I’ll continue to blame my predecessors for Nigeria’s woes – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said despite the criticisms of many, he would continue to blame his predecessors for Nigeria’s woes.

He said passing the buck, which people have been frowning at, was important in order for Nigerians to know what went wrong with the country.

Buhari spoke at an event tagged, “The Conversation: An evening with creative youths,” held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The event, attended also by the President’s wife, Aisha; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo; as well as governors and other top government officials, had “Creative youth as drivers of the change agenda” as its theme.

Buhari said, “I am going to bore you with what we met. I know that I am being accused in the papers of passing the buck, but passing the buck is sometimes absolutely necessary to remind people who take things for granted.

“When we came in, I screamed to high heavens because I had promised a lot while seeking votes.

“I said where is the saving? There was no saving. There was no infrastructure, power, rails, roads, there was none. What did we spend the money on? I was told buying food and petrol.

“Where were the billions going? We conducted a study and found out that the oil marketers were committing fraud on at least one third ‎of what they were importing, which is about 25 per cent of our foreign exchange.

‎”The youth must watch our elite, especially with the condition we found ourselves. It is unpatriotic for anybody to pretend that economically we have no problem.

“I have bored you with this long explanation because there are things that could be hidden from you by those that have mismanaged the country in the last 16, 17 years.”

The President therefore tasked Nigerian youths to be alive to their responsibilities of holding their leaders and the elite accountable.

Fraudulent financial scheme, MMM, trending – Google

MMM, a get-rich-quick business that left thousands of Zimbabweans in financial dilemma, dominated timelines, blogs and news sites in the week of September 21 to 28, according to Google Trends.
Google’s Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Anglophone West Africa, Mr. Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, made the disclosure in Lagos on Friday.
Kola-Ogunlade said that many Zimbabweans were obviously wishing they could turn back the hand of the clock after losing their money on a popular online pyramid Ponzi scheme.
He said the information was particularly relevant to Nigeria as the scheme had already surfaced in the country and was receiving good attention.
“The Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox (MMM) Global Zimbabwe is a scheme that advertises itself as a mutual aid fund with a promised monthly investment returns of 30 per cent.
“Under the scheme, members contribute money to assist others. However, it is a network that relies on growing numbers of new members to pay off the old.
“It is linked to a fraudulent history that goes as far back as 1989.
“This scheme is currently in Nigeria and it is called MMM Federal Republic of Nigeria. The business has started to receive attention from Nigerians.
The Securities and Exchange Commission had in August raised the alarm over the activities of MMM under the name ‘MMM Federal Republic of Nigeria’, warning that the scheme was run by online fraudsters’.
The fraudsters, according to SEC, carry out their illegitimate business via Nigeria.mmm.net portal/platform, and are promising investors a monthly investment return of 30 per cent.
SEC said the venture had no tangible business model, describing it as a Ponzi scheme, where returns would be paid from the invested funds of others.
Investopedia.com describes a Ponzi scheme as a fraudulent investing scam promising high rates of return with little risk to investors. The scheme generates returns for older investors by acquiring new investors.
SEC on its website, had said, “The attention of SEC, Nigeria has been drawn to the activities of an online investment scheme tagged ‘MMM Federal Republic of Nigeria (nigeria.mmm.net). The platform has embarked on an aggressive online media campaign to lure the investing public to participate in what it called ‘mutual aid financial network’ with a monthly investment return of 30 per cent.
“The commission hereby notifies the investing public that the operation of this investment scheme has no tangible business model hence it’s a Ponzi Scheme, where returns are paid from other people’s invested sum. Also, its operation is not registered by the Commission.”
SEC, therefore, advised the general public to distance themselves from the online scheme, adding, “Please note that anyone that subscribes to this illegal activity does so at their own risk.”

BREAKING:CBN governor, Emefiele’s wife reported kidnapped

Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, the wife of the Central Bank Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has been kidnapped by gunmen, according to SaharaReporters.
The online news platform said it gathered from a source close to the CBN governor that she was abducted along the Benin-Agbor Road on Thrusday and that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom.
Officials of the CBN were not immediately available for comment and the CBN governor has yet to comment on the report.

Kim and Kourtney Kardashian Rock Insane Cut-Out, Pantsless Looks at Paris Fashion Week -- See the Jaw-Dropping Pics

Kim and Kourtney Kardashian really outdid themselves on Thursday, when the fashionable sisters showed a whole lot of skin at the Balmain Spring/Summer 2017 show.
Kim, 35, sported a floor-length, cut-out jumpsuit at the highly anticipated Paris Fashion Week show, a bold look that pretty much guaranteed all eyes were on her.
In a Snapchat after the show, the mother of two shared that Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing took the unique piece specifically off the runway just for her. More pics below:

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PHOTO: 9-Year-Old Boy Graduates High School and Starts College, Wants to Become Astrophysicist: 'I Want to Prove That God Does Exist'

At 9 years old, William Maillis is like a lot of other boys his age, enjoying video games, knock-knock jokes, sports and hanging out with friends. But William is no ordinary kid when it comes to academics.
In May, he graduated from high school and is now a college student already working on his own theories of how the universe was created. Most other 9-year-olds are in fourth grade. William, who lives in Penn Township, Pennsylvania, is among the youngest people ever to attend college.
He's currently taking a full slate of classes at Community College of Allegheny County as a way to ease into life as a college student and plans to enroll next fall at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, according to his father, Peter Maillis, a Greek Orthodox priest. "It doesn't bother me" being the youngest student in class by far, William tells PEOPLE. "I'm used to it by now." William, who wants to study the physics and chemistry of space, earn a doctorate degree and work as an astrophysicist, is at ease tossing around concepts like "displacement of space-time" "singularity" and "pure gravity" as he patiently attempts to explain why black holes aren't "super massive" as theorized by such other brilliant minds as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.
Bottom line, according to William: "I want to prove to everybody that God does exist," he says, by showing that only an outside force could be capable of forming the cosmos. Maillis said he and his wife, Nancy, who also are parents to a daughter, 29, and son, 26, – "[William] was our 17-year-surprise," Maillis says with a laugh – realized their young son was advanced when he started accurately identifying numbers at 6 months old and speaking in complete sentences at just 7 months old, he said.
"William was just very sharp," Maillis says. "William remembers everything he sees." He followed with a range of impressive academic feats, including doing addition at 21 months; multiplication, reading and writing at 2 years old; algebra, sign language and reading Greek at age 4; geometry at 5 and trigonometry at 7.
After finishing third grade last year, William then simultaneously attended fourth grade and high school while also taking some college classes and this year enrolled in college full-time, his dad says. Despite his obvious prowess, William was originally turned down when he tried to enroll in kindergarten at age 4 after failing an entrance readiness test when he couldn't, for example, identify gray as a color ("gray is a shade, not a color," his father explains) or recognize a thermometer ("we don't use that kind, we use the kind that goes in your ear," he says).
Maillis then consulted with a college psychologist who studies whiz kids and she declared him a "pure genius" after administering IQ tests, he says. The elementary school reconsidered and allowed him in.
Maillis says he and his wife allow William to take the lead in deciding what areas of interest to pursue. "Whatever classes he wants to take, that's okay with me," Maillis says. "I don't want to push him."
William's history professor, Aaron Hoffman, says the boy fits right in with his other college students. "We haven't steered away from any topics: Hitler, Mussolini, the Holocaust, wars," Hoffman says. "If he's here for college, he's going to get college-level material." The only difference he's noticed, Hoffman says, is that William doesn't take notes like the other students, but simply listens, reads and absorbs the material. Through it all, Maillis says his son remains grounded. "I just want him to appreciate the gift he has, which I think he does," Maillis said. "I tell him, 'God gave you a gift. The worst thing would be to reject that gift and not use it for the betterment of the world.' "

Edo election: Oshiomhole sold Obaseki to Edo people, says Saraki

President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, has congratulated the Governor-elect of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, on his victory in the Wednesday governorship election.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, described Obaseki’s success as “well deserved and expected by those who have keenly followed the electioneering in the state in the last few months.”

He said, “Godwin Obaseki has proved to be a good private sector man who is also a grass roots politician. He is a good flag bearer of our great party, the APC, and a mobiliser who really showed that he will be a worthy successor to the incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

“I also congratulate Governor Oshiomhole who has, in the last seven and a half years, diligently served the people of Edo State and has led a vigorous campaign to sustain the APC legacy in Edo State. The Governor has shown courage, devotion and dedication in selling Obaseki to the people.”

Saraki lauded the people of Edo for the massive turn-out, the peaceful manner in which the election went and for voting for the APC candidate. He also praised the Independent National Electoral Commission for “the good arrangement it put in place to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election” while also applauding the performance of all the security agencies.

The Senate President advised Obaseki to sustain the developmental strides made by the outgoing governor, while also reaching to all the groups and interests in the state so that his victory could further unite the people.

Arsene Wenger open to manage England

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits there is nothing stopping him "one day" managing England after 20 years at Arsenal.

Wenger is inside the final year of his Arsenal deal and has maintained that he will not break his contract at the club.
However, having said he was flattered to again be linked with the England job following the departure of Allardyce, Wenger gave further indication he would consider a call from the Football Association.
Wenger, who handed out gifts to the media to celebrate his 20-year anniversary in charge of Arsenal, told his press conference: "My priority is to do well here. This has always been my club. If I am free one day, why not? But I am concentrated on my job."

Iwobi, Iheanacho, Rashford up for UEFA award

Premier League trio Marcus Rashford, Dele Alli and Alex Iwobi have all been named on the 40-man shortlist for UEFA’s Golden Boy award. Iwobi and the other two listed join Kelechi Iheacho and a host of other youngsters already running for the awrd.

UEFA’s prize is awarded with regards to the performances of players under the age of 21 in a calendar year, with the winner decided by a panel of 30 journalists.

Last year’s winner was Manchester United forward Anthony Martial, while Paul Pogba, Raheem Sterling, Wayne Rooney and Cesc Fabregas are all previous winners.

Rashford, 18, has been rewarded for his fine breakthrough year at Old Trafford and with England, notching eight goals in 15 appearances for United as well as his first senior international strike against Australia.

Tottenham’s Alli, 20, played an instrumental role in Spurs’ title challenge last season, transitioning from League One football with MK Dons to the Premier League with consummate ease.

Arsenal’s Iwobi, 20, has come to the fore slower than his Premier League counterparts, but burst onto the scene during the 2015/16 season and has also played a part in the Gunners’ recent unbeaten run.

The favourites for the 2016 edition of the award are Bayern Munich pair Kingsley Coman and Renato Sanches, though in addition to Rashford, Alli and Iwobi there are a further eight current representatives from British clubs.

Manchester City’s Iheanacho and Leroy Sane, Celtic’s Moussa Dembele, Liverpool’s Marko Grujic, Leicester City’s Demarai Gray, and Chelsea trio Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Nathan and Andreas Christensen are all rewarded for their form and performances by UEFA.

How To Stop ATM From ‘Swallowing’ Your Card

One of the most embarrassing experiences a bank customer can have while using the Automated Teller Machine is when the machine withholds his/her card without dispensing cash.

The ATM is expected to work like a mobile bank that should enable you to have access to your funds anywhere and anytime you insert your card into the machine.

In as much as the ATM has lots of advantages, its essence can be defeated if it swallows the customer’s card when he needs money.

Here are some ways to protect the ATM from swallowing your card:

• Avoid suspicious ATMs: Some ATMs may not have been properly serviced and may be faulty. If you see some signs that it looks unkempt or abandoned, avoid inserting your card in such machines. Always read instructions on the ATM because most times, there are usually some notes on the machine to inform you that the ATM is faulty and that you should use another one. Some ATMs may also have been tampered with by criminals to steal users’ identities. Don’t be too much in a hurry to try your luck with such ATMs. Look for another ATM to be on a safe side.
• Multiple entries of wrong password: Be careful when typing your password on the ATM because when you make multiple attempts with the wrong password, the ATM may suspect that you stole the card and withhold it to protect the account holder’s fund.
• Expired card: An expired card will not bring out any money from the ATM. If you are trying to withdraw with such a card, the machine can swallow it.
• Blocked card: If you have reported to the bank to block your card because it is lost, but failed to ask your bank to un-block it after you found it, the ATM may swallow the card if you attempt to use it to withdraw money.
• Low balance: If you have a low balance in your account and you are still attempting to withdraw money, the ATM can swallow your card.
• Remove your card immediately after transaction: When the ATM gives you a message to remove your card and you fail to remove it on time, it may swallow it thinking that you have forgotten it or that it is now an abandoned card.
• Damaged card: If your card is damaged, broken or the magnetic strip has been affected, the ATM will not be able to read the card but will have to seize it.
• Stopped card: If the card has been reported as missing, or the bank has placed a stop order on it, the ATM can seize it if you make an attempt to use it to withdraw money.
• Wrongly inserting your card: You need to follow the arrow sign on your debit card and insert it into the ATM correctly. If you insert your card wrongly, the ATM may swallow it instead of returning it back to you.
• Wrong card: Some ATMs do not recognise some card providers. This happens a lot when you travel abroad. If you use your card on such ATMs, they can swallow it.

How to use an ATM

When you open an account, your bank will issue you a debit card, which you can use at the ATM.

Here are basic things to know about the ATM, according to http://www.handsonbanking.org.

• Create a PIN: To use your card at the ATM, you must enter a Personal Identification Number, a secret combination of numbers or letters that you create. Your PIN is like a secret password. If someone else has it, they can take money out of your account; so, don’t share it with anyone! If you do give it out, you may be held responsible for any money you lose. So, to keep your money safe, keep your PIN a secret!
• Stay alert and aware: Because most ATMs give out cash and many accept deposits, it makes sense to be alert and aware of your surroundings no matter where or when you use an ATM.
• Follow onscreen directions: Not all ATMs work exactly the same way, but they are all designed to be easy to use.

Just follow the directions on the ATM screen that you are using.

• Be aware of fees: Your ATM card will work in machines operated by your own bank. It may also work in ATMs operated by other financial institutions. This flexibility is great, but be careful about the fees you may be charged by both your bank and the ATM owner.
• Know your available balance: Be sure you have enough money to cover your withdrawals. Remember that whenever you make a withdrawal with your debit card, the money will be withdrawn from your account.
• Record your transactions: Make a habit of writing your ATM transactions and the purchases you have made with your ATM card or debit card in your register right away so that you don’t forget. On a monthly basis, compare the amounts on your receipts to those on your bank statement to ensure that they match. 
• Wriiten by: Nike Popoola, Personalbanking@punchng.com

Aso Rock wears new look for Nigeria’s 56th independence. (PHOTO)

The Presidential Villa, Abuja is currently wearing a new look ahead of Nigeria’s 56th Independence anniversary holding on Saturday, October 1.

Programmes earmarked for the anniversary which the government described as low-key started with an interdenominational service at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja on Sunday.

A jumat service and anniversary lecture are slated for the National Mosque, Abuja on Friday (today).

The final programme is Presidential Change of Guard scheduled to hold at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa on Saturday.

Ahead of that programme that will attract members of the diplomatic corps, top government officials and other friends of the nation, workers were on Thursday busy giving the Presidential Villa a facelift.

All the white walls in the seat of power were repainted while the white-and-black road setbacks were also retouched.

Flowers and trees were also trimmed.

Workers of the construction giant, Julius Berger, saddled with the maintenance of the seat of power, carried out most of the exercise.

Government officials were also seen changing the numerous national and commander-in-chief’s flags at strategic places within the premises.

Canopies were also being erected in the forecourt where the event would hold while chairs were also being moved to the venue.

During the programme scheduled to start by 3pm on Saturday, there will be a ceremonial change of guards by soldiers attached to the Brigade of Guards who are in charge of the security of the President and the Federal Capital Territory.

Buhari will inspect the guard of honour at the ceremony, cut the anniversary cake, sign the anniversary register and release pigeons to symbolise peace.

He will be assisted by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Muhammed.

C.A.C Pastor Denies Being Struck By Idols While Destroying Shrine(PHOTO)

The pastor who was allegedly transfixed in a shrine in Ketu community, Ayetoro, in the Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Wale Fagbire, has denied being struck by idols while destroying the shrine.

At a press conference on Thursday convened by the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun State, Fagbire told journalists that he followed a divine instruction he got in a revelation.

Fagbire, who presides over Christ Apostolic Church, (Ona-Iye) in Ayetoro, said he was instructed not to utter a word after destroying the shrines, adding that he was motionless after the ‘divine assignment.’

The embattled pastor had on Tuesday, September 20, 2016, told his congregation that he was directed by God to destroy all the shrines in Ketu community.

But, in his attempts to destroy the shrines, he allegedly got stuck in the first set of shrines he entered, prompting people in the area to raise the alarm.

Fagbire said he deliberately waited in the shrines for the idol worshippers to see him.

He said, “God told me that I should go to the shrines to bring out those things for the liberation of Ayetoro. God told me to do three things in the shrines.

“That when I get there, I should evacuate, step aside and watch the film. He said I should not say anything when people come out to see me. So, I did as instructed by God on that day.

“I got there around 5am and after I took out those things, God told me to wait and stay and I did.

“God also told me to keep quiet. It was not their gods that held me; it was the idol worshippers that struck me with their charms.

“When I was taken to the palace, I told them that all my actions were directed by God and not human beings or the church of God. Although, they tried many charms on me, none was effective. I am healthy. I followed the instruction of God that I should be quiet and they also know the truth.”

He said when he was taken to the palace of the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz, he narrated what happened.

Reacting to the report, the state Chairman of CAN, Bishop Tunde Akin-Akinsanya, said media report of the incident was exaggerated, adding that the briefing was to clear the misconceptions.

The Regional Coordinator of Yewa/Awori, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Apostle Lola Dada, alleged that the idol worshippers asked the pastor’s family to contribute N300,000 while the CAN was asked to pay N200,000, to appease the gods.

Dada, who spoke for the state CAN chairman, said, “He (Pastor Fagbire) was handed over to the police and the police charged the case to court.

“The idol worshipers withdrew the case from the court; they said they cannot take the son of their late Oba to court and the case was withdrawn the same day.”

He alleged that the idol worshippers went to Jesus Triumphant Army Church at Ayetoro which was headed by Pastor Wale Olojede, because the church was close to the shrines Fagbire destroyed.

He said, “They said it was the church that encouraged him to do what he did.

“So, the idol worshippers transferred the aggression to the church. They barricaded the church with sacrifice and palm fronds, but the Christian youths removed them.

“They asked the family of the pastor to pay N300,000 while CAN should bring N200,000 for the sacrifice to appease their gods, but, no money was given to them and peace has returned to the town.”

The police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that the traditionalists had withdrawn the case.

NAIRA FALLS AGAIN: Naira in free fall, plunges to 480/dollar

The naira plunged further against the United States dollar to a new record low of 480 on Thursday, down from 472 it recorded on Wednesday.

The currency had continued its two-week free fall on Monday, closing at 445 to the dollar after tumbling to 439 on Friday.

On Tuesday, the currency closed at 452 to the greenback. Also on Tuesday, the external reserves hit an 11-year low of $24.61bn.

“Dollar is very scarce in the market right now because many people don’t know how low it will fall in the near term, so people are holding on to their hard currencies in order to watch the direction of the market,” one dealer said.

The President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators, Aminu Gwadabe, told Reuters that forex traders from neighbouring countries and some importers had also been moving in recently, mopping up dollars and putting pressure on the naira in a possible speculative bid.

Chronic dollar shortage plunged the local currency to a wave of depreciation, which economic and financial analysts have linked to speculative attack on the naira and increased demand from companies and individuals.

After trading between 423 and 425 for several weeks, the naira plunged to 428 last Wednesday. This came a day after the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee retained the lending rate at 14 per cent contrary to calls by the fiscal authority, economists and stakeholders.

Analysts have dismissed that recent declines had links to the MPC decision to retain the lending rate at the current rate.

However, at the interbank market on Thursday, the naira closed at 305.31 to the dollar, up from 312.99 on Wednesday.

Gwadabe said that the planned commencement of distribution of forex by Travelex could not hold due to some bottlenecks.

Travelex, an international money transfer organisation, ought to have begun the distribution forex to the BDC operators on Monday.

Its intervention was postponed to Wednesday, but again, it could not hold.

The ABCON leader had said the sale of forex to the BDC operators by Travelex would help to stem the tide of volatility in the exchange rate and subsequently close the huge gap between the official and parallel market rates.

He could not tell when Travelex would commence the sale of forex to the BDCs.

According to him, Travelex has the technology to sell forex to about 1,000 BDCs in a couple of hours, which is a major advantage.

He said the latest decline in the naira value was as a result of the activities of speculators.

A currency analyst at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, said, “The rising exchange rates we are seeing at the parallel market now are not realistic. They have to do with the activities of speculators.

“However, we cannot rule out the fact that there is an acute and chronic shortage of FX; there is a genuine demand that the supply cannot match simply because inflows have dropped significantly.”

Gwadabe said, “Several sharp practices have been going on in the forex market and these elements want to continue making profits from the status quo. This is why they are speculating against the naira.

“They are attacking the naira. This is why the fall in the value of the naira is partly caused by the activities of speculators.”

TRAGIC: Lagos gunmen kill man, two sons, injure wife, daughters

There was a bloodbath on Thursday in the Ipakodo, Ikorodu area of Lagos State, after some gunmen invaded a residence and shot dead a man and his two sons.

It was learnt that the attackers, who were suspected to be sent, after killing the man, Celestine Nwokoye, and his sons, also shot his wife and his two daughters, leaving them for dead.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred on Thursday on Agbose Street in the Ebute, Ipakodo area around 5am.

It was learnt that policemen from the Ipakodo division removed the victims’ corpses.

The wife and the injured daughters were said to have been rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the two deceased sons were three years old and two months old.

A resident of Ebute, who visited the scene, but did not want his name in print, said the attackers were suspected to be sent.

He said, “The man’s house is located on Agbose Street, off Oluodo Junction. He worked at a taxi park in the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. The killers came on Thursday morning. They shot him and all the members of his family. He and two male children died instantly, while they left his wife and the two daughters with bullet injuries.

“The attackers were not robbers; they went to only the man’s apartment. I was told that they did not take away any property. That is why everyone suspects that the killers were sent. They shot all members of his family presumably, so that no one would be able to report to the police.

“But policemen from the Ipakodo division later came to our area to take photographs and remove the bodies. The policemen were all over our area.”

A landlord, identified only as Abimbola, told PUNCH Metro that the attackers could also be suspected rapists, known popularly in the area as Badoo, who had been terrorising and attacking residents.

 “A week ago, a man and his child were attacked and stabbed to death in the Oke-Awori community in the Ibeshe area. Armed rapists, known as Badoo, attacked the man and his child. They stabbed them to death. So, I suspect the attackers of Nwokoye could be Badoo. The police have a lot of work to do in our area,” he added.

A police source said Nwokoye and his family members were attacked on the premises of a church in the area.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the deaths.

She added that the command had got some leads on the incident, and investigation was ongoing.

She said, “There was a report that the man and all members of his family were found in a pool of blood. He and his two male children were confirmed dead.

“His wife and two daughters were also seriously injured and they have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

“The command is working assiduously to unravel the occurrence. We have some leads which we are working on, and we are optimistic of breaking through.”

SOURCE: PUNCH

Nigeria VP Osinbajo says Anybody in government looking for money is "mad"

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said it was sheer madness for anybody occupying public offices to be looking for money.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari told him repeatedly that at his age, his only heart’s desire was to see a great Nigeria.

He said Buhari had no other objective in office than that.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President spoke while receiving a delegation of Christian Ministers Welfare Initiative also known as the Pastors’ Forum, Taraba State, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“This morning, I had a meeting with the President and he repeated to me twice, he said ‘at my age, there is only one thing I am looking for, I want to see a great Nigeria.’ He has no other objective and I feel very inspired by that,” Osinbajo reportedly told his guests.

He said anybody who had the opportunity of being the President of the country should only be thinking of how to improve the lot of the people.

Osinbajo said, “It is madness for anybody in our position to be looking for money.

“According to him, God put people in a position of authority for them to be able to do something for their people.

“I think if any Nigerian gets the chance to be President of the country, there is nothing he/she is looking for anymore, except that, while there, you improve the lot of the people.”

Osinbajo reiterated his position that no economy could tolerate the level of corruption seen in Nigeria without the consequence.

He regretted that while Nigerians were being killed by the Boko Haram fighters, people could not account for $15bn meant for the purchase of security equipment to fight the insurgents.

The Vice-President also explained how vandalism of oil installations had contributed to the recession being witnessed in the country.

He said Nigeria had lost several millions of barrels of crude oil due to the activities of militants in the Niger Delta.

On power, the Vice-President said the country was producing 5,000MW of power for the first time by early 2016, but by February 2016 the Forcados terminal was destroyed by militants.

As a result of the vandalism, he said 40 per cent of the gas used to fire the power plants was lost and the country was down to 2,500MW of power.

He observed that at the time the militants started blowing up oil and gas installations, the amnesty stipends were still being paid, insisting that they went violent because of ongoing investigation of corrupt persons.

“Nothing changed, the only reason is that we are investigating people who have stolen money,” Osinbajo said.

He added that the country was losing one million barrels of oil a day, nothing that, that was 60 per cent  of the country’s revenues, and there was nowhere such an amount of revenue would be  lost that people would not experience economic challenge and  recession.

While expressing optimism that the country would come out of the recession, Osinbajo stated that “there is no question at all, God has a reason for bringing us in at this time and God helping us, we will see a change in this country.”

He urged the Church and all religious leaders to stand up against corruption, stressing that if this government had been doing the right thing by fighting corruption, the Church should support it.

He also assured his guests that the Federal Government was working hard to end the problem of the ravaging herdsmen.

Osinbajo said the President had instructed the police and the military to act and deal with the herdsmen’s menace.

He said those behind the herdsmen’s violence were criminals.

While calling on honest men in the country to work together, Osinbajo said God had structured Nigeria in such a way that no one could dominate another.

UNIABUJA Releases Proposed Academic Calendar For 2016/2017 Session(PHOTO)

The management of University of Abuja has released the proposed calendar for 2016/2017 session which is still subjected to change. Students are hereby advised to work with the new academic calendar. School officially opens Nov. 6th.