The Senate Minority Leader , Senator George Akume has declared that 31 more House of Representatives members will join the All Progressives Party (APC) in January .

Akume made the declaration at his Judges Quarters residence in Makurdi, Benue State capital yesterday, shortly after a mass to mark his 60th birthday anniversary.

He, however, gave no further details. 37 Reps had earlier defected to APC, giving the party a clear majority in the House.

He also spoke on the threat by the PDP to strip the PDP senators who defected to the APC of their positions, saying there was no force on earth that could declare the seat of any lawmaker vacant for dumping the PDP because the constitution is very clear on the issue.

Responding to a request by the officiating priest over the Tiv-Fulani crisis which has rendered many farmers in the state homeless, Akume, who is the immediate past governor of Benue State, said the crisis should be blamed on the Benue State Government.

The Minority Leader of the Senate said he had made efforts to intervene in the lingering crisis but the matter was politicised.

The former governor said he had also suggested to the former military governor of the state to advise Governor Suswam to convene a meeting of Tiv sons to tackle the Tiv -Fulani crisis, but he said he was yet to get any response.

He said he was ready to pay for the cows of Fulani herdsmen allegedly killed by Tiv people to bring about peace in Tiv land, like he had done before.

Shortly after the mass, Akume visited the General Hospital in North Bank and offset the medical bills of all the patients on admission.

He also donated undisclosed amounts to the patients and nurses on duty.

Addressing the nurses, Akume appealed to them to be patient with their patients as sickness can make one to become frustrated.
A birthday lecture was schedule to hold later in the day.

Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta


The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta, has said that fight against corrupt persons in the country must be neutral and not be turned into a tribal battle.

He said this during the 2013 international anti-corruption day lecture organised by the ICPC for non-governmental organisations, government officials, youth-based and anti-graft groups on Monday in Lagos.

The ICPC boss, who was represented by the commission’s head of operations in Lagos, Mr. Shitema Binga, said despite repeated avowals of self-righteousness in public lives, there were still proven incidences and allegations of brazen fraud and stealing in different quarters.

He said, “Corruption should not be trivialised, even where the offender shamelessly boasts and launders his loot on supposedly legal ventures or charities. Its arrest and trial also must not be labeled selective prosecution or tribal cleansing when one’s relative or friend or colleague is indicted as is touted by some quarters.

“We cannot claim to be wise or satisfied as spectators while certain unscrupulous persons pillage and loot our resources in every guise. I always consider it most grievous for any person to withdraw to silence, indifference or outright resignation to incidences of corruption and related offences.

“Imperfection, indiscretion and pilfering are no excuse even if served in intangible doses in our public lives. A truly honest Nigerian cannot be neutral in such an endeavour. It is therefore necessary to check and scrutinise ourselves to determine our incorruptible, and our commitment to remain so.”

President of Association for Eradication of Corruption in Nigerians, Mrs. Simbiat Agbalajobi, while speaking on ‘Role of the individual in the fight against corruption’, faulted Nigerians, including religious leaders, for the spread of corruption.

The embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah and President Goodluck Jonathan


President Goodluck Jonathan is currently under pressure to spare the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, over her role in the purchase of two bulletproof BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, investigation by The PUNCH has revealed.

The people that are asking Jonathan to save the neck of Oduah were said to be telling the President not to mind the report of the administrative panel he set up to investigate the minister’s role in the controversial N255m luxury cars.

The panel headed by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Bello, had submitted its report to Jonathan since last Wednesday but the President has not said anything about its content.

A source told our correspondent that a top government official from the South-East, the same geopolitical zone with the embattled minister, is currently in the forefront of the campaign to save her.

The source however did not disclose the identities of those who have been enlisted in the campaign.

He said that part of the campaign agenda had started manifesting in a section of the media where the content of the panel’s report was being speculated with a view to giving the minister an edge.

“There is no development on the matter yet because there is a lot of pressure. We know who the arrowhead of the campaign is,” the source said.

The President will be leaving the country for London in the early hours of Wednesday (today) without making a pronouncement on the issue.

He is expected back in the country during the weekend.

The delay in making pronouncement on the report is being seen as a way of buying time for the minister.

A top Presidency source had earlier told our correspondent that the President would rather base his decision on the recommendation of the panel and shun the report of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.

Critics at the onset had said the probe panel by Jonathan was set up to divert attention from the armoured car purchase and to also cover up the minister.

The Edo State House of Assembly yesterday suspended the Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, Chief Roland Ibierutowhen, for allegedly using the council’s fund to junket his family and 12 counsellors to Italy.

In a move that signaled the anti-corruption and no-nonsense attitude of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administra-tion, the lawmakers also announced the suspension of the Chairman of Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Mr. Roland Alari. Alari was alleged to have assaulted a councillor for some undisclosed disagreement at the council secretariat.

The legislative House acted on a petition letter sent to it by the Orhionmwon Youth Congress (OYC) in which it accused Ibierutowhen of junketing all over Italy with his wife and daughter as well as with the 12 councillors on public expense. The youths had taken their anger to the Benin- Onitsha Highway, protesting what they described as the inappropriate trip.

The placards-carrying protesters with various inscriptions such as “Stop looting Orhionmwon treasury,” “Develop Abudu with our money,” and “Probe Ibierutowhen now,” said their action was informed by the information at their disposal that Ibierutowhen, who was supposed to be at his duty post at Abudu, went frolicking in Italy with his family and others at public expense.

They, therefore, called on Governor Oshiomhole, the Assembly and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the council chairman for prosecution.

National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed(L), Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak


The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday continued to trade words on the governorship election in Anambra State which the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared inconclusive.

While the APC which insisted on the cancellation of the poll, accused the PDP of being an accessory to the “shameful electoral malfeasance” in the state , the ruling party described the opposition party as a bad loser.

The opposition party, in a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wondered why a party would hail an election that its own candidate and his family members did not find their names in the voter register that was used to conduct the exercise.

It said, “In its inordinate ambition to humiliate our party at all costs, the PDP has ended up humiliating itself and embarrassing the nation. Or how else does one describe a bizarre situation in which a party will describe as free and fair, an election in which its own candidate and his family could not find their names in the voter register? The joke is indeed on the PDP.

“It is now clear who the PDP is working for. The PDP has no qualms about sacrificing its own candidate and disgracing the nation as long as it will achieve its aim of humiliating the APC.’’

But the PDP said the APC’s insistence on total cancellation of the election was aimed at tainting the integrity of the entire electoral process in the country.

It said at a news conference in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, that Nigerians should not take the APC seriously.

While saying that the APC praised the commission to the high heavens when it won the governorship election in Edo State, it (APC) condemned INEC when it lost the Ondo State governorship election.

It said, “In Ondo State, the APC (then ACN) came third; during the Delta State rerun senatorial election, APC came fourth; in Anambra State, APC is coming third; but the APC went ahead to discredit Anambra State election.”

The PDP claimed that it was a chief of the opposition (name withheld), who allegedly compromised some staff of the commission in a particular local government area in the state, which led to the inability of the electorate to cast their votes.
In its statement, the APC said the poll should be cancelled because it was grossly-tainted and widely-manipulated.

It also called on INEC to come clear on its claim that the election was sabotaged, with a view to establishing how entrenched the forces of evil within the commission were. The APC also claimed that doing so would help to avert a looming national disaster which an infiltrated, incompetent and conniving INEC could plunge Nigeria into.

The party said it was now apparent that INEC was indeed not taking seriously, the opinions of Anambra residents as well as local and foreign observers that most of the registered voters in the state were willfully disenfranchised on Saturday.

The statement reads in part, “First, the electoral commission proposed a make-up election in only 65 polling units in Obosi before scaling things up to a supplementary election in those areas where election was cancelled.

“But we say, without equivocating, that a total cancellation of the election and the organisation of a fresh poll, under the supervision of a credible Resident Electoral Commissioner, will be acceptable to our party.”

The APC also challenged INEC to quickly carry out an internal investigation to determine the extent to which the election was sabotaged and compromised to the embarrassment of the nation.

It added that what occurred on Saturday might actually be treasonable.

The party said, “It is not enough for INEC’s detached Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to tell the nation that an INEC official sabotaged the election in a certain part of the state; he must tell the nation who this fellow is, who he/she is working for, what is the extent of the damage he/she has done to this and previous elections, and whether or not he/she has access to the commission’s database of voter register, which was apparently tampered with for Saturday’s election.

‘’Prof. Jega must also tell Nigerians why 16 Electoral Commissioners, who migrated to Anambra days before the election ostensibly to supervise things, could not ensure the success of an election in a single state, when even a polling unit behind the INEC office in Awka did not get voting materials till after 9 am on election day.”

Written by Fejiro Oliver


The Anambra State election which result is yet to be released we gathered has already had a winner before the registered voters went out to cast their votes. According to an impeccable source, a plan was hatched by the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop every observer who will be ruthless in capturing details of the election.

One of such observers we can report were the members of Justice and Equality Organisation, known for their doggedness in monitoring elections with spy cameras and hidden gadgets, possible at capturing details from miles apart. According to one of our source, the PDP and APGA aware of their presence in Disney Hotel, Owerri, Imo State, where they had gathered to educate their members, alerted the security forces to clamp in on them, and label them illegal observers.

True to plan, the police in Imo State swamped in on them and rounded them up; taking them to the station where they have being detained till this moment. The observers we gathered were legally registered to cover the election and report their findings. The source also told us that they were sponsored by Nigeria most technology savvy governor, Rauf Aregbosola of Osun State. The observers were the people that secure victory to Rauf through the court by tendering concrete evidences in videos, audio, pictures and writing before the court, which showed that the then Action Congress candidate actually won the election.

“Their plan was to capture all manners of rigging in the whole local government, hence their numerous numbers. Did you see any observer with such numbers like the Justice and equity organization? That is because they have put everything in place to expose all the areas which APGA and the PDP will rig. Now that they have successfully kept them away from the election, APC can never win the election”, stated an impeccable source.

We also gathered that electoral materials were purposely delayed being brought to APC stronghold, to enable a spill over to Sunday, when people will jettison the election for church services. This plan we were told by sources was hatched on Thursday night in an undisclosed location.”How can INEC say that Idemili south and North do not have electoral materials, yet they were available in APGA and PDP areas? They had all the money and time in the world to prepare adequately for this election, yet someone is acting out a game plan. You are a journalist Fejiro. Please investigate this and you will realize what we are saying is true.

A source within the Ngige Campaign Organization stated that Ngige had no choice but to pull out of the election, knowing full well that no serious Christian will leave his God for an election. The source wondered if Prof. Attahiru Jega of INEC can fix election on a day set outside for muslim, describing it as an affront and embarrassment to Christianity.”Even if Ngige didn’t vote yesterday; he won’t have voted today, knowing that he must keep the Sabbath day holy”, the source stated.

When asked if Ngige will head to court, the source exclaimed “Yes, we are going to challenge this technical fraud and rigging by INEC and APGA. Other sources within the Ngige organization revealed to us that APC have begun the compilation of all materials that will be filed before the court.

Unofficial results compiled by us reveals that the APGA candidate, Willie Obiano has won with a very high margin, followed by Tony Nwoye and Chris Ngige. The labor party candidate, Ifeanyi Ubah came a distant fourth.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Anambra State governorship contest, a Premium Times poll has already called the election in favour of the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chris Ngige as the winner of the election. Then online poll still ongoing on the online newspaper website with the caption ‘Who do you think will win Anambra governorship election?”,

Shows Ngige leading with a wide margin of 78% followed by Willie Obaino of APGA with a distance 12%. Tony Nwoye of PDP did not fare better as he came 8% while the PPA candidate, Godwin Ezeemo managed 2% votes.

The Anambra governorship election holds on Saturday.

The Nigeria Police has imposed a 36-hour curfew on Anambra for Saturday’s governorship election.

The curfew is to start from 6:00 p.m. on Friday to 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, the police said in a statement by its spokesperson, Frank Mba.

“The Nigeria Police High Command has ordered a restriction of movement within the boundaries of Anambra State with effect from 6.00pm on Friday, 15th November, 2013 to 6.00am on Sunday, 17th November, 2013.

“Consequently, all states contiguous to Anambra State – the states of Delta, Enugu, Imo, Abia etc will be heavily policed.” Mr. Mba said.

He said people on essential duties are not affected by this order.

He reminded citizens that the police is not ignorant of their rights to freedom of movement, as enshrined in the constitution; saying the directive is a preemptive measure aimed at forestalling elaborate plans by faceless groups to undermine the electoral process as gathered through intelligence reports.

“The apex Police Authority therefore, while empathizing with the citizenry over the inconveniences the order may cause, implores them to see this order as very necessary in the present circumstance and geared towards the quest for a seamless, credible and successful gubernatorial election,” he said.

Mr. Mba suggested that travellers should take advantage of alternate routes to their destinations where necessary between Friday and Sunday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had earlier imposed a 22-hour curfew on Anambra from 12 midnight on Friday to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday; a move that was condemned by the All Progressives Congress.

Also, according to the police spokesperson, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has warned all security details not to accompany their principals and politicians to different polling units and collation centres during the election.

The police boss had earlier deployed three new Commissioners of Police to Anambra to assist in security operations during the election.

Mr. Mba said the police boss warned that only personnel specifically assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election designated places.