By Naomi Sharang/Kingsley Okoye

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This followed the screening of the nominee at the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday.

Bawa had earlier at plenary, responded to questions from senators on his vision and mission if confirmed as chairman of the commission.

First to contribute was the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege who said that the nomination of Bawa was unique and an inspirational one.

“I am so impressed and in awe in this awesome presentation by Mr Bawa. Ordinarily there would have not been no need to ask the young man any question.

“I have been here; this is my sixth year in the Senate. And I have seen nominees come before us. I have not seen any as eloquent in his presentation.

“Ordinarily I would have said take a bow. Clearly he is a very brilliant young man. He is a good product.

“His nomination has generated hope for our young generation. It’s an inspirational nomination. It is a nomination that has generated hope for million of our youths in this country.

“With this nomination, the youth of this country can now sit in offices and make those very crucial and fundamental decisions on how Nigeria should be governed. And there cannot be a better platform than the office of the chairman of EFCC.”

He said that the appointment of Bawa was the first time a nominee was appointed within the EFCC environment.

Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi drew the attention of Bawa to the pitfall experienced in the institution over the years.

“For you as a young man, how are you going to straight up your operations as chairman of EFCC so that it works for Nigeria and that the controversies of the past are not repeated.”

Sen. Bala Na’Allah (APC-Kebbi) said Bawa had clearly demonstrated that he had the capacity and knowledge to run the office of EFCC as chairman.

“I call on my colleagues to approve his nomination.”

Sen. Ike Ekewremadu (PDP-Enugu) on his part advised the nominee to learn from the mistakes of his predecessors.

The approval of the appointment of Bawa was endorsed by the lawmakers after a Voice Vote by the President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan.

Bawa, an indigene of Kebbi and a certified anti-money laundering specialist has a Bachelor Degree in Economics.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that former chairmen of the commission included Nuhu Ribadu, Farida Waziri, Ibrahim Lamorde, Ibrahim Magu and Mohammed Umar.(NAN)

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The United Kingdom chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has pledged that it will continue to support the administration of Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state towards taking the state to a greater height.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Joseph Adebola, Chairman, APC UK 4 Aketi Campaign on Wednesday in Abuja.

Adebola congratulated Akeredolu on his inauguration for a second term in office, as the 6th democratically elected governor of Ondo state.

He commended the governor for his numerous achievements in office, adding that his monumental development in the state led to his re-election on Oct. 10, 2020.

Adebola called for a renewed vigour and a working synergy between the governor and his deputy to consolidate his achievements in office.

According to him, Akeredolu has set a benchmark with the dividends of good governance he brought to bear with his style of leadership in Ondo state.

“This will form the basis on which future leaders in the state and by extension the South West will be judged,” he said.

Adebola, however, called on people of the state to continue to support the governor and his deputy to enable them deliver more democracy dividends.

He expressed optimism that with Akeredolu and his deputy, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, at the helm of affairs, things could only get better in Ondo state.(NAN)

By Chimezie Anaso

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has declared his intention to run for the governorship of Anambra in the Nov. 6 poll.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Soludo would be running on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Declaring his ambition on Thursday in Awka, he said he had been a party man since 2013 and would be better, if APGA offered him the ticket.

He promised to achieve victory for the party, hoping to leverage his international connections to transform the state.

He said that having served the global community, he was now poised to serve and develop Anambra.

The governorship aspirant took time to assess Gov. Willie Obiano’s administration in Anambra and described him as one of the best in the country.

He rated the governor high, in terms of infrastructure development and regular payment of ing workers’ salaries in the face of dwindling finances.

He said that Anambra had experienced steady prosperity under APGA.

“I granted an interview where they asked if I still stand by what I said in 2017 that ‘if Anambra is not broken, why mend it’ and I told them that Anambra is more sound now.

“In 2010, Federal Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey and said the poverty rate in Anambra was 53 per cent.

”In 2020, it conducted another survey and said poverty rate had gone down to 14.7 per cent, what else can you use to measure good governance.

“Anambra is doing well under Obiano and my mission is to continue and complete all the legacy projects of the governor,” Soludo said.

Rep. Chinedu Obidigwe, representing Anambra East and West Federal Constituency, thanked Soludo for accepting the call to join the governorship race and promised his unalloyed support to him.

Obidigwe said Soludo had paid his due as party a man and a technocrat and called on APGA to allow him to fly its flag as a sure way to victory.

The event was attended by APGA chieftains in the state, including the state Chairman, Chief Nobert Obi. (NAN)

Kingsley Okoye

Retired Lt.Gen.Tukur Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff says military action alone can’t tackle security challenges in the country.
Buratai, a non career ambassadorial designate said this, when he appeared before Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening on Thursday in Abuja.
“This security challenge is something that started more than 30, or 40 years ago.

“It had penetrated the communities, the terrorists have won the communities to their side, that is why you see a small hamlet keeping Boko Haram in those locations, so it is a complex issue.

“So it requires the whole government approach to to deal with this.

“The military action is just one aspect and this is one mistake we have been making that it is only the military that is seen to solve the issue of security challenge,” he said.

He said political, economic and social factors were responsible for fueling the security challenge over the years, adding that those factors must be addressed.

“Development should be progressive, there should be roads every where, employment, schools, hospitals.

“There are so many ungovernable spaces until those spaces, locations are penetrated with roads infrastructure, rail, school, and we carry every body along, and a robust foreign and diplomatic polices pursed and sustained to solve issues of insecurity,” he said.

Retired Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, former Chief of Defence Staff told the committee that solutions to security challenges must be applied using a multi dimensional approach.

” We are talking about hybrid warfare where everyone is involved. It is a national approach that is needed, for us to surmount insecurity.

“Three years ago I conducted a research on the forests in the country, I realised that we have about 1,000 forest reserves.

” And I said to them three years ago, that our next crisis will be in the forest, some Nigerian governors were invited, we told them because most of the forest are the perogatives of the states, the state took over all the forest reserves.

“And I said to them we have to protect the forest, that the next programme will be the forest,” he said.
Olonisakin added: “So it is a multi-faceted approach, that will require everyone to come on board for us to be able to address insecurity.

“You can never have enough, either weapons, personnel, but there are issues we have to address as a nation.

“We have developed a lot of capacities, initiatives, we can begin to look at all the operations using national approach to address the issues of insecurity.”(NAN)

By EricJames Ochigbo

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Account (PAC) has summoned all Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) subsidiaries over financial queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF).

Rep. Wole Oke (PDP-Osun) Chairman of the Committee, said this at an investigative hearing on Thursday in Abuja.

“This parliament is a parliament of rules and the Constitution of Nigeria has given us a window to conduct our activities in a manner that is suitable to us.

“When we asked your subsidiaries to cause appearance, it is pursuant to section 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We want to hear from them, we want to extract evidences from them because there are officers that are Chief Executives of those subsidiaries.

“We have queries against NAPINS, yes they report to you, it is our own right in this parliament to determine how we conduct our businesses,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Financial Officer of NNPC, Mr Umar Ajiya said he was in position to speak for the agencies since they reported to the NNPC.

“I am responsible for the entire financial reporting of the group and so also the Group Managing Director (GMD) with the gentlemen with me here, we can answer any question,’’ he said.

Ajiya said that in the real sense, the NNPC was not owing rather, the federal government was owing the corporation.(NAN)

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the conduct of its zonal congresses in the six geo-political zones for  Saturday, March 6, 2021.

The party disclosed this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Thursday.

Ologbondiyan said that the party had slated the submission of nomination forms, including aspirants for National Ex-Officio, for on or before Feb. 25.

“Forms are to be submitted to the Directorate of Mobilisation and Organising.

“The party charges our leaders, members and teeming supporters to continue to work hard in the collective effort to win elections. (NAN)

By Abiodun Lawal

Former Governor of Ogun, Gbenga Daniel, on Thursday registered as a member of All Progressives Congress (APC) at ward 12, Ishote Unit in Sagamu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Daniel registered alongside his wife, Olufunke.

Mr Suji Olusegun, APC Ward Chairman conducted the registration supervised by Mr Ademorin Kuye,  state Chairman of the Registration/Revalidation Committee.

The former governor, on Tuesday defected to APC, two years after quitting Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was received by Gov. Dapo Abiodun at his Asoludero Court residence in Sagamu.

Governors who  attended the ceremony included Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo state), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano State) and Abubakar Bello (Niger).

Daniel said that his joining APC was well considered and thought out, adding that leaders needed to come together and speak with one voice to tackle security challenges facing the country. (NAN)

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the Federal Government capacity to end bandits’ attacks on soft targets is not in doubt.

Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC)said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

He was reacting to the abduction of some students of Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) Kagara in Rafin Local Government Area ( LGA)of Niger.

Akpanudoedehe assured that President Muhammadu Buhari was focused on quick and safe return of the students.

He faulted the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claim of lack of political will by government to end banditry in the country.

“If anyone is in doubt that the PDP shouldn’t be taken seriously on any issue in the country, here lies a stark reminder.

“To this end, we cannot join issues with the PDP, but rather focus on ongoing efforts to ensure the quick and safe release of the abducted school children and other citizens,”he said.

He added that efforts to ensure the release of the students were being coordinated by service chiefs, saying that Buhari had already deployed national security assets to Niger to achieve this.

Akpanudoedehe urged parents, loved ones and other stakeholders not to be distracted by PDP’s statement on the development.

He added that all hands were on deck to ensure the quick and safe release of the students.

“Government’s resolve and the capacity of our security services to end these cowardly attacks on soft targets, particularly schools is not in doubt.

“We urge the continued support of all Nigerians to ensure this,” Akpanudoedehe said.

The Niger government has ordered the closure of all boarding schools in the state after the incident.(NAN)

By Kingsley Okoye

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has condemned the savage attack on Government Science College, Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger, where some staff and students of the school were abducted.

Lawan in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, on Wednesday, described the incident as a callous and despicable.

He urged the security agencies to ensure immediate rescue of the abducted persons and arrest of the criminals involved.

“Our security establishment should collaborate across the agencies and with the state government to expeditiously accomplish this task.

“Government at all levels should also ensure that our schools are henceforth protected against heartless criminals who have apparently identified them as soft targets,”Lawan said.

Lawan sympathised with the families of the victims, the government and people of Niger over the incident.

He also assured Nigerians of the determination of the Senate and the National Assembly to work with the Federal Government in finding a lasting solution to the security situation in the country. (NAN)