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D uring the APC Governorship campaign flag-off in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Friday, October 20, 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, had reiterated the Buhari administration’s commitment to keeping its promises to the Nigerian people. One of these promises is the construction of the second Niger Bridge. In the official press release I sent on the Vice President’s remarks during the campaign rally in Onitsha that same day, I did quote the VP as saying that “the Sovereign Wealth Fund paid N2 billion for that same project (Sum paid to the contractor: Julius Berger for early works). We will definitely see our second Niger Bridge, we will not make promises we cannot keep”. However, a short video clip from the event captured on the news segment of a television channel quoted Prof. Osinbajo as mentioning “$2bn”, and not “N2bn”, which was what he had actually meant to say. Mentioning the dollar currency was inadvertent. As it happened, the excerpt from the video, whi

P resident Muhamadu Buhari Tuesday in Niamey, Niger, urged ECOWAS member countries to tread carefully in pushing for a single currency in the sub-region by 2020, drawing attention to the challenges faced by the European Union in realising the same goal. In his speech at the 4th Meeting of the Presidential Task Force on the ECOWAS Currency Programme, President Buhari said the necessary economic fundamentals among countries continue to differ over the years, making it more difficult to pull through with the project by 2020. “Nigeria advises that we proceed cautiously with the integration agenda, taking into consideration the above concerns and the lessons currently unfolding in the European Union. To that end, Nigeria will caution against any position that pushes for a fast-track approach to monetary union, while neglecting fundamentals and other pertinent issues,’’ he said. President Buhari noted that some of the obstacles to realising the roadmap for the implementat

T he Presidency has disowned a photograph circulating in the social media showing embattled former Chairman of Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, cracking jokes with President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Bukola Saraki, among others. The undated photograph was apparently taken after Juma’at prayers at the State House Mosque. However, the Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated that the person being mistaken for Maina was actually Hon. Ado Doguwa, representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives. He made this known in a series of tweets on his verified Twitter handle. He tweeted: “There is a photograph all over the Social Media of President Muhammadu Buhari; Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and Hon. Ado Garba Doguwa Alhassan being mistaken to be the embattled ex-chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed

W elcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Senate President, Bukola Saraki took the official Prayer and led the Chambers into today's proceeding at 10:47 Senator Ali Wakili moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday, 19th of October 2017, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji seconded. ANNOUNCEMENT Senate President Bukola Saraki welcomed people who were present in the gallery to observe plenary. POINT OF ORDER Senator Isah Misau cited order 42 and 52 and talked of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina who was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission while he was Acting Director of Ministry of Interior and returned to become the Director. Senator Olusola Adeyeye said "Certain people in the Executive are working against the Government". Senator Atai Aidoko said "We are looking at the symptoms and it’s cause. The issue is who brought Mr. Maina into office if the Minister of Interior says he di

This is the opinion of Senator Shehu Sani. He opines that wanted ex-pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina was called in to replenish suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who according to him, is the striker and goal scorer for the cabal. Sani said this via his Twitter handle. See tweet below

T hree top officials in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari played prominent roles in the reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), into the civil service, TheCable can report. Documents seen by TheCable showed the involvement and full knowledge of Winifred Oyo-Ita, head of the civil service of the federation; Abdulrahman Dambazau, minister of interior; and Abubakar Malami, minister of justice, in the deal gone sour. The federal civil service commission dismissed Maina in 2013 for absconding from duty following a recommendation by the office of the head of service. He was accused of being involved in pension fraud running into over N100 billion. After an investigation by the senate joint committee on public service and establishment and state and local government administration, a warrant of arrest was issued against him. Subsequently, the police declared him wanted and he went into hiding. He reportedly fl