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PDP, Umahi, slam Fani-Kayode, say he’s unstable as wind

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Fani-Kayode

 

The South-West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lambasted former Minister for Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, for claiming that he had wronged President Muhammadu Buhari in the past.

Chief Sanya Atofarati, Publicity Secretary of the South-West PDP, said nothing had changed about Buhari as the socio-political and economic situations in the country were getting worse by the day under his watch.

He challenged Fani-Kayode to come out clean, describing him as a “political liability” “unstable as wind” and a “political beggar.”

Recall that the controversial ex-minister had officially defected from the PDP to the APC on Thursday and was presented to Buhari at the Presidential Villa by the APC caretaker chairman, Mai Mala Buni.

The southwest PDP, in a statement titled, ‘‘FFK: South-West PDP hails APC for inheriting liability.’’ in reaction to the defection, said, “This was a man who openly accused President Buhari of corruption allegation as Minister of Petroleum in 1977 and cursed himself to death in 2019 if he ever attempted to join the Buhari-led APC.

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“Now, the question for Fani-Kayode is: what has changed? Have the unemployed Nigerians been employed under Buhari? Has Buhari now been able to curb the killing spree of Nigerian soldiers and kidnappings of innocent citizens by bandits and herders across the country?

“For some of us and especially the South-West PDP, we knew the featherweight politician would defect to the APC because we had always been aware of his insincerity and unholy alliance. We in South-West PDP are the most grateful because the snitch within has finally gone home to roast (sic). We predicted earlier that those sabotaging the progress of this country will be exposed; now, Nigerians have seen it and we are vindicated.

“FFK should not be taken seriously. Even when he was acting as a self-acclaimed PDP spokesman, many of us knew he wasn’t sincere. He was then PDP in the day and APC in the night. FFK lacks the integrity required to portray a liberator’s stature. He is a political beggar whose only source of income is in corporate begging.

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“Over the years, FFK has remained a worthless entity within the party and especially in South-West. History has it that FFK has never won any election even in his polling unit for PDP other than scavenging for political relevance.”

Similarly, the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has said Fani-Kayode, played no role in his defection to the APC in November 2020.

The governor, who made this known on Friday when spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily breakfast programme, described as an insult the claim by Fani-Kayode that he was instrumental in his defection last year.

The controversial ex-minister made the statement while speaking to journalists after he was presented to the Buhari.

Fani-Kayode had hinted at the possibility of the governors of Bauchi, Enugu and Oyo states dumping the PDP and joining him in the APC.

But speaking on television on Friday morning, Umahi said Fani-Kayode must withdraw his statement, adding that the ex-minister was “never” part of the discussions that led to his defection.

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The governor said, “He (Fani-Kayode) needs to withdraw that statement. He is my good friend but it was an insult to my person and the other governors. The man did not know when I moved but, incidentally, he visited me and we discussed and he said he was coming to join me with other governors to declare.

“How would somebody in PDP be instrumental to my moving, a whole governor of a state, not even a small governor – an experienced governor. So, he has to withdraw the statement; he was never part of any discussion of my movement. I moved the South-East to the centre of administration; I moved to close the gap between the centre and South-East which our forefathers, like Nnamdi Azikiwe, fought for. He remains my friend but he played no role in my movement and I am sure he did not play any role in the movement of others.”

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Binance founder sentenced to four months in prison for money laundering in US

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Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, has been sentenced to four months in prison for money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting and violations in Seattle, United States (US).

At a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Richard Jones, the presiding judge, said Zhao put “Binance’s growth and profits over compliance with US laws and regulations”.

According to US officials, Zhao intentionally turned a blind eye to transactions that financed terrorism, the illegal drug trade, and child sex abuse.

“I failed here. I deeply regret my failure, and I am sorry,” Zhao told the court.

 

“I believe the first step of taking responsibility is to fully recognise the mistakes. Here I failed to implement an adequate anti-money-laundering programme. I realise now the seriousness of that mistake.”

 

The four-month sentence is lower than the three years prosecutors sought.

Prosecutors told the judge a tough sentence would send a clear signal to other would-be criminals.

“We are not suggesting that Mr. Zhao is Sam Bankman-Fried or that he is a monster,” Kevin Mosley, one of the prosecutors, said.

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“But Zhao’s conduct wasn’t a mistake. This wasn’t a regulatory ‘oops.”

 

On November 21, 2023, Zhao pleaded guilty to money laundering.

 

Binance also agreed to pay more than $4 billion in fines and other penalties.

 

Meanwhile, Binance subsidiary in Nigeria is facing charges for illicit foreign exchange (FX) transactions.

Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, its head of financial crime compliance, were charged with tax evasion and money laundering by the federal government.

The duo were arrested and detained on February 28.

However, Anjarwalla escaped custody in March.

 

Zhao’s sentence is coming less than one month after Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO and founder of Futures Exchange (FTX), was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being convicted of defrauding his customers, investors, and lenders.

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Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: FG announces free ride on Port Harcourt-Aba railway

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1. The Federal Government has announced free passenger train ride for four days on the rehabilitated Port Harcourt to Aba railway. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Oloruntola Oluremi, said the free train ride would be from 1st to May 4th.

2. The Federal Government has approved a significant salary increase for civil servants across various sectors. Head of Press at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, Emmanuel Njoku, announced this at a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

 

3. The resumption of the Senate from its Easter and Sallah break on Tuesday was almost enmeshed in a rowdy session as senators literally fought over seats. It was later learnt that the commotion was occasioned by the new seating arrangement for Senators in the newly renovated main chamber.

 

4. Two undergraduates of Edo State government-owned, Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma have been shot dead in a cult reprisal attack. It was gathered on Tuesday that one of the victims, SUG’s official, was a 400-level student in the Faculty of Agriculture, and was killed at the Poultry Road Extension in Ekpoma.

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5. The Federal Government, on Tuesday, announced that it was set to issue a fully valid operating licence to the 650,000 barrels per day capacity Dangote Petroleum Refinery. It announced this at the Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum on Midstream and Petroleum Host Community Development Trust Regulations organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Abuja.

 

6. A yet-to-be-identified pregnant woman and eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries following a gas explosion that occurred at Alaba Lane, Alayabiagba Community, in the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State. It was gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 12:39 pm.

 

7. Gunmen, again, on Monday night, reportedly invaded the Bmuko Community, in the Dutse Baupma axis of the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, kidnapping four residents in the area. A resident of the community, Mr Isah, who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday, said the gunmen arrived in the community at about 11:50 pm on Monday.

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8. Oil dealers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday, declared that it would shut down the 30,000 stations operated by IPMAN members across the country if the Federal Government fails to pay the N200bn it owes marketers.

 

9. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has sympathised with Nigerian workers, saying they have worked for a government with policies against their welfare. He said this in an International Workers Day message to Nigerian workers. He said the plight of the Nigerian worker remains dire.

10. Three members of a notorious gang of robbers who operate on the Otedola Bridge, Lagos, have been arrested in connection with the recent attack on the Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Alausa, CSP Abaniwonda Tokunbo. The DPO was said to have been stabbed at the back and her phone snatched during the attack.

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UPDATED: FG approves 35% salary increase for civil servants

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The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent salary increase for civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures.

 

The salary increase, announced on the eve of the Workers’ Day celebration, is contained in a statement issued by Emmanuel Njoku, head of press, at the national salaries, incomes and wages commission (NSIWC).

 

The statement said the increase takes effect from January 1, 2024.

 

The six consolidated salary structures are consolidated public service salary structure (CONPSS); consolidated research and allied institutions salary structure (CONRAISS); consolidated police salary structure (CONPOSS); consolidated para-military salary structure (CONPASS); consolidated intelligence community salary structure (CONICCS); and consolidated armed forces salary structure (CONAFSS).

The Federal Government also approved an increase in pension of between 20 percent and 28 percent for pensioners on the defined benefits scheme with respect to the six consolidated salary structures.

 

 

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