State Legislatures Will Approve Share of ECA Withdrawal, Says Masari Insists NGF decision was unanimous Bolaji Adebiyi and Ibrahim Shuaib in Katsina States’ share of the controversial $1 billion approved for withdrawal from
the Excess Crude Account (ECA) by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the National Economic Council (NEC) will be appropriated by the Houses of Assembly of
the 36 states of the federation before its eventual release, Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari, has said. Masari, who spoke to THISDAY on Saturday night
in Katsina, also clarified that the huge sum was approved to improve the operational capability of the military to fight the insurgency in the North-east, insisting that
contrary to the claims of some of his colleagues from the South, the decision was unanimously made when the matter was discussed at both the NGF and the NEC.
Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, had announced at the end of the monthly NEC meeting, penultimate week, Continued on page 8
EFCC Files Fraud Charges Against Innoson Boss, Chukwuma, Others … Page 10 Monday-Tuesday 25 -26 December, 2017 Vol 22. No 8285. Price: N250
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President: Goodwill of the Masses Keeps Me in Politics Babangida, Osinbajo, govs, others praise him, say he’s democratic, humorous Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja, Ejiofor Alike and Eromosele Abiodun in Lagos
L-R: CEO, Chapel Hill Denham, Mr. Bolaji Balogun; Gombe State Governor, Mr. Ibrahim Dankwambo; Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; Mrs. Egbe Otubu; her husband, Dere; former Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; former President, Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; and Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY Newspapers and ARISE News Channel, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena; at Egbe Otubu’s 50th birthday celebrations, held in Lagos… weekend
The much-awaited one-hour documentary meant to depict the lighter side of President Muhammadu Buhari was aired yesterday on the Nigerian Continued on page 9
Buhari Expresses Regret over Fuel Crisis, Subsidy Hits N40.70/Litre Passengers travelling for Christmas stranded NNPC says FG will not raise pump price APC, PDP trade tackles over lingering scarcity Omololu Ogunmade, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Chineme Okafor in Abuja As Nigerians face a bleak Christmas characterised by fuels shortages, soaring
transportation and food prices, and their inability to even travel to their country homes to spend the season with their loved ones, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday broke his silence on the crisis
and expressed his regret over the harrowing situation. He also expressed sympathy with Nigerians. Buhari in a statement that he personally signed and posted on his Twitter
handle @MBuhari, said he sympathised with Nigerians on the “needless” queues they have had to contend with in recent times, adding that he had directed regulators in the oil and gas sector to increase
their surveillance and end hoarding and price hikes by fuel marketers. The president, who said he was being briefed regularly on the effort by the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) to ensure availability of fuel across the country, added that he had been assured by the NNPC that a significant improvement would be witnessed in the Continued on page 8
To our readers: In keeping with our tradition of observing Christmas Day, THISDAY, your favourite newspaper of record, will not be on the newsstands on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 but will be back on Wednesday, December 27, 2017. We wish our readers a very Merry Christmas. – Editor