₦airaland Forum

Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party are said to be sharply divided on whether to support Chief Bode George or Mr. Jimi Agbaje for the position of the national chairman of the party, investigations by our correspondent have revealed.

George, who is believed to be the political godfather of Agbaje, had paid the mandatory N1m and had therefore picked his Expression of Interest form at the party’s temporary headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

Agabaje, who was the governorship candidate of the party in Lagos during the last election, has yet to pay for his nomination form.

However, a source close to him said that the pharmacist-turned politician would pick his nomination form on Tuesday (tomorrow) in Abuja.

“I can confirm and confide in you that he will pay and pick his form in Abuja on Tuesday,” the source added.

He was said to be the candidate of Bode George during the election, which the PDP lost to the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Ambode was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Apart from these two men, other members of the party who are showing interest in the race are a former Minister of Education, Prof. Tunde Adeniran; a former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a former Minister of Youths and Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

It was gathered that some of the governors argued in favour of having someone who had never held any position in the party as its next national chairman.

A governor from the southern part of the country, who spoke on condition of anonymity with our correspondent on Sunday, said that the party needed a new face, who he said would be respected by all factions within the party.

“We need someone who is not used to the politics at the national level and who will be acceptable to the other faction of the party. That’s why we are thinking about Agbaje,” the governor said.

He also said that such a person must not be seen to have political ambition in 2019.

“We don’t need someone who will be scheming to be picked as the running mate to our presidential candidate who will be coming from the North,” the governor added.

However, it was gathered that some other governors, especially from the North and about two from the South, were said to have argued in favour of Bode George because of his experience.

The former military governor of old Ondo State, was a former deputy national chairman of the party.

Some of his supporters were said to be arguing that he remained the best candidate for the job from the South-West, where the position had been zoned to by the leaders of the party from the South.

A member of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, told our correspondent in an interview on Sunday, that the meeting of the leaders of the party from the South-West slated for Akure on Monday (today), would determine who the caucus would support.

The meeting, which is being hosted by the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, is expected to be attended by his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, and other leaders of the party from the zone.

The views of the governors, it was gathered, would have a great impact on who would get the support of the caucus.

Babatope said that the Akure meeting would attempt at getting a consensus candidate among the chairmanship aspirants.

He said anyone who was not satisfied with the decision of the meeting was free to go to the national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on August 17.

It was learnt that both Mimiko and Fayose would later brief other 10 governors of the party on the decisions reached at the meeting.

One of the candidates, George, said he was not against the idea of a consensus candidate, promising to abide by the decision of members of the party at the meeting.

Adeniran, however, differed with Bode George on the issue of consensus, saying that each aspirant must be allowed to go and test his popularity at the convention ground.

He told our correspondent on the telephone, that he joined the race to serve the party and not to be served, adding that his ambition was not a do or die one.

He said, “It is not a matter of life and death. There’s season for everything. If the people decide on who they want as their national chairman, I will agree. They know what they want. I will abide by their decision.

“But we need someone who is capable of leading the party. We need someone who has friends across the nation. We need someone who the members of the ruling party can respect as well.

“The other zones are bringing in season administrators to run the party and we, the pacesetters, shouldn’t come with our second eleven.”

Adeniran, however, differed with Bode George on the issue of consensus, saying that each aspirant must be allowed to go and test his popularity at the convention ground.

The former minister, who spoke through his aide, Mr. Taiwo Akeju, said that even if the office of the national chairman was zoned to Ekiti State, other aspirants must be allowed to contest with himself.

He said, “Democracy is about number. Moreover, the national chairman of the PDP is not going to serve the people of South-West alone.

“The idea of consensus is even late because two aspirants have already collected their forms and we are picking our own in Abuja on Monday as well.”

Apart from George, another chairmanship aspirant who has collected the form was Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

The business mogul, who hails from Edo State, has defied the zoning arrangement, by being the only aspirants out of the South-West, to pay for nomination form.

Though he said that the idea of consensus was possible, Dokpesi however told our correspondent that it was not desirable.

He said he had received endorsement of many states since he began his nationwide campaign for the position.

http://punchng.com/pdp-chair-bode-george-agbaje-divide-governors/

Olusola Fabiyi, Fidelis Soriwei, Chukwudi Akasike, Friday Olokor, Ifeanyi Onuba, Simon Utebor and Leke Baiyewu

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has raised the alarm that his life is under threat.

Jonathan said a list, which named him and other South-South leaders as Niger Delta Avengers sponsors, was another attempt by a group, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, to eliminate him.

A group, which split from the NDA – Reformed Niger Delta Avengers – had named Jonathan as the grand patron of the NDA.

An online medium, SaharaReporters, reported that in a statement by its spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, the RNDA also listed the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, as sponsors of the NDA.

Others mentioned in the list were Chief Edwin Clark, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio; ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo); the founder, African Independent Television, Raymond Dokpesi; Kingsley Kuku; Kimi Angozi, and Patrick Akpobolokemi.

According to SaharaReporters, the group said the NDA sympathisers are Daniel Alabrah; Tony Uranta, Daniel; Ms. Annkio Briggs, and a former spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh.

The Reformed Niger Delta Avengers also named Oyege Nimi Brown, VIP Timothy, Joshua Macaiver, Paul Bebenimibo, among others, as the main operatives of the NDA.

It added that the President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Udengs Eradiri, aka Brig. Gen. Murdoch Agbinibo, served as the NDA’s chief spokesman.

But Jonathan, in a statement on Sunday by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, said the list by the splinter group was political, adding that it was part of an attempt to assassinate him.

The statement read in part, “Since it is not in our place to speak for all those named in the obvious fabrication, we are only intervening to the extent that its hidden intent poses a violent threat to the life of former President Goodluck Jonathan, a committed patriot.

“We are seized by the feeling of déjà vu occasioned by the resurrection of one dim character masquerading as Cynthia Whyte, who had in the past served as the spokesperson for a notorious group that had all along shown its hand to be going after the life of former President Jonathan.”

The former President recalled that in 2007, after he emerged as the running mate of the late President Umar Yar’Adua, the group invaded Yenogoa in an effort to assassinate him.

He added that the members of the group later bombed his compound in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, on a night he was scheduled to attend to an important matter in his country home.

He said, “Do we need to remind anybody that the so-called Cynthia Whyte is the self-declared spokesperson for the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, a violent and murderous underground group led by one Henry Okah, which has not hidden its intention to destroy the former President?”

According to him, the bombing that took place on October 1, 2010 at the Eagle Square, Abuja, showed that the group was violent.

He stated, “We have no doubt in our mind that MEND, as a group contracted to go after Jonathan with the mind of assassinating him, has yet to abandon this criminal and ignominious craving. It is in this light that we view the purported statement issued by Cynthia Whyte as not only a sadistic continuation of this sick desire, but also a futile attempt to instigate the Federal Government to needlessly go after the former President.

“Those who have been following the unsavoury developments in some parts of the country since the last general election would have noticed that MEND, its paymasters and other unscrupulous elements in the South-South region have been striving fruitlessly to exploit the ensuing confusion by surreptitiously working for the fulfilment of its yet-to-be declared political agenda.

“We are not under any illusion that more accusations and allegations of this nature would not be hurled Jonathan’s way in the future. But we are very positive that he can never be fazed by such negative energy.”

Also, Clark, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr. Dotun Sowemimo, wondered why he would be mentioned as one of the sponsors of such a heinous crime against the nation.

He said, “The allegation is an attempt to undermine the efforts of the Niger Delta leaders to bring true, lasting peace to the region.

“Clark and other leaders in the region believe in the unity of Nigeria. The list is a cheap lie, which is meant to distract the peace moves by the elders and leaders in the Niger Delta.”

On his part, Wike, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, said the list should be ignored by the members of the public.

Dokpesi, also distanced himself from the Niger Delta Avengers.

Dokpesi in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday in Abuja, said he remained committed to strengthening the unity and stability of Nigeria.

He said, “I don’t know who is giving that report; I have never met any member of the NDA in my life, I have no association with them and I don’t know who they are. I have been committed to strengthening the unity and stability of the country.”

Also denying the allegation, Metuh said he had nothing to do with the NDA.

He said, “Ordinarily, I would not have responded to this, but on this occasion, I have chosen to respond, as this particularly borders on matters affecting national security.

“This is a wicked, cruel and devilish plot to link me with such activities, especially as the claim is outright false.’’

A former spokesman for the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, also denied being a sympathiser of the NDA.

Alabrah said in a statement on Sunday that the report was a product of mischief designed to distract the Federal Government from decisively addressing the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta.

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, denied being a sponsor of the Niger Delta Avengers or any other militant group.

In a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Anietie Ekong, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State described the allegation as “baseless, reckless and senseless.”

The statement read in part, “Senator Akpabio has no link with the Niger Delta Avengers or any other militant group for that matter.’’

Also, a former Adviser to President Jonathan, on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, denied reports linking him with the Avengers.

http://punchng.com/jonathan-alleges-assassination-plot-says-okah-life/

This is the second time he was spotted watching football match. i guess he likes the round leather game

Exactly my dream 4 national specifically@Balo200. gudluck

The Ipods sudden supports has now vanished.

They said '' O boy! U still they ekiti state? For where, i don follow Emeka, Chinedu and others back to Anambra state oo. Be like say that ekiti gov just they yan without evidence. Na OYO hin dey now.

I never knew this man Onu Ogbonna is still a minister o. Very ineffective minister

Lere Paimo or Olayinka whatever. See how ur Oga life go be after 2018.... No escape route for him.

U didn't do ur home work and u went about campaigning for PDP chairmanship despite being a renowned Media tycoon- Dokpesi

But wait oo, Ekweremadu and Wike carry chart for front oo. Wetin dey wan forcast?

Fayose better than Ambode? No wonder PDP may never rule Lagos state.

PDP is a problem and problems is PDP. Alimodu Sheriff, u self, park well

She also pay Linda Ikeji too to publicise her fake USA trip?
Whats is the right thing to do in Nigeria?
Meanwhile no escape route for Fayose

This man knows how to keep quiet.

When an elderly man used his hand to carry fire and put it for mouth. Who is to be blamed?

I blame Ekiti people for the emergence of Fayose as governor in the 1st place

Tax masterminder (Baba T Fowler) but rise in Tax hasn't yield positive economy boom.

First test passed. Let us wait for the real test 'Legal Battle'.
NB: Don't take Fayose serious oo

Because of hatred to the President, somebody bearing Emeka sees Fayose as his governor.

Anybody that knows Fayose right from his 1st spell as a governor, would know he talks anyhow without evidence.

Aisha Buhari, has passed her first test. Let's us now wait 4 d real test 'Legal Battle'.

If were to be American or Bristish public office holders, u people will say hardworking o. Now that a governor did same, it's now madness.

What is the right thing to do in Nigeria?

Don't forget, he is an Engineer also.

Efcc should just continue their investigation copying this list. They need not stress themselves in search of names of looters.

God bless PDP for assisting EFCC in anti-corruption crusade.

This one no be news joor. Its just like someone saying Messi is the best player in the world. We know that Ambode is by far d best Gomina

There was tension in the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Tuesday as the lawmaker declared as the rightful occupant of the Ado Constituency 1 seat by the Federal High Court, Mr. Toyin Obayemi, appeared for swearing in.

Obayemi arrived the Assembly in company with his supporters around 10.30am and went straight to the office of the Clerk, Mr. Tola Esan, to submit the judgment and the certificate of return issued to him in Abuja by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo had on July 4 nullified the election of a member of the Assembly, Mr. Musa Arogundade, for not being validly nominated by the Peoples Democratic Party.

Citing Sections 31 and 36 of the Electoral Act, the judge held that Obayemi, having come second in the November 29, 2014 primary, should have been presented as the candidate of the party after the disqualification of the winner, Mr. Talabi Odunayo.

The judge lambasted the PDP for fraudulently acquiring a judgment before Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja through which Arogundade was fielded as Talabi’s replacement in Ado constituency 1.

But the Ekiti Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, refused to perform the swearing-in ceremony as security personnel attached to the Assembly prevented Obayemi from entering the hallowed chambers where the plenary was taking place.

As the argument ensued, four lawmakers suddenly emerged from the hallowed chambers and asked Obayemi to leave the premises.

To avoid breakdown of law and order, the management of the Assembly quickly mobilised policemen to conduct checks on those entering the Assembly.

Commenting on the development, Obayemi said it was a flagrant abuse of office and contempt of court for the Speaker to have denied him access in spite of the court’s judgment that validated his victory at the poll.

“The Federal Government must caution the policemen. How can they be harassing me despite flaunting the necessary documents, including a court judgment? Let me put it on record that Musa Arogundade may be preparing himself for jail if he is still parading himself as the occupant of that seat.

“If a member of the same political party that is desperately looking for reconciliation could be treated this way, I can’t imagine what would have happened to me if I am a member of the APC,” he said.

But explaining the refusal to swear in Obayemi, the Speaker maintained that there was a subsisting stay of execution and notice of appeal against Justice Taiwo Taiwo’s ruling on the said suit No. FHC/AD/CS/17/2015, which Mr. Obayemi brought to the House.

“The House just must wait until the law courts exhaust their processes before actions can be taken.”

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Olugboyega Aribisogan, condemned the invasion of the Assembly complex by security men.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday validated the order it gave on July 20, 2016, authorising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to seize some assets belonging to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, pending the completion of an ongoing investigation.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ruled that the order of interim forfeiture did not violate the provisions of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which confers immunity from civil and criminal proceedings on a governor.

“It is my considered opinion that the order of court, made on July 20, 2016, in respect of some property of the applicant, and within the limited scope and duration within which it was obtained, was duly procured and does not offend the provision of the Constitution referred to.

“Although Section 308 of the Constitution serves to isolate governors of states from the distraction of litigation and legal proceedings to enable them to attend to official responsibilities, it should not be interpreted in such a way as to defeat the fight against corruption, to mean that the EFCC or other investigating agencies cannot take a peep into the assets or personal accounts of a serving governor in the execution of a strictly worded and mutually supervised interim attachment orders for the purposes of obtaining evidence for use in future when the immunity has lapsed.”

The judge, however, said the order of interim forfeiture made on July 20 had a lifespan of 45 days from the date it was issued.

He ordered that the EFCC must conclude its investigation within the 45-day lifespan of the order, adding that the order would automatically dissolve if the EFCC failed to serve a motion on notice seeking its extension on Fayose at least five days to its expiration.

Justice Dimgba delivered his ruling on Tuesday shortly after hearing an application by Fayose’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), asking the court to set aside the interim forfeiture orders on 10 grounds.

The EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Andrew Akoja, opposed the application, insisting that the commission had violated no law by obtaining the order.

Fayose’s assets affected by the interim forfeiture orders re-affirmed by the court on Tuesday are four sets of four-bedroomed apartments at Charlets 3, 4, 6 and 9; Plot 100, Tiaminu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The two others are at 44 Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, and Plot 1504, Yedzeram Street, Maitama, Abuja.

The EFCC claimed in its affidavit accompanying an ex parte application through which it obtained the interim forfeiture order that the property was acquired with proceeds of fraud which Fayose allegedly got through kickbacks from contractors and other alleged fraudulent means.

The EFCC also said the funds used for the purchase of the property were said to be drawn from the sum of N1,219,490,000 which was said to be part of the N4,745,000,000 allegedly stolen from the treasury of the Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser.

But Fayose’s lawyer, Ozekhome, filed a motion on notice on July 21, asking the court to discharge the order on 10 grounds.

Among the grounds was that the ex parte motion with number, FHC/ABJ/CS/480/2016, filed on July 12, 2016, and through which the EFCC obtained the July 20 order, “is unconstitutional, incompetent and constitutes a gross abuse of court process.”

Fayose’s lawyer also argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain and/or proceed to grant the interim order.

Ozekhome also argued that by virtue of the immunity enjoyed by Fayose as the sitting Governor of Ekiti State under Section 308 of the Constitution, he (Fayose) “cannot be proceeded against in a court of law.”

He added, “The court ought properly in the circumstance to have dismissed and/or set aside, in its entirety, the said suit numbered, FHC/ABJ/CS/480/2016, and upon which the motion ex parte filed on July 12, 2016, for an interim order of attachment has been sought and same granted.

“There is absolutely no law, statutory or otherwise, that justifies the action taken by the respondent against the applicant (Fayose) that can stand in the face of the immunity granted the applicant by the Constitution.”

In dismissing Ozekhome’s contention in his ruling on Tuesday, the judge further noted that interpreting Section 308 of the Constitution “in absolute sense, with all or nothing approach” as canvassed by Fayose’s lawyer “will do great adversity to the society.”

The judge added, “In the light of the above, I hold that the applicant is not entitled to the reliefs sought and they are hereby refused.

“However, in the interest of justice and not to appear to make a mockery or nonsense of the immunity clause, I hold that the interim attachment order of July 20, 2016, granted by this court in favour of the respondent (EFCC) shall last for 45 days as the court had already ordered, within which the respondents must conclude their investigation in respect of the property, at the end of which every encumbrance on the property arising from the order of court, must abate.

“I order that in the event that the respondent may wish to renew the interim attachment order, as they are entitled to, they must serve the motion to that effect on the applicant not later than five days to the expiration of that order, without which the order shall stand abated.”

Absolutely nothing is working in the country at the moment. New York is calling

[Babzrockman]mark ii two sure 15 50
[/25 – 28 – 81 – 27 – 15bk] two sure spoilt

mark ii two sure 15 50

The House of Representatives said on Tuesday that it would investigate the budget-padding allegations its former Chairman, Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, levelled against the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, and three other principal officers.

The other three officers are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yusuff Lasun; the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.

Jibrin had alleged that the four requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in the 2016 budget.

He claimed that his refusal to oblige the four principal officers and his opposition to several financial infractions were responsible for his removal by Dogara on Wednesday, last week.

The House said Jibrin’s allegations would be referred to the Committee on Ethics/Privileges for investigation after the House would have reconvened on September 13 from the current annual recess.

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, told a news conference in Abuja that Jibrin would be accorded fair hearing by the committee to defend his allegations against the four principal officers.

Namdas also said the leadership of the House had decided to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-graft agencies to look into the matter, including allegations that Jibrin himself abused his office between 2011 and 2015 when he was the Chairman, Committee on Finance.

He stated, “He was alleged to have aided the use of front companies that collected funds without executing most of the projects.

“The projects have been compiled and will be referred to the anti-graft agencies to establish why the projects were fully paid for and not executed. Who collected the funds and why has Jibrin not raised the alarm about the non-execution of the projects even now?”

Concerning Jibrin’s removal, Namdas alleged that the lawmaker displayed acts of “misconduct” and “incompetence” in his handling of the 2016 budget, a development that forced members to demand his removal.

He said members were in shock when Jibrin turned round to start making allegations against the speaker instead of quietly accepting his fate.

Namdas added, “Mr. Speaker’s input to the 2016 budget was signed and delivered to him (Jibrin). If he has honour, let him release the signed inputs of Mr. Speaker and not pieces of paper that bear no acknowledged authorship.

“Our counsel to Abdulmumin (Jibrin) is for him to be real as a man by bringing up credible, authentic and verifiable documents or stubborn facts, which disclose the commission of crime on the part of any member or leader of the House.

“If he can’t, then let him go and sulk in secret over his sacking.”

Citing an instance when Jibrin reportedly brought the name of the National Assezzmbly to disrepute, Namdas alleged that he first inflated the budget by N250bn without the knowledge of either the Senate or the House.

According to Namdas, members became alarmed when the former chairman also blackmailed President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said, “One clear example is the insertion of funds for the so-called Muhammadu Buhari Film Village in his constituency in Kano State without the consent or solicitation of Mr. President. This has brought both Mr. President and the government to disrepute.

“Again, it was found out that he was fond of inserting projects into prominent persons’ constituencies without their knowledge to curry favour and possibly use it as a means of blackmail against them when necessary.

“One of such is the numerous projects he claimed in an interview in April 2016, to have sited in Mr. President’s home town of Daura, Katsina State, without Mr. President’s solicitation or knowledge, in a desperate attempt to blackmail Mr. President as an answer and justification for allocation of N4.1bn to his constituency.

“He did not stop there. Abdulmumin (Jibrin) went about soliciting members to nominate projects for him to help them include in the budget. When called upon to defend his actions as appropriation’s chairman, all he did was to be calling names of those members and the amount he helped included for them in the budget in an unsuccessful bid to silence them.

“To attempt to drag the name of Mr. President, honourable members and others to his new low through sundry acts of blackmail was one of the matters the House leadership found off limits and totally unacceptable.”

The House blamed the protracted budget row between the National Assembly and the Presidency on Jibrin’s conduct.

Speaking specifically on padding, Namdas said those who used the term did not understand that the power of appropriation resided in the National Assembly.

He noted that the 1999 Constitution in Section 81 (1) appropriately captured the President’s budget proposals as “estimates.”

He explained that this implied that the National Assembly was empowered to either add or reduce the estimates.

Namdas explained further, “Consequently, it is therefore an exhibition of crass ignorance, abuse of language, outright mischief and/or blackmail for a legislator, especially one who chaired the appropriation committee, to use the word padding to describe the action of parliament on the budget.

“The removal, introduction of projects or the amendment to Mr. President’s estimates in the Appropriation Bill cannot and should never be construed as an act of corruption or impropriety because it is at the core of the appropriation powers of the National Assembly as aptly enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

Reacting to the position of the House, Jibrin said his allegations were not addressed.

Jibrin stated, “Why did you take the decision to fraudulently short-change the House by taking away N40bn out of the N100bn allocated to constituency projects and distributing same to yourself and others without the approval of the House?

“Why did you approach the former House appropriation chairman with written personal requests and list of about N30bn projects to be inserted into the 2016 budget and his inability to get that done caused a major rift between you all and him?

“Why did you ignore his complaint to you that just about 10 standing committees of the House inserted over 2,000 projects worth 284bn?”

http://punchng.com/reps-invite-efcc-icpc-probe-budget-scandal/

The Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Bala Na’Allah, on Tuesday, took a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for describing members of the National Assembly as corrupt.

“I am not corrupt and I have integrity,” he stated.

The senator said it was Obasanjo who allegedly bribed lawmakers in the legislature to back his third term ambition when he was the President.

Na’Allah stated, “My attention has been drawn to a purported statement attributed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which it was alleged that he made a sweeping statement to the effect that there are no men of integrity in the National Assembly.

“I am respectfully taking exception to the statement, which I express the hope that it is not true. To start with, it is not in my character to take issues with elder statesmen, who have had the privilege of superintending the affairs of our great country, Nigeria.

“If former President Obasanjo can come out with one proven record of corruption against me as a person, I promise to vacate my seat as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For the records, I was the only member from Kebbi State, who did not find it worthy at that time to collect the sum of N50m as an inducement to subvert the constitution and provide a constitutional framework for the third term ambition of (then) President Obasanjo.

“I find this statement, if it is true, to be reckless and terrifying. The implication of the statement is to say that the entire over 170 million Nigerians have not elected a single person with integrity among the 469 members of the National Assembly. This is definitely rhapsodic and does not conform to common sense and reason.”

Obasanjo had, on Monday, said the ongoing revelation by a former Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, on budget padding in the National Assembly had proved him right that the lawmakers were corrupt.

The former President spoke to State House correspondents shortly after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Obasanjo, who had earlier described the lawmakers as “armed robbers and rogues,” said the best way out of the current mess was to ensure that only men of integrity were elected into the National Assembly.

http://punchng.com/rejected-n50m-bribe-support-obasanjos-third-term-bid-naallah/

Their bodies languages have said it all o. DSS Director General ''Be like Amaechi na my own" u better shake his hand. telling Wike.

State governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have resolved to do all within their powers to ensure that Senator Ike Ekweremadu is removed as the Deputy President of the Senate, The PUNCH has learnt.

Our correspondent learnt that this was the fallout of the two-hour meeting the governors had with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, had initially told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that the governors had decided to intervene in the crisis in the National Assembly, without giving details of their intervention.

But a source at the meeting told one of our correspondents that the consensus at the meeting was that it was an aberration for Ekweremadu, who is a Senator from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, to continue in office as Deputy President of the Senate.

The source stated, “The governors sympathised with the President (Buhari) for working with a National Assembly that is largely seen as unfriendly.

“Particularly, they observed that in the absence of the President of the Senate, the next person is his deputy. They therefore agreed that it was an anomalous situation for a PDP person to continue as the Deputy President of the Senate.

“They sought and got the President’s permission to intervene in the matter in their own way.

“They argued that the truth of the matter is that rarely is there any Senator that emerged without the backing of their governors, hence the governors have some levels of influence on the federal lawmakers.”

Okorocha had, on Monday, said Ekweremadu should get ready to vacate his seat as the Deputy Senate President.

Okorocha had added that a candidate of the APC, Benjamin Uwajumogu, who contested in the last Saturday’s rerun senatorial election in Imo State, would displace Ekweremadu as soon as he joined the Senate.

The governor had said, “The position of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President is at the moment under heavy threat because in no distant time, the APC senator-in-waiting from Imo State, Benjamin Uwajumogu, will take over the seat on the grounds that it is an aberration that a PDP senator from the South-East is deputy to an APC Senate President because, before now, APC could not produce a Senator from the South-East zone.”

Our correspondent further learnt that Buhari at the meeting approved the release of N2bn each to all APC states.

Another source, who attended the meeting, said the decision was based on what happened during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The source claimed that Jonathan had, before leaving office, released N2bn each to the PDP states at the time from the Ecological Fund.

He was alleged to have exempted APC states and PDP states, whose governors were at loggerheads with him, from the gesture.

“That issue was brought to the President’s attention and he has ordered the release of N2bn each to the APC states that did not benefit during Jonathan’s administration,” the source said.

To further cushion the effects of the downturn in economy on the states, Buhari was also said to have, during the meeting, approved that 50 per cent of money spent by states on federal roads be released to them.

Okorocha had, while briefing State House correspondents after the governors’ meeting with Buhari, said the state governors from the ruling party were concerned about the incessant happenings in the National Assembly and had resolved to look into the matter.

The two chambers of the National Assembly have continued to witness crisis since inception following the emergence of leaders, who were not the preferred candidates of the ruling party, the APC.

Crisis is currently brewing in the House of Representatives following an allegation by a former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, who accused the leadership of the House of padding the 2016 budget to the tune of N40bn.

Okorocha added, “We have come to reassure Mr. President that the APC governors are solidly behind him in his fight against corruption; his fight against insurgents and all his laudable projects.

“We are concerned about the incessant happenings in the National Assembly and we have taken it upon ourselves to look into the matter; that is the crisis in the National Assembly.

“We are going to look into the matter because we need a strong and vibrant National Assembly to make things move fast in the country.”

Okorocha defended the recent decision of the Nigeria Governors Forum for six state governors to travel to Germany for what they called “vocational training.”

“There is nothing like jamboree trip. We are going to Germany because we cannot do everything here without exchanging ideas. Everything you do in your home and your business, you share ideas.

“So, we want to see how they have done what they have done to succeed. It is the aspiration of Nigeria to be like other countries of the world,” he said.

When asked if the trip would be funded by states, some of who owed workers’ salaries, Okorocha responded, “So, who will fund it, you!?”

Despite the continued hardship in the states, the governor stated that a lot of improvement had been recorded in some states.

He noted that what the states were getting from the Federation Account was close to what they were collecting when crude oil was selling above $100 per barrel.

Other governors, who attended the meeting, included those of Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara, Benue, Kano, Sokoto, Plateau, Niger, Ogun, Borno, Osun, Edo, Kogi, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Kebbi.

The meeting was also attended by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, among others.

Ekeweremadu, however, declined to speak on the plans being hatched by the APC governors to remove him as the Deputy Senate President.

One of his aides, who was contacted by one of our correspondents on Tuesday night, said he had no comments until he was well informed on the matter.

http://punchng.com/apc-govs-meet-buhari-resolve-seek-ekweremadus-removal/

Watch Korean films to understand what they mean by the slogan 'power play' in government.

Corruption is fighting back and we Nigerians must rise against this,

Buhari, u need viable economic team. If not, by the year 2019, Nigeria's population will be reduced drastically, because many would've died of hungers.

The Federal Government on Sunday insisted that it was negotiating with the real militants in the Niger Delta geopolitical zone, despite claims by the Niger Delta Avengers that the government was not holding any discussion with the group.

Officials at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation stated that the government was in talks with the restive group in the region.

They argued that those who often claim not to be on the negotiation table with the government were either aggrieved or were not invited.

On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, stated that his administration was in talks with the armed militants in the Niger Delta.

Buhari, who said this in Abuja during a farewell meeting with the outgoing German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zinner, said the talks were done through security agents and oil companies operating in the zone.

But the NDA in a statement by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinobi, denied being in any talks with the Federal Government, stressing that the President’s claim was insincere and aimed at deceiving Nigerians and the international community.

http://punchng.com/negotiating-real-militants-fg-insists/

U mean ur people should return home? I trust the igbos sha, they might not follow suite.

the All Progressives Congress caucus in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State on Sunday urged the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu, to stop dragging the name of the local government and that of the Igbo in general into his travails.

Ezeagu LGA is in Enugu West Senatorial Zone, where Ekweremadu represents in the Senate.

Ekweremadu is currently facing trial alongside the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for allegedly forging the Senate Rules 2015.

At an event organised by Ekweremadu in Ezeagu on Saturday, 30 traditional rulers from the area backed the Deputy Senate President, warning the Federal Government to desist from prosecuting him.

The monarchs equally condemned moves being made by the APC to remove Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Igwe Hafford Agana said, “We are telling the whole world that nothing should happen to Ekweremadu.

“We have given him another Offor staff (symbol of authority in Igboland) today.”

However, reacting to the development, the APC caucus in the local council, led by the state Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Kate Ofor; the Legal Adviser of the APC, Enugu West Senatorial Zone, Anayo Iyama; Chief Chibuike Obu and Robinson Anyanechi, advised Ekweremadu to face his trial.

They argued that Ekweremadu should not drag his constituents into a matter which was before a court of competent jurisdiction.

In a statement, the Ezeagu APC leaders said, “Our understanding of the issue at stake is that some senators, labelled Unity Forum, felt aggrieved after the June 9, 2015 Senate leadership election and thereafter alleged that the Senate Rules book was doctored by Senator Ekweremadu and his cohorts.

“The Unity Forum reported the matter to the police; after investigation, the matter was filed in court by the Attorney General of the Federation.

“To us, it is only the court which can resolve the matter either way.

“We had thought that Senator Ekweremadu, as a senior lawyer, could have devoted more attention to how best to assemble the best legal team to quash the matter instead of dragging Ndigbo into his legal tangle.

“To us, Ekweremadu is being sentimental and hysterical over the matter as if he is not sure-footed, especially when the Senate leadership is jostling for immunity clause at this critical junction.

“He should be careful before his trajectory crosses the red line of contempt of the court.”

According to the Ezeagu APC caucus, Ekweremadu had not used his elevated position to attract development to the South-East.

http://punchng.com/leave-igbo-travails-apc-tells-ekweremadu/