APC Pressure Mounts on Buhari to Sack Heads of Parastatals

With the agitation by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on President Muhammadu Buhari to replace several heads of federal government agencies whom he inherited from his predecessor reaching fever pitch, there are indications that Buhari, who resisted the clamour to remove them on the grounds that their tenures, some of which are backed by law, had not expired, may have succumbed, according to THISDAY.

In this regard, it was learnt that Buhari late last week approved the sack of no fewer than 35 chief executives and directors-general‎ of some agencies of government.

The presidency, which has communicated the president’s approval to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, is expected to announce their removal this week, in the report.

Prior to the approval, Buhari, it was gathered, had resisted pressure for the ouster of some of the heads of parastatals he inherited from the Goodluck Jonathan administration, arguing that their tenures had not expired and in some cases is backed by law.

However, there has been mounting pressure from members of his party to remove the parastatal heads and replace them with APC loyalists as compensation for their loyalty to the ruling party and contributing to its victory in the 2015 general election.

A notable case was that of the APC candidate in the April 11, 2015 Rivers State governorship poll, Mr. Dakuku Peterside, and some APC chieftains from his state, who after the Supreme Court dismissed their election petition against Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, met with the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun recently.

At the meeting, they pleaded with Oyegun to make a case for their compensation at the federal level owing to the sacrifices they had made and the fact that they had been branded “traitors” in Rivers State for siding with the APC.

Some of the affected agencies, according to the report sources, are the Nigeria‎ Railway Corporation (NRC), the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the Industrial Trust Fund (ITF), among 32 other agencies, THISDAY reported.

According to sources, the complete list of agency chiefs would be announced this week by the SGF who at the weekend asked the supervising ministers of the agencies to inform the affected persons of their removal, told THISDAY.

Lawal chose to wait to make the announcement because he did not want to spoil their weekend, more so since the Valentine’s Day celebration fell at the weekend.

But ahead of the announcement, he asked the supervising ministers of the affected agencies to inform their heads ahead of time, which some of them were believed to have done.

Although Buhari, sources said, is yet to announce replacements for any of the agencies, their letters of disengagement will instruct them to hand over to the most senior persons in their respective agencies, pending the appointment of new substantive heads to run the parastatals.

Victoria Beckham on bringing back the corset - and being a working mum - at her New York Fashion Week show

A corseted look from Victoria Beckham's latest collection CREDIT: REX

Given that it's -14 currently in New York it feels apt that Victoria Beckham is offering stealth knitwear solutions for next winter, and debuting them on herself. Backstage before the show, with the model line-up still being tweaked an hour before the unveiling, VB is sporting a cosy pale hued roll neck, loose grey flannel cropped trousers and a pair of bright white Stan Smith trainers (which, unusually, she didn't swap for heels for her post show bow).

Beckham took her bow in box-fresh white trainers CREDIT: REX

Having posted a £9 million turnover increase on the previous year's taking in December and with her second store due to open in Hong Kong in three weeks this is a buoyant time for the label, which launched with a collection of 10 dresses in 2008.

For AW16 Beckham took the opportunity to take stock. She describes it as “an evolution of my personal style. I looked back at the clothes I've worn and designed and decided to rework key elements.” The central piece was the corset. “I used to wear a lot and it felt very sexy and feminine,” she explained backstage. “I wanted to find a way to bring that back and feel new and fresh.” The key take home in her modern take on the corset is the lack of boning. These are 'easy' pieces, with the fitted basque shape created in knitwear and as bodices on the dresses, but without that forced rigid, constricting structure.

Models backstage sporting the new collection CREDIT: REX

The dresses, some knitted in navy, orange and khaki green check, reflect her 'signature silhouette' which is a figure flattering, female friendly one, but updated with a cool, low key attitude, with the sort of understated elegance her customers have come to expect. The shift and move on comes from the elevated techniques used: a heritage houndstooth coat that uses a waxed cord running through it to act as an embroidery took five days to make.

Victoria Beckham AW16 collection CREDIT: ISIDORE MONTAG

Masculine houndstooth and check fabrics are used to good effect in coats: added design details of knitted cuffs and hems left raw, bringing a neat contrast to the femninine dress shapes. Bold stripes are used to add definition and a keen sense of modernity, and lend that all important “freshness” Mrs Beckham is so keen on.

Victoria Beckham AW16 collection CREDIT: ISIDORE MONTAG

Skirt lengths are just above midi. Knitted tops, bodices and skirts are layered over each other, or cut to give the illusion of layers. Trousers are knitted and close cut, dresses (some featuring a cute bubble hem) and tops are spliced open gently to reveal slithers of flesh - “something we know our customer loves,” says VB. The pieces are given an added punch a quirk with oversized buttons and silver metallic brooch details.

Victoria Beckham AW16 collection CREDIT: ISIDORE MONTAG

The easiness continues into her footwear, flat pointed monk strap brogues and hefty block heeled ankle boots. For evening and red carpet (perhaps a niche concern) Beckham offers a high waist trouser worn with a cream satin bustier layered under a knitted black top. “It feels like a chic, modern take on red carpet,” she says.

Victoria Beckham AW16 collection CREDIT: ISIDORE MONTAG

It's half term so the Beckham clan were in full effect (next to their usual front row mates Anna Wintour and her daughter Bea) on the front row. Harper sat on her father's lap, doing a military look, with a single breasted gold buttoned navy pea coat with red collar detail and Gucci shoes. Cruz and Romeo were suited and the eldest, Brooklyn was working a T-shirt under his tailoring, his quiff flattened to the side.

The Beckham family on the front row CREDIT: AP

The children had given their mother “some beautiful flowers” for today's Valentine's Day. She bought them balloons. “We'd spent the whole day with these balloons for the kids and I got out of the car after we'd been working all night, and I said to the driver, ‘Be careful of the balloons!' and he got out the car and said what? And a bunch of them flew up into the air. I was like, no!”

A comforting thought that even a Beckham can't have it all run smoothly.


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Past Director of Finance and Budget of the Nigerian Air Force returns N84m looted fund to EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered N84m from the immediate past Director of Finance and Budget of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore O. O. Gbadebo, The PUNCH reported.

A reliable source in the EFCC on Sunday said that investigations revealed that the money was diverted from the account of the Air Force, in the report.

The source said the money was part of the money budgeted for the procurement of weapons.

Last week, the commission seized houses belonging to Gbadebo; the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.); and the Chief of Accounts and Budgeting of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal J.B. Adigun, all worth about N5bn.

The source revealed that after sealing off the houses, the EFCC continued to trace the money with a view to recovering the sums.

The source added, “After we sealed some properties last week, we continued to grill the three officers. Gbadebo finally confessed to diverting N84m into his company account. The money was swiftly recovered.

“We have also seized a large fish processing company belonging to Adigun. He also manufactures fish feeds, which he sells to end users.”

The source debunked reports making the rounds that the anti-graft agency recovered $1m from Amosu’s Badagry home when it was searched.

He explained that about $117,000 was recovered from the home of the ex-NAF boss.

The source added, “There have been reports that $1m was recovered from a soak away in Amosu’s Badagry home. This is not true.

“The actual amount recovered was about $117,000 and it was kept in a safe in the house and not in a soak away. The money is currently in our exhibit room. We also recovered N200, 000 in cash from the house.”

Explaining the modus operandi of the suspects, the EFCC detective explained that the suspects usually used their wives to carry out the shady deals.

He said before transferring money, the Air Force officers would use third parties to set up companies and bank accounts, to which their wives would be signatories.

It was learnt that the military officers would then make phantom transactions and transfer money into the bank accounts of the companies while their wives would take possession of the sums.

“Amosu’s wife, Omolara, was arrested when she came to see her husband in detention. She cooperated with us and we have also recovered money from the company. Adigun’s wife, Helen, also did the same.

“They have both been released,” the source stated.

About 11 Air Force officers are currently under investigation by the commission

The source said Adigun had been released by the EFCC but did not say whether the NAF chief was released on bail or if he had returned any money to the anti-graft agency.

However, the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, was unable to confirm the recoveries when  contacted him on the telephone on Sunday, in the report.

“The investigation into the arms scandal is still ongoing and I am not able to comment on specific recoveries,” he said.

Amosu and 10 senior officers are being probed by the EFCC as part of investigations into the $2.1bn arms scam, especially in relation to the 10 contracts of the NAF, said to be worth $930,500,690.00.

Last week, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), was detained by the anti-graft agency.

Both Badeh and Amosu are answering questions on the non-specification of procurement costs, absence of contract agreements, award of contracts beyond authorised thresholds, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and general non-adherence to provisions of the Public Procurement Act.

Meanwhile, there were indications on Sunday that the EFCC reached a dead end on Saturday in its interrogation of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-Aide-de-Camp, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe.

The PUNCH reported that the former ADC insisted on the presence of his lawyers during the interrogation by the operatives of the commission.

It was also gathered that Adegbe, as he did last week, refused to name the beneficiaries of N10bn he allegedly got from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The money was said to have been diverted by the ONSA, under the stewardship of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), from the Signature Bonus Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

An operative of the EFCC, who was part of the interrogating team, said, “We have not made any progress. The man is insisting that he can only make statements in the presence of his lawyers. He has also refused to name the Peoples Democratic Party chieftains who benefited from the N10bn.”

Another source explained that the EFCC decided to detain Adegbe and two other personnel of the Army since no lawyer was available to be part of the investigation.

The source added, “The man, I mean the former ADC to Jonathan, is still being detained by the men investigating the $2.1bn arms deal.

“The operatives are asking him to mention how much he received from the former NSA and to provide a list of politicians who received the funds from him but he has not done so. He is with two others.

“He requested that he could only make his own statements in the presence of his lawyers.

“So, the operatives investigating the case, decided to keep them (suspects) over the weekend.’’

Jasmine Twitty ,Becomes South Carolina youngest African American judge!

Jasmine Twitty’s hard work and dedication have paid off tremendously. The 25-year-old has officially become the youngest judge in the history of Easley, South Carolina.

Jasmine Twitty, A 25-year-old Black woman is making history by becoming the youngest judge in the history of Easley, South Carolina.

A graduate of the College of Charleston — has long been recognized for her dedication to developing young people into professionals. Now, the young woman is solidifying her place in American history by taking her place on the bench.

Twitty is a graduate of the College of Charleston and a member of the Upstate Network Young Professionals Board. She is also the treasurer of the civil rights organization, Urban League of the Upstate. She has been recognized for her work in promoting the development of young people and professionals.

The young Judge will be joining those fighting for justice, and is helping to create a turning point for the perception of African-Americans within the country. As all judges should do, she will be working hard to knock down barriers for those who deserve more opportunities, or who are facing injustice.

We wish her the best in her career and thank her for inspiring the next generation of movers and shakers.

Catholic Bishops Support War On Corruption, Terrorism

Speaking at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Cardinal Onaiyekan said that religious institutions cannot remain aloof in the ongoing war against corruption and insurgency while a moral spiritual battle is raging, Channel News reported.

He lamented the problem of endemic corruption which he said has left a trail of poverty in the country.

Cardinal Onaiyekan also asked government to explore other strategies for fighting terrorism and insurgency in the country.

He was delivering his homily as Catholic bishops from different states of the country came together with Catholic faithful to celebrate mass as part of activities to mark the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

After the service, the Catholic bishops and parishioners left the church auditorium to the main venue of the Bishops’ Conference proper.

The President of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, was the keynote speaker and he also focused on the war on terrorism.

He said that the war on corruption and terrorism cannot be fought and won by government alone.

Archbishop Kaigama expressed optimism that a new Nigeria is possible with a general reawakening of patriotic consciousness among the people.