A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena has revealed plots by Senate President Bukola Saraki and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders to hijack leadership of the 9th session of the National Assembly.

Nabena, in a statement in Abuja, said the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) must move fast to nip such moves in the bud by coming out with a zoning formula for the emergence of leaders of the legislature.

Nabena, who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, said the Senate President is working in tandem with what he called “Otta farm”.

He warned the APC must move quickly and urgently roll out the zoning arrangements to avoid a repeat of what happened in 2015.


Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara emerged Senate President and Speaker against the party’s wish in the outgoing 8th National Assembly.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Nabena said the outgoing Senate President and his party (PDP) have devised plans to ensure that there loyalists take control of the legislative arm of government.

He said: “The outgoing Senate President and the PDP caucus have begun surreptitious move to lure some new APC lawmakers with juicy committee position in return for their support for the PDP choice for the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.

“Already, Saraki’s henchman, Dino Melaye and some other returning PDP federal lawmakers have scheduled meetings with some APC lawmakers from Wednesday to Sunday in a yet-to-be announced venue.”

He stressed: “It is important that the APC leadership meet and urgently rollout a fair zoning arrangement to ensure that we produce our preferred candidates for all leadership positions in the incoming National Assembly.

“Since Saraki lost his bid to return to the Senate and control of his home state, Kwara, he has devised a plan to ensure that he influences the choice of the incoming National Assembly Leadership. This is Saraki’s last-ditch effort to remain politically relevant.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/saraki-pdp-plotting-to-hijack-9th-nass.html

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that it will not present a certificate of return to Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, said this, yesterday.

He said the electoral body took the decision because the returning officer for Imo West senatorial district election said he declared governor Okorocha as the winner “under duress.”

Although the governor insisted he won the election fairly, and that his victory was not declared under duress, his name was not on the list of those to be given a certificate of return, and despite his protest against the decision, he wasn’t given a certificate when winners got theirs last week.

Asked whether the commission investigated the claim and confirmed that it was true, Okoye said “Yes.”

“We’ve made it clear on why we didn’t present any certificate of return to him (Okorocha).

“If you look at our website, we said the declaration and return were made under duress and that we are not going to give any certificate to any person who procured a return under duress.”

Following the incident in Imo, INEC had warned politicians, especially those seeking to be elected into public offices that it would not condone any form of electoral malpractice.

The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who addressed a press conference, on March 7, said the electoral umpire would not reward “bad behaviour” by presenting a certificate of return to anyone harassing any of its staff.

On Thursday last week, INEC presented certificates of return to those returned elected in the February 23 elections.

In his reaction, governor Okorocha criticised the commission for withholding his certificate of return when he briefed reporters elsewhere, while the presentation ceremony held at the International Conference Centre, in Abuja.

The governor, who insisted that the election was one of the best conducted in the state, said INEC was planning a special event to present him with his certificate.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/no-certificate-of-return-for-okorocha.html

A pro-Muhammadu Buhari group has said the card readers should be blamed for any lapses in the recently concluded general elections, instead of attacking the president or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Zikist-Buharist-Movement (ZBM), South East, reacted to the statement credited to the vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, that the fraud which characterised the elections has greatly undermined the country’s democracy, its future and also significantly damaged the ongoing fight against all vices, and tainted the integrity of those responsible.

The group said the fraud and violence were not substantial enough to vitiate the general elections.

Secretary of the movement, Godwin Onwusi, who spoke in Enugu, yesterday, however, noted that the era when, as governor in 2011, the then president Goodluck Jonathan got millions of votes in Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states was gone.

“That era is gone, thanks to the ubiquitous card reader, which makes rigging at collation centre cumbersome,” he said.

On how Buhari got more votes than Kano, Katsina and Bauchi states’ governors, the group said: “Obi should recall that Buhari has a treasure vote-bank of 12 million voters, which since his first outing in 2003 presidential election had surfaced, and resurfaced in 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.

“It is possible Obi was one of those who thought Atiku would erode the Aminu Kano tradition in the North, which Buhari, not only inherited, but epitomised.

“It is a tradition of integrity quotient and prudence management of public finance.

“Atiku is deficit on this tradition and the votes reflected it.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/poll-lapses-blame-card-reader-not.html

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Oredo Ward I, has suspended former governorship aspirant of the party, General Charles Airhiavbere, over alleged anti-party activities.

Airhiavbere, in 2012, contested against Adams Oshiomhole of APC on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and in 2016, he was a governorship aspirant on the platform of APC.

His suspension was contained in a statement signed by Chairman of the ward, Felix Ehigiegba and 21 others, yesterday.

The party alleged that the retired general worked against President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, and, therefore, described his offence as unpardonable.

“We wish to bring to the notice of the party’s hierarchy anti-party acts/actions carried out by one of the APC leaders in Oredo Ward 1, General Charles Airhiavbere, during the last general elections, held on the 23 February, 2019 (presidential and National Assembly).

“It will interest you to note that on March 3, an enlarged APC leadership meeting was held, and, in that meeting, one of the leaders from Ward 1, Samson Abu, openly revealed how Airhiavbere was involved in anti-party activities against the APC…”

In his reaction, Airhiavbere described the allegations as baseless, adding that the purpose of coming up with such frivolous allegations was to thwart his governorship ambition in the state.

Airhiavbere said there has never been a time he worked against the interest of the party, stressing that the allegations are the handiwork of his political enemies.
Asked if he truly campaigned for the opposition, Arhiavbere asked:
“Where is the evidence?”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/alleged-anti-party-activities-apc.html

Ahead of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB), said the board has introduced new innovations for successful conduct of 2019 UTME.

Oloyede made this known in Abuja on Monday at the meeting of critical stakeholders on strategic planning and preparations for supervision and evaluation of administration of 2019 UTME slated to hold between April 11 and April 15.

He said a robust item banks with appropriate safeguard had been developed by moving toward open examination with one million questions per subject which would soon be effected.

“A separate indicator had also been created for the deaf (mute) to differentiate them for special attention at the examination centre. Efforts are on to provide option of special centres or mainstreaming for the blind.

“We now have live report on centres that registered any candidate, the time the candidate was registered, who registered the candidate, computer system used, the location of registration.

“All these are done through our enhanced monitoring system. I want to warn candidates expected to sit for its examination to ensure their biometrics were taken and verified or risk sitting for the examination,’’ he said.

He called on candidates to comply with the rules of engagement governing the registration and examination of the UTME.

According to him, biometric verification will be the only mode for admittance of candidates into the examination centres.

He added that increasing threat of identity fraud during the UTME before the advent of BVM necessitated its introduction for capturing the biometrics of candidates to counter fraud.

“Any candidate that cannot be verified by the Biometric Verification Mode (BVM) must not be allowed to take the examination under any guise.

“All candidates whose fingerprints could not be captured during registration from centres across the country were brought to JAMB Headquarters and were registered appropriately.

“In other words, exemption mode is not allowed for any candidate. Therefore, no biometric verification, no examination,” Oloyede warned.

The registrar added that the use of email/password would not be allowed by cyber cafe operators as it had now been classified as an offence for cyber cafe to ask for password before rendering services.

Oloyede said the board held an international round-table on cheating devices in December 2017 where various technology devices used for examination further said that Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was added to the list of prohibited items during its examinations.

He said other items prohibited are wristwatches, recorders, earpieces, mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, smart lenses, erasers, smart buttons and spy reading glasses, among others.

The registrar said the board had approved the use of 708 Computer Based Test (CBT) centres across the country for the conduct of the examination.

He noted that the names of impersonators in the last 10 years would soon be published to serve as deterrent to others, adding added that about 1.99 million candidates had registered for the examination.

He called on the candidates to ensure they comply with the rules and regulations of the examinations.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/jamb-introduces-innovations-for-2019.html

By now, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu ought to have resigned as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. This is standard in decent climes, but it did not happen because we are a third world country. Yakubu and his men presided over the most disgraceful general election in the history of this country, yet, he is still parading himself as the Chairman of INEC. The level of ineptitude and partiality displayed by Yakubu’s INEC in the 2019 elections is unprecedented.


During the governorship elections, Yakubu and his men became overtly partisan with numerous unnecessary stoppages and delays in the announcement of already collated results in most states. At the end of the day, and for the first time since the return of democracy in 1999, INEC declared governorship poll in six states inconclusive, while that of Rivers State was suspended. The affected states are Kano, Sokoto, Benue, Bauchi, Adamawa and Plateau. It is pertinent to note that the opposition PDP was clearly leading in five of the six states. This is food for thought for all lovers of democracy.

INEC has evidently abused its power to declare elections inconclusive. The reasons for declaring elections inconclusive in these states are preposterous. INEC has evidently compromised. Take the case of Sokoto State, incumbent Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, of the PDP met all the conditions to be returned elected, according to section 179, subsection 2 of the Nigeria constitution as amended, yet, INEC refused to do the needful. No cogent reason was given for declaring the Sokoto State election inconclusive. INEC only relied on absurd technical grounds.

Tambuwal was leading his closest rival, Ahmad Aliyu of the APC with a margin of 3,413 votes while 75, 403 votes were cancelled by INEC in 136 polling units because there were violence, willful destruction of voting materials and manhandling of INEC staff. INEC refused to declare Tambuwal winner, saying that it would conduct fresh elections in the 136 polling units because “the total number of votes cancelled were higher than the winning margin and can significantly change the result.” Cancelling voting in polling units because of violence, willful destruction of voting materials and manhandling of INEC staff, did not prevent the overall result from being declared in previous elections conducted by Mahmood’s boys. Tambuwal must proceed to court immediately to challenge this aberration.

Voting was cancelled in several polling units during the governorship elections in Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states because of violence, yet, the final results were declared. Also, during the February 23 Presidential election, voting did not take place in many areas in Rivers, Lagos, Yobe, Borno, Zamfara, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River and Kaduna states. The margin of Buhari’s victory over Atiku was far below the millions of voters disenfranchised in these places, largely because of violence, yet, INEC went ahead to declare Buhari winner.

In Bauchi State, INEC cancelled election in Tafawa Balewa Local Government adjudged to be free and fair by local and foreign observers, just to be able to declare the governorship election inconclusive. The state’s returning officer, Mohammed Kyari, said violence at the local government collation centre necessitated the cancellation. This is contrary to the position of the collation officer for the local government, Mrs. Dominion Anosike, who said that the alleged violence at the collation centre did not affect her result. Mrs. Anosike was ready to read the scores but the state’s returning officer objected. Kyari evidently took anarbitrary and unconstitutional decision to declare the Bauchi election inconclusive. An election that was duly conducted by various presiding officers and validly collated at ward and local government levels was declared invalid, just to scuttle the poll. What a country! INEC is overtly playing the script of the ruling party.

In Adamawa State, INEC’s decision was most ridiculous. Umar Fintiri of the PDP had polled 367,472 votes against incumbent Governor Mohammed Bindow’s 334,995 votes, after results from the state’s 21 LGAs had been collated. But INEC declared the election inconclusive on the argument that the margin of lead by the PDP, which was 32,467 votes, was lower than the number of registered voters, 40,948 in the 44 polling units where elections either did not hold or were cancelled. INEC in Adamawa should have reckoned with the number of those who collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the indicated units and not all the registered voters. This is the standard. It is only those that collected PVCs that can vote. This is common sense. The truth is that the number of voters with PVCs in the affected 44 polling units is lower than Fintiri’s margin of lead in the election. So, the Adamawa governorship election was not inconclusive. Fintiri ought to have been declared the winner.

The Adamawa PDP was apt when it declared thus on Monday: “The number of PVCs collected by voters in the 44 PUs is 31,027. So, 31,027 are the only eligible voters in those units. If there is going to be a rerun, the 31,027 people who collected their PVCs are less than PDP’s margin of win. How then would the rerun affect the leading position of the PDP? So, there was no basis in declaring the Adamawa State governorship election inconclusive.”

In Kano, PDP candidate, Abba Yusuf polled 1,014,474 to beat APC’s Umar Ganduje, who polled 987,819. Then, the result for a ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area could not be added because “hoodlums attacked the centre, disrupted the collation and tore the result sheet.” Instead of the INEC to

re-generate the results from its primary and secondary data base and verify its authenticity, it decided to cancel the result and ordered a rerun. The victory of PDP’s Yusuf was needlessly truncated by INEC.

The INEC Chairman’s name and that of his boys across the states are now synonymous with inconclusiveness, fraud and ineptitude. What a shame. Our democracy and electoral processes are under blockade under Yakubu. My message to voters in all the six states is to go out again on March 23, vote and protect the mandate already given Tambuwal, Fintiri, Ortom, Bala Mohammed and Abba Kabir-Yusuf.

On the flip side, men of the Nigerian military messed up during the general election. It was heart-wrenching watching soldiers snatching ballot boxes, attacking opponents of their favoured party and committing all sorts of infractions across the states. In Rivers State, they took the interference in politics to an unprecedented height, while allegedly working for Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi. The likes of Ateke Tom and Asari Dokubo, seen as supporting Governor Nyesom Wike were hounded by soldiers. Our military has never been this bastadised. I heard one of the commanders saying the recalcitrant soldiers we saw snatching ballot boxes and intimidating voters/opponents of the federal government were fake soldiers. Well, why have they not arrested the fake soldiers? It’s a big ignominy.

I wept for my beloved country after reading the preliminary report of the European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria. The EU mission complained bitterly that Nigerian soldiers barred them from monitoring elections in Rivers State. Yes, Nigerian soldiers did this. The Chief Observer, Maria Arena, who is a member of the EU Parliament, faulted the entire elections. She said: “Observers, including EU observers, were denied access to collation centres in Rivers, apparently by military personnel. This lack of access for observers compromises transparency and trust in the process. There is no doubt that the electoral process there (Rivers) was severely compromised. Violence, underage voting and vote-buying marred the elections in some states.”

The retiring Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, also indicted the military: “The process has been militarised with armed thugs engaging our security forces, who in their turn are rarely able to be as fair and professional as they claim to be.”

It is an embarrassment that the same APC that went to court (when in opposition) to get judgments barring the military from participating in elections, went ahead (now that it is the ruling party) to deploy soldiers for elections. Has President Buhari forgotten that both the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court gave judgments to the effect that soldiers should not be involved in electoral process? The military has no business with elections and this baloney must stop.

I sincerely hope that our military chiefs will amend their ways and allow votes to count when the supplementary elections hold on March 23. Army Chief, Tukur Buratai, should send his men to the North-east to tackle Boko Haram instead of running after ballot papers/boxes and intimidating the political opponents of the ruling party.

Love from Financial Times

As President Buhari prepares to commence his second term, I urge him to spend quality time reading the Financial Times of London’s editorial of March 6, which x-rayed his first term and pointed the way forward.

The Financial Times remarked: “Nigeria’s recent election produced a winner, but victory for incumbent Muhammadu Buhari has generated little enthusiasm in a country performing far below its potential…. With his renewed mandate, it is now Mr. Buhari’s task to rebuild faith by running a dynamic and successful administration and by building the institutions that can lay firmer foundations than in his previous term.

“The omens from his first four years in office are not good. During that time, the former military leader ran a lacklustre administration with no obvious sense of direction. There was no coherent economic strategy of the sort being attempted by the likes of Ethiopia, Rwanda or West African neighbours Ghana and Senegal to produce the rapid growth needed to haul tens of millions of people out of poverty. It is an indictment of its leadership – both military and democratic – that the continent’s biggest oil producer should have more people living in absolute poverty than any other country in the world.

“Mr. Buhari’s priority this time must be to set out a coherent agenda, implemented by technocrats rather than ideologues, to turn things round. Nigeria desperately needs to create a level playing field for business in which access to foreign currency, permits and other requirements are predictable and rational. His much vaunted crackdown on corruption must go beyond taking action against a few minor officials. Some big scalps would help. More important still is to implement systematic changes – whether by reforming institutions, using technology or by removing arbitrage opportunities – to create a more transparent environment. People should prosper in Nigeria based on what they know and how much value and employment they can create, not by their connections.

“On security, Mr. Buhari’s first term was also less than successful in spite of repeated declarations of victory over Boko Haram. There is credible evidence of a renewed threat in the north-east in the form of a breakaway Islamist group. Nigeria’s army remains ill-equipped, both literally and institutionally, to take on such a challenge. Too often, its armed forces – which have committed human rights abuses of their own – have been part of the problem rather than the solution.

“Nigeria should be Africa’s economic motor. Too often it looks more like a country teetering on the edge. In his second presidential term, Mr. Buhari has a chance to silence his critics. With decent policies and effective implementation, he can stop the rot and lay the basis for a better future. If he can do that, he can yet salvage his reputation. If not, he will go down in history as a general who should have stayed in his barracks.”

I hope the cabal around our President will allow him read this thought-provoking piece from The Financial Times.

Refineries of Doom

The news is that Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries posted a cumulative loss of N114.3 billion in the first 11 months of 2018. Yes, over N114 billion. The refineries are still inefficient, almost four years after the Buhari government vowed to turn things around. Over 95% of petroleum products consumed in Nigeria are still imported because these refineries are still not working optimally. Figures from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation showed that the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Port Harcourt Refining Company and Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company made losses in the 11 months under review.

The KRPC made a deficit of N31.62 billion; PHRC recorded N44.2 billion loss while WRPC lost N38.5 billion. The losses were from January to November 2018. The expenses of the refineries were higher than the revenue generated during the specified period. Of the three refineries, Kaduna refinery earned the lowest revenue of N3.1 billion, while it spent N34.73 billion. Port Harcourt refinery generated N140.82 billion and spent N185.03 billion. Warri refinery spent N178.32 billion while its total revenue was N140.23 billion.

The Buhari government has failed to revive the refineries while funding inefficiency. Just imagine what N114 billion would do for the country’s teaching hospitals and higher institutions. N114 billion down the drain in just 11 months. What a country.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/mahmood-yakubus-jaga-jaga-inec-by-yemi.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday alleged moves to tamper with the results of last weekend’s governorship election in Bauchi State and warned of dire consequences if the ‘plan’ is not halted.

The State Police imposed a ban on political rallies in the state as tension heightened over the outcome of the elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans to hold supplementary elections next Saturday in parts of Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto States to complete the governorship election process in the states.

Representatives of the two parties in some of the affected states are claiming victory and want INEC to declare their candidates as winners, immediately.

The PDP in a statement in Abuja alleged that INEC officials were making attempts to tamper with and further cancel already tallied and declared results in 14 more local governments in the Bauchi Governorship election.

It said the plan was to “widen the scope of result cancellation beyond Tafawa Balewa to 14 more Local Government Areas and hike the number of canceled votes from 70,000 to 184, 555.” It added:”to achieve this, INEC has been instructed by the APC to cancel already declared results in 230 polling units in 15 LGAs in the state, cause confusion and pave the way for the APC to manipulate the March 23 Supplementary elections.

“Seeing that our party, the PDP, and our candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed, are inevitably coasting to victory, being that Tafawa Balewa is home to the PDP, the APC is instructing INEC to cancel elections in more local governments where it plans to manipulate the processes and allocate fictitious results for the APC at the March 23 polls.

“The PDP therefore urges the INEC fact-finding committee headed by a National Commissioner to be guided by the extant rules as established in court rulings that the polling units is a base of our elections and that once declaration has been made at the polling units and return of votes established, INEC no longer has powers to influence the results from such polling units.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/apc-pdp-take-inec-to-task.html

The Supreme Court, Friday, dismissed an application filed by Patience Jonathan, wife of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, seeking to upturn the interim forfeiture order by a Federal High Court, Lagos placed on the sum of N2.4 billion linked to her.


It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had traced the said sum to her and alleged that it was proceed of illegal activities.

The N2.4 billion, according to the EFCC was surreptitiously kept in the bank account of La Wari Furniture and Baths Limited, domiciled with Eco Bank Plc.


EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade said this in a statement.

Justice Mojisola Olaterogun had in 2017 ordered the interim forfeiture of the money, and held that anyone interested in it should appear before the court to show cause why it should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, Patience had approached the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, seeking to upturn the ruling of the lower court.


However, ruling on the appeal on January 12, 2018, the appellate court, in a lead judgement read by Justice Mojeed Owoade, rather upheld the interim forfeiture order.

Not satisfied with the ruling of the appellate court, Patience, through her counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, again filed an appeal challenging the ruling before the Supreme Court.

However, the five-man panel of Supreme Court justices have now again in a unanimous ruling, delivered today, Friday, upheld the interim forfeiture order of the N2.4 billion.


Besides, a five-man panel of Supreme Court justices, had on Friday, March 8, 2019 in a unanimous judgement, also dismissed Patience’s appeal against the interim forfeiture order of a Federal High Court, Lagos, for another $8.4 million traced to her by the EFCC and believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/supreme-court-affirms-patience.html

President Muhammadu Buhari failed to see Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar and his Adamawa State counterpart, Jibrilla Bindow, when the duo visited the Presidential Villa yesterday.

Both men face an electoral battle in about a week, following a declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the results of the March 9, 2019 gubernatorial election in the states were inconclusive.

On Tuesday, three days after the election, All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, Kashim Shettima (Borno), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) also visited the Villa.


No reasons were given for both visits.

The Guardian learnt that Abubakar and Bindow arrived in the Villa separately and sought to see Buhari. They met a brick wall however, as the president was not favourably disposed to seeing them. Thereafter, they held audience with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo behind closed doors. Emerging over an hour later, they declined questions from reporters.

Some observers may see the meeting as a move by the governors to curry the president’s favour, to keep their states from slipping into the hands of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The fight to retain the APC’s hold on Kano State also continued yesterday as Commissioner for Local Government Murtala Sule Garo debunked an allegation that the state government withdrew a large sum of money aimed at influencing voting when incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje faces PDP challenger, Abba Yusuf, in the March 23, 2019 re-run.

A group, Kano Civil Society Situation Room, had claimed the government released N235,500,000 to APC members for the alleged purpose. It, therefore, petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking an investigation into what it described as organised crime.


“We wish to draw the attention of the EFCC to a suspicious withdrawal of N235,500,000 from the Kano State government treasury, through the Ministry of Local Governments. The said amount has been allocated to different local governments where INEC is scheduled to hold a re-run election.

“We hope that the EFCC will investigate the matter, while also putting some measures (in place) in those communities to ensure that vote-buying does not influence the outcome of the gubernatorial re-run poll,” the group’s coordinator, Abdulrazaq Alkai, told journalists in Kano.

Garo however insisted that the group’s alleged mission to dent the government’s image was dead on arrival. “It is not true. It is gross misinformation,” he exclaimed.

According to him, “The money released is part of normal allocation from government treasury since both state government and local councils operate a joint account. We need not buy votes because the people are already with the state government.”

He added: “And if they say we released money to compromise the election, the allocation was meant for 13 Local Government Areas (LGA’s). The re-run will however hold only in nine. Kabo, Tsanyawa, Dawakin-Tofa and Kumbotso LGAs will all benefit from the money but the re-run will not hold in these places. How can we book money to nine out of 30, if at all the claim is anything to go by?”


INEC meanwhile has said that no court has the power to restrain it from holding the re-run in Adamawa.

The clarification came after a court order obtained by the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD) and its candidate, Eric Dollars following the alleged omission of the party’s logo during the March 9, 2019 polls.

“Although we are not aware of any court restraining INEC, let me nevertheless tell you that court order will not stop any election,” Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Kassim Gaidam told journalists in Yola yesterday.

Citing Section 87 Sub-section (10) of the Electoral Act to buttress his point, he said: “This is a clear attempt to murder the rule of law. Judges should put their personal interest aside and give respect to the provisions of the constitution. It is embarrassing to hear that the court is stopping INEC from concluding an election it started.”

Gaidam urged the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to ensure that judges who make such pronouncements are punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

In a related development, INEC said it would begin work immediately on a post-2019 elections review. INEC Chairman Mahmud Yakubu dropped the hint in his opening remarks during the presentation of certificates of return to lawmakers in Abuja yesterday.

He stressed that delaying electoral reform, especially the review of the electoral framework, until polls arrive leaves the commission with little time to develop processes, regulations and guidelines and also make required consultations with stakeholders.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/guardian.ng/news/buhari-shuns-meeting-with-bauchi-adamawa-governors/amp

Maj.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), on Thursday said that the scheme would review and reform its mobilisation process for improvement of the exercise.

Kazaure made this known at the 2019 Batch A Pre-Mobilisation Workshop held in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The theme of the one-day workshop was, “Towards Eliminating Recurrent Issues Affecting The NYSC Mobilisation Process”.

The NYSC boss explained that the workshop was a platform for NYSC and other stakeholders to review issues in mobilisation with a view to addressing challenges and evolving strategies for improvement.

“Over the years, we have tried to sustain cross fertilisation of ideas in order to achieve a full proof mobilisation thereby enhancing the credibility of the process,” he said.

“The theme of the workshop captures the thrust of our deliberations here today. I, therefore, implore you to share your wealth of experience and expertise to enable us to remove all impediments to the mobilisation process and, especially, ensure a hitch-free 2019 Batch A exercise.

“So, we are here to find solutions to problems encountered in the present and future mobilisations. That is the essence of the workshop and I am very sure we will find a way out,” he said.

Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, represented by his Deputy, Mr Silas Agara, commended the NYSC management for organising the workshop to find lasting solutions to problems hindering smooth mobilisation of Corps members.

“Let me commend the NYSC management for the choice of Nasarawa State to host the session preparatory to staging of the 2019 Batch A mobilisation exercise,” he said.

Mrs Nnenna Ukonu, NYSC Director, Corps Mobilisations, said that the scheme observed recurrence of unwholesome practices and common errors associated with the mobilisation process.

“We intend to brainstorm with critical stakeholders and come up with lasting solutions to these issues that have hindered mobilisation process over the years as it concerns credible data collection and adherence to laid down policies.

“I, therefore, wish to implore all participants to be frank and open in discussing these challenges and suggest ways of addressing them. I am optimistic that with your support, the scheme will surmount all obstacles at ensuring a hitch-free mobilisation process,” she said.

Participants in the workshop include NYSC management team, Student Affairs Officers from Corps producing institutions, representatives of National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/nysc-to-review-reform-mobilisation.html

The Kano Police Command has arrested three persons for allegedly buying permanent voter cards(PVCs), ahead of the supplementary governorship elections on 23 March.

DSP Abdullahi Haruna, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), disclosed this in a statement issued in Kano on Wednesday.

Haruna said on March 12 at about 8 p.m, based on information received, 39 year-old Sa’adatu Isma’il of Brigade Quarters, Kano, and Halima Abba, 55, of Tal’udu Quarters, were arrested for purchasing PVCs from voters at Gama Quarters Nasarawa Local Government area of the state.

“The suspects bought the PVC each at the sum of N5,000 and above, eight PVCs were recovered from them with the cash sum of 10,000,” Haruna said.

He also said that on March 13, at about 10:00a.m one Mukhtar Shu’aibu of Dandishe Quarters, Kano, was also arrested for buying PVCs within the Quarters.

“He confessed to have purchased two PVCs at the sum of N3,000 each,” he said.

Haruna also said that on March 13 at about 10:00a.m two more suspects were arrested all of Gama Quarters, Kano, for moving about with a view to buy PVCs, adding that they were rescued from a mob that was about to lynch them.

Kano will hold supplementary elections on 23 March to determine who becomes the governor in the next four years, between incumbent Abdullahi Ganduje of APC and the challenger, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the PDP.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/pvcs-for-sale-in-kano-police-arrest-3.html

Nigeria and India are working on ways to enhance the N4.31 trillion ($12 billion) annual bilateral trade between them in a way that would focus on investment.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, when he received the new Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Shri Abhav Thakur, in Abuja recently.

The minister said it has become necessary to expand economic relations between both countries beyond trade for increased investment.
He welcomed the envoy’s interest in Project Mine, a new initiative by Nigeria to develop world-class special economic zones to position the country as the manufacturing hub in sub-Saharan Africa, and a major exporter of goods and services globally.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/nigeria-india-to-expand-n431trn-trade.html

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the results of the House of Assembly election which showed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is retaining its dominance in the politics of the state.

A breakdown of the result indicated that the PDP won 17 seats of the 24 while the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had four seats.

The 17 PDP member-elect include Hon Abraham Inogbere (Brass constituency 3), Hon Tonye Isenah ( Kolokuma/Opokuma 2), Hon Ebi Ben Ololo(Nembe 1) Hon Koku Obiyai (Yenagoa 2).

Others are Obodor Mietema (Ogbia 1) Hon Ogbere Michael (Ekeremor 3) Hon Kenebai Bernard ( Sagbama 11) Hon Salo Adikumo (Sagbama 111) and Obolo Bubou (Southern Ijaw 11) Onyike Godbless (Sagbama 1), Ayah Bonny (Southern Ijaw 1) Malon Moses (Southern Ijaw 111) Oforji Oboku (Yenagoa 1) Elemefuro Teddy (Yenagoa 111) Tare Porri(Ekeremor 1) Fafi Wisdom (Kolokua/ Opokuma 11) and Naomi Ogoli (Ogbia 111).

The APC elected members are Omubo Ayonatiminyo (Brass 11) Edward Irigha (Nembe 2) Douglas Sampson (Nembe 111) and Wilson Ayakpo(Ekeremor 11) .

Mr Wilfred Ifogah, INEC Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity in the state while speaking on the results say three constituencies, Brass 1, Ogbia 2 and Southern Ijaw 4 were declared inconclusive for failure to adhere to INEC regulations and guidelines for the conduct of 2019 general elections.

Meanwhile the APC, Bayelsa State chapter has commended Bayelsans for voting overwhelmingly “for our party, and defending the votes.”

The party in a statement by its publicity secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, noted that “what transpired in this election shows clearly that all along, the people have been robbed of the right to choose the leader they desire.”

According to him, the party is thankful that “despite the intimidation, lies and fake news employed by Governor Henry, Seriake Dickson and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the people stood with the APC.”

Buokoribo who stated that the party would have rejected the results in several parts of the state where there were glaring cases of electoral fraud perpetrated by the PDP, added that rejecting the results would serve no useful purpose but only heat up the polity.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/pdp-dominants-bayela-assembly-wins-17.html

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday returned to Abuja after he travelled to vote in Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly election in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.


The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential aircraft conveying the president, his wife Aisha Buhari and some of his aides landed the at presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 12.30p.m.

The president was received at the airport by his Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed Bello and other presidential aides as well as government officials.


While in Daura, the president exercised his civic responsibility on March 9 at the polling unit 003, Kofar Baru III (A and B) Daura, Katsina State, where he voted for a governorship candidate and member of the state house of assembly that would represent his constituency, Daura.

At the end of the exercise on Saturday, President Buhari successfully delivered the polling unit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the state, Aminu Masari, with 370 votes.

On March 10, President Buhari received representatives of community and development associations from Daura Emirate at his private residence in Daura, who came to congratulate him on his re-election.


The president’s old schoolmates and Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State were also among those that visited the president at his residence in Daura to congratulate him on his re-election for a second term.

Masari, who was accompanied by prominent citizens of the state including some members of his cabinet, also formally informed President Buhari of his victory at the March 9 governorship election in the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/nigeria-guber-election-buhari-returns.html

A frontline chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC in Rivers State, Prince TJT Princewill said not t even INEC can save Wike.
The APC chieftain who was reacting to the suspension of electoral process in Rivers State as contained in a press release signed by Festus Okeye Esq. the National Commission and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee said: “INEC’s decision is illegal because it is not supported by law. Section 26 of the Electoral Act cited in the INEC Press Release is not even applicable because that section deals with a situation where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the election as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, then the commission may postpone the election.”

He noted that, “You can see that this provision does not apply to a situation where an election has already been conducted or held, which is the present position in Rivers State.

Since the elections in Rivers State have been held Saturday, INEC is bound by virtue of section 27 of the Electoral Act to announce the results. Having admitted in paragraph one of the Press Release that it has conducted elections on the 9th of March in Rivers State, INEC must by virtue of section 27 of the Electoral Act, announce the results. INEC’s decision to postpone the already held elections is ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional. Such an unlawful decision can now be challenged in court by virtue of section 26 subsection 5 of the Electoral Act. The challenge can be launched by any of the many contestants at a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction and on such a legal challenge, the decision of INEC shall also be suspended until the matter is determined.”

Continuing he said, “Our concerns about INEC and our lack of faith in the REC are continually validated. This was same way they suspended a by election we held a few months ago when it was clear we were winning. Now, the AAC candidate and several house of assembly candidates supported by APC are cruising to victory and they do it again. Can they not just step out of the way and let the will of Rivers’ people prevail? Rivers state was largely peaceful. Why not deal with areas where you say you have violence and leave the other results to go through? It’s common sense. Why suspend a whole state? Wike will go. It’s only a matter of time. We always knew this. Now the world knows it too. Not even INEC can save him.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/not-even-inec-can-save-wike-princewill.html

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat as well as the 40 House of Assembly candidates of the party for their resounding victory at Saturday’s polls.

Sanwo-Olu was declared winner of the election and governor-elect by the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the State, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede.

He trounced his closest challenger and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje with 739, 445 votes to 206,141.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the governor said the feat was a reward for the vigorous campaign embarked upon by the APC candidate and his running mate across the length and breadth of the state.

The statement reads: “Lagosians have spoken loud and clear with their votes and have overwhelmingly voted for a government they believe will continue the trajectory of growth that we have experienced in the last 20 years under the APC.

“It is therefore with great pleasure that I congratulate our great party for a resounding victory yesterday. Again, the people of Lagos have decided to stay on the path of infrastructural drive, economic growth and all round development.

“While I congratulate the Governor-Elect, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat on their well-deserved victory, let me also thank all Lagosians for keeping faith with the APC,” Governor Ambode said.

“Governor Ambode also congratulated all the 40 candidates of the APC in the State Assembly elections for emerging victorious, adding that it would ensure a seamless relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government.”

Also yesterday, Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker and Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Mudashiru Obasa, congratulated governor-elect, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and his deputy governor-elect, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat on their victory.

He felicitated with returning and new members-elect of the House of Assembly for what he described as “hard-earned but well deseved victory at the polls”.

“It was tough for us all but at the end of the day, a well deserved victory for all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a confirmation of the love Lagosians have for our great party and the giant strides we have been achieving in the state”, Obasa said in statement by his media aide, Rasak Musbau.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/ambode-congratulates-governor-elect.html

The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) says two suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers were killed on Sunday after a botched attack on Gulak, headquarters of Madagali Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Dr Muhammed Suleiman, Executive Secretary of the agency disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Sunday.

Suleiman said three suspected bombers had targeted the Seminary Church in Gulak for attack, but the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on them exploded midway killing two, while the third ran into the bush.

“We received a report that three suspected Boko Haram members targeted Seminary Church in Gulak for attack around 8:30 a.m., on Sunday.

“Two of them detonated their IEDs and turned into pieces while the third one ran into the bush,” Sulaiman said.

He said their remains had been buried.

He said no other person was killed or injured during the attack adding that only a small girl was hit by the debris and she is still alive.

When contacted, SP Othman Abubakar, spokesperson, of the state Police Command confirmed the attack.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/2-suicide-bombers-die-in-botched-attack.html

As Nigerians await the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, youths of Igbo extraction have urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to zone the position of Senate President to the South East in the spirit of national unity.

According to the National Coordinator of the apolitical group, Comrade Ndukwe Tabansi, over the years, Ndigbo had been short-changed in leadership positions at the federal level.

He condemned calls in some quarters that the Senate President of the 9th National Assembly should be zoned to the North, stressing that it will be unfair, unpatriotic and selfish if the South East is not allowed to produce the Senate President, adding that the North and South have produced the President and Vice President respectively following the last presidential election.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to anoint a Senate President from the South East, Tabansi added that Ndigbo will continue to appreciate the President’s efforts in correcting the anomalies of the previous administrations, noting that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable.

Addressing Igbo stakeholders under the auspices of South East Youth Movement (SEYM) in Onitsha at the weekend, Tabansi assured the youths that the APC leadership will be fair and patriotic in their decision on the zoning of the position of Senate President.

He said, “ Ahead of the inauguration of the 9th session of the national assembly, the political class must be patriotic in the choosing the Senate President. It shouldn’t be a matter of discussion but a concluded decision to zone the position of Senate President to the South East in view of the current situation.

“The President and Vice President are from the North and South respectively. It is only Ndigbo that is left out.

“ We are optimistic that President Buhari will consider our plight and address the marginalisation of the South East.

“ Nigeria is one and no tribe should be sidelined in national polity”

Tabansi, while calling on former Presidents, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to consider the plight of Ndigbo, stressed that the people of the South East have contributed immensely to national development in different ways.

The coordinator appealed to Igbo sons and daughters across the globe to be calm, steadfast and law-abiding, noting that their grievances will be addressed by the President.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/senate-presidency-its-turn-of-ndigbo.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), to lead the team that will defend his mandate at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who came second in the February 23 presidential poll had gone to court to challenge Buhari’s victory.


Olanipekun also led a team of lawyers in 2015 to defend Buhari when he was sued for his failure to provide his WAEC certificate.

Recall that Olanipekun is also the lead counsel for the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who is standing trial before the CCT for alleged non-declaration of assets.

Other members of Buhari’s nine-man defence team, according to a list exclusively obtained by Akelicious last night are Yusuf Alli, SAN, A.B. Mahmoud SAN, Funke Adekoya, SAN, Femi Atoyebi, SAN, Mike Igbokwe, SAN, Osa Egbobamien, SAN, Akin Osinbajo, SAN and Niyi Akintola, SAN.

Akin Osinbajo, a former Attorney-General of Ogun State is younger brother to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has also constituted a nine-man team to the Presidential Election Tribunal, to be led by Lateef Fagbemi. Other members of the APC team are Alex Izinyon, SAN, Charles Edosonwan, SAN, Prof. Taiwo Osopitan, SAN, Y.C. Maikyau, SAN, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, Ibrahim Bawa, SAN, Benbella Anaechebe, SAN and Festus Keyamo, SAN.

Banire is the Chairman of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, while Keyamo is the spokesperson of the Buhari Campaign Organisation.

The source who revealed the list said: “We can’t joke with this case. This is why Mr. President and the APC decided to assemble a crack team. This is the biggest and most deadly squad ever assembled for an election petition case. We are more than ready to face Atiku.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/buhari-engages-olanipekun-8-other-sans.html

Civil Society group, has expressed concern over the increasing reports of attacks on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) materials and structures.

Dr Hussaini Abdu, Chairman, Watching The Vote Working Group at a news conference on YIAGA AFRICA’s pre-election report, also condemned attacks on INEC officials.

Abdu called on the security agencies to effectively deploy security personnel to properly secure INEC officials and election materials, especially during the March 9 elections.


He said that YIAGA AFRICA condemned the destruction of INEC office in Ibesikpo, Akwa Ibom.

The chairman said that the group was also concerned about the non-compliance with results collation guidelines by INEC officials especially Presiding Officers, Ward Collations Officers and Returning Officers.

“INEC should ensure collation centres are accessible to accredited observers.

“The form EC 40 G should be revised to include details for cancellation for every polling unit cancelled.

“ The current form only captures the name of the polling unit and the total number of registered voters affected without reasons for cancellation.

“To increase transparency of the collation process, INEC is encouraged to share Form EC40G series with party agents present during the different stages of the collation process,” he said.


Abdu urged the commission to fully comply with the electoral guideline for the conduct of the general election by posting Forms EC.60E series in all collation centers.

He said that the recommendation was made based on WTV presidential election observation findings of results not posted in 19 per cent of the observed sampled polling units.

He said that the group’s presidential election observation noted the high percentage of cancelled ballots and called on INEC to ensure that the guidelines on cancelled ballots were strictly adhered to so as to reduce discretion on the part of INEC officials.

He said that YIAGA AFRICA noted that during the Feb. 23 elections, card readers were not used throughout the process of accreditation of voters in some polling units.

According to him, that such infraction poses a threat to the integrity of the electoral process if not curtailed.


He urged INEC to ensure strict compliance to use of the card readers for voter accreditation, saying that polling officials who disregard the INEC guidelines and regulations should be sanctioned.

Abdu said that for the March 9 Governorship elections, YIAGA AFRICA Watching The Vote would not be deploying the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology.

He added that as such the group would not be verifying the election day result but will be assessing the election day process at the polling units and collation centres.

Abdu called on the security agencies to ensure proper coordination especially between the military and police.

“It is important to note that the Police have the coordinating responsibility of election security and not the soldiers, as such proper lines of communication and rules of engagement should be adhered to,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/cso-decries-attacks-on-inec-offices.html

The rule of law is not a requirement of the law. It cannot be. If it were it is thus self-referential. And nothing self-referential has logic on any of its sides. And as lawyers say, you can’t stand something on nothing. Self-reference is nothingness in logic.

Additionally, truth never stood on self-reference or even self-reverence, even if divine. Truth must be collaborated by facts or existences, outside itself. Not understanding this is the problem of the religions and their scriptures, even if they refuse to admit to it. Religions are too self-reverential to be worth a puff in logic. Fortuitously, however, there is faith and there is belief and there is delusion. So, religions prosper on those. Anyway, this is by the way.

The rule of law is a requirement of society. Or more properly, the philosophers who constructed and are constructors of such societies. Before we go further, it is important to restate that it is axial philosophers, herein referred to as Buddha, who are the architects of functional and sustainable societies. It is Buddha, not Caesar. The fact of this is important. This is because the bane of Nigerian development is in our not coming to knowledge of this fact.

Now, it is these constructors of [Western and lately Asian] society, who indicate that in the event disagreements over commonly contested issues, citizens should not self-adjudicate. They must go to a specialized body of citizens – judges – for resolution of their doubts, one way or the other. So the rite of going to court is barely judicial. It is actually societal or if you liked civilizational. Thus it is an act of incivility, perhaps anarchism, to want to foreclose on citizens availing themselves of sustainable societies’ processes. That which is legal is of society. Legality is not self-existent.

The point is that Alhaji Abubarka Atiku, rightly or deluded, feels he has been grievously robbed of his legitimate victory at the polls. It thus can be said that Atiku has the following options. First, he could go on the streets and prompt the monkeys and baboons to soak in human blood. Two, he could trigger a coup to recoup his allegedly stolen presidential mandate. Third, he could go to court and submit himself to the superior opinions of the wise men and women who preside there. Interestingly and this is important, Atiku by going to court has submitted himself to the rule of law, whatever the outcome. And the rule of law presumes that neither of the litigants, here an Atiku or a President Muhammadu Buhari, may be sure his prayers will be granted. In fact, Buhari might as well floor Atiku judicially and retain his presidential Eagle. In other words, by going to court, Atiku agrees to two precepts.

1. That by going to court he abjures the ‘’rites’’ of coups and street mayhems. That is he chooses civilization above self-help or the rule of the mob. We should salute him for this.

2. But by going to court Atiku agrees to and accepts his ‘’judicial flooring’’ if and when it is pronounced, up to his appellate fullness, etc. Atiku derivatively, also counts that on his triumph, it’s the duty of society to return his stolen presidency to him.

Perhaps it is important to state here that the court and judicial processes are creations, allies and instruments of the larger society, not the litigant parties. That is the courts are not there to favor one litigant against the other. They are there to prosper and advance society, not even the law, save tangentially. That is to say, that all the alleged contentions about heating up or freezing down the polity are known to the judges and the law. And they make their decisions in the light of all they know, including what the parties in issue lay before them. Thus, the very idea of the courts is to douse not inflame, prosper not disrupt, society.

How then, can persons advise Atiku should not go court, if as it is, he is aggrieved? See: https://punchng.com/dont-go-to-election-tribunal-agbakoba-urges-atiku/ and https://punchng.com/alleged-election-rigging-we-have-assembled-more-than-18-lawyers-secondus/. Should Atiku now do a coup? That is one.

The other, is that society itself is built on and run by institutions and systems. And of the systems, especially in the Western civilizational order, elections or competitive politics and the rule of law, are major examples.

Now, every Nigerian supports the building and strengthening of systems and institutions. And this includes a certain NBA president those who advises Atiku against going to court, alas. The larger point however is that systems and institutions are and don’t exist academically or in seminar pronouncements. That is to say, systems and institutions exist in reality, that is under quotidian stresses, or ‘’street’’ conditions. Thus institutions and systems cannot be developed or strengthened without testing them, without operationalizing them, in reality.

Please forgive us our military background – we are Colonels retired, Biafra Army. And it so happened that the latest evolution of the fearsome German tank, the Leopard, was touted as the best battle tank of all times. Suddenly came the Gulf war and the Leopards performed below par at the Arabian deserts. So it had to be recalled and redesigned, etc. Tanks by the way are systems and institutions in the war machine, German, Biafran or anywhere else.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/rather-than-cut-deals-atiku-should-go.html

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday declared that he would work harder during his second term.

Buhari assured Nigerians that he would work hard this time around to address the challenges facing Nigeria.

He spoke while hosting leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Forum was at the Presidential Villa to pay him a congratulatory visit, following his victory at the presidential election.

Buhari assured Nigerians that he would not let them down.

“This is my last lap, I will try to work harder. I assure you, I will not let you down,” Buhari said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared president Buhari winner of the presidential poll. Buhari polled 15,191,847 to defeat his main challenger, Atiku, who scored 11,262,978 votes.

Chairman of the ACF’s board of trustees, Alhaji Adamu Fika, who led the delegation, disclosed that their visit was to congratulate the president over his victory at the election.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/i-will-work-harder-this-second-term.html

Hearing has commenced on the case filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, against President Muhammadu Buhari following the outcome of the presidential election.


The Presidential Election Tribunal commenced the hearing of a motion ex-parte filed by Atiku and PDP on Wednesday.

Atiku had demanded that materials used for the February 23 presidential election be inspected.


A three-man panel led by Justice Abdul Aboki is currently listening to the lawyer of Atiku and PDP, Chris Uche, SAN.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/court-commences-hearing-on-atikus-case.html

Traditional rulers in Delta State have appealed to the military and other security agencies not to turn the state into a theatre of war and stop disenfranchising Deltans under the guise of obeying orders from above.

Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers and Obi of Owa, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor, in a statement, made the appeal on behalf of the traditional rulers in Asaba, the state capital.

Efeizomor said the call is coming against the backdrop of plan by the Federal Government to deploy military personnel during Saturday’s governorship election in the state.


He said Delta State had been a peaceful state, adding that the present and previous administrations had done a lot to achieve peace and ethnic harmony, which should not be truncated under whatever guise.

The monarch, who insisted that security agencies on election duty should adhere to the rules of engagement even as he charged the political gladiators to display maturity and play by the rules, said elections would come and go but Delta State would remain an indivisible political entity of the nation.

He said that eligible voters should be allowed to freely cast their votes for their choice candidates without any hindrance, adding that in every contest, there must be a winner and a loser.

Also, he enjoined the political class to adopt the spirit of sportsmanship and be magnanimous in victory.

The monarch, who charged the youths not to engage in any act capable of causing crisis and political violence before, during and after the elections, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be transparent.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/dont-turn-delta-into-theatre-of-war.html

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council says Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), “has a constitutional right to seek redress in court”.

Since losing the February 23 presidential election, Atiku has maintained he will press for victory in court despite widespread calls on him to concede the election to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Among the groups to have recently made the call is the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), which Festus Keyamo, Director of Strategic Communicationsof the APC Presidential Campaign Council, has now disowned.

Keyamo said the BSO does not in any way speak for Buhari and his party, adding that the APC was in fact anxious to meet Atiku in court.

“Our official position is that we believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a constitutional right to seek redress in court and we do not seek in any way to curtail that right,” he said.

“In fact, it is the resort to court that is the only democratic way to ventilate his perceived grievance and any attempt to restrict or discourage the exercise of such right would be an invitation to anarchy.

“In addition, we are very anxious to meet Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in court in order to show the world in a conclusive manner the free and fair nature of the comprehensive defeat of Atiku at the polls. An election is not termed ‘rigged’ only by the mere claim of it by the loser. That is what Atiku and the PDP want to ram down our throats. Unfortunately for them, international, continental and sub-regional observers (who can be seen as neutral by all standards) ALL declared the election to be free, fair and credible. No ego-massaging narrative can change that.”

THE FULL STATEMENT

WE DO NOT SEEK TO STOP ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR FROM GOING TO COURT

Our attention has been drawn to some news item and posts on social media reporting that we wrote a letter to some international bodies to prevail on Alhaji Atiku Abubakar not to proceed to court to challenge the result of the 2019 Presidential Election.

Our investigation reveals that a letter to that effect was purportedly written by a certain ‘Buhari Campaign Organisation’. This is the second time we will be informing the public that the said ‘Buhari Campaign Organisation’ does not act at the behest of the APC Presidential Campaign Council nor does it represent the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation in any way. As a result, whatever it has released DOES NOT REPRESENT THE POSITION OF THE APC PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL OR PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI.

Our official position is that we believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a constitutional right to seek redress in court and we do not seek in any way to curtail that right. In fact, it is the resort to court that is the only democratic way to ventilate his perceived grievance and any attempt to restrict or discourage the exercise of such right would be an invitation to anarchy.

In addition, we are very anxious to meet Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in court in order to show the world in a conclusive manner the free and fair nature of the comprehensive defeat of Atiku at the polls. An election is not termed ‘rigged’ only by the mere claim of it by the loser. That is what Atiku and the PDP want to ram down our throats. Unfortunately for them, international, continental and sub-regional observers (who can be seen as neutral by all standards) ALL declared the election to be free, fair and credible. No ego-massaging narrative can change that.

We therefore totally disassociate ourselves from the letter purportedly written by one of, perhaps, many support groups of President Muhammadu Buhari. They may have a right to their opinion, but it does not represent our official position.

Thank you.
FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN, FCIArb (UK),
Director of Strategic Communications,
APC Presidential Campaign Council
(Official Spokesperson)

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/were-very-anxious-to-meet-atiku-in.html

Nigeria’s efforts at turning waste to wealth is paying off, as over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created in the recycling of pet beverages bottles.

This is even as the initiative has created million dollars in foreign exchange earnings to support the nation’s ailing economy.

The Executive Director of Lexsz plastics, Oba Olufemi Akowe, said the $8 million dollar factory located in Ogun state was established in 2011 and presently has over 400 direct staff and ten thousand local workers for the factories recycling plastics.

He noted that the company’s initial target was to export the recycled plastic fiber to China, which it has effectively done in the past eight years.

He said, “But now the company is set to expand and supply Nigerian industries that may need our products as their raw materials.

“The company’s products not only save a lot of energy and resources, but also effective for environmental protection areas in Lagos State and has contributed millions of dollars in foreign exchange earnings and job opportunity for many Nigerians.”

He added that the company had in its eight years of operation taken the lead in waste to wealth management by empowering Public, Private Sector Operations in clearing waste in the environment which are later bought and paid for by the company as raw materials.

“We rely on individual who go around the cities and towns picking wastes which are later sold to us. We also help governments in some South West states to clear theIR dump sites and even pay their agencies.” He said

Akowe explained that with the four production lines refining and processing, Lexsz production scale of PET bottles and preforms per year amounted to over 100, 000 tons thus meeting the major chemical Yangtze River Delta region of China class enterprise demand for a large number of raw materials.

He stated that since the company entered the plastics manufacturing business through waste recycling, it has played a prominent role in enhancing and consistently cleaning environmental waste in Ogun State and other surrounding states.

He however lamented that the government has not been supportive of private sector operators, who daily faced challenges of poor infrastructure, multiple taxation and others.

“We appeal for co-operation, support and a conducive business environment so that our business can flourish. We particularly appeal to our stakeholders to redouble their efforts by ensuring that our waste to wealth efforts through recycling of the environmental wastes are successful,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/waste-to-wealth-recycling-factory.html

The Niger Government has released a total of N800 million for the payment of pensions and gratuities in the state.
Gov. Abubakar Bello disclosed this during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Minna on Monday.

He said that N500 million was released to the state Pensions Board in February and additional N300 million had just been released to settle the outstanding pensions and gratuities of retirees in the state.

Bello added that government had also started paying death benefits to ease sufferings of families of the deceased persons.


“I am proud to say today that what we have done for pensioners, no administration in the past had done that; the records are there in the pension board office.

“This is because we know how very important pension is to those who have retired. When you think of people that rely on pensions for survival, you won’t dare play with their lives.

“We will continue to pay the pensions. Although the money keeps increasing, we will continue to pay until the Contributory Pension Scheme kicks off,” he said.

Earlier, Malam Idris Ndako, the state Chairman of NLC, called on the governor, to ensure that workers whose promotions had yet to be implemented were effected.

Ndako commended him for ensuring the welfare of the workers, and urged him to implement the N30,000 new minimum wage once it was implemented by the Federal Government.

Also, Alhaji Baba Sani, the state Secretary of Pensioners, commended the governor for the payment of pensions and for the release of additional money to settle them.

Malam Yunusa Tenimun, state Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), said that the union would mobilise its members to re-elect the governor during the March 9 elections.

“In 2015, the governor came to us to seek for our support of which we gave him.

Today he is here again to solicit for our support and we will support him because he has impacted positivity on the lives of the people,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/niger-government-release-n800m-for.html