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 Politics / I’ll Complete, Deliver All Projects Before October 16 –fayose by AreaNews: 10:50pm On Aug 21, 2018 |
I’ll complete, deliver all projects before October 16 –Fayose Governor Ayodele Fayose on Tuesday said that all the ongoing capital projects in Ekiti State will be completed and inaugurated before he vacates office on October 16. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Fayose made the promise while speaking at the 2018 edition of the Annual Udiroko Festival in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. The governor said he had resolved to complete all ongoing projects in consonance with his promise not to abandon any project embarked upon. He listed the capital projects so far completed and ongoing to include the One-Kilometre overhead bridge in Ado Ekiti, the new state High Court complex, the new Governor’s Office and the new Ministry of Finance complex. He listed others to include the new Ultra-Modern Kings Market in Ado Ekiti and the Amphi Theatre, the Banquet Hall at the Ewi’s palace and the dualisation of virtually all the roads in the 16 Local Government Headquarters, among others. Fayose said there was no known law in the country that says a sitting governor must stop performing the functions attached to his office once his party is preparing to wind down or have election decided against it. He told the gathering that the about 200- lock up shops at the new Kings market would be shared to willing traders before the end of the week. He pledged that those traders initially displaced as a result of the fire incident that razed the old market would be given preferential treatment. Fayose appreciated the people of Ado Ekiti for standing by his party during the last governorship poll, regretting, however, that certain forces allegedly did not allow their votes to count. He assured them that the ruling party in the state as led by him would use all normal and legal means to reclaim the “stolen mandate.” In his response, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, thanked the governor for what he termed as “sudden turn around” of the state capital, saying close to 80 per cent of the projects carried out by Fayose during his second term in office were concentrated in Ado Ekiti, thereby making his tenure memorable. Also speaking, legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola Universiyy, Chief Afe Babalola, who is also a leading son of the ancient city, expressed delight at the volume of the people that trooped out to celebrate the festival. Earlier in a welcome address, the Chairman , National Caretaker Committee of the Ado Ekiti Progressive Union, Chief Bayo Ogunmodimu, said the Udiroko Festival marked the beginning of another traditional year for the sons and daughters of Ado Ekiti. He said that it was also being used as a rallying point and unifying factor for all age groups and all local associations and clubs in the town. He thanked the state government for the modern strucures erected in the palace and wished the outgoing governor well in his future endeavours. Area News Nigeria https://web.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/
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| Politics / CLOSE SHOTS: How Children Participated In Katsina North Senatorial By-election by AreaNews: 10:38pm On Aug 21, 2018 |
They were not involved in the actual voting as they were not qualified. But children were a strong part of the Katsina North senatorial by-election which produced Ahmad Babba-Kaita as senator-elect. The district, where President Muhammadu Buhari hails from, became vacant following the death of Mustapha Bukar on April 4. From Daura, the district’s capital, to Kankia, Bindawa, Baure and other towns, children from age two and above made their ways to polling units on their own. They engaged in different activities, economic and political. On the economic side, many were seen at polling areas displaying their wares which mostly were food stuffs, some others hawked from one polling unit to another. PREMIUM TIMES reporter who covered the election in this report chronicles the activities of children at polling units. THE PERFECT EXAMPLE – KANKIA Located in the bustling town of Kankia, three polling units set up in Bakin Kasua Primary School presented a perfect example of children’s activities in the electoral process. Kankia itself is significant for the election; it is hometown of the candidates of the two major political parties, Kabir Babba-Kaita of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ahmad Babba-Kaita of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The three polling units; Bakin Kasua PU 005, 006 and 010 are all located within the school. By 10:40 a.m. when this reporter first landed in the polling units, it was difficult to tell who were more; adults or children. In fact, it is safe to say the number of children exceeded that of adults. At this time of the election day, the children could be safely categorised into two. The first group comprised those who came to sell food items and placed themselves at strategic places within the polling units. While some created what could be called mini shops for themselves under trees, a good number preferred to hawk their wares. They sold zobo local beverage, kolanut, Rogo dafawa (cooked cassava), sweets, baked foods etc. For many voters, election observers and journalists, these children were the messiahs who delivered them from hunger. Children in the second group were not hard to spot. They slightly outnumbered the ones in the first group. Dressed in smeary attires, children from age two and above wandered around the three polling units. They certainly did not understand the process but were keen on feeding their eyes with all items and happenings. Often times, they got so close to the ballot boxes to the wrath of security agencies. Certainly, a measure had to be devised to control them before the end of voting. THE LOCAL RUMBLE AND AHMAD’s WELCOME Still in Bakin Kasua Primary School. The time is 12:15p.m. and voting exercise continues in peace. Until this period, the children were still polarised in two groups of sellers and spectators. But this changed just as the APC candidate, Ahmad Babba-Kaita approached the polling unit. More like they were assigned to do so, the children quickly changed their course. Almost immediately they sighted Mr Ahmad, they became what many would call ‘hailers.’ From the road that linked the school, children in hundreds, fused with adults, form the entourage of Mr Ahmad. In Hausa, they chanted “From senator to governor,” even before the aspirant became a senator. A few minutes later, Mr Ahmad was at his polling unit. He opted to join the already long queue and wait for his turn. The children retreated but were still very much present in the vicinity. The polling unit continued to be calm until dust raised unannounced. Two children, a boy and girl, were fighting close to the queue designated for males. And instead of the adults, mostly males, to separate them, they preferred to cheer the boy, who they considered as their representatives in the battle. “Karka Karaya” “Karka ka…,” some of the youthful men shouted to boost the confidence of the boy. Their encouragement was enough for the boy as evident in the result of the local rumble. When a security personnel finally separated them, the girl had inherited a swollen face. But what caused the fight? Hauwa like every other children had arrived Bakin Kasua as early as 8a.m. to sell her Soya bean snack popularly called Awara. The boy, Musa, had wanted two pieces of Awara for the portion of Kunnu which he traded but Hauwa would not part with more than one. Musa’s insistence and attempt to coerce his friend, now turn enemy, to give him two Awara led to the fight right in the presence of Mr Ahmad. LOYAL HAILERS The time now is 1:17p.m. Mr Ahmad had decided to leave the queue for a tree shade after queuing for about an hour but he wouldn’t be left alone. For the about 150 metres walk from where he queued to the tree shade, he was flanked both sides, back and front by cheerful children. This time, they were joined even by those who hawked. When Mr Ahmad finally decided to relax under the tree, the children mounted the tree top, some on slim branches, to maintain their entourage. Others gathered around him as though they were in a political meeting. They would not bulge even after a series of protests by Mr Ahmad for them to retreat. By 1:42p.m., still in the hot afternoon, another rush ensued. About 50 metres to Mr Ahmad’s sitting position, a good Samaritan had decided to feed the children on dafaffen Rogo (cooked cassava), a local delicacy. The kind gesture caught them unawares, hence, the tone of the struggle. While the fit ran to grab at least a handful of the meal, those on the tree made their ways from the high elevation. They were indeed hungry. Stampede, another stampede and more stampedes characterised the struggle. By the time dust finally settled, many of the children had sustained injuries. But they were not deterred. They returned to their position with Mr Ahmad. HOW SECURITY OFFICIALS COPED Section. 129 (1) of the Electoral Act states that “no person shall on the date an election…loiter without lawful excuse after voting or after being refused to vote…in a polling unit or within a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit” The law says that any person who contravenes this “commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of N100, 000 or imprisonment for 6 months for every such offence.” This is the ideal but the reality in Kankia did not conform. Perhaps, a N100, 000 would have been paid in multiple folds should security operatives decide to adhere strictly to this provision. Apart from wandering about the three polling units, the children were uncomfortably close to ballot boxes and election materials. At almost every seconds, security officials at the polling units had to shoo them away but it did not work as the children kept coming back like the proverbial stubborn goat. By 2:00p.m. when it seemed almost impossible to control their interference, officials at each polling units decided to dedicated at least one security officer to shooing away children from the polling units. This worked but not quite. INEC NOT AWARE INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Oluwole Osaze-Uzi, said the commission was not aware of situation as it was not contained in any of the reports submitted after the election. “You are the one telling me about that,” he said Monday afternoon. “I’m not aware of that. I didn’t see that in our report.” Mr Osaze-Uzi however said the children like every other persons ought to maintain a distance as prescribed by the law. “But ordinarily on Election Day, within the vicinity of the polling unit, you ought to have a distance… to be there.” Austin Aigbe of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) condemned the development. “How did the children get to the polling station? The process is simply, on election day, there are restriction of movement, and only eligible voters with PVC are allowed a walking distance to their respective polling unit. The Nigerian constitution prescribe that a person must be 18 or above to be eligible to vote. Allowing children to participate in elections is, therefore the highest level of violation of our electoral laws,” he said. By 4:00p.m., when the counting and sorting started, the children were still very much on ground. In Hausa language, they joined the Presiding Officer in counting of ballot papers. What followed was jubilation across the three polling units, still led by children. Area News Nigeria https://web.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/
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| Politics / 800m Trek: Buhari Physically Fit For Second Term – Presidency Tells Tambuwal by AreaNews: 6:34pm On Aug 21, 2018 |
The Presidency has said the 800 metres trekking embarked upon by President Muhammadu Buhari from the Eid-ground in Daura to his private residence is an indication of his fitness to seek re-election in 2019. https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/800m-trek-buhari-physically-fit-for-second-term-presidency/amp/ 7 Likes 1 Share
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| Politics / 2019: Be Vigilant, Don’t Return Nigeria To Egypt – Lai Mohammed by AreaNews: 6:20pm On Aug 21, 2018 |
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has urged Nigerians to resist the temptation of voting for those who will return the country to throes of massive looting, come 2019 elections. https://www.google.com.ng/amp/s/guardian.ng/news/2019-be-vigilant-dont-return-nigeria-to-egypt-lai-mohammed/amp 2 Likes
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| Politics / Why The PDP Is Ten Times Better Than APC *by Femi Aribisala* by AreaNews: 1:09am On Aug 20, 2018 |
Why the PDP is ten times better than APC *By Femi Aribisala* I have said time and again that I am not a member of the PDP. I am saying it again. I have never been and will never be a member of any political party in Nigeria. I have also said I do not know personally, have never met or even ever spoken to President Goodluck Jonathan, although I remain as ardent in his support as I was during the 2015 election. Before you call me a liar, let me state here for the record that I finally had the privilege of speaking to President Jonathan a few weeks ago. A nice lady named Doris phoned me, pleased she was finally able to reach me. She had a simple message: President Jonathan would like to speak to me. She then gave me his phone number. So, I finally had the opportunity to speak to President Jonathan for the very first time. Speaking to him took me back to thinking about the heady days of the 2015 presidential elections. I am of the opinion that history is already beginning to vindicate President Jonathan and to restore his legacy, in spite of the incessant propaganda of the All Progressives Congress (APC). We have now had three-and-a-half years of APC rule. We have now seen what APC’s ‘change’ actually entails. We are no longer under any illusions. Even though the APC has spent the last few years re-litigating what was wrong with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it should now be clear that the PDP is far better than the APC; at least ten times better. Stolen Ideas In three-and-a-half years in power, there is no single original idea of note that has emanated from the APC. What it has been doing is to claim PDP’s ideas as its own. APC claims credit for the Treasury Single Account (TSA) when in fact it is of PDP inspiration. It claims credit for the turn-around maintenance of our refineries, when it is in fact a Jonathan/PDP legacy. It claims credit for increased rice production in Nigeria, when it was the PDP that achieved this. APC claims credit for the rehabilitation of rail lines in Nigeria, but the truth is that this was essentially a PDP initiative. It claimed that PDP stole the money earmarked for buying weapons to fight Boko Haram, then went ahead to use the same weapons it said were non-existent to equip the army to fight Boko Haram. Former Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) chairman, Sam Amadi, stressed that improvements in power supply are the result of the efforts made by the Jonathan administration. If we are now celebrating the end of polio in Nigeria, it has nothing to do with the APC and everything to do with the PDP. If we are indeed well on our way to self-sufficiency in rice production, it is because of the activities of the PDP, and not because of the inactivity of APC. In three-and-a-half years, APC has added precious little to PDP’s achievements. On the contrary, it has degraded many of the milestonesattained earlier. From Bad To Worse Bill Gates hailed Nigeria’s fight against polio under Jonathan and the PDP as one of the great world achievements of 2014. However, the same Bill Gates identifies Nigeria under Buhari and the APC as one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth, with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the old. He also identified the government’s economic policy as dismally ineffectual. Indeed, everything under this APC government has gone from bad to worse. The economy is worse. The cost of living is worse. The security situation is worse. The naira is worse. The unity of Nigerians is worse. The corruption index is worse. The electricity situation is worse. The ministers in the presidential cabinet are worse. The liberty of Nigerians is worse. The rule of law is worse. The political climate is toxic. We are not just saddled with an incompetent government. We are saddled with one that merely watches while we are being murdered in our homes, farms and churches. We are saddled with a government that tells us the choice we have is either to lose our land to carpetbaggers or lose our lives. We are saddled with a government that defines itself as a northern, instead of a national, government; with all its security architecture in the hands of northerners. In 16 years in power, the PDP not only cleared Nigeria’s debts of some $30 billion, it borrowed a total of only N6 trillion. However, in just three years, the APC has returned Nigeria to the debtor status and borrowed a whopping N11 trillion. We are yet to see what all this new debt has been spent on. Lack of Integrity The APC is the party that boasts of integrity but lacks integrity. This ensures it embarrasses itself with one scandal after the other. From the Babachir Lawal’s ‘grasscutter’ scandal, Abdulrashid Maina’s pension and recall scam, the NHIS scandal, the EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu’s scandal to the recent Kemi Adeosun NYSC certificate forgery scandal. The APC fails to act against corruption while nevertheless fooling itself that it is a champion of the anti-corruption struggle. Unlike the proverbial charity, APC’s anti-corruption war does not begin at home in the APC. The party encourages and molly-cuddles the corrupt. Indeed, it has an open-door policy for the corrupt. Once you are in APC or you decamp to APC, you are automatically whitewashed from allegations of corruption. Once you have corruption allegations to answer before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), all you need to do is defect to the APC and you will be welcome with open arms. Your corruption case will also suddenly disappear. This is the case with Godswill Akpabio. He had a pending case of corruption with the EFCC but has now quickly defected from the PDP to the APC. That singular act is likely to whitewash him and dustbin his case. The anti-corruption struggle for the APC is in declaring Rotimi Amaechi innocent until proven guilty, while proclaiming Diezani Allison-Madueke guilty until proven innocent. Whatever anyone may think or say about the PDP, it is a national party. As a matter of fact, it remains the only national party in Nigeria to date in this republic. Its membership and strength stretch from North to South and East to West. Not so the APC. The APC is a sectarian party. It is an agglomeration of regional parties that merged together for the sake of capturing the presidency. Once this happened, their sectarianism came back to the fore. On his inauguration, the president told Nigerians: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.” However, the APC has turned out to be essentially a North-West and South-West party that has effectively divided Nigeria along regional lines. On his election, the president went to the U.S. where he declared that: “The constituents (that) gave me 97 per cent cannot in all honesty be treated on some issues with constituencies that gave me 5 per cent.” That means the president can largely overlook the South-East and the South-South in appointments. It also means Fulani herdsmen from the North can continue to kill innocent farmers all over the country, while government sees no evil and hears no evil. When a substantive Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman was finally approved, the president broke another protocol by choosing a man from his own region, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, continuing the lopsided policy whereby the chief organs of the federal government (the presidency, the legislature and the judiciary) are now all headed by northerners. Champions of Hypocrisy Nevertheless, there are certain areas where there is no doubt that the APC is ten times better than the PDP. One of these is in hypocrisy. The APC is the undisputed champion of hypocrisy. It contradicts its own vaunted values repeatedly without batting an eyelid. In the area of hypocrisy, the PDP is certainly no match for the APC. Recently, Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, shocked Nigerians by launching a so-called National Campaign Against Fake News. What is so amazing about this boldface duplicity is that Lai Mohammed himself is the chief exponent of fake news in Nigeria. Lai Mohammed urged Nigerians to “Say No to Fake News.” However, his very campaign is fake news. Here is a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black. Lai Mohammed is Nigeria’s version of Iraq’s Comical Ali, the sobriquet for Saddam Hussein’s minister of information, whose job was to give false reports of Iraqi successes during the 1990 war. It was Lai Mohammed who dazzled Nigerians with the fake news that the Boko Haram was responsible for the scarcity of tomatoes. He told Nigerians that President Buhari was hale and hearty in London, only for the president himself to return and say he had never felt so sick in his life. APC would have Nigerians believe the lie that the recent disgraceful storming of the National Assembly by the Department of State Services was orchestrated by Bukola Saraki, the Senate president. That is a load of hogwash. Lai Mohammed also said the gory tales of herdsmen murdering hapless Nigerians is fake news. If you believe this outright falsehood, then you will believe anything. A newspaper commentator had this to say: “For Lie Mohammed to advise to media not to yield their platform to spread fake news is like the devil advocating to his subject not to tell lies.” Buyers’ Remorse It is not surprising, therefore, that quite a number of those who left the PDP for the APC four years ago have become so disgusted with the APC that, like prodigal sons, they have returned to the PDP. They include Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president of Nigeria; Bukola Saraki, Senate president; Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano; Senator Bernabas Gemade and Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto State. Many who waxed lyrical about the virtues of the APC four years ago now hate the APC. They include President Obasanjo, Wole Soyinka and Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka. Nevertheless, we cannot insist APC did not bring change. It brought change but it was change that pauperised Nigeria. APC brought change from peace to restiveness; it brought change from gainful employment to job insecurity and massive unemployment; it brought change from national unity to sectarianism; it brought change from good health to medical check-ups; it brought change from life to death by herdsmen. It brought change from $1 exchanging for N190 to $1 exchanging for N360; it brought change from N87 fuel to N145 fuel; it brought change from 20 tomatoes selling for N50 to one tomato selling for N100; it brought change from hope to despair; it brought change from light to darkness. Now that is change we can certainly do without. APC is an expired drug. Nigerians now know what it means to vote against good luck. Area News Nigeria https://www.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/ 1 Like 1 Share
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| Politics / Jail Oshiomhole, Sacked Dss Dg, Duara, Apc Chieftains Before Other Looters – Pdp by AreaNews: 12:17am On Aug 20, 2018 |
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration to jail treasury looters, but challenged him to start from the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole. PDP said in line with his declaration, Buhari should also prosecute the sacked Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Daura, and chieftains of the APC. A statement by PDP’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari should show “integrity by starting with immediate investigation and prosecution of the factional National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole and a host of other indicted persons in his presidency, who he is currently covering.” The party challenged Buhari to also allow an investigation into the alleged stealing of “billions of naira by his allies and party chieftains, including the sacked former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, his former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Yusuf Usman.” The statement added, “President Buhari should immediately allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence Oshiomhole’s investigation, which has been stalled despite his indictment for allegedly stealing billions of naira belonging to Edo state. “The PDP further challenged President Buhari to allow an investigation into the alleged frittering of over N11 trillion in the petroleum sector, under his direct supervision as minister, including the alleged N9 trillion illegal oil contract as detailed in the leaked presidency memo, the alleged N1.4 trillion corrupt subsidy regime and alleged diversion of N1.1 trillion worth crude oil using 18 illegal companies allegedly linked to Presidency cabal and APC chieftains. “The President should also allow the investigation of his ministers, who as former governors, were indicted of stealing billions of naira belonging to their states, particularly, a former governor, who was indicted by his state for allegedly diverting over N40 billion to finance APC’s 2015 Presidential campaign. “Mr. President must also investigate how billions of naira allegedly moved from parastatals under his Petroleum ministry to finance the failed attempt to change the leadership of the National Assembly as well as the certificate scandals among his ministers and special advisers and jail all those involved. “These are the people Nigerians have been expecting President Buhari to investigate, prosecute and if found wanting sent to jail. Unfortunately, Mr. President has been pursuing perceived political enemies, and innocent opposition members while dining and wining with corrupt persons, a development that has completely called to question the integrity of his anti-corruption fight. “Since President Buhari came into office, he has not allowed any investigation into the corrupt activities under his Presidency, instead he has been attracting to himself, all manner of corrupt persons and giving them the perfume of sainthood, once they identify with his APC.” Area News Nigeria https://www.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/ 1 Share
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| Politics / Whatever It Will Take To Save Nigerians From Buhari’s Govt Is Welcome, Soyinka by AreaNews: 12:03am On Aug 20, 2018 |
Whatever it will take to save Nigerians from Buhari’s govt is welcome, says Soyinka Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Thursday lamented that the lives of Nigerians have been so cheapened under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, while calling for the election of new generation of leaders to overhaul the system. Soyinka spoke at the official launch of his Interventions VIII series, titled: “Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes? (Who keeps Watch over the Watchmen?), Gani’s Unfinished Business,” held at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. Soyinka, who responded to a question posed by Kunle Ajibade, the Executive Editor of The News/PM News whether he had moment of doubt and impulse about Nigeria in recent time, said there were serious acts of mis-governance under the current administration, as there were lots of unforced errors being committed by Buhari. “There are acts of mis-governance under this administration. There are unforced errors and acts that are considered being stupid; failure to secure lives; languages of self-excusing which were condemned in the past but resurfacing all over the place,” he said. Soyinka decried that the administration glossed over intolerable degrees of bloodshed as if in a casual event or happening by accident, adding that there is “also, failure to exact authority when and as at when due which led to the killings. There is cheapening of lives. The value of lives in the last year or so on is on a level we haven’t witnessed in the country for long time.” The Nobel laureate said this was one of the reasons why it had become essential that “we all embark on ground clearing for new generation of leaders and to make sure that in the process, we don’t bring back what we are just getting out from. That is one of the stupid acts that we could be held responsible by the coming generation.” Soyinka stated that between now and 2019, an opportunity still existed, as there should be reforms and total overturn, saying that whatever it would take to secure the nation in order to give the people new sense of dignity and humanity, should be done. He also took a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he described as hypocrite and a pretender who capitalised on every opportunity to make himself relevant. According to him, “Obasanjo isn’t a stupid man but reads the wind and move in. He is busy hijacking existing movements. And that is why I have warned many that have movement and that includes him, to be careful because he could hijack them. He frustrated the June 12 and often put himself forward on any issue. He is welcome to reform and as his slogan maybe, the redemption process has started.” Soyinka was absolutely displeased with Obasanjo on how he rubbished the late Chief Bola Ige over the power sector crisis. He said he was very involved in Bola Ige’s stint as the minister of power, lamenting that “after Ige died, Obasanjo claimed that the deceased never knew his left from his right. I found that statement unforgivable. He owes him for maligning him and sabotaging his genuine and structured efforts to transform the power sector of the country. “I was here when Ige moved his office to Lagos to solve the power problem of Nigeria. He deliberately sabotaged the efforts of the late minister. Before Ige took office, he summoned a group of experts and mapped out strategy to transform the power sector. But he was sabotaged from the inside because he begged me to persuade Obasanjo to remove Sulaiman Bello from office. “This was the man he believed was used to sabotage his efforts and the consequence we are still suffering today. Obasanjo protected the saboteurs of the power sector and that is why I challenged him to engage me publicly.” Soyinka also said he could not remember the good things that Obasanjo did during his tenures as president. “I don’t remember the good he has done. It will be very difficult to find one. I can’t remember one at this moment. There are many groups emerging with very good manifesto and it is a long time between now and next year. The field is widely open. On the defection of the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom from the All Progressives Congress, APC, Soyinka said the governor had the right to choose which party he wanted to belong and that no one should crucify him for that. He said he wrote a letter to Ortom where he made his position on his defection clear, even as he read out the letter, saying that “my position is clear on the challenges facing your state. As the leader of a state that experienced attacks, you have a right to seek the promise of an alternative means of security for your people because they remain your primary responsibility. “We are all free over the actual choice of an alternative destination but no one can deny the inalienable entitlement to such action, especially when they are provoked by disillusionment and sense of impotence under existing association.” In the letter, Soyinka told Ortom to expect sudden beginning of a heavy handed campaign, reprisal and unruly circles over his political decision, adding that I can only urge you to remain resilient, unbowed and undeterred. I do not believe that Ortom, should be crucified by any power or force for taking decision.” Area News Nigeria https://www.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/
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| Politics / Saraki, Not Buhari Responsible For Late Presentation Of INEC Budget – Presidency by AreaNews: 11:55pm On Aug 19, 2018 |
Saraki, not Buhari responsible for late presentation of INEC budget – Presidency The presidency on Sunday said President Muhammadu Buhari was not to blame for the seemingly late presentation of the budget of the electoral commission, INEC, for the 2019 election. Rather, the presidency said, in a statement by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, Senate President Bukola Saraki was to blame. Mr Shehu’s statement is the latest in the accusations and counter-accusations between it and Mr Saraki since the latter defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The INEC budget for 2019 elections was submitted last month by Mr Buhari to the National Assembly. The budget is yet to be passed by the lawmakers amidst allegations INEC had submitted the budget to the presidency since February. In his statement, Mr Shehu said it was not true that INEC submitted the budget to the presidency in February. He, however, refused to disclose what month the electoral commission submitted its budget to the presidency. “It is not true that INEC submitted their draft budget to the presidency in February. No, it came much later but even then, this is not the real issue,” he said. Read Mr Shehu’s full statement below. The Presidency wishes to respond to the false to accusations by Senator Bukola Saraki who alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari is to blame for the delay in approving the supplementary budget for INEC. On the contrary, the Senate President should look into the mirror and what he will see is his own face. He is solely to be held responsible for deliberately driving the nation to this cliff edge as far as the preparations for next elections are concerned. It is not true that INEC submitted their draft budget to the presidency in February. No, it came much later but even then, this is not the real issue. The fact that their proposals came well after the president had laid his budget for the year 2018 before the National Assembly meant that their own will be sent as supplementary budget. This was clearly stated to them by the Minister of Budget and National Planning. A supplementary budget cannot be submitted until the main budget is passed, and so the delay in passing the main budget was the reason for the delay. The National Assembly passed the 2018 budget seven months after the document was submitted to the National Assembly by President Buhari. Unless someone has forgotten, the budget was submitted to the National Assembly and it took the Saraki-led National Assembly seven months to release it. There is no way President Buhari could have submitted a supplementary budget while the main one was still pending. It is never done. Because Saraki did not return the main budget, we could not have submitted the supplementary one. After the long delays, the president was pained to sign the much distorted, butchered and debauched document. In giving his assent, President Buhari said that he was compelled to sign the budget so as not to keep the economy continuously on a standstill. In his words: “When I submitted the 2018 Budget proposals to the National Assembly on 7th November 2017, I had hoped that the usual legislative review process would be quick, so as to move Nigeria towards a predictable January-December financial year.” It is also worthy of note that this is the first time in Nigeria’s history that a government would bring together the cost of an election in one budget, with each agency involved invited to defend their portion of the budget before the National Assembly. It is all part of the transparency that this government is known for. In the past, governments would approve INEC budgets and funding without a breakdown, often using ways and means to fund it, not so under President Buhari. Area News Nigeria
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| Politics / I Will Restructure Nigeria If Elected President -- Makarfi by AreaNews: 1:54am On Aug 14, 2018 |
I will restructure Nigeria if elected president -- Makarfi ---------------- A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Ahmed Markafi, has promised to restructure Nigeria to the best interest of every citizen if elected next year. Area News Nigeria
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| Crime / Girl Cuts Off Boyfriend’s Manhood In Jigawa by AreaNews: 3:38am On Aug 12, 2018 |
Girl cuts off boyfriend’s manhood in Jigawa A 17-year-old girl, Ramatu Tafida, has cut off the manhood of her 25-year-old boy friend, Abdullahi Sabo, in Jigawa, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC) has said. Adamu Shehu, the corps Spokesman in the state, who confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Saturday, said the incident occurred in Babura Local Government Area of the state. Mr Shehu said the victim, a resident of Kofar Gabas and a teacher at Government Girls Secondary School Babura engaged under N-Power. “The incident occurred on Thursday in Babura when the attention of our officers was drawn by a good Samaritan who informed them that some youths were about to lynch a girl in Kofar Arewa, the residence of the suspect, to revenge for their friend. “Immediately the officers swung into action and went to the scene and whisked the girl away to the office for safety, but they still followed her. “It was upon reaching the office that we realised what led to the whole matter. “Ramlatu confessed to have used a knife to cut off the manhood of her husband-to-be. “According to her, Abdullahi is the love of her life and he was even introduced to her family members and has equally given the sum of N30,000 as an introduction fee. “And because of that, she was free to be with him almost all the time. As a result they became too intimate that they engaged in sexual relationship. “However, Ramlatu later learnt that the victim has planned to dump her for another girl since he has already known her as a woman. And that was what made her to plan and execute her attack,” he said. Mr Shehu said that the suspect further confessed that it was while they were together and about to start their usual affair that she confronted the victim with the issue and he responded in the affirmative. “And already, she had a knife with her without his knowledge which she brought out and chopped off his manhood. “After committing the offence, she ran to her parent’s house to inform her mother. And it was while she was there that the youths stormed the house.” The spokesman said after knowing the situation, the officers rushed to the scene and took the victim to Babura General Hospital for medical attention. The victim was later referred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano. Mr Shehu said that the suspect had already been charged to court and remanded in prison until Sept. 6 for further hearing. Area News Nigeria
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| Crime / Kidnapper Under Influence Of ‘tramadol’ Dozes Off In Victim's Compound by AreaNews: 8:38am On Aug 08, 2018 |
TRAMADOL DON BURST FOR DIS ONE BRAIN. Kidnapper Under Influence Of ‘Tramadol’ Dozes Off In Victim's Compound Police in Ondo State have arrested a suspected kidnapper who slept off while planning to abduct a renowned pharmacist in the state. The suspect has been asleep for more than 24 hours after his arrest, while a 400mg tablet of Tramadol was found in his pocket.
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| Politics / 2019: You Cannot Win Using Military Powers, Umahi Tells Opposition by AreaNews: 6:57am On Aug 08, 2018 |
RCCG ordains wife of national leader of the ruling APC, Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a pastor. The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Tuesday has ordained wife of national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a pastor. Her ordination took place at the Old Arena of RCCG, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway where the church is currently having its 66th annual convention themed “Dominion”. To become a pastor in RCCG, one must have gone through preparatory stages of Baptismal and workers in training class. The candidate must have completed a one-year course at the church’s School of Disciples and consistently participating in church activities and programmes. The person must also be a worker that has served in different or specific position in the parish he attends and recommended by senior pastors for ordination. Her colleague in the Nigerian Senate, Gbenga Ashafa tweeted “I congratulate Your Excellency, Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on your ordination as a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. “It is my prayer that Almighty God will continue to strengthen you as you serve the Nation, humanity and in His Vineyard.” Ashafa said. Before her ordination, Oluremi Tinubu has been a staunch believer of the christian fate regardless of her husband, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu who belongs to the Muslim fate. Oluremi Tinubu once said at a television programme in Lagos that her relationship with the former governor of Lagos state is the “will of God” for her life. #AreaNews
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| Politics / Is Buhari Worse Than Abacha? by AreaNews: 6:12am On Aug 08, 2018 |
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| Politics / Nass Siege: Pdp Wants Sacked Dss Dg Prosecuted by AreaNews: 1:46am On Aug 08, 2018 |
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the prosecution of Lawan Daura whose sack as the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) was ordered by acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday over the siege laid by his men on the National Assembly. The party also admonished the acting President to shelve the idea of using Daura as ‘the fall guy’ for the siege by security forces. In a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary in Abuja on Tuesday, the party insisted that the invasion by the DSS and Police was with the absolute knowledge and approval of President Muhammadu Buhari, Osinbajo, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that Daura’s sack was an afterthought, diversionary and deceitful. The PDP recalled that it issued series of statements at the weekend alerting Nigerians to the plots against the National Assembly and democracy ahead of President Buhari’s overseas trip noting that the Presidency was silent on all the alarms raised by the Buhari Presidency. It added: “If anything, they urged the Senators and Members to remain steady in their grave plan to ridicule our bastion of democracy, the National Assembly. “The Presidency’s sack of Daura was a damage-control stunt and a knee-jerk gimmick which came as a response to the national and international outcry against the armed invasion of our legislature by security agents as directed by the Buhari Presidency. “The action of security agents that blocked the National Assembly is treasonable and must attract appropriate sanctions under our law. “It is not enough to take populist approach of easing Daura out of office. Our party demands an immediate investigation by an independent panel of inquiry headed by a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria to examine the remote and immediate cause of the invasion. “Moreover, Section 16 of the Legislative House (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, provides that any person, who by any act, obstructs members of the National Assembly from performing their legislative duties, is liable and punishable by imprisonment. “Furthermore, Nigerians observed that the invasion was not only by the DSS, but also had the involvement of the Police, whose high command has not received any sanction or reprimand by the Presidency for its serial acts of impunity.” The PDP commended federal lawmakers, Nigerians, the media as well as the international community “who rose in defence of our democracy, even as we remind all not to let down their guards.” Area News
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| Politics / ‘we’re In A One-chance Bus’ — PDP Lists 14 ‘acts Of Humongous Corruption’... by AreaNews: 7:03am On Aug 07, 2018 |
‘We’re In A One-Chance Bus’ — PDP Lists 14 ‘Acts Of Humongous Corruption’ Under Buhari “The question today is, where is President Buhari’s fight against corruption?” the party asked, before submitting: “The APC and Buhari Presidency have turned Nigeria into their cash cow while manipulating our laws and rules to favour their selfish designs.” arty (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and “his All Progressives Congress (APC)” of deceiving Nigerians to secure power on the promise of transparency, accountability and zero tolerance for corruption. According to PDP, rather than fulfil these promises, the APC administration has “scammed Nigerians and the international community in the last three years”. It said Nigerians have “boarded a one-chance bus driven by vicious and vengeful liars, scammers and a falsehearted and heavily corrupt leaders, parading as saints and messiahs”. Addressing a press conference at its national secretariat in Abuja on Monday, the party listed at least 14 cases of corruption in the Buhari administration to which the President has turned a blind eye. These range from the alleged underhand oil contracts to the tune of N9 trillion at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, alleged corruption in the handling of the N1.4 trillion oil subsidy regime allegedly involving officials at the Presidency, alleged diversion and alleged stealing of N18 billion out of the N48 billion approved by the National Assembly for the rehabilitation of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rebuilding of six northeast states, alleged use of 18 unregistered companies to lift and divert N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil in 2017, and alleged case of NYSC certificate forgery involving Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun. “The question today is, where is President Buhari’s fight against corruption?” the party asked, before submitting: “The APC and Buhari Presidency have turned Nigeria into their cash cow while manipulating our laws and rules to favour their selfish designs.” THE FULL STATEMENT Press Conference By The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), today Monday, August 6, 2018, at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja. ‘Where Is President Buhari’s Fight Against Corruption? Gentlemen of the press, we have called you up today to, through you raise serious posers for which we demand immediate response from President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC), whose administration has scammed Nigerians and the international community in the last three years. President Buhari and his APC deceived Nigerians to secure power on the promise of transparency, accountability and zero tolerance for corruption. Little did Nigerians then realize that they had boarded a “one chance bus” driven by vicious and vengeful liars, scammers and a falsehearted and heavily corrupt leaders, parading as saints and messiahs. The Buhari Presidency and the APC-led Federal Government have been doing all to divert public attention from their ocean of corruption and primitive stealing including launching a brutal attack on the opposition, hounding innocent Nigerians for no just cause and seizing the airwaves to brand everybody else as corrupt, while underneath they shamelessly pillage our nation’s resources, stealing money in trillion, under President Buhari’s official cover. Today, the Buhari Presidency has been busted. Today, the very leader, who hitherto paraded as pro-poor and saintly has now been exposed to be at the head of the most corrupt administration that our nation ever had since independence. If President Buhari and his Presidency are not corrupt; if the APC is not a party of corruption, the PDP challenges them to address Nigerians on their complicit in the exposed acts of humongous corruption thriving in the high places under their watch. *The PDP challenges President Buhari to explain why his anti-corruption fight has not been extended to investigate the corruption from the leaked memo detailing alleged underhand oil contracts to the tune of N9 trillion ($25billion dollars) at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, which are under the direct supervision President Buhari as Minister of Petroleum Resources. Why has investigation into this scam been suppressed? *The PDP challenges President Buhari to explain to Nigerians whose interest he is protecting by refusing to allow an independent inquest into the alleged corruption in the handling of the N1.4 trillion oil subsidy regime allegedly involving officials at the Presidency, particularly those benefiting from alleged N58 hidden tax per liter which Nigerians have continued to bear since the fuel price increased from PDP subsidized cost of N87 to presumably unsubsidized cost of N145. *The PDP challenges President Buhari and the APC to explain whose interests they are protecting by suppressing investigation into the alleged use of 18 unregistered companies to lift and divert N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil in 2017. Who are the owners of these companies? Are the companies linked to President Buhari or any of his relatives or even APC leaders? *Furthermore, the PDP challenges the Buhari Presidency and the APC to explain to the world why his anti-corruption fight has not been extended to the internationally reported diversion and alleged stealing of N18 billion out of the N48 billion approved by the National Assembly for the rehabilitation of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rebuilding of six northeast states ravaged by insurgency in the 2017 budget. Can the Buhari Presidency and APC claim to be unaware of the damning report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a public document which detailed how officials were using bulk of the resources meant for the IDPs on contracts that were found to have immensely benefitted officials of the APC Government including the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal? Can the Presidency and the APC claim to be unaware of the motion by Senator Baba Kaka Garba from Borno Central, who exposed how persons, known to have connections with the APC, fraudulently cornered N1.2 billion from the Federal Government under the guise of supplying items to IDPs? *The PDP challenges the Presidency to explain why his ‘famed’ anti-corruption dragnet has not been cast on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) despite widely reports of alleged stealing of over N25 billion meant for the health need of the people from the account of the Scheme in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by APC agents. Can President Buhari, the African Union anti-corruption champion, explain why his Presidency recalled and reinstated the indicted Executive Secretary of the Scheme, Prof. Usman Yakubu, while he was still being quizzed by the EFCC for alleged corruption? *The PDP and Nigerians would also want President Buhari to explain why his anti-corruption crusade has not been directed to the discovery of unremitted revenue from sale of crude by the NNPC under his watch as well as the undisclosure of revenue accruable to states for which there have been deadlock at the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). Why are these areas immune from the anti-corruption fight or are the interests at the highest places involved in the messy deals. *Moreover, it is a settled saying that birds of the same feathers flock together. The fact that President Buhari comfortably surrounds himself with persons indicted for corruption, sundry frauds, common scams as well as forgeries is very revealing on the phoniness of his administration’s fight against corruption. *President Buhari has no other explanation for engaging and rewarding corrupt individuals as ministers, including a certain individual whose state’s judicial panel of inquiry had in 2015 issued a government white paper indicting him of looting over N90 billion through alleged illegal sale of the assets belonging to the state. After all, the said white paper further alleged that N40 billion out of the looted N90 billion was diverted for APC’s 2015 Presidential campaigns. *It is no longer news that one Obono-Obla, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Prosecution and Chairman, Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property in Buhari’s anti-corruption team has been indicted for forging his WAEC certificate, yet his boss, Mr. Integrity has refused to investigate him. *The same goes for Buhari’s Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who has been accused of dodging her compulsory national service and allegedly forged the NYSC Exemption Certificate. Despite her inability to deny the allegation, she is still the minister of finance under Mr. Clean. Currently, the Buhari Presidency in its corrupt proclivity is seeking to force the reopening of the Senate contrary to Section 12 of the Senate Standing Rules for which the Presidency and the APC are offering lawmakers from both chambers an inducement of the sum of $1 million each with the aim of impeaching Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. The PDP has been informed that one of the heads of the security agencies is the arrow head of the Buhari Presidency’s agents charged to coordinate this heinous design, which has the unlimited capacity to throw our nation into anarchy and ultimately destroy our hard-earned democracy. The question today is, where is President Buhari’s fight against corruption? The APC and Buhari Presidency has turned Nigeria into their cash cow while manipulating our laws and rules to favour their selfish designs. However, the PDP restates a commitment to the Nigerian people to expose the Buhari administration and fight for the unity, stability, indivisibly and prosperity of our dear nation. Nigeria belongs to all of us and nobody, no matter how highly placed has the right to continue to subvert our laws, beguile, intimidate or even attempt to subjugate our citizens at any time. Thank you PDP National Secretariat, Abuja #AreaNews Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/ https://www.instagram.com/AreaNewsNG/ https://www.twitter.com/AreaNewsNG 1 Like
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| Politics / How Buhari Can Be Defeated —yakassai, Junaid Mohammed by AreaNews: 5:43am On Aug 07, 2018 |
TWO prominent northern leaders, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, and Dr Junaid Muhammad, a famous radical frontline politician, have offered insight into how President Muhammadu Buhari can be defeated in the 2019 presidential election. http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/amp/158380/ 1 Like
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| Politics / Buhari Must Explain Role In N9tn NNPC Contract Scam — PDP by AreaNews: 3:51am On Aug 07, 2018 |
The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday in Abuja asked President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress to explain to Nigerians what they know about the N9tn ($25bn) contract scam which it said was allegedly perpetrated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation under their watch. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, threw the challenge at a press briefing which was held at the national headquarters of the party. The theme of the briefing was, “Where Is President Buhari’s fight against corruption?” Ologbondiyan urged the President to come clean and live up to his name as ‘Mr Clean’ by throwing more light on the N48bn meant for the upkeep of Internally Displaced Persons but which was allegedly diverted by officials of the government. He described the Buhari-led Presidency of providing cover for corrupt elements in government while simultaneously harassing opposition figures under the guise of fighting corruption. He said, “The PDP challenges President Buhari to explain why his anti-corruption fight has not been extended to investigate the corruption from the leaked memo detailing alleged underhand oil contracts to the tune of N9tn ($25bn) at the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, which are under the direct supervision of President Buhari as Minister of Petroleum Resources. Why has an investigation into this scam been suppressed? “The PDP challenges the Buhari Presidency and the APC to explain to the world why his anti-corruption fight has not been extended to the internationally reported diversion and alleged stealing of N18bn out of the N48bn approved by the National Assembly for the rehabilitation of millions of Internally Displaced Persons and rebuilding of six North-East states ravaged by insurgency in the 2017 budget. “Can the Presidency and the APC claim to be unaware of the motion by Senator Baba Kaka Garba from Borno Central, who exposed how persons, known to have connections with the APC, fraudulently cornered N1.2bn from the Federal Government under the guise of supplying items to the IDPs?” Ologbondiyan also tasked President Buhari in his capacity as substantive minister of petroleum resources to speak up on the secrecy surrounding subsidy payment for Premium Motor Spirit, noting that the N58 fuel tax being paid by Nigerians under his stewardship called for soul-searching. He said, “The PDP challenges President Buhari to explain to Nigerians whose interest he is protecting by refusing to allow an independent inquest into the alleged corruption in the handling of the N1.4tn oil subsidy regime allegedly involving officials at the Presidency, particularly those benefiting from alleged N58 hidden tax per liter which Nigerians have continued to bear since the fuel price increased from PDP subsidised cost of N87 to presumably unsubsidised cost of N145.” “Can the Buhari Presidency and the APC claim to be unaware of the damning report by the United Nations Development Programme, a public document which detailed how officials were using the bulk of the resources meant for the IDPs on contracts that were found to have immensely benefitted officials of the APC government including the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal? Ologbondiyan said that it was worrisome that President Buhari decided to keep silent on the certificate scams involving key appointees of his government. The PDP fingered Obono-Obla, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Prosecution and Chairman, Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property and Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun in this regard. The PDP further said the Presidency was seeking to force “the reopening of the Senate contrary to Section 12 of the Senate Standing Rules for which the Presidency and the APC are offering lawmakers from both chambers an inducement of the sum of $1m each with the aim of impeaching Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. However, the All Progressives Congress has accused the PDP of trying to scuttle the 2019 elections. The APC said this in a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nebena in Abuja, on Monday. Nabena said, “The PDP is trying very hard to scuttle the 2019 general election but we will resist it. The party is afraid that it will be defeated at the polls that is why it is using the National Assembly to frustrate efforts to approve funds for INEC. “They are merely whipping up sentiments but Nigerians will never believe them. “If indeed the opposition party is truly sincere about preparations for the next election, it would not be raising issues against the call by APC lawmakers for the National Assembly to be reconvened.” The statement further read, “APC believes in the rule of law and will not emulate what the PDP did in its 16 years of reign to manipulate the system. If truly the leadership of the National Assembly is working in the interest of Nigerians, are they not supposed to make the passage of INEC budget a priority? Will proceeding on recess be more important?” The APC Spokesman also debunked PDP’s allegations that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is covering up corruption. He challenged the opposition party to present facts to support its claims. #AreaNews Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/
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| Politics / Tribunal Grants APC Permission To Inspect Election Materials by AreaNews: 3:06am On Aug 07, 2018 |
THE governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has granted Dr Kayode Fayemi the leave to inspect materials used in the election, including ballot papers and also obtain certified true copies of the polling documents. Dr Fayemi is the third respondent in a petition against his declaration as the winner of the election by INEC, filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Professor Kolapo Olusola, last Friday. Fayemi had approached the tribunal through his counsel, Mr. Abayomi Aliyu (SAN), via a motion ex-parte brought under Section 151 of the electoral act. Aliyu (SAN) had listed eight grounds upon which he argued that the motion ex parte should be granted, and had held that such would enable his client to prepare for necessary defence in the course of the matter. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Babatunde Belgore, reviewed the relief sought by Fayemi and held that the tribunal found merit in the application and subsequently granted them “in the interest of fair-hearing.” Justice Belgore also granted the respondent’s prayer to allow forensic experts to inspect by the way of machine electronic scanning, all ballot papers, voter registers and materials used for the poll. The tribunal chairman granted the application, saying this was also approved for the petitioner, the PDP. Dr Fayemi, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, was declared the winner of the election by the Chief Returning Officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka after INEC said he secured 197,459 votes. The PDP candidate and outgoing Deputy Governor, Professor Olusola, according to INEC, scored 178,121 votes in the election. #AreaNews
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| Politics / Buhari Approves Artificial Intelligence Agency For South East by AreaNews: 12:41am On Aug 07, 2018 |
Buhari approves artificial agency for South East President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of an agency on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) for the South East. Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, revealed this at a rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. National chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, was at the rally, which […] President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of an agency on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) for the South East. Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, revealed this at a rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. National chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, was at the rally, which received defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Senator Sonni Ogbuoji; former Minister of Power and Steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga; former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Bernard Odoh; and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Augustine Nwankwegu. Onu noted he pleaded with people of the South East in 2015 not to put their eggs in one basket, but that his pleadings fell on deaf ears. “Today, I want them to compare the 16 years of PDP with the three years of APC. “The time has come for the South East to be in the mainstream of Nigerian politics by voting for President Buhari and APC in 2019,” he added. According to Oshiomhole, the current security challenge in the country is devoid of religious or ethnic colouration. At another forum, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi chided Oshiomhole for asking him to apologise for allegedly refusing an APC faction in Ebonyi the use of Pa Ngele Oruta International Stadium for a rally. Umahi’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Emmanuel Uzor, described the statement as not just childish but pure blackmail aimed at gaining public sympathy. “It is very shameful for Oshiomhole to have made the statement credited to him while in the state. He has not disappointed Nigerians on his usual macabre dance when he said Governor Umahi denied a faction of his party usage of Pa Ngele Oruta International Stadium, which is undergoing reconstruction. It became more childish considering that he had earlier called Umahi on phone and informed him of his coming, knowing well that the rally had been shifted to August 11. “One would have expected Oshiomhole, as a senior comrade to show respect to a sitting governor, if he was not hypocritical in his alleged relationship and tolerance for opposition. But he decided to fly into Abakaliki, enjoy the ambience of a serene environment and drive round a beautiful city with the best road network in the country and then mount the podium and start spewing his usual political blackmail, which he has been known for. “More worrisome is his visible silence over the factions in his party in the state and his inability to fuse the divided party into one, but has descended so low to demand apology from a sitting governor over a stadium that is under construction,” Umahi said. #AreaNews
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| Politics / Latest News: Kano Deputy Governor Resigns by AreaNews: 3:44am On Aug 06, 2018 |
THE Kano State Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, on Sunday tendered his letter of resignation to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje. Abubakar’s notice of resignation was conveyed in a letter he wrote to Ganduje today. The outgoing deputy governor said he wanted to remain in office until the end of his tenure, but chose to resign due to irreconcilable differences with the governor. “Your excellency but with the current and persistent irreconcilable differences on matters relating to governance and government operations, personal opinions, and the concept of, and respect for, democratic ideals and values, it would be unfair to my conscience, to the good people of Kano State and to you as the head of the government to continue to remain in my position as the Deputy Governor. “Your Excellency would recall several instances I had to draw your attention to the need to understand and appreciate these differences in order to avoid drifting into the kind of unnecessary crisis we are facing today, but to no avail,” the letter read in part. “I have endured immeasurable and unjustifiable humiliation for over two and half years without any reason other than my principled position on issues of governance and the desire to keep the government on track, ” the letter added. Abubakar, a loyalist of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been at loggerheads with the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, for siding with Senator Kwankwaso’s faction in the state. When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, confirmed the receipt of the resignation letter by Ganduje. #AreaNews
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| Politics / Threat To Senate: Hold FG, APC Responsible If Our Democracy Comes Near Harm -PDP by AreaNews: 1:27am On Aug 06, 2018 |
Threat to Senate: Hold FG, APC Responsible If Our Democracy Comes Near Harm - PDP The People Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Nigerians and the international community to hold the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Federal Government responsible should our nation’s democracy fall under any harm in the coming days. The party also warns that any attempt by anybody to forcefully take over the control of the National Assembly is a direct recipe for crisis and anarchy, as this will be directly resisted by Nigerians. This caution by the PDP comes against the backdrop of yet another plot by the APC and its agents to flood the National Assembly with armed plain clothed security operatives to compromise the security architecture to enable the forceful takeover of the leadership of the Senate by minority APC senators. Nigerians would recall that we alerted the nation that the purported overseas vacation by President Muhammadu Buhari was to enable his cabal overrun the National Assembly in a manner reminiscent of the siege at the Benue State House of Assembly, so as to sack the current elected Senate leadership and install their stooges. When this is done, the Buhari Presidency will in its characteristic response claim the 'Mr President is unaware.' The PDP however cautions, in the strongest possible terms, that Nigeria as a nation will never allow such direct assault to the highest symbol of our integrity as a democratic state. The laws of our nation regarding the sanctity and sovereignty of our legislature are clear and our citizens will never allow any person or group of persons, no matter the circumstances, undermine the constitutional integrity of the legislature as representatives of the people. Any attempt to tempt the will of the people in this direction is a clear recipe for very serious crisis. The laid down rules for reconvening the Senate whenever it is on recess, which must be followed when it becomes compelling to reopen the senate on a date order than the earlier adjourned date, are clear and direct. In such a circumstance, Order 12(2) of the Senate Standing Rule (2015) clearly vest such powers and functions on the Senate President, who shall give notice of such new date and time. Anything outside the provision of the law is a direct coup not only against the National Assembly but also on our entire democratic system. It is a clear recipe for anarchy of monumental proportion capable of disarticulating our nation. The PDP therefore charges all Nigerians to be at alert, stand up for democracy and condemn this conspiracy against our land. Finally, the PDP, as a party committed to peace, unity and prosperity of our nation also sternly cautions the APC and the Federal Government to steer clear of the National Assembly and the leadership of the Senate as well as desist from its proclivities towards acts capable of destabilizing our dear nation, especially at this critical time. Signed: Kola Ologbondiyan National Publicity Secretary #AreaNews
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| Politics / 2019: Senator Akpabio's Personal Aides Resign by AreaNews: 12:32am On Aug 06, 2018 |
2019: SENATOR AKPABIO'S PERSONAL AIDES RESIGN ...Disassociate themselves from Akpabio's defection Four Personal Aides to the Senate Minority Leader and Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District have tendered their resignation letters. The four aides represent the four federal constituencies of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. Their position was disclosed during a meeting of Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in Abak. Led by Barr. Utibe Nwoko, Senior Legislative Aide, others are; Chief (Barr) Moses Akpan, Kufre Ini-ima, Prince Ukandu Ukpe. They disassociated themselves from any planned defection of the Senator to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and pledged their unalloyed support to the reelection of Governor Udom Emmanuel in 2019. #areanews
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| Properties / Somerset Mall Evacuated After Roof Collapse by AreaNews: 11:57pm On Aug 05, 2018 |
CAPE TOWN - Somerset Mall has been evacuated after a part of the roof collapsed on Sunday. Circumstances leading to the collapse are still unclear and authorities have not yet confirmed if there were any casualties from the accident. Operations manager Chris Le Roux says the shopping centre will be open for business soon. “We had the cceiling collapse in one section of the mall and luckily no injuries. All authorities are on site assessing the extent of the damage and we will be able to open for trade shortly.” SOMERSET MALL ROOF COLLAPSE AREA NEWS NIGERIA https://web.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/videos/827190587477450/
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| Politics / Don’t Make Nigeria Suffer, Presidency Begs Saraki, Dogara To Reconvene NASS by AreaNews: 11:32pm On Aug 05, 2018 |
Don’t make Nigeria suffer, Presidency begs Saraki, Dogara to reconvene NASS The Presidency on Sunday appealed to the National Assembly (NASS) to reconvene as urgent matters pending before it may affect the running of Nigeria and matters affecting Nigerians. The appeal was made by the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang at a news conference in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Nigerian Senate, on April 24 adjourned sittings for the next two months. President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki announced the adjournment at plenary following a motion on the siege on Saraki and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, by security operatives. The Senate is expected to reconvene on September 25th. NAN however reports that some of the pending urgent issues before the adjournment included the approval of a supplementary budget to fund the 2018 budget and the 2019 general Elections. The supplementary funds would enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence preparation for the 2019 polls. Also pending are several key appointments for the EFCC, ICPC, Deputy CBN Governor and AMCON among others. Enang said that although the Senate had lined up those matters before the adjournment, there was need for them to resume because of the urgency required for the approval. “We are appealing to Senate leadership and all caucuses of the National Assembly to see this as a clarion call for the good of the nation. “As the Liason Officer between NASS and the federal government, I know it is not the intention of the Lawmakers to make Nigerians suffer. “The NASS vacation is usually planned to coincide with school vacations so that members can spend time with their children. However this is an election year and the budget has just been appended to hence the urgent need to give approval for Supplementary funds for it. “We are not compelling them, we are appealing to them. As a liason officer between the Presidency and the NASS, my duty is to make sure that both arms stay together and work in harmony” he said. On the defections in the house, Enang explained that it had nothing to do with the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari and that the issues for defection were personal and domestic to the political actors. According to him, the defections are perennial and usually happens in election years where politicians look for platforms to achieve their aspirations. “In all the defections, they have maintained that they do not have problems with the federal government. ‘There is too much competition within the major political parties. Politicians study the platforms and would not want to be where they may not get the tickets especially for those seeking re-election. Some need automatic tickets but their party may say no. “Defections are not a sign of anything to worry about in a political party. None of the defectors is complaining about executive treatment of their people but about winning nominations for tickets outside,” he added #BukolaSaraki #areanews https://web.facebook.com/AreaNewsNG/photos/a.823073927889116.1073741829.822088497987659/827141497482359/?type=3
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| Politics / Buhari Must Leave Now —dr Junaid Mohammed by AreaNews: 2:02am On Aug 05, 2018 |
A northern leader of note, Dr Junaid Mohammed, is a critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government. In this interview by Deputy Editor, DAPO FALADE, the member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic speaks on the implications of the gale of defection from major political parties across the country and issues affecting the two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vis-a-vis the 2019 elections. What is your take on the gale of defection across the major political parties, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the country? What I can see as it relates to the issue of defection is uncertainty. Uncertainty for the country and uncertainty for the political parties means uncertainty for democracy itself. Again, this goes back to what I have been saying over the years that for political stability, you need stable political parties that are based on ideologies, core values and beliefs. That has not been the case for political parties in Nigeria. Even those that are supposed to be big, in terms of size or in terms of coverage, APC and PDP, are nothing but a combination of people who are in for the money they would get or the positions they stand to get. Unfortunately, the money they would get is for their personal ends; it has nothing to do with the country. So, I am not surprised that the two political parties are in a mess and they are going to continue to be in a mess.
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