₦airaland Forum

Chelsea star, Eden Hazard, has said he does not believe Maurizio Sarri will be able to transform him into the kind of prolific scoring false nine, that Dries Mertens blossomed into under the Italian at Napoli.

Hazard passed the 100 mark for Chelsea goals in a 2-1 win over Watford at Vicarage Road on Wednesday, having been deployed in the middle of Sarri’s three-man attack for the fourth consecutive Premier League game.

Those four appearances have yielded three goals and three assists for Hazard, raising hopes that he could make a similar transition to Mertens, who netted 28 goals in 35 Serie A appearances in the 2016-17 season after Sarri shifted him centrally.

Hazard however feels he plays better as a playmaker.

“Dries is more of a striker than me.I am more like a playmaker.

“Since I started [playing] football I like to come and touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That’s why he scores a lot of goals.

“We are different, but I know Sarri likes to change some positions and that happens sometimes,” Hazard said according to ESPN.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/28/epl-hazard-unhappy-new-position-sarri/

Festus Keyamo, the Director of Strategic Communications, President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation (PMBCO) has lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over corruption allegations levelled against the nation’s leader.

Keyamo, in a statement on Wednesday, advised the PDP to stop making wild, unsubstantiated allegations of corruption without a modicum of proof.

“We have no time to respond to any allegation by the PDP without the backing of some kind of document or proof.

“When we see some scintilla of proof, we shall respond appropriately”, the spokesman said.

“And that is how we have treated the recent allegation of acquisition of shares in Etisalat and Keystone Bank by some supposed ‘family members’ of the President.

“No name was mentioned and no document was shown,’’ he said.

Earlier, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said if the PDP wants to make family the issue in the coming elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) would gladly accept the challenge.

Reacting to various comments by several organs of the opposition party on remarks made by the President on views publicly expressed by his wife, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari in an interview, Shehu said questions raised concerning the President by the PDP in regard to his wife only amounted to an own goal.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/27/apc-vs-pdp-buhari-campaign-reacts-corruption-allegation-president/

The Presidency has accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of spreading lies about the Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

It said this in response to allegation that the President Muhammadu Buhari and his appointees were looting.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the PDP was in the mistaken assumption that its toga of corruption will dissipate if it succeeded in black painting every other person as corrupt.

A statement he signed on Wednesday, noted that the strategy was to make corruption appear as normative and that everyone is equally involved.

“They think by so doing, Nigerians will forgive them for their sins. This is a huge mistake,” he said.

“The PDP has become an ill-wind on the country today and the elections next year present the citizens an excellent opportunity to save the country from it.

“We can’t imagine a sane organisation shamelessly telling Nigerians that President Buhari is looting, as they themselves did of the recovered loot, the USD 322m lately recovered from the Abacha family. This is an irresponsible lie.

“The USD 322m recovered is being used to make the Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT of a monthly amount of N5,000 to more than 300,000 poor homes across the nation under the Social Investment Program introduced by the Buhari administration.

“This is in line with the Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the governments of Nigeria and Switzerland as a condition for releasing the funds.

“As part of the MoU, the World Bank is monitoring the application of the funds. It is also important that the World Bank has equally given an additional facility to support the on-going cash transfers.

“Nigerians are hereby advised to be watchful of what comes out from the opposition, not to be misled into voting for a party that sees nothing wrong with corruption and would rather have everyone drenched in its colors, as they irretrievably are.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/26/presidency-reacts-corruption-allegation-buhari-apc-govt/

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP, has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari for singing a popular Christmas song as he felicitated with Christians.

Buhari sang the song alongside his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo and All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Reacting, the former ruling party described the action of the president and others as deception.

In a tweet, spokesperson of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan insisted that Buhari sang Christmas song because he was seeking reelection.

He wrote: “Nigerians celebrated Christmas in December 2015, 2016 and 2017 @MBuhari was not aware of carol songs.

“Suddenly, 50+ days to the presidential election, where he is seeking a re-election, @MBuhari remembered it was Christmas and even sang; We Wish You A Merry Christmas #deception.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/26/2019-presidency-buhari-osinbajo-oshiomhole-deceived-nigerians-christmas-day-pdp/

An inferno from a fallen petroleum tanker has consumed apartments and shops leaving three people dead around MOPOL-nineteen, G.R.A Phase Four, Port Harcourt.

The petroleum tanker, which fell around Rumuola, had spilled its content into the drain extending from Rumuola to MOPOL-nineteen.

Eyewitnesses said the fire burned from the drains, torched shops around Rumoula and stretched to G.R.A Phase Four to burn houses.

Those affected by the inferno that destroyed houses and shops around Rumuola and MOPOL-nineteen area of Port Harcourt have blamed slow response of the Rivers state Fire Service for the level damage done by the fire.

Those who spoke with DAILY POST said the level of damage caused by the fire would have been minimal if the state Fire Service was effective.

One of the respondents, who identified himself as Chibuchi, said, “I am angry because of the magnitude of what I have lost here. When the fire started we were calling Fire Service but they were not responding. And this I not the kind of fire that ordinary people can quench.

“The fire was burning from Rumuola down to this MOPOL-19, If not for the MFM Church that came to the rescue, the damage would have been worse than this.”

In the meantime, Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government, Victor Ihunwo advised residents to be safety conscious during the festive season.

Ihunwo promised that the state government would assist those who lost their loved ones and property in the fire incident.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/25/inferno-fallen-tanker-burns-shops-houses-kills-three-port-harcourt/

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus yesterday urged Nigerians to live in peace with one another in the spirit of Christmas.

In same vein, the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO) has charged Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s Christmas to pray for the nation and focus on their collective resolve to vanquish oppressive forces and build a peaceful, united and prosperous country, where all citizens will live without fear.

In his message, Atiku urged Nigerians to pray for the nation’s military and security forces who are at the frontlines on the war on terror.

He said Nigerians should think about the members of the Armed Forces “who make the relative peace we live in possible. They endure so that we all can enjoy and be happy. Because they gave their all, we all have some peace.”

He noted that since the essence of Christmas is Christ reconciling us to God, Nigerians should as well reconcile with one another during this Yuletide period.

“There are too much divisions in our nation today and it is up to each and everyone of us to inject the healing and unifying serum of love for our neighbour into the nation’s consciousness this Christmas,” he added.

In his own statement released by his special adviser on media, Ike Abonyi, Secondus said: “We need political leaders that can bring smiles on the faces of the people and such leaders can only come from God through our sincere supplications.”

The PDP national chairman noted that the 2019 general elections provides Nigerians the opportunity to rescue not just our democracy but the country.

“The indignation in our faces across board shows it all that the people are sad and disappointed; let us therefore pray for a peaceful election to usher in joy in the land,” Secondus added.

A statement by the director, Media and Publicity of PPCO, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour, signifies the triumph of light over darkness and offers Nigerians the new hope and spiritual impetus in their shared quest for a brighter future for the ation under a new administration.

He said, “The PPCO laments the ugly situation in which Nigerians cannot celebrate a wholesome Christmas as they used to do prior to the emergence of the Buhari presidency in 2015.

“PPCO however charges Nigerians not to despair as the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom they have resolved to elect as their new President, has already perfected templates to revamp our economy and ease suffering in our nation.

“Nigerians should therefore celebrate this year’s Christmas focusing on the brighter future that awaits our nation under Atiku Abubakar as the next president and not on the pessimism and promise of more suffering by President Buhari.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/25/atiku-secondus-pdp-preach-peace/

In its efforts to ensure a crime-free Christmas celebration in Plateau State, the Police Command in the state on Monday said it has deployed 2, 046 of its officers to protect lives and property of the citizenry.

The Command also re-echoed her earlier ban on the use of fireworks, bangers, knockouts among others.

The Command through its spokesman, DSP Mathias Terna Tyopev disclosed this to journalists in Jos the State Capital.

Tyopev said, “The Nigeria Police Plateau State Command, Jos wants to reassure members of the public that we have put in place comprehensive security strategies to prevent crime before, during and after this yuletide season.

“As such, a total of two thousand and forty six police personnel have being carefully selected, trained and deployed to protect lives and property of members of the public.

“The Police is also in synergy with other security agencies in the State to ensure a crime free yuletide season,” he explained.

“In line with the above, the Command has professionally positioned its patrol vehicles in strategic areas day and night so as to respond promptly to distress calls from members of the society.

“The Command wishes to re-echo her earlier ban on the use of fireworks, bangers, knockouts. This is because our officers and men are out to make sure that both Christmas and New Year activities are celebrated without any hitches and distraction”, he warned.

“Consequently, we plead with parents/guardians to help guide their children and wards to be law abiding.”

The Command advised the public to board vehicles only in designated parks in the state and avoid boarding on the highway in order not to fall for the criminal antics of bad people who operate outside the parks.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/24/christmas-plateau-police-command-deploys-2046-personnel/

Amid glaring evidence of sexual defilement, the Minna Chief Magistrate Court 3 in Niger State has granted bail to one Zakari Yusuf, a serial rapist, alleged to have tormented and sexually abused an 11-year-old girl, Safiya Muhammad.

The court also adjourned hearing into the case till Tuesday 8 January, 2018.

Safiya, a primary four pupil who resides at Soje area in Minna, the Niger State’s capital, together with her family, PRNigeria gathered, had become the object of routine sexual gratification for Zakari.

The accused, a young man in his late twenties, it was learnt, has been having penetrative sex with the young Safiya for almost two years before she developed Vesico-Vaginal Fistula, otherwise known as VVF, a health condition which results in the uncontrollable discharge of urine and faeces through a female’s vagina.

In the wake of the incident, Executive members of the National Association of Niger State Law Students’ (NANIGLAWS), launched a social media campaign tagged: “Justice for Safiya”.

After paying an empathy visit to the family of Safiya, the NANIGLAWS delegation led by its President, Suleiman S. Jipan, stormed the office of the Child Right Agency.

The students’ association, at the office had a fruitful discussion with the Agency’s top management, alongside the representatives of the state’s Ministry of Justice, Human Rights Commission, and a staff of Prestige FM, Minna.

It was resolved in the meeting, that the Department of Gender Violation at the Ministry of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission, should henceforth handle the case.

A source privy to the matter disclosed that the suspect threatened to kill her if she reveals anything about his amorous escapades with her to anyone.

The source said: “We just found out that Zakari has been having carnal knowledge with little Safiya. This started about two years ago when Safiya was nine. Though, we are aware that Zakari, been a neighbor to Safiya’s parents regularly asks the little girl to run errands for him. But nobody had suspected anything bad, because he was jovial and friendly to Safiya, and her parents.

“Safiya’s mother recently came to discover about Zakari’s illicit affairs with her child, when she saw her daughter walking in strange manner after living the room of the rapist. Zakari threatened to chop-off Safiya’s head if she exposes him to her parents or any third party.”

However, the bubble was busted when Safiya developed Vesico-Vaginal Fistula, otherwise known as VVF, a health condition which results in the uncontrollable discharge of urine and feces through a female’s vagina.

Upon discovering Safiya’s terrible condition, the under-aged girl exposed Zakari to her parent, who then reported the case to officials of the State’s Child Right Agency, a fortnight ago.

The Agency, after been informed about Safiya’s case, was passionately interested in prosecuting Zakari.

The source however said: “It was obvious that men of the Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) did not do a thorough investigation. Otherwise, the Magistrate Court will not have even considered the defendant’s bail application, much less granting him bail over the heinous crime he committed.”

In a telephone chat with PRNigeria, the Police Command’s Public Relation Officer (PPRO), DSP Muhammad Dan-Inna Abubakar, debunked the claim that the CID men did not carry out a diligent inquiry on the matter.

The police spokesperson said: “Those who said that the police didn’t do a thorough investigation are merely expressing their bias views, which obviously are erroneous and malicious. They cannot tell or show us how efficient we can do our work. It is a public Knowledge that we swiftly acted upon hearing about the case, by first arresting the suspect, interrogated and subsequently arraigned him before the Magistrate Court. That he was granted bail, shows that the prosecuting counsel failed to convince the court with strong arguments, on why the accused should remain in detention. So, their argument is neither here nor there.”

DSP Abubakar noted that only a law court has the jurisdiction to convict a suspect over a crime, and that is after examining the facts and evidences presented by both the prosecutor and defence counsel.

He said the police vehemently frown against perpetrating criminal activities in the state, hence will support families of rape victims to seek justice in courts.

Speaking on the matter, Barrister Maxwell Gada, Legal Secretary of Oga-Landlord Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that handles cases of sexual abuse, and other forms of human rights violation, expressed dismay that the suspect, who is now threatening the girl’s family, was granted bail for raping a minor and causing her serious injuries on her sexual organ.

He said it was unfortunate that based on the evidence(s) brought by the prosecutor, the offence perpetrated by the suspect was considered to be ‘Defilement of a Minor’, instead of ‘Rape of a Minor’.

Barr. Gada, however assured that his NGO, together with the Child Right Agency, will ensure that Zakari is prosecuted, while the victim undergoes a surgical operation to correct her VVF condition.

Also, Jipan appealed for a meticulous and thorough investigation to be re-launched into the matter, and spear-headed by a new team of investigators.

“NANIGLAWS is begging the State Government, spirited individuals and NGOs to come to the aid of our dear sister, Safiya. Her condition, which is fast deteriorating, is a thing of great concern. Something must be done so as to save the life of the young girl, and her bright future,” he said.

The NANIGLAWS President, called on the Police to provide adequate security for Safiya’s traumatised family, saying: “The accused Zakari has threatened to deal with the girl and members of her family for taking the case to court.”

The Clerk of Niger State House of Assembly during a recent live programme on Prestige FM, 91.7, about Safiya’s ordeal, personally called in and donated an undisclosed sum of money.

But Safiya, our reporter learnt, has been taken into protective custody and receiving sound medical attention at an unknown facility, following a directive by the Wife of Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Sani-Bello.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/24/rapist-serially-abused-11-year-old-granted-bail-threatens-girls-family-%e2%80%a2victim-develops-vvf-infection/

The former governor of Oyo State and a chieftain of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has been in the news for moving from one party to another.

With less than two months to the general election, Ladoja’s defection from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to ZLP has continued to raise dusts.

He has however opened up on his reasons for moving from one party to another with journalists, in a new interview drafted from Nigerian Tribune.

Excerpts:

You have moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Accord Party (AP) and later back to PDP from where you moved to African Democratic Congress (ADC) and now you are in Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). What brought about the decision to ditch ADC with less than two months to elections?

The election is not as close as many people think. The first election is still about two months away. In politics, how many times do you have to tell people where you are going before they begin to know where you are going?

For me, it is not about how long, but how well. With the level of communication today, there is virtually no area in Oyo State today where you don’t have a radio station. So, you can disseminate your information through radio, television, personal touch and even visits.

You can drive round the state in two three days and meet the people you want to meet as you prepare for elections. So, all you need to do is to canvass very well and let the people decide. The people of Oyo State trust me; they just want to know where they are going.

So, it is not too late to move if you emphasise what you stand for. It is not too late to make the right moves. The people already know where Ladoja stands. They know when I recommend something and they trust me so much.
Talking about trust, you have moved the same set of people and structure from one party to another over the years. It is expected that some people might be tired of moving around without getting what they truly want. Why are you sure the people will trust your decision again this time?

What I mean by ‘trusting me’ is that they know that I am always looking for what is best for my people.

When you left Accord for PDP, you moved your political structure into the party but when you left PDP for ADC, some of your loyalists, like Chief Bisi Ilaka, stayed back. While in ADC, some of your loyalists picked up tickets in the party. Now that you are in ZLP, you seem to have your loyalists scattered across the parties in the state. Don’t you foresee a repeat of what happened in 2015 when the sitting governor had 32 per cent of the votes?

I will tell you that what happened in 2015 is different from what is happening now. After the 2015 election and the governor scored 32 per cent, I had 29 per cent, while Adebayo Alao-Akala had 14 per cent.

Teslim Folarin had seven per cent and Seyi Makinde had five per cent. Some people felt then that had I, Alao-Akala, Teslim and Makinde pulled our resources together, we would have won the election. But people tend to forget that politics is not arithmetic.

You can’t say that because Ladoja scored 29 per cent and Alao-Akala scored 14 per cent, if the two of us had worked together, we would have defeated Abiola Ajimobi.

But that’s not true because that was what got us to PDP in the first place, only to find out that after the tenure of the former PDP chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, the succeeding leadership was not as diligent. We discovered that the decisions they wanted us to take did not go down well with us. So, we pulled out of PDP.

As I always say, politics is personal and the fact is the number of people actively involved in politics is just 10 per cent of the people that would vote. In most cases, the voters are the ones that determine who they want to vote. So, it is not about the number of people in a party that matters, what is important is the people that would vote. In ZLP, our winning strength is in the masses.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/23/keep-moving-one-party-another-ladoja/

The 2018/19 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season is poised to kick off January 13, following a directive issued to the League Management Company (LMC) by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

This was contained in a statement issued by the NFF’s media department on Friday, in reaction to letters received from clubs that qualified for the Super 8 Tournament of the Nigeria National League (NNL).

They complained that their teams are depleted and therefore, do not have enough personnel to prosecute the Super 8 as earlier scheduled, which would have enabled the NPFL to commence on December 30, 2018.

The three clubs that showed up in Aba as directed, would each receive a compensation of the sum of N2million each, while the matter of the five that failed to show up would be referred to the relevant NFF committee to deal with.

The full NFF Statement:

Following the directive to the eight Clubs qualified for the Super 8 Tournament of the Nigeria National League to proceed to Aba for the tournament, we received letters from Clubs to the effect that they presently do not have enough players to prosecute the tournament. Apparently, most Clubs in the country’s Leagues sign a good number of their players for only one season. These personnel appear to have floated to other Clubs in search of greener pastures.

In view of the above, and the contrite tone of their letters, the Emergency Committee has opted to allow the affected Clubs two (2) weeks to recruit players to beef up their playing personnel, after which they will then prosecute the Super 8. The NNL should therefore pick new dates not later than 3rd January for the tournament.

In the meantime, the matter relating to the five (5) affected Clubs will be referred to the relevant NFF committee to deal with while the three (3) Clubs that showed up in Aba as directed will each be paid compensation of the sum of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira Only).

The League Management Company (LMC) is hereby advised to ensure the commencement of the NPFL 2018/2019 Season, not later that 13th January 2019.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/22/npfl-2018-2019-season-kick-off-january-13/

Alexis Sanchez has denied he was involved in a bet with teammate Marco Rojo, over the future of former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho was sacked on Tuesday, following a turbulent start to the season, which culminated in last Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Anfield.

Sanchez has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury and has been recouperating in Chile, ahead of his likely comeback at the start of next month.

The former Arsenal forward was reported to have bet £20,000 with Rojo, that Mourinho would not see out the seaso,n but the 30-year-old, who celebrated his birthday earlier this week, has angrily denied those accusations.

Sanchez tweeted: “This is FALSE!!! José gave me the chance to play for the best team in the world and I only have gratitude for him.

“We are a truly United team. We are MANCHESTER UNITED. Respect. I can’t wait to help the team !. Good luck tomorrow family!”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/21/epl-alexis-sanchez-breaks-silence-betting-20000-mourinhos-sack/

Nigeria’s Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki has sued workers of the National Assembly for embarking on an industrial action over unpaid allowances.

In a an ex-parte motion issued by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja, and which was signed by the Assistant Chief Registrar, Hauwa Yakubu, Esq., the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara sought a restraining order stopping the workers under the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) from proceeding on strike.

The “order of interim injunction”, issued through suit No. NICN/ABJ/360/2018 dated 18th December, 2018, directed the leadership of PASAN and their agents to refrain from proceeding on strike.

It states inter alia:

“An order of interim injunction restraining all the defendants /respondents, particularly their agents, provides, servants, however called from taking steps to proceed or proceeding on strike, pending the determination of the motion. ”

“An interim injunction restraining PASAN, their agents, privies, servants from giving directives to their members to proceed or proceeding on strike.”

The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria in the National Assembly on Monday embarked on a four-day warning strike over unpaid allowances to the tune of N2.7 billion.

DAILY POST reports also that PASAN members were stopped from gaining access to the National Assembly on Wednesday when President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2019 appropriation bill.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/20/strike-saraki-sues-national-assembly-workers/

Nigeria’s foremost female singing sensation, Tiwa Savage, has cleared the air, explaining that her being in the entertainment industry is not out of her desire for material gains.

Speaking to her teeming fans and admirers this morning (Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018), the performing artiste said that her career is purely from her heart.

“Not for money or fame. It’s truly from the heart,” she said on her Instagram page.

Is it true? If you ask me na who I go ask?

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/18/tiwa-savage-clears-air/

Over 25,000 supporters of former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, known as the Kwankwasiyya movement, in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Members of the group from Kano South were received by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Tuesday.

The Governor also presented flags to all candidates contesting for seats in the House of Representatives and state sssembly in the 2019 general elections.

The new members said they were in Rano Local Government Area to witness the formal presentation of flags to Senator Kabiru Gaya and other candidates from Kano South.

The Governor said, “President Muhammadu Buhari’s unrelenting efforts in developing our dear country from all fronts, particularly in the areas he (Buhari) identified as his priorities, security, economy and employment, are platforms to give us more courage for 2019.

“Nigeria has no any other serious candidate than President Muhammadu Buhari. We believe in his honesty, integrity, accountability and transparency attributes.

“That is why his good work as our President goes across the nation. Without considering any ethnic, religious or sectional lines, he is a true patriotic democrat and a sincere Nigerian.”

The Governor called on the party faithful to work towards President Muhammadu Buhari re-election in 2019.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/18/defection-25000-kwankwaso-supporters-dump-pdp-apc-kano/

The Court of Appeal on Monday in Abuja struck out an appeal filed by the Federal Government challenging the discharge of Justice Adeniyi Ademola, his wife Olubowale, and Joe Agi (SAN), from answering fraud charges.

An FCT High Court had on April 5 dismissed all 18 counts, including gratification charges preferred against them following ruling on a no-case-submission application.

Delivering judgment, Justice Olabisi Ige held that all the objections raised in the Notice of Appeal filed by the appellant were un-meritorious.

NAN quoted the judge as saying it was not in the place of law and practice direction of the court to interfere with a decision of the trial court without substantial reasons.

According to him, the grounds upon which the appellant is seeking the setting aside of the ruling of the trial court are not properly laid.

He said the appellant had not been able to discountenance the reasons that warranted the discharge of the three respondents.

Justice Ige held that some of the prosecution witnesses in the matter at the trial court had completely acted in ignorance of the situation they investigated.

On the voiding of Sections 53 and 60 of the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Act, which the trial held was in conflict with Section 36 (5) of the Constitution; the judge said the decision subsisted.

Justice Ige, however, said that sections of an Act could only be voided to the extent of their inconsistency with the Constitution.

“From the notice of appeal, no mention was made on this aspect which means that the appellant is satisfied with the striking down of Sections 53 and 60 of the ICPC Act.

“Having not appealed against the striking down of Sections 53 and 60 of the ICPC Act, the decision of the trial court subsists.

“All the three issues brought for the court to decide are hereby ruled against the appellant and the appeal is struck out for lacking in merit.

“The ruling of justice Jude Okeke of the FCT High Court delivered on April 5 is hereby affirmed’’, the judge held.

The charges were filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation following the raid by Department of State Service’s operatives on the judge’s house on Oct. 7, 2016.

The trial court had ruled that the prosecution was unable to make out a prima facie case with respect to any of the 18 counts on concluding its case with 19 witnesses

The court held that it would amount to asking the defendants to prove their innocence contrary to the provision of ‎the Constitution which required the prosecution to prove their guilt.

Ademola, a retired justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, his wife and Agi had stood the trial on allegations of gratification to influence the decisions of cases before the former.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/18/justice-ademola-wife-floor-fg-court/

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has posed ten questions President Muhammadu Buhari must answer.

Atiku in a statement by his media team, while criticizing Buhari’s anti-corruption war, cited some cases Nigerians needed answers to.

The former vice president, citing cases of abandoned corrupt cases, condemned the appearance of Babachir Lawal, Buhari’s former Secretary to the Government of the Federation at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, December 13, 2018.

DAILY POST recalls that Lawal, who is been investigated by EFCC for alleged irregularities in Presidential Initiative on North-East (PINE) activities, attended the launch of Together Nigeria, organized by the Buhari Support Organization (BSO) in Aso Rock, Abuja.

Reacting, Atiku condemned Babachir’s visit, describing it as a stain to the anti-corruption war promoted by Buhari’s administration.

According to him, “ It is a very sad day for Nigeria when the President honours a man proven beyond all reasonable doubt to have soiled his hands with money meant for starving refugees.”

The statement read in part: “These are the actions which feed the perceptions that have made Nigeria turn in its worst ever Corruption Perception Index rating by Transparency International where we went back 12 steps in 2018’s rankings, moving from 136 under President Jonathan to 148 today.

“According to Transparency International, Nigeria is more corrupt today and we ask the government to answer a few questions including:

“Who reinstated and double promoted Maina?

“Who owns the Ikoyi Apartment $42 million?

“What has happened to Aisha Buhari’s ADC who looted ₦2.5 billion?

“Why was the $25 billion NNPC contracts awarded without due process investigated?

“Why haven’t those behind Buhari’s padded budget scandals been sacked or charged to court?

“When will Babachir be charged?

“How come fuel subsidy has doubled even when petrol price has doubled?

“Why did President Buhari lift the suspension of the corrupt NHIS boss, Usman Yusuf, before public pressure forced him to suspend him? Why has he not been charged?

“In May, Transparency International warned that Buhari had increased Security Vote by 600%, yet our soldiers have no weapons and are killed by terrorists. Where is the money going?

“In February Buhari withdrew $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to ostensibly fund the war on terror, yet the Chief of Army Staff said after Metele that they have no weapons. Where did that money go?

“Answers to these and other questions are urgently required from President Buhari by Nigerians and failure to answer them only proves that under Buhari, the All Progressive Congress Government is not just Corrupt, but corruption is its policy.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/17/atiku-releases-10-questions-buhari-must-answer/

The lawmaker representing Kaduna Central at the upper chambers of the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has given reasons the 2019 general election cannot be free and fair.

Senator Sani pointed out that a government that cannot obey the rule of law cannot boast of organising a free and fair election.

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been consistently accused of disobeying the rule of law mainly by the opposition.

Although the government machinery have in more than one occasion debunked the allegation, Senator Sani believes that “rule of law is the horse and free elections is the cart.”

In a tweet on Monday, Sani said, “When a Government habitually disobeys court orders and factually violates fundamental rights, there’s enough material evidence to denounce its attitude to rule of law and doubts its commitment to free and transparent elections.

“Rule of law is the horse and free elections is the cart.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/17/2019-buhari-govt-wont-conduct-free-fair-elections-shehu-sani/

The Nigerian Army has called for the closure of the Amnesty International offices in Nigeria, alleging there is credible evidence the organisation is working hard to destabilise the country.

The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Monday that the organisation’s attempt to destabilise the nation was noted through fabrication of fictitious allegations of alleged human rights abuses against the Nigerian security forces.

Usman also alleged the AI had engaged in clandestine sponsorship of dissident groups to protest, as well as unfounded allegations against the leadership of the Nigerian military.

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Enough is Enough, and BudgIT) had called for the probing of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) over the funding of the war against terrorism and other crimes in the country.

The CSOs alleged the army had not made commensurate achievement in the fight in line with the huge fund the federal government allocated to the fight.

The COAS, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, however, explained that some of the allocated funds has yet to be cash backed and that it had not reached the army.

Usman said the Nigerian branch of AI that has hitherto been well respected has deviated from the core values, principles and objectives of the original parent body in the United Kingdom.

“They have tried over the years using Boko Haram terrorists conflicts, Islamic Movement in Nigeria, some activists and now herders-farmers conflicts”, the statement added.

“The NGO is at the verge of releasing yet another concocted report against the military, ostensibly against the Nigerian Army.

“Consequently, Nigerians should be wary of Amnesty International (Nigeria) because it’s goals are to destabilise Nigeia and to dismember it.

“The Nigerian Army has no option than to call for the closure of Amnesty International offices in Nigeria, if such recklessness continues.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/17/amnesty-international-leave-nigeria-army/

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says he is not a spare tyre to the president, emphasising that his roles as the number two citizen are spelt out in the constitution.

Osinbajo said this during the vice-presidential debate organised by the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).

He said this differs from the constitution of other countries.

Asked how taking the job of the vice-president has been since he assumed office over three years, Osinbajo said the demand of the role has since increased his grey hair.

He, however, said despite the herculean nature of his job, it has also been rewarding.

“I am sure that those who know me quite well know that my hair was not this grey when I started out in 2015. So really, it has been tasking,” Osinbajo said.

“And it has also been an incredibly rewarding experience especially looking at it from the point of view of the ability to do the things that one wanted to do all along as an individual.

“The role is one where you are in many senses the chief adviser to the president of the country and possibly the one person that would represent him when he is absent for a meeting and even when he is absent for a longer period.

“So there is a sense in which the role of the vice president is one that very closely mirrors the role of the president in very profound ways.

“But our vice-presidency is different from that of other countries. Because unlike other countries, even countries that have similar constitutions, our own constitution actually specifies role for the vice president. The vice president is the chairman of the national economic council…that is a constitutional role.

“In some senses, those who say the role of the vice president is like a spare tyre have it wrong because they are probably looking at other jurisdictions. In our jurisdiction, there are specific roles that the vice-president is entitled by law to perform.

“The vice president is also the chairman of the NCP, that is the national council of privatisation, the vice president is also statutory chairman over 22 parastatals and agencies and these are defined by law.

“That role is one that a good degree of trust is required between the president and the vice president. The role of the vice-president is one which also requires, I think, a great deal of patience because you may not always agree with the policies.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/17/im-not-buharis-spare-tyre-says-osinbajo/

This week’s big game in the Premier League is between bitter rivals Liverpool and Manchester United.

The Reds are in a rich vein of form and go into the clash top of the table, after toppling Manchester City last weekend.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are the only unbeaten team in the top division and host United, who are out of sorts this season.

Jose Mourinho’s men occupy sixth position and are 16 points off Liverpool.

Kick off is 5pm West African time.

Liverpool XI vs Man United: Alisson, Clyne, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino

Man United XI vs Liverpool: De Gea, Dalot, Smalling, Lindelof, Darmian, Herrera, Matic, Rashford, Lingard, Young, Lukaku

Sunday, December 16
17:00 Liverpool vs Manchester United

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/16/livescore-latest-epl-result-liverpool-vs-manchester-united/

Kanye West has attacked popular American Singer, Ariana Grande after she criticised him over his feud with Drake.

DAILY POST recalls that Kanye caused a stir on social media few days ago after he posted dozens of tweets insulting Drake, accusing him of being a bully and threatening his family.

Following the attention of Kanye’s tweets, Grande making reference to the spat on Twitter asked that her followers to pay more attention to the new singles that she and Miley Cyrus were preparing to release.

“Guys, I know there are grown men arguing online but Miley and I are dropping our beautiful, new songs tonight so if you all could please just behave for just like a few hours so the girls can shine that’d be so sick thank you,” she wrote.

However, this did not go down well with Kanye as he called her out for mocking his struggles with mental health issues.

He accused her of using his ‘mental health issues’ to promote her new music.

Kanye tweeted: “I know Ariana said this to be cool and didn’t mean no harm but I don’t like even slightest level of slight commentary from someone I know, loves and respects me.”

Ariana Grande, however, didn’t replies Kanye’s comment.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/16/drake-kanye-west-attacks-ariana-grande-joking-mental-health/

“You don’t need to shut down your economy in order to fight corruption.”

— Peter Obi.

“You cannot leave your economy to looters or else there’ll be no economy at all.”

— Yemi Osinbajo

These valid statements, in my mind, summarise the true state of the Nigerian situation, from which all our leaders should pick some valuable lessons.

Peter Obi is correct and a million times correct that a war against corruption need not lead to poverty of the people. America, Britain, Germany, etc, are fighting corruption, but not at the expense of economic growth. Take it or leave it, the way and manner of the war against corruption of this present administration has virtually crippled our economy.

Genuine investors and manufacturers are scared stiff, as all it takes is just for an opponent or competitor to rub you with the mud of corruption and you’re finished.

Let the government go back to the drawing board and fine tune and restrategise, in this area. Nigerians love the Buhari administration for its stance against corruption, Nigerians love Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo, for their unblemished character and sterling leadership qualities, but they need to work on the economy.

Professor Yemi Osinbajo is correct and ten million times right that no economy can flourish in the hands of looters; it just can’t work, as the end result will be mass poverty and a clique of aristocrats, as happened in these past years.

No matter the level of prosperity of a nation, if the leadership cannot face corruption squarely in the face and tackle it squarely and meaningfully, whatever gains the economy may record will be frittered away by the wicked kleptomaniacs.

So the lesson from both submissions is to find the appropriate means of fighting corruption by strengthening the institutions involved, namely the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary. Then gather a sound economic team to face the task of nation building, move away from deploying anti-corruption war to fight political battles and entrench sound professionalism in that regard.

Let the leadership face the task of governance squarely, and guide the professionals to fight the war against corruption purely in a professional style.

Kudos to John Momoh and his team for that great outing, which can be made more robust by including Omoyele Sowore and a few others.

God bless Nigeria.

•Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, Esq., erudite lawyer and activist, wrote from Lekki, Lagos.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/16/lessons-vice-presidential-candidates-debate-ebun-olu-adegboruwa/

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand has disclosed two major problems affecting manager, Jose Mourinho’s side this season.

According to Ferdinand, the two major problems with Mourinho’s men was low confidence and their position on the Premier League table.

Speaking to reporters in Kenya, Express UK quoted Ferdinand as saying: “The current situation at Manchester United is not good.

“Confidence is low and our league position is not great.

“Something urgent needs to happen to stop the slide.”

Man United have been struggling so far this season. The Red Devils are currently in fifth position on the Premier League table with 26 points from 16 games.

United will on Sunday evening tackle Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League fixture.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/15/epl-rio-ferdinand-outlines-two-major-problems-man-united-season/

As the 2019 general elections draw nearer, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, on Friday, said the Nigeria Governors’ Forum has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.

He equally said the both the APC and the PDP governors praised President Buhari for rescuing the country from “crisis and poverty”.

Lalong stated this while declaring his campaign office open in Jos, the State Capital.

He said, “I’m just coming back from Abuja; today, all the governors, we went to greet Mr. President, both APC and PDP governors; we were surprised, we thought it was only APC governors that like President Buhari.

“But when we got there, everybody praised President Muhammadu Buhari, both the APC and PDP governors.

“They said Mr. President, you have done very well for this country, that you have rescued Nigeria from crisis and poverty.”

According to him, “And they concluded, by saying, our prayer is, may God grant you victory and may he also grant us in the coming elections.

“I say this because, this office is supposed to serve not only me, but President Muhammadu Buhari; because the governors are the chairmen of the campaign in their States.

“Already, every governor is charged with the responsibility of not only delivering himself and everybody to the House of Assembly, but also to deliver the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“But today, I think the exercise has been made very easy for us; from what I saw today, from my colleagues, it means we are waiting to swear-in Mr. President again as the President of the Federal Republic”, he assured.

In his remarks, Chairman of the ruling APC in the State, Latep Dabang, said the Governor’s campaign office is the best in town, describing others as imitations.

Dabang said the Governor had driven the manifesto of the party as he ought to and had been executing it judiciously.

Earlier in his welcome address, Director General of the Campaign Organization, Arch Pam Dung Gyang, said the leadership style of the Governor had shown that he is putting the state on the right track.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/14/2019-apc-pdp-governors-endorsed-buhari-gov-lalong/

Francois Fall, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and the head of the UN Regional Office for the region (UNOCA), has called on the international community to place the Boko Haram terrorist sect on watchlist.

Fall stated this at the UN headquarters in New York while briefing the Security Council on developments in the Central African sub-region, NAN reports.

Fall said: “the Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremist group was also a malicious threat to the region that the international community needed to watch carefully, as it continues to launch ‘indiscriminate attacks’ against security forces as well as civilians.

“Efforts to stamp out Boko Haram should also focus on addressing the root causes of the insurgency,” said the UN envoy.

He warned that the rising violence in the Central African Republic threatened to spill across the border into neighbouring countries, creating further instability, and urged continued and coordinated regional efforts to bolster peace and security.

He said a comprehensive and cautious approach is needed against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) as the African Union works to replace its ongoing initiative against the rebel group.

Fall however warned that replacing the AU’s initiative to neutralise the LRA should not leave a security vacuum that the group could exploit to relaunch and intensify its campaign of violence.

He informed the 15-member Council of a number of recent election campaigns, including the October parliamentary ballots in São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as legislative and local elections in Gabon, adding that elections in Chad, scheduled for November, had been postponed.

“I encourage the Chadian authorities to organise these elections as soon as possible and call on the international community to provide the necessary financial support to the Government, as required,” Fall said.

On Cameroon, the UN official raised concern over continuing reports of alleged human rights violations and called on the Government to speed up its efforts towards decentralisation as well as promotion of bilingualism and multiculturalism, as tensions between French and English-speaking communities continue.

Cameroon’s Anglophone regions the country’s northwest and southwest regions – have seen multiple strikes and demonstrations over the past year as tensions mounted over what the country’s English-speakers see as discrimination against them in favour of the majority French-speaking population.

Fall urged nations in Central Africa to “remain committed” to institutional reform at the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), particularly with regard to funding mechanisms to ensure the effective implementation of key projects in the areas of peace, security and governance”.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/14/boko-haram-placed-watchlist-un/

Some contractors under the umbrella of Kaduna Drainage Contractors have given Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai of Kaduna State a five-day ultimatum to invite them for a round-table meeting for the payment of the amount owed them or face a sit-down protest at the entrance of the government house.

The contractors decried the refusal of the Kaduna state government to pay their contracts fees said to be totalling N1.2 billion.

The contractors, who gave a-five-day ultimatum for the government to invite them for a roundtable meeting, vowed to embark on a sit-down protest at the entrance to the government house should it fail to pay them at the expiration of the ultimatum.

While addressing newsmen shortly after an emergency meeting of the group held in Kaduna, the Public Relations Officers of the Kaduna Road Agency, KADRA, Nasir Abubakar explained that they (contractors) would not only occupy the gate leading to the government house but will also mobilise their children, wives and family members to join the sit-down protest.

According to him, the contracts were said to be scattered across seven local government areas of Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi, Chikun, Zaria, Sabo Gari, and Jama’a in the state.

The 489 contractors, who were part of the contracts, alleged that some selected close allies of the Governor were paid the sum of six hundred million naira in December, 2017.

“At the initial, the allocated amount for the said contracts was N3.5 billion and thereafter it was screened to N1.8 billion with the inauguration of a committee headed by the Secretary to Kaduna State Government, SSG, Abass Balarebe.

“As I speak to you now, 46 contractors are currently in jail, because they couldn’t pay for the materials collected, ranging from blocks, planks, sand, granite, among other materials,” Abubakar explained.

The contractors alleged that from information available to them, there was an order for the approval of six hundred million naira to be paid to the drainage contractors, as at the time of meeting, yet nobody out of the contractors has received any payment alert.

The group however called on the Kaduna State government to ensure the payment of the amount owed them, as matter of urgency.

When contacted on phone, the commissioner of finance, Abdul Kwari, distanced his office from the allegations, saying that the Kaduna Road Agency was in a better position to talk on the issue.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/13/kaduna-contractors-give-el-rufai-ultimatum-threaten-occupy-govt-house-wives-children/

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday reiterated that he will not hold on to power if he is defeated at the 2019 presidential election.

President Buhari made the assertion at the 3rd Coronation Anniversary of the Olu of Warri Kingdom, HRM. Ogiame Ikenwoli.

The President, who was represented by the Minister of Petroleum Resources (State) Dr. Ibe Kachukwu, said he will ensure that the 2019 general elections is free and fair, adding that “Nigerians will be allowed to vote their consciences.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’Ad Abubakar III, advised politicians not to see the forthcoming elections as a “do or die” affair to serve the people.

The revered monarch said, “Politicians must love themselves, respect themselves and show understanding to one another,” pointing out that the country needed peace and good governance.

“They should respect the people’s wishes and allow them to go and vote who they want to lead them. We don’t want a situation where peanuts are given to the people to go and vote,” just as he enjoined the electorate to use their voter cards wisely.

Abubakar III said the Delta State Governor, Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, should ensure he fulfilled his promises of constructing roads in the land and creeks in the State.

While noting that Nigeria needed peace, Abubakar III said, “There is hunger in the land.”

He attributed the hunger to poverty and bad governance amongst others.

The monarch noted that Warri, Delta State ought to be a replica of Dubai considering the amount of oil revenue that comes out of the place.

According to the monarch, the reverse is the case for Warri as it has been grossly under-developed as a result of bad governance by successive governments.

While calling on the presidency to rise up to the occasion, the Sultan said, “We need to have a very developed area where people of the world live in peace.”

The Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, in his address read by Chief Brown Mene, urged Itsekiri politicians to play politics in violent-free manner, respect one another and as well put Itsekiri interests first at all times.

“They must see themselves as members of one big family or as Itsekiri (One of our most experienced and old chiefs) succinctly puts it, our politicians must see themselves as automatic members of Itsekiri Party, irrespective of their political affiliations.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/12/2019-presidency-ill-not-hold-on-to-power-if-defeated-buhari-declares/

The Federal Government says though it is the constitutional right of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo to support a candidate for an election, his endorsement does not guarantee victory.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the government on Monday in Abuja, said Obasanjo’s candidate for the presidential election, Atiku Abubakar “will be defeated roundly and comprehensively’’.

“With due respect to former President Obasanjo, it is his constitutional right to support any candidate of his choice and we urge him to go out and campaign vigorously for any candidate he wants to support.

“He has not hidden his preference for the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we wish him very best of luck.

“However, I want to assure you that his candidate will be defeated roundly and comprehensively. It is not about endorsement, endorsement does not win election,’’ he said.

The minister also responded to a statement credited to the former President that, “only a fool will sit on the fence when his or her country is being destroyed with incompetence, corruption lack of focus, insecurity nepotism and brazen impunity’’.

Mohammed said he held Obasanjo in high esteem and probably he was not properly briefed on the development in the country to have made such conclusions,.

“The facts are all there that this government has done more than any other governments in three and half years.

On corruption, the minister said that the government had put in place institutional reforms which had confirmed its sincerity and commitment to fighting the menace.

“It is not about putting people in Jail but what are the things put in place to address this endemic problem.

“Take the example of Treasury Single Account TSA, which was not initiated by this government. It is only the Buhari administration that has the political will to implement it.

“Before we came in, there were over 22,000 government accounts in various banks.

“Since we came, we reduced it to one account and from 2015 to date N8.9 trillion has passed through the TSA which is as a result of transparency and accountability,’’ he said.

The minister said that even with lean resources, the Buhari administration had spent more on infrastructure than the 16 years of the PDP administration.

He said there was no state in the country without one or two infrastructure development being embarked upon by the federal government.

The minister said the Administration had commissioned the Abuja to Kaduna standard rail gauge while the 156 km Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge would be ready for commissioning in March next year.

He said the government had made fund available for five critical infrastructure projects including the Mambilla power project, the East-West Road, the second Niger Bridge, the Abuja – Kano and Abuja-Lokoja-Okenne highways.

Mohammed said the efforts of the administration in diversifying the economy away from oil had yielded fruits with achievement recorded in agriculture, particularly in rice production and solid mineral sectors.

On power supply, the minister said the administration had improved on generation, transmission and distribution than it met them in 2015, while Nigerians are benefiting from its numerous social investment programmes. (NAN)

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/11/fg-to-obasanjo-your-atiku-will-be-defeated-comprehensively/

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has attacked the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its former national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.

ASUU described Akande as the grandfather of half-baked government.

This was in reaction to Akande’s earlier attack on the union where he accused the striking lecturers of producing vagabonds and unemployable graduates.

ASUU wondered how a supposed leader of Akande’s status could render a statement with warped logic.

Akande had during the commissioning of one-storey classroom donated to Abolarin college in Oke Ila Orangun, condemned the strike embarked upon by ASUU.

The elder statesman was quoted to have said the union was destroying the education system with demands that were not genuine.

In reaction in a statement on Sunday, ASUU chairman, University of Ibadan, Dr. Deji Omole, said Akande’s recent outburst against the ongoing patriotic struggle by ASUU to save public university education in Nigeria clearly exposed that he is just an elder only by age but not a statesman.

“The same Bisi Akande who himself was a teacher during the free education programme of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo sacked hundreds of teachers and left Osun state education in tatters now claims to value quality graduates while shying away from adequate investment in education.

“It is on record that during Akande’s time as governor all the higher institutions in Osun State were closed down due to the anti-masses policy of his administration on education.

“It is even self-indicting for the leader of a ruling party who is destroying public education with chronic underfunding of the existing institution but busy itself to mushrooming of new universities without any funding plan to still be talking in public. The budget for education in the current year was wickedly cut down to seven percent to demonstrate their hatred for public funded education,” Omole said.

He said the union was not government that promised Nigerian youths gainful employment like the ruling party did and so “could not be blamed for the failure of the clueless government to establish industries.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/10/strike-ASUU-attacks-apc-bisi-akande/

Chief Olukayode Akindele, was the chairman of the now rested Fresh Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was also a presidential adviser during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He speaks on some issues affecting PDP as well as other national issues. CHIBUZO UKAIBE brings the excerpt. We are approaching a major election in a matter of days what is your feeling about events playing out in the political space? It is very unfortunate that there is a lot of insecurity and instability in the polity. However, I am confident that the way PDP conducted it’s primaries with integrity and sincerity, it is a good signal for the future and if we can maintain that posture and work hard towards 2019 and show people the way things are done, I think it will augur well for Nigeria. What about the APC? Everything that is happening in APC, almost on a daily basis, indicates that it is not well with the party. A house divided against itself cannot stand. The use of unpolitical and undemocratic forces to sustain it will not augur well for Nigeria’s democracy.

Also it is very instructive that Jonathan’s book came out at this time. I won’t say much about the book other than to note that it shows that we must put the nation first. That is what I will conclude on Jonathan’s book. Whatever one thinks of Jonathan, he tried to put the nation first. So what I am hoping is that this government will put the best interest of Nigeria first. Do you think your party, PDP is doing what it ought to do to win in 2019? The party is doing what it can do. You have to remember that it is a party in opposition and party in government are not playing by the rules and not being fair. But PDP as a matured party is taking them on headlong. We have to consider the poor masses. Look at what happened in Osun. So we are doing what we can do in order not to add to the instability in the polity and I have to give alot of kudos to our leaders that they have tried to show maturity and we must commend them for that. But most political office holders, including governors from the South east are displeased with Atiku’s choice of former governor, Peter Obi, as his running mate.

Don’t you fear it would affect the party significantly? I hope it will not. It is a pity the way he (Peter Obi) emerged. I feel the Atiku Campaign Organisation was too hasty. Once he became the candidate of the party he should have allowed the party to weigh in. If that had been done (of which I am sure it was not done) it wouldn’t have generated the kind of misunderstanding and ill feelings that it has generated. The candidate is the best candidate as far as I am concerned. But it should have been done in an inclusive and more transparent manner. That is what I feel. We will over come that and we are already overcoming it. What suggestion will you give to address this seeming impasse? There is no suggestion. We are leaders in our party. We the leaders have spoken and have accepted the situation and we have noted their grieviances and I have no doubt that the former Vice President and many of the concerned leaders are already reaching out to them quietly behind the scene which is where things like that are solved and you will agree with me that in recent times you have not been hearing anything about it. Therefore it means that they are accepting the situation and moving forward. Majority of the elections held since 2015 have been won by APC, doesn’t that portend gloomy prospects for PDP? That is a big laugh. What the ruling party has done is to play the game the way that most ruling parties in Africa do. However, thank God that in Nigeria, we have precedence of court decisions. I am sure that by the time one or two of those elections are fully addressed in the courts, the outcome of these elections will be reversed. I have no doubt about that. It has happened in the past. Fortunately we still have a credible Judiciary. I am certain that in states like Osun, the illegality will be reversed by God’s grace. Bottom line is we have to be aware and well prepared. We must have good structures on the ground and have good agents and keep our eyes wide open. We cannot take it for granted that because this government has failed we have won automatically.

They won’t give up easily. Not everybody will be like PDP under Jonathan. We will fight a good and by God’s grace we shall prevail. At the end of the 2019 general election, PDP will emerge winner. Let’s look at campaigns. Your presidential candidate released his campaign document recently. Do you think it captures the essence of what Nigerians should look forward to? First, let me correct you. The campaign document should be and is a PDP document. It is not Atiku’s campaign document because once he becomes the candidate, he becomes the candidate of the Party. The campaign document is okay but as we go ahead there will be reasons to refine it because we the leadership will offer our experience, professionalism and strategies. We also have the CUPP and other interests to consider, so we must make ourselves flexible. We must take many things into consideration but it is a first step. I have no doubt that before the end of this year we would have restructured things that the people are not too happy with in this document.

We cannot please all the people all the time but right now it is a good starting document. PDP will run a campaign based on issues. There is so much to talk on personalities and irrelevances. PDP campaign will not be based on personalities because there is nothing to compare between the personalities of the present leadership of this goverment and that of PDP. PDP has experience and well established political characters who have managed government and private sectors and succeeded in doing so. I therefore believe that we must concentrate on issues that affect the masses, like restructuring, security, health, education, electricity, transportation and roads. Those are the issues we must face. Everything that this government is claiming to have done, were initiated by PDP government. And of course it is not a favour to Nigerians that this government is finishing them. It is their constutional responsibility and civic duty that they need to do. So they are doing what they have to do because we set the template for them.

They have to follow that template because they have no choice. There is nothing they have started from scratch and there is nothing they can start from scratch because they don’t have what it takes. The four years, we are out of government is very crucial and good for us because it has afforded us time to reflect. We have been able to reflect so by the time we get back to power in 2019, you will see the trajectory of progress and development that will transform the nation. Restructuring is one of those issues he has harped on. But what does it really mean for you? Restructuring means putting the best foot forward, doing the right thing for the country and the way to do so is to restructure. That means having sustainable economic entities that can adequately address the need of its citizens. Today we have situations where some states cannot pay salaries, they depend on federal government largesse, cap in hand. We need to restructure so that we have economic entities that are symbolic of growth, stability and progress. That is what restructuring will achieve.

Whether it is in the original regional formation or not, we must address it. I have no doubt that PDP under the leadership of Atiku will address that very firmly. We are still working on it. Your party has raised concerns about the partiality of INEC do you share that view? I do, not because the party has raised it. And also not because we are in opposition. But an independent electoral commission cannot be independent it is under the ruling goverment, whether APC or PDP. We must start looking at a future where INEC will be independent like the judiciary or be under the judiciary. There must be a way of making them independent, I don’t think they are truly independent. Even if they want to be, they lack the structural capacity to be independent. A campaign against your party’s return bid in 2019 is that if PDP returns corruption returns? Those who argue against the backdrop of the alleged corruption saga involving former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke and former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

What’s your view? That is a very unfortunate scenario, in fact it shows a party that does not have issues to talk about because corruption did not start in 1999. The first military coup cited corruption. The coup that removed the current President then as a military head of State accused that government of corruption. What is important about corruption is the strengthen our institutions structures. PDP with the experience we have had is in the best position to address it. You talk about Dasuki but how many ministers served under PDP in the last 16 years and how many have been accused of corruption? How many people have been convicted and jailed? It is so insignificant. I am not saying it is not important. But it shows that over all, we are a stable upright party. There must be some black elements and we have seen them. I don’t know whether this government has brought out three ministers under Jonathan that can be accused of corruption? Even members of the National Assembly, how many were brought out for corruption in the last 16 years? But the easiest way to cover up their failings is to blame PDP for trying to bring back corruption. In fact that is the last thing PDP will do. It has learned it’s lesson. You don’t reinvent democracy, you just correct yourself and we are doing that. That is why we had a transparent primaries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State which was nationally and internationally acclaimed to be the best ever. None of the 12 contestants have disassociated themselves from the outcome or have gone to court or have left the party or is not in the Presidential Campaign Council.

It has never happened in Nigeria. People must acknowledge that. See what is happening in APC. The pity is that we ourselves are not beating our own drums and actually acknowledging our feat on the roof tops. In fact I expected to see a daily advert on the success of the primaries showing that PDP has come of age. How do you think PDP will perform in the South west ahead of 2019? The situation in South west is not strange and it is not unique.

The region has been in a situation where over the last 16 years, the Jagaban has invested a lot of political mileage. Changing that is not very easy. However we know that in every South west state, PDP will have more than the 25 percent that it requires. I can also assure you that we will have governorship seats in at least three of the six south west states.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/09/why-fears-over-inecs-independence-lingers-akindele/

Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere, has given reasons why the current administration should not be allowed to govern the state, saying the undoing of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is poor performance.

According to the APC candidate, who is also the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the last time PDP performed in that state in terms of development was 2014 even as he dismissed the claim of the current administration that security in the state is 100 per cent.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Obong Ekere alleged that indigenes of three local governments in Akwa Ibom are under siege because of kidnappers and other criminal activities.

He also spoke on reconciliation in the state, as he said, “Akwa Ibom All Progressives Congress (APC) is one as we speak. We are a one-united family and we are ready for the general election, fully reconciled. All the four governorship aspirants who contested the primary are all united behind me. In the last two weeks, all other aspirants that did not make it have individually organised rallies in their various constituencies to endorse my candidature.”

On why PDP will lose the election, he said, “We were all PDP members. The governor then, Godswill Akpabio, was PDP, the deputy governor and SSG were all PDP and all of them are in the APC today. All the political actors then who made the PDP have all left and 90 per cent are now in the APC. These were the people that usually made things happen.

“So, do I need to tell you that there is no way PDP can win in Akwa Ibom? They don’t even have the men and resources. The only thing they have is the money that the governor is throwing around. That is why you are having defection on a daily basis in the state to join the APC. Even government officials are resigning from the government and from the party to join us in the APC. Do I still need to tell you that we will win?

“Let me add that the number one responsibility of government is security of lives. Akwa is usually a very peaceful state but l can tell you that today, in three local government areas in the state, the people are not able to sleep at night. They have been overtaken by cultists and there is a lot of insecurity and yet, the governor is scoring himself 100 per cent in security. So, you can see that the people of the state have totally lost confidence on PDP government. Even the basic assets this government inherited, they are not able to maintain them.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/08/why-pdp-cannot-govern-again-ekere/

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has cautioned the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole for abusing the ex President Olusegun Obasanjo.

DAILY POST earlier reported that Oshiomhole on Wednesday said God will punish both Obasanjo and Abubakar by allowing President Muhammadu Buhari defeat them in 2019.

Okorocha, in a statement signed by His Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo lamented the manner Oshiomhole had been abusing sitting governors and the former president.

He urged Oshiomhole to take a cue from Buhari, pointing out that the President has never used any foul language on any Nigerian, low or high, and that was the best way to go.

The statement read: “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is the former President of the Country. And no matter the provocation or his political activities this time, Oshiomhole should have considered his status as the former President of the Country in talking about him, and should have exercised caution in addressing him.

“Saying that God would punish the former President was never advisable. This should not be the language of APC.

“The party’s national chairman has, in less than six months, enthroned the culture of rascality into the party and the development is not good for the Party.

“APC is not known for rascality and abuses. And the earlier he is called to order the better for the party.”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2018/12/06/okorocha-hits-oshiomhole-for-attacking-obasanjo/