Ortom: 18 of 23 Benue LGs under Siege by Herdsmen Says president addressing state’s humanitarian crisis George Oko in Makurdi Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom at the weekend gave a gloomy picture of the security situation in his state, saying about 18 of the 23
local government areas of the state are under the siege of attacks by Boko Haram and herdsmen. Ortom, however, said President Muhammadu Buhari was genuinely addressing the humanitarian crisis currently plaguing the state as a result
Agrees arrested livestock guard should face the law of the many attacks in different communities around the state. The governor also said the arrested livestock guard, Tershaku, in connection with Boko Haram attacks, should be allowed to contend with the full course of the law, after all, he
Govt commences criminal proceeding against Miyetti Allah
has an opportunity to prove his innocence if he truly was. He was addressing journalists in the state upon his return from China, where he had gone to observe his leave. But on the conduct and utterances of the Miyetti Allah,
an umbrella body for cattle rearers, he said the state had resolved to commence criminal proceeding against the group and that the process had begun already. Making excuses for the security agencies, Ortom said,
“They too have their deficiencies in terms of capacity, numbers, equipment, funding, and this is why I'll continue to call on my people to continue to support them, because the insurgency Continued on page 8
Oil Producers Reshaping Offshore Projects to Survive Price War, Says IEA Report ... Page 13 Sunday 6 May, 2018 Vol 23. No 8417
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Oyegun Shuns APC Ward Congress as Protests,Violence Mar Exercise Nationwide Buhari, Tinubu advise new executives, express satisfaction with congresses Our Correspondents Protest, boycott, and parallel voting marred a number of congresses held countrywide
yesterday by the ruling All Progressives Congress to elect new ward executives for the party. APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was conspicuously absent during the
Chairmanship aspirant killed in Delta
exercise in his ward in Edo State. But in his home state of Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari, who participated in the ward congress that saw the return of key executives, urged the new
officers to be diligent and Godfearing in the discharge of their duties. “I call on you to fear God in whatever you do as we would transit to the next world and
Party suspends Ekiti governorship primary
account for our deeds before our creator,” Buhari urged party executives elected in his Sarkin Yara A electoral ward in Daura. The president said his administration was determined
to uphold the provisions of the country’s constitution and the rule of law. He stressed the need for Nigerians to play politics with Cosntinued on page 8
Senators Drop Impeachment, Consider Reprimand of Buhari over $496m Tucano Aircraft Payment President lobbies Saraki, Dogara
Omololu Ogunmade and Damilola Oyedele in in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari may have survived a strong bid by some members of the National Assembly to impeach him over the payment of $496 million to the United States Government for the purchase of 12 Tucano military aircraft without the authorisation of the legislature as required by the 1999 Constitution as altered. The Senate had asked its committee on Judiciary, penultimate week to look into the payment and determine if there had been a breach of the constitution, and if yes, what it should do in the circumstances. The committee’s report which was due last week, would, however, be laid on Tuesday. Reliable sources told THISDAY that the decision to jettison the impeachment bid stemmed from intense lobby of the leadership of the National Assembly, by the president and his aides. Perhaps aware of the impending soft landing, yesterday the president felt comfortable enough to tell the nation why he wanted a second term of office, saying
it is motivated by the desire to serve the people better and improve their welfare. Buhari had come under intense fire since THISDAY reported exclusively his letter to the National Assembly requesting its approval for the payment made for the military hardware without appropriation. Accused of breaching the Constitution, many legislators in both chambers had canvassed for his impeachment. He was, however, given some respite by Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara, who skilfully steered their angry members away from that direction and sought to buy time for tempers to cool by referring the matter to their appropriate committees for advice. Buhari had, in his letter seeking approval for the expenditure, explained that the payment was made to beat a February deadline stipulated by the military hardware manufacturers. But debating the request, many legislators, including Senator Matthew Uroghide (Edo PDP) and Hon. Kingsley Chinda (Rivers PDP), had argued Continued on page 8
Explains why he wants second term
DINNER WITH MACRON'S DELEGATION… L-R: French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gauer; Chairman of Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Femi Otedola; and Advisor to the French President, Ms. Marie Audouard, when Otedola hosted the delegation of French President Emmanuel Macron to a private dinner at his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos… recently
PDP Petitions UN over Alleged Clampdown on Opposition ...Page 10