My monthly salary was below N400,000 as speaker - Dogara – Newstrends
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My monthly salary was below N400,000 as speaker – Dogara

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Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara

My monthly salary was below N400,000 as speaker – Dogara

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, recently shed light on the often misunderstood topic of legislative salaries and allowances in Nigeria.

Addressing attendees at the Legislative Open Week in Abuja, Dogara revealed that during his tenure from 2015 to 2019, his monthly salary as Speaker was below N400,000. This revelation comes amidst widespread perceptions that federal lawmakers earn extravagant sums.

“Many Nigerians believe that legislators earn humongous salaries and allowances,” Dogara remarked, countering this assumption by disclosing his own earnings. “My salary wasn’t even up to N400,000 monthly,” he clarified.

The former Speaker went further to discuss the allowances allocated to him during his tenure, noting that despite a reported N25 million monthly allocation, none of this money ever made its way into his personal accounts. “I didn’t take a single Naira home,” he emphasized, highlighting the stringent accountability and public expectations placed upon lawmakers.

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Dogara’s transparency echoes previous statements made by Senator Shehu Sani in 2018, where he disclosed that senators received N13.5 million monthly as running costs, with a base salary of approximately N750,000 per month.

These insights into legislative finances provide a nuanced view of the financial responsibilities and public scrutiny faced by lawmakers in Nigeria. Dogara’s testimony underscores the challenges of managing public funds and meeting constituent expectations, dispelling myths surrounding legislative compensation.

The Legislative Open Week serves as a platform for fostering transparency and understanding between lawmakers and the public, ensuring accountability and effective governance.

In conclusion, Dogara’s candid revelations challenge public perceptions and encourage a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in legislative compensation and governance in Nigeria.

His remarks pave the way for informed discussions on legislative reform and financial accountability in public service.

My monthly salary was below N400,000 as speaker – Dogara

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Why Peter Obi will lose in 2027 – Reno Omokri

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Reno Omokri

Why Peter Obi will lose in 2027 – Reno Omokri

Reno Omokri a Social media influencer and former aide to ex-President, Reno Omokri, says Peter Obi will not win in 2027 if he contests the presidential election.

Omokri said unlike the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdoms, Keir Starmer, Obi had no clear stand on any issue.

He said, ” One thing we learnt from the #UKElection2024 is this:  If you want to win an election, focus on telling the public what you want to do first and how you would govern the country better.

“Do not concentrate on attacking the government in power or your other opponents. You could do that, but it should not be your single issue. You have to offer a better alternative to the public.

“That is why I am amused when people think Peter Obi is coming in 2027. If he contests again, he will only lose, and worse, he will divide the opposition’s vote and make President Tinubu’s re-election easier.

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“Let me ask you a question. Where does Peter Obi stand on the issues? He is against the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. What are his alternatives to that policy? He attacks the Government over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu but does not say how he will end the insurgency in the Southeast. And worse, he even obeys IPOB’s Monday sit-at-home.

“He attacked President Tinubu for ending fuel subsidy, yet he said he would not borrow. Therefore, how would he retain subsidy without borrowing or remove it without increasing inflation?

“Other than that, what does Peter Obi really stand for? He talks about ending consumption and increasing production, but he is Nigeria’s single largest individual importer through his trading business-next supermarket.

“You see, when you are not blinded by tribalism, it is clear to see that Peter Obi is no Keir Stammer. He is just the head of the political wing of IPOB, who will set Nnamdi Kanu free and treat the secessionist tendencies of IPOB with his gloves, just as Buhari did with Boko Haram.

“Again, we know what Keir Stammer stands for. It was very clear during the campaigns. But other than his plan for “religious war” against the Muslim Ummah, and his intention to free Nnamdi Kanu, what does Peter Obi stand for?”

Why Peter Obi will lose in 2027 – Reno Omokri

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Sultan declares Sunday start of Islamic new year 1446 AH

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President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III

Sultan declares Sunday start of Islamic new year 1446 AH

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Sunday, July 7, 2024, as the first day of Muharram, marking the beginning of the Islamic year 1446 after Hijrah.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Sambo Junaidu, on Friday.

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Junaidu stated that there was no report of sighting the moon by national and the various moon sighting committees across the country.

He said, “The national and the various moon sighting committees across the country did not receive any report on the sighting of the new moon of Muharram on Friday, 5th July, 2024, which is the 29th of Dhul’Hijja 1445 AH, hence Saturday, 6th of July, is the 30th of Dhul’Hijja.”

The Sultan felicitated Nigerian Muslims on the new year.

He urged them to continuously pray for peace, progress and development of Nigeria.

Sultan declares Sunday start of Islamic new year 1446 AH

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Fuel queues in Abuja, depots raise price to N710/litre

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Fuel queues in Abuja, depots raise price to N710/litre

Fresh queues for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, surfaced in Abuja, parts of Niger and Nasarawa States on Friday, following the closure of many filling stations operated by independent marketers.

Dealers closed their retail outlets due to their inability to access petrol as a result of the hike in the ex-depot price of the commodity to N710/litre by private depot owners.

Motorists besieged the few stations that dispensed petrol on Friday, particularly those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and some major oil marketers in Abuja and neighbouring states.

This led to massive queues in outlets, such as the NNPC mega station on the Gwarimpa axis of the Zuba-Kubwa Expressway, Conoil and Total filling stations directly opposite the headquarters of NNPC in the Abuja city centre, and Salbas filling station at the Dei-Dei end of the Zuba-Kubwa expressway, among others.

Independent oil marketers, who own over 70 per cent of filling stations across the country, blamed the hike in the ex-depot price of petrol as dispensed by private depot owners.

The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, told Saturday PUNCH that private depot owners had raised the ex-depot price of PMS to N710/litre, whereas the pump price of the commodity at NNPC retail stations was N617/litre.

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Maigandi said, “The current situation is a result of how the private depot owners have been selling their products. It has been very difficult for independent petroleum marketers to get the product and sell it in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as in other states in the North.

“So, the queues you are seeing now are because of the cost of PMS by private depots. The private depots are selling at N710/litre, but if you check the price of the same product at NNPC retail outlets, it is N617/litre.

“Therefore, by the time the independent marketers buy from private depots and bring it to our filling stations, we will not be able to sell our product because our cost price is already so high, while the cost at NNPC retail outlets is far lower.

“And you know that when we buy it at the rate of N710/litre, we have to add transportation cost again because there is no equalisation. And when we add the cost of transportation, the pump price is going to be higher than the N710/litre ex-depot price, whereas NNPC stations sell at N617/litre.”

Maigandi explained that because of the widespread number of stations operated by IPMAN, any distortion in the supply of products to members of the group would lead to fuel queues because major marketers and NNPC stations were fewer in number.

On whether IPMAN members cannot get direct PMS supply from NNPC, instead of buying the product from private depots, he replied, “That is what we have been negotiating with them (NNPC), and they promised us that they will start giving us our allocation.

“They have started, but the quantity is small compared to the number of retail outlets operated by IPMAN nationwide. We are getting products from NNPC, but the volume is too small for our members.

“So, we are requesting additional volumes because, in Abuja alone, we have over 250 retail outlets belonging to IPMAN members. This is just for Abuja. We have not talked about Niger, Kaduna, and other states in the North, not to mention the number nationwide.”

Maigandi, however, stated that the queues for petrol were not pronounced in remote villages, adding that “when you go to the villages, you will see that there are no queues.”.

“But in the city centres, where you have NNPC stations selling very cheaper than the N710/litre price, you will see queues there, as well as in front of the few outlets that have products to dispense.”

The IPMAN president said petrol was not scarce, as there were enough volumes in-country concerning what was imported by NNPC – Nigeria’s sole importer of the commodity.

“There is no scarcity. There is the product. The queues are caused basically by the market challenge, as I have explained to you. But as soon as we get products from NNPC or at fairly good prices, we will dispense and the queues will vanish,” he stated.

Officials at the Federal Minister of Petroleum Resources confirmed that there was enough product in-country, and stated that the market had been deregulated.

“It is a deregulated downstream oil sector, so dealers buy and sell based on demand and supply. There is enough product from NNPC. There is no scarcity,” an official at the ministry, who requested not to be named due to a lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, stated.

Another official at NNPC assured motorists that the queues would clear out fast because the company had enough product in-country.

Fuel queues in Abuja, depots raise price to N710/litre

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