Today's National Newspaper Headlines/News - 19/5/2014

Good Morning....

PUNCH

*Jonathan Govt Incurs N5tn Domestic Debt In Five Years

In the over five years that President Goodluck Jonathan has been presiding over the affairs of the country, the Federal Government has borrowed N5.04tn from the domestic debt market.

Jonathan became Nigeria’s acting President on February 10, 2010 and   substantive President on May 6,2010 following the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua on May 5,2010. On May 29, 2011, he was sworn in as an elected president.

Records at the Debt Management Office showed that the domestic debt of the Federal Government stood at N3,466,360,000,000 (N3.47tn) as of March 31, 2010.

The latest debt statistics from the DMO as of March 31, 2015 showed that the domestic debt   had risen to N8,507,545,474,000 (N8.51tn).

This means that in the last five years, the Federal Government had borrowed N5.04tn from domestic lenders. It also means that within the period, the domestic debt of the Federal Government grew by 157.48 per cent.

***Blair To speak At APC Policy Forum

The All Progressives Congress is set to hold a two-day forum to unveil the policy plan of the incoming Muhammadu Buhari administration.

According to a statement by the party, a former British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, will be the keynote speaker at the dialogue where input for the actualisation of the policies of the incoming administration would be made by experts drawn from different fields and members of the public.

The policy dialogue themed, “Implementing Change: From Vision to Reality,” and organised by the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council would hold in Abuja on Wednesday andThursday.

The Deputy Head of the Directorate and a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, would declare open the dialogue which would be chaired by Vice-President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osibajo (SAN).

Abdullahi said the programme would focus on the economy, governance, job creation and security – in line with the APC manifestoes of change.

***PDP Didn’t Win Elections In S’East – Kalu

A former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, says Igbo did not vote for the Peoples Democratic Party in the last general election in the South-East, maintaining that the PDP massively rigged the election in the region.

Kalu, who was an ardent supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan before the elections, said this during a programme on Channels TV titled, “View from the Top,” on Monday.

The former governor said out of the five states in the South-East, the PDP only won elections in Ebonyi and Enugu states.

He said it would, therefore, be unfair to accuse the Igbo of voting en masse for the PDP.

Kalu said the people of Abia State voted against the PDP because of their feelings towards Governor Theodore Orji and the overbearing nature of the President’s wife, Patience Jonathan.

The former governor, who lost the Abia-North senatorial election on the platform of the Progressives Peoples Alliance, maintained that he did not lose but that the PDP rigged the election.

He said, “The issue is that what happened in my constituency was a rigged election. Apart from Enugu and Ebonyi states, where the PDP had very good outings, every other state they won in the South-East was rigged.

“So, the Igbo did not make any mistakes, I feel bad when I see people blaming the Igbo. In the presidential election, the result brought out from Abia where I was, did not reflect the voting pattern of the people.

“In Aba, I can tell you and I will tell Jonathan, that he did not win election in Aba. The APC won the election there but when I saw the result, it was a different thing because the people were angry because of the attitude of T. A Orji and the occasional interference of the wife of the President. People were angry.”

Kalu said it would be unfair to criticise a geopolitical zone for voting en masse for a party, adding that in 1999, the South-West voted massively for the then Alliance for Democracy even though Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP is from the zone.

***Tribunal: PDP Youths Urge Fasting, Prayer For Agbaje

The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party Youth Leaders Forum has asked the party’s supporters to pray and fast in order for the governorship petition of the party to be favourably considered by the Election Petitions Tribunal.

The group also called on its supporters to come forward with information and documents to strengthen the petition of its governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje.

The Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Abiodun Abari, who addressed journalists on Monday, said through fasting and praying, “Agbaje’s stolen mandate would be retrieved.”

The group condemned the impeachment of the Chairman of the PDP, Capt. Tunji Shelle (retd.), describing it as a distraction.

“The silence resulting from the sham elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Lagos is palpable. Hence, we urge all party supporters to support the party’s cause at the tribunals by providing documents, evidence, and of course through prayer and fasting so that we can retrieve our various stolen mandate.”

***Kidnapping: Ekiti Varsity Lecturers Give Fayose Five-day Ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ekiti State University chapter, on Monday,   protested against the kidnap of some of its members .

The protest took place just as the   Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase,   promised to dispatch   a rapid response squad   to check   kidnappings in the state.

But the protesting EKSU teachers, who gave a five-day ultimatum to the state government to secure the release of their colleagues from   the kidnappers’ den , vowed to go on an indefinite strike if their call was not heeded.

They said that five of their colleagues   were kidnapped at various locations in the state within two weeks out of which   two had been freed to go and look for N210m ransom for the release of the others.

They started the protest from the EKSU Teaching Hospital before moving to the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti where they were addressed by Oba Rufus Adejugbe and members of his council.

After being addressed at the palace, they moved to the Governor’s office   where they were received by the Deputy Governor, Kolapo Olusola.

At the governor’s office, they expressed worry that kidnappers had been making them and health workers   their targets.

The lecturers urged the government to do all within its powers to rescue the state from sliding into anarchy.

*EFCC re-arraigns Sylva for N2.45bn fraud

*Supreme Court stops Chevron from selling disputed oil blocks

*Jonathan signs N4.425tn 2015 budget

*Woman recounts how B’Haram prepares girls for bombing missions

*Jonathan sacks NIPC boss

*Air Force men beat FAAN official

*Northern govs elect Shettima as new chairman

*Court orders GTB to refund customer’s N5.3bn

*Senators, Reps move belongings out of offices

*APC to unveil Buhari’s policy direction Wednesday

*Hackers force PDP to shut down social media accounts

*Newspaper threatens to sue PDP over N7m advert debt

*Nigerian scammers penetrating oil, gas industry – Report

*First sugarcane bio-factory begins operations in Zaria

*Nigeria recorded 52% Internet growth in 2014 – Minister

*Hausa traders, soldiers clash in Mile 12

*Cultists kill tricycle driver during visit to mother

VANGUARD

*IG's squad arrests five policemen, 98 others over Edo cult war

*Alleged cover for gangs: You're hypocritical, Fayose tells Falana

*Air Force men beat FAAN official comatose

*PENGASSAN, NUPENG on srike over right to oil leases

*Boko Haram: Buhari slams military for hiring mercenaries

*NGF governors broker truce as Shettima emerges chairman

*The good old days are here again – Pinnick

*May 29: Setting agenda for Buhari’s administration

*FIFA wwc: Falcons jet out, play Canada May 25

*Oil communities to DTHA: Halt debate on DESOPADEC bill

*Fresh oil spill reported in Bayelsa

*Indorama, OIS partner on $130m port terminal

*Briscoe Academy, Highbury College UK graduate automobile technicians

*Ford Ranger Odyssey Africa challenge entries extended

*Motorcyclists, agbero clash over levies in Lagos

*New benchmark Mercedes-Benz CLA arrives

*Mining: Group seeks involvement in developing sector

*7 killed in East-West Road accident

Discos deny indigenous prepaid meter producers patronage — BoI boss

*Enugu: Intrigues, permutations, as politicians jostle for PDP chair

*Fuel crisis worsens as stock level goes down

*Boko Haram kills many, abducts 6 women in Adamawa

*Ekiti varsity lecturers threaten strike over kidnaps

GUARDIAN

*Marketers insist on payment of outstanding subsidy

*Five years on, $23bn Greenfield refineries remain a mirage

*Govt raises technical advisory group on immunisation

*Quota system killing Nigerian Football, says Izilien

*A fundamentally defective process cannot be regularized or cured by amendment (1)

*Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill seeks to strengthen protection laws

*Don’t sack workers, ministry tells NIMC

*Girl child education, democratic governance and sustainable development in Africa: A call for action

*TUC tasks Buhari on high cost of governance, minimum wage

*ASUU protests against abduction of members in Ekiti, threatens strike

*PDP clarifies official communication line, shuts down social media handles temporarily

*EFCC re-arraigns Sylva over alleged N2.45b fraud

*Cleric tasks Buhari on criteria for appointments

*Gombe govt, UNDP to train women, youths in trades

*Corps members protest against non-payment of allowance in Taraba

*Dogara is detribalised, says Bauchi-based lawyer, Idris

THE NATION

*Jonathan under attack over new appointments

*Buhari laments mercenary soldiers' use

*Cancer patients suffer as drugs get trapped in tariff row

*APC to unveil Buhari's policy direction tomorrow

*Kidnapping: Varisity teachers protest in Ekiti

*Governors meet under enlarged forum

*North’s governors to unite Amaechi, Jang governors’ forum factions

*EFCC re-arraigns Sylva for alleged N2.45b fraud

*National Assembly threatens surcharge as lawmakers remove items

*Sambo, wife seek forgiveness

*Uwais, Gambari, others to Buhari: reciprocate goodwill of Nigerians

*Jonathan for ECOWAS Summit

*WHO to Nigeria:  war against polio must not fail

*Fayose to Falana: I never shielded criminals

*‘President-elect should make emergency proclamations’

*Govt okays Med-View for London

*NPDC workers on strike over OML 42 operators

*Amosun: we’ve kept our words

*Ondo residents decry continued banks’ closure

THISDAY

*Court Halts Public Hearing on Harmonised Corporate Governance Code

*Nigeria’s Economy Predicted to Hit $1trn by 2025

*United Mortgage Bank Unveils Promo to Boost Savings Culture

*Shareholders Task SEC DG on Market Committees

*Despite NNPC Intervention, Marketers Hike Ex-Depot Price of Petrol by 42%

*FG Seeks Investments in Smaller, Fit-for-Purpose Power Systems

*NIS Clarifies Alleged Visa Fees, Dormant Website

*APC Holds Dialogue on Policy Direction for New Government

*Wike: Amaechi is Seeking Court Orders to Stop my Inauguration

*APC Woos Osoba, Seeks End to Grievance

*Ihedioha Files Petition against Okorocha’s Victory

*PDP Raises the Alarm over Hacking of its News Website

*Senate Presidency: Buhari’s Stance Favours Lawan

*Amosun Inaugurates Transition Committee

*Oil Workers Shut Down Production Over Transfer of OML 042 Operatorship

*Buhari: It’s Shameful That The Military Has Not Crushed Boko Haram

*John Kerry to Lead US Delegation to Buhari’s Inauguration

*Apple Buys Chinedu Echeruo’s Hopstop.com for $1 Billion

*APC Holds Dialogue on Policy Direction for New Government

Jonathan Sacks Executive Secretary/Chief *Executive of NIPC

*Shell Reopens 180,000bpd Bonny Light Crude Export Pipeline