From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has described the Fulani invasion of Benue State as an ill wind that blows no one any good.
Okorocha said this when he led other All Progressives Congress (APC) governors to pay a condolence visit on the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on the Fulani herdsmen invasion on the state.
The Imo State governor, who is chairman of the 22 APC governors, condemned the invasion and those behind it andmaintained that the level of destruction and devastation by the herdsmen in Benue was capable of distorting the unity of the country.
“This provocation is enough to distort the unity of this country. We can manage crisis in other parts of this country but, crisis in Benue is capable of distorting the political equation of this country,” he said.
Earlier, Ortom, said the invasion of his state by criminally-minded herdsmen was beyond just an agitation for a grazing space as not less than 12 local government areas have been attacked and many communities reduced to rubbles.
Ortom, who listed the local government areas so far invaded by the Fulani herdsmen to include Agatu, Guma, Makurdi, Logo, Katisna-Ala, Kwande, Gwer West, Gwer East, Buruku, Tarka, Obi and Oju said the herdsmen had come not just to graze, but to steal, to kill and to destroy.
While emphasising that Benue does not have any land to give as grazing reserve, the governor noted that as an agrarian state whose only business is farming, activities of the Fulani invaders was capable of disrupting the agricultural stance of the state especially during this cropping season.
He, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for immediately approving the deployment of military troop and the police to Agatu. He also thanked his colleagues “for taking time to come and see things for themselves.”
Highlight of the event was the presentation of a documentary on the Benue invasion of Fulani mercenaries as well as decoration of all four governors of Imo, Niger, Plateau and Kano in Benue attire.
Meanwhile, Ortom has disclosed that the federal allocation to the state has dropped from N7 billion to N1.3 billion.
The governor said this when he addressed the Catholic faithful  at the end of a prayer  session conducted by the Bishops of Otukpo, Makurdi, Gboko and Katsna-Ala Catholic Dioceses at the Grace Chapel of Benue People’s House yesterday.
He explained the precarious financial situation in the state to the congregation and noted that the federal allocation accruing to the state this month was N1.3 billion while the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has increased to N500million a month. He also said that with the current development, it was difficult for the state to meet up with the payment of monthly wage bill of the state.


‘Buhari still cleaning Augean stables’

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From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja

Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajamiala, yesterday, described as satisfactory,  President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance in his first year in office.
President Buhari was sworn-in into office on May 29, 2015.
Gbajabiamila stated that President Buhari inherited a country at its lowest ebb owing to years of corruption, adding that the state of the public sector handed to the Buhari administration could be likened to the mythical Augean stables, which the president needs a lot of time to clean up.
He said it was, therefore, reasonable for the president to focus on the anti-corruption war for the past one year.
The House leader, who spoke at the second edition of his quarterly briefing on the activities of the House warned those joking about returning to corruption against trivialising the level of rot discovered by the current administration.
Gbajabiamila emphasised that though Nigerians voted for Buhari to tackle corruption, the president has also displayed commitment to developing the country and diversifying the economy.
He said: “Given what this government found on ground, given what the prevailing economic situation in all oil producing companies, I think this government has done a remarkable job.
“You cannot build something on nothing, the fundamental thing to build an economy in a developing country like ours is, anti-corruption.
“What this government has done so far, both in the use of  technology and the sheer use of the law by ensuring that people are investigated and put on trial is unprecedented and therein lies for me, the fundamental change.”
Rating the performance of the 8th House which was inaugurated on June 9, 2015, Gbajabiamila opined that members deserved a pass mark.
He said the bills and motions sponsored so far are indicative  of the House’s resolve to make laws and embark on legislative activities for the good governance of Nigeria.
He explained that in the first quarter of 2016, a total of 133 bills were introduced for the first time, 34 out of which scaled through second reading.
He further explained that 20 out of the 133 bills were consolidated, 2 out of the 133 bills were negative which in our local parlance means “killed,” meaning that within the first quarter of 2016 only two bills and 117 resolutions arisen from motions presented by members of the House were passed in the first 90 days of 2016 after successfully scaling through all the stages of legislation.
The bills passed are the FCT Statutory Appropriation Amendment Bill, 2016 and the Appropriation Bill 2016, which are meant to stimulate the economy and improve lives of our constituents.