NEWS

360 Exotic Cars Set To Be Given To House Of Representative Members Despite Recession.

Published

8 years ago

November 14, 2016

The delivery of 360 exotic cars to members of the House of Representatives has begun amid the economic downturn in the country.

Investigations by The PUNCH revealed on Sunday that 28 units of the Peugeot 508 series had already been delivered to lawmakers in Abuja.

The 28 were among the first batch of 50 cars supplied by the Kaduna-based Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited.

The House allocated a princely N3.6bn for the cars in the 2016 budget at a unit price of N10m.

A National Assembly top aide told
The PUNCH on Sunday that the arrangement with Peugeot was that the company would supply the vehicles in batches because of the huge number of members involved.

“Fifty cars will be supplied in the first batch; 28 have already been delivered. That was last week.
“Twenty-two more in the first batch are expected to be delivered this week,” the source stated.

Findings indicated that the luxury cars would arrive in Abuja in batches till January, 2017 when all 360 members would have picked a unit.

About 223 of the members of the House are new, having come to the National Assembly for the first time in 2015.

But all 360 members will still benefit from the luxury cars, officially known as ‘utility’ or ‘committee’ vehicles.

Investigations showed that owing to paucity of funds, the lawmakers agreed with Peugeot to spread the payment of the N3.6bn across 24 months or “two years’ budget.”

The PUNCH gathered that the original plan was to start the delivery of the cars last June, but the delay in the passage of the 2016 budget stalled it.

“The House was not sure of the provisions in the budget owing to the general drop in the revenue available to the Federal Government this year.

“So, they delayed it till the budget was passed before they continued with the procurement processing.”

It was learnt that a lengthy disagreement among lawmakers preceded the choice of the Peugeot 508 series.

Investigations revealed that while the majority of the new members preferred the 2016 Toyota Camry, others argued in favour of Peugeot 508 on the grounds of patronising ‘Made-in-Nigeria products’.

“Eventually, the argument was sustained that Peugeot should be the choice to encourage local automotive industry; though it would also appear that there was a comparative cost analysis,” another legislative source added.

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, confirmed that members had started taking delivery of the vehicles.

Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, Namdas stated that female lawmakers were the first in line to pick up their units, while the males would take their turn in subsequent batches.

Asked why the House would splash money on 360 exotic cars at a time the country was in recession, Namdas played down any reference to the cars as being “luxury.”

He said, “This issue of cars is long overdue. They are not for luxury but for committee and oversight duties.

“The 8th Assembly is nearing two years, yet members have no cars to carry out their duties.

“Ministers and other officials in the executive have long bought vehicles for official duties.

“At the state level, members of House of Assembly have cars to carry out basic functions.

“I think it is only fair that members of the National Assembly will have utility vehicles for their assignments.”

Namdas also told The PUNCH that the choice of Peugeot 508 was to “look inward such that Peugeot, which is locally-assembled, will benefit and grow.”

On paper, the cars are the property of the National Assembly, but the tradition over time is that lawmakers take them along with them on completion of their tenure after paying a fraction of the unit cost.

It was learnt that the management of the National Assembly would evaluate the cars after four years and deduct an agreed sum from the severance package of members.

Besides the utility vehicles, members also get a repayable loan to buy personal cars.

NEWS

Enugu State Governor Names Street After Viral Musician, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha

Published

1 day ago

September 6, 2024

Reporter

Enugu State governor names street after Mike Ejeagha | fab.ng

People often hailed Gentleman Mike Ejeagha as the grandfather of Igbo folk music. He has remained an iconic figure in Nigerian music for over six decades. His influence in the genre is unparalleled, and his timeless work continues to resonate with audiences today.

Recently, his 1983 classic, “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche“, experienced a resurgence in popularity when comedian and skit maker Brain Jotter featured it in a viral video. This newfound fame has brought Ejeagha’s work to the attention of a younger generation. Recognizing his immense contributions to music and culture, the Enugu State government honoured the 90-year-old musician by naming a street after him.

On September 2, 2024, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State inaugurated several newly constructed roads. One of these roads was renamed Abakpa Road in honour of Gentleman Mike Ejeagha.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by African Folder (@africanfolder)

Enugu State officials honoured the legendary musician, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha.

The legendary musician hails from Imezi Owa in the Eziagu Local Government Area, for his lasting impact on Igbo folk music and culture. The governor made a special visit to Ejeagha’s residence. Emma Ejeagha and Elizabeth Ugwu warmly welcomed the governor upon his arrival at their father’s residence. They are both the children of the renowned musician. They expressed their gratitude to the governor for fulfilling promises made by previous administrations to honour their father’s legacy.

At the street commissioning ceremony, Governor Mbah delighted residents by joining them in the viral “Gwo gwo gwo ngwo” dance steps.

The viral success of “Ka Esi Le Onye Isi Oche” was sparked by Brain Jotter‘s Instagram video on July 5, 2024. This has rekindled widespread interest in Gentleman Mike Ejeagha’s life and career. The song features a clever folklore tale about the cunning tortoise (Mbe) and the mighty elephant (Enyi). This is one of the highlife legend’s most notable works.

Listeners cherish Ejeagha’s music for its incorporation of moral teachings, a wealth of proverbs, and insightful social commentary. Yet, they remain an integral part of Nigerian musical heritage, speaking to generations past and present.

NEWS

Ayra Starr Expresses Sentiments Over Murder Of Christiana Idowu

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2024

Reporter

Ayra Starr expresses anger over murder of student | fab.ng

Nigerian singer Ayra Starr has expressed her outrage over the abduction and murder of Christiana Idowu by Adeleye Ayomide. Christiana is a 300-level student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

On September 5, 2024, Ayra Starr took to X, passionately calling for better treatment of women in society and demanding justice for the slain student. Her message emphasized the need for immediate action to address violence against women and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.

She wrote, “Stop killing us! Stop raping us! Women deserve better #JusticeForChristianah.”

Stop killing us ! Stop raping us ! Women deserve better #JusticeForChristianah

— Celestial being (@ayrastarr) September 5, 2024

The 300-level student from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Christiana Idowu, was abducted along the Ikorodu-Yaba Road in August 2024.

Christiana Idowu

The kidnappers contacted her parents using her WhatsApp account. This prompted her parents to report her missing on August 19, 2024. They sent pictures of Christiana in captivity through WhatsApp’s “view once” feature, demanding ₦1.5 million in ransom. Her parents managed to raise ₦350,000, which they transferred to a betting account as instructed by the kidnappers.

After receiving the money, the kidnappers asked for a copy of the sender’s bank statement. On August 23, Christiana’s family complied, but the kidnappers cut off all contact shortly after. Investigators traced some of the ransom money to Christiana’s GTB account. Then, someone transferred this money to a Wema Bank account. The account belonged to Adeleye Ayomide, a 200-level student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU). Investigators identified Ayomide as the primary suspect.

Adeleye Ayomide, the primary suspect.

On September 3, 2024, police arrested Ayomide, who confessed to killing Christiana and burying her body at his family home.

Get more news updates here.

MUSIC

Fireboy’s “Peru” Gets Diamond Certification In France

Published

2 days ago

September 5, 2024

Reporter

'Peru' diamond certification in France | fab.ng

Fireboy‘s “Peru,” released in 2021, quickly became a global sensation, securing a diamond certification in France. The song charted in several countries, including the US, UK, and France. The Afrobeats rhythmic song resonated with audiences worldwide, earning it a commercial success across multiple regions.

Significantly, the song secured the highest certification for a song in France. The remix features British superstar Ed Sheeran, who played a crucial role in propelling the track to international stardom. This version of “Peru” not only charted in over 20 countries but also made a showing on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at No. 53. In the UK, it soared to No. 2 on the Official Singles Chart. Again in France, it reached No. 28, solidifying its status as a global hit.

The success of “Peru” extends beyond just chart performance.

Across both the original and remix versions, the track has amassed over 450 million streams on Spotify alone. It has been awarded a gold plaque in Denmark and achieved double platinum status in the UK. Notably, “Peru” is one of the select Afrobeats songs to earn a platinum certification from the RIAA, further cementing its place in the genre’s history.

Fireboy DML’s “Peru” featuring Ed Sheeran is now certified Diamond in France 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/o3Wm75zJS6

— Unorthodox Reviews (@OfficialBlog_UR) September 2, 2024

Featured on Fireboy’s third album, “Playboy”, “Peru” catapulted him to international fame. This success earned him a BET nomination and a coveted performance slot at the 2022 edition of the awards. Fireboy’s ability to fuse Afrobeats with global appeal has established him as one of Nigeria’s leading musical exports.

With its recent diamond certification in France, “Peru” joins the ranks of other Nigerian hits.

This includes Oxlade’s “Kulosa,” Ayra Starr’s “Rush,” Burna Boy’s “Last Last,” and Rema’s “Calm Down,” all of which have received SNEP diamond certification.

Building on this momentum, Fireboy continues his global ascent with the release of his fourth album, “Adedamola”. The project features collaborations with prominent artists such as Lagbaja, Grammy nominee Seun Kuti, Lojay, and Grammy Album of the Year winner Jon Batiste, showcasing his ever-expanding influence in the music industry.