NFF shopping for tech assistant since 2013

Amidst the controversy generated recently by the alleged attempt to impose a technical assistant on Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, by the Nigeria Football Federation, The PUNCH has gathered exclusively that the football body actually first came up with the idea at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Some members of the federation had said the idea of a technical assistant was suggested to Keshi on the eve of the 2014 African Nations Championship in South Africa, insisting that they never imposed it on him.

But it was learnt that the NFF brought up the idea of an assistant to Keshi after the Eagles drew 1-1 in their first group game against eventual finalists, Burkina Faso, in Nelspruit.

A member of the Eagles’ technical crew, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that NFF officials were not confident in the ability of Keshi after the national side conceded a 94th minute equaliser to the Burkinabe.

He alleged that Director, Technical, NFF, Emmanuel Ikpeme, raised the idea.

Senate confirms Obanikoro, Gusau, eight others as ministers

Obanikoro

The Senate on Tuesday approved the nomination of 11 out of the 12 ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Goodluck Jonathan two weeks ago.

Those whose nominations   were confirmed by the Senate as ministers are a former Nigeria’s ambassador to Ghana, Musilu Obanikoro, (Lagos State); an ex-National Security Adviser to both former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (Zamfara State); a former governor of Adamawa State,  Boni Haruna (Adamawa);  Ambassador Aminu Wali (Kano);  Mohammed Wakil (Borno State), Dr Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto State), and Alhaji Abdujelili Adesiyan (Osun State).

Others are Mrs Akon Etim Eyakenyi ( Akwa Ibom State), Asabe Asmau Ahmed (Niger State), Mrs. Lawrencia Labaran Mallam (Kaduna State); and Dr. Tamuno Danagogo (Rivers State).

The Senate however deferred the screening of the 12th nominee, Hajia Jamila Salik, from Kano State, because she did not appear before the Senate on Tuesday.

Three members of the upper chamber from Osun State, Senators Olusola Adeyeye, Babajide Omoworare, and Mudashiru Hussein, had made futile efforts to stop the confirmation of Adesiyan, the ministerial nominee from their state.

Cultists kill Bowen student for rejecting sexual advances

The life of a 17-year-old student of Bowen University, Opeyemi Odusanya, has been cut short by some cult members in Lagos.

It was gathered that the undergraduate was murdered for allegedly rejecting sexual advances from some youths in the area and also for “being too proud.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the victim was a 300 level student of Biochemistry at the university.

Police authorities told our correspondent that Opeyemi was stabbed to death by the cultists at her parents’ house in the Alakuko area of Lagos on February 3, 2014.

Police sources told PUNCH Metro that investigations had revealed that the culprits were residents of the area.

A police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “In the afternoon of February 3, 2014, the deceased went to buy airtime for her telephone. As she was returning, a group of cult members trailed and entered the house with her.

N1tn spent illegally on kerosene subsidy –Tambuwal

The  Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, said on Tuesday that available records indicated that the Federal Government spent over N1tn  on kerosene subsidy between 2010 and 2013.

Tambuwal said in spite of the expenditure not having the approval of the National Assembly, the product was not available   for “suffering Nigerians” to buy.

He also noted that the product was not sold in any part of the country at the subsidised price of N50 per litre.

Tambuwal spoke in Abuja as the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) opened an investigation into subsidy payments on kerosene between 2010 and 2013.

The committee, which is headed by Mr. Dakuku Peterside, has the mandate to establish the actual amount spent on subsidy by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the sole supplier of the product, and how it got the authority to subsidise it.

Boko Haram: Our hands are tied — Presidency

THE Presidency explained, yesterday, why the nation’s security forces have found it difficult to completely flush out from their hideouts, members of the Boko Haram sect, who have massacred innocent people and massively destroyed property in the North Eastern part of the country. It admitted that the situation was a complex one.
It said the security forces were constrained by international conventions which prevent them from pursuing terrorists to foreign countries, while the civilian settlements are also co-located within the vicinity of the insurgents’ hideouts, making selective engagement tenuous and difficult.
The Senate on its part, argued that the war on Boko Haram must be won by the security operatives.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, who was apparently reacting to the claim made by Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, that it was impossible for the military to defeat the terrorists, said that what is in place today is a guerrilla warfare and not a conventional one.

Stella Oduah hands over, list achievements as Aviation Minister

Princess Stella Oduah has formally handed over to the Minister of State for Trade and Commerce, Dr Samuel Ortom following her sack by the President last Wednesday, February 12th. (Pictured above)
In her speech, she thanked President Jonathan for finding her worthy out of the 160million Nigerians and also listed her achievements while she was Minister.
Excerpts from her speech below…
“It was a great privilege to be chosen from amongst the 160million Nigerians to serve in the Federal cabinet. My profound gratitude goes to Mr President who gave me this rare privilege. I also want to thank for him all the support he accorded me to pursue his transformation agenda in the Aviation sector. I equally wish to thank my aides, aviation sector workers and stake holders who partnered with me to realize our vision & mission in the sector. During my tenure, we gave our best to institute reforms in line with Mr President’s Transformation Agenda. We produced the Aviation sector Master-plan and implementation Road map. Using the Masterplan and Roadmap, we were ably to…

VENGEANCE IS COMING FOR DIRTY POLITICIANS – T.B. JOSHUA

On Sunday 9thFebruary 2014, the controversial Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua released yet more alarming prophetic messages to Nigeria, Africa and the international community.
He declared vengeance was nigh for Nigerian politicians playing dirty games, prophesied an impending economic crisis in Ghana and warned Russia of an evil plan in the works to disrupt the Winter Olympics being held in Sochi. The Nigerian cleric spoke in a church service broadcast live via popular Christian television station Emmanuel TV.
Speaking about his homeland Nigeria, Joshua reiterated the prophetic concern he voiced at the beginning of the year about the Nigerian elections to be held in 2015. “What I am seeing is heavy. I am seeing rain – the clouds are dark. Pray for the fulfillment of 2015… Democracy is a sweet system. Pray that the system will not be rubbished… I am seeing disagreement at the end of that day and that disagreement can result to anything.”