₦airaland Forum

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The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has extended his benevolence hands to Aisha Haruna, a 13 year-old orphan from Daura, Kastina state, who was involved in an inferno that burnt her beyond recognition.

The former vice president has approved immediate payment of all the hospital bills, including her plastic reconstructive surgery.

In a statement disclosed by Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to the former vice president, Atiku gave the directive through his Cares Foundation (ACF) after the plight of the young girl was brought to the attention of the former Vice President.

Atiku Abubakar, who is also the Grand Patron of Atiku Cares Foundation (ACF) and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, approved the immediate payment of all the hospital bills, including plastic reconstructive surgery for Miss Aisha Haruna, an orphan.

The ACF got to know of the news of this life threatening situation of Aisha via Facebook. The victim, an orphan had been poorly taken care of at home because of paucity of funds to facilitate her treatment.

Following the directive to ACF, which is focused on humanitarian interventions, Aisha was moved with an ambulance from her home in Daura to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano where she is currently receiving specialist treatment.

Atiku Abubakar wishes her a quick and safe recovery.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/just-in-atiku-rescues-aisha-haruna-who-got-burnt-beyond-recognition.html

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Shehu Sani, senator representing Kaduna central, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to pay a condolence visit to Zamfara state before commencing his campaign rally.

Buhari is billed to flag off his re-election campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, on Friday.

But Sani asked the president to pay a visit first to crisis-torn Zamfara, before heading to Akwa Ibom.

Violence broke out in Zamfara on Monday after some internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tsafe took to the streets to protest the recent killings in the state.

The north-western state has suffered a series of attacks, leading to loss of lives and properties.

In November, Abdulaziz Yari, the state governor, said 155 persons were killed and another 50 abducted by bandits in less than a month.

Sani said he believes and hopes that Buhari would heed his advice.

“The President should visit Zamfara to commiserate and condole, before Akwa Ibom to rally;and I believe he will,hopefully,” Sani wrote on Twitter.

The lawmaker had on Monday, accused the northern elite of being silent on the killings in the region.

He had listed fear of being seen as anti-government, belief that Buhari is doing his best in curbing the crisis or as a result of their indifference to the plight of the poor, as the reasons for their alleged silence.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/visit-zamfara-before-campaigning-in-akwa-ibom-shehu-sani-tells-buhari.html

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“Due to heavy traffic at the Onitsha/Asaba Bridge, all South-East #APC members coming home for the Christmas are hereby advised to use their SECOND NIGER BRIDGE already completed on Social Media by Buhari. Drive safe on the spiritual bridge.”

The above is one of tweets by a Nigerian on social media who is taunting the APC government for allegedly claiming the Second Niger Bridge will soon be completed.

The statement which is currently trending with “Onitsha” on social media is also making jest at some travellers going to the east for Christmas celebration.

Days after President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2019 budget at the joint session of the national Assembly, criticisms have continued to trickle in, especially as concerns claims of development that the president made while defending the budget. One of such criticisms is on the Second Niger Bridge.

President Buhari had said during the budget presentation that his government had completed some projects in the country, citing roads, education, health, and job creation. The president had also said the economy was getting better while corruption and insecurity were being almost tamed.

Meanwhile, while the President made mention of some of the claimed projects he said his administration had completed, some of the lawmakers had booed him while others shouted “No!” and “Lies!” at him.

The senate chambers also witnessed a fight between lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and those of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the attempted humiliation of the President while he was presenting the budget.

Shortly after the president finished his budget presentation, many notable Nigerians, including the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Pastor Reno Omokri, had faulted president Buhari on some aspects of the budget, with Omokri saying the president lied on some projects he claimed his government completed.

One of such claims faulted by Pastor Omokri is the Ogwashi-Ukwu Dam in Delta State which the president claimed was nearly completed. A video shown by Omokri on the dam showed no proof to the claims the president made in his budget.

Meanwhile, others Nigerians have continued to take to the social media to criticize the claims made by the president, with many taunting, especially Southeast APC members travelling to the east to take the “SECOND NIGER BRIDGE already completed on Social Media by Buhari.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/Nigerians-Blasts-Buhari-APC-Members-Over-Completed-Niger-Bridge-To-Onitsha.html

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I am the only presidential candidate today that has laid out a very clear vision of constitutional restructuring. I will give you my lecture at the Nigerian Political Science Association Annual Conference in the South East zone which I gave sometime in October at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. There I laid out a very clear vision of restructuring, going beyond people just using the term to seek votes. I am not using restructuring as just a phrase to catch votes.

I believe that Nigeria cannot survive if we are not constitutionally restructured. By that I mean Nigeria must be re-federalized. We must be brought back to becoming a proper federation. To be very clear about what I mean, restructuring is not just devolution of powers, state police. That in itself is not restructuring. It is a part of restructuring, but in and on itself, is not restructuring.

So, there is a 419 version of restructuring and there is the real restructuring of Nigeria. Any restructuring that is not accompanied by a fundamentally new constitution, that recreates a proper federation for Nigeria, as was done in 1963 constitution, will not address the problem.

The problem, as we said, is structural. As president, I will lead this process of restructuring Nigeria, working closely with the National Assembly and the state assemblies.

So, my vision of restructuring is one in which Nigeria is returned to being a federation, that’s number 1. Number 2, in which that federation is structured on the basis of the central government and sub-national government that are the geopolitical zones, which will become economic zones, not on the basis of states I want to be very clear. I believe that the federating unit should be zones or regions.

Please, speaking seriously, I believe Nigeria should have a merit-based presidency so that we can actually make progress. We should stop rotating inside poverty. We are rotating inside poverty. Do you like that?

Don’t worry about money. It does not matter. If money were everything, there are some candidates in this race who would have been president some 25 years ago. They have been at it since then. They have not. But, they have always had a lot of money.

Let us be careful about the worship of money. Money is necessary to run an election in terms of logistics and messaging. But, I want you to know that in this country, what we have is a political industrial complex in which politics have become the biggest business in town.

social intervention projects, giving traders money is vote buying. Let me give you a quotation from the Christian Holy book. “Some trust in their chariots, others trust in horses; But, we will call upon the name of our God.”

I want you to understand something that we are in a historical moment in Nigeria. People are tired of the recycled old politicians. Our people want something new. You are under-estimating the strength of that feeling. But because I have gone across the whole country talking to ordinary Nigerians, I know far more accurately how people feel. So, there is nothing impossible about defeating an incumbent. Mr. Buhari defeated an incumbent, right? And that person ceded power.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/how-i-will-defeat-buhari-kingsley-moghalu.html

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The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has declared January 8 as a day of national protest to drive home its demand for a new minimum wage.

The resolution was reached at the NLC national executive council meeting in Abuja, according to a statement issued Friday by Ayuba Wabba, the union’s president.

The NLC is demanding that the minimum wage is increased from the current N18,000 to N30,000, 60 percent less than the South Africa national minimum wage which is at N91,225.

Both the federal and state government are yet to agree with the demand.

While presenting the 2019 budget, President Muhammadu Buhari said a committee will be set up to review the demand while state governors have proposed the sum of N22,500.

The NLC president said the union “strongly condemned” the continued delay by the federal government in transmitting a bill of the new national minimum wage to the national assembly for approval.

“The protest is to express anger and total dissatisfaction over the delay by the federal government in transmitting, enacting and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30,000,” the statement read.

“The NEC-in-Session approved that the protests should hold in all state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja on January 8, 2019. The NEC mandates all industrial unions and state councils to fully mobilise workers and coordinate with other labour unions for this mother-of-all protest.”

Some of the meetings between the federal government and NLC on the new minimum wage demand ended in deadlock.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/nlc-declares-jan-8-day-of-nationwide-protest-over-minimum-wage.html

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The decisions of the national headquarters of the APC, Nigeria’s ruling party, should be ignored, a governor of the party has said.

Ibikunle Amosun, the Ogun State Governor, said this on Friday while addressing party supporters.

He also declared that he and his supporters were ready to battle against the interest of the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in Ogun.

Mr Amosun, an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, has been having a running battle with Mr Oshiomhole.

The crisis got worse after Mr Amosun’s favourite to be his successor lost out in the politics of the APC primaries. The governor blamed Mr Oshiomhole, ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu and ex-Ogun governor, Segun Osoba, for his ordeal. He then vowed to work against Dapo Abiodun who is the APC governorship candidate for next year’s election and has the backing of Messrs Tinubu and Osoba.

Since then, the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee has dissolved the Ogun executives of the APC and announced a caretaker committee headed by Yemi Sanusi. Ayobami Olubori was announced as secretary and Tunde Oladunjoye publicity secretary of the committee.

On Friday, however, Mr Amosun said the caretaker committee would not succeed in the state.

The governor, who is a senatorial candidate of the APC after completing his two terms as governor, said only the dissolved state executive led by Derin Adebiyi would be recognised by the state. He said the executive was created by God through the efforts of the members of the party.

“This is the home of the APC. We are human beings. We are no God and that is why we are telling them that in this coming election in Ogun State, it is whoever all of you (people) decide to back that will win the election.

“So, the best way to answer them is through our action. And what is the action? We will use our votes to let them know who owns Ogun State. So, if they are looking for a state to destroy, they should not think of Ogun State. We are ready for them.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/amosun-dares-oshiomhole-tinubu-says-well-know-who-owns-ogun-in-2019.html

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State, has declared that Senator Hope Uzodinma, does not belong to the party.

Speaking through the state chairman, Daniel Nwafor, in an interview with Sun, the Imo APC also called on security agencies to investigate bribery allegations involving its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Senator Uzodinma.

Nwafor said “there are a lot of allegations of money changing hands, which I think the security agencies should investigate.”


Responding to question on why he has not invited Uzodinma to APC meeting since he emerged the party’s governorship candidate, Nwafor said, “I have called a press conference here sometime ago and said that Hope Uzodinma is not a member of our party.

“But because the party needed to move forward, we allowed certain things and rules to go.

“Hope Uzodinma we also challenge him now is not a member of this party.


“However, we have to allow certain things to be in the interest of peace in the party.

“I think they are not appreciating the efforts of the state structure of this party.”

He further described Oshiomhole as a reckless rascal for daring to ignore a valid court order restraining him from tampering with the state structure of the party.

He continued, “Two weeks ago, the governorship candidate of our party, Sen. Hope Uzodinma in connivance with Adams Oshiomhole requested that the state exco, the LGA and ward executives of the party should be dissolved.

“Sen. Hope Uzodinma said that he could not win elections in the state with the present party structure and requested Adams Oshiomhole to dissolve the party structure.

“At that meeting with candidates, state chairmen and state secretaries I also warned that if he grants the requests of Sen. Uzodinma in dissolving the entire state structure that he will taking the Imo APC 15 steps backwards.

“But as usual the National Chairman having already formed an alliance with Sen. Uzodinma, there are a lot of allegations of money changing hands, which I think the security agencies should investigate.

“It was at that meeting he admitted that he was going to dissolve the party structure in Imo state.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/imo-guber-senator-uzodinma-not-member-apc.html

KKK...

WE DON HEAR

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, yesterday in Abuja claimed that the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had fulfilled all the promises it made to Nigerians.

The minister who made this claim while answering questions from journalists in the State House, further argued that the government had met all its obligations to Nigerians.

Promising that the government is determined to do more in the New Year, Mohammed who said he had made the portrait of President Muhammadu Buhari in five different Nigerian cultures, wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

“I wish everybody Merry Christmas and as a government, we are happy that we have been able to meet all our promises, all our obligations to Nigerians. And as the year rolls out, we are more determined to even deliver more to Nigerians.



“I wish to use this opportunity to wish everybody merry Christmas and a happy new year.

“I made a portrait of Mr. President in five major Nigeria attires. One is in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Efik and one in suit. It is reminiscent of the portrait we used during this campaign,” he said.

On fear that the National Assembly may shut down the 2019 budget following the hostilities against the president by lawmakers while presenting the Appropriation Bill on Wednesday, the minister said it was not in the tradition of the executive to trade words with the National Assembly.

Describing the National Assembly as an independent arm of government, Mohammed said the executive had done its part, leaving the rest for the federal legislature to also play its own role.

“It is not the practice of the executive to be exchanging words with the legislative arm of government. They are independent. We are independent but to the best of our knowledge, we presented a budget, given the circumstances of our resources this year. We feel that is the best we can. It is left for the National Assembly to consider it,” he submitted.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/buhari-apc-governor-has-fulfilled-all-promises-to-nigeria.html

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About 3,250 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi state including two former commissioners under the immediate past administration in the state on Thursday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 election.

Receiving the decampees at the township stadium in Kabba, the headquarters of Kogi West during the official flag-off of APC rally, the zonal chairman of the party, Mr Ropo Asagun, said two commissioners that served under the immediate past administration were among the over 3, 000 PDP members that decamped to the ruling party.

He noted that the defection was an indication that APC is generally acceptable in Kogi West, promising that the party would not discriminate against any member whether old or new.

In his speech, the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, cautioned electorate in the state not to sell their Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

The Speaker who was optimistic that the APC will win the presidential election said the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last three years had endeared the electorate to again vote for him.

“In the last three and half years, President Buhari and his Vice have done a lot for the country what the PDP could not do for Nigerians in sixteen years”, he said.

He urged the people of Kogi West to vote for Senator Smart Adeyemi whom he described as a lawmaker that has the interest of his people at heart, saying his antecedents while in the Senate would spur the people to vote for him.

Also speaking, a former Managing Director of Daily Trust newspaper, Ishaq Ajibola maintained that Yagba people have really benefited immensely from Governor Yahaya Bello in the areas of political appointments and execution of projects.

He enjoined the people of the district to support and vote for all the candidates of the APC in order to enjoy more dividends of democracy.

In his vote of thanks, Senator Smart Adeyemi promised on behalf of other APC candidates in Kogi West that they will lead by example if given the opportunity to serve the state.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/3000-pdp-members-two-ex-commissioners-defect-to-apc-in-kogi.html

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On Thursday, The organised labour said that the Federal Government has up till December 31 to send the tripartite committee report on N30,000 minimum wage to the National Assembly.

The three labour centres — the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and the United Labour Congress — took the decision after a joint meeting in Lagos.

The organiseed labour gave the ultimatum following President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that a “high powered technical committee” would be set up to device ways to ensure that its implementation did not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

Buhari spoke at the presentation of 2019 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday.

The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, who address newsmen after the meeting, said that setting up a technical committee could not be a condition for passing the minimum wage report to the National Assembly.

Accoridng to Wabba, the organised labour cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the country if the wage report was not passed for implementation on or before Dec. 31.

“We reject in its entirety the plan to set up another `high powered technical committee’ on the minimum wage. It is diversionary and a delay tactics.

“The national minimum wage committee was both technical and all-encompassing in its compositions and plan to set up a technical committee is alien to the tripartite process.

“It is also alien to the International Labour Organisations’ conventions on national minimum wage setting mechanism,’’ he said.

The labour leader said that issues on payment of minimum wage was a law that was universal, citing that other African countries like, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa had increased their minimum wage this year.

“If you increase minimum wage, you are increasing the purchasing power of the economy which will help to reduce inflation rather than increase it,’’ Wabba said.

He urged workers to be vigilant and prepare to campaign and vote against candidates and politicians who are not willing to implement the new minimum wage.

Mr Joe Ajaero, President of ULC, also called on the government to send the report to lawmakers so that the implementation of the new minimum wage report would begin without delay.

Ajaero said that all affiliate members of the organised labour had been informed to be alert ahead of the Dec. 31 notice if the government failed to submit the report.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that organised labour had planned to go on a nationwide strike on Nov. 6, following the Federal Government’s delay to accept the N30,000 minimum wage agreement.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/submit-minimum-wage-report-to-nass-by-dec-31-labour-tells-fg.html

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The Federal Government has described as an “act of desperation’’, the statement credited to the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that “killings will continue if President Muhammadu Buhari is re-elected’’.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated the government position at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

The minister said that Atiku is desperate “due to his floundering campaign’’ and admonished the former Vice President to stop bad politicking and politicising killings.

“It is clear to all Nigerians that the electioneering campaign of the PDP presidential candidate has failed to gain traction.

“From Sokoto to Ilorin to Ibadan to Gombe, it has been a disastrous outing for the campaign.

“ With that magnitude of failure, anyone can say anything to stay afloat,’’ he said.

“The opposition is only crying wolf where there is none, and in view of what they did during their 16 years in power.

“They never really won a free and fair election. Their strategy was to use the
security agencies to thwart the wishes of voters.

“They did it in Ekiti and Osun in 2014. I was a victim in Osun, so I know what I am saying.

“But the guilty are always afraid. They think what they have done to
others is what will be done to them,’’ he said

The minister assured that under President Buhari’s watch, no security agency would play that kind of ignominious role in any election.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/you-are-desperate-lai-mohammed-blasts-atiku.html

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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has declared that any vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 elections literally means a further endorsement of insecurity, killings and hunger.

He also asked Nigerians to take an inventory of their lives to know whether they have made any remarkable progress since the coming of the government of All Progressives Congress, APC in 2015, asserting that two-thirds of Nigerians can no longer afford three-square meals a day.

According to him, the situation was largely responsible for the high rate of incidences of criminal attacks and kidnapping.

He therefore asked to make the right choice of voting the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to bring back the country on the path of growth and prosperity.

Dogara spoke Tuesday in Gombe, Gombe state capital at the North East zonal campaign and rally of the PDP.

He said that since the coming of APC, over 13 million children have dropped out of School, warning that the I’ll development was another time bomb waiting to explode.

Dogara who lamented the continued killings especially in the Northeast, remarked that Nigeria had witnessed more carnages under President Buhari’s watch than in the time of the PDP.

He said that no country would have tolerated the killing of over 100 of its soldiers without declaring a total national emergency on security.

He urged the people of the North East to vote massively for the PDP for the development of the region saying, “We people in the North East have so much in this election. This election is not about PDP and APC, it is not about Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and President Muhammadu Buhari, it is between you and as an individual Nigerian and a government that has not fulfilled the expectations of Nigerian people, expectations of the people of the North East.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/any-vote-for-buhari-means-insecurity-killings-hunger-dogara-tells-nigeria.html

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The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has responded to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who mocked him for adopting the ‘freedom’ slogan for his 2019 aspiration.

Tinubu had, while addressing members of the All Progressives Congress on Monday, said, “Those who said they want freedom should go and learn tailoring and vulcanising and we will do freedom for them later.”

However, in a statement on Tuesday, Agbaje likened Tinubu to the biblical Pharaoh of Egypt who refused to allow the children of Israel to leave but kept them in bondage until God sent down 10 plagues that forced Pharaoh’s hand.

“Pharaoh, you must let our people go!” Agbaje said.

“Apparently, the APC leader has lost touch with reality,” Agbaje said in a press statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Felix Oboagwina.

“Otherwise, he would know that, like the children of Israel, Lagosians are groaning under the taskmaster that Tinubu and his cronies have turned themselves into in this state that should rate as Nigeria’s foremost,” he added.

Recalling that the biblical Pharaoh finally granted liberty to the Israelites only after several vicious plagues, Agbaje said, Lagosians would be liberated after the people might have delivered an electoral disgrace to the APC in 2019.

He also said that his campaign slogan mirrored the same spirit that moved Nelson Mandela to declare his long walk to freedom in an apartheid South Africa.

Agbaje said, “We identify with our vulcanisers, tailors and all craftsmen who have the joy of duly-earned freedom after their apprenticeship.

“But it is apparent that, unlike them, those who have gotten used to filthy lucre and the dividends of corruption cannot savour the joy that comes with the legitimate sweat and labour of hardworking artisans.”

He argued that Lagos State must be freed from the era of nepotism and corruption that saw a private firm maintaining a stranglehold on the state’s funds, contrary to global best practices.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/agbaje-blasts-tinubu-pharaoh-let-my-people-go.html

HAPPPYYY BIRTHDAY... SENATE

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All the 16 elected local government chairmen and their 177 councillors have been placed on indefinite suspension by the State House of Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, announced the indefinite suspension at a news conference after plenary on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti.

He said the suspension was one of the resolutions adopted after the House had debated on the report submitted to it on the recent investigation into the finances of all the local government councils.

Aribisogan, who said that the suspension would pave the way for a forensic audit of the councils, added that the continued stay in office of the elected officials would obstruct the course of investigation.

According to him, the committee ’s report exposed a great deal of corruption and other sharp practices to the detriment of the people of the council areas.

He alleged that most of the sacked council chairmen awarded white elephant contracts to cronies and friends after which such projects would be executed by direct labour using council equipment.

Aribisogan, however, urged the executive to immediately commence reforms in the administration of the local governments.

He said it was also resolved that appropriate sanctions should be meted to any erring official found culpable.

Aribisogan, who also said the assembly ’s resolution was constitutional, urged all the affected persons to vacate office immediately and hand over government properties in their care to the Directors of Administration.

He dismissed the insinuations in some quarters that the elected officials, who were all members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, were being compelled to join the All Progressives Congress.

NAN reports that the suspended officials were elected about a year ago.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/ekiti-assembly-suspends-16-council-chairmen-177-councillors.html

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Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, has felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 76th birthday.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Monday, Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prayed for long life for Buhari.

He said he remains a brother with the president even though they will soon meet at the polls in 2019.

“I wish President @MBuhari a happy birthday even as my family and I pray for long life for him,” he tweeted.

“Despite the fact that we will meet at the polls soon, I very much affirm that we are brothers born from the womb of One Nigeria. Happy birthday.”

I wish President @MBuhari a happy birthday even as my family and I pray for long life for him. Despite the fact that we will meet at the polls soon, I very much affirm that we are brothers born from the womb of One Nigeria. Happy birthday. -AA

— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) December 17, 2018

Atiku is seen as Buhari’s main challenger in next year’s election.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/hes-my-brother-atiku-celebrates-buhari-at-76.html

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Following the accusation leveled against the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, by the special assistant to president Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Monday mocked the current administration, noting that their incompetence is on play as they attempt to blame the former President for Buhari’s delay in forming his cabinet.

In a statement disclosed by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party opined that it is unfortunate that the Buhari Presidency will always resort to peddling falsehood as a cover for its failures.

It is a settled matter that President Buhari could not form a cabinet for over five months after his inauguration, primarily due to sheer incompetence, lack of preparedness and the fact that he was overwhelmed by the complexity of the office of the President of Nigeria.

Nigerians can also recall how President Buhari refused to hasten the formation of his cabinet following his widely condemned view, in September 2015, that ministers were mere “noise makers”.

According to President Buhari “the ministers are there, I think, to make a lot of noise”. “As for the cabinet, I said we will have one by the end of the month, and time flies. The end of the month is coming too quickly for my liking”.

The only thing left for President Buhari to do is to start preparing to accept defeat in 2019, as Nigerians are now rallying behind our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has the solutions and blueprint that guarantee a better future for our nation.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/pdp-reacts-at-buhari-gerba-shehu-over-excuse-on-cabinet-delay-mocks-apc.html

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The plan by the opposition to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 received a major boost on Monday as nine more political parties joined the existing 46 parties in the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP.

The event which was held at the Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre in Abuja saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the new parties and the CUPP.

The platforms received by the chairman of the CUPP Steering Committee, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, pledged their support and commitment to ensuring that the consensus candidate, Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, defeats the incumbent Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The parties that signed the deal today are: United Patriot (UP), Save Nigeria Congress (SNC), Peoples Coalition Party (PCP), Reform and Advancement Party(RAP), Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD), We The People of Nigeria (WTPN), Change Party (CP), New Generation Party (NGP), Alliance National Party (ANP)

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/2019-election-political-parties-backing-atiku-defeat-buhari-rise-55.html

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The Presidency, last night, took a swipe at the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over his position on the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the burial of 19 soldiers killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Melete, Borno State.

Abubakar had accused Buhari of being insensitive for not attending the burial. But a source in the Presidency said the President had shown that he is running a responsible government by going to the place to commiserate with the families of the victims.

The source said, “We have read the hypocritical press release signed by Mr Atiku Abubakar, accusing the government of Muhammadu Buhari of insensitivity by the failure of the President or the Vice President to attend the burial of the 19 military victims of Boko Haram.

“The loss of the gallant soldiers, as President Buhari has said is a national loss, on account of which he went to Maiduguri where he condoled the government and people of Borno State, addressed the troops at Maimalari Barracks as well as visited convalescing gallant soldiers. “This was a clear case of sensitive and responsible leadership.

“On the other hand however, when a similar number of troops (19 soldiers) were abducted and killed in October 2001, neither he (Atiku Abubakar) nor his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, paid any tributes not to talk of visiting the grieving family members of the martyred soldiers.

“Instead, they sent additional troops who rounded up the people of the town and authorized an indiscriminate shooting as reprisals”.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/buhari-osinbajos-absence-at-slain-soldiers-burial-presidency-blasts-atiku.html

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There are indications that some members of the All Progressives Congress National Working Committee may work for the success of some of the preferred candidates of aggrieved governors and aspirants’ in the 2019 general elections.

According to the APC sources, governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, are among the aggrieved party chiefs some of the NWC members may be supporting during the 2019 elections.

Specifically, it was learnt that some NWC members, who are loyal to the aggrieved governors and other party chiefs, might work for the success of their candidates even though some of them have now defected to other parties.

A member of the APC NWC, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution said, “Politics is about interests, most of us (NWC members) are here because we enjoy the support of our respective governors.

“All politics is local and for you to emerge from your state, or zone for those who are zonal officers; your governor in most cases did the leg work by selling your candidature to his colleagues who in turn sold your candidature to delegates in their individual states.

“There are also people whose governors nominated and worked for to ensure that they become members of the NWC. How is it possible that such a person will now abandon his/ her governor in his hour of need?

“Take for example, the National Organising Secretary (Emma Ibidiro) who was handpicked by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State to replace Senator Osita Izunaso. Do you expect him to work against his benefactor? Let us be realistic.”

In response to a question on how his colleagues in the NWC could be of use to their governors, the source said, “The 2019 elections whether you are talking about the state or National Assembly, that of governor or the President, it will hold in the various wards, local governments and states.

“Who controls this level of government? The governors! Who controls the resources at this level? The governors! Who are those responsible for bankrolling the recruitment, training and welfare of party agents? The governors! State governors are the leaders of the party in their various states and a governor who is truly a governor and is in charge gives political direction for major political players in his state of the party.

Another member of the NWC, who also spoke on condition of anonymity said, “The reality on ground today is that the so called reconciliation you are reading about in the media is what it is, a media show. Go to any of the states where the so called reconciliation committees have visited and find out. The level of injustice meted out to party members during our primaries is not something that just saying sorry can wipe away.”

Meanwhile, the NWC of the APC would meet on Tuesday to decide the fate of those working against the interest of the party.

It was learnt that the meeting would among other things review the reports of the Peace and Reconciliation Committees sent to the six geopolitical zones.

Our correspondent gathered that four of the committees had already submitted their reports to the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, as of Thursday.

Amosun, Okorocha and the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, have vowed to work against the governorship candidates in their states.

A member of the NWC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the party was in dilemma over the hard-line stance of the governors but was exercising restraint in meting out punishment.

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary, of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who confirmed that a meeting had been fixed for Tuesday, did not reveal the agenda.

He, however, said it was preemptive to suggest that the NWC would sanction the governors when the reports of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee had not been debated.

Besides, he said the committees were not raised specifically for the two governors but for all the members.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/2019-apc-nwc-members-may-work-for-amosun-okorocha-others-preferred-candidates.html

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Peter Obi, vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says corruption can be fought aggressively while at the same time attention is paid to the economy.

Taking on Yemi Osinbajo, vice-presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at a debate organised by the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Obi faulted the government’s economic policy.

“In 2015, unemployment and underemployment was 24%, today it’s 40. In 2015, we were attracting N21 billion in foreign direct investments, we attracted only 12 last year. That means it’s going low. Our GDP was 520 in 2015, and per capital was 2, 500, today it’s under 1, 900. If you look at our stock market, it has lost over N2 trillion in one year,” he said.

“You are not creating jobs, you are not doing the right thing, and you are just fighting corruption. You can’t shut down your shop and be chasing criminals.”

On Wednesday, the former Anambra governor had also described the government’s fight against corruption as a disaster and not an economic policy.

Responding, Osinbajo said government would not be able to do all it wants if corruption is not eradicated.

“If you allow criminals to steal all the inventories in the shop, there will be no shop,” he said.

“And what has happened in Nigeria in the past 16 years is what the World Bank told us that the major cause of our poverty is corruption. So, let me say that there is no way we can minimise what has happened. You can’t minimise corruption. If you minimise it, we run the risk of completely… in fact the argument is lost. We cannot do what we want to do unless we are able to minimise corruption or eradicate it completely. This is what we are trying do.”

Obi, Osinbajo debated alongside Ganiyu Galadima of ACPN, Khadijah Abdullahi of ANN and Umma Abdullahi-Getso of YPP.

The event held at the congress hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/you-cant-shut-down-your-shop-and-be.html

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Fact checkers went to work Friday night to puncture some of the statistics quoted by Peter Obi, the vice-presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party at the live TV debate at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

Obi was correct when he said oil exports still accounts for 80 per cent of Nigeria’s dollar revenue. However, oil contribution to GDP has dwindled to about 10 per cent, according to NBS.

Despite the statistical goofs, Obi was praised by many PDP sympathisers for his performance during the debate.

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, who had not tweeted for a long time, wrote:

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/pdp-governors-reacts-to-peter-obis-performance-at-vp-debate-and-pround-of-him.html

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The candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Peter Obi appears the most favoured speaker in the Vice-Presidential debate on Friday.
In many Twitter posts, Obi seem to stand out among four other speakers including Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who argues that subsidy on the importation of petroleum products should be retained.

An intense argument between the contesters focused on the impact subsidization has had on the nation.

Obi's comments during the debate receives more positive reactions compared to others.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/nigerian-reacts-to-peter-obis-performance-atvp-debate-and-praises-him.html

Good Morning !!!!

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Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he cannot wait for the 2019 presidential debate.

Atiku said this shortly after his running mate took on Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the debate organised by the Nigerian Elections Debate Group (NEDG) and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).

The PDP candidate commended Obi for “laying out our vision to get Nigeria working again”.

“I watched with pride as @PeterObi laid out our vision to get Nigeria working again. Can’t wait for the presidential debate,” he tweeted.

Five parties participated in the vice-presidential debate. They are Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP).

The presidential debate is scheduled for January 19.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/2019-i-cant-wait-for-presidential-atiku.html

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday night assured loyal All Progressives Congress members, who would work for his victory in 2019 of a handsome reward.

Buhari admitted that he had not been able to fully reward those who worked for him to emerge as President in 2015.

However, he stressed that in 2019, it would be a different ballgame as his loyal supporters would be rewarded.

Buhari spoke at the old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the launch of one of his support groups, “Together Nigeria.”

The President said, ” At this point, I would like to acknowledge the overwhelming support I enjoyed from individuals and organizations across the country over the years.

“I say thank you to all those who contributed to our success in one way or the other.

“Some of you, individuals and organisations, may be feeling disappointed because we have not been able to please everyone.
“I would like to assure you that this time hard work and loyalty will be rewarded adequately.

“Finally, I wish to thank the Together Nigeria Group for educating the world about our good work and achievements. I will like to also thank our celebrities for projecting the image of Nigeria globally and for your contributions to the development of our entertainment industries.”

The President’s wife, Aisha Buhari; wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo; Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura; and his colleague from Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, attended the event.

Also, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and several Nollywood stars witnessed the launch.
Speaking at the event, a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Mohammed Kazaure, told the audience that he had yet to see anyone who would defeat Buhari.

Describing the President as the “old man”, Kazaure said, “I have not seen anybody that will defeat that old man Buhari.”
He also praised Aisha for being frank with her comments on the President’s administration.

However, he claimed that if given another four years, Buhari “will be better.”

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/2019-i-will-reward-those-who-work-for-my-victory-buhari-promises.html

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The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, on Wednesday alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police had entered into a secret agreement with the All Progressives Congress to cripple PDP states.

Secondus added that the alleged move was aimed at stopping the PDP’s bid to reclaim power and “rescue the country from the inept rule of the APC”.

However, the APC dismissed the allegation, saying the former ruling party was not telling the truth.

Secondus in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr Ike Abonyi, claimed that the PDP was aware that the APC had “mapped out a strategy to ensure that the PDP-controlled states are adequately inconvenienced and frustrated enough not to have concentration to tackle their reelection”.

The PDP leader alleged that the redeployment of Commissioners of Police in Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states was geared towards preventing his party from retaining power in the three states.

He added, “In the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly crisis, which was engineered by the APC, the police clearly became an interested party playing a biased role to dance to the music of the APC.

“In most PDP states, despite the governors being the statutory chief security officers, police commissioners have set up parallel structures to undermine the security of the states just to satisfy their paymasters

“They have resolved to inject crisis into the PDP-controlled states and ensure that our governors who are refusing to play ball are permanently distracted.

“They have deployed a huge amount of money in these states to either use labour or state legislators to instigate crisis, frighten the governors and force them to do a deal with them.”

Secondus alleged that the EFCC and the police had been co-opted into what he described as a nefarious project “to make it look as if it is an anti-corruption programme”.

He said, “Nigerians should ask the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, why is it that only PDP governors are on their radar.

“Nigerians should ask the EFCC why they are looking away from what happened in Kano that everybody watched. If Governor Ibrahim Ganduje had been a member of the PDP, would the EFCC have kept quiet?

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/apc-efcc-planning-to-cripple-pdp-states-secondus.html

Good Morning.... [Nairalander]

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The All Progressives Congress members in the House of Representatives and their counterparts in the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday traded words over the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to withhold assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.

While the APC Caucus of the House of Representatives emerged from a closed-door meeting on Wednesday to back Buhari’s decision with a vow to ensure that the National Assembly’s planned move to override the President’s veto failed, their PDP counterparts said the President’s action was against the interest of the country and they would challenge it.

The APC caucus described the bill, which was the fourth version the National Assembly would pass and transmit to the President, as an “imperfect document.”

Leader of the caucus and Majority Leader of the House, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, who addressed journalists in company with other members, argued that the National Assembly could not override Buhari’s veto, especially as the President also pointed out clerical errors in the bill.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/apc-pdp-reps-clash-over-unsigned-electoral-bill.html

Good Morning......[Nairalander]

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President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate, explaining why he refused to assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the President’s letter at the Tuesday Plenary.

President Buhari’s letter to the senators reads: “Pursuant to Section 58 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the Senate, my decision on 6th December 2018 to decline Presidential Assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.

“I am declining assent to the Bill principally because I am concerned that passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general elections, which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act, could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.

“Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process.

“This leads me to believe that it is in the best interest of the country and our democracy for the National Assembly to specifically state in the Bill that the Electoral Act will come into effect and be applicable to elections commencing after the 2019 General Elections.”

Continuing, Buhari explains, “It is also important for the following drafting amendments to be made to the Bill:

”A. Section 5 of the Bill, amending section 18 of the Principal Act should indicate the subsection to which the substitution of the figure ’30” for the figure “60” is to be effected.”

“B. Section 11 of the Bill, amending Section 36 should indicate the subsection in which the provision is to be introduced.

“C. Section 24 of the Bill which amends Section 85(1) should be redrafted in full as the introduction of the “electing” to the sentence may be interpreted to mean that the political parties may give 21 days’ notice of the .. intention to merge, as opposed to the 90 days provided in Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act which provides the provision for merger of political parties.”

“D. The definition of the term “Ward Collection Officer” should be revised to reflect a more descriptive definition than the capitalized and undefined term “Registration Area Collation Officer.”

The President concluded his letter with greeting to the lawmakers: “Please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

After Saraki finished reading the President’s letter, Senate Leader moved that all items on the Order Paper be stood down to another legislative day.

Minority Leader seconded the motion and the Plenary adjourned to Wednesday, 12th December, 2018.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/breaking-why-i-refused-to-sign-electoral-bill-buhari-writes-senate.html

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The Senate has suspended the confirmation of four persons nominated as members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes had, on Tuesday, presented to the Plenary its finding on the four EFCC nominees, but the legislators noted that the South-East and the South-South were “not accommodated” in the Commission.

The four nominees presented for confirmation are: Ndasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Imam Najib, and Adeleke Adebayo Rafiu. They were nominated as members of the EFCC, and need to be confirmed by the National Assembly.

At the Tuesday Plenary, Senator Chukwuka Utazi presented the report of the committee concerning the confirmation of the nominees.

Senator Barnabas Gemade seconded the motion asking the Senate to consider the report.

Another senator, Victor Umeh, noted that “the nominees have very rich, vital skills and experience.”

He, however, noted that only one of the nominees was from the South-West, while the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, is from the North.

“This makes a total of four people from the North,” Umeh said; adding, “The South-East and South-South are not accommodated in this Commission.”

He argued that, “It is important that we include all regions in governing roles and in the fight against corruption, as it involves us all.

“All geo-political zones should be included in this Commission.

Supporting Umeh, another senator, Matthew Urhoghide, noted that “The distribution is wrong;” urging, “Let us delegate people to look at the distribution of these appointments.

“I suggest that this matter be stood down while it is looked into.”

Utazi counselled that since there were six members in the committee, all of them should be directed to focus on one geo-political zone each and come up with a more balanced report.

However, Senator Ahmad Lawan advised the lawmaker to “pass the nominations as presented,” but that they should eventually correct it to ensure equal representation for all geo-political zones.

The Senate thereafter went into Executive Session, which lasted for 25 minutes.

At the Executive session, the Senate agreed that the confirmation of the EFCC nominees should be suspended for further legislative input.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/breaking-senate-suspends-confirmation-of-efcc-nominees.html

Cc Lalasticlala
Cc Fynestboi
Cc Seun
Cc mynd44

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The Nigeria Labour Congress is to liase with the International Trade Union Congress to place names of governors in the states where workers are being owed salaries and pensions for several months on a “watch list”.

NAN reports that the ITUC is the world’s largest trade union federation.

It was formed on November 1, 2006, out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour.

Mr. Ayuba Wabba, President of the NLC, made this known while addressing the Nigeria Union of Pensioners at its 17th anniversary on Tuesday Abuja.

He said that aside, “naming and shaming” these governors, the NLC would soon direct Nigeria workers to monitor various airports in the country to stop such governors, who may have completed their term from fleeing the country

“We will instruct workers at the nation’s airports to disallow and disgrace any governors trying to leave the country in order to enjoy themselves overseas.

“We have issued statements to these governors owing salaries, informing them that they cannot go anywhere to enjoy the monies they have carted away.

“They will be disgraced and chased away,” he said.

He said, “Instead of using the money to make lives good and build the country for the good of everybody, a few elites will embezzle what is meant for all for their personal use.”

Wabba however assured pensioners that the NLC would not relent in its effort to ensure the issue of minimum pension alongside the minimum wage, was addressed.

He said that the government must address the welfare of pensioners, this he said would ensure that workers desist from looting.

Wabba commended President Muhammad Buhari for the payment of pensions arrears for the Nigeria Airways workers and the 33 per cent increment the pension.

https://all-gists..com/2018/12/we-will-name-shame-govs-owing-salaries.html