Aisha Buhari's Interview: BBC Defies Pressure From Presidency, Dogara & Daura

The Hausa Service of the BBC is defying presssure from the Presidency and National Assembly trying to stop it from airing the controversial interview the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, granted it.

A source within the Abuja Bureau of the BBC told Daily Trust that there was a letter from the Presidency asking the Hausa service of the BBC not to air the interview.

The Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, according to the source, also tried to informally dissuade the BBC from airing the interview.

A son of Buhari's powerful nephew, Mamman Daura, is also said to have called to get the BBC not to use the interview.

In the interview Aisha Buhari had said those who worked for the president have been abandoned for those who don't even have voters card.


She also expressed fear of rebellion from the fifteen million people who voted her husband.

However, the source told Daily Trust, the BBC wouldn't backdown on its promise to air the interview as an independent media organisation.

The source said the only condition that can make the service not air the interview is for the interviewee, Aisha Buhari, to decide against it. Even in that case her voice recanting what she had said in the interview would be aired.

Therefore, a part of the interview will be aired in the service's morning broadcast tomorrow. It will be aired in full on its programme, 'Gane Mini Hanya', on Saturday.

Source: http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/aisha-buhari-s-interview-bbc-defies-pressure-from-presidency-nass/166608.html#t6ywMUrgU8Hwshqw.99

Senate Moves To Legalise Lobbying In Nigeria

The Senate on Wednesday began moves to legalise lobbying in Nigeria as it passed for second reading, a Bill seeking for law to register and regulate lobbying as a profession.

The “Bill for an Act for the Regulation and Registration of Lobbyists in Nigeria and for other matters connected therewith, 2016’’ is sponsored by Dino Melaye, (APC, Kogi West).

While presenting his lead debate, Mr. Melaye argued that the National Assembly needed to recognise and approve professional lobbyists in the legislature.

He added that the Bill would also make provision for intending lobbyist to be duly registered under the Company and Allied and Matters Act.
Mr. Melaye said that the lobbyist after being registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) would also have to register with the Ministry of Justice to practice as lobbyist in the Senate or House of Representatives.

He defined lobbying as an activity in which special interests hire well-connected professional advocates, often lawyers, to argue for specific legislation in parliament.

He said that although the bill looked controversial and perceived as negative, lobbying took place at every level of government.
“The bill will create stricter registration requirement for lobbyists and also require lobbyists to disclose how much they make and spend on lobbying.
“It will ban lobbyist from paying for gifts and food as a means of inducement and it would give oversight agencies more powers to investigate violation of ethics laws,” he said.

The lawmaker added that the Bill will also offer the legislator opportunity to be more informed about a bill before it comes for reading.
According to him, the lobbyists will be readily available to inform the legislators of the idea behind the Bill being pushed.
Many senators, including Ben Bruce, Godswill Akpabio, and Mohammed Ali Ndume, who spoke, supported the Bill.
They argued that when passed, the Bill would help legislators to sponsor individual bills.
The senate referred the Bill to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, with a directive to report back in three weeks.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/212652-senate-moves-legalise-lobbying-nigeria.html

Senate Extends JAMB Result Validity To 3 Years

The Senate today Thursday 13th October, 2016 has passed the amendment to the law establishing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The law now extends the validity of the result of the board’s examination from one year to three years.


Source:NAN, National Assembly Press,

https://ukeyibio.blogspot.com.ng/2016/10/senate-extends-jamb-result-validity-to.html?m=1

No Nigerian Bank Is Undercapitalised –CBN

Lagos – The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that there is no truth in a report that seven Nigerian banks are undercapitalised. The Director, Banking Supervision, Mrs Tokunbo Martins, told journalists at the end of the Bankers Committee Meeting in Lagos on Wednesday that there was no truth in the report.

A Dubai-based International Investment Bank, Arqaam Capital, had reported that seven Nigerian banks were undercapitalised to the tune of N1tn about 3.2 billion dollars. Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele The stress test by Arqaam Capital also reported that two banks were close to being insolvent.

Martins said that commercial banks were facing some challenges that were not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that Non Performing Loans (NPL) at 11 per cent was not the focus for now. “As Director Banking Supervision, I wish to state that the report that seven banks are undercapitalised is not true. “That our banks have non-performing loans at 11 per cent is not the focus for now. We should totally ignore such a story,’’ Martins said.

The director said that commercial banks in the country had huge capacity to generate income to absorb any losses that could arise from such loans. “The fact that a country has non-performing loans at this period is expected. So, I don’t think that any jurisdiction should be demonised because of NPL,’’ Martins said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/no-nigerian-bank-undercapitalised-cbn/

Thunder Kills 21 Cows In Nasarawa

The Zonal Secretary, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Nasarawa South, Nasarawa State, Jaafaru Usman, on Thursday said 21 cows had been killed by thunder at Ashige in Lafia East Development Area of the state.

Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lafia that the thunder stroke on Tuesday morning during a downpour killing all the 21 cows belonging to a herdsman, Malam Bature Lere.

He appealed to the state Government, authorities of the Lafia East Development Area and public spirited individuals to assist Lere who lost all his cows to the thunder.



“I am appealing to Gov. Umaru Al-Makura to assist this man who lost all his cows to the disaster,” he said.

He, however, advised the herdsman to regard the incident as an act of God and pray for a better future.

Mr Tijani Abubakar, a staff of Veterinary Services Department, Nasarawa State Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, also confirmed the incident and described it as “a natural phenomenon’’.

Abubakar, who said that he was delegated to assess the incident, sympathised with the herdsman, and assured that he would take his report to the appropriate quarters.

Narrating his ordeal, Lere said the incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday during a downpour.

He said that the cows were all that he had and appealed to the state government and well meaning individuals to come to his aid. (NAN)

http://leadership.ng/news/554457/thunder-kills-21-cows-in-nasarawa-state

Presidency's Statement On The Release Of 21 Chibok Girls

STATE HOUSE STATEMENT ON THE RELEASE OF 21 CHIBOK GIRLS

It is confirmed that 21 of the missing Chibok Girls have been released and are in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS. The Director-General of the DSS, Malam Lawal Daura has just briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter. The release of the girls, in a limited number, is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and Boko Haram, brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. The negotiations will continue.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President - Media and Publicity
13 October 2016

Ezekwesili Cries Over Freed Chibok Girls

Obiageli Ezekwesili, leader of the BringBackOurGirls, says she can only “cry” and “weep” after learning of the freedom of 21 of the hundreds of Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram in 2014.

Twenty-one of the girls were freed on Thursday, and Ezekwesili — vilified by the government and security agencies for continuously leading protests to the presidential villa — could not hide her joy.

“I can only weep, right now. You know that kind of cry that is a mix of multiple emotions. Lord. Some of OUR Girls ARE BACK!!! B. A. C. K.!!” she tweeted.

“As WE @BBOG_Nigeria wait for FG and #ChibokParents identification of OUR 21 #ChibokGirls, THANK YOU, LORD. THANK YOU, @MBuhari .Thank you.”

Ezekwesili added that even though it was 4am in the part of the United States that she was, she could no longer sleep.

“It is 4am in California and I can no longer sleep. Join me in singing the words of Psalm126… “When the Lord turned again the CAPTIVITY…”


Garba Shehu, spokesman of the president, has already confirmed the plan of the government to release the names of the freed girls.

https://www.thecable.ng/ezekwesili-cries-over-freed-chibok-girls

https://mobile.twitter.com/obyezeks/status/786515188417572865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw