You can’t play for Super Eagles henceforth If you are not in first division – Oliseh

BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA

Coach Sunday Oliseh has fired a warning he will only consider players who feature in the top leagues overseas and at home.

Oliseh’s predecessor Stephen Keshi was known to call up players from the lower leagues overseas.

But the new Eagles supremo said this must change.

“If you are not playing  in first division in anywhere in the world and in Nigeria, you cannot play for the Super Eagles henceforth,” Oliseh warned at a media presentation in Abuja on Wednesday.

“However players coming from the under-aged teams are the only exception to this rule.”

Oliseh said it is an honour to lead the Eagles now as a coach, but he alone cannot turn around the footballing fortunes of the country.

“It’s a great honour to be a coach of this nation,” he said.

“First of all, I am not coming as a Messiah. I am not coming as a man who can single handedly turn Nigeria to Germany.

“I am coming in to do my best and give if possible 150% all the time.

“The state we are now in Nigeria I think we are all not happy with. Gone are the days we have individual players who can single handedly win a match for you. But we have the potentials and that is our belief and the players must know that it’s an honour to be invited to the national team.”

Presidency dismisses claim on anti-Igbo sentiments by Buhari on BBC

Abuja – The presidency on Wednesday dismissed the claim by a pirate radio station that President Muhammadu Buhari expressed anti-Igbo sentiments in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

A statement issued by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the claim was “completely false, malicious and slanderous.”

He said the voice being ascribed to President Buhari in the recording repeatedly played back by the station was definitely not the President’s voice.

He said the claim that the station got the recording from a BBC interview was also totally untrue.

“No one should be deceived by the pirate radio station’s hate propaganda against the President.

“President Buhari has not had any interview with BBC Hausa Service since his assumption of office as alleged by the agents of disunity behind the pirate radio station’s inflammatory and divisive broadcasts,’’ he added.

Shehu noted that the last interview the President had with the BBC Hausa Service, lasting not more than five minutes, was on the day he was declared winner and given his certificate of return as President-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Thankfully, the BBC Hausa Service Editor, Mr Mansor Liman has distanced the BBC from the false interview clip being ascribed by the pirate radio station to President Buhari.

“President Buhari is the President of all Nigerians and will continue to treat all citizens on the basis of fairness, equality and equity,’’ he said.

He, therefore, enjoined Nigerians to ignore all propaganda designed to sow seeds of discord among them and promote a separatist agenda against national unity, solidarity and progress.(NAN)

Appointment of New Service Chiefs: 25 Generals face retirement

Members of the court martial sit during the inauguration to try soldiers accused of mutiny tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants in Abuja on October 2, 2014. . AFP PHOTO

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke, with agency reports

ABUJA—Following the appointment of new service chiefs on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari, military sources have confided in Vanguard that about 25 Major Generals may proceed on retirement when the Senate confirms the new appointments.

Indications also emerged, yesterday, in Abuja that President Buhari’s forthcoming trip to the United States of America this month for extensive bilateral, economic and financial discussions with US President Barrack Obama, the need to engage his hosts about the terrorism challenges as well as Nigeria’s military capability to tackle the menace conclusively, necessitated the sack of the service chiefs last Monday.

Vanguard was told that with his appointment as Chief of Army Staff,  Major-General T.Y. Buratai  who is a Course 29 regular intake of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), all Major-Generals from Course 25, 26, and 27 may have to leave the service voluntarily while a few on Course 28 may be posted to Defence Headquarters.

The source noted that General Buratai may decide to post his course mates (Regular 29) and one or two of Course 28 officers to Defence Headquarters.

The source added that the appointment of Major-General Abayomi Olonishakin, a Course 25 regular intake, as the new Chief of Defence Staff, may be the leeway needed for Course 27 and 28 intakes to move up to DHQ.

The military source specifically said that those who are course mates to the immediate past Chief of Army Staff,  Lt. General KTJ Minimah and those of Course 26 to 28 may have to retire since they cannot serve under their junior.

It was reliably gathered that the appointments of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and that of the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) is the exclusive preserve of the President, while only the CDS and the other service chiefs are the ones subject to Senate clearance.

In fact, it was learnt that former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) had three weeks ago informed the new Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan  to proceed on retirement leave. However, luck smiled on him when the President on Monday announced him as the new CDI,  taking over from Rear Admiral Gabriel Okoi.

Why service chiefs were sacked

On what informed the sack of the service chiefs on Monday, very reliable security sources told Vanguard that “America might wish to know why the military commanders (sacked service chiefs) were still in place, when after several months of being in control and getting huge financial support from the Jonathan administration, Boko Haram is still biting hard.

“They will present Buhari with the figures and ask how this huge amount of money was spent, and for what purposes? Why is the result not showing? This is because America will tell President Buhari point blank, that there is a package to assist Nigeria conquer this menace but it will be on the grounds that a new team  that is tested and will spare no effort in ending the Boko Haram mayhem is emplaced.”

The source said President Buhari will now be able to look Obama in the face and say, “I have a new team in place, trusted, with integrity, and primed to actualize my mission of ending Boko haram insurgency”.

Continuing, the source said, “Buhari will tell the Americans that he has set machinery in motion to investigate how the huge amounts of money so far released to fight insurgency was spent and why after such release to the security agencies, many of the equipment promised, to deal with Boko Haram, are nowhere to be seen.

“President Buhari will also show the Americans a blueprint of how he intends to employ new resources, improve and equip the armed forces, to ensure that any suspected corrupt tendencies are nipped in the bud”, the source added.

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki said, yesterday, that the Senate was ready to perform its constitutional duty by screening the new service chiefs immediately the upper legislative chambers gets the list from the Presidency.

In a statement, yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, the Senate President also clarified the misconception of an earlier tweet where Saraki was quoted as saying the Senate does not need to screen or confirm the new service chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said in the statement that “we want to make it abundantly clear that based on inquiries made to the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki on whether the Senate was consulted before the appointment of new Service Chiefs was announced, he had in response tweeted that the appointment of service chiefs is the exclusive function of the President as stipulated by the Constitution.

“Let it be known that his comment is now being misinterpreted to say the Senate will neither screen nor confirm the new service chiefs. This is far from the truth.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Saraki has said his comment is without prejudice to extant laws and court pronouncements on the issue and, therefore, that the Senate will do the needful when the list of  new service chiefs is sent to it by Mr. President.

“Saraki  in a new tweet, yesterday, said: “This is to clarify the earlier position which was not up to date and does not represent the position of the Senate President on  the issue of screening of the newly appointed service chiefs. The Senate will perform its constitutional duty when it receives communication from the President on the appointments.” The Senate would resume plenary next week, July 21.

President Buhari had on Monday approved the appointments of new service chiefs and also a new National Security Adviser.

This followed the President’s sack of the former service chiefs. The new appointments are as follows: Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin – Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General T.Y. Buratai – Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas – Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff; Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan – Chief of Defence Intelligence and Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) – National Security Adviser.

Security experts hail appointment of new service chiefs, NSA

Meantime, some security experts have hailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of new service chiefs, describing it as a step in the right direction.

The experts, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, yesterday, said the changes would impact positively on operations of the military.

They said contrary to comments in some quarters, the appointments were not belated but calculated toward achieving the vision of the present administration in the security sector.

Retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, the Executive Secretary of the Centre for Crisis Communication, an NGO, said the appointments would add fresh ideas to military operations.

Anas said the changes were made at a time when much was expected from the armed forces in tackling resurgence of bombings and attacks in parts of the country.

“As far as I know, it is a welcome development, it is very timely and expected of every new administration with a distinct programme and security policy.

“Appointing the top echelon of the armed forces at this point in time should be supported because it will inject new blood into the operations of the military.”

Similarly, a former Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Mr Lawrence Alobi, lauded the choice of the new officers by the president, describing them as ‘round pegs in round holes’.

He said the appointments would inject new ideas and add a different dimension to the nation’s fight against insurgency in the North-East.

Alobi urged the new service chiefs to key into the President’s programme and bring about the much-needed change in the armed forces.

He urged them to overhaul the entire security network of the nation in line with the expectations of Nigerians.

He said Nigerians expect the new leadership of the armed forces to add value to what their predecessors had put on ground.

Another Abuja-based security expert, Mr Ben Okezie, said the appointments were well informed.

Okezie said the perceived delay in the appointments could have been prompted by the President’s need to carefully study the situation he inherited from the last administration.

He said the President’s charge to the new service chiefs was to remind them of the battered reputation of the armed forces as evident in the recent amnesty report on rights abuses.

“The president’s charge to the service chiefs is reminding them of the amnesty international report that indicted the military in its operations in the North-East.

“What he is just telling them is to be mindful of the content of the report and work toward correcting whatever wrongs that might have been done in the past,” Okezie said.

FG, APC must apologise for misleading public over bailout funds —Group

Move On Nigeria, a socio-political action group committed to good governance and accountability has asked the All Progressives Congress, APC and Federal Government to apologize for misleading Nigerians on the issue of bailout funds for the states.

In a statement by Mr. Clem Aguiyi, National Coordinator of the group, it said that in the light of the revelations made recently by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Babs Omotowa, that the money they paid to the Buhari led federal government was actually 2014 Corporate Income Tax (CIT) and not dividends as claimed by the Federal Government, the government should apologize to Nigerians

It said, “the government must give the people a reason to trust it especially given that there have been all sorts of lies to cover up government’s inaction since its inauguration almost two months ago. We can live with the hardships this government has visited on us as if that is the ‘thank you’ for voting it into power, but lies, deceit and cover-ups we cannot condone”.

APC can’t clean up PDP’s 16 years mess in 30 days – Tinubu

FROM LEFT: FORMER GOVERNOR OF RIVERS STATE / APC CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR-GENERAL, CHIBUIKE AMAECHI; APC LEADER, ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU AND PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI DURING BREAKING OF FAST AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON TUESDAY 14/7/15.

Nass Crisis: Bury you differences for Nigeria’s sake, Buhari pleads with APC leaders

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA- Crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC following the national assembly leadership election may soon be over as President Mohammadu has again appealed to the leaders of the party to sheath their swords for the sake of the country.

This came as the national leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other Nigerians who accused Buhari’s administration of snail-pacing.

To Tinubu, the 16-years ‎mess of the PDP cannot be automatically cleaned up in 30 days.

‎Both men spoke at the breaking of Ramadan fast at the new Banquet Hall at the Presidential Villa late last night.

Recalling the challenges APC conquered to get to power, President Buhari who hosted the party’s leaders stated that for the party to deliver on its campaign promises, the leaders needed to resolve their differences.

“I always like to go down memory lane to show how lucky we are as a political group.

“At no stage was the decision taken by chance it was all deliberate. The leaders of the parties felt the only way to wrestle power from the PDP was for us to come together. I in particular was scared after previous failures of the elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011.

“We dissolved our various parties to form APC then we applied to INEC, for once I was grateful to INEC. We had gone with nine people to INEC to apply and INEC advised us that we needed at least 25 people across the people to form a political party. We were able to go back raised 35 members across the country and then successfully registered the party.

“INEC then informed the federal government that we have met the requirements hence we cannot be denied registration. Many doubting Thomases said merger has never succeeded in Nigeria but here we are.

“I went into this long explanation so that you will appreciate how far we have come and for a society as ours, if we respect the constitution, then all the greed and problems will be a thing of the fast.

“We should just look at Nigeria as Nigerians, no matter the level you are, loss your influence so that we can help achieve the manifestos – security, economy, employment and corruption because if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. We have to ensure that people we bring forward are those that will move the society forward”.

While appreciating the President for the opportunity of breaking Ramadan fast with him, Tinubu‎ who also described APC as the Armoured Personnel Carrier, said the party represented the diversity of Nigeria.

He pledged total support to the government of the day, assuring President Buhari of success in office.

He said, “We believe this diversity will continue to propel us for economic growth under your leadership.

“This is the first Ramadan after the election. We thank God for cutting down the opponents 60 years of fake promises to 16 years.

“I heard they say we are slow. Yes, we didn’t campaign to be fire fighters, but planners and meticulous one at that. A latrine pit of 16 years can’t be cleaned up in 30 days because the mess is much.

“Mr. President you started well, you hit the ground running. You promised Nigerians that you’ll address security and your first meeting to ECOWAS was on security because we cannot fight alone.

“You have been to others places. If they think is a game of ludo, we will say is serious business. If they forgot G7 we will remind them.

“We have faith in you Mr. President. We have faith in your capacity and uprightness. I’m here filled up and not fed up.

“We promise to continue to be with you and support. ‎No matter what they are saying we are not re-running the election until four years time.

“We pray to God to give us four more years of this month and pray to Him to forgive our misdeeds, and for peace and stability, with this Nigeria i‎s a promise to the future.

“Mr. President, your hands are on the plough and you will succeed‎”, he said.

The ceremony attracted the presence of APC national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammadu, former national chairman of PDP but now APC chieftain, Chief Audu Ogbe, former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Mamora, amongst others.

The gathering would be the first public meeting between President Buhari and Tinubu since the crisis started in the party.

Tinubu visits Buhari, says no rift between us

…Says he made no demand on the party

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA – The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu has refuted any rift between him and President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also stated that he made no demand on the party over the leadership crisis in the National Assembly

Tinubu spoke with State House Correspondents shortly after breaking fast with President Muhammadu Buhari at new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

He maintained that the cause of the party must be protected at all times.

“I believe in what President believes, I respect him and I stand firmly loyal to his cause so you might go to any length of speculations that you want, I have not responded to any of that, I understand the President and the president understands me clearly”

“I have no demand on the party, if you understand what party politics is all about, what leadership is all about, it is about loyalty and commitment to the values that leadership believes in”

“I am backing what the President has carefully enumerated and articulated to the party, the party is supreme, the party must have disciplined leadership and followers, the party’s process must be respected because that is the confidence and the trust of the people”

“In every political environment, you expect conflict, that is politics and conflict resolution mechanism will be applied to resolve all problems, there is honour in every struggle, in every competition, there must be honour in victory too”, Tinubu said.

We’ve jammed Radio Biafra transmission signals

ABuja—The Federal Government said on Tuesday that it had succeeded in jamming the transmission signals of Radio Biafra, which had been operating illegally from an unknown location.

Dr Yemi Folasade-Esan, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Information, stated this while speaking with State House correspondents after he had briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the activities of the ministry.

Folasade-Esan said that Buhari was adequately briefed on the activities of the illegal radio station and the successful blocking of its transmission signals.

“We also gave a report on (Radio Biafra) that  right now, the signals from Radio Biafra have been jammed. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has successfully jammed that.

“The NBC is also working with security operatives to get those  behind that radio because it is an illegal radio. It is not licensed by anybody to be on Nigeria’s airwaves.“

The permanent secretary disclosed that she also briefed the President on the activities of the nine parastatals and agencies under the ministry as well as the Federal Information Centres in the states of the federation.

According to her, the president raised concern about piracy and instructed the ministry to work harder to reduce piracy to ensure that the producers of intellectual property such as Nigerian movies, get what is due to them.

Folasade-Esan identified inadequate funding as one of the major challenges the ministry and its agencies were experiencing.

She  said that the ministry was considering resuscitating its federal information services in each state of the federation considering their importance to the success of its mandate.

“Most of the challenges have to do with inadequate funding. We talked especially about National Press Centre that is not working up to the level it should work.

“We also talked about the Federal Information Centres. You will recall that we have Federal Information Centres in every state of the federation.

“They are not working optimally as well and we brought that to the fore because that is actually one of the strengths of the Federal Ministry of Information.

“We also talked a lot about the external publicity and the possibility of reopening the Federal Information Services abroad.“

There’s ‘nothing’ to NDLEA’s probe — Davido

Nigerian pop star, Davido, has reacted to the alleged investigation of his ‘Fans mi’ video by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA over what many termed promotion of narcotics, a banned and illegal substance.

Recall that Vanguard did an exclusive on Why your children should avoid Davido’s video “Fans Mi”.

In a recent interview with a National daily, the Director of Public Affairs of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju, explained that the body has set up an investigative panel.

‘I am aware that a panel is working on it (the video). The panel was set up soon after the video was released few weeks ago. When our attention was drawn to it, we viewed it and we discovered that it was improper. There is no moral lesson in it and he was just advertising drug trafficking.

‘In the video, he exchanged a brief case supposedly containing narcotics for dollars. He was displaying affluence in the video. If it (the plot) had climaxed in an arrest and possible detention, we would have congratulated him for partnering with us.

‘But the way he portrayed drug trafficking in the video was a means to an end, which the end is a life of affluence which we disagree with. 

We are looking at the issue holistically. We believe that there should be a body that was supposed to censor videos before they go out.

‘Those are the things we want to investigate and verify. Was the video submitted for approval? If it was submitted, why was it approved, with such content?’ Ofoyeju revealed.

The controversial music video, which was shot by Sesan Ogunro and featured American rapper, Meek Mill, has enjoyed over 1million views on Youtube.

However, Davido seems unfazed by the probe as he replied to a fan’s query that there is nothing to it.

US Gay Marriage Ruling: We Say No!

THE United States Supreme Court crossed the Rubicon when it ruled recently that same-sex couples are legally permitted to marry. It was a judgement that sent homosexuals, lesbians, and transgender people in America and elsewhere cheering, while leaving opponents of such queer marital unions in shock.

The ruling will also be considered a welcome development in countries, especially in Europe, that support gay marriage. The number of such countries had risen to 18 as at June 26, 2015, 14 years since the Netherlands became the first country in modern times to enact a law legalising gay marriage in 2001.

But if reactions within and outside the US are anything to go by, the apex court may not have the last word on the matter.

Not surprisingly opposition to gay marriage is strongest in Africa where, with the possible exception of South Africa, 54 African countries regard homosexualism as an aberration and a taboo and have taken both legal and non-legal steps to ensure that it did not take root or flourish in their respective areas.

Nigeria had followed suit when the country’s upper legislative chamber, the Senate, approved a proposed law banning same-sex marriage and imposing a 14-year jail term for those found guilty, while anyone who assists gays to marry gets a 10-year jail sentence. Some other African countries have responded in similar fashion.

But given the well-known position of the American government under President Barack Obama to export and indeed impose the obnoxious gay culture on countries opposed to it, the Supreme Court’s endorsement of gay marriage may be the weapon it needs to launch a fresh offensive on African countries. Indeed, from every indication diplomatic confrontations between America and anti-gay countries may be in the offing.

Nigeria must be ready to confront the offensive and provide the needed leadership against it. While Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan held sway as President, Nigerians of all walks of life said a resounding NO to gay practice, and he proceeded to sign a Bill to that effect into law in January 2014. That position has not changed today. So, the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari must maintain the status quo and not allow itself to be arm-twisted under its current diplomatic romance with the US and the West.

The position of the government on this matter must remain in tandem with that of the people under whose mandate it derives its authority. Most of these countries embracing these taboo practices as “human rights” have hit the zenith of their social developments and are now in moral decline.

We must hold strongly to the values and spiritual principles that set us apart as Africans.

Without Asiwaju, The Office Wouldn’t Have Been – Col. Nyiam

“Asiwaju played a critical role in contributing to Jonathan being made acting president. At one point, Asiwaju was actually involved in contingencies to save Jonathan’s life . At that time, it was feared that if Jonathan refused to resign after the death of Yar’Adua , he will become a wasted mate­rial. Asiwaju played a role in en­suring that did not happen.

“I say this, because I was in­volved as well. Another colleague of mine and I were involved in the benevolence, patriotism and na­tionalism of Asiwaju. Asiwaju also played a key role in 2011 with the Oba of Lagos and one or two per­sonalities I wouldn’t want to men­tion just now. They played a part in ensuring that Asiwaju helped to convince the South-west to help Jonathan. Why am I repeating all this? I am doing so, because Presi­dent Buhari should not make the mistake that was made.”

What mistake are you talk­ing about?

“After Asiwaju rendered all this help, he was paid back in a way that was not befitting of the assis­tance he gave. It was not the fault of ex-president Jonathan; it was the fault of his aides. The key aide who was supposed to facilitate some of the things to pay back did not do it. To the point that…

(cuts in) Was it financial?

“I will like to leave it at that. Not so much financial. I would like to leave it at that. Instead, rumours were being peddled that Asiwaju was paid back with some money, which wasn’t true. The person who was supposed to do certain things did not do so. I had in a lec­ture I delivered in the East warned that the way the South west was being treated by Jonathan’s regime would not help his government.

“I raised the alarm that the first 12 people in the hierarchy of pro­tocol i.e the president down the line to the 12th, there was no Yo­ruba figure in it. I said then that it was dangerous for any govern­ment to ignore the South-west. Some of my colleagues from the Niger Delta were very angry with me for making that comment. I told them I said it in the best inter­est of Jonathan, and of course we saw the result. Asiwaju may have been forced to, as it were, go into that alliance. It was an alliance that I thought he should have gone into much more carefully than we see playing out.

“I think it’s a mistake for Presi­dent Buhari to allow himself to be misled to think that those who are ganging up against the South-west would triumph .It is an open se­cret that those who want to regain power back to their people ,find the South-west, that once you’ve checkmated, divided and ruled, you can get through to the rest of the South and North central. Once you have done that, you are in con­trol. That’s what is playing out at the National Assembly and in the APC, I see it from three multi- lay­ered levels.

“Superficially, what we call the wave of an ocean level, I see the contest between those who want to deepen democracy, and those who want the role of godfathers to play on .To most of us in the South,we like the deepening of democracy, but we forget that underlying that there is still the strategic. The dif­ferent zones have strategic ad­vantages. It’s in that we have to be careful not to allow ourselves to be divided. I think the South-west needs to come together for their own good. The camps in the South-west , Governor Mimiko, Asiwaju, Dr Fasehun need to come back together. You see any attempt to push Asiwaju out of the corridors of power is a rehearsal to push the South out of power for good.

Can you throw more light on that?

“The hegemonists are masters of divide and rule. Here is Asiwaju Tinubu, the man who built the bridge. Make no mistake about it, without Asiwaju, Buhari could not have been in office. It was Asiwa­ju’s rallying point that gave con­fidence to Buhari’s movement. People forget that even the elite in the North were not with Buhari.

“It was when Asiwaju gave them no choice, when they saw that if they did not join the bandwagon they will be left out. The creator of this bridge, the creator of this means of power is Bola Tinubu. So, for such a contributor to be set aside is really dangerous. I say this with no apologies, rather I plead with my other South-west leaders that once Asiwaju is confined, or restricted , they will come to them. So, anybody who thinks he will benefit from it will be mistaken.

“On this note, I urge two par­ticular beneficiaries of Asiwaju’s human capital development ( two former governors) not to allow themselves to be used against Asi­waju Tinubu”.