₦airaland Forum

Is this a weird sight or adorable? According to twitter user @GabbyDarko, he sighted this UK-based African father at Heathrow airport carrying his baby on his back with wrapper to board a flight to Ghana. I'm sure it would have freaked all dem white folks out. Lol. What happened to a baby stroller?

culdeal:
@emeladoe check the pics again, the real couples are sitting far behind

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Lol. You see it?

This 13 year old girl (pictured above) wearing an explosives-packed vest was arrested in Kano state yesterday December 11th. The girl was arrested after she and a male accomplice walked into a clinic seeking medical treatment. Suspicious hospital staff alerted police who immediately arrested the two.
On searching her, Police discovered explosives hidden under her hijab. The police later revealed that the young girl was from Bauchi and was part of the 'suicide team' that attacked a market in Kano on Wednesday Dec. 10th.

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has appealed against the order given by a Federal Capital Territory High Court judge, Justice Valentine Ashi, that security agents, including the police and men of the Department of State Service, should confiscate his latest autobiography, My Watch.
The judge had given this order after the ex-president went ahead on Tuesday in Lagos to present the book to the public, in disobedience to the court’s restraining injunction.
Justice Ashi also gave the former president a 21-day ultimatum to explain why he should not be punished for flouting the court order.
However, Obasanjo, in his appeal, argued that he was in no way “daring the court” as widely reported by some national newspapers, describing such publication as misleading.
The Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee, the Peoples Democratic Party, South West, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, had instituted a legal action against some sections of the book.
Obasanjo had, through his legal team, led by Gboyega Oyewole, filed an appeal challenging the confiscation order, citing 10 grounds to support the appeal and arguing that the trial judge erred in his ruling.
In the appeal with suit no. CV/472/14, filed in a Federal High Court, Abuja, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Abeokuta, the former president’s counsel contended that his client was dissatisfied with the ruling of the High Court and “appealed against the said ruling upon the ground set forth…”
He said, “The learned trial judge erred in law when he granted the interlocutory order of injunction, which inter alia restrained the defendant from the publication of his book “My Watch” or the content of the letter to the President, which is the subject of the suit before the trial judge in the said book.
“There was uncontradicted affidavit evidence that the defendant’s book, “My Watch” had been published and released to the public before the making of the interlocutory order.
“The plaintiff never alluded to this fact in his affidavit before the court. It is settled law that an injunction does not lie to restrain a completed act. His Lordship failed and/or neglected to allude to the affidavit evidence before making the interlocutory order.
“The learned trial judge erred in law and exercised his discretion wrongfully in granting the order of interlocutory injunction, subject of this appeal against the defendant, restraining him from publishing his book, “My Watch” or publishing his letter subject of the suit in the said book.”
Meanwhile, one of the aides of Obasanjo at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Mr. Vitalise Ortese, on Thursday exonerated his principal from deliberately flouting a court order.
In a statement he signed, Ortese said since the news of the said order broke, he (Obasanjo) had been receiving calls from concerned friends far and near and he was constrained to make this release and present the facts as they relate to the book and its public presentation.
Ortese said, “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo wishes to state that the media reports which convey the impression that he intended to ‘dare or confront a judge or the judiciary’ is highly misleading.
“Far from this; on the contrary, the former president is a law abiding citizen, who will only pursue his rights within the law and will not “‘dare” a judge or knowingly flout an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
“The former President wishes to make it clear that in the first instance, no formal order from Justice Ashi was served and received by either himself or by proxy regarding any injunction restraining the publication of the book, “My Watch,” which from the records was already in circulation.”

www.punchng.com/news/obasanjo-appeals-against-book-seizure-order/

Mikel Obi’s girlfriend Olga took to her instagram page to celebrate the midfielder after his impressive Champion league performance this evening against sporting lisbon. Mikel scored a goal. His team Chelsea beat Sporting Lisbon 3-1

A Federal Territory Territory High Court in Wuse Zone II, Abuja, has declared former President Olusesegun Obasanjo of being in comptent of court by going ahead to flout its order, which restrained him from going ahead with the publication of its book, ‘My Watch’.
Justice Valentine Ashi on Wednesday gave Obasanjo 21 days to show cause why he should not be punished for flouting the court order and also ordered security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Service, to recover the book from book stands.
He ordered that the enrolled orders of the court be served on all media houses in the country and be equally served on the defendant by publication in two national daily newspapers.
The judge held on Wednesday, “I hold the defendant, not only in contempt of the court, but to show cause why he should not be punished for contempt and ordered to undo what he had wrongly done.
“The defendant, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, shall be given 21 days from the day this order is served on him, to show cause, via affidavit, why he should not be punished for contempt committed by publishing and distributing for sale to the public, the book, My Watch, in plain disregard of the pendency of substantive suit and the order of this court made on December 5, 2014 restraining him from doing so.
“The defendant, whether by himself, agents, servants, privies or whatever name called, is hereby restrained from further publication or offering for sale or distribution, in any way or manner, the book called My Watch or the like of the visual or written materials, which contains a re-publication or statement extracted from the letter referred to by the plaintiff.”
The judge had on December 5 restrained Obasanjo from going ahead with the publication pending the determination of the N20bn libel suit instituted against him by a Peoples Democratic Party chief in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu.

www.punchng.com/news/autobiography-court-threatens-to-punish-obasanjo-gives-contempt-notice/

Annie and 2face Idibia’s daugher Isabele turns 6 today.
Her mum took to Instagram to wish her happy birthday with this very sweet caption along with the picture above.
” My WCW… My Sunshine is 6 today!!!! The joy she brings …… no words can explain it!” See it below..

More

This is the current state of the Federal inter stateroadin Kwara state. The bridge is called Moro bridge, situated in Moro LGA of Kwara state. Drivers who ply the road say it's a nightmare for them and are asking the state government or agencies whose responsibility it is to look into the road. See more pics after the cut...
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• Maku, Wogu lose • Ribadu, Wike, Folarin win
Barely four months after joining the Peoples Democratic Party, a pharmacist and an entrepreneur, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, on Monday emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State.
He defeated a former Minister of State for Defence and Nigeria’s ex-High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro,who was touted as the leading contestant in the primary.
Agbaje scored 432 votes as against the 346 by Obanikoro. The other aspirants, Babatunde Gbadamosi got 21 votes; Tokunbo Kamson, 46 votes and Adedeji Doherty, 21 votes.
The exercise was nearly marred by violence following a controversy which surrounded the number of votes cast by the delegates.
When the voting started, the Chairman of the electoral committee, Senator Shehu Kumo, announced that there were 806 delegates.
But when votes were being sorted, it was discovered that the number of votes cast were 863.
All efforts to get the number of votes and the number of delegates to tally proved abortive but Kumo insisted that the exercise should continue.
Amid the resistance by supporters of some of the aspirants, about 60 armed policemen formed a barricade around the ballot boxes and ensured that the counting continued.
When tables and chairs were overturned at the centre, Obanikoro immediately stormed out.
Immediately after the announcement, Agbaje commended the committee and promised to work with other aspirants.
As the tension heightened, about 200 policemen and operatives of the Department of State Service stormed the venue. Agbaje was whisked away before policemen began firing gunshots into the air.
It was however victory galore for many of the PDP governors as most of their preferred candidates triumphed during the race in their states.
But the Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Bala Ngilari, had a shocker as he was beaten by a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, at the old Parade Ground, Abuja where the exercise for the state took place.
There were however boycotts and protests by many aspirants in states like Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Oyo.
Kaduna
Before the accreditation of delegates, the Electoral Committee Chairman announced that three aspirants – Lawal Abdullahi Yakawada, Felix Hassan Hyat and John Ajei – withdrew from the race.
Yero polled 970 out of the 1,072 votes to beat his only contender, Haruna Zego, who scored one vote.
Abia
Okezie Ikpeazu polled 487 votes to clinch the ticket while his closest rival, Uche Ogah, came second with 103 votes. The immediate past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, came third with 33 votes.
A two-time Deputy Governor of the state, Acho Nwakanma, and Friday Nwosu secured five votes each. A former Managing Director of the defunct Hallmark Bank, Marc Wabara and Okey Emuchay got three votes respectively.
The state former Commissioner for Housing, Iheanacho Okezie – Orji, came last with a single vote. Nine votes cast were voided.
Enugu
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Ayogu Eze, emerged as the winner of a parallel primary held at the Filbon Hotel in Enugu.
Eze scored about 530 votes to defeat the other aspirants, who were absent at the event.
It was gathered that the electoral panel, headed by King Asara A. Asara, initially tried to get the aspirants to participate in a unified primary, but Eze reportedly backed out following disagreements over the delegates list.
Two other aspirants – Chinedu Onu and Anayo Onwuegbu – had earlier on Sunday stepped down for the PDP consensus candidate and a member of the House of Representatives, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
But another primary supervised by an electoral panel from Abuja and attended by Governor Sullivan Chime, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and members of the the state leadership of the party, was ongoing as of press time at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
Ugwuanyi is expected to emerge as the party’s flag bearer from this.
Niger
A former Chief of Staff to Governor Babangida Aliyu, Alhaji Umar Nasko, garnered 908 votes to clinch the party’s sole ticket.
The returning officer, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye , declared Nasko winner. The Deputy Governor, Ahmed Ibeto, had 34 votes; Sahabu Darangi, 11 votes; Mustapha Bello, 11 votes; and Hanafi Sudan, 57 votes.
Garba Dukku and Isah Kotangora had no votes. Senator Nuhu Aliyu withdrew on the day of the election.
Delta
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa was declared the winner of the primary held at the Events Centre, Asaba.
Okowa scored 406 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr. David Edevbie, who scored 299 votes. The immediate-past Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, came third with 185 votes.
Ndudi Elumelu had 58 votes; Godsday Orubebe, 49 votes; Sylvester Ofuani, 10 votes; . Ovie Omo-Agege, 10 votes; Sam Obi, 10 votes; Clement Ofuani, seven votes; Godwill Obielum, 22 votes; Ngozi Olejeme, 11 votes; Peter Okocha, six votes; Festus Okubor, five votes; Clement Uwaka, one vote; Charles Emetulu, four votes, Kenneth Gbagi, two votes; Gabriel Oyibode, two votes; and Omene, zero vote.
Tony Obuh, who was one of the leading aspirants, had withdrawn shortly before the exercise after his political godfather, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, switched loyalty to Edevbie.
Oyo
A former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin, emerged as the party’s candidate for Oyo State.
The outcome of the primary which was conducted through the use of statutory delegates is being contested by another aspirant, Seyi Makinde, who stayed away from the venue.
The statutory delegates used comprised members of the state executive and the Board of Trustees in the state, the National Assembly members elected from the state, their counterparts in the House of Assembly and five delegates from all the 33 councils in the state.
A total of 211 delegates voted in the primary with Folarin having 167 votes.
Former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, who also stayed away from the exercise, had two votes while a former Deputy Governor to Alao-Akala, Mr. Hazeem Gbolarumi, had 12 votes.
However, Alao-Akala, who addressed his supporters in Ogbomoso while the primary was going on in Ibadan, said he was still in the race for the governorship election. He added that he would announce his next political move soon.
The ex-governor said, “We cannot but experience such travail as we are going through at this time but we should be conscious of what moves we make because it’s not a personal decision; people have been involved and they shall be duly involved in making any further decision.
“With your support, I am still in the race and we are going to participate and win the 2015 election by God’s grace. There is no cause to panic or worry about anything.”
Makinde also protested the outcome of the primary in a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu. The letter which was copied to the Presidency was signed by his lawyer, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu.
Makinde warned that if the PDP decided to wave aside the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja on the suit instituted by Mr. Adelowo Aremu, which recognised delegates that were produced in the rescheduled ward congress, it (PDP) might not field a candidate for 2015 elections in the state.
The letter read in part, “The terms of the said judgment are clear and unequivocal that no primary elections of PDP in Oyo State will be valid unless and except the delegates, who voted at the said primary are those who were elected at the various wards in the state during the November ward delegates congress.
“The court further ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission not to accept, recognise or deal with any candidate whose nomination was derived from party primary in Oyo State based on the votes of delegates other than those elected at the ward congress as such primary stood null and void and of no effect.”
Akwa Ibom
Twenty members of Forum of Akwa Ibom State PDP Governorship Aspirants boycotted the primary won by immediate past Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.
Emmanuel scored 1,201 votes while Okpolum Etteh had 38 votes and Helen Esuene , 12 votes.
Effiong Abia scored four votes; Nsima Ekere, four votes; Larry Esin, two votes; Benjamin Okoko, one vote and Isangedighi Jerome, one vote.
The 22 aspirants protested against the conduct of the primaries and stayed away from the venue in Uyo.
Rivers
A former Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, beat 23 other aspirants to emerge victorious in Port Harcourt
Seventeen out of the 24 aspirants boycotted the exercise which was held under the watchful eyes of operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Service and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Wike appealed to those who lost to accept defeat in good faith and work towards the success of the party in the forth coming polls.
He said, “I offer the olive branch to all combatants in the struggle to recover for the PDP and indeed all Rivers people, the stolen mandate currently in the hands of the All Progressives Congress. We shall and we should work together to recover what is rightly ours. ”
Meanwhile, the Rivers Mainstream Coalition has rejected the conduct of the governorship primary in the state, describing it as a show of shame.
The group, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo, urged all coalition partners to wait for its next action.
Ogun
The Ogun State chapter of the party allegedly ignored a directive from the National Working Committee, not to hold the exercise.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, had in a statement on Monday, indicated that the NWC had cancelled the primary.
The statement read in part, “For the avoidance of doubt, the NWC hereby states that it did not authorise any governorship primary in Ogun State. Consequently, any such exercise held in the state is hereby declared null and void and of no effect.”
The statement added that a new date would be communicated for the primary.
However, at the end of the primary held at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta, Gboyega Isiaka clinched the ticket. He polled 705 votes while Kayode Amusan and Segun Adewale polled 151 and 0 votes respectively.
Isiaka was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria in the 2011 election.
The nine others who boycotted the exercise are Tony Ojesina Yanju Lipede, Remilekun Bakare, Sarafa Ishola, Yomi Majekodunmi and the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.
Others are David Bamgbose, Isiaq Akinlade and Rafiu Ogunleye.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former governor of the state, Gbenga Daniel, whose names were on the delegates list were absent.
The state chairman of PDP, Mr. Adebayo Dayo, told journalists that he had yet to receive any contrary instruction or directive from the NWC that the primary should not hold.
He said, “I am not in a position to confirm or deny what the national secretariat in Abuja has said. At the National Executive Council meeting we held last month or thereabout, we were given the guidelines and the timetable for the primaries.
“And today(Monday) happens to be the governorship primary, in all the PDP-controlled states, and Ogun State cannot be different. Moreover, the court’s judgment we got last week was clear on this.”
Isiaka, however, said his victory was for all, and “ a challenge that he is well prepared for.”
Adamawa
Ribadu garnered 688 delegate votes to beat Ngilari.
Others who lost were Auwal, the son of the former National Chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur and Markus Gundiri.
Auwal got 33 votes; Gundiri, 30 votes; and Ngilari, 25 votes.
The PDP electoral officer, Senator Rufai Hanger announced the results of the primary held at the old Parade Ground in Abuja.
.In his acceptance speech, Ribadu said, “My brothers and sisters, the true representatives of the people of Adamawa State, I am burdened by your choice this evening. I am challenged by it.
“I extend my hand of friendship to all those who aspired for this ticket. I believe in our collective desire to make Adamawa peaceful and a prosperous place to proudly call home.”
Cross River
The Senator representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Ben Ayade, on Monday clinched the ticket in the state.
Ayade polled 752 votes while Joe Agi (SAN), secured 11 votes. Francis Eworo had five votes while Peter Otti and Emma Ibeshi scored no votes.
One of the contenders for the race, Mr. Goddy Jedy-Agba, pulled out at the last minute, alleging that the delegates’ congress list was fraught with irregularities.
Gombe
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo received 492 votes to clinch the ticket of the PDP. The governor, who was unopposed, promised to consolidate on his achievements if given the mandate a second time.
Plateau
Senator Gyang Pwajok polled 435 votes to defeat the other 16 candidates.
His closes rival, Mr. Ignatius Longjan, who is also the deputy governor, got 163 votes. He was followed by Senator Victor Lar, who got 109 votes.
Others are former Governor Fidelis Tapgun, one vote; ex- chairman of the PDP in the state, Dr. Haruna Dabin, 16 votes; and the former Vice Chancellor of University of Jos, Prof. Sonny Tyoden, seven votes.
A total of 818 voters were accredited while 799 voted. There were five invalid votes.
Imo
In Owerri, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, defeated Ifeanyi Araraume and former Governor Ikehim Ohakim to pick the ticket.
He polled 246 votes while Araraume had 236 votes. Ohakim scored 213 votes and Senator . Chris Anyanwu, 10 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Ihedioha said, “By giving me the governorship ticket of the PDP, the good Lord has used you to anoint me to lead the charge to reclaim our dear state from the shackles of bad governance. I am humbled. I heed this call with immense sense of responsibility. To my brothers and sisters in the contest, we are all winners. To the delegates, you have made Imo proud. I thank you all. God bless our dear Imo State.”
Nasarawa
Alhaji Yusuf Agabi handed a crushing defeat to a former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and six others.
Agabi scored 214 votes as against 160 votes by Maku.
Kwara
The exercise was postponed in the state.
The state Chairman of the PDP, Iyiola Oyedepo, had while the delegates were waiting for the commencement of voting at the Arca Santa Hall in Ilorin, called the aspirants to a meeting in a room within the arena where he informed them that the exercise had been postponed. No new date was announced for a new primary.
One of our correspondents gathered that over 700 delegates were accredited for the voting exercise.
Oyedepo had while addressing journalists, said there would be no manipulation of the primary.
Earlier in the day, there was rumour of an attempt to hold a parallel congress

But the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Salihu Garab, assured the aspirants that nothing like that.
“People should be orderly and see themselves as leaders. Somebody who wants to govern the state would not encourage thuggery, they should not encourage rancour. The state is bigger than individuals,” he said .
Benue
Three people were shot and killed on Monday night by security operatives manning the entrance to the Aper Aku stadium venue of the primary in Makurdi.
It was gathered that the youth who were shot wanted to forcefully enter the venue when security operatives shot them.
Election was yet to commence as of the time of filling in this report.

www.punchng.com/news/pdp-gov-primaries-agbaje-floors-obanikoro/

The governorship candidate of APC in Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode released his CV for his critics during his acceptance speech. See his impressive resume below...
•Iwas born on the 14th of June,1963 at Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos State.
• I had my Primary School at St. Jude’s Primary School, Ebute Meta, and Lagos. Passed the National Common Entrance in Primary 5 and gained admission into Federal Government College, Warri.
• Recorded the second best result in the entire West Africa in the Higher School
Certificate Examinations in the Social Sciences in 1981.
• Graduated with honours in Accounting from the University of Lagos at 21.
• I started my public service career at Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (now LAWMA) as Accountant Grade II in November 1985.
• At 24, I qualified as a Chartered Accountant and completed my Masters Degree programme in Accounting from University of Lagos, specializing in Financial Management.
• Worked in the Local Government Service for 10years and was at various times council Treasurer in Alimosho, Shomolu, Mushin and Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Councils.
• In 1998, my commitment to public service earned me the award of the US Fullbright Scholarship for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship program, in Boston University, Massachusetts, USA on Public Leadership with emphasis on Finance and Accounting.
• I was appointed acting Auditor-General for Local Government in 2000 and became the youngest ever Auditor-General for Local Government in Lagos State.
• I was appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in January 2005 and in February, 2006, was given the additional responsibility of Accountant-General of Lagos State.
• I was the youngest Permanent Secretary in service and only the second person to hold both positions of Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General at the same time.
• Under my watch, the State Treasury Office revolutionized the way Lagos State finances were raised, budgeted, managed and planned resulting in the state’s budget performing at an average of 85% annually.
• I ensured payment of civil service staff salaries before the end of the month, payment of running cost by 1st week of each month and introduced end of the year
package and special/specific welfare for staff.
• I launched the e-payment platform for the monthly staff salaries
• I renovated the State Treasury Office, created a conducive working environment, introduced a corporate dress code and provided laptops for all Directors
• I Introduced prompt payment of gratuity and pension arrears of the State Universal
Basic Education Board and Local Government old pensioners.
• I introduced regular technical meetings with the Directors of Accounts in all MDAs, facilitated the sponsorship, by the State Governor, of over 1000 accountants to the Annual accountants' Conference in Abuja and initiated the annual retreat for Heads of Accountants as well as Local and International training for staff.
• I co-organised the first ever National Tax Retreat in association with the Joint Tax
Board/Federal Inland Revenue Service in 2005.
• I chaired the Technical Committee that produced the Lagos State Economic
Empowerment Development Strategy (SEEDS) document.
• I led the audit teams as the Auditor-General in the office of Auditor-General for Local Government to clear and publish the arrears of statutory audits of 1995 to 2004 within 12months.
• I am a scholar, accountant, administrator, an astute leader with strong emotional intelligence, i am an alumnus of Wharton Business School and also attended courses at Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, England; the Institute of Management
Development, Lausanne, Switzerland; INSEAD, Singapore and the Harvard Kennedy
School of Government, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• I retired voluntarily from public service in August, 2012; the first ever recorded voluntary retirement by a Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Public Service.
• I established Brandsmiths Consulting Limited in 2012 and the company is today consulting for Federal, State and Local Governments on the transition to the new International Public Service Accounting System and other financial advisory services.
• I am a stickler for high performance and my decisions are never based on race, gender or religion.

www.lindaikeji..nl/2014/12/akinwunmi-ambode-releases-his-resume-in.html?m=1

Fehintola Omidele, the medical doctor who went missing in Texas on November 30th has been found well and alive. Her friends made the announcement on Facebook but didn't give much details. Thank God that she's been found.

www.lindaikeji..nl/2014/12/missing-young-doctor-found.html?m=1

The former Vice President and APC presidential aspirant just tweeted this .The APC presidential primaries takes place in Lagos on December 10 2014.

The twitter handle of the Russian embassy in Nigeria has denied ownership of the Chadian-bound cargo plane carrying arms and ammunition that was detained by the Nigerian Airforce at theMallam Aminu Kano International Airport yesterday morning...
Can anyone translate this...?

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is angry with the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, as a result of the latter’s conduct before and during the just concluded APC governorship primary in the state.
Saturday PUNCHlearnt that Tinubu became angry when Fashola initially told him that he did not have a particular candidate for the APC primary only to emerge much later with a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Olasupo Shahore, as his (the governor) preferred candidate.
Akinwunmi Ambode, who defeated 12 other aspirants, had remained in public discourse as Tinubu’s favourite.
The other aspirants are Sasore; Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji; a former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan; an incumbent Commissioner for Works, Obafemi Hamzat; a former aide to Tinubu, Mr. Tayo Ayinde; Mr. Adekunle Disu, Mr. Wahab Tokunbo, Mr. Olanrewaju Ope and a former Commissioner for Rural Affairs, Mr. Tola Kasali.
Ambode polled 3,735 votes to emerge the party’s candidate for the February 2015 election. Hamzat, who came a distant second, polled 1,201 votes.
But a source close to the APC chieftain told one of our correspondents that the former governor was not only angry with Fashola, but was “disappointed in him.”He said anger was a mild word to use in the situation, noting that the governor had a right to have a candidate. He said all Tinubu wanted was to know his mind.
The source said, “But Fashola kept Tinubu guessing. He told him he did not have a candidate. Though there were signs and media reports that he was backing someone, but Tinubu could not be relying on media reports about the governor in a situation like this.
“In fact, Asiwaju told him that he had a candidate and sought the governor’s support for him. The governor said he had no candidate only for him to emerge with a candidate in the last minute. Asiwaju did not know where the governor stood.
“I believe with the outcome of the primary, the governor will have enough time to reflect.”
Saturday Punchalso learnt that there was already a crack in the wall of the camp of disgruntled governorship aspirants as their voices were no longer united on their next action.
It was learnt that some of the defeated aspirants were already working on how to get themselves back into Tinubu’s good books.
The aspirants had earlier scheduled a press conference in Lagos on Thursday night immediately after the end of voting at the primary but the press conference was called off and rescheduled for Friday.
The conference was to hold at Protea Hotel, Lagos. But the meeting was called off again as none of the aspirants showed up as journalists waited for hours in vain on Friday.
But party sources said many of the aspirants had begun to court Tinubu afresh following their defeat at the primary.
One of the sources said, “There is nothing like association of aspirants. Now that a candidate has emerged, everybody is trying to realign. The primary has succeeded in separating the boys from the men.
“One of the governorship aspirants, Obafemi Hamzat, has to separate himself from the boys because he cannot be seen to be championing the cause of the boys,” the source said.
On legal option previously being considered by aggrieved aspirants, he said, “There is no locus standi for any of them to go to court. The party approved of the Modified Delegate System that Lagos used. It is a party decision and there is no way anyone can fault the system. And if there is any legal issue, they have to slug it out with the party at the national level.”
On threat to defect to Labour Party, another source said, “Where is Labour Party now. The only governor that the party had has defected to PDP, so what is Labour Party. So, what is remaining of the Labour Party?”
Saturday PUNCHlearnt that Hamzat had congratulated the winner of the primary.
But analysts believe despite the victory of Tinubu’s candidate, the fact that he could be keenly challenged by his closest aides showed that his political empire might not be as cohesive as it was.
A close aide of the former governor said, “The ex-governor wielded so much power in the past. In the past, none of his closest associates would have dared to challenge him, they would have dropped their ambition. But even his closest boys insisted on running.
“But then, it is a positive development because it brought transparency into the whole system. He didn’t use his power to suppress anybody. That’s the positive side.”
Asked to comment on Tinubu’s disposition to Fashola and the purported moves by disgruntled aspirants to return to Tinubu’s good books, his aide, Sunday Dare, said the aspirants were still members of the party even as aspirants.
“They demanded a transparent process and it was granted,” Dare said.
He said though none of the aspirants had got in touch with him seeking to meet his boss, he noted that they all had access to his boss and could reach him without going through him.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Hakeem Bello, said there was no friction between the governor and Tinubu. But those who say so buttressed their argument with the fact that Fashola was absent from the primary.
“Where did you hear that? There is no problem at all. The governor went to bury his uncle yesterday (Thursday).”
However, a source told our correspondent that the issue on ground was the fact that Fashola was unwilling to fund the campaign of a candidate he considered as an enemy.
“Some elders of the party have, however, called the governor and Tinubu in a bid to resolve the issue. It is the outcome of the peace meeting that will determine what will happen next,” the source added.
It was learnt that Fashola was not happy with the conduct of the primary.
One of the aspirants, who asked not to be named, had said, “The way things are going, there may be mass defection from the APC as even the governor may dump the party soon. Tinubu has emasculated all of us, including Fashola who is not even being given a say. “We planned to shun the primary in protest after the party refused to postpone it following our request but we all agreed to come so that we can observe it properly in case the matter is taken to court.
“In any case, the dubious manner in which the state congress was carried out is already at a Federal High Court so there is a high possibility that the result of this event will be nullified.
“Only Tinubu has the list of the delegates and most of us were not able to reach out to them. This is most unfortunate.”
Delivering his acceptance speech, Ambode, praised the “orderliness and transparency of the process” that produced him.
He said, “It is with a deep sense of gratitude and humility that I accept this ticket to run as the candidate of our great party, in the 2015 gubernatorial elections. The victory was made possible by you the people.
“The spirit of sportsmanship devoid of bitterness that characterises this process signposts a better future for our democracy.
“Our party has demonstrated to all that we are a party of great minds and democratic ideals.
“We have a legacy to build upon. We have a challenge to meet and speedily too. The responsibility belongs to all of us. Let us put aside the disappointment of yesterday and embrace the opportunity of today. Not forgetting that the future begins today. We must never forget that the future of Lagos is bigger than the summation of our ambitions.
“After this victory, we must move quickly to retain the party APC in the column of the progressives by returning the APC to power in Lagos. On my part, I promise never to waiver or fail. I promise to energise and mobilise our teeming supporters in the next phase of this struggle.”
Ambode will be presented with the party’s flag on December 10 during the APC national convention in Lagos.
One of the governorship aspirants, Olanrewaju Ope, had congratulated Ambode on his victory in the primary.
Ope said, “Congratulations, my dear brother. The primary and the campaign preceding the election have been an interesting family affair. There is therefore no victor and no loser.
“Our great party has won and the loud voice of the delegates has been heard. You can count on me and my campaign organisation to join in the battle ahead.”
He, however, urged other aspirants to work together for the success of the party in next year’s general elections.
Saturday PUNCH, however, learnt that the remaining 11 aspirants had yet to congratulate Ambode as of Friday night when this report was filed. Pitan and Tokunbo were said to have rejected the result of the primary.
Seven of the defeated aspirants – Wahab Tokunbo, Leke Pitan, Obafemi Hamzat, Tola Kasali, Ganiyu Solomon, Adekunle Disu and Tokunbo Agbesewa – had met at Protea Hotel, Maryland, Lagos, on Friday where they hoped to address a press conference.
However, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, who was the last to arrive the venue, called some journalists aside and told them that the event had been cancelled.
It was learnt that Ikuforiji prevailed upon most of his colleagues not to fight Tinubu as the consequences of such could be far-reaching.
Still, Tokunbo blasted the APC for organising what he described as a “sham primary.”
He said, “If the APC, a party in the fore front of the change movement could subject itself to a shoddy, suspicious preparation, what then is the moral justification for blaming INEC regarding the flop in the voter registration and PVC distribution in Lagos State?”
Pitan has also rejected the result of the primary, describing it as not free and fair.
Pitan’s media aide, Mr. Adebiyi Afolayan, said his principal would not congratulate Ambode as the primary was a sham.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, who spoke on behalf of the governor said, “There is no problem between Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the governor. The two of them are working together in driving Lagos forward, so, there is no reason to fight.
“We all belong to the same party and that’s why Lagos keeps running. It’s one house, one family, one voice, altogether driving Lagos forward.
“We had our governorship congress on Thursday, it went well, all the aspirants were together and they had a warm congress.”
While explaining why the governor had yet to congratulate the winner of the primary election, Ibirogba said, “Not congratulating him does not mean we did not support him. It was a rancour-free primary. We have been able to tell the world that the party has internal democracy after all.”

www.punchng.com/news/apc-primary-fallout-tinubu-angry-with-fashola/

This woman, most likely mentally unstable was found sleeping on BRT lane just before CMS bus-stop today. It took a few minutes and a lot of convincing to get her to leave the road...

What is D'banj wearing biko nu? Lol. The singer was spotted looking extra nice as he was escorted by some police officers to his luxurious car somewhere in Lagos today. Styled by Swanky Signatures. He's also dropping his new single "Feeling The Nigga " today. See more photos after the cut...

The primary election held yesterday Dec. 4th at Onikan Stadium, Lagos. Final results are as follows;
1. Lanre Ope.....0
2. Tokunbo Wahab....7
3. Adekunle Disu....9
4. Abayomi Sutton....0
5. Tokunbo Agbesanwa....0
6. Rt. Hon. Ikuforiji.....182
7. Dr. Tola Kasali....69
8. Bar. Supo Shasore...121
9. Sen. Ganiyu Solomon... 272
10. Mr. Tayo Ayinde....17
11. Dr. Leke Pitan.... 112
12. Dr. Femi Hamzat... 1201
13. Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode... 3, 735
So if Ambode wins the 2015 election, he'll be Lagos State next governor. Look him face well well :-)

www.lindaikeji..com/2014/12/interesting-heres-final-result-of-lagos.html?m=1

The Presidency has described a statement credited to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, that President Goodluck Jonathan’s tolerance for corruption is partially responsible for insecurity in the country as unsubstantiated and frivolous.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday.
Abati said Odigie-Oyegun’s statement only confirmed the Presidency’s position that the opposition party always plays politics with everything.
He wondered if corruption was also responsible for terrorism in other countries where insurgents were operating.
He said, “We have always made a point that the APC is and has been playing politics with everything. He is talking about corruption being responsible for terrorism and insurgency, that does not sound like an educated position.
“Is it corruption that is also responsible for terrorism in Syria, Afghanistan and Columbia? He is using a serious national challenge of terrorism to play politics, it is very cheap.
“The security forces are doing their best to put an end to terrorism and insurgency and nobody can doubt the fact that President Jonathan has shown great determination in combating the terrorists and ensuring the protection of lives and property.
“The APC chairman sounded in his statement as if he does not live in Nigeria, so he found it difficult to appreciate the efforts that are being put into the terrorism war.”
Abati argued that those who were quick to accuse the present administration of condoning corruption were really the most corrupt Nigerians.
He recalled that when the government attempted to deregulate the downstream sector of the petroleum industry in order to eradicate corruption, it was the APC chiefs who opposed the move.
“Most of those who comment about corruption are probably the most corrupt in this country. Should we ask him to do an assessment of the states that are run by the APC because it is not enough to just talk about body language and make some kind of spurious allegations.
“He wants to turn the issue of corruption into a campaign issue. He wants to use it to malign the integrity of the Presidency and the government.
“He does not sound convincing at all because if anything, this administration has combated corruption. I always give an example that the whole idea of the deregulation of the downstream sector was to check corruption in the downstream sector.
“Was it not Odigie-Oyegun and his bedfellows who opposed that effort by this government to deal with that issue?
“He has no moral basis to talk about corruption. In fact, they were the ones championing corruption in the downstream sector by insisting that government should not clean up the downstream sector,” he added.
On the Transparency International index, Abati said the truth was that the latest report recognised an improvement in the corruption fight.
“The last Transparency International index showed an improvement in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. You may say that the quantum of the improvement is small but it has been noticed even by TI that something is being done to deal with the issue,” he said.
The presidential spokesman advised the APC chairman that if indeed his party was seeking power, they should tell Nigerians want they can offer.

www.punchng.com/news/apc-leaders-most-corrupt-presidency-replies/

Kano–  The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday donated five million naira to victims of Friday’s bomb blast at the Kano Central Mosque.
The APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, announced the donation when he paid a condolence visit to Gov. Rabi’u Kwankwaso at the Government House, Kano.
Oyegun said the party deemed it necessary to donate the token in order to support the victims of the most unfortunate incident.
“I want, to on behalf of the APC, to convey a truly heartfelt condolence and sympathy to the government and people of Kano State over the sad incident.
“We share your grief and the people of Kano over the sad and unfortunate event. We wish to make a token donation of five million naira in support of the victims of the blast,’’ he said.
He said that the recent incidents in Kano State and Damaturu clearly underscored the need for increased, concerted efforts to end the insurgent activities, to save the country from anarchy.
He, however, commended Kano State Government for the support and assistance it extended to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the North-East.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend you because we are not unaware of the support and assistance you are giving to IDPs from the North-East.’’
Responding, Kwankwaso, represented by his Deputy, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, thanked the APC leadership for its concern.
Kwankwaso assured that the state government would continue to work with various security agencies in order to ensure security of lives and property of the citizenry.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyegun was accompanied by other national officers of the party. (NAN)

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/apc-donates-n5m-kano-bomb-blast-victims/

The global corruption watchdog, Transparency International, has ranked Nigeria as the 39th most corrupt nation in the world.
According to the Corruption Perception Index 2014 released on Wednesday, Nigeria scored 27 out of a maximum 100 marks to clinch the 136th position out of the 175 countries surveyed for the report.
Nigeria appeared to have improved by eight points against its 2013 rating of 144th of 175 countries last year.
It will be recalled that the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index ranked Nigeria 35th most corrupt nation in the world in 2012.
A statement issued by the Transparency International noted that more than two thirds of the 175 countries in the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index scored below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean).
Denmark is the least corrupt nation in the world, ranking first out of the 175 countries surveyed while North Korea and Somalia are the most corrupt nations of the world.
The Transparency International said while top performer, Denmark, had strong rule of law, support for civil society and clear rules governing the behaviour of those in public positions, it also set an example by announcing plans to create a public register, such as beneficial ownership information for all companies incorporated in Denmark.
This measure, according to the corruption watchdog, will make it harder for the corrupt to hide behind companies registered in another person’s name.
Botswana comes top as the least corrupt nation in Africa, ranking 31st least corrupt globally while South Africa is ranked 67th.
Transparency International Chairman, José Ugaz, in a statement on the TI website, said countries at the bottom needed to adopt radical anti-corruption measures in favour of their people.
“The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index shows that economic growth is undermined and efforts to stop corruption fade when leaders and high level officials abuse power to appropriate public funds for personal gain,” Ugaz said.
According to Ugaz, countries at the top of the index should make sure they do not export corrupt practices to underdeveloped countries.
“The biggest falls were in Turkey (-5), Angola, China, Malawi and Rwanda (all -4). The biggest improvers were Côte d´Ivoire, Egypt, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (+5) and Afghanistan, Jordan, Mali and Swaziland (+4),” the statement said.
The anti-corruption group said it was currently running a campaign to unmask the corrupt, urging the European Union, the United States and G20 countries to follow Denmark’s lead and create public registers that would make clear “who really controls, or is the beneficial owner, of every company.”

www.punchng.com/news/nigeria-now-39th-most-corrupt-nation-says-ti/

He just got a job with an auditing firm with a fantastic pay. He love everything about his job except that his direct boss wants to chase him out of the office with his bad breathe. Its so bad. He can’t even describe it.
He have tried to cope within this two months He started but mehn….Kai…. its getting to him now.
Help!! How can he respectfully tell him without getting myself thrown out of my job? He need your sensible advice please.
Drop your Comment

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has been ruled out as a running mate to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress anytime the candidate emerges, investigation by The PUNCH has revealed.
A highly placed source in the party, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity in Abuja on Sunday, said that Fashola’s religion had ruled him out of the race.
He said since it was almost certain that the party would field a Muslim as its presidential candidate, it would therefore be out of place to field another Muslim as the running mate.
Apart from a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), the party also has three other known presidential aspirants.
They are a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwakwanso; and a newspaper publisher, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Out of them, only Nda-Isaiah is a Christian.
The source said that though Fashola remained the best candidate for the position, he however regretted that the issue of religion would deny the party and the country the chance of fielding the governor.
He said, “You know that the South-West is a base for the APC and it also contributed immensely to its formation. We would have preferred Fashola because of his pedigree in the state. Moreover, of all the APC governors from the zone, he is the only one doing his second term.
“But this issue of religion is the problem. Apart from this, other APC governors from the zone are also Muslims. You may need to recall that the enemies of our party tried in vain before to label the party a Muslim party.
“Even though they have failed, we may also need to be guided by the words of advice from former President Olusegun Obasanjo against any party fielding same religion ticket. This is what is hampering us concerning Fashola, whose performance and competence cannot be queried.”

The source said that even though the national leadership of the party was aware that the people of the “South-West are not religious but we are dealing with a larger society now. So, we must be careful.”

www.punchng.com/news/apc-rules-out-fashola-as-vice-presidential-candidate/

D'Prince, Ubi Franklin, Iyanya and Lynxxx at the Chanel O Awards yesterday in SA. Best dressed goes to?

It takes 30 whole chickens, peel 132lb of potatoes and boil up to 220lb of rice to make dinner for this family.
The family is organised with almost military discipline, with the oldest wife Zathiangi organising her fellow partners to perform household chores such as cleaning, washing and preparing meals.
Coincidentally, Mr Chana is said to head a sect that allows members to take as many wives as they want.
Rinkmini, one of Mr Chana's wives who is now 38 years old, said:
'We stay around him as he is the most important person in the house. He is the most handsome person in the village.
As at 2011, he said he was looking at marrying new wives to expand his family

www.lindaikeji..com/2014/11/photos-meet-worlds-largest-family-with.html?m=1

Sometimes I wonder why Suya is only sold in the evening & night. .Why??
I mean.. What if suya dey hungry me for morning chop nko?
Abeg suya sellers why be say na only evening una dey come out? – Anybody with good reason here? lol

The pic on the right is supposedly the colonial flag of Nigeria. That symbol looks very similar to the controversial one on the new N100 note. You think...?

President Good luck Ebele Jonathan visits Lagos today. Mad traffic added to the one We are trying to manage before right?
You know how crazy Lagos
traffic normally is on a Friday, so you can imagine how it will be today.
He’s coming to Lagos for an event with the Nigerian entertainment industry. It will hold at 7pm at Eko Hotel. Guys You are now informed right ? .
Before president Jonathan comes to Lagos, he will first go to OAU to hold a meeting with the council of Obas of the South West. There’s heavy gridlock and security presence this morning at the campus gate. Students writing their exams are being forced to trek or wait for just one student union coaster bus. According to the students, public transport has been barred from conveying them for now. The venue of the event is currently heavily guarded and has been barricaded.

www.ereportonline.com/2014/11/28/president-good-luck-jonathan-visiting-lagos-today/

The All Progressives Congress, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria including Olisa Agbakoba, Yusuf Ali and Niyi Akintola, have called for the removal of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, over his refusal to acknowledge Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Abba had shown that he was ‘partisan’ and would not be able to ensure a free and fair election next year.
The statement partly read, “‘Abba is presiding over perhaps the most-partisan police force ever in the history of our nation. He has thrown professionalism, neutrality and fairness to the winds and made the police a willing tool in the hands of a frenzied executive. He cannot be trusted to ensure a level-playing field for all parties at the next general elections, hence he should be removed immediately.”
The APC said by refusing to recognise Tambuwal who was duly elected by the 360 members of the House of Representatives, the police boss had “thumbed his nose at the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The party added, “By refusing to recognise Tambuwal as the Speaker, the IG has also indicated he does not recognise the entire House of Representatives. For a man who was not elected by anybody to make this impertinent assertion about elected representatives of the people is tantamount to treason.
“Abba has shunned all pretences to neutrality, professionalism and decency and he is no longer fit to occupy the important office of the IG.”
The APC alleged that Abba was acting the script of the Presidency in trying to unlawfully remove a duly-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The APC said, “Shortly after the incident, the Police spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the police acted the way it did because it got intelligence report that ‘’hoodlums and thugs’’ were coming to invade the House.
“Now, Abba said it was because Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the APC were coming to invade the House. This is a most shameful lie from the highest police officer in the land, and it is a terrible dent on the image of the police under Abba.
“One wonders why the police were so concerned about the security of the National Assembly that it engaged in selective granting of passage to the principal officers of the Assembly. The Senate President was allowed to enter without qualms, just like the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. But when the Speaker came, he was locked out. That speaks volumes about the intention of the police.”
In his own reaction, Akintola (SAN), said the IG erred by saying that it was wrong to recognise Tambuwal as the Speaker, on the excuse that the matter was in court.
He said, “The IG cannot turn himself into a court of justice to be interpreting the law. It is left for the court to interpret it one way or the other; it is not open to anybody. I think the attitude of the IG calls for concerted effort of all Nigerians to put him in check. The impunity and the derogatory remarks of the IG, if allowed to go unchecked, he will extend it to the President of the Senate, he will extend it to the CJN and he will even extend it to the Vice President.
“So to me, it is not even Tambuwal that is affected and it is very unfortunate because I would have expected that by now members of the National Assembly should have relieved him of that position. The IG is simply not mature enough to lead an organisation like the Police. All Nigerians should rise up against the impunity of this man called Abba.”
He added that the issue was not about Tambuwal but about democracy.
“And I am of the opinion that members of the National Assembly should rise up to the occasion and the man should be sacked, anything short of that, they should all go back to their respective homes until the man resigns,” Akintola added.
Also, Yusuf Ali, (SAN), said though both the Nigeria Police and the IG were supposed to be insulated from politics, Abba had demonstrated beyond any doubt that he was partisan.
“For whoever is the occupant of that office to be partisan, it is dangerous for our democracy. And that is part of the problems that we have in this country, we don’t have institutions. We only have government departments and loyalists, not to Nigerians but to individuals in government.
“It is quite unfortunate that the number one police officer in this country took it upon himself to assume the position of the court of law that pronounces the seat of the Speaker vacant and it is even more disappointing and pathetic that he is a lawyer, who is expected to know better.
“What happened yesterday was arrant insubordination,” Ali said.
For Agbakoba, the IG was wrong because the court had to pronounce the question of the Speaker’s resignation and until the court makes that pronouncement, clearly the Speaker would be entitled to be addressed as the Speaker.
“The IG was also wrong to have caused the raid of the National Assembly, so I think altogether, the IG has been acting as if he is politically-motivated and it is very dangerous. The IG was wrong to say he could not recognise the Speaker because the matter is in court.”
Also, the members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, on Thursday insisted that the action of the police was a clear invitation to anarchy and that the continued denigration of the legislature was dangerous being the most important symbol of democracy.
The Acting National President of PASAN, Mr. Mohammed Bala, who stated this at a news conference in Abuja, therefore advocated a constitutionally empowered Sergeant-At-Arms, who would be solely responsible for the security of the legislature.

www.punchng.com/news/tambuwal-agbakoba-other-sans-seek-ig-dismissal/

The Peoples Democratic Party and its National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, on Wednesday at a Federal High Court in Abuja opposed the move by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to return as the leader of the party.
Tukur resigned as the National Chairman of the party on January 15, 2014, but he has asked the court to reinstate him to the position.
He urged the court to declare that he remained the party chairman arguing that his resignation letter did not meet the requirement of the PDP’s constitution, which made it mandatory for 30 days notice to be given before the resignation would become effective.
He also maintained that the National Deputy Chairman ought to have taken over the affairs of the party and not Mu’azu, who was only appointed and not elected at a national convention as prescribed by the party’s constitution.
This is is contained in a counter-claim which he filed in a suit instituted by another member of the PDP, Aliyu Gurin, who is challenging the propriety of Tukur’s resignation and the subsequent appointment of Mu’azu as the National Chairman of the party.
But the PDP and Mu’azu, through their counsel, Mr. Solomon Umoh (SAN), said both the main suit and Tukur’s counter-claim constituted an abuse of court processes and urged Justice Evoh Chukwu to dismiss them.
Umoh argued that Tukur was, by his prayer, seeking to benefit from his wrong act of walking away without giving the party the 30 days notice.
“The court should hold that the 2nd defendant (Tukur) cannot take benefit of his wrongful act,” he added.
He said contrary to Tukur’s contention, the deputy chairman of the party took over the affairs of the party and not Mu’azu, after his (Tukur’s) resignation.
The lawyer argued that it was the national deputy chairman, who summoned the meeting which produced Mu’azu as the national chairman, and that the party was only waiting for the time of its national convention.
“We have practically shown when the 2nd defendant gave a beautiful speech and walked away and the deputy chairman took over in line with the party’s constitution and on January 20, the deputy national chairman summoned a meeting as minutes of the meeting would show, and this gave birth to the current national chairman.”
Umoh also said such counter-claim filed by Tukur, who is a defendant in the suit, was unknown to the law as there was no provision for a defendant to file a counter-claim.
“By virtue of provisions of Order 13 Rule 35(15), all that a defendant is expected to do is to file a counter-affidavit and showcase his exhibit,” he said.
He also argued that the suit was premature as the plaintiff ought to have exhausted the remedial mechanisms prescribed in section 60 of the PDP constitution before approaching the court.
But the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oguneso (SAN), argued that the defendants had not denied that Mu’azu was not produced through an election as stipulated by the party’s constitution.
He urged the court to grant his prayers as compliance with provisions of the law was mandatory and not optional.
Tukur’s lawyer, Adeboro Adamson, insisted that his client’s counter-claim was not an abuse of court process as Order 10, Rule 3 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2009 made provision for the filing of a counter-claim by a defendant.
But Umoh insisted that the provisions of the Order 10, Rule 3 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules were only applicable when a defendant “seeks remedy against the plaintiff,” which he said was not the situation in the suit.
The Independent National Electoral Commission through its counsel, Nelson Ani, said it would remain neutral in the case.
Like the plaintiff, Tukur maintained that he remained the national chairman of the party “in the eyes of the law”, claiming that his purported resignation from office on January 15, 2014 was null and void as it flouted provisions of section 47(5) of the party’s constitution.
He also asked the court to order the PDP, the incumbent National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, and the INEC, “to recognise and permit him to continue to preside over the affairs of the party till 2016.”
He maintained that having been elected for a four-year term in 2012 he ought to legally remain in office till 2016 but was forced to “step aside” from office on January 15, 2014.
Justice Chukwu, after hearing parties in the suit reserved judgment, saying the date for delivering the judgment would be communicated to parties at the appropriate time.

www.punchng.com/news/pdp-muazu-reject-tukurs-return-as-party-chairman/