According to the US, the recent attacks are a reminder of the terrorist group’s capability to wreak major havoc. In a statement issued in Washington by the US Department of State’s spokesman, John Kirby, the US called on the Federal Government to hold those responsible for the attacks accountable. Read more

Ortom sends names of 13 commissioner nominees to assembly

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has sent the names of 13 commissioner nominees to the House of Assembly for ratification.

The letter was read on the floor of the house by the Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, during plenary in Makurdi on Thursday. Ikyange, while reading the letter, stated that the approval would enable the governor to appoint the commissioners that would support him to steer the affairs of the state creditably Read more

Why reps exchanged blows during Thursday’s plenary – Daura

The All Progressives Congress member in the House of Representatives, Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura, representing Zango/Baure Federal Constituency of Katsina State, has issued a press statement on the physical battle that ensued in the Green Chamber during plenary on Thursday. At the plenary, the tension and divided interest among the legislators led to a brawl between the two factions in the chamber.

The statement reads, “We are here on behalf of our colleagues of the APC House Caucus to explain to you the unfortunate occurrence during today’s plenary session. Read more

Assassins are after my lawyer – Suspended PDP chairman

Suspended Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Bayelsa State chapter, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd.), has told the State High Court that strange persons suspected to be hired assassins are trailing his lead counsel, Chief Sylvanus Abila.

Inokoba, who said his lawyer was being trailed day and night, stated that the development started since he (Abila) began to handle the suit challenging the decision of the PDP to expel nine leaders of the party in the state.

The embattled Inokoba, while speaking during the court’s session presided over by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Kate Abiri, said his counsel “now receives strange phone calls asides being trailed by certain unknown faces within Yenagoa.” Read more

Jega, six INEC commissioners bow out Tuesday

The five-year tenure of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, expires on Tuesday next week.

Jega, who hails from Kebbi State, is to retire with six National Commissioners. The former university vice chancellor had said he would not seek re-appointment after finishing his first tenure.

The other six National Commissioners whose tenures expire on the same day with Jega are Col. M.K. Hammanga (rear.), Adamawa state, (North-East); Dr. Ishmael Jikiri Igbani, Rivers state, (South-South); Prof. Lai Olurode, Osun state, (South-West); Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor, Abia state, (South-East); Mrs. Thelma Amata Iremiren, Delta state, (South-South); and Dr. Nuru Yakubu, Yobe state, (North-East). Read more

Buhari to visit US July 20

President Muhammadu Buhari will visit his United States counterpart, Barrack Obama, on July 20,2015, the White House announced in a statement on Thursday.

Obama would host Buhari in a symbolic show of solidarity, during which they would discuss combating Boko Haram militants as well as economic and political issues. “President Obama will host Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari at the White House on July 20; The visit will mark our support for the Nigerian people following their historic democratic elections and peaceful transfer of power,” the statement added. Read more

International cooperation needed for victory over Boko Haram -Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday insisted that regional and international cooperation was needed to ensure victory over terrorism in Nigeria and other countries.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President said this during a meeting he had with the President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Mr. Kadre Ouedraogo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Buhari was further quoted as welcoming efforts aimed at strengthening cooperation between ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States on the war against terrorism. Read more

Apapa Gridlock: Gov. Ambode Urges FG To Hasten Completion Of Trailer Parks, Roads, Link Bridge

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has urged the Federal Government to ensure speedy completion of trailer parks, adjoining roads and link bridge at the Apapa Tin-Can port.

Ambode spoke on Thursday during a tour of Apapa area of the state as part of efforts to find a lasting solution to the gridlock in the axis. Read more

Food Poisoning: Farmers Call For Training Programme On Chemical Application

Some farmers in Hadejia, Jigawa, have advocated for introduction of modern preservation techniques to check spate of food poisoning.

A cross section of the farmers made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia on Thursday. The farmers also called for a training programme to expose them to proper application of chemicals on agricultural produce. Read more

Cleric Commends Buhari’s For His Resolve To Recover Stolen Funds

The Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, on Thursday praised President Muhammadu Buhari for expressing his resolve to recover stolen funds by government officials under Jonathan.

The cleric told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the recovery of the stolen funds would testify to the resolve of the present administration to fight corruption. Read more

Lagos Police Command Re-Assures Residents Of Security

The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday said the withdrawal of checkpoints would not in any way affect its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said measures were being taken against all black spots. Read more

Prosecute Governors For Non-Payment Of Workers’ Salary – Aremu

Mr Issa Aremu, a labour leader on Thursday said that the President Ayuba Wabba-led faction of the NLC should have taken state governors to court for non-payment of workers’ salaries.

Aremu, the General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTW) and Vice President of the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the NLC spoke in Lagos on the division in the NLC. Read more

Drone From Gaza Crashes In Israel

A drone crashed on the Israeli side of the Gaza border fence on Thursday afternoon, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official has said.

The IDF official said the drone was launched from the Gaza Strip, adding that the Israeli military had detected it in the Gaza airspace. Though it was believed that Israel deployed air force jets to intercept the craft the IDF said that it crashed on its own. Read more

Twerk, other online slang added to Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), on Thursday, added twerk, carnap, FLOTUS and scores of other new entries, including many introduced from Asia and from online slang, to its latest edition.

OED Editor, Danica Salazar, said in London that the word twerk, a dance popularised by music stars and Internet memes, actually dated back about 200 years as a combination of twist and jerk first spelled as “twirk. Read more

Two women face jail term for indecent dressing

Two Moroccan women who walked through a market wearing dresses are facing charges of “gross indecency”, a rights group and media reported Thursday, sparking an outcry in the kingdom.

The women were arrested on June 16 as they strolled through the open-air market in Inezgane, a suburb of the southern city of Agadir, on their way to work, said Fouzia Assouli, head of women’s rights organisation LDDF. Read more

15 Boko Haram fighters killed, 20 arrested in Niger

Fifteen Boko Haram fighters were killed and 20 others arrested by the Nigerien Defense and Security Forces (FDS) during clashes that occurred between June 18 to 23 in Niger’s Diffa region near the Nigerian border

An official source said Wednesday that following the attack carried out on June 17 in Niger’s Gueskerou commune by the Islamist sect, killing 38 civilians, FDS launched ground and air operations in the area. Read more

Argentine kidnapped in Nigeria

Gunmen have kidnapped an Argentinian national near a farm where he was working in Niger state, north central Nigeria, police said on Thursday. Santiago Lopez Menendez was seized on Wednesday in the town of Machagu as he travelled on the Mokwa to Kontagora road in the west of the state, said commissioner of police Olusola Amore. Read more

Reps Crisis: House resume sitting, adjourn till July 21

Members of the House of Representatives resumed sitting after sanity was restored following the rowdy session that greeted the selection of principal officers.

The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara reconvened plenary and urged members to count themselves lucky to be chosen to represent their constituency. He later adjourned the House till July 21 while pledging that the crisis that rocked the House will be resolved. Read more

Saraki outsmarts APC, Ali Ndume nominated as Majority leader

Senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC, North-East Caucus, have nominated Ali Ndume as the Majority Leader of the Senate, in defiance of the party’s anointed candidate, Ahmed Lawan. Bala Ibn Na’alla was also nominated as deputy leader as aaginst the candidate of George Akume nominated by the party.

This is seen as victory for loyalists of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki. Read more