WOODPECKER BLOG

LG Funds: Amidst complaint by governors, court refuses to stop NFIU directive May 31, 2019 Sani Tukur Court Symbol A Federal High Court, Uyo, has declined to grant a request of the Akwa Ibom State Government to stop the implementation of the guidelines on local government funds issued recently by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). PREMIUM TIMES reported how the NFIU on May 6 issued the ‘Guidelines to Reduce Vulnerabilities Created by Cash Withdrawals from Local Government Funds throughout Nigeria.’ The guideline mandates that state and local government joint accounts be operated solely as transit accounts from which funds will be distributed directly to the accounts of the local governments. Banks were directed to ensure the full implementation of the guidelines with effect from June 1. The guideline will, in effect, ensure that the common practice of governors having sole authority over monies meant for local governments is stopped. Governors have

Foundation invites entries for West African journalism awards May 31, 2019 Oladayo Jonathan WAMECA 2019: Call for Entries The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is calling for submissions for the third edition of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA). WAMECA 2019 will be held on October 18 and 19 in Accra, Ghana and will focus on the theme: Social Media, Fake news and Elections in Africa. The Awards are opened to journalists from print, electronic and online media in Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone countries in West Africa. An Applicant must be West African, working with and for a media organisation(s). An Entry for the Awards must have been published or broadcast between the period January 1 to December 31, 2018. WAMECA 2019 will honour outstanding works of journalism in West Africa in the following categories: Telecoms & ICTs Reporting Oil and Gas Reporting Banking and Finance Reporting Business and SMEs Reporting

APGA Is Dancing Daintly Into The Twilight’ – Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu Writes Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano May 30, 2019 The founding fathers of APGA set out to create a platform from which the aspirations of Ndigbo could be propelled and which could offer them a political pedestal upon which they could favourably compete on the national stage.In 2006, after a long three-year battle over the 2003 elections, APGA took over the Governor’s seat in Anambra State and holding the reins of government in this state till date.  APGA also won the 2011 gubernatorial election in Imo State, and had representation across multiple states and ethnicities. Sadly, today APGA is a shadow of its former self, a fact which laid itself bare during the 2019 General elections.  APGA’s performance was nothing short of abysmal, with the party losing all senatorial elections in the South East.The party had barely a year before recorded a landslide victory during the Anambra gubernatorial el

Mueller: 'If we had had confidence that the president had clearly not committed a crime, we would have said so' Dylan Stableford and Christopher Wilson , Yahoo News • May 29, 2019 Special counsel Robert Mueller issued his first public statement on his investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 election, emphasizing one of the key points of his report: that his office did not conclude whether or not President Trump committed a crime. In his statement, Mueller said his office could not bring criminal charges against the president because the team believed it to be unconstitutional. “If we had had confidence that the

Boko Haram Is For West African Fulanization, African Islamization', Says Obasanjo “Yet, we could have dealt with both earlier, and nip them in the bud, but Boko Haram boys were seen as rascals not requiring serious attention in administering holistic measures of stick and carrot. by SaharaReporters, New York May 18, 2019 Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, has said decisiveness is key if Nigeria wants to win the war against insecurity. The Owu-born retired general said those at the helm of affairs, must tackle insecurity squarely without minding if they step on toes. He made the admonishment while speaking at the second session of the Synod held at the Cathedral Church of St.Paul’s Anglican Church, Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State. Speaking on the topic, "Mobilizing Nigeria’s human & natural resources for national development and stability", Obasanjo said the twin evils of Boko

Alleged N8 billion Fraud: EFCC re-arraigns ex-Skye Bank chiefs May 28, 2019 Kunle Sanni Former Skye Bank Chairman, Tunde Ayeni Detained By EFCC ___ Related News Alleged N8bn Fraud: Ex-Skye Bank chair, Ayeni, granted controversial bail Alleged N4.5bn Fraud: EFCC arraigns ex-Skye Bank chair, Tunde Ayeni N125 billion fraud: EFCC re-arraigns former Nigerian bank chiefs Ex-Minister Bala Mohammed’s son rearraigned for alleged N1.2 billion fraud Ex-governor's son re-arraigned for alleged money laundering The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned a former Chairman, Board of Directors of Skye Bank Plc (now Polaris Bank), Tunde Ayeni, and its former Managing Director, Timothy Oguntayo, for an alleged N8 billion fraud. The commission disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement by its spokesperson, Tony Orilade. It said the duo were arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on an eight-count charge borderi

GOVERNMENT OF IMO STATE PRESS RELEASE SUBJECT: MY TENANCY IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE IS OVER – GOVERNOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA -SAYS HE ENJOYED THE WONDERFUL SUPPORT OF IMO PEOPLE -AND THAT HE HAS DONE WELL AS GOVERNOR Governor Rochas Okorocha has said that his tenancy in Imo State Government House where he has lived in the past eight years as governor has expired and also his governorship, stating that whatever has a beginning must have an end. The governor also stated that he enjoyed the wonderful support of Imo people as their governor for eight years adding that some of the elite who had certain reservations about his administrations must have had their reasons, adding that he has done very well as the governor of the State for eight years. The governor spoke at an event to mark his Pull-out from the Government House on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 stating that many Governors had come before him and many will come after him too. His words “To God alone be the glory for a great d

GOVERNMENT OF IMO STATE PRESS RELEASE SUBJECT: I HAVE KEPT N42.5BILLION FOR THE NEXT GOVERNOR CHIEF EMEKA IHEDIOHA – GOVERNOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA -SWEARS-IN NEW ACCOUNTANT-GENERAL & HEAD OF SERVICE - AND ALSO ELEVEN NEW PERMANENT SECRETARIES The governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has disclosed that he has kept N42.5billion for his successor Chief Emeka Ihedioha, stating that he decided to keep such amount for the in-coming governor so that there won’t be excuses in carrying out activities of government. The governor made the disclosure while swearing-in eleven Permanent Secretaries including the new Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, Deacon Donald Igbo, and the new Head of Service Mrs. Ngozi Ama Eluma explaining that N8.1billion of the money was meant for the payment of salaries and Capital Projects, while N5.2billion was for Pension Arrears. He also stated that N7.6billion was meant for the renovation of schools, while N21.6billion was mapped out for r

News DISTRICT HEAD,Haruna Sanusi, resigns after Ganduje’s installation of new emirates heads in Kano Published on May 13, 2019 By Wale Odunsi Haruna Sanusi, the District Head of Bebeji Local Government Area of the Kano State, on Monday resigned his appointment. His decision was in opposition to the installation of heads of new emirates by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and loyalty to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi. Daily Nigerian reports that the traditional leader cited “health ground and recent changes in the emirate system” as reason for his resignation. The state now has five emirates: Kano, Rano, Gaya, Karaye and Bichi. All Emirs would have equal powers and are to be on same first class status as Sanusi. The new heads include Aminu Ado Bayero, son of late emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, who is the pioneer emir of the newly established Bichi Emirate. The Emir of Gaya is Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir Gaya; the Emir of Rano is Alhaji

News 2019 budget: Full text of President Buhari’s speech as he signs appropriation bill Published on May 27, 2019 President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday signed the 2019 Appropriation bill of N8.92 trillion into law. The president had submitted the 2019 budget of N8.83trillion to the Senate but was increased by about N10billion by the Upper House, bringing the amount to N8.92trillion. DAILY POST reported that the dignitaries who witnessed the signing of the budget, which took place at a mini-conference hall in the presidential Villa, included the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari also witnessed the signing of the budget. Others at the event were the Ministers of Finance (Zainab Ahmed), Budget and National Planning (Sen. Udoma Udu Udoma), Information a

GOVERNMENT OF IMO STATE PRESS RELEASE RE: CHIEF HOPE UZODINMA’S CURRENT & REPEATED MEDIA ATTACKS AGAINST GOVERNOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA Within one week, Chief Hope Uzodinma, the governorship Candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State, has had series of interviews in almost all the National Newspapers. And his target in all the interviews was Governor Rochas Okorocha. He has also invaded the social media with his insults on the governor. Interestingly enough, the kind of courage and boldness Chief Uzodinma displayed or exercised in all his media outings against Governor Okorocha only showed that he has no shame. And he could do worst things if he has the opportunity. Chief Uzodinma Contested the governorship election in the State with the ticket of APC and he could not win in his own Oru East local government. He could not win in any of the 27 LGAs in the State, and never came second or third in all the LGAs but only came fourth and he h