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The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung yesterday summoned the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Suleiman Kazaure over the alleged forged NYSC exemption certificate of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

Speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja, the minister said the move was to get first hand information from the DG on what transpired and how far the scheme had gone with the investigation.

He said as soon as he was done getting the brief from the NYSC boss, he would brief Nigerians on the matter.

Meanwhile, when our reporter visited the scheme’s headquarters yesterday, a source revealed that top officials of the NYSC had been engaged in series of meeting as part of investigation into the matter.

Another source told our reporter that there was confusion at the scheme saying “We are still wondering if the certificate was given to her from the scheme even if it was fake or if the woman forged it outside the scheme.

“What we still don’t understand is why she had to apply for an exemption certificate but she was not made to go and observe her one year service, anyway, that is if she got any certificate from the scheme.

“Although General Bomoi is late, I hope part of the investigation will be to invite past DG’s as well to come and testify as to what happened, but it still has to be if she got the certificate from here or it was forged.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/minister-summons-nysc-dg-over-adeosun-s-certificate-260597.html

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Wednesday held national prayers session in Abuja to expressed anger against the killing of Christians in the Middle Belt and other parts of the country by alleged armed herdsmen.

The prayer session which attracted Christian leaders across the country witnessed outpouring of prayers and emotions over the killings in Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Taraba states and some states in the southern part of the country.

CAN President, Dr. Supo Ayokunle said the increasing cases of killings in the country has almost made Nigeria a deserted land and that the killings were already becoming an embarrassment.

“The church is one, the church wants the best for the country and the church wants the carnage to stop,” Ayokunle said.

On his part, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan called for unity among Christians and Nigerians.

“There was no need to allow divisions to make it difficult for us to work together for things that are good. At the higher level, efforts are been made for Christians to come together and unite with one voice,” Onaiyekan said.

Also, Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Ministry, Dr Paul Enenche said, “Adversity brings unity, it is all agreed that everyone is in a crisis situation; we are also trusting God for a perfect plan ahead of the coming year. The primary objective of government is the protection of lives and property, and all we can say is that the leadership of the country should do more in securing lives and properties.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/can-hold-national-prayer-onaiyekan-others-want-end-to-killings-260490.html

The Social Democratic Party has promised to spring surprises at next Saturday’s governorship poll in Ekiti State.

The SDP National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, who fielded questions from journalists, yesterday, during a retreat for state party chairmen in Abuja, said the people were already tired of the APC and the PDP.

Gabam, who voiced confidence that the party would produce the governor at the coming poll, said “SDP will sweep the poll with a bang; just watch out. We are going to spring surprises by sweeping the poll.

“The people of Ekiti State are tired of PDP, APC and others. They are seeing us as their messiah and we shall not fail them, come Saturday. Our candidate, Yemi Ayegbusin, a seasoned banker will be victorious and become the next governor of the state.

“SDP will gain a lot of sympathizers with the increasing feud between the leading political parties in the state, the PDP and the APC. Our candidate is not controversial as the candidates of the two political parties. The goodwill will work for us.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-ll-win-ekiti-governorship-sdp-260580.html

With just a week to the governorship election in Ekiti State, Nigeria’s two major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are locked in an epic battle for the soul of the state, deploying their most sophisticated strategies.

Although 35 political parties are fielding candidates to vie for the coveted seat which would be vacated by the incumbent, Ayodele Fayose, the battle line appears to be drawn between candidates of the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A former governor of the State Kayode Fayemi, who recently resigned as Minister of Solid Minerals would be locking horns with the ‘anointed’ candidate of the incumbent governor and his deputy, Professor Kolapo Olusola, in what has been described as the mother of all political battles ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Indeed, to many political watchers, the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State derives its importance for several reasons. Apart from the fact that winning the state would serve as a pointer to what happens in the 2019 general elections in the South-West, it would also serve as a determining factor of the acceptability of the two major political parties, especially in the face of growing disillusionment amongst Nigerians.

While the PDP which was ousted after holding onto political power for sixteen years would be experimenting the possibility of staging a comeback in 2019, the APC which rode to power in 2015 on the mantra of ‘change’ would determine through the outcome of the Ekiti election whether it is still gaining political grounds, especially in the South-West zone where it had swept all states with the exception of Ekiti. Being the only state in the South-West under its control, the PDP believes completely losing the South-West to the APC, would affect its chances of staging a comeback to the Presidency in 2019.

It is against this background that both political parties and their candidates have been deploying all political arsenals at their disposal to ensure victory at next Saturday’s governorship polls in Ekiti. Ahead of the D-day, both parties and their candidates have been criss-crossing the length and breadth of state with campaign messages in order to woo the electorate to their sides. There have also been allegations and counter allegations of plots to rig the elections on both sides.

The candidate of the APC Fayemi, is said to be counting on his achievements during his first term between 2010 and 2014, promising to do more if elected on Saturday.

Fayemi has been selling his eight-point agenda to redirect the state to the path of growth and development to all the 133 communities across the state, promising to provide visionary leadership.

After concluding his campaign tour of LGS, Fayemi turned his attention to professional bodies such as teachers, civil servants, local government workers, artisans, NULGE members, among other groups. He allayed fears that he plans to sack workers, especially teachers, saying that as a worker-friendly leader, he will never pursue policies that will cost Ekiti people their livelihoods.

Promising to resuscitate Youth Agricultural Scheme (YCAD), Traffic Management Service, Fire Service, ambulance service and ensure regular payment of salary, Fayemi recalled that he raised salary three times in four years to ensure welfare of workers and keep peace and security in the state.

At another session with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Ade Adesanmi, Fayemi reminded workers that he increased their salary three times in four years and paid relativity package in addition to the 25 per cent for rural posting and core subjects allowances, describing himself as the first governor to pay special salary to health workers and increased pensioners’ benefits, including introducing biometric salary payment that eased burden of salary payment system.

Fayemi boasted that he said he never sacked a single worker but engaged doctors, teachers, civil servants and moved teachers in local government to where they could do better professionally to advance their careers.

He also said he would attract federal support for adequate funding of development projects, citing anchor brower scheme and school feeding programme in which 15 states benefitted, including PDP states, regretting that Ekiti State did not benefit because of bad politics the governor was playing.

On his part, Prof Kolapo Olusola, the standard bearer of the PDP, though new in the political terrain, is said to be enjoying the popularity of his principal and godfather, Governor Fayose.

Olusola, who unveiled his manifesto, tagged ‘Shield’ at a press conference about two weeks ago, said he would touch on all areas of human endeavors such as infrastructure, economy, education, agriculture development among others.

He promised to continue with the ‘stomach infrastructure’ programme of his principal but added: “It will go beyond mere giving out of rice or clothing material” but include creating jobs for teeming youths and empowering them, especially those with disabilities.

“As current deputy governor, I am part of this administration and have been part of its policy formulation. With the continuity agenda I will improve on what my principal has done. The goal is to secure our environment and protect our people. Security is very essential in any society as it guarantees enabling environment for smooth development”, he said.

On the state’s workforce, he said he would expose them to ICT, to ensure effectiveness in their jobs, both academically and professionally, adding: “Our society has facets of people, we will put in place measures to cater for the under privileged, this is why stomach infrastructure will still be part of my agenda and it goes beyond giving foodstuffs, but includes programmes to empower the less privileged.”

On infrastructural and industrial development, he said his government would do more road construction, dualize other roads not yet dualized in the local government areas and do more of inter- township roads and more importantly focus on rural roads to ensure proper access by road through massive rural road construction intra and inter township roads.

Even as they carry out their campaigns the parties have been accusing each other of collaborating with the electoral umpire to rig the electoral process.

The two parties had at different times accused each other of collection of workers’ voter cards with a view to pre-loading card readers to be used for the election. Both had accused some Independent National Electroal Commission (INEC) officials allegedly collaborating to rig the poll.

But INEC had denied the allegations repeatedly. Recently, a senior official of the commission, Mrs. Amina Zakari, challenged their accusers to prove their allegations that any official of the commission had been hired to manipulate the process.

Some residents of the state have however, expressed worries over what they described as “campaigns of hatred, disunity and songs of war” between the two parties.

A chieftain of the PDP, Hon. Opeyemi Falegan, observed that if the trend was not checked, it could pose great danger to the success of the poll.

He advised that all the participating political parties in the election should make their campaigns issue-based in the interest of the people of the state.

On Tuesday last week the APC governorship candidate met President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of Ekiti governorship election.

Although details of the meeting were not immediately availed to newsmen, Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that it might not be unconnected with the Ekiti polls, especially the grand finale rally expected to hold next Tuesday in Ado Ekiti. President Buhari is expected at the rally.

Earlier on July 5, the PDP and its supporters held its mega rally in Ado Ekiti ahead of the July 14 governorship election. At the rally were Governor Fayose and all members of the party’s National Working Committee and Board of Trustees, led by the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.

Others party stalwarts who graced the rally include serving state governors, former state governors, Presidential aspirants on PDP platform including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Sule Lamido, Attahiru Bafarawa, Ahmed Makarfi and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.

Fayose berated the Federal Government for allegedly shutting down Akure Airport, describing the act as shameful and a political witchhunt. He cautioned the people against voting for the APC, as according to him, doing so would only bring misery.

He said, “Our leaders have spoken, I want to say to you, if you vote for the APC, God forbid, you are voting for Boko Haram and herdsmen attacks. In the PDP we believe in human beings and not cows.”

Accusing INEC of plotting to rig the election in favour of the APC, Fayose said: “INEC we know your plans, you want to rig for the APC, we will follow you bumper to bumper, we know your agenda, that you want to preload smart cards for the APC, Ekiti is a no go area.”

The PDP national chairman in his address said: “APC is broken, I am here with National Working Committee of the PDP to appreciate you for standing for PDP, as you can see Fayose has worked for Ekiti and the evidence are all over, in the infrastructure development, education and economic advancement.”

“All PDP states are witnessing great developments, this is not so in APC states. PDP is winning and moving forward to rescue our country from economic, and security collapse and all inhuman treatment meted out by the APC. You can see killings in all states, Zamfara, Plateau, and other states,” he said.

Fayose woos PDP governors

As the battle for the soul of Ekiti gets hotter, incumbent governor, Fayose who is chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum is said to have contacted his colleagues in the Forum and other stakeholders to support the candidature of his deputy.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-pdp-in-fight-to-finish-over-ekiti-259884.html

Renowned Islamic scholar and Lagos Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. Abdulhakeem Abdullateef has charged both Christian and Muslim preachers to avoid hate preaching while on the pulpit.

Abdullateef also described recent killings across the country as senseless and condemnable, saying however that the killings were not religious.

Speaking with Daily Trust after delivering the Friday (Juma’at) sermon at the Lagos Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa Ikeja, the scholar said those behind the killings were simply criminals who should be treated as so.

He reiterated that Islam forbids killings in all ramifications and no Muslim conscious of Allah would take the lives of others.

The commissioner said, “All of us should remember Allah. If we remember Allah in all we do, it would be difficult to take the lives of others."

“Allah loves us and he preserves us. So in our dealings, let remember Allah. The preachers must avoid hate preaching. They must avoid setting Nigerians up against one another."

“The Christians, the Muslims who are religious leaders must understand that they are standing at the temples of Allah and they must ensure that they talk about how we can live together amicably, not engaging in man’s inhumanity to man. So all the atrocities across the country are condemnable, Islam does not support it. No Muslim can in the name of Allah kill if Allah himself is preserving our lives”.

He said the parents must be conscious of God in bringing up their children, adding, “In relating with other members of the family, remember Allah. All of us should be mindful of what connects us. So we are talking of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and harmonious relationship”.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/don-t-set-nigerians-against-one-another-religious-leaders-urged-259858.html

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has fired at the Federal Government and Department of State Service concerning his arrest, saying that nobody can shut him up from speaking against injustice in Nigeria and the mass killing of Nigerians.

The Senator who arrived Abia State amidst funfair and jubilation from his supporters and well wishers, stated the above on arrival through Sam Mbakwe International Airport in Imo State.

When asked by reporters why he was arrested by DSS, he maintained that he was not aware of any reason until when the DSS agents visited his house for search. During the search, they now informed him that the reason behind his arrest is that he was sponsoring and aiding IPOB.

But the senator who appeared visibly happy, stated that the actions of DSS was an attempt to shut him up from making the statement he makes on the fall of the senate, but maintained that he can not be cowed into submission as he will continue defending the right of Nigerians and speaking the truth at all times.

The senator questioned the reason why all security service Chiefs are from the North and calls it injustice.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-can-t-shut-my-mouth-sen-abaribe-259849.html

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Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, has said that the APC leadership will rather ignore members of the Reformed-APC than be bothered by their action.

He stated this on Friday in Abuja when Chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressives Congress (CPC) paid him a visit at the party`s national secretariat.

He, however, added that the party`s leadership would only attend to its members with genuine grievances with a view to addressing them.

Oshiomhole who is just two-week-old in office, was rattled on Wednesday when some members of the party pulled out to form the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), a parallel structure.

The group, which has all members of defunct nPDP and some APC members in its fold, is led by former National Secretary of defunct CPC, Alhaji Buba Galadima.

Galadima claimed that the APC Constitution had been eroded and its recent congresses and National Convention were not transparent.

“We listerned to Buba Galadima. It is as if a very hungry bird is dancing at the centre of the road and a disgruntled drummer not far away in the bush is drumming for him.

“But this is not to say that we are not aware that there are challenges here and there, but anything about APC is considered more, much more than the sum total of all the challenges we have in many of the states.

“And by the special grace of God, we shall overcome them and we are already overcoming them, I am very confident that we can afford to ignore Buba Galadima, “ Oshiomhole said.

He re-emphasised that he was ready to go to any length to talk to people who meant well and who had genuine grievances against the party.

Such grievances, he noted, may have arisen from communication gaps or misunderstanding or even from error of judgment on the part of anyone or even from the way the party managed things.

“Protests like these are acknowledged and we are working to resolve them, when we see people who have genius grievances, we are not ashamed to talk to them.

“We recognise that democracy is an equaliser and only people who are humble enough to engage can survive and we have been engaging, “ the APC national chairman said.

He added that the party`s leadership had been meeting with various individuals and groups who had genuine concerns on certain matters.

He hinted that progress was being made, but said that the party`s leadership knew those who do not mean well for the party, when such persons were seen.

“There are a lot of idle people who don’t have any other thing to do and once they don’t have access to national honey pot, they begin to complain.

“For me, there is no cause for alarm, nobody should panic over one Buba Galadima, whose group, I believe cannot define us in the next election in 2019.

“Nigerians are wiser. They know that corruption is fighting back and that President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to fight corruption must elicit a counter force and that force must find attraction in some people,“ he said.

Oshiomhole maintained that the APC would however, not be distracted by such persons, adding that President Buhari should not be distracted too.

He stressed that the President must remain focused and sustain the fight against corruption.

“I believe the rebellion will be crushed using the superior power of argument and persuading our people not to forget in a hurry where we are coming from,“ he said.

Leader of the defunct CPC state chairmen, Alhaji Umar Shuaibu said they were at the party secretariat to pledge their support to the Oshiomhole-led newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.

He maintained that President Buhari has done enough for the country to deserve re-election in 2019, adding that Nigerians should keep faith with the Federal Government and refuse to be distracted.(NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/oshiomhole-dismisses-members-of-r-apc-259847.html

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Senator Ahmed Makarfi is a former governor of Kaduna State, who also served as the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and now one of the over 12 presidential aspirants of the party. In this interview, the two-term senator speaks on issues surrounding his party’s presidential ticket, his chances at the polls, and others. Excerpts:


Daily Trust: It appears that the PDP is reaching a point where a candidate will emerge. We’ve heard that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is an option...

Sen. Ahmed Makarfi: At this moment, Kwankaso is yet to join the PDP. He is a friend of mine, and we interact. We don’t know who will join or not yet. Some governors may join, as will some senators, members of the House of Reps, and so on. What the terms of their joining PDP would be, I am not in a position to say anymore. I know a committee has been set up under Liyel Imoke, and has met with over 30 political parties and other groups and it is supposed to submit its report to the national chairman, to be deliberated upon by the working committee. It is a long process to adopt any recommendation of this committee, so it may be far-fetched for now to say anything.

But I will be very happy if Kwankwaso decides to join the PDP. It would be a fulfilment of one of my efforts if he joins the PDP. In an interview [Kwankwaso] recently granted, it didn’t appear that he has any specific promise from the party because one of the things he said there, is that he intends joining, but he would call on the party to run open and transparent primaries in its nominations, not to impose. I am only drawing from what I’m reading and what is happening, but of course we welcome him anytime.

DT: We’re hearing all kinds of meetings by various retired generals who have influence within the PDP. Can you share with us what they’re trying to put together?

Makarfi: Well, I am not a retired general. I am an active politician and I don’t belong to their circle to know what they are doing. Every responsible Nigerian should take interest in the elections. So, pressure groups, whether they are retired generals or permanent secretaries, comparing notes shouldn’t be surprising. It is totally democratic if that is going on. But I don’t know if it is going on.

DT: Many defections to PDP are being whispered of. Recently, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar met with retired Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in Minna, and people say it was to impress on him and many of you to actually draw back and support the candidature of Kwankwaso. Is this true?

Makarfi: I also read in the papers that IBB endorsed Atiku. But I think we should run away from permutations and deal with reality. And the reality is that primaries would be conducted; and the party has promised open and transparent primaries. But it is good if the party and those aspiring can come together to try and see how they can make it less complex. But it is up to the aspirants, as you can’t force anybody out of contesting. That would be undemocratic, and as our name indicates, we are the People’s Democratic Party.

I have not been invited by anyone to talk about my aspiration. I have no idea that I would be invited and I am not aware that any other person has been invited in that respect. Let me relate the question you have raised to other developments. It is possible that the Senate President Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Reps, Hon. Yakubu Dogara would want to come back to PDP as well. They must have an interest and the minimum is to retain their position. Do you foresee a situation where returnees to PDP are given presidency ticket, senate ticket if we win? Does that add up?

The PDP is welcoming everybody, and is opening the political space to all; all opportunities would be open to all. It wouldn’t be surprising if anybody that joins the party within the time allowed becomes anything because that is what is in our constitution. The national chairman has repeatedly said that the party would run open and transparent primaries.

DT: On the issue of waivers, which is very central to people coming back or joining the PDP, will such people require one?

Makarfi: They wouldn’t require a waiver; it is one month before a given primary that you would require a waiver. We are just in July, so definitely I don’t expect the primaries in August. Anybody joining in July wouldn’t need to apply for a waiver.

DT: In an interview sometimes ago, you told us that you were not bothered about the exodus of PDP members, that the one that would interest you would be the movement in 2018. With this exodus also comes the burden to cover all other interests. Does it bother you that this may also scuttle your own personal ambition?

Makarfi: Collective interest is always better than individual interests. I have never been self-centered in my political pursuits. The collective interests of Nigeria and that of my party supersede my personal interests.

DT: Observers are questioning the wisdom of the PDP waiting till the last minute for such a monumental event like their convention. What’s your take on this?

Makarfi: Has APC done its own? Has any party done theirs? The INEC guideline is that primaries commence mid-August to the first week of October. So, if that is the electoral guideline, what is the issue? Nomination must take place at the convention.

DT: But for the APC, which is the ruling party, it is practically fait accompli that it already has a presidential candidate in the upcoming elections. The PDP has so many aspirants, making people wonder if late preparations may have an adverse effect...

Makarfi: What is late in it when the law says we can’t even begin primaries yet? Remember there would be primaries for state assembly, National Assembly, gubernatorial and then the convention. Even the law says that we can’t even begin that process until mid-August.

DT: What should Nigerians expect from the PDP in that convention?

Makarfi: A very democratic, competitive, open, transparent convention. One where the choice of the people will emerge. It would not be imputation by whatever means.

The political space is wide open, more are coming, and more are likely going to declare and join the race for various offices, nobody will be short-changed in that process. The party men and women will be given the choice to elect their candidates for all elective offices.

DT: Things change on the political landscape. Are you still in the race?

Makarfi: I am in the race. That doesn’t mean I am not open to dialogue with anybody under the leadership of the party. As I said earlier, even if I am qualified to be president, it isn’t a position that I must get.

DT: Speaking of that, what are you bringing to the table as an aspirant for the presidency?

Makarfi: Any political party wants to win election. They classify some of us as those who don’t have money. But which president elected in Nigeria had money? Can you mention one president since Nigeria gained independence that had money? When people come together to make something happen, whoever gets it knows that he is there because people expect good leadership from him and you can hold someone responsible for his or her actions.

As we did in the past, PDP should be able to produce legitimate funding to go through the election and win. If we do otherwise, the appeal might not be there for Nigerians to vote our candidates for any election. The key issue has to be electability and the ability to pull things from all directions. I believe I have that ability to pull different persons from different perspectives either religious, ethnic, elites, lower individuals and also building of consensus. People think that we wouldn’t be able to build consensus heading to the convention but we did. People thought that Kaduna was going to be ungovernable under my leadership (as governor) because I was too young and unexposed to govern it, but I was able to build consensus between different people from different backgrounds.

One other thing is uniting the country. You have to be trusted. Most, if not all of us, in PDP believe that we must listen to Nigerians calling for restructuring, and put Nigerians together to discuss the framework. That is a win-win situation for everybody, but for you to be able to do that, the North, South, East and West have to trust you. If they don’t, you can’t do that. If only one side trusts you, there isn’t a way you can bring the other side to talk. I believe I have that element of trust, based on my record in the past. Another thing I can bring to the table is electability.

DT: In 2007, the then National Chairman of the PDP, Ahmadu Ali, said you were the party’s most qualified candidate but never got the party’s flag. As at this moment, new candidates who never aspired for this office have joined the race. As someone who was rated so high sometime ago by the party, do you still see yourself having that capability of being rated by this new PDP which you engineered?

Makarfi: No matter how highly I am rated, if it isn’t God’s will, I would not win. Power comes from God, I am very conscious of that. I would be glad to be so highly rated but that doesn’t take away my faith in where power comes from.

DT: Over the years, the PDP has had more than its own fair share of baggage, as all political parties do. How will the PDP’s baggage, good or bad, affect the party’s chances come 2019?

Makarfi: First of all, part of the baggage is PDP being associated with corruption. But corruption did not start with PDP. It has been in Nigeria for a very long time. There is still corruption in Nigeria. You have to leave office before you see the realistic assessment of how high corruption in the system might have been. We have to evolve new ways of fighting corruption. We must make this system of fighting corruption completely independent and self-sufficient. Any kind of political interference would ultimately lead to the failure in fighting corruption. We should evolve preventive measures rather than just concentrating on the punitive measures. The punitive is clouded politically in a number of times.

We must listen to Nigerians on the best way to fight this cancer that has been drawing us back in the march towards greatness and development. I want to see Nigerians being united. We shouldn’t be drawing daggers at each other. We remain different parties with different philosophies but there should be common things that bind us. Such as security, unity and economy of the country, better life for everyone, and so on. Once elections are over, the government should be a government for all. We all have rights and we expect those rights and privileges to be protected and served.

We have to do much more than we did because under PDP, we even brought in more political parties. Now the ruling party is finding it difficult to even accommodate itself, not to talk of the opposition, which is not good and it adds to division and crises.

Impunity, usurpation of public power to convert it to private power must stop. We must reform our institutions so that they would serve the nation, not political leaders. The institutions can be the armed forces, the paramilitary, security agencies and the like; they should serve the people not those in power at whatever level. When you are in power, whatever you say is right and whatever you want must be done. That is not right, as it should be done only if it is lawful.

DT: In the fight against corruption, a lot of major PDP members in one way or the other have been affected. What’s your take on this?

Makarfi: Fighting corruption requires all of us to collaborate and cooperate. If I were the president, I would have called a meeting of all the political parties. Let us discuss and agree that we must all fight corruption. How are we doing it right? How are we doing it wrong? Nobody has monopoly of knowledge. What we deem to be political, let us do away with it. The courts are there to adjudicate, let us draw the dos and don’ts of public office. Working together, we can make this fight far more efficient. We should remove this coloration of many seeing it as politically-driven. It beclouds even those that are legitimate. We have to be careful, so that we don’t pollute the good intentions.

DT: You are in the race. Do you feel the PDP is formidable enough to take back power in 2019?

Makarfi: As long as free and fair elections will hold, I remain highly optimistic that my party will come out successful.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigerian-presidency-can-t-be-bought-with-money-makarfi-259771.html

Source please

OP this your picture...zebra crossing?

The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Reformed All Progressives Congress, Chief Sam Nkire, has resigned his position as the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus in Abia State.

Chief Nkire, who was also a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the APC, said he took the decision due to the unjust treatment he got from the ruling party.

The former member of the APC National Caucus, who said that he served the party from inception, with commitment and diligence at the highest levels, added that he was ignored at the formation of government and its structures.

Nkire, who said that more people who had been injured in one way or the other by the APC were likely to jump ship sooner than later, added that the fate that would soon befall APC would serve as a lesson to other political parties.

While saying that the R-APC was a product of injustice, impunity and insensitivity, he urged all those who still feel aggrieved by the unjust actions of the APC to speak up and demand their rights by asking for justice.

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Good development

chai

When will air Nigeria begins flight to Namibia?

President Muhammadu Buhari must go beyond verbal condemnation of the killings in Plateau and other parts of the country and take decisive steps to end the carnage, federal lawmakers from Plateau State have said.

They said the president must also ensure that all the communities at risk of being attacked were adequately secured to prevent further attacks.

The Plateau lawmakers told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the Federal Government must rise up to the challenge of fulfilling its constitutional responsibility by stopping the genocide, putting an end to land grabbing plans and annexation as well as recover land under illegal occupation.

They noted with dismay the statement by the presidency that the people should accept ranching or continue to face death, saying “we demand clarification to its intent and purpose.”

Reading a prepared text on behalf of other Plateau lawmakers, with the exception of Ahmed Idris Wase, Johnbull Shekarau said, “We want to draw the attention of the nation and the world to plans by some vested interests to further harass the traumatized communities by subjecting them to double jeopardy.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/-president-must-go-beyond-verbal-condemnation-of-killings-259677.html

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The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Chief Sam Nkire, says he is not quite sure Comrade Adams Oshiomhole's medicine would be able to heal the wounds inflicted on the bodies and souls of millions of once committed members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nkire, in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, said the APC is not only the architect of its present misfortune but now stewing in its own blood.

He attributed the reasons why members would continue to leave the party in droves, if there is no change to poor reward system, high-handedness and undemocratic habits.

The Abia State born politician also said that the poor treatment metted out to him by the ‘powers that be’ in the party he joined at inception, invested in and helped achieve electoral success, evoked pity by Nigerians, especially the people of the South-east and Igbos in general.

He predicted that it would not be long before the time-bomb would explode in the faces those who believed that “all is fair in politics as in war.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/r-apc-deputy-chair-oshiomhole-can-t-heal-wounds-inflicted-on-apc-members-259575.html

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by the party's National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus are currently in Ado-Ekiti for a mega campaign ahead of next Saturday's governorship election in Ekiti State.

Present for the campaign are all members of the National Working Committee (NWC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Chigozie Ikpeazu (Abia), Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom).

Similarly, former governor of Kaduna State, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, former Senate President, Adolphus Waba‎ra and many others are on the campaign ground.


Details later.....

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-pdp-leaders-storm-ekiti-for-mega-campaign-259557.html

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FTC

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