₦airaland Forum

Itsekiris restate support for Buhari, Osinbajo, wants Ministerial, NDDC posts

By Samuel Badejo
The Itsekiri people of Delta State have expressed renewed confidence in the ability of President Mohammadu Buhari to deploy his second term to addressing Nigeria's fundamental problems.

In a statement made available to Irohinoodua, the Itsekiri National Youths Council, (INYC) said the victory of President Buhari and his Vice President during the February 23 poll was a product of hardwork reflecting the confidence Nigerians have in the two leaders.

The INYC President Agbateyinmiro Weyinmi and Secretary General, .... signed the statement issued in Warri at the weekend.


The INYC said the Itsekiri support for the duo during the last Presidential poll was "total and overwhelming."

"Out of the 221,000 votes in Delta, we the Itsekiri gave over 75,000 votes representing 35 percent of the total votes and also representing 95 percent of the total number of Itsekiri votes in Delta State. Our support was total. We have also transformed this support to practical actions on the field ensuring that violent activities and economic sabotage activities in Delta state becomes a thing of the past..We achieved this through mass education of our youths because of the confidence we have in Buhari and Osinbajo."

The INYC urged the President to resiprocate the gesture by appointing an Itsekiri person as a Federal Minister while ensuring the the post of the Managing Director of Niger-Delta Development.Commission, (NDDC) is reserved for an Itsekiri person


The group stated "We appeal to President Buhari to appoint people of Itsekiri origin into strategic positions to compensate for the huge votes the All Progressive Congress, (APC) recorded during the February 23 Presidential poll inspite of the dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the state.

It said that the decision of the Itsekiri to vote massively for the APC was informed by the strong conviction that Buhari would meet the aspirations of the nationality group who are constantly marginalised in Delta State.

The INYC represents Itsekiri youths from indigenous people Delta State and Edo States

"During the last election, Itsekiri youths gave everything to President Buhari because we trust his economic and social policies. We are anxious to how he wants to show his appreciation to Itsekiri people that have always been at the receiving end of Delta and Niger- Delta politics."

He said even though Itsekiri are the second largest producer of Oil and gas in Nigeria, successive goverments have continued to push the ethnic group to the backbench.

The group however said President Buhari had shown signs of high responsibility and commitment to allay the fears of Itsekiri and ethnic minorities across the country citing his refusal to sign the Maritime University Bill which was skewed against history and subsisting judgement of Courts of Competent jurisdiction.

The youths praised the President for refusing to sign the Maritime University Bill into law adding the proposed law does was not a product of consultation and constructive engagement with all stakeholders.

The group commended President Buhari for embarking on milestone projects in Delta State during his first term the Warri Port Channel, Escravos Break Waters, Railway from Itakpe to Aladja and complete the aged-longed and ongoing East West Road project, the Omadino to Escravos road project to link the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, the Koko, Ogheye to Lagos Road project and revival of the Burutu, Koko and Sapele sea ports to boost economic activities in Delta State , dredging of the Benin River amongst other projects.

The group said as the tenure of the 4th Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) expired on the 25th of January, 2019 and a transition management committee consisting of an Acting Managing Director and two Acting Executive Directors was set up to manage the affairs of the Commission until a substantive board is appointed, there is the need to appoint a honest, transparent and loyal Itsekiri person as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC)

The group said from the year 2001 to January 2019, the substantive Managing Directorship of the NDDC has rotated amongst the four Niger Delta states with the highest quantum of oil production as shown in the table below:
NDDC Governing Board MD/CEO’s From Inception
S/N Name of Appointees Period Position Board State

1 Engr. Godwin Omene
Hon. Emmanuel Agwariavwodo
Mr. Timi Alaibe 2001 – 2003
2003 – 2005
2005 – 2005 Substantive MD/CEO
Completed Omene’s Tenure
2005 Transition
1st Governing Board
Delta State

2
Mr. Timi Alaibe
Mr. P.Z. Aginghan 2006 – 2009
2009 – 2009 Substantive MD/CEO
2009 Transition 2nd Governing Board Bayelsa State

3 Mr. Chibuzor Uguoha
Mrs. Osato Arenyeka-Iyasere
Dr. Christian Oboh
Dr. (Mrs) Christy Atako 2009 – 2011
2011 – 2011
2011 – 2013
2013 – 2013 Substantive MD/CEO
2011 Transition – Ag MD
Substantive MD/CEO
2013 Transition – Ag MD
3rd Governing Board

Rivers State

4 Dr. Dan Abia
Mrs. Ibim Semeitari
HE, Dr. Nsima Ekere 2013 – 2015
2015 – 2016
2016 – 2019 Substantive MD/CEO
2016 Transition – Ag.MD
Substantive MD/CEO

4th Governing Board
Akwa-Ibom State
5 Prof Nelson Brambaifa 2019 – Date 2019 Transition – Ag.MD Nil Bayelsa State

It noted that the four Niger Delta states with the highest quantum of oil and gas production, namely Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states have all produced substantive Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers of the NDDC for the full term of four years each and as required by section 3 of the NDDC Act from the year 2001 to 2019.

The groups demanded that in line with well-established rotational arrangement under the NDDC Act which has promoted peace and unity, and a sense of belonging among member states of the NDDC, the next substantive Managing Director of the NDDC should be appointed from Itsekiri which currently is the highest oil and gas producing territory in Delta State.

It noted that by the provisions of the NDDC Act, particularly section 4, the Chairmanship of the NDDC is to rotate among the member states of the Commission in the following alphabetical order:
a. Abia State
b. Akwa-Ibom State
c. Bayelsa State
d. Cross River State
e. Delta State
f. Edo State
g. Imo State
h. Ondo State; and
i. Rivers State.

It said the Chairmen of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Governing Boards of the NDDC were appointed from Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross Rivers States respectively.

The group said "the next Chairman of the NDDC is also legally expected to come from Delta State in compliance with section 4 of the Act.
It is our hope that Mr. President would as soon as possible appoint a substantive Governing Board of the NDDC in strict compliance with the enabling law establishing the commission in the interest of fairness and sustenance peace in the Niger Delta region"

Fulani herdsmen waging campaign of blood in Yorubaland, says Aare Gani Adams



By Ayo Elesho
The Aare Onakakanfo in Council, led by Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams has said that the Fulani herdsmen are waging a campaign of terror across Yoruba ancestral territories.
In a statement made available to Irohinoodua and signed by Aare Adams and his Chiefs, he said the threat posed by the herdsmen to Yoruba survival is real.The statement was made after an an extraordinary session chaired by Iba Gani Adams on Sunday.

He said “The campaign of blood by Fulani herdsmen, who have been ravaging our land, kidnapping, killing, maiming and raping our people in recent years has become a serious source of concern for the Yoruba race; a race renowned for their staunch passion for peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and development”

According to him, “the threat posed to our existence by these blood-mongering marauders cannot be overlooked as we, as a people, believe that for peace and accord to reign among the multiplicity of people who occupy a common territory, all parties must play a role in ensuring that each and every unit in this country respect each other in all ramifications.

Gani Adams said it is disheartening and most embarrassing that the group, despite several appeals to their consciousness and common sense, has continued to wreak havoc on our land, and forcibly planning to reap where they have not sown.The remaining part of the statement reads:.



As true spawns of Oduduwa, we are unequivocally forthright about this threat posed by this group which the federal government has turned a blind eye to by refusing to call a spade by its name, dubbing the Fulani marauders as criminals, bandits, and pillagers.
Every true blood of the Yoruba race is at the risk of being haunted and slaughtered by this reckless group if we keep sugarcoating the bloody implications of their evil enterprise.

We are acquainted with the nature of Fulani nomads in the past, and we know as a matter of fact that they were not carrying AK47s. It is because of this naked truth that we ask that these people be labelled as what they are. We are clamoring that the appropriate moniker should be used to tag them. They should be addressed as FULANI BANDITS, for we believe that there is power in names.

We strongly advise Obas and local Chiefs to show more than passing interest in the activities of people in their domains. They must know that they cannot be blameless for their failure to account for and monitor strangers in their areas of jurisdictions, particularly those whose activities run contrary to peaceful coexistence.

We cannot continue to fold our arms and let these bandits continue to soil our land with the blood of the innocent. Consequently, we hereby ask these Fulani marauders to stop their murderous activities and vacate every inch of Yorubaland they currently ravage. Failure to reconcile themselves with these terms may warrant maximum retaliation as the principle dictates that a bully only respects a bully.

We demand concrete action by the Buhari Administration over the activities of these murderous gangs. We are no longer comfortable with the continuing brutalization and murderous humiliation of our people. Government’s silence is distressing as it is emboldening the criminals. President Buhari must act now.

Kidnapped 3-month old baby dying, captors insist on N50 million


By Adekunle Fatai

A three months old baby abducted at Kanoma village in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State by armed bandits is dying. Sources close to the family told Irohinoodua that the baby has been denied food, water and medicine. The baby has no access to breast milk from her mother having been kidnapped and kept in a different bush cell.

Irohinoodua learnt that the abducted baby was taken with the mother but separated with no means of surviving, no access to breastfeeding and left to die in the hands of captors

“They are likely to shout on the baby any time she cries. We were actually told by a survivor that the baby was crying as they bundled the baby in a sack. They would have killed her but kept the baby alive only for ransom. This is our reading of the whole situation” one reliable source told Irohinoodua

A resident, Ibrahim Muhammed, was quoted as saying that the suspected bandits besieged the area around 3am on Tuesday after scaring people with gun shots; they went to the residence of one Dan Haja, a businessman, where they went away with his wife and three-month-old-baby.

He said the bandits then moved to the house of Sani Abdullahi, a former government official, picked him along with six other persons and disappeared.

Muhammed said “at a later time, they called to demand for a ransom of N50m for the release of those abductees”.

Mohammed Shehu, spokesman for the state police command, report we received, no one was killed and a total of eight persons, mostly women and children, were abducted by the attackers.”

He said the command’s tactical and anti-terrorism units had been deployed in the area to trail the bandits, adding that peace had been restored to the area.

Yoruba Nation under siege
By Jide Oluwajuyitan

With tepid response to the spate of herdsmen killings and kidnapping for ransom by bandits across the country, Nigerians are, in spite of President Buhari’s impressive outing in last March’s presidential election, becoming increasingly impatient with a ‘government of excuses’ after recurring harvest of deaths. Amnesty International’s report late last year indicted the federal government for failing to stop the killing of 3,641 Nigerians by herdsmen in the last three years. Many frustrated Nigerians who understand that the primary responsibility of government is the protection of life and property have asked the president to act his position as commander-in-chief instead of appearing in tears as ‘mourner-in-chief’ after each cycle of senseless killings. Abubakar Atiku, Buhari’s main rival in the said election captured the frustration of Nigerians when he reminded the electorate that ‘After every attack, either by herdsmen or by kidnappers, the government will vow to get the culprits and punish them. Then more deaths will occur and the government will repeat its vow’. He had then appealed: ”Unless Nigerians vote out the All Progressives Congress administration, killings by herdsmen will continue and ultimately spark series of ethno-religious crises that will be irreversible”.
Atiku might have lost the election, but his warning seems to have become a self-fulfilling prophesy with the renewed spate of killings in Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, with Kaduna- Abuja road taken over by kidnappers and Zamfara state seized by war lords in spite of government show of force. While government’s apparent loss of grip in the besieged communities in the north has led to increased hostilities among the restive ethnic groups, the southwest that has always been home to those fleeing from the war zones of the north and others that seek peaceful environment to actualize their potentials is fast becoming the new theatre of war. The Yoruba whose leaders have striven to create a more egalitarian society are now being forced to suffer from the follies of northern political elite that want freedom for themselves while scheming to preside over an empire of slaves. Herdsmen, unfortunate victims of a culture of ‘labourer born labourer’ ideology instituionalised by northern political elite have brought their war home to the southwest.
Yinka Odumakin, speaking for our war-weary Afenifere elders, recently cited the murder of a Permanent Secretary of Osun origin, Mrs. Funke Kolawole along Okene-Lokoja road on her way to Abuja as one more example of ‘renewed onslaught of herdsmen in Yorubaland while the ‘federal government turned the other eye. The peace meeting brokered by Oyo State Commissioner of Police Abiodun Odude between herdsmen, farmers and leaders of agrarian communities of Oyo State in Eleyele, Ibadan had hardly ended when his officer-in-charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Saki area of the Oyo State Police Command, Sheu Magu, and a member of his team were brutally murdered by suspected herdsmen. With last week’s abduction of Olayinka Adegbehingbe, a professor of surgery at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, the war was finally taken to Ife, the ancestral home of the Yoruba. He identifies his abductors as six Fulani herdsmen bearing Mark –IV machine guns with several rounds of ammunition. Their ransom demand of N30m, negotiated down to a little over N5m was paid by his family members and friends in order to secure his release.
There must surely be a cheaper way to win this war. Fortunately President Buhari is not being called upon to re-invent the wheel. Close to a century ago, faced with insurrections, interstate wars, and world wars, Europe discovered a cheaper alternative to coercion was a workable federal arrangement that allowed all the warring groups to imbibe the values of compromise and coexistence. President Buhari who many regarded as the only stumbling block against restructuring of the country, as CPC candidate in 2007, 2011 and APC in 2014 mouthed restructuring. In 2015 his party had restructuring as parts of its manifesto. His victorious APC also set up a committee that came up with a recommendation in 2017. The president who often defies public opinion by behaving as if he is doing Nigerians a favour for being elected once again mouthed workable federal arrangement last week.
The Yoruba nation is today under siege with people neither safe on their farms, on the roads nor in their ivory towers. The peaceful and accommodating Yoruba people who want the best for themselves as they want for others are also dying from side effects of imported substandard products including drug and food items. I think it is time to tell the president what the Yoruba want. This is the time our elders, political leaders and elected representatives must demonstrate they are ready to secure freedom of our people. Many perhaps can no longer remember that not all the federating units in Nigeria secured self-government at the same time. Nigeria became a federation in 1954. While the Eastern and Western regions gained internal self-government in 1957, the Northern Nigeria achieved the same goal two years later. No sub unit of the federation should therefore be allowed to hold the nation to ransom. We don’t need war to achieve this.
Our elders who jar our hears with name of Awo and young politicians who go around wearing Awo cap as St. Christopher’s badge for good luck should revisit the template Awo and his visionary group set up for the liberation of the southwest. ODUA conglomerate was once the largest cooperative organisation in Nigeria with diverse business interest across the southwest with interest in manufacturing, packaging, hospitality, travel and tourism, corporate security and hygiene services, agriculture, real estate oil and gas etc. Its objectives include promoting economic empowerment of members at the grass roots, according to cooperative values and principles, allowing market needs to determine choice of products and services, driven by the zeal to do the right thing at the right time for customers and other stakeholders.
It is a sad commentary on the quality of leadership the west has thrown up over the years that the same area is today at the mercy of peddlers of fake drugs, killer vegetable oil and vehicle spare parts.
There are enough resources to reactivate some of the moribund companies ran aground by successive military and civilian Yoruba administrators. These include such loose monies as the N250m constituency project funds from the 18 senators representing the Yoruba states, their counterparts in the lower house and part of the security funds the governors collect monthly. If setting up industries is out of fashion, nothing stops them from using some of the moribund companies for importing genuine drugs and other goods needed by our people.
Bola Tinubu, Wale Oshun and all the elected governors and lawmakers must remember this is exactly what Awolowo, Abraham Adesanya, Adekunle Ajasin our forbearers who saw government as service would have done.
And of course with the reported directive of the minister of defence whose village in Zamfara State has become headquarters of kidnappers, to emirs to start community policing in their domains, our governors will have no excuse for not protecting our people from deviants among us and deal decisively with settlers who want to impose their values instead of living by our own rules.

Ekiti Council Commission Boss Tasks Workers On Grassroots Development

By Ayo Ojo
The Chairman of the Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Samuel Abejide, has called on workers across the 16 Local Government Areas of the state to harness the abundant human and material resources at the grassroots for the overall development of the state.
Irohinoodua received a media release indicating that Abejide gave the charge to top government functionaries in the 16 local governments at a maiden interactive meeting held at the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) secretariat, Ado Ekiti.
He reiterated the decision of his leadership to reposition the local government system in the discharge of its responsibilities for effective and efficient service delivery at the...read more at: http://irohinodua.com/ekiti-council-commission-boss-tasks-workers-on-grassroots-development/

The Federal Government has concluded plans to start cargo delivery service by rail to the Kaduna Inland Dry Port this Tuesday May 7. The programme scheduled to hold on Tuesday May 7th, at the facility’s premises in Kakuri, Kaduna state will have in attendance the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who will flag-off the service.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/cargo-delivery-by-rail-to-kaduna-dry-port-starts-tuesday.html

Armed groups storm Ife-Ibadan highway, kidnap travelers
By Ayo Ojo

Scores of people travelling on the popular Ife-Ibadan highway in the heart of Yorubaland were at the weekend seized by heavily armed kidnappers. Those who escaped said the pattern of the kidnappers’ operations, the spoken language and their physique suggested they were Fulani herdsmen.
Irohinoodua gathered that several vehicles plying the route were lined up and passengers forced to disembark. They were later led into the thick nearby forests with some of them wearing military uniforms. Some of the passengers, however, managed the escaped the attacks.
Our correspondent heard from an eye witness that among the kidnapped were little children and at least a pregnant woman whose other little children between the ages of 13 and 16 were wailing as the...read more at: http://irohinodua.com/armed-groups-storm-ife-ibadan-highway-kidnap-travelers/

Shut up, Gani Adams warn Olugbo of Ugbo
“If Akinruntan is a student of history, he will know that those who tried to betray the Yoruba race never ended well” Aare Ona Kakanfo,
-Gani Adam.


Aare Gani Adams, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, has urged the South-West governors and traditional rulers to call the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan to order following Oba Akinruntan’s installation of some persons as Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora in his palace in Ugboland. The statement was made available to Irohinoodua on Tuesday.
The Oodua Peoples Congress leader described Oba Akinruntan’s action as a complete desecration of our culture, tradition and value” adding that it impudence is fraudulent, a clear and present danger that can destroy our tradition if something urgent is not done immediately.
Aare Onakakanfo also cautioned the oil marketer turned monarch to stop his fight against the Ooni of Ife.
I was in far-away South Africa, on a week-long holiday, when it was brought to my attention, a desecration of Yoruba culture and tradition by the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan.
One of the persons who called me likened the conduct of this monarch to ‘Sigidi’ in Yoruba culture, who, out of nothing to do or sheer pride, said it should be taken to the stream or river.
Millions of Yoruba were shocked when they heard that Akinruntan, a few days ago, installed some characters as Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora in his palace in Ugboland.
As the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, I swore during my installation in January 2018, to always protect the name and project the image of Yorubaland.
That is exactly the purpose of my intervention at this moment.
What Akinruntan did (he was even arrogant about it by referring to himself as the number one king in Yorubaland) is a complete desecration of our culture, tradition and value and I urge South-West governors, especially Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and Yoruba monarchs to please call him to order
immediately before it is too late.
This impudence is fraudulent, a clear and present danger that can destroy our tradition if something urgent is not done immediately.
In November last year, I was a keynote speaker at an event in Ile Ife, where the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi met over 300 monarchs, while the Alaafin of Oyo, His imperial majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, sent a powerful delegation, to a three-day- meeting, organized under the auspices of Heritage Forum to discuss all the pertinent issues in Yorubaland.
After the meeting, which was held at Ife Grand Resorts, all the royal fathers present at the gathering issued a communique, where they unanimously agreed that nobody should parade himself as Yoruba Oba in the Diaspora. They condemned the act, adding that nobody has the right to install an Oba outside the shores of Nigeria.
What Olugbo did, he did it single handedly, against the wishes of all the Yoruba Obas in Nigeria as a whole.
A good example of this historical hiatus happened not long ago, when some surrogates came from France, asking the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi to install them as a Yoruba Oba in France. But rather than toeing the path to perdition as Olugbo just did, the Iwo monarch resisted, saying he will never go against the wishes of the Yoruba Obas. Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi knew what was right from what was wrong. As a royal father, he does not want to go to golgotha.
I am delighted to say it anywhere that Yoruba history is rich in all ramifications. Nobody has the audacity to distort our history.
For instance, one can only become an Oba either by hereditary or by conquering territories. None of the newly installed Obas in Olugbo’s Palace has a history of being related to royalty, either by blood (hereditary) or by conquering a territory.
In Yoruba history, Ile Ife remains the cradle of our existence, with over 99 percent of the race migrating from Ile Ife. Apart from Ile Ife, Oyo has always been a foremost institution in Yorubaland, with Oranmiyan being the great progenitor. The two ancient towns occupy the most prominent position in Yoruba history. So, who among the great Yoruba indigines and Progenitors migrated from Ugbo land? It is a story for another day.
If Akinruntan is a student of history, he will know that those who tried to betray the Yoruba race never ended well.Against all known laws and customs of our land, Akinruntan ‘crowned’ three characters living abroad who are not even known by Yoruba living at home and abroad, as traditional Rulers.The three ‘chiefs’ have no royalty in their blood.The three characters are, according to Akinruntan, the Oriade of Georgia, Oba Bernard Shola Akinrimisi; the traditional ruler of Yoruba in Liberia, Oba Omobolaji Ogunkoya,Oodua Gbadewolu I and the traditional ruler of Yoruba in the Republic of Ireland, Oba Saheed Ibrahim Adufe.
As the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, I want to tell Akinruntan that he only crowned these characters as chiefs in his domain, not as Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora, because he doesn’t have the power. It is fraudulent, it is an affront on our history and we will not allow anybody to distort our history.
In the same vein, I think all the socio cultural groups in Yoruba land, including Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Unity Forum and other notable groups in the southwest should raise their voices against such fraud. It is our responsibilities to protect our history, and put our records straight.
More importantly, I will like to tell some of the professors Olugbo is using to desecrate the traditional institutions to desist from such acts as that can later hunt them in the future.
For instance, last Wednesday, Oba Bamidele Akinwe, Akogbe of Ajueland in Ondo State, was presented with a staff of office. Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, gave Oba Akinwe the staff of office on behalf of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
When you instal an Oba, government presence must be felt or else, everything is null of void. Who did Akeredolu send to represent him when Akinruntan engaged in that anti-traditional institution action in his palace?
All these characters that Akinruntan installed, how come nobody followed them from where they reside abroad to the so-called installation? What type of business are they engaged him in their places of abode? Are we not preparing the ground for a gigantic embarrassment for Yorubaland?
Are they recognised by governments in those countries?
Akinruntan crowned one as king of Georgia, a state in the United States (U.S.) and the other two characters as kings of countries – Liberia and Republic of Ireland.
Do we have any king ruling Ondo State, Oyo State, Ogun State? Do we have any king ruling Nigeria?
What an idiotic action from a so-called ‘number one king in Yorubaland?’
This is what one of them, the so-called Oba Yoruba in Liberia, Omobolaji Ogunkoya, said after his so-called installation by Akinruntan:
“We appeal to the Federal Government to include diaspora traditional rulers in the scheme of things, so as to give them the financial wherewithal and moral rectitude to help the people in the diaspora”.
Can you imagine? Financial backing to a so-called Yoruba Oba in the Diaspora? What exactly are they going to do with this money? Which people are they going to help with this ‘financial wherewithal’?
There are many foreigners in Nigeria. Have you heard of British Monarch, Netherlands Monarch, Belgian Monarch or Ireland Monarch in Nigeria? What exactly is wrong with Akinruntan?
Since Akinruntan embarked on a fruitless exercise of fighting the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, for no just cause, he has been moving from one mistake to the other. I have this feeling he will soon start fighting the Alaafin of Oyo for no other reason rather than ego.
But hear what Akinruntan said in his palace during the so-called installation: “I am ready to crown more kings from the Diaspora as long as I remain the number one king in Yorubaland. I am the custodian of Yoruba culture. I am going to give more Obas in the diaspora crowns. Many of them will get crowns and staff of office from me and nobody can query me. They know that I’m a special Oba in Yorubaland. My father is the owner of Ife, Oba Makin Osangangan.
“I am the leader of all Obas in Yorubaland. I speak with thunder in my mouth and I make bold to say so. No one is above me in Yorubaland in as much as it has been accepted that we are from Ife. I am the one that Oduduwa met at Ife”.
What arrogance! What impudence! What uncultured remark!
Who made Akinruntan the number one king in Yoruba? On what authority is he crowning Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora? Who told him that nobody can query him?
He said he remained the number one king in Yorubaland. Which Yoruba history is backing this arrogance?
This is a person that went to the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, to help beg the then Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to instal him as Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom.
What is Akinruntan’s position in Yoruba history? Does he think by parading himself as a rich man, Yoruba will respect him for trying to desecrate the land? Who does he think he is, embarrassing the Yoruba nation at every opportunity?
Which Northern Emir abuses the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Kano, Shehu of Borno or Emir of Zazzau? Which Northern Emir distorts history of the Emirate the way Akinruntanis trying to distort Yoruba history? What exactly is the matter with this featherweight who classifies himself as the best thing to have happened to Yorubaland?
Does he learn from history at all? What exactly is responsible for this arrogance coming from an Oba who is, traditionally, constitutionally and spiritually, mandated to protect Yorubaland? Does he think this arrogance will take him anywhere?
At his age, what exactly does he think he will gain by abusing fellow and superior Obas in Yorubaland?
The late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, was not only wealthy, he also played a principal role in the defunct Western Region administration. He never used his wealth to distort history.
His successor, the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, was also wealthy and he never used that position to create crisis in Yoruba traditional institution.
So, where is Akinruntan coming from? Who is using him to cause crisis in Yorubaland?
He refers to himself as Chairman, Yoruba Obas Conflicts Resolution Committee. Is it not funny that he is the one creating tension in the land with his attention-grabbing publicity stunt?
I want to tell Akinruntan that nobody can buy the Yoruba, at home and abroad.You cannot gain respect by attacking other Obas, especially those senior to you.
One of those characters he ‘installed’ as Yoruba Oba in Diaspora, Saheed, hails from Ila-Orangun.
The Orangun is one of the sons of Oduduwa. Why didn’t Saheed go to the Orangun to instal him as a Yoruba Oba in Ireland. The Orangun will never do such a thing because he knows the implication.
From Ila-Orangun in Osun State, he went to Ugboland in Ondo State to be ‘installed’ as Yoruba Oba in Diaspora. To all sane Yoruba men, women and elders, that installation is inconsequential, a futility and of little importance.
We all know the history of traitor-Obas in Yorubaland and how they ended ignominiously.
Akinruntan, you are climbing the tree higher than the leaves.
As we say in Yorubaland, a word is enough for the wise.

Robbery attack claims four lives in Ondo

By Dare Dudusanmi

No fewer than four lives were lost in the robbery attack on Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State on Monday when a gang of armed robbers attacked the First Bank branch in the town.

The bank was noted to be the only bank in the community. According to a police source, the deceased included a police inspector; the Vice Principal of the Ido Ani Grammar School, Mr David Oluloro; and employees of the bank.

Irohinoodua correspondent reported that the robbers gained entry into the bank around 2.30pm by blowing off the door with a substance suspected to be dynamite and asked the workers to open the Automated Teller Machines and stole unspecified amount of money from the machines.

It was also learnt that social and business activities in the town were paralysed for several hours as human and vehicular movements came to a halt while the robbery was...read more at: http://irohinodua.com/robbery-attack-claims-four-lives-in-ondo/

Ekiti Assembly approves Fayemi's Commissioners
By Dele Soji

Ekiti State House of Assembly has received fourteen commissioner designate in the state for approval.

The State Government has been meticulous in the search for his aides in what many see as a deliberate plan to pick the best and also in part save money for a state left in financial ruin following four years of profligacy by the ousted...read more at: Ekiti Assembly approves Fayemi’s Commissioners | Irohin Odua

Vote for APC, Ohanaeze urges Igbos in Lagos

By Chime Igwe

Igbos in Lagos have been urged to vote in large numbers for the All Progressives Congress, (APC).
In a message delivered on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the most influential Pan-Igbo groups, the Secretary General of the apex organization said it is in the strategic interest of the Igbos in Lagos to cast their votes for the APC. The statement made available to Irohinoodua was signed by the Secretary General, Dim Uche Okwukwu, a lawyer.
The Ohanaeze stormed Lagos a week ago and has been visiting Igbo traders, artisans and students urging them to vote APC on Saturday. He said the choice was strategic and in defence of the Igbo common good.

Okwukwu said Igbo look forward to a political system that promotes their interests which is purely spiritual , economic and cultural. The ruling political establishment in Lagos giving hope to the Igbo since 1999 to the extent of even appointing Igbos into the cabinet.
He said “Lagos has also surpassed the entire 36 states in terms of development index in a comparative sense since 1999,and that is why visits by heads of States into Nigeria have never been complete without visits to Lagos State.
The said the achievements are due to the hardwork of the pioneer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu which many Igbo hold in very high esteem. Asiwaju has brought dramatic changes to the South West politics adding that his legacies in Lagos and South West are glaring.
“All you need to do is to compare Lagos with other states of the Federation. His personal fortunes he has used to enrich mass communications, the IT and media industry in Nigeria which broaden democratic space and debate, to the advantage of all including even those in the opposition, not to talk of the tremendous impact of promoting federalism and brotherhood across the country. We urge our Igbo brothers not to be left out of the progressive train.”
Ohanaeze said there are two leading political trends in Lagos: The APC and the PDP. One has ruled Lagos for 20 years with remarkable success and to the envy of the whole world. The other has brought ruin and misery upon Nigeria consistently for 16 years and more.
The group denounced the festering dispute between Igbos and Yoruba in Lagos saying that the disagreement was unnecessary.
He further said “We observe a trend that the PDP in Lagos is fanning the embers of disunity and orchestrating a carnage for political ends. This is most unfortunate. We urge politicians to abide by the principle of the greatest good of the greatest number and not to seek to walk to victory on the blood of innocent people.”

He noted that “In the past few months especially in Lagos, there has been a renewed attempt to flare tension between Yoruba and Igbo, the two most dominant ethnic groups in Southern Nigeria. What began as a minor dispute at a polling unit in Okota area of Lagos has been hijacked by political interests seeking cheap electoral fortunes.”
He argued that the danger of this is that third party and vectors of rogue intelligence can seize this advantage to set the ugly tone for violence, that devil that can consume not only innocent people but also the perpetrators of violence.
The cause, nature and form of dispute has been distorted, inflamed, bastardised and enriched by different interest groups feasting for their parochial political interests.
We wish to draw the attention of war mongers to the historic and mutual relationship that has existed between Igbo and Yoruba for centuries and the need to nurture and sustain this bound of friendship to the benefit of both parties and to the glory of God.
Okwukwu said there are many factors that bind Igbo and Yoruba together. “We recall that many Igbo political leaders had their education in the South West. It did not start with the late Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu who attended Kings College. Long before this, his father, Ojukwu had had a flourishing business in Lagos.
“On his return to Nigeria in 1948, the great Nnamdi Azikiwe settled in Lagos where he had had his education earlier. Both Ojukwu and Azikiwe are rated as some of the greatest men ever produced in Igbo history of modern times. Both Zik and Awo spoke Yoruba fluently. Dr Azikiwe indeed gave Yoruba names to some of his children. The political philosophy of the late Azikiwe was entrenched in Yorubaland. Some of his ardent followers include but not limited to the late Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, a prominent Yoruba politician who stood with Azikiwe until his last breath. Zik’s political party, the National Council for Nigerian Citizens, (NCNC) won elections in Lagos, Ekiti and Ijesa area of Osun State.”
He also cited Chief Emeka Anyaokwu, the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth who is married to a Yoruba woman of substance.
According to him “Many great Yoruba families also had long relationship with Igbos. The late Prof Sam Aluko was at the University of Nigeria,Nsukka before the war. There are many Yoruba families that have integrated in Igboland.
On the other hand, Chief Awolowo had several supporters among the Igbo. One of them was the late M. C. K Ajuluchukwu. Awo also slected Chief Philip Umeadi from Anambra State as his running mate under the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN during the 1979 Presidential election. Mrs Odinnamadu was also Awo’s close aide

Ohanaeze pointed out that apart from these striking milestones, across Yorubaland, Igbos have settled for centuries doing their businesses and also intermarried.
“There is infact a generation of Igbo young men who have never visited their fatherland and see Lagos as their home.In the same manner, Igbo cities bustle Yoruba people many of who also see Eastern Nigeria as their home. No responsible people will like to disrupt this cobweb.
According to him “the Igbo in Lagos are not beggars. They are hard working people who earn their living by dint of hardwork and also pay their taxes.
“It is our very strong opinion that the ordinary Yoruba and Igbo are grateful for this historic blood bound relationship. They mix and interact together in the workplaces, churches, in the, markets and on the streets. Lagos has never recorded ethnic violence between Igbo and Yoruba. There is no need why this trend should be reversed”, he added.
He said the issue of voting patterns should not be used as a smokescreen. The PDP recorded over 403,965 votes in the South East. This is impressive. There is no scientific evidence that can establish that the APC votes of 500,000 in Lagos were mainly from Yoruba population considering the fact that more than 90 percent of contestants in the PDP in Lagos were also Yoruba. The PDP for instance won with simple majority in Oyo and Ondo States. Those who voted for the PDP in those areas are Yoruba people. In Lagos, there are many Igbo who voted for the APC.
Okwukwu said in the South East states, APC recorded votes higher than it ever recorded in previous elections. Those votes for the APC were not casted by the Yoruba but by the Igbo.

Operatives of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency on Wednesday staged a protest at the premises of the Lagos State House of Assembly, demanding payment of their maintenance money from 2017 to 2019.

Photos from the protest, showed the protesters carrying placards, some of which read, “LASPARK, pay our maintenance money, 2017-2019”, “Ambode pay our money, 2017-2019”, “No green, no life”, “Plant is life, no tree, no oxygen”, “Horticulturists are suffering” etc.

Some of the protesters held up a banner which read, ” Lagos Landscapers Association. Save Our Souls.”

Meanwhile, LASPARK on Wednesday revealed its plans to commemorate the World Book Day on March 7, by hosting children and adults to a day of reading at the Johnson Jakande Tinubu Park in Alausa, Lagos.

APC secretariat in Akwa Ibom State bombed

The campaign office of All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has been bombed.

The office was bombed late night on Tuesday.

I'm a statement on Wednesday made available to Irohinoodua the APC spokesperson in the state Hon Eseme Eyiboh  who is Chairman, Information and Strategic Communication committee and spokesperson, AKwa Ibom State APC Campaign council
blamed the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) for the bombing.

The statement signed by Ekiyo We want to alert the nation and particularly, security agencies of the bombing and  shootings that took place at the APC Campaign Office along Edet Akpan Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The bombing and shooting, which took place at about 7:30 pm on Tuesday March 5, 2019, is another desperate attempt by the People’s Democratic Party, its thugs and militant groups that have swamped the state since the commencement of elections in February this year, to cause large scale violence, capable of preventing the March 9, 2019 from holding.


An eye witness account has it that the attackers came to the gate of the campaign office and threw a dynamite, which exploded, into the premises. The loud bang sent party agents, who had gathered for training, scampering for safety. In the ensuing melee, several gunshots were fired into the premises, which left three people badly wounded. Victims of the attack have been taken to a hospital in Uyo for treatment.


To prepare the way for what followed later in the evening, the PDP media went to town in the morning with photographs of thugs being loaded somewhere in Edo state, purportedly heading to Akwa Ibom State. A few hours later they went to town announcing the arrival and arrest of the supposed thugs from Edo. Whether the attack on the Campaign office was part of this choreographed narrative or not, the PDP has crossed the red line in their desperation for this week’s governorship election. 


While we sympathize with those who sustained injuries in the attack, we call on security agencies to get to the roots of this latest onslaught against the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State. This is another in the series of cowardly attempt at intimidating and cowing our party the APC and its supporters in the build up to the March 9, 2019 governorship election in the state. Some months ago, unknown gunmen fired shots into the bedroom of the APC governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere, at his Ewet Housing Estate residence, with his family members narrowly escaping the attack.


The attack at the campaign office is a confirmation of earlier intelligence received by our party of the likely attempt by the PDP to truncate the March 9, 2019 governorship polls in the state. Intelligence at our disposal indicates that faced with imminent defeat at the polls, Gov. Emmanuel and the PDP have decided to disrupt the polls in Akwa Ibom state if they are prevented from carrying out another wholesale electoral robbery like the one they perpetrated during the presidential and National Assembly elections in collusion with the Independent National Electoral Commission. To achieve this ungodly aim, the PDP has continued to wantonly import militants and murderous thugs to intimidate and harass Akwa Ibom people and stop them from freely casting their votes.


We warn that our party will not fold  her arms and allow the PDP wreck havoc on the state. We appeal to the law enforcement agencies to comb the state, root out all the criminal thugs the PDP has infested the state with and ensure that our people are allowed to freely cast their votes. Akwa Ibom people are resolute in their determination to resist the PDP and INEC in their combined rape of the electoral process in the state. No amount of bombs and scary shootings can change this resolve.

The APC Campaign Council, hereby urge all APC supporters and Akwa Ibom voters to remain calm and vigilant, as we are confident that the security agencies will be decisive in ensuring that perpetrators of this violent act will be apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law. We urge all Akwa Ibom people not to be deterred or intimidated into not coming out to cast their votes to enhance our collective prosperity. Akwa Ibom State indeed deserves the best.
 

We maintain that no desperation for an undeserved second term is worth the blood of any Akwa Ibom citizen. This fear-induced wickedness must cease. Gov. Udom Emmanuel should know by now that the majority of Akwa Ibom voters have rejected him for his poor philosophy of governance and lack lustre performance in office and no vote buying, no bombs, no shootings and no criminal collusion with INEC can save him from an excruciating defeat come March 9, 2019.

Afenifere congratulates Buhari, Osinbajo
By Femi Ojo

The Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG Ekiti State Chapter, the pan Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Ekiti State Chapter has congratulated President Mohammadu Buhari and his Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo for their victory at the last national elections.

The group took the decision at its monthly meeting held last Sunday.

The statement gotten by irohinoodua, signed by the ARG Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Prince Olugbemi congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for what it described as an astounding and phenomenal success at the Presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23rd, 2019.

Olugbemi said "We note with profound and deep admiration the leadership role of Dr. John Kayode Fayemi before, during and after the election which were adjudged free, fair and credible by both local and international election observers."

The group appreciated the Ekiti electorates for their peaceful conduct, comportment and cooperation with the electoral body, INEC and security operatives while exercising their constitutional franchise.

It added "We congratulate Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, who enjoys the legitimate mandate of Nigerian people in recognition of his honesty and integrity. Also, we congratulate all Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect into the 9th Assembly. We look forward to a season of robust, responsible and purposeful legislation, and non-rancorous and harmonious relationship between the Executive and Legislature to engender good governance."

The group implored all sons and daughters of Ekiti to vote massively for All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the forthcoming election into the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Saturday, March 9, 2019 to consolidate and reinforce the vision of our Omoluabi and hardworking Governor, Dr John Kayode Fayemi to reclaim our land and restore our values in Ekiti.

It added "We want to encourage the security agencies to work hard to maintain law and order and create a peaceful environment for Nigerians to perform their civic duties and responsibilities."

Some great lessons learnt in Nigeria’s presidential election
By Bayo Onanuga

It is now crystal clear that Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress is heading for a crushing defeat of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

There had been surprises and upsets in many states as the results were announced, but not predicted was that the APC candidate, vilified on social media by PDP warriors, on the pulpits by bigoted hate preachers, would return a resounding victory against PDP.

Here are some of the lessons learnt in the February 23 election:

1. Social media power overrated: If elections are won on Twitter and Facebook, President Buhari would by now be writing his handover notes and be preparing to tend his cows on his farm in Daura. But the limitations of the social media platforms especially Twitter have just been exposed by the results of the election. The candidate of the PDP got more retweets, more likes for tweets by supporters on Twitter, but such preferences count for nothing in the real voting. For information, although there are over 92 million Nigerians using the internet, not all of them are connected to the social media platforms.

According to some verified statistics, about 25 million Nigerians use Facebook, with 16 million being active users.

Twitter users are in several millions, representing just 8.83% of social media users. At 8.29 %, users of Pinterest are surprisingly close to users of Twitter. Instagram commands just 2.0 per cent and Facebook 78.47 per cent as at 2018.

This may explain why the orchestrated campaigns of falsehood and calumny against the APC candidate did not get much traction going into the election. As past elections had shown in Nigeria, the people who vote are the ordinary people, the peasants, petty traders, artisans who are not wired to the social media platforms. And they have spoken in favour of the candidate they believe is the greatest friend of the ‘Talakawa’.

2. Elite power, pulpit power has been smashed by the results of the election. Those hate preachers who abused the pulpit to command their congregation to vote for the PDP have been put to shame. Elite in the north and south who believe Buhari has been ‘bad business’ and worked vigorously to dethrone him, now also know their powers are limited. The ordinary masses hold the master key to ‘people power’. Buhari, like in 2015, has overcome elite gang up and conspiracy of the churches. In Abuja, the votes recorded in Kubwa, Garki, Mbappe and some other places with a wide Christian population and civil servants against Buhari were to some extent offset by farmers living in the villages around the capital.

3. Politicians who put a lot of score on endorsement now should know better. The Afenifere in Yorubaland and the various political groups largely failed to mobilise the votes for Buhari in the region, despite their endorsement. The results in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo were too close to show that the people did not heed the instructions of the groups. Ohanaeze was also rebuffed to some extent in the south east states. The Northern Elders Forum of Ango Abdullahi, the Middle Belt Forum, the Arewa Consultative Forum need some reality checks about their power as opinion moulders.

4. The fourth lesson is that Igbo appeared to have learnt some lessons from their one-basket political disposition in 2015. In 2019, they did not put all their eggs in one basket, as they gave Buhari more than 25 per cent in Ebonyi, Abia, Anambra and Imo. Only Enugu gave Buhari the snub as the opposition recorded a thumping victory here, 355,553 votes to Buhari’s 54,423. In Lagos, however, Igbo voting pattern like suspected in 2015, unsettled their Yoruba hosts, leading to threatening inter-ethnic hostility. Yoruba believe that Igbo should always support their interests, afterall ‘When in Rome, one is expected to behave like the Romans’.

5.All politics is truly local. Kwarans demonstrated this in the way they humiliated the PDP and its chief strategist, Bukola Saraki, rejecting the campaign of ‘better Nigeria’, ‘making Nigeria work again’, for home grown wild fire campaign of ‘O To ge’, which translates to “Enough is Enough’. The campaign dethroned Saraki from Kwara central senate seat and smashed the PDP into political irrelevance, with the APC recording 308,984 votes, two and a half times more than the 138,184 votes recorded by the PDP. In Daura, Katsina, voters showed the APC senatorial candidate that he needed to settle with them as they clobbered him, by voting for the Accord Party candidate, in the same polling unit, where Buhari recorded over 700 votes to three for Atiku. In Kogi state, Dino Melaye won a return ticket to the Senate despite all the controversies he generated. He will need to thank fumbling ex-police chief, Ibrahim Idris for making him popular with his people. And in Bauchi, speaker Yakubu Dogara survived his expected political demise and won fourth term ticket in his Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal constituency.

6. Buhari is the only politician in Nigeria today with a solid home base. President Buhari has proven once again that he is the Awolowo, Aminu Kano of our time, posting overwhelming victory in his home state of Katsina and other states, such as Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna, Jigawa in the North West that he had consistently won since 2003, when he made the first bid for Nigeria’s presidency. Buhari also showed commanding presence in the North east. Atiku failed to show such political force in his state of Adamawa that he won with a few thousand votes. Then to show how Buhari has gathered much political traction since elected in 2015, he had a strong showing in states, such as Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, with high Christian population, that Atiku thought he would have won convincingly, based on the propaganda that Buhari is anti-Christian. Buhari similarly cut inroads into South South and South East states, denying Atiku any Tsunami effect from the zones.

7. Finally, lies, falsehood do get their comeuppances in the fullness of time. This election has proven this. Buhari in the run-up to the poll was the target of so many vicious lies and propaganda. The most reprehensible lie was that he was a clone from Sudan planted in Aso Rock. He was also painted as a hater of Christians, who allowed Boko Haram to seize a Christian girl Leah Sharibu. They accused him of promoting an Islamisation agenda and of being an ethnic bigot who favoured his region in appointments. Some even said he had finished Nigeria with foreign debts, a claim that was not supported by available facts. The opposition will need to invent new lies now as the President has posted a most crushing defeat of their candidate.

Cancel Delta results now, say Observers

By Hassan Omotola

Some obeservers in Delta State have called on the Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC) to cancel the National elections in Delta State.

A statement by Committee for Mandate Protection, (COMP) chaired by Mr Charles Obiora said the elections in Delta State were a sham.

In a release made available to Irohinoodua the group said the exercise was characterised by massive rigging, violence and gross manipulation of figures.

The group said "Electoral malpractice are worst in Delta State. Hundreds of thousands of people were disenfranchised. Violence became the rule. Threats and intimidation was the order of the day. The only way out is for the results to be cancelled for a rerun."

The group said as at Tuesday morning, efforts were being made by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to inflate the figures in favour of the PDP in collaboration with some odficials of Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC).

It added that some APC official are part of the collaborators in the collective game of intrigues.

"We call on INEC to immediately cancel the results for fresh elections. What ever INEC wants to release can never represent the deep feelings of Nigerians", the group stated

Saraki concedes defeat
By Samuel Oni

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has sent a message of congratulations to the candidate who defeated him in last Saturday's poll.

A statement made available to Irohinoodua from the office of the Senate President stated that in spite of the reported inadequacies that attended last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State, he is wishing the candidates who emerged from the election the best of luck.

Dr. Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu stated that while the election was generally peaceful there were inadequacies like the card readers not used in over 70 percent of the polling units while there was also multiple-voting, over-voting and other discrepancies that were reported by agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) across the state. He added that the state chapter of his party will take a position on the right response to these inadequacies.

“However, whatever the final outcome of the election, I wish the candidates that have emerged all the best in their attempts to serve our people. It is my prayer that the good people of Kwara State will always have the best from any government both at the state and federal levels.

“As a product of a family and a political structure that is, from its foundation, devoted to the service and development of our state and its people, it is my wish that our people will always have a good deal at all times. The new development will even provide the people the opportunity to compare and contrast. After all, the people who have emerged from last Saturday’s election are not my enemies. They are fellow Kwarans.

“As we prepare for the March 9th, 2019 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara. Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en masse on Election Day and vote for them. I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public.

“I thank all Nigerians for their goodwill and to enjoin all of us that as we patiently await the outcome of the Presidential election, we pray for peace, unity and genuine development in our country. It is also our prayers that at all times, the wish of the people will always prevail in the choice of the leadership and the electorate will always enjoy the benefit of good governance”, Saraki stated.

How Osinbajo lost polling unit


Irohinoodua has obtained reliable information on what led to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo losing his VGC polling unit.

Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi Ojudu provides the insight..


In a period of two months he must have visited VGC more than fifteen times. Town hall meeting here, parlor meeting there and street walk there. He met with professionals and engaged resident associations just as he dialogued with people of faith.
At the end of the elections they will still not let him deliver his unit.
I have received many calls and text messages asking what happened? It is not far fetched.

It is a combination of ethnicity, elite mentality and living in the midst of people who the policies of the administration does not favor.

As we held those meetings I saw it coming and remarked to colleagues that coming to VGC and appealing to the voters there was a waste of time. I could see it in their utterances, in their body language.

The bile was palpable and in some cases you could perceive hostility. Osinbajo , as we have known, is a never say die person. He dug at it with severity of a tunnel digger with the believe that there will be light at the end.

At the last meeting he had ,which was on the Wednesday before the initial February 19th election day I slipped away and went to have a rest in the hotel so as to be stronger for the following tasks ahead.


Only an Osinbajo would depart Uyo for Lagos at 9.00 pm after a hard day campaign Plateau State and Akwa Ibom and take an arduous ride through the Lekki traffic to VGC from the airport sometimes for one and half hours and still go and address a motley crowd of thirty residents.


Those engagements were for me a spectacle. I am easily irritated. Many of us his aides were disgusted. Not Osinbajo who will take his time taking all manners of questions and sometimes subtle and not so subtle insults.


There were cases of some fellows who had nothing to say than “Osinbajo you have come now and you didn’t bring kola how do you want us to vote for you again”, Kola in the local parlance meaning money or bribe. And this is a supposed elite location. I was shocked hearing this.

Some said since he was elected they expected him to have donated a mini stadium to VGC.

Some wanted him to have solved there problem of flooding. A fellow said he and Buhari stand blamed for the loss of his first child who died when his pregnant wife walked into an electrified flood water in his house. One expressed disgust at his men parking in front of his gate.

Another accused him of lying that the 3rd Niger Bridge project has taken off. Every effort to convince him was ignored and he kept interjecting until he moved on to other topics.

He took all of this with calmness and gave time , hours at a time, explaining government policies: why the administration is fighting corruption and why Nigeria must not depend on imports from other nations and the infrastructural projects going on across Nigeria.

All of this was like pouring water on the back of a calabash for some.

To be honest there were a handful who were civil and patriotic. Some others were sympathetic and could reason with the logic of his presentation and the sincerity of his purpose. I could hear the voices of many too who shared his dream of a greater Nigeria. A Nigeria where the leaders pursue the good of the majority as opposed to the minority.

Many suggested great ideas and offered criticisms that could help sharpen policy. Some offered to join the Osinbajo train.

Some too were taken in by his humility and understanding of the problem. A particular person right there then sought to have an account number to which he could pay a donation and a few others must have too.

Some were generous, offering us snacks and drinks to wet our parched throats.

Most were however new money, importers of all manners of things , beneficiaries of the abuse the Buhari administration was dedicated to stamping out . Many others were driven mainly by ethnic hatred.

This , however ,is understandable. Even in America many still made their political choices based on colour of the skin.

The majority of the British who voted for Brexit did so because of aversion for the Eastern Europeans who come to their country to seek a better life not minding the harm such a decision will do to the economy of their country.

Good or bad every voter has the right to the choice he makes. No one can deprive him of that. That is the essence of democracy.

It was easy therefore to see that this was a battle this ajantala would not win. I knew they were not going to vote for him.

He was however relentless and persistent invoking the tenacity that has taken him to the height he has reached in life today; best grade in secondary school, a first class in the university and lecturer at the age of 23, a professor of law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) an exceptional Attorney General in Lagos for eight years and an accomplished Vice President of Nigeria for close to four years now.

Yes Osinbajo lost the vote in his neighborhood of VGC. VGC is not his constituency. Certainly not.

He could easily have gone to vote in Ikenne , his ancestral home where he is deeply loved and reverred.

He could have queued to vote in the Somolu area of Lagos where he was born and raised and where his aged mother lived and was adored .

He could still have chosen to cast his vote in Akoka , on the premises of University of Lagos where he taught and thought for many years and his unit could have embraced him and give him a landslide victory but Osinbajo is one who never runs away from a problem. He will dig his teeth in it until he is able to bite through.

Knowing him he will not quit VGC until he is able to make the new money residents see reason.

Left to me he ought to move his base to that glorious abode of late Obafemi Awolowo , a place of history , a community that is synonymous with progressive politics and intellectual pursuit.

By the way I am told that the small town has produced up to thirteen Senior Advocates of Nigeria,(SAN) more than most states of Nigeria has produced.

The VP remains grateful to the VGC voters that placed the interests of the society above parochial considerations. They have proved to be the glow of light in the dark. There have demonstrated their commitment to logic and common sense. For those who took a different pathway, definitely in the nearest future, they will come to realise that history and prosperity will put Osinbajo on the scale as a righteous man who stood for the greatest good of the greatest number

PDP plotting to destabilise Nigeria, seeks court injunction to stop INEC
By Saheed Jubril

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) is planning to obtain a Jankara court injunction to stalemate the announcement of the results of the Presidential election, the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has said.
In a statement made available to Irohinoodua today, the PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and the Senate President are spearheading the plot.
The statement signed by Festus Keyamo is listed below:
"Our usual patriotic sources from within the disgruntled PDP circle and Atiku’s Campaign team have reliably informed us that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has perfected plans to finally scuttle our democracy and throw the country into constitutional crises by surreptitiously obtaining an exparte (one-sided) court order stopping the announcement of the Presidential Election results which he fears have gone against him.
We understand that a meeting was held today with a group of senior lawyers who were instructed to prepare and file the processes in court on Monday, February 25, 2019. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was clear in his brief to the lawyers that he must be declared the President-elect of Nigeria by hook or crook, whether he wins or loses, or else he would drag the country down with him.
Nigerians would recall that the June 12, 1993 debacle that brought Nigeria to its knees and caused our country international isolation was precipitated by a court injunction stopping the announcement of Presidential Election results. The court order was obtained by a certain Association for Better Nigeria headed then by one Chief Authur Nzeribe. This is exactly what Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who claims to be a democrat, wants to foist on this nation again because of his inordinate ambition.

We are also informed that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar confided in those around him that his desperation is borne out of the fact that he has made profound commitments to his local and international sponsors regarding the sale of our national assets like NNPC and others to them that he cannot just afford to let them down at this time, having assured them that there was no way he would not win the presidential election. However, results trickling in from around the country have dampened his optimism.

This has prompted his instructions to his campaign organization, especially his spokespersons to continue to issue statements, making false claims of ‘victory’ when there is no single scientific basis for such claims. For instance, as brazen as they are to claim victory, they have not pointed at one single presidential election result in any single unit in the whole country where they scored a particular figure with a result sheet duly signed by their agent that was subsequently changed at a Collation Centre. All we hear are sound bites of Atiku’s spokespersons, huffing and puffing about winning the election just to whip up public sentiments to prepare the ground to reject the results when they are eventually released by INEC.

For us our position is very simple and straight forward: we wish to allow the legal process of declaring presidential election results to take place peacefully and in an orderly fashion. President Buhari is not desperate, but is very confident of victory.

We also note their attempt to discredit the entire elections by certain isolated incidents of violence in some parts of the country. For instance, Lagos State that has more than 13,000 voting points recorded a very unfortunate, despicable and condemnable act of violence in one voting point that was clearly not perpetuated by any known or accredited member of our party. Yet the PDP has cried out to the world about ‘burning of ballot papers in most parts the country’.

We therefore wish to advice anyone who wishes to aid and encourage Alhaji Atiku Abubakar along this infamous part to remember the June 12 debacle. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar may also wish to learn a lesson or two from President Muhammadu Buhari who resorted to the court of law in 2003 when Atiku, along with President Olusegun Obasanjo, ‘defeated’ him in the presidential race in that year in controversial circumstances. President Buhari, as a true statesman and democrat, never resorted to underhand tactics to declare himself President.

We hope a word is enough for the wise."

LEADING GROUPS CALL ON YORUBA TO VOTE MASSIVELY FOR BUHARI-OSINBAJO

PRESS STATEMENT
February 21, 2019
Leading Pan Yoruba groups have called on Yoruba people in Nigeria and abroad to rally support for President Mohammadu Buhari and his Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
The groups issued a statement after an extensive meeting in Lagos.
Led by Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC), Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Agbekoya, Association of South West Okada Riders, Yoruba Hunters Assembly, Coalition of Oodua Self Determination groups and 45 others, the groups said it is in the strategic interest of the Yoruba people to support Osinbajo and ensure his victory at the poll on Saturday. COSEG leader, Mr. Dayo Ogunlana, President General of Agbekoya, Aare Oshodi, Mr Wale Balogun of Yoruba Revolutionary Movement, (YOREM), Mr Femi Agbana of ONAC and many others signed the statement.

The groups stated “The election was postponed. Please do not give up. Let us come out and vote in large numbers on February 23. If the turnout is low in Yorubaland, it will affect our strength and power to negotiate. It will reduce our influence in Nigeria. Be part of the people that will vote. MAKE THE SACRIFICE.

“The forthcoming 2019 election is set to be a straight fight between APC and PDP - no doubt?
There is no doubt that things are hard, but do not forget the decline in oil revenue almost by half in 2015 and the earlier 16 years of total waste under PDP. Nigeria would have collapsed if PDP had continued. That is the truth.

“With a *Buhari/Osinbajo* (APC) ticket in one party and an *Atiku/Obi* (PDP) ticket on the other,We ask, what should be the choice of the Yoruba people?

“Whether it is an Atiku or a Buhari Presidency will be in the North. What will Yoruba benefit?
Today we have Chief of Defense Staff, Chairman of Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), Minister for Works, Power and Housing (3 in 1), We held Finance until Mrs. Kemi Adeosun voluntarily resigned. Many more will come with the victory of the APC.

The groups added further “The issue is not about political parties, but about what is the most strategic thing to do. We plead with Yorubas sons and daughters to massively vote for Professor ‘Yemi OSINBAJO, the best Vice President we have ever had. He is our son we should be proud of him. One of our best minds is Prof Osinbajo. He issound with impeccable integrity. Time to drop any emotional attachment to PDP is now. Vote for your son Yemi Osinbajo. We are glad to see the Ohanaeze General Secretary, the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos and other Igbo leaders endorsing Prof Osinbajo. This is a very good development. This will promote solidarity between Yoruba and Igbo. We shall also support them when it is their turn”

It urged the Yoruba to consider the following issues

• For the first time in 40 years, Lagos-Ibadan railway will be completed in May this year. It will take 50 minutes to get to Ibadan from Lagos.
• The Abeokuta-Lagos Railway is ready and has been tested.
• The railway for the first time will be passing through Ekiti, Ondo and some hinterland in Oyo, Kwara, Ogun and Osun States.
• The Lagos-Ibadan Express Way abandoned for several years will be completed this year.
• Trader money is helping millions of people in the South West.
• The Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin Highway will be completed this year.
• The Muritala Mohammed Airport Highway has been given to Lagos State, so is the Marina House, the first time in about 35 years.
• There will be a total stop to the fight against corruption. Nigeria will go back to 1983.

Think of this
• If PDP wins, Yoruba will only be SSG, just to serve tea.
• General Obansanjo and people like Buruji Kashamu, Chief Bode George and Ayodele Fayose will be the new leaders of Yoruba people.
• Atiku will rule for 8 years. After that Obi will rule for 8 years. After that power returns to the North for another 8 years. It means it won’t be the turn of the Yoruba for the next 24 years. What a shame.
• Atiku says it will restructure, but there is no RESTRUCTURING in PDP manifesto. Atiku is not a man of his words.
• APC has restructuring in its manifesto. It has taken time, but they will do it. There is already the State Police Bill with the National Assembly sponsored by APC legislator, Gbajabiamila. No PDP lawmaker had ever sponsored any bill promoting RESTRUCTURING.
• Under PDP for 16 years, Yoruba was in the cooler. Bola Ige was killed. Gani Adams and Fredrick Faseun were detained for more than two years.
• Over 500 OPC and members of other Pan Yoruba groups were killed.

Tell me a Vice President that outperformed this MAN.....Hmmmm STAR BOY dey for uuuuuuuuuuuu.....

FEBRUARY 23, 2019 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL YORUBA-ITSEKIRI AND PEOPLES ACROSS YORUBALAND
· The Presidential election comes up on February 23. No doubt there are challenges. Many of these problems are historical. We had a government in place for 16 years. The country lay prostrate. The Lagos-Ibadan Express way abandoned; Not even the way to the home town of a former President of Nigeria of Yoruba extraction was tarred;
· In our very eyes, Chief Bola Ige, Deputy Leader of Yoruba Nation was killed. Justice Atinuke Ige infact lost her life due to the trauma of the loss of her husband and lack of justice for a Justice Minister. Dr Ayo Daramola, a consultant to the World Bank was killed. In one day, 28 members of O’odua Peoples Congress, (OPC) were killed in cold blood at Mushin in 2001. We may forgive, but we will never FORGET. Many members of Yoruba self-determination groups were maimed, imprisoned and in fact in 2004, a “Shoot-at-Sight” order was launched against members of the self-determination groups. It was a period of brimstones, shrieks and depression. No fewer than 1000 members were murdered.

· During this period, the commanding height of Nigerian economy was sold to friends and cronies, attempts were made to destroy Lagos through seizure of the monthly allocation, rogue states and their chief actors were sought and imposed on Yoruba people. Elections became a bazaar. Violence and brigandage were launched and sustained. Flying and creeping things took flight. Between 1999 and 2014, from our records, no fewer than 5000 Yoruba people were killed in election related violence. The locust came, gave us gale of bitter rain, flaming fire and they rebelled against the words of God. A main actor during this moment of blood, anguish and terror is asking for Yoruba votes again with all sorts of slanderous and false claims. Their corrupt and inept govt gave us few rich men, who fed out our misery, but left millions of our people poor, angry, desperate, scorched, desolate and troubled.

· Since 2014, there is no doubt that the movement is slow, but we are not moving backwards. Railways are being built from Lagos-Ibadan, Abeokuta, for the first time traversing Ekiti and Ondo States. Corruption is being fought, though not perfectly, but at least better than the inactivity and deceit of the past.

· We have made demands for restructuring. The APC has restructuring in its manifesto, so the party can be held responsible on a documented expectation. Yoruba should not hang her hope on castles built in the sky where loose promises of restructuring are being made in the SW but a complete negation of restructuring comes forth from their caustic lips when they are in the North. This is treacherous but in line with their past and present.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
v The system is not perfect, but within the limitations, we have a choice to make a difference. The South West, home to indigenous Yoruba people have a total voters’ registration of 18miilion people. There is another huge number of Yoruba population in the North, South-South East and North Central. This is a show of strength. It will be a betrayal of our collective interest as Yoruba if we fail to come out and vote.
RESOLUTION
ü We the representatives of 45 Pan Yoruba/Itsekiri groups spread across the length and breadth of indigenous Yoruba territories; propelled by the need to protect our values, our heritage and the political traditions our forebears and the generations have held in high esteem;
ü Moved by the political and economic circumstances of the past, present and that of the future; after an extensive consultation with our members and Yoruba, farmers, artisans, workers, haves and have nots; people in the valleys, mountains, villages and homestead; toiling market women, children, the old and the young;
ü Driven by the need to choose what is better in our circumstance, hereby take this firm decision that on Saturday, February 23 we FULLY support Vice President ‘Yemi Osinbajo, a Professor of Law, who has over the years built a credible reputation for himself, leading a clergy life of piety, truth, trust and humanitarian affection and based on our exhaustive deliberations with him which began in the past six months on what he has in stock of the Yoruba nation and peoples;
ü Also convinced that he offers hope in place of despair and commitment to many of the political values that are crucial to the survival of Yoruba peoples across the world;

CLARION CALL
ü Hereby direct the millions of our members, call on all Yoruba people spread across the Yoruba speaking states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti,Kwara, Kogi and Delta to come out in large numbers to vote for President Mohammadu Buhari and his VP, Prof Yemi Osinbajo who is one of our own come February 23.The mountains shall depart and the hills removed.

OUR WARNING

· The opposition is already preparing the minds of Nigerians for resistance knowing fully its antics and perfidious plots are at wits end. Predictably, they will reject the results, call for boycotts and violence iF they lose. We warn strongly that the Yoruba-Itsekiti self-determination groups across Yoruba land are prepared to resist rigging. We are fully prepared and determined to RESIST WITH ALL OUR STRENGHT any attempt by reactionary elements to foment post-election crisis and scuttle the democratic process. A stich in time saves nine.
WE THANK YORUBA PEOPLE AT HOME AND ABROAD FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT OF OUR HISTORY--OODUA A GBE WA O---ASE

Good one....

Sixty Quiet Achievements of the Buhari Regime

It is now almost exactly four years to the day, that Nigerians gave President Buhari the mandate to change the story of Nigeria. Else where and a few months back, I scored the Buhari-led APC administration 52% for its achievements in the last four years.

Here are 60 indelible achievements of the President Mohammadu Buhari-led APC federal administration between 2015 and 2019. Discounting even eight achievements, the Buhari administration obviously merits the 52% I scored the administration. Though very clearly, the administration could do more and has shown the capacity and ability to do more.

The list is in no particular order. But some inactions of many previous administrations which were in better position to do, but did not, give an idea of how and why many more serious things have remained undone in Nigeria. I have deliberately started with some unbelievably simple things that were not done for decades, that this Buhari civilian administration has done to merit a second term. Who can disprove any of the following claims?

1 - Payments have begun, of 25 years old Arrears of Civil Service Pensioners.

2 - Ex Nigerian airways workers pensions approved for payment and payment begins, more than a decade after the sale of the organisation.

3 - Ex-Biafra police officers paid their pensions, almost 50 years after the Nigerian Civil War ended.

4 - The Nigerian govt agreed to out-of-court settlement of 88 billion naira for the reconstruction of public infrastructure damaged in Biafra.

5 - N1.3 Trillion naira fund bailouts was given to help with clearing humongous backlog of allowances and salary arrears of civil servants in 22 states.

6 - June 12 recognized as Democracy day. Chief M.K.O. Abiola as now been honoured along with Alh. Babagana Kingibe and Chief Gani Fawehinmi and other heroes of the June 12 Struggle.

7 - The Federal Govt has suspended new Laws enacted by a preceding administration, mandating maximum tenure for heads of religious organisations. The Law is now to be modified.

8 - History has been returned as a School Subject in the Nigerian curriculum

9 - Christian Religious Studies has also been restored as a Subject in School curriculum in the country

10 - The historic value disparity between HND graduates of Polytechnics and University graduates has now been resolved and laid to rest. Polytechnics now to become Universities of Technology to be awarding the Bachelor of Technology Degree. Lower lever Polytechnic certificates are now to be rated as technician certifications.

11 - Successful enumeration of all abandoned infrastructure projects in the country and technical evaluation for reactivation needs of all identified projects. Among the abandoned or suspended Projects now reactivated and currently in various stages of completion are

12 - The Mambila Plateau HydroPower Project abandoned 40 years ago, has been reactivated.

13 - The Ajaokuta Steel Projects has now also been reactivated after more than 30 years of being under construction!

14 - The Esan Water Project in Edo, awarded in 1997 was also reactivated and is now essentially completed

15 - The Dadin Kowa Dam Project in Gombe, started since 1975, some 43 years ago, was reactivated and now nearing completion.

16 - Commissioning and completion of technical review and evaluation for the construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation needs of 322 federal highways, including some road projects which were abandoned more than 40 years ago.

17 - The Lagos - Ibadan Express Road reconstruction and rehabilitation is now nearing 80% completion, after almost 18 years of unsuccessful efforts to rehabilitate the road.

18 - The Lagos - Abeokuta Express Road and Federal Highway is now being reconstructed too, after almost 30 years.

19 -The Ikorodu-Sagamu Federal Highway is also now being reconstructed after almost 35 years too.

20 - The rehabitation and reconstruction of the Apapa Port Road and the rehabiltation of the Ijora Causeway is more than 60% completed

21 - The Port Harcourt- Enugu federal Highway reconstruction has reached an advanced stage

22 - The 40-year- old East-West Highway Project has been reactivated.

23 -The Ikom-Itu Federal Highway reconstruction Project and many other roads in the South South

24 - Work has started and foundation pilings and all land pillars have been completed on the 2nd Niger Bridge construction, again after almost 30 years of planning

25 - North East insurgency is being gradually suppressed. Nigerian territory, including 16 Local Government Areas, which the Boko Haram had taken under the Jonathan administration, have now been recovered and rebuilding commenced.

26 - The Nigerian military under President Buhari, has ensured the release of more than 26,800 persons who had been kidnapped by the Boko Haram.

27 - More 70% of the almost 300 school girls kidnapped by the Book Haram in Chibok under PDP have now been released. Only one school girl is now still being held by the Boko Haram after similar kidnapping of more than another 100 school girls in Dapchi under the Buhari regime.

28 - Military barracks are being restored nationwide after more than 20 years of dilapidation.

29 - The Environmental Cleanup of Ogoni Land has begun, after almost 30 years of clamour.

30 - The abandoned National Cancer Centre Project in Abuja, has been completed and opened. Equipment for the Cancer Centre was abandoned in shipping containers since 2012, yet Nigeria had no functional public Cancer Centre.

31 - All unfinished railway and abandoned transportation projects across the country, were successfully evaluated, reviewed and restarted, with all and every possible bottlenecks and hindrances removed.

32 - Plans for new railway projects across the country including one transborder railway project, have been completed and the construction agreements now being signed. Under the new Railway transportation plans for the country, every Nigerian state capital will now be connected to the national railway network which will also connect all major Ports in Nigeria to major industrial centres and agricultural production hubs in each of Nigeria's six geo-political regions.

33 - Kaduna-Abuja Rail Project, approved in 2002 and started since 2007 is now finished and fully operational

34 - The Abuja Light Rail Project also started since 2007, is now finished and running

35 - The Warri-Itakpe Railway link, started and abandoned 35 years ago, was restarted by the Buhari administration and is also now running

36 - A new Lagos-Ibadan Express Railway Project has been kicked off by the Buhari administration, as part of a new standard-gauge railway lines project between Lagos and Kano, through Abuja. The Abeokuta-Lagos section of the project is now ready and is being test run. The Project started just two years ago in August 2017.

37 - Repair of the over 25-year old Abuja Airport Runway which had been overdue for over 10 years, was started and successfully completed in an unbelievable 90 days of 24-hour daily construction operations.

38 - Payment of cash gifts promised to Golden Eaglets of 1983, some thirty five years ago

39 - Redemption of promises of House gift made to Bonfrere Jo, Coach of Nigeria's Super Eagles 1996 Olympics Football Gold winning Team

40 - Resolution of the Issue of Title Deeds of Property Gift to the Christian Chukwu-led Nigerian Green Eagles Team which won the the 1980 Nations Cup.

41 - Major rehabilitation and expansion works are now going on, in three major Airports, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. The Port Harcourt Airport (voted world's worst in 2015, is now a brand new airport). A new international Airport has also been completed in Abuja, while work has reached advanced stages for modernisation of the Benin, Kaduna, and Enugu Airports among others.

42 - Estimated Electricity Consumption billing has been outlawed and electric power meters are now being provided for homes for free, 10 years after they were promised, when Nigeria's power assets were sold.

43 - Verification of claims and Payments have began, of part of outstanding debts to contractors across the country, estimated to be more than N2 Trillion as at 2015.

44 - Payment of significant portions of debts owed to Oil companies, including outstanding long-delayed counterpart funds for Joint Venture Projects.

45 - The inspector General of Police has been ordered to revisit the issues surrounding the death of Chief Bola Ige and other unresolved political assassinations in the country.

46 - Restocking and re-equipping of the Nigerian military, something abandoned for many years
- New fighter jets acquired as against no serviceable fixed wing fighter Jet in 2015.
- Six New helicopters, the first time in almost twenty years and
- 12 Super Tucano Fighter Jets have been fully paid for. Deliveries have already started and will be concluded by 2020.
- The largest hardware investment in the Nigeria military in almost 25 years has been under Preaident Buhari.

47 - Approval has been given for the dredging of the Warri Ports, as was being agitated for in the region for decades.

48 - Official Recognition of Anambra and Lagos State as Crude Oil producing states devoid of the old politics and unnecessary bureaucracy

49 - Handing over of wasting federal assets on state-donated lands, such as the Tarawa Balewa Square, National Stadium and old Airport Presidential Lounge in Lagos and the International Tradefair Complex to the Lagos State government

50 - Clearing of over 700 out of 800 containers of Power Sector equipment abandoned in the Nigerian Ports since 2005 instead of installation for more reliable power supply in the country.

51 - Correction of the trend of depletion of foreign reserves and savings by growing foreign reserves from 29 billion dollars to above 47 billion, and adding fresh funds to sovereign wealth fund for the first time since the inception in 2005.

52 - Establishment of long over due Infrastructure Development Bank of Nigeria.

53 - Correction of the injustice of no rolling over of data roll by mobile phone companies to consumers. Before now, unused but paid-for data was cancelled at the end of the month. Today the government has ordered that to stop. This touches the masses right away.

54 - Clamp down on the Islamic movement of Nigeria, a group that has for over two decades shown itself as not recognizing government and terrorized citizens. The clamp down is seemingly high-handed though for now

55 - Establishment of Petroleum University in Okeronkoko in the Niger Delta region, a project long sought after in the region.

56 - Order to Oil majors to relocate headquarters back to the Niger Delta Region, another long sought move.

57 - One of the largest free school feeding projects in the world. Some 9.3 million Nigerian children are now being fed free of charge in schools, in a project that has seen school enrolment increase by as much as 34%.

58 - The youth employment programme, the N - Power Programme now has 500,000 Youths being paid N30,000 monthly while they are been trained and taken through diverse skills acquisition programmes.

59 - For the first time in Nigeria's history, the poorest of the poor in trading and other ultra small scale businesses, are now being given interest free loans starting from N10,000 each graduating to a maximum of N100,000. More than one million traders have been won nationwide and brought under the special programme being administered by the Nigerian Bank of Industry.

60. There is a FarmerMoni Programme similar to the TraderMoni, but for ultra small scale farmers, working through different farmer cooperatives. This is the smallest scale support for farming in the country. It complements the massively successful Nigerian Central Bank backed anchor borrowers programme for agriculture. The Anchor-borrowers programme gets a Bank to provide all the needed funds and other support, to particular groups of farmers to maximise output of the particular agricultural produce, while it works directly with ready off-takers of the agricultural produce as a marketing guarantee. This has accounted majorly for Nigeria's 10-fold increase in Rice production and three fold increase on Cassava production. It has also caused substantial increases in the production of Yam, Pal Kernel, Tomatoes and Maize.

Please not that I omitted the adoption and implementation of the very important institutional controls like the adoption of the Single Treasury Accounting for public funds, because it is a positive achievement just like the current Presidency's effort to avoid riding rough shod on states or other arms of government, except for issues tending towards the criminal.

I also have been unable to confirm other improvements in the education sector for proper documentation. Neither could I confirm plans and executions in the health sector among others. Nigeria obviously still has a long long way to go, but we are evidently in moving up.

It is obvious from the list, that this first term of the APC is more of repairing and restoring as well as completion of long abandoned projects. The APC needs a second term to conclude many of the projects and lay a good foundation for Nigeria's future. Let us give the APC another four years, then it will be fair to compare the APC's eight years and the PDP's ruinous 16 years that are better forgotten.

Clips from the endorsement of Buhari by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, Oodua Nationalist Coalition, Coalition of Middle-Belt Progressives and Niger Delta Alliance for Justice

Nigeria’s economy grew 1.9 per cent in 2018, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday, just days from an election in which the pace of growth is a campaign issue.

The NBS said gross domestic product also rose by 2.38 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter in 2017. Growth accelerated from the 1.81 per cent expansion in the third quarter.

The government had targeted two per cent growth for last year to boost the fragile economy, which only emerged in 2017 from its first recession in over two decades, triggered by low crude prices and militant attacks on energy facilities.

Oil sales make up two-thirds of government revenue.

According to Bloomberg, the figures could help President Muhammadu Buhari to convince voters the economy is finally recovering more forcefully from the 2016 recession.

But economist Mark Bohlund said: “Buhari’s four-year term has still seen the weakest growth in the living memory of a large share of the electorate.”

That could favour his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar, he added.

Buhari’s administration is targeting three per cent growth in 2019, which is still only just above the 2.6 per cent expansion rate of Nigeria’s population.

The 76-year-old former military ruler came to power in 2015 on a pledge to turn the economy around. He is facing a stiff challenge from businessman and former vice president Atiku Abubakar. COPIED FROM: punchng.com

This is a good news worth sharing.....leave politics and religious sentiments alone...

Slow and steady wins the race.....

Slow and steady wins the race....

The Lord will meet him at his point of needs...

Hundreds of civil society groups adopt Buhari, Osinbajo
By Samuel Bakare

Ahead of the Presidential election, hundreds of civil society groups across the country today adopted the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Presidential candidate and its Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

The groups which met in Lagos under the auspices of the Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NHRC) said given the alternatives available for Nigerians, the APC candidates will best serve the interest of Nigerians.The group said it will monitor and protect the mandate of voters on February 16 to ensure transparent and credible election.

The right coalition accused the PDP of waging a psychological war against the ruling government when it raises continuous alarm about rigging thereby pe-empting the outcome of the 2019 Presidential election by giving the impression that the inevitable defeat of the PDP was predetermined.

Addressing a crowded media event today, the Director of Publicity of the NHRC, Mr Taiwo Adeleye and its Assistant Secretary General Azubuike Egbe said Nigerians will be committing a grave blunder if the Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP) returns to power. The two were flanked by other officials, Mr Wale Arogundade, Sola Ajayi and Mrs Feyi Omolade.

The NHRC, a coalition of hundreds of civil society and community based organisations, CBOs established in 2003 said in its view, a return to the locust years will be disastrous for the future of Africa’s most famous country.

The NHRC General Secretary said “The victory of the PDP will mean Mr. Corruption sitting as the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria and Mr. Graft as the Senate President. As civil right movements that have fought a string of battles since the years of the military, we have historic responsibility to ensure this does not happen. Interestingly, the forces backing the PDP elements were some of those that ran the country to a shipwreck especially in the military era after which some of their cronies took over at the national level in 1999.”

The group said it considered certain factors, the personal credibility of the two leading contenders and the need to save Nigerian political space by corrupt and morally deficient people.
“It will be worst to have a man that has no iota of credibility at home and abroad to sit as the No one citizen of the country. It will be disastrous to have a proven corrupt man as the most important figure in Nigeria. We belief with the credibility of Buhari and Osinbajo, their errors of recent past can be corrected in the most honest manner”
NHRC stated further referring to the PDP “when you have a dishonest and untrustworthy person as your President, you will be putting the entire lives of the people on a dangerous and perilous scale. A man whose words cannot be trusted should never be entrusted with the sovereignty of any serious country.”
On the crisis in the judiciary, it stated that “for the past three weeks, the country has been battling with controversy over the removal of the CJN, Walter Onnoghen. We caution that the crisis in the judiciary has the potential of damaging the democratic credentials of the country. We are particularly concerned that the CJN has been accused of procuring 55 houses. This is ridiculous. It is embarrassing.”
The group noted that Nigerians have also been informed that the CJN has close to 1million dollars in his account, representing more than 200 percent of his entire life savings assuming he saved all his earnings since he was enlisted in the judiciary.
“This is a clear case of corruption involving the No 1 Judicial officer in Nigeria. His claim that he forgot to declare the assets is even more bewildering. Even Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote cannot forget a whole I million naira in his account without knowing he did. In this circumstance, it is surprising that the former CJN is still sitting on the judicial throne.” The NHRC asked the CJN to resign immediately. “We urge him to quit immediately in the interest of the country.”

Slow and steady wins the race......