Month: October 2023

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) Concerned citizens under the aegis of Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) has expressed dismay over the recent demonstration at the headquarters of Department of State Services (DSS) following the continued detention of the convener #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore.

The group also lamented the “media harassment” of the DSS by renowned lawyer Femi Falana and other civil society activists, describing the protest as an exploitation of Nigerians with a view to blackmailing the security agency.

Spokesperson of the movement Semaaka Solomon Semakaa, who stated this at a counter rally in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the over dramatization of the matter, vilification and demonising of the service as well as the desperate appeal for public sympathy are all unfortunate tactics employed by Falana and his group of foot soldiers.

Semakaa said Falana’s action “is a sabotage of the highest level and does not portray the nobility of the legal profession as well as the true spirit of patriotism.”

Commenting further on his allegations of sabotage against security agencies Semakaa said that “a fortnight ago, the Nigerian Army in order to consolidate on its achievement especially in the North-East and South-East, came up with Operation Positive Identification to ensure that Nigerians are properly identified.

“This is a standard practice done all over the world, but to our greatest surprise, Femi Falana went to court to get an injunction against the Nigerian military.”

Semakaa also stated that investigations by the Save Nigeria Movement revealed that, “Omoloye Sowore, Col. Sambo Dasuki, and El Zakzakky have all chosen to be in DSS custody because of the high standard of facilities as opposed to the conventional correctional facilities in the country.

“Nigerians need to know that the trio has access to functional Gymnasium, telephones, choice of food amongst other; these are luxury facilities that an average law abiding Nigerian lacks.

“We therefore request that Nigerians particularly those who avail themselves as tools for blackmailing the security agencies must desist in the interest of the country.

“The Department of State Services and the Nigerian military authorities must be allowed to do their jobs without hindrance.

“This country’s constitution has no room for referendum or plebiscite; we are one indivisible entity and the DSS is responsible to detecting and forestalling any threat to Internal Security.

“We therefore, in national service, vow to assist the DSS and Army to succeed in this noble task,” Semaaka added. (NAN)

Abuja, Nov. 20, 2019(FLOWERBUDNEWS) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Wednesday restated its commitment to ending sexual and gender-based violence, and craved the support of the Rule of Law and Anti Corruption (ROLAC) programme of the British Council to achieve that.

The Minister of State for FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, gave the assurance when ROLAC’s team paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Aliyu said that sexual and gender-based violence had become a troubling trend in the nation’s capital and other parts of the country, and declared that the trend required “urgent policy and social action”.

She thanked other partner agencies for their collaboration toward tackling the trend, and emphasised the need to create a safe space for citizens, families and children.

Earlier, ROLAC Manager, Priscilla Ankut, had disclosed that plans had been concluded to officially launch sex offenders register and the establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC), in Bwari and Wuse District Hospitals on Nov. 25.

She emphasised the need for improved access to justice for women, children and persons with disabilities at the Federal and State level, and the promotion of other laws and practices that facilitate access to justice for women who are sexually abused.

Ankut explained that the development of the offenders register was to name and shame sexual offenders and to deter potential offenders.

“Besides the offenders register, there is a database of service providers, professionals and care-givers when citizens report sexual violence,” she said. (NAN)

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) Once upon a time a beautiful girl got tired of her marriage life and wanted to murder her spouse.

One morning she ran to her mother and say to her ” mother, I am tired of my husband I can no longer support his nonsense. I want to kill him but I am afraid Law of the land will hold me responsible, can you please help me mother?”

The mother answered:

– Yes my daughter I can help you, but, there is a little task attached.

The daughter asked “what task? I am willing and ready to assume any task attached in order to get him out”

OK, said the mother,

1..You will have to make peace with him, so that no one will suspect you when he is dead.

2.. You will have to beautify yourself in order to look young and attractive to him

3.. You have to take good care of him and be very nice and appreciative to him

4.. You have to be patient, loving and less jealous, have more listening ears, be more respectful and obedient

5. Spend your money for him and don’t get angry even when he refuses to give you money for whatever

6. Don’t raise your voice against but encourage Peace and love so that you will never be suspected when he must have died.

Can you do all of that?
Asked the mother.
Yes i can. She replied
OK, said the mother.

Take this powder and pour a bit in his every day meal, it will slowly kill him.

After 30 days the lady came back to her mother and said.

Mother, I have no intention of killing my husband again. As of now I have grown to love him because he has completely changed, he is now a very sweet husband than I ever imagined.

What can i do to stop the poison from killing him?

Please help me mother.

She pleaded in a sorrowful tone.

The mother answered;
Do not worry my daughter. What I gave you the other day was just Tumeric Powder. It will never kill him.

In reality, you were the poison that was slowly killing your husband with tension and dispassion.

It was when you started loving, honouring and cherishing him that you saw him change to a nice and sweet husband.

Men are not really wicked, but our way of relating with them determines their responses and feelings towards us.

Women if you can only show respect, dedication, love, care and commitment to your husband he will 100% be there for you.

At least I am sure it will work for 80% of men and hope your man is among that 80%.

Thanks for reading….
[6:03 pm, 20/11/2019] CEO FLOWERBUDNEWS. NG: Pls publish on flowerbud with the title: Food 4 Thought: Poison That Kills Men

Abuja, Nov. 20, 2019 (FLOWERBUDNEWS) Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday said that the Senate would release new strategies on corruption fight to the public in the next few weeks.

Lawan disclosed this at the two-day National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in the Public Sector in Abuja.

The event is organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) in collaboration with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Lawan, who was represented by Sen. Suleiman Kwari, said that the senate just discovered that the anti graft war was far from over, hence the need for the action.

“The next few weeks, new surveys on corruption will be released to the public.

“We also find out that there is undeniable linkage between corruption, insecurity, lost developmental opportunity and poverty.

“For us in Parliament, one of the four challenges of this senate is how to forge a strong collaborating linkage with at least six standing committees of the Senate with overlapping oversight jurisdictions.

“Today, I am pleased to inform you of the senate leadership approval of a legislative forum to fight corruption and financial crime within the Senate vault,” he said.

He added that the senate would continue to reach out to all the stakeholders in the fight against corruption.

“Graft is a borderless and global problem that must be handled in all ramifications and we therefore require a concerted effort of all to eradicate it.

“In Nigeria today, there are at least 20 different legislations that have direct bearing on the fight against corruption and financial crime.

“As a direct result, we are exploring all available options to strengthen specific institutions like the Code of Conduct Bureau.

“If they have to succeed they have to be well funded so that they can be well empowered to carry out their mandate,” he added.

The Senate President said “over the next budget circle, we will be systematically increasing the funding of law enforcement and other anti-corruption agencies.

“We will also be benchmarking their performance to ensure value for tax payers’ money are met.”

Mr Boss Mustapha, SGF, in an address of welcome said that the summit was organised for top government officials drawn from the three arms of government as part of new strategies against corruption.

He said that the present administration has recorded some success in the area of fight against corruption.

The SGF said President Muhammadu Buhari was honoured as Africa Champion in the fight against corruption in recognition of his effort in the region.

He said that at domestic level, several policies were being implemented to address corrupt practices in the public sector, which was now yielding positive results.

“This summit therefore present the opportunity to reevaluate the effectiveness of these measures put in place and where necessary develop new strategies to strengthen our common resolve to rid the public sector of corrupt practices.

“The brainstorming session is to seek ways of blocking identified gaps in the fight against corruption crusade in the present administration and as a further guide in the implementation of ways to cup corrupt practices in the public sector.

“Today’s event is epochal as it stands to evaluate the successes recorded so far and find solutions to where there are weaknesses and the need to recognise and reward anti-corruption ambassadors,” he said.

On his part, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammad Tanko, appealed to Nigerians to stop seeing corruption as a way of life but embraced modesty to erase any trace of corruption in the country.

He said that the ongoing war against corruption by the ICPC has gained good result and the international community have changed their negative perspective about the country.

He noted that the Commission has secured several prosecutions with some sentences through the court. (NAN)

(NEWS INVESTIGATORS)The Conservator-General (CG), National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni has been given a certificate of induction into Tourism 100 Club, Nigeria.

The induction was done during the 7the Abuja Jabamah 2019 annual ceremony held on 18, November, at the expo ground of the National Council of Arts and Culture, Abuja.

The Managing Director (MD) of the Event, Mr. Kelechi Uko said the CG was given the certificate of induction in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of the travel and tourism industry in Nigeria.

He commended the CG for the feat and assured him of the support of the organizers to promote the National Park Service to enviable heights in tourism across the globe.

Uko said this year’s event was tagged Jabamah, which means ‘You are welcome’ in Fulani language, to create a network for publicising and appreciating the immense contribution of some individuals to the tourism industry in Nigeria. The event was last held at Calabar as AKWAABA.

He said this year’s ”Jabamah” was organised to among other things induct the Tourism 100 Club (class of 2019) whose responsibility is to recognise individuals who have distinguished themselves as foremost and outstanding drivers in the travel and tourism industry in Nigeria.

In response, the CG thanked the organisers for finding him fit to be a member of the Club and assured that National Park Service will always support them in lifting tourism in Nigeria.

The CG said that he hoped the partnership will yield positive dividends for both the Service and the organisers and that the event will hold next year in one of the parks in the Country.

He, however, dedicated his award of membership of the Club to Hajia Bilkisu Abdul, the CEO BBOOG TRAVEL and TOURS as well as the National President of Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) while commending her for introducing him to this tourism movement in Nigeria.

The organisers inducted the CG along with other personalities in Nigeria, and Africa, such as DG, National Council for Art and Culture, Otunba O Runsewe.

The event was co-sponsored by Travelers TV, Cabo Verde Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa World Airlines, National Council for Art and Culture and a host of others.

(FLOWERBUDNEWS) The Chairman, House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rep. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (APC-Ondo) has said that the Commission had been spending illegally and without appropriation for 11 months.

This is even as he said that the NDDC had been running foul of the appropriation laws for the past 14 months as it had yet to submit any budget proposal to the National Assembly for approval since Sept. 2018.

He said that since the expiration of the approved 2018 Budget, the commission had been spending without approval.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen, in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo said that the commission had also running foul of its 2020 Budget as it was yet to submit its 2020 proposal three months after its was due.

He said that all the expenditure by the NDDC amounted to extra-budgetary, which according to him, in violation of the NDDC Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Rep said that the committee will carry out a thorough investigation on the matter and make strong recommendations ‘no matter whose ox is gored’.

“It is a pathetic story, it is not a palatable experience and I am happy that the ninth Assembly is living up to expectation as the people’s house and looking after the people of Nigeria.

“We know that the NDDC is still operating 2018 budget, passed by the previous assembly, we are in November and the 2019 budget has not been brought to the National Assembly yet.

“It is unheard of; it is an aberration and illegal.

“It is beyond normal reasoning because preparing a budget and summiting to the house is not a difficult matter,’’ he said.

Quoting Section 18 of the NDDC Act, he said “the commission shall not later than September 30 each year submit an estimate of the expenditure and income of the commission for the succeeding year for approval’’.

Tunji-Ojo said that going by the Act, the NDDC should have submitted its 2020 budget latest on Sept. 30, 2019.

According to him, it is unheard of; it is ridiculous to say that 14 months after which they should submit the 2019 budget, the house is still calling on them to bring it.

The lawmaker questioned the basis of NDDC operation and the legitimacy and authority of the commission’s activities in the last 14 months.

“This is an era of change; it is an era of Next Level; we must follow the law and ensure transparency and accountability becomes the hallmark of all we do.

“We shall look at all the laws and adequate recommendations will be made by the committee no matter whose ox is gored.

“We promised our people that there will be new dynamics and that the equation will not be the same; we promised them that this commission will work for and with them, fending for their priority.

“We are not loosing focus on that.

“What is important to me is that after four years, I want to look back and see a better Niger Delta region by performing our oversight duty responsibly to the delight of our people,’’ he said.

(NEWS INVESTIGATORS) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the Senate, on Wednesday, rejected the Bayelsa and Kogi Governorship election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The senators, led by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, made the rejection at a news conference in Abuja.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had declared the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), David Lyon and Yahaya Bello winners of the gubernatorial elections.

“We want to call the attention of Nigerians. We are very disturbed by the elections that were held last weekend in Bayelsa and Kogi.

“We totally reject the pronouncements after the elections by INEC and we are worried about the trend of what happened during the election.

“We know that the results that were announced were not a true reflection of what happened in the field.

“We are much more concerned about the fact that it seems that all the gains made by the PDP in all the period of democracy starting in 1999 seem to have been eroded from the elections starting in Osun, Edo and culminating into last weekend.

“We are further pained by the fact that the PDP woman leader, Salome Abuh, after declaration of result, hoodlums still chased her to her house and burnt her to dead in the clear view of security agents.”

The caucus called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to immediately fish out the killers of Salome.

“We hear that the police are launching an investigation but this is something we don’t want to be put under the carpet because it involves life,” Abaribe said.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Senate, Sen. Godiya Akwashiki, in his reaction to the outcome of the Bayelsa and Kogi gubernatorial elections said: “I don’t think it will be right for the Senate to say anything about the election.

“Nigeria is not a lawless country and we must obey it. The Electoral Act has spelt out everything that there should be primaries between aspirants in political parties so a candidate will emerge.

“After the primaries, INEC will set aside a day for general election. Based on the Electoral Act, the elections have come and gone. If anyone has any grievances, the one knows what to do,” he said.(NAN)

(NEWS INVESTIGATORS) Google announced that it’s limiting audience targeting on election ads, a major shift for one of the internet’s largest ad platforms that comes after Twitter opted to drop political ads altogether and Facebook said it’s considering policy changes including limits around targeting.

Under a new policy announced Wednesday, election messaging on Google’s ad platforms can target audiences based on only three general categories: age, gender and location, down to a postal code level.

Political organizations and candidates will no longer be able to aim their ads at would-be voters using more personal information, such as political affiliation and voting records.

Political advertisers will still be able to place contextual ads based on the subject matter of, for instance, YouTube videos or news articles that people are watching or reading.

The company also announced that it would clarify its ad policy to add examples of what’s prohibited in ads.

Material that will now be expressly banned includes deepfakes — sophisticated visual forgeries generated using artificial intelligence — and “ads or destinations making demonstrably false claims that could significantly undermine participation or trust in an electoral or democratic process,” Scott Spencer, Google Ads’ vice president of product management, wrote in a blog post.

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