YellowStone Media International

PDP NEC Ratifies Zoning of Chairmanship Seat to N'East *Party woos aggrieved members After weeks of controversy and intriguing battle for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last Wednesday finally affirmed the zoning of the chairmanship position to the North-east. But the atmosphere at the poorly attended NEC meeting painted a picture that all may not be well with the opposition party after all. Most of those who spoke at the opening of the NEC meeting were all calling for truce including for those who may have disagreed with the decisions reached at the NEC meeting to still remain in the party. Speaking to journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, said the NEC has approved the report of the zoning and convention committees. Regarding the highly contested chairmanship position, Sheriff said the seat has been zoned to the North

  4G LTE Rollout: Abuja Residents Scramble for Ntel 100, 000 List With few days to the end of its promo sale on its new 4G LTE roll out, Abuja residents today turned out in their hundreds to make Ntel first 100,000 subscribers base by buying the operator's SIM card. it was gathered that subscribers who make the first 100,000 list will enjoy free outgoing calls only on its network as long as their SIM last. While potential subscribers were asked to register online to make the 100,000 list.  It was learnt today  that potential subscribers have besieged Ntel two outlets in the city to buy a SIM cards which presently has three attractive bundles for its customers. Potential subscribers who spoke to journalists  attributed the rush to buy Ntel SIM card on the persistent low and poor quality of telecommunications services by major players in the sector; so they have decided to shift their patronage to the new entrant into the market. Speaking on the roll out, th

FG Partners World Bank to Develop Fresh Policy Guidelines for Land Transportation The federal government, through the ministry of transportation, today began a process to partner the World Bank for the development of a comprehensive policy guidelines for land transportation in the country. Mrs. Yetunde Sonaike on behalf of the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, said government was ready to work with the bank to develop a fresh policy guideline for the road sector. The statement said Amaechi expressed delight at the proposal from the bank, adding that government, through the ministry, is ready to work harmoniously and partner the World Bank team on the development of a comprehensive policy guideline that would promote and galvanize land transportation in the country. “I will be glad if you can work with us and develop a comprehensive land transportation policy,” he said. According to the statemen

Nigerian Navy Declares Pirate, Charles Ekpemefumor, Wanted for Hijacking Ship The Nigerian Navy has declared wanted an alleged pirate, Charles Ekpemefumor, for allegedly hijacking a vessel, Mt. Maximus, with 18 crew members in February this year. The Director of Information on the navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, in a statement today, said investigation by the navy linked to Ekpemefumor who is also recognised as Charles Parker or Captain Charles Agaba "It was earlier reported that a vessel, Mt. Maximus, with 18 crew members carrying 4,368.203MT of petroleum product was hijacked on February 11, 2016, by a group of suspected pirates off Cote d’Ivoire waters, consequently, the Nigerian navy was deployed for rescue operation. "The vessel was eventually rescued on February 19, 2016, within Sao Tome waters 320 nautical miles (nm) off the Nigerian coast. During the rescue operation, six pirates were arrested, while one of them was killed. Some items were re

Customs Officer Blinds Airport Staff with Teargas at MMIA     For preventing him from using exit gate to access the cargo terminal, an official of Nigerian Customs Service seconded the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, sprayed teargas directly and at close range into the eyes of a staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) thereby blinding him.   Not able to see anymore and in so much excruciating pain, the FAAN personnel was rushed to the Air Force Hospital from the agencies clinic to alleviate his pains and possibly salvage his eyes, which remained permanently closed and swollen.   It was learnt   that trouble started this morning when the Customs staff simply identified as H. Daboh who was in mufti and without On-duty Card (ODC) attempted to access the Monument Gate that leads to the Cargo and Hajj Terminal through the exit gate, instead of the entrance gate, thereby leading to gridlock on the road as other vehicles were coming out

Lawmakers, CSO Storm MTN's Office, Protest against Tax Avoidance by Multinationals Members of the National Assembly and Action Aid Nigeria today besieged MTN's office in Abuja during a protest march against multinationals in the country said to be in the habit of avoiding taxes. Addressing journalists at unity fountain in Abuja, the takeoff point of the protest, Senator Binta Garuba said across the world, campaigners of education are focusing on the theme of ‘Education Financing’ and advocating for better funding to guarantee quality education for all. She added: "We in Nigeria cannot fold our arms when we all know that we, more than any other nation, have major challenges surrounding funding for education in our country." According to her, "In 2015, UNESCO figures showed that 10.5 million Nigerian children were out of school. Yet, we are giving away $2.9 billion annually by way of tax waivers, despite evidence that they are not necessary to a

Herdsmen Crises: Okorocha Begs Buhari to Intervene  ​ Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, today urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene as a matter of urgency in the frequent killings in the South-east region by suspected Fulani herdsmen to forestall future occurrence, describing the recent killings in Enugu State as barbaric and unfortunate. Okorocha spoke while addressing traditional rulers in the state to take absolute control of security in their various autonomous communities and to also ensure peaceful co-existence between their people and others living in their midst, adding that what the country needs at the moment is absolute peace. The governor, however, appealed for calm on the part of both the Enugu people in particular and the South-east in general, expressing optimism that President Buhari would address the ‘unfortunate’ development. Okorocha, while addressing the traditional rulers, condemned the attack in Enugu State, saying the news

Quit, if you cannot Lead, Nigerian Activists Tell President Buhari  …Plan to storm Aso Rock A groups of human rights activists in Nigeria have urged President Muhamamdu Buhari to step aside from office if he cannot put a stop to the incessant Fulani herdsmen ‘mindless’ killings of innocent citizens of the country.  The activists also indicated that they have concluded arrangement to storm presidential villa (Aso Rock) to register their displeasure over the development. They sympathised with the governments and people of the affected states and communities over the loss of their love ones in the Fulani Herdsmen massacre, calling on governments at all levels to come to the aid of the affected people and families to ameliorate their suffering as a result of the ‘dastard’ incident. The activists under the aegis of Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) are Centre for Constitutional Rights and Counter Corruption Crusader, Save Lagos Group (SLG), The

Enugu Herdsmen Attack: Ugwuanyi Summons Emergency Meeting with Traditional Rulers, Others Following his visit to Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State to sympathise with the people of the area over the attack unleashed on them by suspected Fulani herdsmen, the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, today, summoned an emergency meeting with the traditional rulers, president-general of Town Unions and leaders of the neighborhood watch in all the communities in the state. A reliable source disclosed that the meeting which is part of series of action plans of the state government to find a lasting solution to the menace of the Fulani herdsmen in the state is scheduled to hold on May 2 at the old Governor’s lodge, Enugu at 1p.m. The source also revealed that the governor was determined to put an end to the ‘inhuman’ acts by the herdsmen which consumed the lives and property of innocent citizens of the state as well as threatened the peace and se

Give Aregbesola another Bail out, Risk Public Revolt, PDP Warns Buhari Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday warned President Muhammadu Buhari against considering the request for fresh bailout by the state government. While reacting to the statement issued by the state Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kunle Oyatomi, where the ruling party said the initial bailout granted the state was insufficient, the PDP said public revolt would greet any favourable response of the request. In a counter statement issued in Osogbo yesterday by state PDP Director of Media and Strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi, the opposition party recalled that the first bailout of N35 billion the state government got never complied with the basic requirements of accessing such funds. The statement reads: "In the first instance, the bailout was given to Aregbesola without the resolution of State Executive Council since t

NCAA Orders Airlines to Pay Debts or Face Sanctions ‎T he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed all airlines (Domestic and Charter) operating in the country to forward in full un-remitted funds  accrual  to the Authority without further delay or face immediate sanctions.   This directive was handed down at  a meeting held Wednesday with the operators on non-remittance of 5 per cent ticket, cargo and charter sales charges [TSA/TCA] held at the Authority's Headquarters Annex in Lagos   The Director General of the NCAA, Captain Muhtar Usman, presided at the meeting in company of the Authority's top management staff.   According to the DG, the directive was with regards to the five per cent TSA/TCA collected at source from the air passengers by the airlines on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria. “These sales charges are to enable all aviation agencies carry out their responsibilities of providing safe, secure and efficient regulatory

Prisons Authorities Commence Investigation Into Alleged Beating of Female Lawmaker The Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) has said investigation has commenced into the alleged beating of a female Lawmaker by the aides of Controller General of Nigeria Prisons, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday. Some personnel of the prisons CG were said to have assaulted and harassed Rep Mrakpor Onyeamaechi Jona (PDP, Delta) last Wednesday. The Lawmaker was said to be leaving for a service, while the convoy of the CG Prisons was passing. She was blocked and an aide to the CG battered her car. One of the security officers slapped her on the face, while the CG was watching. Speaking on the incident, the NPS’s Spokesperson, Mr. Francis Enobore said the CG only heard of the alleged assault yesterday afternoon and he has immediately constituted a panel of inquiry into the matter. Although Enobore could not fathom how any of the operatives would have jumped down from the

Senate Moves to Establish Poverty Eradication Commission The Senate on Thursday began moves to address endemic poverty crisis in the land as a bill seeking to establish Poverty Eradication Commission scaled second reading.  Sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East), the bill seeks to provide a legal framework for the establishment National Poverty Eradication Commission.  Leading debate on the bill, Gobir said unlike the national poverty eradication programme created by former President Olusegun Obasanjo without legal backing, similar agencies established by the federal government would now be backed by relevant laws with the commission serving as a statutory body. According to him, the commission would be saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and monitoring all poverty control policies in Nigeria.  He described the planned establishment of a commission to tackle poverty as a more effective way of eradicating poverty in the country.  He further described the move as a

Lack of Power: BEDC Staff Chased out of Office in Warri  Protests by aggrieved citizens and customers of the Benin Electricity Development Company (BEDC) over outrageous bills amid generally dismal performance appears to be intensifying across Delta State as staff of the company were today forced to flee their office in Warri, Delta State. besieged by protesters. Electricity consumers, particularly in Asaba and Warri metropolis have embarked on massive demonstration In the last few days to drive home their disenchantment with the performance of the electricity distribution company, BEDC, which the people said they had would end their energy nightmare before the privatization of the energy generation and distribution process. This is even as the Delta State Commissioner for Energy, Mr Newworld Safugha, charged the management of BEDC to improve on power supply to urban and rural communities across the state. Safugha gave the charge during a stakeholders’ meeting in hi

Fleeing Buyer of 5 Babies in Rivers Arrested in Oyo A fleeing 60-year-old woman , Asabi Adebayo, who allegedly purchased five babies in Rivers State at N 1 million each was today arrested by the Oyo State police command. The babies , according to the state police boss,  Leye Oyebade, are (two males,and three females) whose ages range from two years, eight months, seven months, six months,and four months) respectively. The suspect who had perfected plans to fly the babies abroad for sale, was said to have brought the babies to one orphanage home in Ibadan to obtain certified police report for each of the babies when the lid was blown open. Oyebade who paraded the suspect and the five babies before newsmen yesterday at the Eleyele state police Headquarters , Ibadan, explained that the woman would have escaped with her evil plans if not for the patriotic behavior of the officials of the orphanage who promptly reported the matter at the Iyaganku Police station. The suspect

Sterling Bank Commences Made-in-Nigeria Week In furtherance of its continued commitment to growing the Nigerian economy and in line with the growing emphasis of the federal government to diversify the economy, Sterling Bank has concluded plans to champion the use of locally manufactured goods and services by initiating what it has described as the “Made in Nigeria” week from April 24 to 29, 2016. The bank’s Executive Director, Finance and Strategy, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, said: “The week is an opportunity for us to promote a sense of pride and confidence in Nigerian grown brands starting with our people. For the entire week, we intend to showcase and celebrate everything Nigerian as a brand that supports our indigenously manufactured products.” Other initiatives already undertaken by the bank to promote local entrepreneurs include its partnership with Innoson Motors Limited, the first indigenous manufacturer of vehicles, to finance the purchase of locally made vehicles

Army: Defeated Terrorists Escaping Sambisa Forest May Cause More Havoc •Frowns at solidarity rallies The Nigerian Army has warned that Boko Haram terrorists who are fleeing from ground and aerial assault in Sambisa forest, Borno State, may want to seek new refuge and infiltrate communities to cause more havoc. The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, gave this warning in a statement today, where he also advised the public against solidarity rallies. Usman informed Nigerians "that the terrorists are surreptitiously running out of their last enclaves in Sambisa forest to cause havoc or seek refuge elsewhere. "Therefore, there is need for all to be more vigilant to enable us clear the remnants of these terrorists wherever they might flee.” He however assured the public that the military would remain professional and focused while clearing the remnants of the terrorists in the region. In a related development, the army spokesperso

Niger Govt Revokes 241 C of O of Land at Zuma Rock Area The Niger State Government today revoked all Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) of lands around the Zuma Rocka ar in Tafa Local Government Area of the state. The state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, approved the revocation by exercising the powers conferred on him by section 28, sub section 2 (b) of the state 1978 land use act. The revocation of the land titles also followed a memorandum forwarded to the governor by the state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Alhaji Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, on March 14 this year.  A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, which confirmed the revocation of the titles said the governor’s action was also based on the ‘strategic location of the area and the need to preserve the natural endowment for collective benefits and in the overriding public interest. The statement directed all beneficiaries of land in the area to return the

Senate Bows to Pressure, Dumps Bid to Amend Code of Conduct Act The Nigerian Senate has dumped its bid to amend the Code of Conduct Act, which it initiated about a week ago, following criticisms from the civil society and the public. The amendment sought to whittle down the powers of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), where Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki is being tried for allegedly failing to declare all his assets. The controversial Senator from Delta State, Senator Peter Nwaobosi, initiated the unpopular bill. Senator Ben Bruce confirmed the development in multiple tweets Wednesday.

Presidency Admits Some MDAs, Parastatals Don't  Update Their Website The presidency today admitted that most of the  Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of government do not update their websites, saying it makes it difficult for Nigerians, and even foreign investors to have access to information. It however said there would be changes in a couple of months. The Senior Special Adviser to the President on New Media, Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi, dropped the hint in Abuja at the launching of Conversations for Change (C4C) Media Strategy,  aimed at creating platform to inform, empower and provide plaform for young people to exchange ideas and have their voices heard. According to him, "What we met on ground when we started was that there is no online record of the previous government for the past five years." He added that: "It is true that government parastatals and MDAs don't have up-to-date information on their website. But in another couple of mo

Taraba Govt, Police Debunk Killing of 50 Cattle Breeders in Taraba Taraba State Government and the state police authorities have described the purported killing of 50 cattle breeders in the state as falsehood, misleading and a calculated attempt to scale up the promotion of violence in the state. The Chairman of state Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBA), Alhaji Sahabi Mahmud, credited to have alleged that 50 cattle breeders were killed in a fresh crisis in the state which was reported in Daily Trust of  April 13, 2016 edition. In a statement made available today to journalists in Jalingo which was signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Sylvanus Giwa, the state government described the report as a calculated effort by the leadership of Miyetti Allah to make mockery of the recent killings of 44 people in the state by Fulani herdsmen. In the same vein, the state police command has equally described the repor

Experts: Nigeria Risks Shaky Return as Africa’s Top Oil Producer *Niger Delta not Sambisa forest, IYC tells presidency Nigeria may have to remain Africa’s second largest crude oil producer after Angola for now until it is able to find solutions to emerging security challenges threatening the industry in the Niger Delta, according to industry experts. The experts said following the country’s loss of its position to Angola last week emerging trend in security breaches on export pipelines and other facilities in the region posed great setbacks to the country clawing back lost output levels in the immediate future. They told journalists today in Abuja that the cost and time needed to restart production from the shut-ins at affected oil facilities were considerable factors that could also keep Angola’s production above Nigeria’s for now. Their response to the development also came on a day the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) told the federal government that its reported plan to