US gay marriage: Robert Mugabe asks Obama to marry him

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has challenged US President Barack Obama by asking his hand in marriage. His comment comes at the back of the legalization of gay marriage in the US by the Supreme Court.

During Mugabe's weekly radio interview with Zimbabwe’s national radio last Saturday, he said:

“I’ve just concluded since President Obama endorses the same-sex marriage, advocates homosexual people and enjoys an attractive countenance thus if it becomes necessary , I shall travel to Washington, D.C. , get down on my knee and ask Obama’s hand. I can’t understand how these people dare to defy Christ’s explicit orders as our Lord prohibited mankind from sodomy.''

Mugabe said the American Government is run by pervert, Satan-worshipers who insult the Great American nation.

He reportedly added

"That the American tradition and heritage was based on lofty Christian principles, but to the detriment of this great nation, America’s corrupt political elite is acting according to their diabolic whims".

Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage, the first ever from a sitting president, came amid growing pressure for the president to clarify his previously muddled opinion, as two senior members of his administration announced personal support for gay marriage and a day after voters in North Carolina approved a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

FG orders probe on NNPC over unaccounted N3.8trillion

The Federal government yesterday June 29th constituted a four-man committee to probe NNPC over N3.8 trillion unaccounted for by the corporation in the last three years. According to the Edo state governor, who is part of the 4-man probe committee, investigations by the federal government show that NNPC made N8.1 trillion from 2012-2015, paid N4.3 trillion to the federal government and withheld N3.8 trillion which the management of the corporation have not accounted for.

The probe panel was constituted by the National Economic Council which was inaugurated by President Buhari yesterday June 29th

"We are talking about transparency, we are talking about change and what we saw from those numbers I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know, is that whereas NNPC claimed to have earned N8.1trn, what was paid into the Federation Account from 2012 to May 2015 was N4.3trn. What it means is that NNPC withheld and spent N3.8trn. The major revelation here is that the amount NNPC paid into the federation account for distribution to the three tiers of government came to N4.3trn and the corporation alone took and spent N3.8trn. This means the cost of running NNPC is much more than the cost of running the Federal Government. That tells you how much is missing; what is mismanaged; what is stolen. These are huge figures. There is no enterprise manager who goes to the market and sells and just begin to spend, otherwise nobody needs to budget,” he said.

He added that if the Federal Government cannot spend without appropriation, agencies of government cannot not also spend money without appropriation

“This is what the constitution provided for. And this is what President Buhari has promised to do that henceforth all monies must go to the Federation Account. What do you need budget for; Nigeria cannot continue with you earn the money and spend it. Where is transparency? Where is the role of the National Assembly? So if you were doing that you won’t have a situation where the NNPC alone will spend N3.8trn and remit to the federal, states and local governments N4.3trn which means NNPC is taking about 47 per cent and that explains all the leakages you are talking about. We looked at the numbers for the Excess Crude Account. The last time the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, reported to the Council and it is in the minute, she reported that by November 2014, we had $4.1bn but today the Accountant General Office reported we have $2bn, which means the Honourable Minister spent $2.1bn without authority of the NEC.”he said

Other members of the probe panel includes governors of Kaduna, Zamfara and AkwaIbom states.

Osinbajo in Abidjan for West African Energy leaders summit

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo arrived Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire for the launch of West Africa Energy Leaders Group today June 30th. Continue to see more photos..

Hot photos of Richard Mofe Damijo

The actor and politician is currently in the US on the set of a movie. Here are some behind the scenes photos from Atlanta and NY film sets. More exclusive pics after the cut...

Driver lies under his bus as VIA officials try to impound his car (photos)

This happened around the Muson Centre/TBS area of Lagos a few minutes ago. The bus driver was stopped for a traffic offense and as LASTMA and VIA officials tried to seize his bus, he went under it and refused to come out, causing traffic on the road. Don't blame him though. That's his source of livelihood. See more exclusive photos after the cut...

100 killed after Indonesian military plane crashes into residential area

No fewer than 100 people were killed after an Indonesian military plane, C-130 Hercules carrying 113 passengers crashed into Medan, the third largest residential area in Indonesia.

According to Indonesia's Air force chief, Air Marshall Agus Supriatna, the pilot told the control tower that the plane needed to turn back because of engine trouble. "The plane crashed while it was turning right to return to the airport," Supriatna said.

Also speaking, police chief of Medan city Mardiaz Dwihananto, said several bodies had been recovered from the wreckage.

"The bodies were in the debris of the plane and buildings...we are taking the bodies one by one by ambulance to Adam Malik hospital. We haven't managed to evacuate all of the bodies," Dwihananto said.

The C-130 accident is the second time in 10 years that an airplane has crashed into a Medan neighborhood.

In September 2005, a Mandala Airlines Boeing 737 crashed into a crowded residential community shortly after takeoff from Medan's Polonia airport, killing 143 people including 30 on the ground. Medan, with about 3.4 million people, is the third most populous city in Indonesia after the capital, Jakarta, and Surabaya.

More photos: BVN palaver around Nigeria...(photos)

Last minute rush around Nigeria...more photos after the cut...

Saraki: There won't be delay in confirmation of Ministerial nominees

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Saraki: There won't be delay in confirmation of Ministerial nominees

Press statement from the office of the Senate President..

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki today (Tuesday 30th of June 2015) gave assurance that there would be no delay in the confirmation of ministerial nominees once the list is sent to the legislature by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The Senate President while receiving the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gaver, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office, said it was to ensure that the suspension of plenary does not disturb serious government business like the screening of ministers that he has continued to reiterate the fact that the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly will resume plenary when there is any urgent matter of national importance.

Responding to the comments by the French Envoy, the Senate President said that though the Senate is currently on break but “ we are working and we are ready to reconvene any time to attend to any national assignment, including the confirmation of President Muhammadu Buhari's ministerial nominees.". > He also pledged the cooperation of the National Assembly with the executive arm of government in accomplishing the programmes of the administration.

The Senate Presidency said bills from the executive arm of government would be treated with dispatch, as part of efforts to support the President to effect the positive change expected from his administration by Nigerians.

The senate president told the French delegation that the Senate has commenced work already with the setting up of the 18 man committee to formulate a realistic and progressive Legislative Agenda, which he said would address issues like poverty alleviation, law enforcement, national security, commercial disputes, eradication of corruption and investments in the Petroleum sector.

Saraki further said the National Assembly will partner with the French National Assembly in the area of capacity building for legislators, strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and ensuring that more French investments flow into Nigeria.

He specifically solicited the co-operation of the French government in tackling the security problems in the North-eastern part of Nigeria, particularly as Nigeria shares borders with French-speaking countries. > Earlier, the French envoy, who described the leadership tussle at the National Assembly as part of democracy, solicited for cooperation between the National Assembly and the President Buhari-led executive arm of government.

The French Envoy said that the expectation of the international community on Nigeria is high

He also called for cooperation between the private sector in Nigeria and its counterpart in France.

 On security, Gaver said France is encouraging her former colonies in West Africa to cooperate with Nigeria in the onslaught against the Boko Haram insurgency.

Media Office of the Senate President