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Saraki saves Buhari’s proposal from Senate rejection

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The Medium Term and Expenditure Framework (2017-2019) proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari narrowly beat rejection, after Senate President Bukola Saraki persuaded his colleagues to pass the document for committee review, following an extensive debate on Wednesday.

There was stiff bi-partisan opposition to the MTEF and the Fiscal Sustainability Paper, FSP, as most of the Senators from both the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party expressed preference for rejection of the fiscal proposal.

They said the proposals were unrealistic. Adeola Solomon (APC-Lagos) said Mr. Buhari’s economic team was in disarray, thereby joining others to ask that the documents be returned to the Executive.

But Mr. Saraki, rounding off the debate which saw the Senate vote to extend its sitting beyond 2 p.m., said the documents only contained assumptions and the Senate had a responsibility to “turn them around” through its committees.“We won’t take documents from the executive and send it back that way.“Committees should take the comments of everybody and use it to decide,” said Mr. Saraki, softening ground for the vote that was to follow.

The Senate eventually referred the MTEF/FSP to the committees on finance and appropriations, the stiff opposition to the proposals nonetheless.

From a negative growth rate for three quarters consecutively this year, the government targets an increased 3.02 GDP growth rate in 2017.“I don’t know how this will happen; it can’t work because nothing is happening,” Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) commented.Mr. Solomon fired negative remarks, stating, “This document we have before us is no document. We should return it to them”

“The Economic Team of the President is in disarray. I say this without being sentimental; I say as a true Nigerian,” added Mr. Solomon, close ally of former Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu, believed to be eyeing governorship seat of his Ogun home state cone 2019.Samuel Anyanwu (PDP) expressed satisfaction that both PDP and APC Senators agreed the proposals were unrealistic; so, the documents should be returned.

Abiodun Olujimi, Mohammed Hassan, Foster Ogola and John Enoh – all PDP Senators – also wanted the proposals rejected.APC’s Dino Melaye dismissed the documents as “not factual”.However, Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, supported the transmission of the documents to committees for consideration.Ahmed Lawan, Gbenga Ashafa, Bukar Ibrahim and Jibrin Barau of APC also asked the Senate to refer the documents to relevant committees.But before the report of the joint finance and appropriations committees on the documents, the Senate will debate performance of the current 2016 budget, Mr. Saraki said.

Meanwhile, the report of the Danjuma Goje-led appropriations committee on Mr. Buhari’s request for virement of N180 billion from the Special Intervention Funds to critical infrastructural projects was laid before the Senate today.

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NASS amends NDLEA Act, okays life imprisonment for drug traffickers

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The Senate has concurred with the recommendation of the House of Representatives to commute the death sentence penalty for persons found guilty of storing, moving or concealing hard drugs and other illicit substances to life imprisonment.

The alignment of the Senate with the House of Representatives yesterday was a sequel to the amendment effected on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act.

The amendment was considered at the plenary, presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, APC! Kano North, after majority of senators supported the harmonisation of the conference committee of the two chambers of the National Assembly on Section 11 of the NDLEA Act.

Recall that recently, the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the NDLEA law to prescribe life imprisonment for drug traffickers but the Senate version of the amendment prescribed death penalty for the offenders.

In order to address the differences, both the Senate and the House of Representatives needed to hold a conference committee on the amendment where they will conclude on a final amendment to the section.

The then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Tahir Monguno, had told his colleagues that the Senate would adopt the amendment of the House prescribing life imprisonment for drug traffickers.

Monguno, who is the chairman of the conference committee, explained that if the National Assembly adopted the death sentence, it meant over 900 accused persons behind bar on drug related cases would be executed.

He, therefore, urged his colleagues to support the resolution in order to reduce the effect of drug consumption and trading in the country.

After the presentation, the Deputy Senate President put the resolution to a vote and majority of the senators supported it.

Senator Barau, thereafter, approved the amendments to include life imprisonment for drug traffickers.

With the amendment, the section now reads: “Anybody who is unlawfully involved in the storage, custody, movement, carriage or concealment of dangerous drugs or controlled substances and who, while so involved is armed with any offensive weapon or is disguised in anyway, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act, and liable on conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.”

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‘He was never our member’ — IPOB disowns Simon Ekpa

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The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says Simon Ekpa, the controversial Biafra agitator, was never a member of the group.

IPOB said Ekpa was not a registered member of the group’s chapter in Finland and cannot be the leader of the group.

On Thursday, Ekpa, a Finland-based secessionist, was arrested by law enforcement agents in the northern European nation.

He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.

In a statement on Friday, Emma Powerful, IPOB’s spokesperson, said Ekpa was a “destructive agent” paid to “infiltrate and destroy” the “peaceful movement” of IPOB.

Powerful accused the Nigerian and Finnish governments of shielding Ekpa from arrest.

“Simon Ekpa was never and is not an IPOB member, let alone being a leader in IPOB. IPOB has some family units in Finland, and Simon Ekpa is not a registered member of any IPOB unit in Finland or any other IPOB unit globally,” the statement reads.

“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu established IPOB as a peaceful movement to seek Biafra Independence via a supervised UN referendum.

“IPOB is a peaceful global movement that has never taken to violence or arms struggle in two decades of our self-determination struggle.

“It was unfortunate that some innocent Biafrans, being passionate for the restoration of the stolen sovereignty of the Biafran Nation, thought that Simon Ekpa was genuinely sympathetic to the Biafra cause.

“Sadly, they had to learn the hard way that he was a destructive agent paid to infiltrate and destroy the IPOB peaceful movement for Biafra self-determination. He recruited violent criminals to destabilize the South East Region in 2021.

“The Simon Ekpa-led group has no alliance, affiliation or relationship with IPOB family worldwide. He recruited his criminal gangs who have been terrorising the Biafran territory since 2021.

“The Nigerian government and politicians that contracted Simon Ekpa have been making strenuous efforts to tag the violent crimes of their agent on IPOB just to blackmail and demonise the genuine and peaceful Biafra self-determination struggle of the Biafran people led by the IPOB.

“On the purported arrest of Simon Ekpa, all IPOB members, Biafrans and lovers of Biafra freedom should remain calm and focused on our core objective which is the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra.”

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Lagos state government seals Ile Iyan restaurant over waste disposal violations

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The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has sealed off Ile Iyan, a restaurant in the Sabo Yaba area of the state, for “non-compliance with waste disposal regulations”.

Lagos Waste Reporters, a publication focused on waste management, reported that officials discovered invoices and food waste from Ile Iyan at an illegal dumpsite.

The dumpsite is located near Aje Comprehensive High School, Yaba.

“Despite the establishment’s claims of registration with LAWMA, no corroborative evidence was provided,” the report reads.

LAWMA has now mandated Ile Iyan to formally register and comply with established waste management regulations.

“It is essential to maintain cleanliness in Lagos. Businesses must register with LAWMA and adhere to proper waste management procedures to prevent closure,” the report added.

Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for the environment and water resources in Lagos, has ramped up enforcement of environmental regulations in the city, with markets, clubs and eateries often sealed over purported violations.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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