₦airaland Forum

Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), says Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue state, was not pushed out of the party.

He said this on Monday at the party secretariat in Abuja while responding to questions on the withdrawal of Ortom.

Ortom had announced that APC had given him a “red card” and this would enable him to join any political party that has an ideology worthy of being adopted by his administration.

But the party chairman said he could not comment on the basis of rumour, saying APC would dig into the matter and react accordingly.

“This party will not comment on the basis of rumours and I am sure eventually we will find out the fact of the matter and base on those facts, we would act,” he said.

“I know that Ortom is a prominent member of the party. He has said repeatedly to me one on one that he will not leave the APC unless he was pushed out.

“I have since assumed the chairmanship of this party along with my brothers and sisters in the national working committee and I know that we have not shut out any governor, certainly not Ortom.”

Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River state, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot zone his constitutional rights, stating that he has the right to aspire, win or lose the party’s presidential ticket.

Duke, who was governor from 1999 to 2007 says he had always wanted to be president since 2005, with the plan to solve Nigeria’s productivity problem.

He said about two thirds of the total population of the country — about 132 million people — are unproductive.

Speaking in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show, Duke said the lack of productivity is responsible for the insurgency, insecurity and unemployment in Nigeria.

Duke had in February 2017, announced his intention to contest the 2019 presidential election.

He said the lack of will by leaders is another factor responsible for the challenges plaguing the country, adding that he has this will to offer.

“I have had interest in the presidency since 2005. It has always been there. The reason is that there is a certain level of frustration; we seem not to be making the requisite progress we ought to be making as a nation and we all know that we are better than what we are today,” Duke said.

“And to me, the answers to our problems are not far-fetched. What I find missing is the will to make it happen and this is what I bring to the table.

“What I would like to do, to move our nation forward, we need to address the productivity of a Nigerian. Here you are, a nation of almost 200 million people. Two-thirds are not productive. Two-thirds actually depend on one-third.

“When you see the problems we are having, whether it is Boko Haram, the militancy, the kidnapping it is all born of the fact that …people are discontent and the discontent is a result of not being able to fend for oneself. So, we have to address the productivity. If every Nigerian were productive, believe me, we won’t have Boko Haram.”

Duke further said the statistics of unemployment and failure of leadership in Nigeria “is what fuels my interest” to run for presidency.

According to him, the education system needed to be reformed to provide for skill acquisition for every graduate.

“That is what fuels my interest. We talk the talk, we know what to say, we know our problems but do we have the will, do we have the strategy to make it happen. I went into the numbers. This is a developing country where many thighs ought to be done are not being done,” he said.

“So the reason for people not having jobs is a bit off because people should have a lot of jobs. For example, we have 20m housing shortage and that in itself can engage about 15m people.

“The four things that I would immediately address, we talk about education but in today’s world, it is more than just reading and writing. Education should leave you with a skill.

“So, for me, every brain must be trained because an untrained brain is a drain on the nation, because that brain will be dependent on another brain for its own subsistence. So, we need to invest heavily on education and skill development.”

He also said he would give priority to the areas of infrastructure, health and technological advancement.

Commenting on the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Duke said the government is distracted.

He said the government was addressing the symptoms of the problems, not the problems themselves.

“This administration, I think they are being distracted. I think they came into office not really appreciating the totality of the picture and the fixation on corruption and security they don’t look at the broader picture. Those are symptoms of a problem, not the problem itself,” he said.

“There are two types of corruption: corruption of greed and corruption of need . corruption of greed, we can deal with it institutionally, having a strong judiciary but corruption of need, a policeman who has 8 children at home, a family back in the village and is paid a pittance will find a way of making money on the side. That you can’t stop. So, they didn’t think of the totality and this is a recurring problem, not just with this administration.

Asked his chances of contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since the party has zoned the presidential ticket to the north, Duke said: “ You cant zone my constitutional right”.

“I have a right to aspire, I have a right to win, I have a right to lose. How realistic is dependent on the electorate. They would realise my ambition. I believe there is enough frustration in Nigeria to take the scales off our eyes and say ‘look, who is gonna solve our problem’?

“If I run, I might lose, if I don’t run, I am guaranteed to lose. So, I will give it a shot, I will give Nigerians the option of Donald Duke. The worse that would happen is that I lose. For me, the bigger loss is not offering myself.”

Abuja – The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced the profiling of opposition members currently heading various agencies and parastatals of the Federal Government as it pushes through a recent threat to sack remnants of PDP members still holding plum jobs in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Recall that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the APC, had threatened to unmask and call for the sack of all PDP members who were still holding political appointments in the administration despite the change of government in 2015.

In what appears a house cleaning exercise, the party last week summoned all heads of Federal Government agencies and parastatals to ascertain their political loyalty/affiliation with a view to throwing out those whose loyalty was with the opposition.

A source in the APC national headquarters confirmed the development, saying the leadership of the party was determined to effect changes in agencies and parastatals of the Federal Government based on party affiliation.

Daily Independent notes that heads of agencies and parastatals of government were coming and going from the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

“As the national chairman said, the APC cannot afford to arm the opposition. Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, made several appointments into federal agencies at the twilight of the PDP administration, and these appointments are tenured.

“Most of the occupants of these appointments have finished their terms and many chieftains of the party are not happy that PDP members are still holding on to these positions,” our source stated.

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on assumption of office as chairman of the party declared his desire to rid the system of PDP loyalists still holding political positions in the government, a goal he restated last week when he inaugurated the 39-member non-working committee of the party.

He said, “We are aware that even as at today, we still have a lot of PDP people occupying very important positions in federal agencies.

“We will do everything possible to purge these elements out of the system because we are a party of change.

“They are the conservative right-wing party. We cannot entrust to conservative forces an agenda for change. Government is not in the Villa. Villa is the head of government.

“Government is in the agencies – what they do, how they do it, the quality of service delivery and the style of that service delivery.

“That is how the ordinary man interfaces with power and if these agencies are in the hands of those who do not believe in our change agenda, then we cannot expect miracles from them.

“And for those who are aggrieved as to how certain things are done, those who question that they do not seem to see the difference because, substantially, PDP is still managing these agencies.

“So, we have a duty to convince the federal executive that we have no business, this government has no business, with any PDP in sensitive federal agencies and using their old tactics in service delivery. That, I believe, is a task that all of us must pursue.

“I believe that we now must work consciously to ensure that in replacing, we replace sinners with believers.

“Believers are those who are card-carrying members of our party and before we go outside the party family, we must convince ourselves that the persons we are taking, we are taking him because we do not have that particular expertise within the family, but even so, he must first take the card and demonstrate loyalty, because if you do not believe in a process, you cannot be entrusted with the management of that process.

“It is not because we are hungry to let our people have jobs, but because I have no confidence that PDP appointees can drive the changes that APC promised.

“APC promises must be kept by APC activists at a managerial level, at board level, and at the political level.”

When this reporter accosted one of the heads of agencies, who heads a tertiary medical institution, he hinted that they had been summoned at the party’s secretariat but didn’t give details.

Our source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also disclosed that the party was looking at leveraging on “support that comes from these agencies” in the build-up to the 2019 election, citing assertions by Oshiomhole and President Muhammadu Buhari to the effect that the PDP remained the richest political party in the country.

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has commended Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Saturday’s election in Ekiti, Prof Kolapo Olusola Eleka.

He said although the APC candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, won the election, Fayose and Eleka deserved commendation as they did not attempt to subvert the will of the people or plunge the state into violence.

Tinubu made this known in a Sunday statement through through his media aide, Tunde Rahman.

He said, “I would be remiss if I did not say a good word about the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Prof. Olusola Kolapo Eleka.

“He conducted a tough and energetic campaign. He wanted this seat but, in the end, he did not resort to violence to get his way.

“He allowed the people to make their own decision and for his adherence to this democratic principle, he should be recognised.

“The same must be said of Gov. Ayo Fayose. He tried his utmost to bring his candidate to victory but he did not cross the line by trying to subvert the will of the people through violent means.”

Tinubu in the statement titled “Ekiti Election: A Victory for the People”, lauded Ekiti people for throwing their weight behind the APC and its candidate, Dr Fayemi.

He therefore urged the governor-elect to justify the confidence Ekiti people reposed in him.

”Dr Fayemi must keep in remembrance that the people have placed their future in his safekeeping and he must justify their trust in him by doing all he can do to advance their welfare.

“I’m confident that Fayemi will keep faith with the programmes and policies of our party in order to improve the lives of the people of Ekiti.

“I know Fayemi will establish an all-inclusive government that involves all stakeholders in his administration and in the governance of the state.”

He noted that, ”In Ekiti, a chapter has closed and a new one has begun. This was not done by contrivance or artifice, nor was it the product of intimidation or improper influence.

“This came about because it was the will of the people of Ekiti as expressed and manifested in the conduct of a free and fair election in that state. In voting as they did, the people thus voted for themselves.

“Here, we must congratulate Dr Kayode Fayemi and our party, the APC, for the successful campaign that was run and for the confidence the people of Ekiti have shown in transferring the mandate to govern them into our hands.”

Tinubu added, “Dr Fayemi is a man of integrity and his government will not be one of recrimination. It is a government of the people and as such will focus its attention on helping the people, not suppressing yesterday’s political opponents.

“I urge Gov. Fayose and Prof. Kolapo Eleka, as prominent citizens and leaders of Ekiti, to move forward in that same spirit. Let there be an orderly transition from the outgoing to the incoming government.

“Last and most importantly, let us commend the people of Ekiti. Casting aside all the dire predictions, they conducted themselves with the patience, sobriety and collective wisdom befitting the moment.

“Instead of turning things upside down, they turned to peace and mutual respect for each other as well as respect for the democratic process.

“Above all else, the election was your election and yesterday was your day! With the choice that you have made, may tomorrow also be your best future.”

EternalTruths:
In a free and fair election, Okezie of Abia State will lose election because of salaries.


If APC ensure that no electoral irregularities in Abia State, APC will defeat PDP because of Okezie non payment of salaries.

EternalTruths:
That is why Fayose lost the election.

Imagine owing salaries for months and he expects the civil servants to vote for him.

Who votes on a hungry stomach

The House of Representatives has constituted an 11-member ad-hoc committee chaired by Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC, Kano) to investigate the total amount recovered from the infamous Sani Abacha loot by the federal government from 1998 to date, THISDAY has learnt.

It was gathered that the committee was saddled with the responsibility of ascertaining the sources and utilisation of the loot, so that the issue, which had generated a lot of controversy in recent times, could be laid to rest by the lower chamber.

According to the spokesman of the House, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, the committee would determine, among other things, the amount spent from the loot on specific projects and the balance to be spent.

THISDAY also gathered that the investigative sitting, which would begin this week would have former presidents interviewed in their residences on the recovery of the loot by their respective administrations.

Also to be invited are key government officials from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

The House had earlier passed a resolution to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter, following a motion moved under matters of urgent public importance by Hon. Sunday Karimi (PDP, Kogi) on the urgent need to stop the federal executive from expending the last tranche of the Abacha loot or any recovered loot at all without parliamentary approval.

The lawmakers had sought to establish the sources of the monies; payments to lawyers, if any, and whether procedures were followed in the negotiation process for the release of the loot as well as to establish if the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the federal government and foreign countries on the repatriation was in line with constitutional provision and if recovered funds had been utilised for the benefits of the common man.

Karimi’s motion originally requested that the sum of $322 million to be released by the Switzerland Government be paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) and distributed to the federating units in line with the current revenue sharing formula.

The motion further urged the federal government to come up with a supplementary appropriation bill, earmarking the funds due to it from the loot for the completion of the Ajaokuta Stell Complex, and the federal government to immediately present to the National Assembly, the total money released from the recovered loot and how they were spent.

BRASH:
See better presidents standing in the rain, if it was bubu now they will bring ambulance to take him to london to treat cold.

The Presidency has written the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) demanding a thorough probe of the alleged exemption certificate scandal involving the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

An online newspaper, Premium Times had reported that the Minister who graduated from London East Polytechnic at the age of 22 in 1989, failed to comply with NYSC Act, which made it compulsory for every Nigerian graduate at home or abroad to participate in one year of mandatory service to the nation.

Following the uproar trailing the controversy, the management of the NYSC said based on their records, Adeosun actually applied for an exemption certificate but did not state whether the request was granted or not.

A top source in the Presidency told Daily Trust on Sunday that a formal request has been made, directing the NYSC to investigate the forgery allegation against the minister.

The source said a formal letter was written to the NYSC and that the outcome of the investigation was being awaited.

At the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last Wednesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said since NYSC has spoken on the issue, the federal government has done so.

The NYSC enabling law prescribes punishment for anyone who absconds from the scheme or forges its certificates and any eligible Nigerian who skipped the service is liable to be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and/or N2, 000 fine, according to Section 13 of the NYSC law.

Section 13 (3) subsection 4 also criminalises giving false information or illegally obtaining the agency’s certificate. It provides for up to three-year jail term for such offenders.

According to official credentials obtained by Premium Times the minister parades a purported NYSC exemption certificate, which was issued in September 2009, granting her exemption from the mandatory service on account of age.

The newspaper claimed that Mrs Adeosun graduated in 1989 at 22 years from the Polytechnic of East London. Her curriculum vitae indicated that she was born in March 1967. It noted that the institution changed its name to University of East London in 1992.

The report added that the minister did not return to Nigeria for the one year NYSC programme but remained in Britain for a career in the public and private sectors.

It was gathered that she returned to Nigeria in 2002 and did not participate in the NYSC programme but allegedly obtained a “fake” certificate in 2009. The certificate was dated September 9, 2009, and signed by Yusuf Bomoi, a former director-general of the corps. Bomoi was dropped as director-general in January 2009.

However, the NYSC in a statement by the Director, Press and Publications Relations, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, said that based on their records, Adeosun actually applied for an Exemption Certificate.

Few days into the allegations, Minister of Youths and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, summoned the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Suleiman Kazaure over the matter.

General Maharazu Tsiga (rtd), who was appointed Director-General in January 2009, told Premium Times that is easy to identify a fake certificate. He explained that the corps has a “strong room” where it can be proved if a certificate is genuine or not.

According to him, it is not possible for a person who is below 30 years to be granted an exemption waiver, pointing out that even if someone is 100-years- old, he/she must serve if it is discovered that the person had not done so.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that unlike in the past, the quick presidential directive for a probe into the matter could be due to fears that the opposition could make political capital out of it, especially coming a few months to the general elections.

It would be recalled that it took the Presidency months before it took a decision to probe and later sack the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Lawal Babachir, for alleged diversion of funds.

asheyorinitemi:
ftc

Jabioro:
You just bursted my belly with laff...abeg me no kill person..you said all..

tafabaloo:
If you are a slave you are a slave no matter the age.

If fayose is to be held accountable for all his wishful thoughts against the President , then who is to be held responsible for all the needless and avoidable deaths in the North west and North central due to inaction of whose responsibility it is to protect the citizenry.

Pidginwhisper:
Na when Oga Seun turn gay

fykes:
U r snapping ship to post online when me would have been reporting from inside the ship.
Where's ur sense of adventure young man?

smellingmenses:
Well even his compensation is a matter of litigation... He ruined himself with the Costa text...