Year: 2019

Garba Shehu and Aisha Buhari By Farooq Kperogi

Emporium Reporters

Many people who have followed my writing know that Malam Garba Shehu was my journalism teacher at Bayero University, Kano, for whom I still have a lot of respect in spite of our political differences. However, I had said in the past, like Aisha Buhari just confirmed today, that neither he nor Femi Adesina has any direct contact with Buhari. In my August 26, 2017 column titled “Garba Shehu, Presidential Villa Rodents and Bad PR,” I wrote the following, which Aisha just confirmed: “Most of the times, it’s actually influential…

I Saw the Miracle of Allah, By Hannatu Musawa

Emporium Reporters

On Saturday September 14, at approximately 5:52 pm I witnessed the miracle of Allah. There was a fire. It was ferocious and intense. It was unforgiving and determined. It ate up everything in its wake, as its scorching embers made their way through material and matter, melting even metal and desecrating all. Almost everything was lost. But despite the destruction, under the burned debris, there lay five Holy Qurans… intact, as if they had been gently placed under the rubble and protected. The covers and sides of the pages were…

SENATE: A bill for an Act to repeal FERMA passes second reading

Emporium Reporters

After a robust debate on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, the Senate passed for second reading a Bill for an Act to repeal the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (Establishment, ETC) Act N7, 2002 (As amended) and to establish the Federal Roads Authority, Instant Africa news reports. Leading the debate, the sponsor of the bill Sen. Gershom Bassey (PDP) Cross River South while presenting the bill informed his colleagues of the importance of repealing the said Acts in order to get the roads working again. “Distinguished colleagues, you will agreed with me…

Increased Allowance Captured in 2020 Appropriation Bill ,Dare Assures Corps Members

Emporium Reporters

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has assured all prospective and serving corps members under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that the increase in allowance has been captured in the recently passed Appropriation Bill and will be effected once it is signed into law. The Minister stated this on Tuesday this while addressing the corps members at the Lagos Iyana Ipaja NYSC Orientation Camp. Speaking on the importance of the scheme, Mr. Dare said the over 350, 000 Youth that pass through the NYSC yearly…

Fresh Crisis rocks Presidency as Aisha Buhari attacks Mamman Daura, Garba Shehu

Emporium Reporters

Nigeria’s First Lady has accused a close relative of President Muhammadu Buhari of issuing a presidential directive behind her husband. Aisha Buhari, in a statement she signed and sent to Daily Trust newspaper, accused Mamman Daura of issuing a directive to a presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, not to recognise her office. Mr Buhari had before his election in 2015 said he would not allow for the office of the First Lady. During Mr Buhari’s first term in office, the presidency repeatedly referred to Mrs Buhari as the ‘wife of the…

Senate probes N20trn unremitted stamp duties from banks, financial institutions

Emporium Reporters

The Senate has mandated its Committee on Finance to investigate the non-remittance of over N20 trillion into the Federation Account by Central Bank of Nigeria, an amount collected as stamp duties from Banks and Financial Institutions in the country. The decision to probe the non-remittance of stamp duties was reached sequel to the consideration of a motion on “The need to improve Internally Generated Revenue of the Federal Government of Nigeria through non-oil revenue”. Sponsor of the motion, Senator Ayo Akinyelure (PDP, Ondo Central), said that the Central Bank had…

Senate Passes Petroleum Tankers Safety Bill for Second Reading

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A bill seeking to reduce frequent accidents by petroleum trucks on Nigerian roads on Tuesday scaled through the second reading in the Senate. The bill, sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra South), seeks to make consequential provisions towards safe transportation of petroleum products across the country. In his lead debate, Ubah said the bill became necessary to provide a legal framework peculiar to that segment of the transport sector, and to further strengthen existing collaborations between government agencies on transportation of petroleum products by roads. He said the bill…

Senate moves to Rename Federal Poly Daura after late Senator Mustapha Bukar

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The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill which seeks to rename the Federal Polytechnic in Daura, Katsina State, to immortalise late Senator Mustapha Bukar. Late Bukar represented Katsina North in the 8th Senate and sponsored the bill that established the Federal Polytechnic Daura. Bukar’s successor in the Senate, Senator Ahmed Babba Kaita, was the sponsor of a “Bill for an Act to amend the Federal Polytechnic Daura, Katsina State, to make provision for a change of name of the Federal Polytechnic Daura, Katsina State, to Mustapha Bukar…

Buhari seeks Senate’s confirmation of New FIRS Chairman, Members …As AMCON gets new Chair

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The Senate on Tuesday received a formal request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of Muhammad Mamman Nami as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The request, which was contained in a letter dated December 9, 2019, was read on the floor by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan. The letter reads: “Pursuant to Section 3(2) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2007, I am pleased to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the underlisted names of nominees as the Chairman and…

Senate considers bill to address food security problems in Nigeria

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The Nigeria Senate on Tuesday commenced legislative action to address the country’s food security problems when it considered a Bill to that effect. The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Theordore Orji (PDP, Abia Central), is for an Act to make Provision For Freedom From Hunger and the Right to Adequate Food of Acceptable Quality. Senator Orji, in his lead debate on the bill which scaled Second Reading on the floor, said the piece of legislation before the National Assembly seeks to create basic right to food of acceptable quality…