Flowerbud News

Blog

  • Ag. CJN Tanko Muhammad set for Senate confirmation

    Acting CJN Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed

    The Senate has resolved to screen the nomination of Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad on Wednesday.

    Justice Muhammad is expected to be screened by a committee of the whole of the Senate.

    The decision to screen the nominee was taken after a voice vote called by the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawan.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had last week, forwarded Justice Muhammad’s name to the Senate for confirmation, in accordance with Section 23(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    The president forwarded Justice Muhammad’s name for confirmation based on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

     I found this interesting

  • Why you gain nothing from ethnic bias

    By Professor Pat Utomi

    Never get yourself involved in *ethnic hatred or religious bias. 

    I’m a Christian from Niger Delta, but most of the things I’ve ever achieved occurred through the help of non-Christians and non-Niger Deltans. 

    1. I was actually looking for a way to get a banking license for a wealthy Nigerian so I approached one Fulani prince whom I’ve never met before. After telling him my mission, he told me that I should register my own bank instead of being another person’s agent for registering banks. I was shocked, wondering how an ordinary me will be able to afford the process of owning a bank. The Fulani prince told me that I should not worry, that he will get me a banking license and even arrange for wealthy Nigerians to patronise me as a help for me without demanding for any kobo. That was how Platinum Bank came into being through the help of a northern Nigerian I never knew in my life 

    2. I was a young graduate during Shagari Adminstration when one man came to my residence in a massive car with escorts and told me that the powerful Yoruba Chief Bayo Kuku wanted to see me in his supermansion in Ikoyi. I got there and the great Chief Bayo Kuku told me that he has always read what I wrote on taxation policies and he had personally discussed me with Nigerian Vice President Alex Ekwueme. He proceeded to ask me how much I will receive if I was told to write a single position paper for Ekwueme on taxation policies. Then, the price of Volkswagen Beetle was N2,000 so I told Chief Bayo Kuku it will cost Ekwueme N2,000. Chief Bayo Kuku burst into laughter and said : “…so, all those your grammar is only worth the price of a Volkswagen Beetle…?” 

    Chief Bayo Kuku then opened a briefcase, brought out N10,000 cash (brand new Mercedes Benz was then sold for N5,000) and gave me to write just one position paper, even though I’ve never met him in my life, and he was not even from my tribe 

    3. Chief Bayo Kuku took me to Vice President Ekwueme, and within one week of knowing Ekwueme, I was shocked one day when Ekwueme told me : “…lest I forget, President Shagari read your position paper and insists on employing to replace the professor that left his administration…” 

    This was how I became an employee of the Nigerian President Shagari (a Muslim Fulani) without having met him before 

    4. When I was writing my PhD, I distributed my questionnaire as expected. One day, a man arrived in a big car with escorts and told me that his boss wanted to see me. I followed him and when we got to the boss, I was shocked to the marrow to see that the boss was the highly powerful Alhaji Alhaji. Alhaji Alhaji (a northern Muslim) told me that a fellow northern Emir read my questionnaire for my PhD and recommend that he, Alhaji Alhaji, employ me as his PA on financial matters. I couldn’t talk for almost 2 minutes because of the shock. You need to know how powerful Alhaji Alhaji was in those days 

    Summary

    I’ve been helped by Yorubas and northern Nigerians particularly Fulanis far more than my own Niger Deltans. Don’t allow anybody to push you into ethnic hatred and religious bias because you only stand to lose, not gain, from it.

    *Professor Pat Utomi, speaking to an audience in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria, yesterday 14th July, 2019*

  • South Africa’s ex-president Zuma gets death threat

    South Africa’s Zuma worried

    (Reuters/NAN) Former South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday said he had received a death threat after his testimony the previous day to an inquiry on corruption.

    Zuma told the inquiry on Monday that he had been the victim of a plot to get rid of him and that he could trace that conspiracy to foreign intelligence services and the apartheid government in the 1990s.

    Appearing again on Tuesday, Zuma said his personal assistant received a phone call late on Monday from an unknown caller threatening to kill Zuma and his children.

    The country’s deputy chief justice, Raymond Zondo, who is overseeing the inquiry, said the threats were unacceptable.

    There was no immediate comment from the police.

    Zuma, ousted by the governing African National Congress (ANC) in February 2018 and replaced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has consistently denied wrongdoing over his nine years in power.

    His appearance at the inquiry caps a dramatic fall from grace for a politician, who long dominated the country’s politics.

    The inquiry is investigating allegations that Zuma allowed three Gupta brothers, friends of his, to plunder state resources and influence senior government appointments.

    Several former officials have told the inquiry that the Guptas were privy to information about senior government appointments.

    On Monday Zuma denied that he had done anything unlawful with the Guptas or that he had discussed anything with them that he should not have.

    The Gupta brothers, who denied the allegations at the time, left the country around the time that Zuma was ousted.

     I found this interesting

  • JUST IN: Sen. Nwoboshi floors Ned Nwoko at Supreme Court

    Sen. Nwoboshi laughs at last

    Senator Peter Nwoboshi on Tuesday reclaimed his Delta South Senatorial seat as the Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled in his favour against Regina Daniel’s husband, Mr Ned Nwoko.

    Nwoboshi and Nwoko had been in legal battle over the soul of the just concluded Delta South Senatorial election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The Apex Court in its ruling agreed with the Court of Appeal which declared Nwoboshi as the validly elected senator representing Delta South.

    It would be recalled that Ned Nwoko had approached the apex court challenging the earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal which declared Nwoboshi as the winner of the election.

    The Appeal Court’s ruling was against the ruling of the High Court which declared Ned Nwoko as the duely elected senator representing the senatorial district.

    More to come………..


  • NAN Appoints Mammaga Acting Managing Director

    The Board of Directors of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has approved the appointment of Ibrahim Mammaga as the Acting Managing Director and substantive Editor-In-Chief of the agency.

    A statement by the agency’s Assistant Director, Administration and Human Resources Management, Moses Uzogba, in Abuja on Monday, said the appointment took effect from July 10.

    Before his appointment, Mr. Mammaga was the Managing Editor in charge of states in 2019, and served as Head, Lagos Operations between April 2018 and May 2019.

    He was also the Zonal Manager Kaduna between 2006 and 2012. He served as State Correspondent from 1990 to 1995 in Sokoto, and District Correspondent in Birnin Kudu between 1988 and 1989.

    Mammaga is a graduate of Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano. He is a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

  • FRSC threatens to clamp down on unregistered motorbikes, unlicensed riders from Aug. 1

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Pankshin Unit Command on Wednesday has warned that it clamp down on any unregistered motorcycles and unlicensed riders, especially commercial motorcycle riders popularly called Okada riders in the area.
    Assistant Corps Commander (ACC) Nnamdi Ikeh-Akabogu, the Pankshin Unit Commander, gave the warning in his office while fielding questions from journalists.
    “It’s a known fact that the Federal Road Safety Corps had earlier in the year issued Aug. 1, as deadline for all tricycle `keke’ and commercial motorcycle operators known as okada riders, to register their vehicles and also obtain driver’s license.
    “Therefore, any defaulting motorbike operator should stay off the roads from Aug. 1 or face the consequences and be penalised.
    “If they don’t register their bikes and procure class A Drivers License before the Aug. 1 deadline issued by FRSC High Command, they stand the risk of an arrest and surcharging,” Ikeh-Akabogu said.
    He said that the command had resolved to impound any okada operating in the hinterland unregistered and also without diver’s licence.
    He said that it would be better for such culprits to keep off the Roads in his command/jurisdiction.
    According to him, the Corps new rules was for the operators advantage especially in an unforeseen circumstances like theft.
    He said that it was usually very difficult to trace unregistered bikes when they are reported  stolen, describing it as “very unfortunate and pitiful” a situation where a claimant could become the thief if his stolen bike was eventually registered by the other person who stole it..
    Ikeh-Akabogu further explained that most of the stolen bikes were used to perpetrate crime without trace but If registered, it would be difficult for anyone to carry out any crime without be caught.
    “This is because if the plate numbers are captured, the perpetrator can easily be fished out using the database of FRSC to track down the owner of the bike.”
    He noted that FRSC was in collaboration with the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS) to make sure that plate numbers are made available to would-be riders in Plateau central.
    He urged riders who had completed the process of obtaining their licence to report for physical capturing at the licence center in Pankskshin. (NAN)
    TYC/BOLA/AMY

  • Gunmen Kill Sen. Ishaku Abbo’s Uncle, Abduct Step Mother

    Sen. Ishaku Abbo

    By Sadiq Umar – Adamawa Police Command has confirmed the killing of an uncle to Adamawa Senator, Ishaku Abbo and the abduction of his step mother.

    The command Spokesman, Suleiman Yahaya, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the incident in Yola on Saturday said the incident occurred on Saturday at about 3 a.m. at the family house of Mr. Abbo in Muchalla Village of Mubi North Local Government Area.

    Mr. Yahaya explained that the abductors were taking away the step mother identified as Rifkatu when Mr. Abbo’s uncle came out of his house nearby and raised alarm, but was immediately shot to death by the fleeing gunmen.

    The command’s spokesman said the identity of Mr. Abbo’s uncle would be released later.

    “Our men from the Inspector General of Police team are after them,” Mr. Yahaya said.

    He also commented on Wednesday’s kidnapping of the Permanent Secretary of Adamawa Ministry of Mineral Resources, Emmanuel Piridimso, saying he was released on Friday.

    “The kidnappers realized that we were closing up on them and have since released the man; he was released on Friday,” Mr. Yahaya said.

    He called for public support to the police and other security agencies to effectively tackle crime in the state.

  • Parents appeal to unions, govt over SSANU, NASU strike

    Some parents in Oyo State have appealed to the Federal Government and striking unions in Federal Universities to resolve the lingering crisis that has crippled academic activities since its commencement on Monday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of Senior Staff Association of University, and Non Academic Staff Union (SSANU, NASU) on Monday embarked on a three day warning strike to press home their demands.

    NAN recalls that top of their grievances are the exclusion of its members from the workings of the National University Pension Company (NUPENCO), solely operated by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    Others are the allocation of the 80 per cent of the money released by the federal government as earned allowances to ASUU while the three non academic unions got 20 per cent.

    The SSANU and NASU operating under the Joint Action Committee said they were rejecting the 20 per cent earned allowance allocated to them.

    They however, called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, release the N30 billion to the non teaching staff as earned allowances for the period of 2009 and 2016.

    Some parents, who reacted to the industrial action, told NAN in separate interviews that government must quickly intervene to resolving the impasse.

    A retired principal, Mrs Mutunrayo Adisa, appealed to the Federal government to call for a peace meeting with the leadership of the striking unions.

    “I commend several efforts of the federal government in the education sector, but this time, call for a very serious concern because we already have several challenges.

    “I want to passionately appeal that all stakeholders get to the round table as soon as possible to resolve this crisis.

    “Already, we have security challenges, we cannot afford to let our higher institutions students be out of the academic environment for now; I appeal that we get the unions back to work soon,” she appealed.

    Also speaking, an educationist, Mrs Olaide Azeez, appealed for amicable resolution of the crisis.

    “I hope this is resolved early, when I hear of strike in our tertiary institutions, I get scared because it could be protracted beyond imagination.

    “My appeal goes to the Federal government and the unions, I know they have the right to their demands and the government must also respect agreement but in the middle of all this are the innocent students,” she said.

    A unionist, Mr Olayinka Ajao, also appealed for quick resolution on the matter, saying incessant industrial action had impacted negatively on the nation’s education system. (NAN)
    Ibro/MNA

  • Security guard shoots himself for working 4 months without pay

    A security guard Amos Mboni has killed himself at work after he had gone for four months without receiving any pay.

    According to The Chronicle 56-year-old Zimbabwean shot himself three times using his service pistol supplied by his employers.

    He shot himself at the Zimra yard at the corner of Fort Street and 8th Avenue in Njube, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where he was stationed.

    Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube told said “The deceased was employed by a security company and when he arrived at his workplace at 6 a.m., he was handed a revolver by his colleagues who were signing off from duty.”

    He further said that Mboni died on the spot after shooting himself three times, noting that two of the shots were reported to have hit his left nipple area while the third one shattered his collar bone.

    One of Mboni’s daughters who chose not to be identified told said “It’s so unbelievable that my father shot himself. My father left home depressed because he had not been paid for almost four months at his workplace.

    “I was the one who was now working and fending for the family and it was stressing him. The landlord would ask him for money for rent every day but he didn’t have it.”

    However, one of Mboni’s sisters who also didn’t mention her name said that she suspected foul play.

    She said: “He left home around 5:20 a.m. He starts work at 6 a.m. and said he would come back in the evening; Amos loved his children.

    “It’s murder; how can he possibly shoot himself thrice?” She queried.