News

PIGB: ANN Knocks Presidency, Says Reasons are Calculated Lies

Published

7 years ago

August 30, 2018

Eric

Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), an opposition political party which condemned President Buhari’s rejection of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) because it would whittle down the president’s power doubling as petroleum minister, has again condemned as deceitful, the recent release by the presidency to refute the party’s claim.

In a counter reaction by the party through its National Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Oyeniyi, the party said all the three reasons advanced by the presidency are calculated lies which apart from corruption and abuse of human rights, is hallmark of the outgoing administration.

Oyeniyi, an Audience Economist and Legislative Expert, while reacting to the reasons listed by the presidency said “We saw the release by the PLON (Senate) Senator Enang about why the president refused to assent to the PIGB and the three lies stated therein, which are that, the NPRC would keep 10% of revenue thereby affecting FAAC revenue sharing to federal, states and local governments; expansion of PEF scope, divergence of policy administration and independence; and legislative drafting which could bring about ambiguity if assented to.

“But we as a party is standing with our earlier claim and that the presidency is only saving face and concealing real reason the president withheld his assent by putting out this calculated lies to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians.”

Going further, Oyeniyi said, “We are talking about a bill that passed through all legislative processes including public hearings which the executive arm, top grade petroleum and financial industries stakeholders, host communities, CSOs, CBOs etc took part in and all inputs collated, probed and aligned. The truth is that Buhari refused doing so because provisions of that bill in its Sections 1 to 6 are clearly against his interest and that of the villa cabal. The 10% Ita Enang touted in a bid to cajole unsuspecting Nigerians absolutely has nothing to do with government oil revenue shared as FAAC. It is all lies, the 10% to be retained by the NPRC is about revenue from fees and licenses publications sold, fees for services rendered by the NPRC to non-petroleum companies, while other traditional funds generated from production, leases, bonuses and so on will still be going into the Federation Account.”

The party said it is clear the circle is getting smaller for the outgoing administration since it -the party’s foray into political terrain of Nigeria, and that it is clear the drowning ruling party is merely clutching a straw which is also sinking.

“From the presidency’s reaction, Nigerians will see that the government is deficient in proper lie to conceal the rejection because it is clear it is all about the loss of power of the current president doubling as petroleum minister; because once the bill is assented, Buhari will no longer be the one to award and renew oil licenses and award marginal fields, because all will now require senate approval and in some cases entire National Assembly approval. Unlike it is shrouded in secrecy now, the NPRC will have its budget laid and approved by the National Assembly, and this is a terrible blow to the current cabal milking the nation dry.”

News

Police Confirm Abduction of Bayelsa High Court Judge in Yenagoa

Published

2 days ago

June 22, 2025

Eric

The police in Bayelsa State, on Sunday, confirmed the abduction of Justice E.J. Umokoro in Yenagoa, the capital.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, DSP Musa Mohammed, confirmed the alleged kidnap of the Judge on Sunday in Yenagoa.

“Umokoro, a judge at Bayelsa State High Court was on Saturday evening abducted from his car at a fast food outlet at Ekeki area of Yenagoa.

“The command has deployed tactical teams and drones to trail and arrest the hoodlums,” he said.

Reports said that the gunmen fired sporadically at the car park of the eatery before forcing the judge out of his vehicle and whisking him away in a waiting Toyota Hilux.

The judge was waiting for his daughter, who had gone into the outlet to make some purchases.

NAN

News

Otti Plans Recruitment of 4000 Extra Teachers for Abia Schools

Published

3 days ago

June 21, 2025

Eric

Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has revealed has revealed plans to recruit additional 4,000 teachers to raise the teaching workforce to 9,394.in the State’s primary and secondary schools.

The governor disclosed this during the June edition of his media chat, dubbed Governor Alex Otti speaks to Abians”, held on Thursday night at the Government House, Umuahia.

He said that the 5,394 first set of teachers already recruited would be deployed after their ongoing orientation in Aba and Umuahia.

According to him, the next set of recruitment will happen immediately after this orientation.

“We expect that the portal will be opened and applications will be received,” he said.

Otti said that the idea was to prepare the schools for the next academic session, given the massive enrollment witnessed since the introduction of free and compulsory education.

The government, in January, introduced free and compulsory education from primary one to junior secondary school.

The policy is to ensure that every child in Abia, regardless of their state of origin, had access to education up to the junior secondary school.

Otti emphasised the need to prepare and ensure quality teachers for primary and secondary schools across the State.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to continue with the renovation of schools, including the tertiary institutions.

“In addition to the renovation, we are converting 20 schools into smart schools and work is already ongoing,” he said.

The governor also spoke on the government’s activities in the health sector.

He gave assurance that the ongoing renovation of 200 primary healthcare centres across the 17 local government areas of the State would soon be completed and that most of them were ready for use.

“The type of equipment you are expecting to see in the developed countries are already in Abia and we are not opening them without equipping them properly,” he said.

Otti, who highlighted some of his administration’s achievements in other sectors, including security, road infrastructure, sanitation and others, urged the residents to join hands with the administration in building a new Abia.

News

Court Grants Natasha N50m Bail in Defamation Case

Published

5 days ago

June 19, 2025

Eric

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in FCT Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.