Wike fails to condemn $1 billion ECA fund to fight Boko Haram; Tinubu dispels fears of implosion in APC and more

Here are some of our top stories from Sunday.

1. Unlike Fayose, Wike fails to condemn $1 billion ECA fund to fight Boko Haram

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has reacted to the recent decision to spend $1 billion of the funds in the Excess Crude Account to fight Boko Haram.

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday told journalists in the State House, Abuja, that the governors agreed at the National Economic Council, NEC meeting, to spend $1 billion from the ECA to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east region.

Mr. Obaseki did not, however, give specifics of how the fund will be spent, a development which has generated public criticism.

Unlike his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayo Fayose, who opposed the decision and said he was not a party to the governors agreeing to make such spending, Mr. Wike did not oppose it or deny he was part of the decision.

2. Tinubu dispels fears of implosion in APC, as Alao-Akala, Folarin others join party

A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has dispelled fears that an implosion is imminent in the party due to the influx of defectors ahead of the 2019 elections.

The former governor of Lagos State spoke on Saturday on the side-lines of the reception organised by the APC for former Oyo State governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, who defected from Labour Party and former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, and others who decamped from the PDP at the Mapo Hall Arcade, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He told journalists that the APC possessed the capacity to accommodate all the bigwigs and successfully manage all the challenges that would come with it.

3. Why I was questioned by EFCC — David Mark

Nigeria’s former Senate President, David Mark, on Sunday slammed the anti-graft agency, EFCC, for levelling unfounded and senseless allegations of fraud against him.

The Nation newspaper had reported earlier in the week that the politician was a guest at the anti-graft office and was grilled by detectives.

Mr. Mark confirmed being invited by the EFCC in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, on Sunday.

He said he fielded questions relating to 2015 campaign finance for political activities in his home state of Benue.

4. #PMBAt75: Presidency cancels Special Parade for Buhari

The planned special birthday parade to be mounted by the Brigade of Guards as part of activities to mark President Muhammadu Buhari’s 75th birthday has been cancelled.

A source close to the presidency, who confirmed this development to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday, did not give reasons for the cancellation.

NAN, however, gathered that the president’s family, led by his wife, Aishat and some presidential aides led by the president’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, had planned a low-key birthday celebration for the president where they would present birthday cards to him.

5. What Nigerian media must do to be trusted, Osinbajo says at Kadaria Ahmed’s celebration

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday said the Nigerian media must reinvent itself if it must overcome the crisis of confidence, decline in readership, technological disruption and other challenges it is grappling with.

Mr. Osinbajo spoke on Saturday in Lagos at an event organised to celebrate the 50th birthday of ace broadcaster and journalist, Kadaria Ahmed.

“We are at the beginning of an explosion of media contents and technological innovations,” the vice president said while noting that the Nigerian media has not responded well to these changes and innovations.

Mr Osinbajo said the Nigerian media is not immune to some of the problems holding the country back as corruption has poisoned the trust the people used to have in the media.

6. Estate agent who helped Diezani Alison-Madueke buy properties in UK arrested

An estate agent who helped ex-minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, buy properties in the UK has been arrested in Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Adeyemi Edun helped Mrs. Alison-Madueke buy millions of pounds worth of properties in the UK.

The former petroleum minister is held up in the UK where she is being investigated for money laundering. In Nigeria, property worth billions of Naira have been seized from her and forfeited to the federal government as she continues to be investigated for various corrupt practices while in office.

She has denied any wrongdoing and recently asked that she be allowed to return to Nigeria to face corruption charges, a move blocked by the EFCC.

7. Pregnant woman, eight others killed in road accident

At least nine people including a pregnant woman were on Saturday evening crushed to death by an overspeeding vehicle.

The accident happened at Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The dark green Honda Civic vehicle with registration number AA 160 KMC‎ was coming from the Gujungu Jahun road at top speed when it hit pedestrians while trying to avoid a ‎culvert.

A PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who witnessed the accident said nine of the pedestrians, mostly women and children, were killed. The injured victims were rushed to the Jahun General hospital.

8. 66% of Nigerian prisons inmates are awaiting trial — NPS

The Nigerian Prison Service, NPS, has confirmed that majority (66 per cent) of inmates in Nigerian prisons are awaiting trial as at December 15, 2017.

The Controller General of the Service, Jaafaru Ahmed, made the disclosure at the quarterly meeting of the Penal Reform Media Network (PERMNET) in Lagos.

Represented by the spokesperson of NPS, Francis Enobore, the prison boss said “As of today December 15, 2017, the current population of prisoners in Nigeria is put at 72,384 with 48,527 of the figure are the awaiting trial inmates. The awaiting trial inmates therefore constitute about 66 percent of the prison population.”

9. Saraki, Kwankwaso most likely to return to PDP — Poll

Although he occupies the third highest position in Nigeria, over 700 participants in a poll believe Bukola Saraki will most likely leave the ruling party.

Mr. Saraki, the current senate president, was one of the six politicians available as options for participants in the PREMIUM TIMES opinion poll.

All the listed politicians had something in common: they all joined Nigeria’s ruling APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the build up to the 2015 general election. This fact, may have been responsible for 13.7 per cent of participants (433) saying they believe all of them will return to the PDP.

A total of 3,170 readers participated in the online poll which lasted for five days and was carried out in a way that made it impossible for a respondent to vote more than once from the same computer or mobile device.

10. Sultan urges Muslims to look for new moon

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Sunday, urged Muslims to start looking for the new moon of Rabi’u Assani 1439 AH from Monday (Dec. 18).

This is contained in a statement signed by Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, and made available to journalists.

It said: “This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Monday, December 18, which is equivalent to 29 day of Rabi’u Awwal 1439 AH, shall be the day to look for the new moon of Rabi’u Assani 1439 AH.

“Muslims are therefore requested to start looking for the new moon on Monday and report its sighting to the nearest district or village head for onward communication to the Sultan.”