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| FEC Bars Ministers from making Public Statements as Senate President urges IG to Investigate Armed R |
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Reports say all 42 ministers in Federal Executive Council have been barred from making public statements. The order was handed out at the FEC meeting by Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan. Also, regional or group meetings of ministers, which flourished since cracks appeared in the cabinet, have been outlawed. However, Dr Jonathan told the ministers that if it became imperative for any of them to make a public statement, then his approval must be secured. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Meanwhile, Federal Executive Council yesterday kept mum on issues surrounding President Umaru Yar’Adua’s health, even as delegation sent to Saudi Arabia, presented its report. They were to convey the appreciation of the government and the good people of Nigeria to the Saudi Monarch for the care and support given to the President. Information Minister, Dora Akunyili also refused to react to the reported condemnation of her recent statements on the matter by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: At the Senate, George Sekibo had tried to get senators to debate the President’s health by raising a point of Constitutional Order. Senator Sekibo cited Sections 88, 89 and 1(1) of the Constitution and Orders 14, 15 and 16 of the Standing Orders of the Senate (2007), to support his argument. He said the 93-day absence of President Yar’Adua; the inability of several groups to see him while he was away in Saudi Arabia breached his privilege as a Nigerian and a senator. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Leadership of the National Assembly has assured Nigerians that the 2010 budget would soon be passed. Senate President David Mark gave the assurance on behalf of the NASS leadership after a closed door meeting with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan. The Senate President also pledged their support for Acting President as he continued to steer the affairs of the country. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Senate has set up a nine man committee to investigate the robbery incident of February 25th 2010 along the Benin-Lagos express way. The gang after robbing a luxury bus instructed those that had no money on them to lie face down and later commanded the bus driver to run over them several times. Correspondent, Francis Onoja reports that the committee is expected to report back in 14 days. The motion titled Increasing Armed Robbery and Breach of Security, sponsored by Ayogu Eze and 58 other senators, observed that among those affected were women and children. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Meanwhile, Senate President says democracy cannot thrive in an environment where there is insecurity of lives and properties of citizens. The Senate President called on the Inspector General of Police to commence investigation into the case and make sure that the perpetrators are brought to book. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Speaker, House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole has denied there was any coup attempt in Nigeria. A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Kayode Odunaro, said at no point in the executive session did the Speaker confirm a coup threat. He said Bankole neither said anything nor did any member make any reference to suggest there was a coup attempt as being speculated in some media. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Meanwhile, the House has denied that it made any reference to any issue of coup plotting or coup as a word during the House executive session on 2nd march 2010. Briefing newsmen, Chairman, House Committee on Information, Eseme Eyiboh, stressed that neither the speaker nor the person of the Speaker Dimeji Bankole, insinuated to any fact pertaining coup during the executive session. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Three National Assembly members, Ndudi Elumelu, Mohammed Jibo and Nicholas Ugbane, as well as six others yesterday urged a Federal High Court, Abuja, to grant them fair hearing. The trio, along with six officials of the Rural Electrification Agency, is being prosecuted by the EFCC for embezzling N5.2 billion belonging to the agency. The six other accused are Samuel Gekpe, Abdullahi Aliyu, Simon Nanle, Lawrence Orekoya, Abdulsamad Jahun and Kayode Oyedeji. They had pleaded not guilty and were released on bail. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Polls are to open shortly in the presidential election in the West African state of Togo. President Faure Gnassingbe is running for a second term, and his main challenger is Jean Pierre Fabre of the Union of Forces for Change. The vote is being closely watched by the international community amid hopes of avoiding repetition of the violence that marred the last election. All parties have been stressing the need for a peaceful poll. United States President, Barack Obama has urged Congress to vote by simple majority on healthcare reform, as he makes a final push to have his proposals adopted. President Obama said Congress should "finish its work" and vote on the legislation in the next few weeks. Healthcare has been a priority for President Obama but the legislation has been blocked by the Republican minority. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : : : BUSINESS : : : Federal Operations Unit of Nigeria Customs Service has seized smuggled goods and cannabis worth N295 million. Customs Area Controller, Emmanuel Kane said the seizures consisted of 110 general goods, including textile materials, garments, used tyres, used motor spare parts, vegetable oil and other goods. He said the goods had a duty paid value of N251 million. Mr Kane said 60 vehicles valued at N29 million and a bus load of cannabis valued at N15 million, were among the seizures. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : : : ENTERTAINMENT : : : A producer for Oscar-nominated war film, The Hurt Locker will not be allowed to attend the awards ceremony after breaking Academy rules. Nicolas Chartier has been barred from the event after sending an e-mail to voters urging them to name his movie as best film over rival Avatar. Academy rules prohibit the mailing of members to promote or disparage a film. But should The Hurt Locker win best picture, Chartier will still receive his Oscar statuette at a later date. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: : : : SPORTS : : : Former Super Eagles’ utility player, Garba Lawal has urged Super Eagles’ team B players to use the chances currently available to fight for a place in the senior national team A. He said this shortly after the Super Eagles team B defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 5-2 in a friendly tie at the Abuja national stadium. Lawal said this is an opportunity for the players to use the chances available to them especially now there is a new technical adviser for the Super Eagles. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Meanwhile, World Cup-bound Ghana were beaten 2-1 by Bosnia in their friendly in Sarajevo. Other results of international frendlies played last night, Italy and Cameroon played a goalless draw, England defeated Egypt 3-1 and Greece suffered a 2-0 defeat in the hands of Senegal and France lost 0-2 to Spain |