Curator

http://ift.tt/2pc0O5z Nigeria's senate president Bukola Saraki The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to dismiss the false assets declaration charges brought against him by the Federal Government. He hinged the call on the alleged failure of the prosecution to establish any prima facie case. At the resumed trial yesterday in Abuja, Saraki told the tribunal that from the 18-count charge and the totality of evidence adduced by prosecution witnesses, he had not been linked in anyway with the allegations. In his no case submission argued by his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), he maintained that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges and as such, there was no need for him to open his defence, as the claims were predicated on petitions. According to the Senate President, the outcome of investigation on the petitions by the prosecution was never available for verification. He urged the tribunal to review the petitions t...

http://ift.tt/2rc1qZG Diezani Alison-Madueke A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Usman Zakari, yesterday named some of the individuals and public officials who benefited from an alleged bribe of $115 million given by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. The anti-graft agency said the funds served as bribe to compromise the 2015 general election. Zakari told Justice Rilwan Aikawa that it was recovered from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore. Belgore is standing trial before Justice Aikawa for allegedly collecting N450 million from Diezani and distributing it to beneficiaries in Kwara State. The EFCC accused him of handling the money in cash without going through any financial institution, an act said to be an offence under sections 1(a), 16(d), 15(2)(d) and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012. The EFCC said Belgore is liable to be punished under sections 15(3)(4), and 1...

http://ift.tt/2rHxFDD Senate President, Bukola Saraki (left) and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA As entrenched in advanced democracies all over the world and as stipulated in the constitution of Nigeria, the National Assembly’s roles in the democratic space is mainly to legislate for good governance, peace and welfare of the people while also serving as a check on the executive arm of government. While the performance of these constitutional roles of both the Senate and the House of Assembly in the last two years is a subject of controversy, the leadership has been beating its chest for having recorded some successes in Nigeria’s journey towards proper representative governance. With the bicameral chambers of the federal legislature marking the second anniversary of their inaugurations today, the major thing that stood the Eighth Assembly from previous ones in the current dispensation, is the recent disclosure of their expenditure profile as...

http://ift.tt/2p29U9p PHOTO:AFP The Canadian government has called for continued use of dialogue in the north east and other conflict zones across the country in other to achieve peace and security as well as protect the lives and human rights of all Nigerians. It noted that the successful release of 106 of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls is a powerful demonstration of the importance of dialogue in bringing about positive change during a horrible and violent conflict. Meanwhile, the federal government has called on members of the Boko Haram sect to drop their arms and embrace dialogue. Speaking at the handing over of kits by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for the released Chibok girls yesterday, Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Christopher Thornley said that Canada is to provide about $27.35million to UN agencies and NGO partners in the North East. According to him, this includ...

http://ift.tt/2p29U9p PHOTO:AFP The Canadian government has called for continued use of dialogue in the north east and other conflict zones across the country in other to achieve peace and security as well as protect the lives and human rights of all Nigerians. It noted that the successful release of 106 of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls is a powerful demonstration of the importance of dialogue in bringing about positive change during a horrible and violent conflict. Meanwhile, the federal government has called on members of the Boko Haram sect to drop their arms and embrace dialogue. Speaking at the handing over of kits by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for the released Chibok girls yesterday, Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Christopher Thornley said that Canada is to provide about $27.35million to UN agencies and NGO partners in the North East. According to him, this includ...

http://ift.tt/2p29U9p PHOTO:AFP The Canadian government has called for continued use of dialogue in the north east and other conflict zones across the country in other to achieve peace and security as well as protect the lives and human rights of all Nigerians. It noted that the successful release of 106 of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls is a powerful demonstration of the importance of dialogue in bringing about positive change during a horrible and violent conflict. Meanwhile, the federal government has called on members of the Boko Haram sect to drop their arms and embrace dialogue. Speaking at the handing over of kits by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for the released Chibok girls yesterday, Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Christopher Thornley said that Canada is to provide about $27.35million to UN agencies and NGO partners in the North East. According to him, this includ...

http://ift.tt/2pPI24S A man works in front of Palais des Festivals, under the official poster of the 70th Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2017 on the facade of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, southeastern France. ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP The Cannes film festival — the world’s greatest movie showcase — celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. AFP asked actors and directors who made their names at the festival to recount their highs and lows of the star-studded event. – Claude Lelouch – French director Claude Lelouch first attended Cannes in 1959, arriving directly from a military base while on leave. He was denied entry for wearing a uniform and had to sneak in through an emergency exit. He says he picked the right film to see, Marcel Camus’ “Black Orpheus”, which won the Palme d’Or that year. But his best memory is of winning the Palme d’Or in 1966 for “A Man and A Woman”. “Cannes is the most beautiful place in the world, and the worst, too, for showing a film...