Nigeria National News Today 21st January 2019

iDONSABI presents the Nigeria National News for today 21st January 2019.


Why FG, Fashola Have No Solutions To Challenges In Power Sector —Abaribe

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe — in a response to the statement by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, that Nigerians should not blame the Federal Government but hold power generating and distributing companies responsible for the woes of the power sector — has blamed the FG for abdication of duties.

Senator Abaribe said “We basically did an oversight of the Discos and I recall that I encapsulated the problem of the power section when I said that all have sinned and that everybody has a share of the blame. So it amounts to abdication of responsibility for the Minister to say that nobody should blame the Federal Government but rather blame the operators especially the Discos for whatever shortfall that we see in the electricity sector. It amounts to running away from his responsibility. Everybody has a share of the blame at the moment because of the flawed process that led to so many problems within the power sector.”

“The problem is not in the privatisation. The concept is correct, the way it was done is correct but I just said due diligence was not done. But usually when processes of this nature are done, the due diligence I mean is the cost of money. You could see now that cost of money is too high, so one doesn’t know where to put the blame now. ”

Senator Abaribe said that in the course of the performance of oversight functions, his committee had toured the sites of key power projects in the country. He further expressed optimism that the Peoples’ Democractic Party, PDP, would win the 2019 general elections.


FG Starts Renewable Energy Policy Implementation

The Federal Government has commenced the implementation of its renewable energy policy with the connection of about 450 shops at the popular Iponri Market in Lagos with solar power.

Speaking at an inspection tour of the off-grid facility powered by solar at the Iponri Market in Lagos at the weekend, Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said the connection of the shops to solar energy is a commitment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s ease of doing business.

Fashola said the Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) remained the fulcrum of growth for any economy because their activities are multipliers effects, especially at the base level.


EFCC Arrests 6 Suspected Internet Fraudsters

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested six suspected internet fraudsters in separate raids carried out in Abuja.

Acting Head Media and Publicity of the Commission, Mr Tony Orilade listed the suspects as Chemezie Ezeife, Onwochei John, Onwochei Joel, Marvin Nwankwo, Prince Ojenike, and Jude Olatekobowale.

He said they were arrested following a tip-off.


Buhari, Atiku’s Absence At Debate Contempt Of Nigerians ― Olawepo-Hashim

Presidential candidate of the People’s Trust (PT), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, on Sunday said that the failure of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to appear at a presidential debate in Abuja on Saturday amounted to contempt of the electorate.

Olawepo-Hashim, who also challenged the two parties to a fresh debate said that the NEDG.BON must immediately set up a new debate featuring his party and the two big parties.

He said: “Nigerian electorate deserve to scrutinise the candidates and programmes of the two behemoths that have come to be known as the two evils of Nigerian politics. Their absence under whatever excuse(s) shows their contempt for the electorate.”


It Would Have Been Demeaning For Buhari To Debate With Atiku ― APC

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it would have been demeaning for its presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, to stand on the same podium with his main rival in next month general elections, former vice president and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for a public debate.

Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC said it would have been an insult for President Buhari to be dragged in a debate with Alhaji Abubakar and the other presidential candidates.

Mallam Onilu declared that “debate may be important to people who are seeking power, not for somebody who has a lot speaking for him already.”

He declared that President Buhari would on his own terms choose the platforms to use to sell his candidacy to Nigerians.


Your Fixation On Atiku’s US Visit Is Defeatist, PDP Replies Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) on Sunday, described President Muhammadu Buhari’s fixation on the success of its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s trip to the United States, as defeatist and smacking of a pre-defeat hallucination.

In a statement issued in Abuja by Kola Ologbondiyan, Director, Media & Publicity of the Campaign Organization, it maintained that the Buhari Presidency should “hide its face in shame that after spending billions of naira in propaganda to stop the trip, Atiku Abubakar, freely travelled to the United States, where unlike President Buhari’s wasteful trips, he engaged in fruitful sessions with critical international business entities on ways to revamp our economy ruined by President Buhari.”

The statement added: “President Buhari and the APC were so disturbed about Atiku Abubakar’s acceptance by the international community that they wasted billions of naira from the coffers of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to organize a failed protest in the United States.


Group Hails Aisha Buhari, Ambode, Others For Identifying With Women, Youths

A group, the Buhari Osinbajo Hope Movement (BOHM), has lauded wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari; the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode and other governors’ wife that stormed Ibadan, the Oyo State capital for the South- West Women and Youth Presidential campaign rally by identifying the significant role of women and the youth in political campaigns and also factoring them into the presidential campaign.

National Coordinator of BOHM, Mr. Seyi Bamigbade, gave the commendation in a statement, saying they all deserved to be commended for the zeal they brought into the political arena.

He said Aisha Buhari, who was represented by wife of Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, had demonstrated her moral probity as the conscience of the country by speaking out when necessary, even though it affected her immediate family.


Cheating Allegation: Ekiti APC Senatorial Aspirant Insists Court Must Decide

All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for the Ekiti North senatorial ticket in the coming elections, Sir Kayode Otitoju, has vowed to carry on with his lawsuit against the party and its candidate in the election, Senator Olu Adetumbi, saying “the court will have to say I am wrong before I let go.”

Otitoju, who hosted his ward coordinators in the party’s controversial primary elections held on October 6, 2018, insisted that there were no elections on the day in Ekiti North district and that he would not give in to the alleged cheating by the party until the court decided on it.

The APC chief explained to his supporters from the five local governments in Ekiti North, who were also the party’s ward chairmen until after the governorship election of July 2018, that he had documents from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prove that primary elections did not hold in the district and that they should not despair.


US ‘Ban’ On Buhari Lifted Only After Electoral Victory ― PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization has accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) of making political capital out of Atiku Abubakar’s trip to the United States, reminding the ruling party that President Muhammadu Buhari was barred from the country for 15 years but only allowed in after he won the election.

A statement issued by the spokesman of the organisation, Kassim Afegbua, in Abuja on Sunday, said the PDP presidential candidate’s trip afforded him the opportunity to interact, engage, and robustly discuss a wide range of issues affecting the country.


Kayode Ajulo Declares Support For Buhari’s Reelection

Legal practitioner, Kayode Ajulo, has declared his support for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari. Ajulo hinged his decision to vote for Buhari in the forthcoming presidential election on evidences of the current government’s “massive” achievements in the fight against corruption, infrastructural transformation and its resolve to continue ongoing projects.

He said Buhari’s strides in the fight against corruption was evident in the cautious manner with which public officers now handle public funds, while emphasis was now on building institutions than individuals, as it was in the past.

Furthermore, Ajulo said he will galvanise support for Buhari’s reelection because his administration’s recognition and honour of late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi as well as the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, among others.

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