FED GOVT. SCRAPS HND CERTIFICATE, MAKES FRESH RULES FOR POLYTECHNICS

The Federal Government has scrapped the Award of HND Certificates by Polytechnics.The decision was reached at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday where the approval of a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s tertiary education system was made.

In effect, the award of HND will be limited to only the students currently admitted for the programmes.Also, all the programmes currently being run by polytechnics, which are not technology-based, and which are about 70 per cent, will be scrapped.

Under the new rule, the polytechnics will now become campuses of the proximate universities with the Vice Chancellors of those universities appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to the ratification of the Universities councils.

The polytechnics will now be limited to award of the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of further education will be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university.

To kick-start the new policy, the nation’s two most prominent polytechnics – Yaba College of Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic – will henceforth be known as City University of Technology, Yaba and City University of Technology, Kaduna. And to give legal teeth to these approvals, the FEC approved the submission of two Executive bills to the National Assembly for enactment.

With education being on the concurrent list, the states may wish to consolidate their tertiary institutions. But if they do not wish to follow the federal example, their programmes will continue to be regulated by the relevant agencies of the Federal Ministry of Education.

The first bill will concretise the setting up of the two city universities while the second will approve the preparation and consolidation of all federal polytechnics and colleges of education as campuses of proximate universities.

The Ministry of Justice will do the preparation and submission of the two bills to the National Assembly.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, told journalists after the weekly meeting of the council that under the reform measures, his ministry would, however, continue to license private polytechnics and colleges of education for the award of qualification at ND and National Certificate in Education (NCE) levels.

He said, “There will be no more award of HND.“After we have exhausted the current students under the programme, there will be no more award of HND. This means that there will be no fresh admission for HND programmes. And in addition, any programme that is not technical will be out of the polytechnics. “About 70 per cent of polytechnic graduates are in the non-technical courses. It is going to be a rigorous implementation programme.”

A ministerial committee to ensure the smooth implementation of all that is required for the take-off of the reform initiatives is to begin work immediately. Adamu said, “The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognised as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place.

“The NCE certificate will be retained as the minimum teaching qualification at the basic level of education. Any higher qualifications by these private or state-owned polytechnics will be only affiliation with a university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but existing HND will be respected and considered legal tender.”

ELECTORAL ACT: PRESIDENT BUHARI FINALLY BREAKS SILENCE, REVEALS WHY HE REFUSED TO SIGN BILL

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed why he refused to give assent to the Electoral Amendment Act. President Buhari had for the third time withheld his assent to the bill.

This was disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.

President Buhari explained that passing the bill could cause “some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.”

The President’s reasons for refusing to assent the Bill was contained in a letter transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara dated December 6, 2018 and was published by his Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Saturday via Twitter.

The letter reads partly: “Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the House of Representatives my decision on 6th December 2018 to decline Presidential Assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.

“I am declining assent to the Bill principally because I am concern that passing the new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general elections which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.

“Any real or apparent change to the rule this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process.”

BUHARI WOULD HAVE BREACHED ECOWAS PROTOCOL IF GIVEN ACCENT TO THE ELECTORAL BILL – SEN. OMO-AGEGE

 Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) said the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance forbids President Muhammadu Buhari from signing the Electoral Bill.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker gave this insight in a phone interview with newsmen in Abuja on Friday night. Article 2 of the protocol forbids member countries from making “substantial modification” to their electoral laws less than six months to elections “except with the consent of a majority of political actors”.

Omo-Agege, who is a staunch supporter of the President, noted that with the elections less than three months away, signing the bill would violate the ECOWAS instrument. The presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for Feb. 16, 2019, while those of governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on March 2, as slated by INEC time table.

Omo-Agege said, “I am yet to see the president’s letter to the Senate, but this bill means so much to Mr President. On a good day he would want to sign it. “However, without even seeing the reasons he has advanced so far, I am aware of the challenges posed by the ECOWAS protocol.

“I don’t know if that is part of the reasons he has advanced, but with the bill coming two months or thereabout before the election, assenting to it will breach the protocol.”

Newsmen report that Buhari did not mention the ECOWAS instrument as part of his reasons for declining assent to the bill for the fourth time. The president’s latest decision came in a letter dated Dec. 6, 2018 and addressed to both chambers of the National Assembly.

He said signing the amendment bill with elections close by could “create some uncertainty about the legislation to govern the process”. “Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the elections may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process,” he stated.

Buhari, therefore, asked the National Assembly to specifically state in the bill that the amended Electoral Act would come into effect after the 2019 general elections.

Reacting to the development, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, who represents Delta North on the platform of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the reasons given by the president were “untenable”. “It is not a good reason for him not to sign the bill because the Senate worked with INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) in preparing that bill. “If INEC felt otherwise, they would have advised us when we were working on it.

“You are aware of the controversy that this issue of amendment of the act has generated, with people accusing the Senate of not wanting to amend the act. “We amended it, but he declined assent the first, second and third time; he made certain observations, which we agreed with. “We sent it again, and the reason he is giving now is that it will disrupt the election. It is really unfortunate,” he said.

An Abuja-based lawyer and civil rights campaigner, Mr Frank Tietie, said the credibility of the 2019 elections was at stake without the compulsory use of card readers as proposed in the bill. Although, INEC has been using the card reader for elections since 2015, there is no provision for the technology in the extant electoral law, making its use optional.

Tietie said, “Without the card reader and electronic transmission of results, our elections have been subjected to might, brute force and the power of money. “Card readers and electronic transmission of results have totally eliminated that, and there is need for a legal force to that. “This is what the amendment seeks.

President Buhari’s refusal to allow the card reader and electronic transmission of results will only lead to electoral compromise,” he said. In September, Sen. Ita Enang, Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA), said the president had no problem with the use of the card reader contrary to allegations by the opposition.

CHELSEA, MAN CITY SET FOR WAR AT STAMFORD BRIDGE TODAY

Unbeaten Manchester City travel to the capital to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening.

City maintained their two point advantage over Liverpool in midweek with a 2-1 away win at Watford. Riyad Mahrez scored one and assisted Leroy Sane as a rotated City side claimed another three points.

Chelsea suffered a shock 2-1 defeat away at Wolves. The Blues took the lead in the first half after Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s goal deflected in. Wolves hit back with a quick-fire double in the second half to stun the visitors.

Chelsea have won just one of their last four matches in the Premier League, which has seen the drop down to fourth in the table. Defeat this evening would likely see the Blues be leapfrogged by London rivals Arsenal.

Manchester City did the double over Chelsea last season, winning 1-0 on both occasions. Kevin de Bruyne scored the winner at Stamford Bridge last September.

With no new injury concerns, ​Chelsea boss Sarri is likely have a full strength matchday squad at his disposal once again, after the Italian made five changes for the defeat against ​Wolves.

​David Luiz is likely to come back in for Andreas Christensen in defence, with Jorginho taking back his place from ​Cesc Fabregàs. Sarri may find space for ​Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a reward for his good performances of late.

Having rotated their squad in the ​Watford game, City will look to put out their strongest team with returns likely for ​Sergio Agüero and ​Raheem Sterling. The back four will likely be restored with Aymeric Laporte coming back in for ​Vincent Kompany.

Guardiola is unable to call upon first choice left-back ​Benjamin Mendy (knee), so ​Fabian Delph is likely to take his place, with young Oleksandr Zinchenko missing due to injury (face). Kevin de Bruyne (knee) remains out and is unable to feature against his former club.

The two sides have faced each other 42 times in the competition. Chelsea have 24 wins to City’s 11.

2019 ELECTION: AA PARTY REJECTS GOV. OKOROCHA’S SON-IN-LAW, UCHE NWOSU

Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, has been rejected by the National Chairman of his new party, Action Alliance party, AA, Tunde Anifowose-Kelani.

Nwosu‎ was rejected as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in Imo State.

According to the Chairman, Nwosu was yet to become a registered member of the party.

He said for this reason, the former Imo Chief of Staff, cannot be recognized as the party’s standard-bearer in Imo State for the forthcoming general elections.

Kelani told reporters on Thursday that “Uche Nwosu is not yet a member of our party and cannot come through the back door to be a gubernatorial candidate of the party in Imo state.”

He further pointed out that the party had rules and regulations guiding its operation and that in order to become a registered member there were due process such person must follow.

He advised that if Uche Nwosu really wants to be a registered member of Action Alliance Party, he should do the needful.

“People of such pedigree should know better than junk politicking which would not help towards 2019,” he said.

Nwosu, some aides of the governors and supporters had during the week dumped the All Progressives Congress, APC in Imo State for the AA.

'CALL OSHIOMHOLE TO ORDER' OKOROCHA TELLS PRESIDENT BUHARI OVER 'GOD PUNISH OBASANJO' UTTERANCES

The Imo State Governor, Mr. Rochas Okorocha has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to order.

Okorocha in a statement signed by Sam Onwuemeodo his Chief Press Secretary said ‘since Muhammadu Buhari became President he has never used any foul language on any Nigerian, low or high, and that is the best way to go. And Oshiomhole should borrow a leaf from Mr. President. One of the reasons the PDP lost in 2015 was the abuses the handlers of the Party then were heaping on the APC Presidential Candidate then, and the President today, Muhammadu Buhari. Oshiomhole should be advised not to tow the 2015 PDP line.’

Okorocha also said ‘that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the former President of the country. And no matter the provocation or his political activities this time, Oshiomhole should have considered his status as the former President of the Country in talking about him, and should have exercised caution in addressing him. Saying that God would punish the former President was never advisable. This should not be the language of APC.’

Read full statement below

The most recent media attack on Governor Rochas Okorocha and some other governors of APC extraction by the National Chairman of the Party, Adams Oshiomhole refers.

We won’t take the pain to begin to talk about all the abuses, but to humbly plead with President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party, to call Oshiomhole to order.

The Party’s National Chairman has, in less than six months, enthroned the culture of rascality into the Party and the development is not good for the Party. APC is not known for rascality and abuses. And the earlier he is called to order the better for the party.

Since Muhammadu Buhari became President he has never used any foul language on any Nigerian, low or high, and that is the best way to go. And Oshiomhole should borrow a leaf from Mr. President. One of the reasons the PDP lost in 2015 was the abuses the handlers of the Party then were heaping on the APC Presidential Candidate then, and the President today, Muhammadu Buhari. Oshiomhole should be advised not to tow the 2015 PDP line.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the former President of the Country. And no matter the provocation or his political activities this time, Oshiomhole should have considered his status as the former President of the Country in talking about him, and should have exercised caution in addressing him. Saying that God would punish the former President was never advisable. This should not be the language of APC.

APC does not belong to Oshiomhole. He should therefore be advised to carefully select his words when he is talking about certain categories of Nigerians. And he should also find out why he is the only one talking about APC and no other member of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party is doing so.

Oshiomhole should help the party and its Candidates by making his points without abusing people. The way Oshiomhole is talking has become nauseating to most Nigerians and the earlier he is called to Order, the better. He should be talking about the achievements of President Buhari and APC as a party instead of using the opportunities he would have used to do that, to be insulting people.

To say the least, few weeks to the elections, APC and its Candidates do not need Oshiomhole’s abuses or insults but the reasons Nigerians should re-elect President Buhari and elect APC Candidates.

FED HIGH COURT ORDERS EFCC, DSS TO ARREST DIEZANI WITHIN 72 HOURS -

Diezani

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to arrest Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former minister of petroleum, within 72 hours.

According to The Cable, the order was issued by Justice Valentine Ashi based on a motion filed by the counsel to the EFCC, Msuur Denga.

Denga had earlier prayed the court to issue a warrant for the former minister’s arrest to enable the anti-graft agency arraign her in court.

The EFCC investigated the former minister along with Jide Omokore, a former Chairman, Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, following a petition dated October 2, 2013, from Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, bordering on money laundering and official corruption.

EFCC said in a statement that investigations into the petition revealed that Mrs Alison-Madueke as supervising minister of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was found to have engaged in illicit and monumental fraudulent dealings in oil transactions, which she entered into on behalf of the Federal Government.

Mrs Alison-Madueke and Mr Omokore are also alleged to have accepted and given gifts in properties located at Penthouse 22, Block B, Admiralty Estate, Ikoyi, and Penthouse 21, Building 5, Block C, Banana Island, Lagos.

They are to be arraigned on February 25, 2019 on a five-count charge for the offences, which are contrary to Sections 26(1) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

When the matter came up on Monday the Commission however filed application for warrant of arrest, condition precedent for Mrs Alison-Madueke’s extradition protocol to bring her back home to face trail.

The prosecution told the court that Mrs Alison-Madueke, who is currently in the United Kingdom, jetted out of the country while investigations into the alleged fraudulent acts were ongoing.

The court today, granted the ex parte motion, and ordered the security agencies to provide Mrs Alison-Madueke within 72 hours, for her to face the charge preferred against her.

“The Inspector General of Police, the Chairman of the EFCC, the Attorney General, the Department of State Services, are hereby ordered in the name of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to apprehend and arrest the first defendant and produce her before this court for further directives within 72 hours,” the judge held.

BREAKING: SAHARAREPORTERS FLOORS SARAKI AT APPEAL COURT... N4BN JUDGEMENT OVERTURNED

The Appeal Court judges — Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Salauwa, Honourable Justice Chidi Nwaoma Uwa and Honourable Justice Hamma Akawu Barka — unanimously ruled that the judgment be nullified and assigned to a new trial judge at the lower court for a retrial.

Saraki

The Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State, has nullified the lower court’s judgment that awarded a N4billion cost as sum of damages against SaharaReporters and its founder, Omoyele Sowore, in a suit between the two and Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s Senate President.

On Tuesday, the Appeal Court set aside the judgment of Justice A.S. Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin delivered on June 28, 2017.

The Appeal Court judges — Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Salauwa, Honourable Justice Chidi Nwaoma Uwa and Honourable Justice Hamma Akawu Barka — unanimously ruled that the judgment be nullified and assigned to a new trial judge at the lower court for a retrial.

The account of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation, was garnisheed in a suit between SaharaReporters, an online citizen journalism news website, and the Senate President even though the foundation was never named in the suit, neither is it a news publishing platform. 

Justice Oyinloye had entered a judgment of N4billion against SaharaReporters and its founder, Omoyele Sowore, over allegations of defamation involving Saraki. However, the judgment was used to obtain a garnishee order against the foundation, a separate entity.

Sometime in 2017, Saraki had sued SaharaReporters and its founder to the tune of N1billion each as general damages for four different publications on SaharaReporters.

He also sought the court “for injunction restraining the Defendants from further writing, printing or causing to be written, printed or circulated or otherwise published of the Claimant, the said or similar libel".

However, Stanley Imhanruor, a senior lawyer from Falana & Falana’s Chambers, who represented SaharaReporters at both the High Court and the Appeal Court, argued that his clients were never served in the motion on notice neither were they given an opportunity to defend themselves during the hearings that led to Justice Oyinloye’s judgment.

Paul Erokoro, Saraki’s lead counsel, had claimed in court that he could not serve the counter affidavit on the counsel for SaharaReporters because there was no address for service within the court’s jurisdiction. He argued that he had no obligation to serve counsel directly unless the court ordered him to do so or if he sought the court’s leave to serve counsel directly.

Imhanruor contested this argument, stating that his chambers had sent one Adams Adebara to the chambers of Tunde Olomu & Co to pick up the counter affidavit, to no avail. He told the court that, rather than give the document to Mr. Adebara, the chambers rudely dismissed him.

He explained to the court that Saraki’s lawyer had asked Adebara, who was to collect the counter affidavit, to meet with him on the premises of the court so that the bailiff could serve him, but Erokoro failed to deliver on his promise. He told the court that multiple calls to Erokoro were ignored.

The case was, however, withdrawn from the lower court, having lost faith in the process and an appeal filed at the Court of Appeal.

The protracted case had taken several turns before the eventual judgement of the appeal court. In one of the hearings at the Federal High Court in Ilorin, journalists and student activists who had gone to court to observe the hearing were harassed by alleged loyalists of the Senate President.

Reporters from CoreTV, AIT News, and ChannelsTV who were in court to cover the proceedings were harassed and their cameras seized. They were also forced to erase footage of the court proceedings and the assaults that took place in the premises of the court.

The touts, perceived to have been supporters of the Senate President, also assaulted a middle-aged woman, Funmi Jolayemi Ajayi, stripped her Unclad and beat her. Ajayi, a civil society activist, had travelled from Lagos to observe the court proceedings in Ilorin.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/2018/12/04/breaking-saharareporters-floors-saraki-appeal-court-n4bn-judgement-overturned

ASUP TO BEGIN NATIONWIDE STRIKE DECEMBER 12, 2018

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared that it would begin an indefinite strike from December 12.

The polytechnic lecturers will join their university colleagues who have been on strike for a month.

In a phone interview on Wednesday morning, the National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse, said the federal government had failed to meet the demands of the polytechnic lecturers.

Prior to this impending strike, the union had on October 2 issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government before it extended it to November. But even then, it did not commence the strike.

But Mr Dutse said the proposed strike would be “total and indefinite”.

“This further emphasises the resolution of the 93rd National Executive Council meeting reached at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos last week,” he said.

“Government has failed to implement and fulfil agreements it reached with the union as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed,” he said.

ASUP went on strike in November 2017; but when the federal government reached an agreement to implement the recommendations of the 2014 NEEDS assessment, the strike was suspended 15 days after.

The agreement particularly highlighted the need for increased funding of polytechnics.

Mr Dutse also said the roles of state government and the National Assembly is not encouraging when it comes to funding the education sector.

“The issue of the funding of the institutions has always been a major concern. After the government conducted the NEEDS assessment in 2014, it promised to implement it. Years after, there is no designed roadmap to implement that,” he said.

He said the bill meant to review the act on the establishment of polytechnics in the country was yet to be passed by the National Assembly. He said the union was hoping that the strike would also help fast-track its passage.

“The institutions are not funded. The states are even worse because state governments just establish schools without actually funding those schools. So, no infrastructure is in place,” he added.

The ASUP president also alleged that some state governments were owing salaries for up to 14 months just as institutions victimise union leaders who voice out against what he termed injustice.

“We have states that are owing about 14 month salaries. Some owe eight months. Benue, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Kogi are owing up to as long as 14 months,” he said.

SENATOR GODSWILL AKPABIO REWARDS YOUNG LAD WITH N500K FOR PLACING HIS SHIRT ON THE GROUND FOR THE SENATOR TO WALK ON.

A young boy went home in a happy state after he was handsomely rewarded by a senator his action.

It was gathered that the said boy placed his shirt on the ground for Senator Godswill Akpabio to walk on to the podium after arriving during an All Progressives Congress (APC) event organised for Obong Nsima Ekere’s governorship campaign on Sunday, 2nd November, 2018.

The young boy was rewarded with a whopping sum of N500,000 for his 'kind' gesture. 

The former Akwa Ibom governor, senator Akpabio, who was addressing the crowd of supporters, suddenly paused and called the boy to the podium to appreciate him
The boy was given N500K to buy himself a new shirt.

The excited crowd in return hailed the senator at the event.

Watch video HERE.