Over 40 senators not coming back to senate

Over 40 senators not coming back to senate Out of 109 senators currently in the upper legislative chambers over 40 of them are sure not to come back because they are not even candidates in the election Senators likely to be affected, according to findings, are Aloysius Akpan Etok (Senate Committee Chairman on Establishment and Public Service who represents Akwa Ibom North-West); Magery Chuba Okadigbo (Anambra North); Basheer Garba Mohammed (Kano Central); Barnabas Gemade (Committee Chairman on National Planning who represents Benue North-East); Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (Committee chairman on Health, representing Delta North); Chris Nwankwo (Ebonyi North); and Paulinus Igwe Nwagu (Senate Committee Chairman on Police Affairs, representing Ebonyi North). Others are Senators Nkechi Nwogu (Gas Committee Chairman, representing Abia Central), Uche Chukwumerije (Education Committee Chairman, representing Abia North); George Thompson Sekibo (Committee Chairman on Defence and Army, representing Rivers East); Helen Esuene (Women Affairs Committee Chairman representing Akwa Ibom South); Prof. Benedict Ayade (Cross-River North); Sunday Ogbuoji (Ebonyi South) and Chris Anyanwu (Committee Chairman on Navy who represents Imo East). There are also Ayogu Eze (Committee Chairman on Works representing Enugu North); Senator Victor Lar; Senator Femi Ojudu, Senator Ganiyu Solomon,Victor Ndoma-Egba (Senate Majority Leader representing Cross-River Central,Senator Nnenadi Usman,Senator Muhammed saleh,Aisha Ahassan,Senator Abu Ibrahim, BELLO MOHAMMED TUKUR, ITA SOLOMON JAMES ENANG, LOKPOBIRI HEINEKEN, CLEVER MARCUS IKISIKPO, EDET BASSEY OUT, EDESIRI .E AGUARIAVWODO, EHIGIE EDOBOR UZAMERE, PAULINUS I. NWAGWU, ABUBAKAR ATIKU BAGUDU, NURUDEEN ABATEMI USMAN, SIMEON AJIBOLA, MOHAMMED SHABA LAFIAGI, SULEIMAN ASONYA ADOKWE, SOLOMON SUNDAY AKUKU EWUGA, NUHU. S ZAGBAYI, IBRAHIM MUSA, GYANG PWAJOK

CBN, AMCON to appear before senate on Cecilia Ibru’s N150 Billion assets.

CBN, AMCON to appear before senate on Cecilia Ibru’s N150 Billion assets. By Okechukwu Jombo The last may not have been had over the N150 Billion in assets and cash said to have been forfeited by the erstwhile Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc on her conviction of bank fraud by the court of law It was reliably gathered that the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption has invited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) amongst others to appear before it to respond to a petition alleging certain irregularities perpetrated in the execution of the failed bank consolidation The Committee is also interested in the recovery of assets from loan defaulters and convicted Managing directors of the then oceanic bank Plc, intercontinental Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Afri Bank Plc and Bank PHB According to the correspondence from the Senate committee, the petition alleged that the funds and properties recovered by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission were not remitted to the banks and the properties and shares were never advertised for sales nor the proceeds remitted to either the banks nor AMCON The letter of invitation by the committee which was signed by Senator Victor Lar said of particular interest are the assets of Cecilia Ibru under the plea bargain with the EFCC which was alleged to have never been accounted for. The former MD was convicted of bank and securities fraud by a federal high court judge presided over by Justice Dan Abutuin Ikoyi, Lagos. She forfeited Two aircrafts worth $100 million, properties in Dubai, South Africa, London and Abridged Shares In listed Nigerian Companies The committee investigative hearing which is billed to take place today at the hearing Room 438 also summoned the Managing Director of Ecobank Plc formerly Oceanic bank to come along with statements of account from AMCON, NDIC or CBN under the bank consolidation from 2009 till date The MD of Ecobank is expected to also show proof of transfer of assets/shares/cash from AMCON to Ecobank plc Also expected at the hearing is the Ag. Director General of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Munir Gwarzo, and the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde,

Ekweremadu Urges Pilgrims to Pray for Peaceful Elections, Fall of Boko Haram

Ekweremadu Urges Pilgrims to Pray for Peaceful Elections, Fall of Boko Haram By Okechukwu Jombo Deputy Senate president , Senator Ike Ekweremadu has enjoined Christians participating in the2015 Easter Pilgrimage to Jerusalem to pray for the peaceful conduct of the2015 general elections. He also charged them topray for the total fall of the Boko Haram insurgency while in the holy land. Senator Ekweremadu spoke during the flag-off ceremony of the 2015 Easter pilgrimage toIsrael, Greece and Rome at the Akanu Ibiam International airport, Enugu, yesterday. Praising the courage of the Nigerian military in the ongoing war against the Boko Haraminsurgency and terrorism, Ekweremadu noted that with God, Nigeria would havepeaceful elections contrary to the negative predictions in some quarters. Hesaid: “I want to ask you to pray for our country, especially for apeaceful, free and fair 2015 general elections and concerning the war againstinsurgency and terrorism. With your prayers, God will not only grant uspeaceful elections, but will have only good men and women elected into offices. “Today our soldiers are doing very well in the onslaught against Boko Haram in the North East. Onbehalf of the people of the South East, I commend their gallantry. But whilethey are engaged in the physical warfare, I urge you to take the spiritualwarfare for the soul of the country and fall of Boko Haram to the holy land." In a relateddevelopment, the Deputy President of the Senate has described the departure ofthe pilgrims from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, as a dream cometrue. He therefore commendedPresident Goodluck Jonathan for upgrading the Enugu Airport to an international status, adding: “As the then Chief of Staff, Government House, Enugu, part of my responsibility then was to coordinate pilgrims leaving from Enugu. ‘’ One evening, I got a call that the vehicle taking our pilgrims to Port Harcourt had an accident and some people died. “When years later, I found myself in the Senate, one of my visions was to ensure that the people of South East would not have to travel for pilgrimage from outsideEnugu; all of us at the National Assembly and the South East political leaderscontinued to pursue it until late President Musa Yar’Adua sanctioned it andPresident Jonathan saw to its fruition”. He assured that the Jonathan Administration would see to the completion of theinfrastructural transformation of the Airport and called on the pilgrims topray for the President. While encouraging the pilgrims to hold their heads high in the holy land, he urged them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and desist from any actions capable of tainting the image of the country