₦airaland Forum

Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), says no leader in Nigeria can annul elections in the country as was the case in 1993.

Falana disclosed this at the inauguration of the League of Anambra Professionals Legal Defence Initiative, held in Lagos according to a statement on Monday.

The lawyer added that for fear of ICC, no Nigerian leader dared annul election again like a former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), did in 1993.

He also dismissed the fear that President Muhammadu Buhari might be unwilling to leave office if he should lose next year’s election.

Falana said, “Unlike in 1993 when the military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, successfully annulled an election, that is no longer possible.

“Whoever does that now will end up in The Hague. He is likely to be tried for crimes against humanity because if you annul an election, you are likely to have a monumental violence in the country which will lead to crimes against humanity.

“Before the 2015 elections, the ICC warned that if there was any problem in Nigeria, anybody who was responsible would be arrested and charged like former President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire. That was the atmosphere under which President Goodluck conceded victory.”

Falana said he decided to speak on the issue in order to assure Nigerians that election could no longer be annulled in Nigeria.

This, he said, was important because of the fear that had been expressed that if Buhari lost election, he might not want to hand over.

“That belongs to the past,” he declared.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/no-one-can-annul-elections-in-nigeria-again-falana-boasts/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Bola Tinubu, chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has taken a swipe at Jimi Agbaje, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for saying he wants to free Lagos.

Agbaje had said he will free the state from Alphabeta Consulting, a company which he claims receives a percentage of every dime Lagos earns in taxes and revenues.

Tinubu, former Lagos governor, reacted to the comment on Monday at the APC stakeholders’ meeting in Ikeja.

He said: “Those who said they wanted freedom should go and learn tailoring and vulcanising and we will do freedom for them later. They do not have the people.

“He was in the contest for the first and second times. He is in the contest for the third time. He will fail again.”

Tinubu said Lagos must deliver at least three million votes for the APC during the 2019 polls.

He said it is imperative for the ruling party to hold on to power and that its members “must vote en masse” for President Muhammadu Buhari.

The APC chieftain said: “Here in Lagos, we must maintain a strong outing for APC, a party of progress, development and economy. We must differentiate between a developmental economy and a container economy. We will not accept to get Nigeria corrupt again.

“We suffered 16 years of their failure and fake promises. We have made progress in Lagos We have become the fifth largest economy in Africa. We have six million votes in Lagos.

“Your target should be half; three million or the entire six million. We must vote en masse for President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, our governorship candidate, senators, house of representatives and assembly candidates, and later, our chairmen and councillors.”

Tinubu urged the party’s leaders to woo back those who have left the APC, charging the local council chairmen and councillors to hold meetings with those who are aggrieved.

https://www.thecable.ng/tinubu-mocks-agbaje-those-who-said-they-wanted-freedom-should-go-and-learn-tailoring/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Cc lalasticlala

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, December 17, fired back at the presidency for claiming that the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to form his cabinet early in his government can be blamed on Goodluck Jonathan, his predecessor.

Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesperson, had claimed on a television programme that the Jonathan did not handover notes early enough and this affected the formation of the cabinet.

The PDP, in its reply, said resorting to blaming Jonathan is part of the current administration’s strategies to cover up its alleged 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.

“In accusing the Jonathan administration of frustrating early formation of President Buhari’s cabinet, by allegedly delaying the submission of his handover notes to the transition committee, the Buhari presidency forgot that the head of the transition committee, Ahmed Joda, had since May, 2015 publicly dispelled such as false and diversionary, noting that the committee got all the cooperation it needed from the Jonathan’s administration.

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

“President Buhari had expressed his personal unwillingness to appoint ministers when, in an interview with France 24 TV, in France, he said that the absence of ministers was not affecting governance in Nigeria,” the PDP recalled in a statement released by Kola Ologbondiyan, its national spokesperson.

The party also reminded Nigerians that President Buhari was quoted as saying: “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 PDP said it was, therefore, “ludicrous and the height of hypocrisy for the Buhari presidency to now turn around after three years to blame President Jonathan for President Buhari’s confessed failure.

“The PDP counsels the Buhari Presidency to note that peddling falsehood and blaming the previous administration for its failures will not help it in 2019.

“President Buhari has not only shown, but also personally confessed, that he lacks capacity to handle an economy as complex as Nigeria's.

“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://www.legit.ng/amp/1210184-why-t-blame-jonathan-late-formation-cabinet-pdp-tells-buhari.html?__twitter_impression=true

Cc lalasticlala Mynd44

The former governor of Niger state Mr Babangida Aliyu, has said that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 election if there is no rigging.

Aliyu speaking on Sunday in an interactive session with reporters in Kaduna said: ‘Believe me, not only in my state, I believe that if the elections are free and fair, if there is no rigging, if the security agencies are not used against our party, we will make it. We will win,” he said.

“Atiku will defeat Buhari squarely.

Speaking on the president’s refusal to to sign the electoral act amendment bill, Babangida said : “If the national assembly feels very strongly, they should be able to over-ride the veto,”

‘But if it will create problems for the moment, we can wait. I understand that some of the conditions the president gave was that the electoral act could start with the next election and not this particular one.

‘But I think that we need to be careful under his watch, to make sure that we don’t have any problem with the 2019 elections.

‘In 2015, we understand what happened and everybody rallied round, even though the difference in the votes was not much, given the population of voters in the country.

‘But if the Electoral Act Amendment Bill is not signed by the president and not over ridden by the national assembly, then it means we will use the old law and we will have no basis for asking anybody whether card reader has been used or not.

‘We appeal to the president either to reconsider his position or appeal to the national assembly to look at it again.’

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/2019-believe-me-atiku-will-defeat-buhari-squarely-aliyu-babangida/amp/

yarimo:
FAYOSE is a disgrace to good governance.

Good governance indeed

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign for admitting on Friday that the nation’s economy was in bad shape.

Buhari reportedly made the confession during his meeting with the 36 governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday, Atiku said the President’s confession that the economy was in bad shape was not only a ploy to attract the sympathy of Nigerians but also aimed at getting a soft landing.

He said, “The result, of course, is his confession of failure on the eve of our general elections in the hope that millions of Nigerians, whom he has condemned to poverty and hardship, will give him a clap for failing abysmally.

“I dare say that President Buhari has miscalculated badly on this matter because Nigerians are simply fed up with him.

“The economy has collapsed under his watch and he has by this frank remark admitted that he has no idea on how to fix it and that is why he summoned the governors to help him.

“This is really very sad because President Buhari has run out of time and what Nigerians need now is leadership which has the political will, administrative experience and sound economic acumen to get Nigeria working again.”

The former Vice-President expressed his disappointment that Buhari had continued to blame the PDP for the country’s bad economy, saying the President had reportedly confirmed that he was incapable of fixing the economy.

Atiku said Buhari should step down from his position since the economy was in bad shape.

He said Buhari’s admission had confirmed the British multinational bank HSBC’s prediction that re-electing him in 2019 could plunge Nigeria into a deeper economic hardship.

Atiku said, “Unless those in charge of the APC and the party’s supporters are, as usual, suffering from some form of self-delusion, it just does not make any sense for them to say that the All Progressives Congress’ Federal Government has brought succour to ordinary Nigerians when President Buhari himself has admitted to the governors that the economy has gone beyond his control.

“Or do we need a prophet to tell us that the President’s admission is a vindication of our long-held position, and indeed the forecast by HSBC recently cited by the Nigerian media where the bank said a second term for Buhari would greatly affect the economy of the country?”

He added, “The exchange rate of the naira to the US dollar when the APC assumed office in 2015 was about N170 (official rate) to $1. Today it is N360 to $1. Today millions of Nigerians, most of them youths, are unemployed, forcing them to become professional beggars who wait for the FG’s monthly N5,000 handout and N10,000 Tradermoni aimed at bribing them to re-elect the party in the forthcoming elections.

“Power generation has actually dipped from 4,949 megawatts, which the PDP left in 2015 to less than 3,500 megawatts even though Buhari’s managers consistently claim that 7,000 megawatts are what the country is currently generating. What more evidence do we need to know that the APC has been a curse rather than a blessing to our country?”

Atiku lamented that the President had failed to apply new methods in addressing the challenges facing the country.

He said, “Our President is still living in the Paleolithic age of blame game and buck-passing as responsible for his failures.

“What this simply means is that President Buhari was not really prepared for governance and did not even understand the simplest intricacies of running a national economy as big as Nigeria.

“This is really tragic and it is obvious that President Buhari has come to the end of the road and has completely given up on the next steps to advance Nigeria, while those who his dear wife openly declared misled his administration into this economic quagmire are still drumming up support for his next level of more hardship, suffering, unprovoked deaths as a result of mis-governance.”

He said the President was tired and should therefore be asked to return “to his much cherished sedentary, pastoral and rustic lifestyle in his country home in Daura and then leave the rigours and highly strategic art of governance to those who know how to govern and get the economy working again.”

But the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said he would not comment on the issue.

He referred The PUNCH to spokesman for the APC, Lanre Issa-Onilu.

Adesina said, “I don’t respond to PDP issues. Whenever it is the PDP, talk to the APC. Journalists should know this.”

When reminded that the question was on Atiku’s call for Buhari to resign for admitting that the economy was in bad shape, Adesina said he would not talk.

When one of our correspondents got across to Issa-Onilu, he also directed him (the correspondent) to spokesman for the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN).

However , calls made to the telephone of Keyamo were not answered.

He also did not respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

https://punchng.com/resign-since-you-cant-fix-economy-atiku-tells-buhari/

Cc lalasticlala Mynd44

South Eastern Muslims Organisation of Nigeria (SEMON), a socio-cultural Igbo group, says it will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to express its grievances over the alleged marginalisation of Igbo Muslims.

The group, in a communiqué issued at the end of its national summit in Enugu, agreed to speak in one voice and to align themselves with the agenda of Ndigbo.

The group urged its members to participate actively in the 2019 elections, while asking them to promote unity and peace in Nigeria.

The group described their marginalisation as a political strategy that is “counterproductive for the development of Igboland and the nation towards the Southeast project of Nigerian Presidency in 2023.”

They also spoke on their plan to meet with governors of the south-east states, Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Jama’atul Nasiril-Islam (JNI), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN).

“We reaffirmed our position to participate fully in the 2019 general election and vote for candidates of individual choices, especially those who will carry Igbo Muslims along with appointments into political offices of trust,” they said.

“It was agreed that Ndigbo Muslims contesting for positions in the forthcoming elections be massively supported for success. On this, Ndigbo Muslims should continue to strive for excellence in their private life pursuits and support governments of their respective States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“For the progress of the Igbo Muslim Ummah, SEMON should continue to advocate for equity and fairness for Igbo Muslims. The organization should cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations that mean well for Igboland, for Nigeria and Igbo Muslims.”

The group also spoke on how it wants to be identified and its plans to institute annual lecture.

“They want to be known and addressed, henceforth, as Ndigbo Muslims and in full identification and promotion of Igbo culture, including Igbo dress and language,” they said.

“In connection to this, they plan the institution of leaderships of Ndigbo Muslims in each of the five states of Southeast and of Igboland. This is to have organized leaderships like the Emirs in the North and Obas in the West.

“SEMON plans to institute an Annual Lecture to commemorate the life and achievements of late Sheikh Ibrahim Okpani Nwagui who brought Islam to limelight in Igboland.

“SEMON also encourages intermarriages amongst themselves through adoption of the Sunnah, the practical life of Prophet Muhammad in all aspects of their lives.”

https://www.today.ng/news/politics/ndigbo-muslims-vote-carry-180011/amp?__twitter_impression=true

L

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, says Ayodele Fayose, his predecessor, received N18.4 billion bailout fund from the federal government but refused to pay workers’ salaries.

Fayemi said this on “Meet Your Governor”, a monthly interactive programme he introduced after he was sworn in October.

He promised to give the people of the state a forensic audit financial report of the state when his administration clocks 100 days in office.

“We will give Ekiti people forensic comprehensive report on finances in our hundred days in office. Ekiti tate has not received intervention funds from federal government under my watch,” he said.

“Former governor Ayodele Fayose collected N18.4 billion from the coffers of the federal government. It’s sad that those who praised Fayose government that took the over N18 billion Paris Fund from the federal government and failed to pay backlog of salaries are the ones lying against this government that just clocked two months in office.

“We decided not to appoint political office holders in other to pave way for workers salary.”

The governor also said security officers in the state now enjoy allowances to motivate them.

https://www.thecable.ng/fayemi-fayose-received-n18-4b-paris-club-refund-from-fg-but-refused-to-pay-workers/amp?__twitter_impression=true

- Media personality Daddy Freeze has been called out for collecting gifts from his church members

- A member of his church allegedly bought him a phone

- The Free the Sheeple Movement leader explains the reason behind his receiving gifts from his church members

Controversial media personality and leader of the Free the Sheeple Movement, an online church, Daddy Freeze, was recently called out on social media by trolls after his church members bought him a phone.

This was because the broadcaster had preached against pastors taking things from church members.

Freeze has been preaching on social media against church goers paying tithe. He also condemns pastors for living in affluence while their church members live in abject poverty.

The broadcaster has gained a reputation for attacking pastors, especially the ones in Nigeria, for practices he finds to be corrupt. Freeze usually finds a way to tie any trending topic to Nigerian preachers.

Daddy Freeze tried to clarify his receiving gift from his church members. He said via a phone interview with Punch that:

“I’ve never been against collecting gifts and I tell my congregation that, especially if the gifts aren’t as ridiculous as private jets. We don’t take tithes or offerings; we don’t sow seeds and any of the monetary compensations the regular churches have, such as pastor’s appreciation fund and the likes. There is nowhere in the Bible that gifts were turned down; so, we can’t turn gifts down. What’s important is that a preacher must tell his congregation that the blessing of giving is in giving to the poor, not to the church or the preacher. I tell my congregation that whatever gifts they give me are gifts of love. I have needs too. That doesn’t make me a hypocrite.”

Freeze also revealed why he started his church. He said:

“When I started preaching, people started following what I preached and started believing in it just because I could back up what I was saying. By this time, people had stopped going to church. If you listen to four of my teachings, you’ll stop going to church. So, one of my egbons (big brother) asked me what I had planned for the people who had pulled out of church and had started following me since somehow, they had to have their spiritual lives catered for. Since they had left the church to come with me, I had to cater to their spiritual needs. That’s when it was ministered to me that I had to open a centre, and because of the issues the church and I had, not wanting to seem defiant or combatant, it was again ministered to me to start an online church. All you need to be a part of our church is data on your phone.”

Daddy Freeze took to his Instagram page to praise another controversial media personality, Linda Ikeji, after she faced heat for explaining the circumstances that led to the birth of her newborn son, Jayce Jeremi.

He noted that Linda helped to propagate his Free the Sheeple movement because many people who know about his stand on tithing today found out through her medium. He then liken her to the Samaritan women for bringing souls to salvation.

The broadcaster also explained that she has done more for the body of Christ and Christianity than some Nigerian pastors, including Adeboye, Oyedepo and Adefarasin.

https://www.legit.ng/amp/1209948-collecting-gifts-church-members-doesnt-a-hypocrite-daddy-freeze.html?__twitter_impression=true

Cc lalasticlala

niceprof:
And the University cant even do him the honor of awarding a neatly typed statement of result,but a poorly done done tying in Pitman type writer in the 21st century.

Bros that's the way the university do award it statement of result...

History has been made in the department of Business Administration, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. Saleem Rufai became the first person to graduate with a first class degree in the history of the department since inception in 1975.

- The minister of power, housing and works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, said it is not the federal government's fault if power is not stable

- The minister disclosed that all the assets the ministry used to control power have been privatised by past administration

- He also added that his role as a power minister is only limited to oversight and policy

The minister of power, housing, and works, Babatunde Raji Fashola, was reported to have said that it is not the problem and faults of the federal government if power failure debacle in country still persists, Punch reports.

Fashola stated this when he was addressing a cross section of audience at the Nextier Power Dialogue on Wednesday, December 12, in Abuja.

Legit.ng gathers that the former governor of Lagos state also attributed the persistently unstable electricity to the privatisation of power sector by past administration.

He said: "There are problems without a doubt and we must deal with them. But let me remind you, all of the assets that the Ministry of Power used to control for power have been sold by the last administration before I came. And so if you don’t have power, it is not the government’s problem. Let us be honest.

“The people who are operating the power sector, generation and distribution are now privately owned companies. I am here because I am concerned. If your telephone is not working, it is not the minister of communication that you go to. Let us be very clear.”

Fashola also used the platform to urged Nigerians to challenge business investors who have taken the control of the power sector, adding that his role as a power minister is regulated and only advisory.

He said: "So for those of you who want to weaponise electricity, face the businessmen who have taken it up. Let us be honest. If your bank over-charges you interest, is it the minister of finance you go to? So let’s be clear. This is now a private business by act of parliament 2005.

“My role is regulatory, oversight and policy, but I have a problem which is the fact that I can’t see a problem and turn my back, so I’m getting involved. So the people you should be talking to about transformers is not me, the ministry doesn’t supply transformers anymore.”

On Gencos and Discos operating under his ministry, Fashola said: "I think that Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) is the referee of the game. I am FIFA.

"And it is not right as you said that FIFA gets involved, because whether the referee makes a mistake or not the goal stands."

“So the FIFA man does not enter the field to say go and change the result, but it’s an interesting analogy that I’ve also contemplated in my head and that’s why you didn’t catch me by too much surprise.

"However, it is important to allow the referee to continue to decide the game because investors like to know who decides.”

Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday, November 21, said in 2015, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari never promised to transform Nigeria in four years if given the mandate.

Fashola, who inaugurated the President Muhammmadu Buhari-Osinbajo 2019 campaign group comprising of about 5,000 political foot soldiers in Lagos state, argued that the administration did not promise to bring about change in different sectors of the country in four years.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.legit.ng/amp/1209432-unstable-power-supply-fgs-faults-fashola.html

Cc lalasticlala

Meet Tijjani Gandu the popular Kwankwasiyya musician that Gandollar gave 3million Naira and a Golf-wagon car in order for him to decamp to Gandujiyya. The guy has collected the offers last two weeks and today he came to the residence of Sen Kwankwaso to reiterate his 100% loyalty to Kwankwasiyya movement. Naji yayi wata Sabuwar Waka Wai “Na Wanki Gara”����

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2120663024697955&id=100002628347331

Cc lalasticlala Mynd44

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, will address a group of notable German business leaders in Berlin, Germany, on Monday, the Presidency said in a statement on Sunday.

In a statement in Abuja, Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice-President, said that Osinbajo would speak on the potential of the Nigerian market.

He said that Osinbajo would also speak on the gains recorded by the country through its Ease of Doing Business reforms.

“The President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s Ease of Doing Business reforms have helped in improving the country’s ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business Index 2017, where Nigeria climbed up 24 places and was listed among the 10 most reformed economies globally.

“Also, the World Bank noted that Nigeria made significant progress across several indicators; including starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and resolving insolvency.

“The Berlin business interactions with vice-president is being organised by the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin in conjunction with the German-African Business Association (Afrika-Verein), and the meetings will consolidate on the outcome of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel’s visit to Nigeria in August.’’

Akande said that during the trip, the vice-president would, among other engagements, meet with key German financial sector executives with interest in investing in Nigeria.

According to the spokesman, Osinbajo will also meet other business leaders in sectors, including agricultural seeds production, technology and renewable energy.

Akande said that vice-president would be in London on Tuesday where he would feature at the Royal Society at an investment forum hosted by Jeune Afrique Media Group with the theme: `Investing in Africa’.

“From there he would proceed to Cairo, Egypt, where he would be representing President Buhari later in the week at the First Intra-African Fair (IATF), which would be taking place in Cairo from Dec. 11 to Dec. 17.

“At the IATF Nigeria Day programme, the vice-president will be delivering the keynote address.

“The fair is being organised by the African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank), in collaboration with the African Union (AU) to boost intra-African trade,’’ he said.

Akande said that the vice-president in company with government officials of relevant agencies, would depart Nigeria on Sunday and would be back on Thursday.

https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/osinbajo-heads-to-berlin-to-address-german-business-community-on-monday/amp/

Nigerians react to Davido and Peruzzi viral picture on twitter.

https://twitter.com/iamfemifactor/status/1071496394857476096?s=19

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, has been named the 2018 Sports Loving Governor by the Arewa Sports Personality Award Association (ASPAA).

The governor was also named the 2018 Sports Administrator at an event held in Kano on Saturday night.

Ganduje, represented by his Deputy Alhaji Nasir Gawuna, expressed the state government’s readiness to continue to promote all sporting activities in the state.

The Deputy Governor pledged that the government would sponsor the next edition of the award in order to underscore the administration’s commitment to sports development.

Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Sanusi Muhammed, said the awards were given to notable Northerners who had contributed immensely to sports development in the north.

He appealed to politicians in the country to emulate the spirit of sportsmanship by accepting defeat after elections in good faith to enhance the nation’s socio-economic progress.

In her remarks, the Managing Director of the Kano-owned Television Station, Abubakar Rimi (ARTV), Hajiya Saadatu Ibrahim, commended the association’s efforts in organising the event.

Hajiya Ibrahim explained that association’s aim was to promote sporting activities in the Northern part of the country.

She disclosed that the association adopted a voting pattern through the internet and also non-voting process to produce winners of the awards.

The ARTV boss said the presentation of Ganduje and his deputy with the 2018 Sports awards was due to their outstanding performances in sporting activities in the North.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that sports reporters and correspondents from Print, Television and Radio stations across the North were also awarded for their reportage of sporting activities in the North.

https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/ganduje-2018-sports-loving-governor-award-177252/amp?__twitter_impression=true

The threat by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to resign as the South South Coordinator of Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council has, once again brought to the fore, pains still stemming from unhealed wounds in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In fact, had Wike not been pacified to back down from his planned resignation by critical stakeholders within the party, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, the party’s plans of reclaiming the Presidency, which it lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have received a jolt of seismic proportions.

In the build-up to the party’s presidential primary, a powerful blog within the party had plotted to relocate the convention venue from Port Harcourt to elsewhere in the South South, due to Wike’s perceived support for Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

Pronto, the governor vehemently warned that there would be consequences if the PDP succumbs to pressures from some undisclosed presidential aspirants to move the convention away from Port Harcourt.

He further threatened that Rivers State delegates would teach the party a bitter lesson if it allowed desperate presidential aspirants to scuttle the hosting of the primary in Port Harcourt.

“Let me warn the party, if you dare, Rivers State will teach the party a lesson. Those days have passed when they took Rivers State for granted. Nobody can use and dump Rivers State. No presidential aspirant can use and dump Rivers State. We never lobbied for it; we never asked for it; but it will boost the economy of the state, and people will make money. Those who are against Rivers people making money to improve their businesses will not get our support.”

Because the party did not have the luxury of time, critical stakeholders waded in swiftly to douse the tension, which the governor’s outburst generated.

Wike’s support for Tambuwal also fuelled speculation that he might be nurturing a vice presidential ambition, as he had earlier claimed that some presidential aspirants who sought his support had offered him the position of Vice President in the course of political consultations, which he said he declined.

“There are aspirants who have promised me the position of the Vice President, but I said I will not seek the position. Not even in the dream will I seek that position at this point. I am a first term governor and the National Chairman of the PDP is from my State and the South South. These are mere allegations (angling for the Vice President) because you know that people can carry rumour. But everything that I will do will be in the interest of Rivers State. Nobody can use Rivers State as a tool. They did that in the past, but not anymore.”

Amid the intrigues, Wike had his way as the PDP presidential primary eventually held in Port Harcourt. However, Wike, who had overtly and covertly thrown his political weight behind Tambuwal, could not thwart the formidable political machinery of Atiku, who eventually won the keenly contested presidential primary.

The Guardian gathered that while the deep cut inflicted on Wike during the primary still festers, some strategic appointments made into the PDP national campaign council have also not gone down well with the governor and his supporters who feel that certain forces within the party were methodically crafting a new political hegemony.

A source within the party told The Guardian that Wike felt marginalised, belittled and undermined by Atiku’s coterie, who have not been taking his supporters views into account, while formulating plans for the party’s future, particularly as it concerns the forthcoming general elections. According to him, Wike felt he was losing his ability to influence the direction of things in the party.

It was also gathered that before Wike voiced out his grievances to some party members, he had reckoned that the party was gradually turning out of gear and giving less recognition to him and others, who had worked tirelessly to bring the party back from the brink; and still working with same zeal to retake power from the ruling APC.

However, before Wike could formally tender his resignation as zonal coordinator, an emergency meeting held between him and top leaders of the party, including Jonathan, in order to prevent friction within the party that could precipitate PDP’s loss of Rivers State in 2019.

“The issues are largely political and several persons had intervened to douse tension. He did not resign formally; he just said he was not doing the job again because he thinks they were not treating him and Tambuwal right. But Tambuwal, who is the Coordinator of North West, was the first to mount pressure on him to rescind the decision at this point. Obviously, he has some unresolved grievances that require him to sit down and discuss with leadership of the party for amicable resolutions to be reached,” a source in the party said.

A source in Atiku’s camp, told The Guardian that the PDP presidential candidate himself met privately with Wike all in a bid to manage the conflict and prevent it from creating tension and instability within the party only weeks to the general elections.

“I must say that it was extremely important that the national leadership of the PDP, including President Jonathan, got involved and resolved the issues at stake. Atiku met with him because he has to. Everybody is important in this business. The issue is that at least they discussed. They met with Tambuwal too and even President Goodluck Jonathan met with him,” he said.

A political analyst, Ross Alabo George, observed that when politicians feel aggrieved sometimes, the often resort to threats to force attention.

According to him, Wike has successfully deployed this strategy in his political exploits, stressing that Atiku’s group may not have reached out to a lot of the South East and South South governors properly.

He said that Atiku group is made up of very experienced and seasoned politicians and they have basically tried to run the system using their vast experience, without giving due recognition to Wike and others.

“Wike had control over the party, but now the Atiku structure seems to have taken over and I think Wike is not happy.

But I think Wike understands the consequences of pulling out from the Atiku structure completely. I don’t think he will do that. I think what he has done is to force them to the table. He needs the party because the people that will back him when things begin to go wrong in Rivers State are there. Of course, there is a plan to rig the election in Rivers State. The people that will fight for him when security agencies barricade his house; when his movement will be restricted are in the party. He will need the voices of these seasoned politicians nationwide to speak for him. He needs the party’s structure around the country; he needs the contact that the party has and so on,” he said.

George insists that Wike could not actually attempt to defy and refuse to tow the party’s line at this point, particularly as the crucial 2019 general election draws near, adding that both Wike and the party desperately need each other at this point.

Another political observer, Robinson Sibe said the fact that both Atiku’s group and Wike’s supporters have not come out to refute the claim that the governor had threatened to resign is an indication of some unresolved issues.

He also reckoned that it would be politically unwise to sow a seed of discord within the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“Both parties need each other parties seriously right now because you need national coverage from your party, and party structure to guide you and see you through, especially if the opposition wants to rig you out. But I believe that what is happening is a move to draw attention to his grievances as somebody who was relatively in charge of the party, and suddenly things began to slip away from him. It is possible that this is his line of thinking. It is also possible that his people are being victimised, just as it is possible that the people who are supporting him are not carried along in terms of appointments into the campaign council. There were very strong sentiments that characterised the party primary and I thought they would find ways to kill those sentiments.,” he said.

Meanwhile, a pro-Wike group, the Grassroots Development Initiatives (GDI) has declared its readiness to carry out door-to-door campaign to convince the electorate to see reasons why it should vote for both Atiku as President, and for Governor Wike.

http://saharareporters.com/2018/12/09/atiku-campaign-how-jonathan-others-prevailed-wike-not-resign

"Laying wreaths in honour of those that died during the Holocaust".

A twitter user with the handle @henryshield slams President Buhari laying wreaths to honour those that died during the Holocaust in Poland.

"If you ask him what Holocaust signifies now, he will start talking about fighting corruption in in the Lake Chad Basin. Hiss...."

https://twitter.com/henryshield/status/1070549587054731264?s=19

Cc Lalasticlala Mynd44

Captain Jack Sparrow

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrENKHbFu9j/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=3cddqs00e802

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Umar Yandaki breaks the 33years old record of First Class honour in the History Department,Usmanu Danfodiyo University set by INEC chairman Prof. Mahmoud Yakub and made him the second person to graduate with First Class honour of History in the entire Northern Nigeria.

https://www.facebook.com/524521464323570/posts/1787167904725580/

The Nigerian Army on Thursday authorised the posting and appointments of some of its senior officers.

This was made known in a statement by Brigadier General, Sani Usman, Director of Army Public Relations.

Those affected by the new posting and appointments include some Staff Officers and Commanders at various levels.

The newly promoted Major General OT Akinjobi, Head of the Operations Monitoring Team at the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, has been appointed Commander, Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, while Major General MG Ali, Commander 9 Brigade has been appointed Commander of the newly created Nigerian Army Special Forces Command, Brigadier General BR Sinjen, Commander, Integrated Fire Support and Brigadier General FO Omoigui, has been moved from 2 Division Nigerian Army to Army Headquarters Department of Training and Operations and appointed Director of Operations

Brigadier General TA Lagbaja is to take over as Commander 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General OR Aiyenigba, Director Land Warfare at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College is to move to the Office of the Chief of Army Staff as Head of Operations Monitoring Team, while Brigadier General AU Kuliya is to take over as Director Land Warfare at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College.

Similarly, new Brigade Commanders have been appointed for some of the Brigades at Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

These include Brigadier General EF Oyinlola, 22 Brigade, Brigadier General VU Okoro, 25 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General AB Mohammed, 26 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General AO Oyelade, 27 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General MT Usman, 28 Task Force Brigade and Brigadier General MG Kangye, 37 Brigade, while Brigadier General AS Ishaq has been appointed as Coordinator, Nigeria Police Force for Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

Also, new Commanders have also been appointed for the various Army Headquarters Logistics Commands at the theatre.

They include Brigadier General AG Ibrahim, Brigadier General PN Okeson and Brigadier General OA Aminu for Logistics Base I, II and III, respectively. Similarly, the posting has affected several Commanding Officers of the various units in Operation LAFIYA DOLE, amongst others.

The statement added that the Chief of Army Staff has also directed that all those affected by the posting in the theatre, must remain committed and fully in charge until they are properly relieved in line with standard operating procedures and military professional ethics.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/12/06/boko-haram-army-effects-major-shake/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has appointed the Administrative Secretary, Delta State, Mrs. Rose Orianran-Anthony, as Secretary to the Commission for a four-year term with effect from 6th December, 2018.

INEC revealed this via its verified Twitter handle, @inecnigeria.

https://twitter.com/inecnigeria/status/1070750075293499392?s=19

- PDP has said it is ignorant to say governors from the southeast shunned the party's rally in Sokoto on Monday

- According to to party, the rumour was only a figment of the imagination of those peddling it

- The party said its rally would take place region by region where all PDP governors will make appearances

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential organisation has dismissed media reports that governors elected on the platform of the party from the southeast geo-political zone shunned the party’s zonal rally held in Sokoto on Monday, December 3.

The PDP presidential campaign organisation gave the dismissal in a statement issued by its director, media and publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, December 4, in Abuja.

The party has three out of the five governors in the region: Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).

Ologbondiyan said that the report that the governors from the southeast were absent because they have no support for the aspiration of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was only a figment of the imagination of those peddling the rumour.

He said that such insinuation smacked of ignorance and mischief on the part of those peddling it.

Ologbondiyan said that the Sokoto presidential zonal rally was for the northwest geo-political zone and would be replicated in the remaining five geopolitical zones of the country.

“There is no sense in the insinuation since, going by the campaign time-table, the Presidential Candidate will visit all the zones, where all the governors elected on the platform of the party from those zones will be present.

“Abubakar’s next port of call will be Ilorin, the Kwara state capital on Wednesday where the party will hold the north central Presidential Zonal rally which will have in attendance state governors leaders, members and supporters of the party in the zone.

“This is the same arrangement that we have for all the geo-political zones of the country. The so-called shunning of the Sokoto rally by PDP governors of southeast extraction was only a figment of the imagination of those peddling the wicked rumour.”

Ologbondiyan said he wondered why some people had decided to peddle falsehood about the PDP and its flag bearer, just to score cheap political points. He said such negative reports about the PDP and Atiku were being sponsored by those who have become jittery at the rising profile of its presidential candidate.

“But we are undaunted because Nigerians are very discerning. In the fullness of time, the lies and those behind them will be exposed,” he said.

The PDP began its presidential campaign with a rally for northwest in Sokoto on Monday, December 4.

Legit.ng previously reported that former president, Goodluck Jonathan, and other top members of the PDP joined thousands of supporters on Monday, December 3, in Sokoto for the launch of the northwest zonal campaign of the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar was earlier scheduled to arrive Sokoto for the rally at noon, but arrived the city at 2pm and proceeded to the Kangiwa square along with other stalwarts of the party.

Those who came in company of the candidate are officials of the party from the seven states in the northwest comprising Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna.

https://www.legit.ng/amp/1207672-pdp-denies-reports-southeast-governors-shunned-sokoto-rally.html

- The re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly caused crisis among members of Northern Elders Forum

- Some members were reportedly in support of President Buhari while the forum's convener insists the group is yet to pick a candidate to support

Ahead of 2019 presidential election, there is allegedly crises brewing among members of Northern Elders Forum, over the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Leadership reports that trouble started after a faction of the forum led by its deputy convener for Northwest, Sani Zangon Daura (Danmasanin Daura); deputy convener for Northeast, Major General Paul Tarfa and director of Logistics, Captain Bashir Sodangi endorsed the president for 2019, despite the forum’s convener, Prof Ango Abdullahi, earlier saying the Northern elders were still assessing the presidential candidates and are yet to decide on who to support.

Abdullahi, peeved by the other factions open support for the president, told Leadership in telephone on Tuesday night that Daura, Tarfa and Sodangi cannot speak for the forum, noting that there was never a time the forum endorsed Buhari for 2019.

Daura, Tarfa and Sodangi in a co-signed statement, dismissed a statement earlier issued by Ango Abdullahi suggesting that the forum was searching for Buhari’s replacement in the North.

Meanwhile, some northern elders have condemned the recent call for the sack of the service chiefs by the pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere.

The elders warned that there are some political enemies who have infiltrated the midst of the pan Yoruba socio-cultural group.

According to the leadership of the Northern Elders, Professionals and Stakeholders’ Forum (NEPSF), there is no doubt that these soldiers died for citizens to live.

https://www.legit.ng/amp/1207753-2019-northern-elderns-disagree-buharis-election.html

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- The House of Representatives has denied impeachment plot against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

- Speaking on behalf of the House, Abdulrazak Namdas says there is no such plan against Professor Osinbajo

- Namdas, who is the chairman of the House committee on media and public affairs, says there is nothing like impeachment before the House for consideration

The House of Representatives has said there is no such plan to institute impeachment process against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as claimed by the lawmaker representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency of Edo state, Johnson Agbonayinma.

Punch reports that Agbonayinma had alleged that some members were collating signatures with the aim of impeaching the vice president.

Legit.ng gathers that the claim was dismissed by the chairman of the House committee on media and public affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas.

Namdas said: “There is nothing like impeachment before the House of Representatives as I speak now. As far as I am concerned, I speak for the House, and there is nothing like impeachment before the House for consideration. I don’t speak for members, I speak for the House. But if there is anything, I don’t know.

“At least, officially before the House, there is nothing like that. I am not aware (of the impeachment plot)."

The allegation was made in a written speech entitled Call for Caution on the Purported Campaign to Smear the Office of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Disgruntled Politicians and Some Media Houses.

Agbonayinma. said: “It has become necessary for me to add my voice to the call by many Nigerians on the purported campaigns of calumny by some political gladiators and media houses against the office and person of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), on spurious allegations of corrupt practices levelled against him.

“(I am) Aware that signatures are being collated for the impeachment of the Vice-President. The reason is because of the outcome of the NEMA investigation.

“For the records, the issues raised in the probe on NEMA had to do with (alleged) misappropriation of funds by the director-general and the day-to-day running of the agency vis-a-vis financial spending, procurement processes, among others.”

“Don’t forget that I am a member of the APC. I am a Nigerian. Not everybody has the boldness and audacity to come out, not everybody. You have watched me on the floor of the House, I don’t play partisan politics. I supported the APC when I was in the PDP. Now I’m in the APC, I do support the PDP."

Legit.ng previously reported that Johnson Agbonayinma, who is a member of the House of Representatives, raised allegation that some members were collating signatures in an attempt to impeach Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The lawmaker representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency of Edo state, raised this allegation on Tuesday, December 4, in Abuja.

https://www.legit.ng/amp/1207748-nema-probe-reps-deny-impeachment-plot-vp-osinbajo.html?__twitter_impression=true

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APC is fighting corruption