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By 
2:51 PM
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday
said he was disappointed at the way Nigeria’s oil industry had been
operated since he left office as a former petroleum minister and as a
military Head of State in 1985.
Buhari said those w
ho led the country
since then had allowed the nation’s refineries to collapse in order to
give their cronies the latitude to steal by importing refined petroleum
products.
ho led the country
since then had allowed the nation’s refineries to collapse in order to
give their cronies the latitude to steal by importing refined petroleum
products.
According to a statement by the
President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba
Shehu, Buhari spoke during a meeting he had with a delegation of the
Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission at the
Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Buhari blamed the past administrations
for the current situation in which Nigeria is forced to spend billions
of naira annually on subsidies for petroleum products.
He said the increase in petroleum
subsidy payments over the years was due to the deliberate neglect of the
nation’s refineries as well as oil pipelines and other infrastructure
in the oil sector in order to allow the importation of petroleum
products and corruption to thrive.
He said he was convinced that there
would not have been any need for the huge subsidies currently being paid
to importers if the development of the country’s domestic refining
capacity and petroleum products distribution network had kept pace with
national demand.
“They (past administrations) allowed the
infrastructure to collapse so that their cronies can steal by bringing
in refined products from overseas,” Shehu quoted the President as
saying.
He therefore urged the chairman and
members of the RMAFC, who availed him of their view on petroleum subsidy
payments, to come up with more humane proposals to rescue ordinary
Nigerians from what he described as the “wicked manipulation” of the
country’s oil industry by corrupt operators.
The President also warned that severe
sanctions would be visited on any individual or organisation that
violated his directive on the payment of all national revenues into the
Federation Account.
The President said that the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation, the Nigerian Ports Authority and other
MDAs which previously relied on the laws establishing them to retain all
or part of the revenues collected by them, did so illegally and must
now comply with the Nigerian Constitution by paying all revenues into
the Federation Account.
Buhari was ousted in a 1985 coup led by
Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who ruled the country as a military president
from in 1985, till he was forced to step aside 1993 following the uproar
that greeted the annulment of that year’s presidential election, won by
the late businessman, Chief Moshood Abiola.
Babangida left an Interim National
Government, led by Chief Ernest Shonekan. Few months after Babangida
left, the late Gen. Sani Abacha pushed aside Shonekan and ruled from
that 1993 till he died on June 8, 1998.
Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar, who succeded
Abacha handed over to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 to usher in a
fresh democratic dispensation in the country. Obasanjo served two terms
and handed over to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007. After the
death of Yar’Adua on May 5, 2010, his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan took
over and led the country till May 29, 2015, when he handed over to
Buhari.
Buhari was also said to have chided the
RMAFC for approving what he called “excessive remunerations” for some
political office holders.
He therefore urged the delegation to
seek a proper interpretation of the commission’s powers and address the
public outcry against the high payments.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress
on Tuesday insisted that the Federal Government must investigate funds
that were allegedly stolen during the last days of the Jonathan
administration.
The NLC, at its national leadership
retreat, which held in Calabar, Cross River State, also warned the new
Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, not to think
of removing oil subsidy.
The NLC president, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, warned that the fight against corruption by Buhari should not be trivialised.
The NLC boss lamented that the Federal
Government had failed to remit N35bn to Pension Funds Administrators for
workers in the last 11 years.
He said, “Another issue that we are
again compelled to comment on is the ongoing campaign of President
Buhari against corruption. It is of course no longer news that
corruption has eaten so deep into our body polity.
“We now learnt that in the twilight of
the last administration, the nation’s revenues were indiscriminately
transferred to individual accounts. For us in the Congress, these funds
must be recovered by all means. If we need to employ the services of
forensic auditors to uncover the various amounts stashed away in foreign
and domestic banks, so be it.”
He said investigations into the looting of the national treasury should not be unduly made a controversial matter.
The
crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party in the national leadership and
Anambra State seem to be unending. In this interview, Senator Emma
Anosike gave his views on the issues affecting the party at both the
national and the state leves. Excerpts:
By Enyim Enyim
What is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP?
A party is a collection of different individuals that come together
to take power. They have different objectives and interests that when
not met, fall into crisis. That is what is happening in the national
secretariat of the PDP. Our last presidential candidate, Goodluck
Jonathan lost the election to President Muhammadu Buhari as a result of
carelessness of some managers without political experience.
It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.
Futureelections
The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.
But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT?
He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.
What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the Anambra State chapter of the party?
I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere. I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?
I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered. Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.
Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.
Whatever that is happening in APGA is also the small cousin of what
is happening in PDP by the key politicians in APGA who also migrated
from PDP. Therefore, I will appeal to the leadership of the party in
Anambra and national leaders from the state to remember the dream of the
founding fathers of APGA which I am also one.
What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?
I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.
Administratorsand advisers
There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.
My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.
Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.
What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to celebrate his 60th birthday?
It is unfortunate that people are complaining about Obiano’s birthday. He was a wealthy man before he became governor and had been eating on the table.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-jonathan-should-step-in-now-to-save-pdp-senator-anosike/#sthash.CvBfdxuG.dpuf
By Enyim Enyim
What is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP?
Anosike: I feel ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP
It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.
Futureelections
The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.
But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT?
He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.
What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the Anambra State chapter of the party?
I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere. I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?
I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered. Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.
Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.
Fomr. President Goodluck Jonathan
What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?
I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.
Administratorsand advisers
There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.
My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.
Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.
What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to celebrate his 60th birthday?
It is unfortunate that people are complaining about Obiano’s birthday. He was a wealthy man before he became governor and had been eating on the table.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-jonathan-should-step-in-now-to-save-pdp-senator-anosike/#sthash.CvBfdxuG.dpuf
The
crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party in the national leadership and
Anambra State seem to be unending. In this interview, Senator Emma
Anosike gave his views on the issues affecting the party at both the
national and the state leves. Excerpts:
By Enyim Enyim
What is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP?
A party is a collection of different individuals that come together
to take power. They have different objectives and interests that when
not met, fall into crisis. That is what is happening in the national
secretariat of the PDP. Our last presidential candidate, Goodluck
Jonathan lost the election to President Muhammadu Buhari as a result of
carelessness of some managers without political experience.
It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.
Futureelections
The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.
But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT?
He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.
What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the Anambra State chapter of the party?
I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere. I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?
I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered. Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.
Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.
Whatever that is happening in APGA is also the small cousin of what
is happening in PDP by the key politicians in APGA who also migrated
from PDP. Therefore, I will appeal to the leadership of the party in
Anambra and national leaders from the state to remember the dream of the
founding fathers of APGA which I am also one.
What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?
I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.
Administratorsand advisers
There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.
My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.
Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.
What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to celebrate his 60th birthday?
It is unfortunate that people are
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-jonathan-should-step-in-now-to-save-pdp-senator-anosike/#sthash.CvBfdxuG.dpuf
By Enyim Enyim
What is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP?
Anosike: I feel ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP
It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.
Futureelections
The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.
But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT?
He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.
What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the Anambra State chapter of the party?
I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere. I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?
I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered. Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.
Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.
Fomr. President Goodluck Jonathan
What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?
I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.
Administratorsand advisers
There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.
My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.
Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.
What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to celebrate his 60th birthday?
It is unfortunate that people are
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-jonathan-should-step-in-now-to-save-pdp-senator-anosike/#sthash.CvBfdxuG.dpuf
The
crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party in the national leadership and
Anambra State seem to be unending. In this interview, Senator Emma
Anosike gave his views on the issues affecting the party at both the
national and the state leves. Excerpts:
By Enyim Enyim
What is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP?
A party is a collection of different individuals that come together
to take power. They have different objectives and interests that when
not met, fall into crisis. That is what is happening in the national
secretariat of the PDP. Our last presidential candidate, Goodluck
Jonathan lost the election to President Muhammadu Buhari as a result of
carelessness of some managers without political experience.
It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.
Futureelections
The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.
But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT?
He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.
What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the Anambra State chapter of the party?
I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere. I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?
I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered. Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.
Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.
Whatever that is happening in APGA is also the small cousin of what
is happening in PDP by the key politicians in APGA who also migrated
from PDP. Therefore, I will appeal to the leadership of the party in
Anambra and national leaders from the state to remember the dream of the
founding fathers of APGA which I am also one.
What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?
I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.
Administratorsand advisers
There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.
My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.
Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.
What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to celebrate his 60th birthday?
It is unfortunate that people are
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-jonathan-should-step-in-now-to-save-pdp-senator-anosike/#sthash.CvBfdxuG.dpuf
By Enyim Enyim
What is your position on the crisis in the state chapter of the PDP?
Anosike: I feel ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP
It behoves on him(Jonathan) to put his party, the PDP in order. It is embarrassing that the party, the largest in Africa will sit down and watch the baby to be thrown away with bath water.
Futureelections
The party should put its house in order. If the party puts its house in order, the party will bounce back and come victorious in future elections in this country.
But Jonathan is reported to have rejected the position of chairman of the PDP BoT?
He rejected BoT chairmanship because he feels he has more role to play beyond advisory. We are waiting for him to call us together including present and past governors, present and past senators and other stakeholders to come together to fashion ways of moving the party forward.
What is your opinion on the continued crisis in the Anambra State chapter of the party?
I feel terribly ashamed with what is happening in Anambra PDP. It did not start today. I had felt that PDP losing Anambra to APGA would have brought sanity and would have taught us a great lesson. But it is unfortunate that the three factions we now have are struggling to go to nowhere. I had thought we could have come together to put our house in order. There are in fact four factions of PDP in Anambra, those who are neutral, the Eze faction, Tony Nwoye faction, Ogubego and Emeakayi factions.
The All Progressive Grand Alliance recently had its convention and elected a national chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?
I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered. Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered Chekwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra.
Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman. We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but he was stopped by Peter Obi. Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as national chairman.
Fomr. President Goodluck Jonathan
What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?
I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited a very difficult burden without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such problems that you will expect miracles from.
Administratorsand advisers
There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.
My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream. Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in the Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers.
Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they want to sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.
What is your reaction to claims that Governor Obiano used state resources to celebrate his 60th birthday?
It is unfortunate that people are
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/why-jonathan-should-step-in-now-to-save-pdp-senator-anosike/#sthash.CvBfdxuG.dpuf
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