BenueFamily Blog

A report by Nigerian Tribune claims that Senator Dino Melaye escaped an assassination attempt on his life early this morning, Saturday, April 15. According to the report, Senator Melaye was attacked in his residence at Ayetoro-Gbede, Ijumu local government area of Kogi state. After the rain of bullet that lasted over one hour, two of the vehicles parked within the premises were damaged, while part of the building was also destroyed. Speaking to journalists after the incident, Melaye said the assailants came in some minutes after 12 midnight and started shooting indiscriminately into his building.

The Federal Government will spend N400million on vehicles for former heads of state in Nigeria in 2017. This is contained in the estimated spending by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for 2017. The information was revealed by the SGF Babachir David Lawal on February 6 when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Federal Character to defend the planned expenditure.

YOU HAVE GOD’S GIFT TO MEN AND YOU’RE WASTING IT ON A WOMAN” Said Trump during a rally.

Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki in his bid this morning to stop CCT from going on with his trial was dismissed as the Judge termed his actions as "Abuse of court". Justice Abdul Kafarati of the federal high court, Abuja, dismissed Saraki's Fundamental Human rights suit challenging the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try him over alleged false declaration of assets while he was Governor of Kwara state.

Former First Lady of Nigeria Patience Jonathan has been mentioned among those who influence some political killings that rocked Rivers State during the 2015 general election. According to Naij.com who claims that, some Group says Dame Patience Jonathan, AIG Mbu, Nigerian former sports minister and others may have been involved in the gruesome killings that rocked the state last year. This revelation was disclosed by the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) via a petition sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Madam Amie Bensouda.

Senators from Rivers State on Saturday insisted that they would oppose the nomination of a former governor of the state, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi. The Senator representing Rivers-East Senatorial District, Senator George Sekibo, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that the petition against the ex-governor was "supported by the three senators from the state." He also said they would insist on the report of the Senate committee on public petitions currently investigating allegations against Amaechi before he could be cleared by the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Meanwhile, Amaechi, has told his successor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to go to court over the recommendations of the Justice George Omereji-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the sales of valued assets belonging to the state by the last administration. Amaechi said in a statement issued from his Media Office on Saturday that rather than engage in theatrics and 'childish' tantrums, Wike should prosecute him if t...

President Mohammadu Buhari on Saturday held a secret meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in New York in a bid to calm the tension going on in the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the ordeal of the controversial Senate President, Bukola Saraki. The meeting which was held behind closed door at the Millennium Plaza Hotel in New York lasted for about 45 minutes. Sources who were part of the meeting at its early minutes before being excused said that the former president had called the protocol officers of President Buhari to schedule the talks in order to plead for a soft landing for Saraki. However, former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was sighted at the door of the room where the meeting took place, and all efforts to speak with him proved futile as he was busy struggling with security men who repeatedly stopped him from gaining entry. All efforts by newsmen to speak with Obasanjo on his way to his hotel after the meeting met a brick wall as his secur...

The Federal High Court has fixed Sept. 30 to hear the case filed by the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, asking the court to stop the Code of Conduct Tribunal from trying him. Saraki is charged with false declaration of assets by the Code of Conduct Bureau at the tribunal. The judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, after listening to arguments from counsel to parties in the matter, ruled that the suit was ripe for hearing. " Since all the parties have filed relevant documents, this case is ripe for hearing and in order not to waste the court's time, the case is adjourned to Sept.30 for hearing.'' Counsel to Saraki, Adebayo Adelodun, had said that in spite of the notice served on the tribunal by the Federal High Court, it had gone ahead to entertain the matter. He drew the attention of the court to a statement made by the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, that the court could not summon it because it had coordinate jurisdiction with the court. Co...

As Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki appeared before the Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegation of false assets declaration, the All Progressives Congress, APC was said to be considering former senate leader, George Akume, wife of the national leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, Senator Remi Tinubu and two other ranking senators from the South West zone as Saraki's replacement. Apart from Senator Akume who is from the North Central zone and Remi Tinubu, no other names were mentioned but sources said other two rank­ing senators also from the South West are being considered on APC shop list. Feelers from Abuja reaching Kaduna, the second home of President Muhammadu Buhari revealed that, barring any ast minute change of plan, Saraki may be asked to resign or if he refused, may be impeached on moral ground to concentrate on his trial. National Mirror gathered that, Senator Ahmed Lawan who was anointed by APC as its sole candidate but lost to Saraki who emerge senat...

As reported earlier, the men and women who'll be ministers in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari have been screened by the SSS and other security agencies, some of them privately and others were called in for questioning by the secret service. Some on the list are people who are not hungry and may not steal our money. See the names as released below… 1. Prof. Tam David West 2. Femi Falana (SAN) 3. Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (rtd) 4. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola 5. Wale Edun 6. Abubakar Malami (SAN). 7. Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru 8. Chief Bode Mustapha 9. Engineer Segun Oni 10. Dr Kayode Fayemi 11. Dr. Abba Ruma 12. Chief Kanu Agabi 13. Donald Duke 14. Babatunde Raji Fashola 15. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi 16. Rotimi Akeredolu 17. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso 18. Festus Odimegwu 19. Engineer Funsho Kupolokun 20. Yinka Folashade Oredola 21. Bisola Adegbenro 22. Isaiah Danjuma (son of TY Danjuma) 23. Dele Momodu 24. Kehinde Lawanson 25. Chief Bayo Oj...

Stern-looking security operatives who were drafted to guard the Presidential villa gate have barred the Senate President from using the Villa gate. According to an exclusive report on DailyPost, there was a mild drama this morning, Tuesday, Sept., 22, between the convoy of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and stern-looking security operatives who were drafted to guard the Presidential villa gate as early as 6:00am. The report reveals that the security operatives pointedly told the Senate President's convoy to turn back and enter through the main gate from Federal Secretariat, stressing that their stance was on the basis of 'an order from above'. We'll be bringing you more details as an update on this report, as soon as it's made available to us. Keep visiting this this page for more news.

Read the impressive resume of the young Justice Danladi Umar presiding over the Bukola Saraki case of false declaration of assets. Justice Danladi Umar Justice Danladi Umar is the youngest chairman to be so appointed for the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The appointment of Hon. Justice Umar which went through the nomination and recommendation of National Judicial Council as well as Federal Judicial Service Commission before the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan was to bring in dynamism, vigour and energy of youthful leadership to bear in dispensation of justice after he had successfully served as acting chairman of the tribunal before the recent confirmation. Born in Toro Local government of Bauchi State, Justice Danladi Umar, studied Law at the University of Maiduguri before his call to the Nigeria Bar in 1993. He had practiced in various reputable chambers including Ayinde Sani and Co, Ibrahim Umar and Co and Kanu Agabi and Associates before joining the Federal Civil Service...

Benuefamily.com have gathered that, The Northern Ethnic Nationalities Unity Congress (NENUC) yesterday called for the resignation of the Senate President Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki. The call came just as the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) secured a bench warrant for the arrest of the embattled Senate President by the CCB Tribunal over allegations of false declaration of assets dated back to 2003. The group said the Senate President should resign before he drags the image and reputation of the office he presently occupies further in the mud. Speaking with reporters yesterday, the National President and Convener of the group, Mr Bako Benjamin, said it is disgusting that the Senate President would rather be seeking court’s protection than going before the anti graft agency to clear his name of the charges. “Let the Senate President come to equity with clean hands. Let him defend himself against all the charges levelled against him in the spirit of the new wind of change blowing acro...

The camp of Senate President Bukola Saraki has issued an official statement following the warrant of arrest issued against him by the Code of Conduct Tribunal Senate President Bukola Saraki. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has responded to the approved warrant of arrest on him by the Code of Conduct Tribunal. He released an official statement via his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu. Read the full statement below: CCT Defiance of Subsisting Court Order: Our Stand Following the development in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) today, Friday, September 18, 2015 when the Tribunal chose to ignore the subsisting order of a Federal High Court by sitting, we hereby state our position as follows: 1.) While the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, had stated and maintains that he is ready to submit himself to due process of the law on any issue concerning him, he also believes he has an inalienable right to resort to the same judiciary for protec...

The Federal Ministry of Justice has asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja to issue bench warrant for the arrest of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. Bukola Saraki Senate President Bukola Saraki's absence at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT,  sitting in Abuja today may attract grave consequences as the Federal Ministry of Justice has asked the Tribunal to issue bench warrant for the arrest of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. According to the Vanguard, a deputy director in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. M.S. Hassan, applied for the arrest order following Saraki's refusal to appear before the tribunal to enter his plea to the13 count corruption charge against him. Saraki who was billed for arraignment this morning, sent his team of lawyers to serve the tribunal with a copy of the ruling of Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, which summoned the Ministry of Justic...

A statement by the Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu said "the documents submitted to the CCB, which officials say are still being vetted and will soon be made public, show that prior to being sworn in on May 29, President Buhari had less than N30 million to his name. He also had only one bank account, with the Union Bank. President Buhari had no foreign account, no factory and no enterprises. He also had no registered company and no oil wells", the statement said. The statement further added that "the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who had been a successful lawyer before his foray into politics declared a bank balance of about N94 million and 900,000 United States Dollars in his bank accounts". It added that President Buhari "had shares in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank. The documents also revealed that "President Buhari had a total of five homes, and t...

President Muhammadu Buhari's anti-corruption crusade is now yielding profit, convincing majority of Nigerian that his government is truely out there to fight corruption to the end and create a better Nigeria for the youth. Such recoveries were listed as follows: ==> EFCC recovers $6.55m, €248,340 from 49 suspects ==> NNPC, NIMASA, Amnesty under probe Cash seized by EFCC in 90 days ==> $3,902,229 and €248,340 (49 suspects) in MMIA ==> $2,198,900 from a suspect at Lagos Airport ==> $454, 050 (four suspects) at Aminu Kano Airport ==> $99,000 (one suspect) at Azikiwe Airport, Abuja Detectives are poring through the books of nine states as part of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration's anti-corruption war. Besides, the war seems to be yielding bountiful harvests, going by the performance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). EFCC has filed 71 high-profile cases in three months. The crime commission also seized over $6.555m...

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally broken his silence on his appointments, which many Nigerians have described as "lopsided" . Buhari in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday said the Constitution allowed him full control over the choice of his closest officials. The president assured that he was not ignoring some section of his society in his appointments, explaining that those he appointed were some of his most trusted associates. Responding to the interviewer's question on the controversy generated by the appointments, Buhari said "This is the nature of Nigerian politics". "If they will do justice to me, as an elected Nigerian president, let them look at the Constitution a Nigerian president works with, there are people who will closely work with me that don't need to be taken to the Senate. "If I select people whom I know quite well in my political party, whom we came all the way right from the APP, CPC and APC, and have remai...

After holding sway for eight years as Senate President, Senator David Mark has now assumed an unusual low profile at the red Chamber, our correspondent has observed. Senator Mark, who represents Benue South Senatorial District has been at the upper chamber since 1999 and he manned the driver’s seat at the Senate between 2007 and 2015, making him the longest serving Senate President ever produced in the country. The failure of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to get the majority of the seats at the  polls  held in March dealt a serious blow to Mark who was very close to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Our correspondent reports that before the inauguration of the 8th Senate, there were reports that Mark had planned to maintain his status by buying Senators who are of the All progressives Congress (APC) to his side. The alleged move  did not come to fruition. It was observed that since the emergence of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the Senate Preside...

It was reported that former Senate President in Nigeria, Mr. David Mark finally appeared in court in person to defend his fifth term victory against his opponent, Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress. But however, the embattled senator refused to testify from the witness box according to dailypost.ng Mark was dragged to the tribunal by his only contender, Onjeh over his declaration by INEC as the winner of the Benue South Senatorial election.Onjeh had argued that the elections were marred by several irregularities and substantial breaches of the Electoral Act 2011 as amended. He also averred that INEC officials were compromised and voters were financially induced by the PDP agents at the various polling units in the district. The petitioner, therefore, urged the court to nullify the election and order for fresh poll. Mark’s Counsel, Mr Kenneth Ikonne, had told the tribunal that his client would be appearing in person to testify today. However, Mark who arrived in ...