Shugaban kasar Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe ya sake yin wata kwaba, inda ya karanta wani jawabin da ba shi da alaka da wani taron ya halarta.
Shugaba Mugabe ya karanta jawabin ne a wajen taron shekara-shekara na jam'iyyar Zanu-PF mai mulkin kasar, kuma sai da ya ci kusan rabin minti yana karanta jawabin kana aka sauya masa da jawabin da ya dace da taron.
A watan Satumban da ya wuce ma, shugaba Mugaben ya karanta wani tsohon jawabi a majalisar dokokin kasar, wanda ya taba karantawa a baya, kimanin wata guda.
TALLA

A jawabinsa na taron jam'iyyar Zanu-PF din, Mista Mugabe ya bukaci 'ya'yan jam'iyyar da su daina fada su-ya-su a kan wanda zai gaje shi wajen mulkin kasar ta Zimbabwe.

Gov. Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa on Friday restated his commitment to paying workers in the state N18, 000 minimum wage.
Mr. Badaru gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.
He said the state government would continue to pay the N18, 000, as well as leave grants and other allowances due to the workers in spite of dwindling revenue.
The governor said: “I had interaction with the workers last week. I promised to continue with the N18, 000 minimum wage.
“I also promised to give them what we agreed upon as leave grant, that they have not been enjoying for some time. We kept our promise this year and we intend to continue next year.’’
Mr. Badaru also said that the state had earmarked “substantial amount of money in the 2016 budget” for staff training to improve the capacity of the workforce to deliver service to the people.
“We earmarked a lot of money for staff training. We will embark on comprehensive training of workers to prepare them to meet the task ahead.

“Without empowering the workers you will not achieve the goal of development. That is what I believe in,’’ he said.
Mr. Badaru announced that the state government would construct over 1, 000 low cost houses to enable workers own decent homes.
He explained that the state was already collaborating with mortgage banks to construct the houses in the 27 local government areas of the state.
(NAN)

The Shiite Sect on the orders of their leader, Ibrahim Alzak-zaky  today afternoon in Zaria attacked the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff while on his way to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau and attend the Passing Out Parade of 73 Regular Recruits Intake of Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria.

See Pictures Of Army-Islamic Movement Confrontation

The sect numbering hundreds carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres. They refused all entreaties to disperse and then started firing and pelting the convoy with dangerous objects. The barricade was obviously a deliberate attempt to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff and members of his entourage while on a legitimate official assignment as Special Guest of Honour at the passing out parade which has earlier been widely publicized.

The troops responsible for the safety and security of the Chief of Army Staff on hearing  explosion and firing were left with no choice than to defend him and the convoy at all cost as well as open up the barricaded road for law abiding citizens. This is in line with the Nigerian Army Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct. This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated from any individual or groups and should not be allowed to repeat itself.

We wish to implore all Nigerians to continue to be law abiding and remain conscious of other people’s right to life, freedom of movement and passage. The Chief of Army escaped unhurt and continued with his duties.

The embattled former Minister of State, Bashir Yuguda, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he gave a total of N600million cash to six chairmen of the Contact and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 general election.

Bode George and Peter odili
Sahara Reporters Media

He listed the beneficiaries as Bode George (South-West); Amb. Yerima Abdullahi (North-East); Peter Odili (South-South); Attahiru Bafarawa (North-West);  Jim Nwobodo (South -East); and Ahmadu Ali (North-Central).

He said he instructed Jabbama Limited to transfer N300million to BAM Properties whose account detail was given to him by a former National Chairman of PDP, Bello Haliru.

Yuguda, who made the allegations in a Statement of Witness/ Caution which he wrote on oath, said he sent N200million to the erstwhile PDP Governorship candidate in Kebbi State, Bello Sarkin Yaki.

He said a former Governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, also got N100million.

The statement is part of the proof of evidence against the former minister whose trial is scheduled to commence this week at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Yuguda will stand trial with ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and his son, Sagir Attahiru; Dalhatu Investment Limited.

The ex-minister is expected to account for over N3.050billion including N1.1billion being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA and aggregate sum of N1,950,000 belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which sum was transferred to Jabbama Ada Global Services.

The ex-minister said: “For the cash disbursement of N600million, it was meant for the six zonal chairmen for Contact and Mobilisation Committees for Election of 2015. The chairmen are Bode George, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi; Peter Odili; Attahiru Bafarawa; Jim Nwobodo; Ahmadu  Ali. The sum of N100million was given to each chairman. I gave the money in company of Prof. Alkali, who was Political Adviser to former president. The zonal chairmen are for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). I also instructed Jabbama Limited to transfer the sum of N100m to Dalhatu Limited on the request of Attahiru Bafarawa.

“I also remember that Bello Sarkin Yaki was among the people that the then NSA instructed that I send the sum of N200million to. He was the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kebbi State.”

Yuguda, who claimed that he had liaised with Stallion Limited, gave the details of other disbursements.

His words: “I knew the chairman of Stallion Limited whose second name I cannot remember. Between December 2014 to June 2015, on the instruction of the then NSA, I introduced Jabbama Limited to a staff of the company on the instruction of the chairman.

“When the account was in credit, disbursement was made from time to time on the instruction of the then NSA. Part in foreign exchange or transfers.

“I wish to add that sometime in February 2015, I instructed Jabbama to transfer the sum of N300m to BAM Properties. The account was given to me by Bello Haliru as one of the people the former NSA requested me to give money. I also remember that Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi was sent the sum of N100million on the instruction of the then NSA.

“Further to my statement of 30th November, 2015, I have brought the sum of $829,800(equivalent to N200m) and N600m was given to me to distribute to the six PDP Zonal Committee chairmen. I don’t know who are the directors of Dalhatu Investment Limited but funds were transferred to the company’s account on the instruction of Dalhatu Bafarawa for the total amount of N1.5billion received from the then NSA by Jabbama Limited.

“I shall endeavour to recover the sum of N600million given to the six zonal PDP committee chairmen, while I appeal to the commission to use their machineries to trace the remaining balance of the money transferred to various accounts.”

The former minister however denied receiving another N200million credited to him.

“I have been shown transaction of N200millio

The Nigerian Senate is currently on the verge of illegally buying various brands of exotic vehicles for use by its President, Bukola Saraki, and the 108 other senators, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.

Nigerian Senate
Premium Times
The cars will cost taxpayers an estimated N4.7billion that could be spent on vaccinating newborns and save them from dying or on providing electricity for remote communities so kids stop doing school assignments using paraffin lamps.

The upper legislative chamber is buying the vehicles at a time millions of Nigerians are facing severe economic hardship, including nonpayment of salaries.

The procurement is also happening at a time millions of Nigerians are enduring long and humiliating fuel queues across the country because the federal government is too broke to pay importers of petrol several billions in subsidy claims.

Already, the management of the National Assembly has invited bids from contractors interested in supplying the vehicles.

In an advertisement published in some newspapers, including Blueprint of November 20, 2015, the authorities asked the companies to tender for “Lot 1S, Supply of Utility Vehicles”.

The advert, in what appears a deliberate ploy to conceal details, failed to indicate the number, type and specification of vehicles being bought.

However, PREMIUM TIMES has now obtained detailed copies of tender documents being discreetly issued to prospective contractors.

In one of the documents, the Senate indicated it was buying 120 units of Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model.

Other details of the vehicles included that they must be “American Brand, V8, VXR, 5.7, Auto Engine WITH INTELLIGENCE”.

The senators also want the vehicles to come with integrated navigator cruise control, QI-Compatible wireless charging and Kinetic dynamic suspension system, as well as being “full option”.

On November 21, the Senate also put up another advert it labelled “addendum”.

The latest advert under Lot 2S, which was couched to look like an oversight in the first advert, was for the purchase of vehicles for the use of the senate president’s convoy.

Under Lot 2S and based on the tender document, which we have also obtained, the national assembly is seeking to purchase a 2016 modelMercedes Benz S550 for Mr. Saraki.

Other vehicles being procured for Mr. Saraki include four 2016 Toyota Prado jeeps, four 2016 Toyota Hilux SS (Auto) as well as a 2016 model Toyota Hiace Bus.

The spokesperson for the Senate, Aliyu Sabi, could not be reached Saturday to comment on these new procurement as his telephone was switched off the several times our reporter called.

The Director of Information of the National Assembly, Ishaku Dibal, declined to comment on the matter. He said he was driving and couldn’t comment after our reporter put his question to him.

Subsequent calls to his telephone failed to connect.

PREMIUM TIMES carried out a market survey on all the vehicles being bought by the senate and we can confirm that the upper chamber would spend over four billion naira of taxpayers money to enhance their taste for luxury.

Specifically, give or take, vehicles are valued at N4.739,515,625.

Although there are 109 senators, the lawmakers are buying 120 Toyota Land-cruisers. It is not clear where the balance of 11 vehicles would go.

We arrived at our figure of N4.7 billion after computing the cost of the vehicles, 35 per cent duties to be paid, and another 35 per cent levy.

There is also the expected 35 per cent profit margin to be made by each supplier based on the requirements of Nigeria’s procurement act.

Our checks revealed that a Toyota Land Cruiser, 2016 model, goes for $84,000, and at the current exchange rate of N250 to the dollar, it amounts to N21,000,000.

If 75 per cent of cost is added, being duty, levy and profit margin (translating to N15, 750,000) each vehicle would cost Nigerian tax payers N36,750,000.

Given that the senators propose to buy 120 units of the vehicles, the t

The All Progressives Congress candidate in the December 5 Bayelsa State governorship election, Timipre Sylva, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to announce the results from the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and declare a winner in the elections.
After collating election results in seven local government areas, INEC cancelled the election in Southern Ijaw LGA on Monday, December 7, thereby declaring the election inconclusive.
The reasons given by the electoral body for the cancellation were violence, abduction of electoral officials and snatching of election materials.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate and incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson, leads from the results of so far collated and announced.
INEC has fixed Saturday, December 19, for a supplementary election in Southern Ijaw LGA.
But Mr. Sylva said while violence occurred in Southern Ijaw LGA, the commission erred in scheduling fresh polls.
In a petition to INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, copied to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Mr. Sylva said the commission lacked the powers to cancel “already concluded or on-going election”.

“It is important to note that under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), there is no power either, express or implied that is vested on the Resident Electoral Commissioner, your commission or any staff whatsoever to cancel election that has commenced or concluded, in any manner as was done in Bayelsa state,” Mr. Sylva wrote in the petition dated December 8.
“The Commission’s power, in the above is limited only to the postponement of election that has not commenced,” he said.
“We consider the action of cancelling results of an election while collation is on-going as a dangerous precedent, usurping of the functions of the Tribunals established by the Constitution illegal and reminiscent of the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election and if allowed stand will not only expose your Commission to endless and avoidable litigations and would become a ready tool in the hands of officials of your Commission the power to truncate the will of the people,” he argued.
The APC candidate, however, requested that should the commission feel “strongly that it has the powers to cancel already concluded or on-going elections”, it should also cancel the elections in Ekeremor, Sagbama Local Government Areas, Wards 4 and 5 of Yenagoa and Ward 8,9 and 10 of Nembe Local Government Areas.
Mr. Sylva said that, “the elections in Ekeremor, Sagbama Local Government Areas, Wards 4 and 5 of Yenagoa and Ward 8, 9 and 10 of Nembe Local Government Areas were marred by massive violence, abduction of both electoral officials and materials, massive thumb printing and rigging but that despite our oral and written protests, your commission accepted the results at units, wards, local government area and state collation centres at the areas highlighted above”.

On Friday night, the Federal Government (FG) released a circular calling upon all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to remit 80% of their operational surpluses to the Consolidated Revenue Fund account, according to Punch Newspaper.

Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun
Daily Gist
The order allegedly originated from the office of the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun. The order also called upon all MDAs to reduce operating costs as much as possible, in keeping with President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to reduce wasteful government expenditures.

Minister Adeosun also noted the very poor performance, thus far, of compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act by MDAs. She warned all Accounting Officers and Chief Executive Officers of MRDs that any failure to remit the required amount of funds to the Consolidated Revenue Fund would result in their immediate sanction.

In addition, all future reviews of Accounting Officers and Chief Executive Officers would take into account their compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act when contemplating the renewal of their tenures.

“All revenue gathering agencies must comply with the circular and cut their costs,” Mrs. Adeosun’s statement read in part.

In order to ensure compliance with her directives, the Minister of Finance announced that every MDA was now required to submit monthly Expenditure Transcripts and Revenue Returns to the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.