₦airaland Forum

By Jameelah Idris

Youth leaders of the Kwankwasiyya movement across the country on Wednesday, paid a solidarity visit to the former PDP chairman of Kano state, Engr Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, regretting that the movement has lost its compass following the defection of Bichi to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The youth leaders led by Comr Sylvanus Okpe, the national spokesperson of Kwankwasiyya students and youths movement, maintained that the movement has derailed and declared their unflinching support for Engr Rabiu Suleiman Bichi.

Sylvanus during the visit, noted that Rabiu Bichi was the brain box of the movement and wondered how the movement would thrive without an articulate leader like Bichi.

The National President of the Kwankwasiyya Youths Network, Comr Felix Terese who was part of the delegation, also wondered how the movement would succeed without Bichi who he described as the engine house of the movement. He further assured that he would mobilise the Kwankwasiyya Youth Network nationwide to join Rabiu Suleiman Bichi in his new political party.

The speeches by the members of the delegation were often interrupted by the chants of "no Bichi, no Kwankwasiyya".

The delegation included members of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, student union leaders from the University of Abuja, University of Maidugiri, Kogi state University and other professionals such as lawyers, political scientists and medical doctors.

In his reaction, Engr Rabiu Suleiman Bichi thanked the youths for reposing confidence in him. He also regretted that the movement which he laboured so hard with others to esterblish is gradually losing focus and expressed optimism that he would bring his vibrant ideas to bear in ensuring that the APC administration meets the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian people, particularly the youths.

He also promised that he would sustain the ideals upon which the movement was esterblished.

Reactions have continued to trail the removal of Emeka Ihedioha as Governor of Imo State and subsequent replacement by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Hope Uzodimma by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

This dismissal has sent shivers down the spines of other governors with cases pending at the Apex court.

Following the tensed political atmosphere and the cloud of uncertainty that has enveloped the political terrain, TheNigerian organised an opinion poll calling on its readers to vote for the next possible governor who they feel may suffer the same fate.

The poll which was organised on Thursday, 16th of January 2020, with four governors including Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano State and Govenror Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on the list generated comments aplenty with majority voting Ganduje out.

These commenters hinged their views on the basis that the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Abba K.Yusuf had won the election and that the rerun election which later granted victory to the incumbent, Ganduje was needless.

Engr Buba Galadima, a former ally of President Muhammadu Buhari who served as the National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) didn’t partake in the poll but leads the bandwagon hoping the Kano State governor slips under the rails.

The elder statesman noted that “What has happened is that the Supreme Court has now tied itself because how can they do that to Emeke Ihedioha and refuse Abba Kabiru Yusuf in Kano? It was exactly what had happened in Kano.

“If an election had to be canceled, it has to be at the polling unit level according to the Supreme Court.

“But in Kano, the votes were not canceled at the polling unit; they were not canceled at the ward level but they were canceled at the local level.

So, it goes without saying that Ganduje is gone, and anything to the contrary, Nigeria will see the fire”.

But while reacting to Galadima’s claims, the coordinator of Governor Ganduje’s legal team, Barrister Mohammad Abdullahi Lawan, contended that the view of Galadima was absolutely no correlation between the facts and circumstances of Ihedioha.

“In the former (Ihedioha case), whilst there was glaring evidence of the cancellation of results by officials other than the presiding officers, in the later case (Governor Ganduje) there was no evidence of such cancellation by officials order than the presiding officers,” Lawan said.

“Instead, there was proven evidence in the Governor Ganduje case, that the cancellation of some of the 207 polling units were carried out by the respective INEC Polling Unit Presiding Officers as was clearly depicted in the numerous Form ECG 40s tendered and admitted in evidence without any objections by the Petitioners.

“Again, in the Ganduje case, there was the inability of the INEC to collate the results of 62 polling units in Gama ward comprising of over 48,000 registered voters in an election with a lead margin of only 26,000 votes!

It will be recalled that Engr Abba K Yusuf of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP scored 1,014474 votes to gap Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress, APC who scored 987, 819 votes with 26,655 margin before the election was declared inconclusive by the independent Nationa Electoral Commission, INEC.

However, Ganduje of the APC was later declared winner of the election after he was reported to have polled 1,033,695 against Engr Abba K Yusuf who polled 1,024,713 at the rerun election which held on the 24th of March 2019.

TheNigerian Poll: Readers want Ganduje removed by Supreme Court

https://thenigerian.news/?p=114519

I don't know how to describe your sisters loyalty and genuine love. She has won my heart. It is unfortunate that your entire village and immediate family still dwells in the primitive tradition that labels a particular set of persons outcast at this era. Your sisters gallant steps I pray would break that jinx restore equality to that community

By J.M Agu Esq. (CIArb)

Since the news of the judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar filtered our political space, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to His Excellency, Senator Chris Ekpenyong of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and conduct a rerun election in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State within 90 days, there have been a lot of reactions against and/or for the judgment. In fact, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has welcomed the judgment as a good development and urged the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator God’swill Akpabio (the immediate past Governor of the state) to resign his appointment and avail himself for the election because according to him, it is an opportunity to widen the gap of the margin of victory for the PDP in the 23rd February, 2019 elections. In his words, “we welcome the judgment of the Court of Appeal which has proven that widespread irregularities occurred in Essien Udim Local Government Area and we are preparing for the election; we are expecting Senator Akpabio's resignation (as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs) so that he can come for the election.” Ini Emembong, the PDP spokesperson in Akwa Ibom state later issued a statement, saying the rerun would afford the party a chance to widen its victory margin against Mr Akpabio and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Inasmuch as I do not intend to comment on the judgement of the court of appeal which I am not yet privy to the full judgement, I wish to commend the courage, dexterity, and industry which Their Lordships put in delivering the landmark judgement. However, this judgment has opened up another opportunity to enrich both our Constitutional democracy and Election jurisprudence.

Interestingly, the Appellate Court in its wisdom ordered a rerun election in Essien Udim LGA, where Senator Akpabio hails from. The court ruled that the rerun should hold within 90 days of the judgment. The constitutional question now is:
Whether Senator Akpabio is required to resign his position as the minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria before embarking on this rerun election; or
Whether he is eligible to stand for the election even as a minister.

A cursory look at the relevant laws will suffice to address the issues. The two major laws governing our electoral processes namely the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), (hereafter “the Constitution) and the Electoral Act, 2010 (the Act) are germane. A combined reading of Section 66(1)(f) of the Constitution and Section 87(1)(2)&(4)(c)(i)(ii) of the Act would reveal that the law never envisages a situation like this, and therefore, never expects Sen. Akpabio to resign his current appointment before going into the rerun election.

For the sake of clarity, the two provisions will be reproduced verbatim. Section 66(1)(f) provides thus:
“No person SHALL be qualified for election to the Senate or House of Representatives if-
(f) he is a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State and has not RESIGNED, withdrawn or retired from such employment THIRTY DAYS before the date of election.” (emphasis supplied). Section 87(1)(2)(4)(c)(i)(ii) state as follows:
“A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act SHALL hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions. (2) The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political party for various elective positions SHALL be by direct or indirect primaries. (4) A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates SHALL adopt the procedure outlined below:
(c) in the case of nomination to the position of a candidate to Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly, a political party SHALL, where it intends to sponsor candidates:
(i) hold a special Congress in the Senatorial District, Federal Constituency and the State Assembly Constituency respectively, with delegates voting for each of the aspirants in designated centre on specified dates; and (ii) the aspirant with the highest number of votes at the end of voting SHALL be declared the winner of the primaries of the party and the aspirant’s name SHALL be forwarded to the Commission as the candidate of the party.”(emphasis mine).
It can be gleaned from the above provisions that the law envisages the resignation of a candidate who is contesting a new election and not as in the present case. Senator Akpabio, having complied with the provisions of all the relevant laws governing our electoral process need not resign his current appointment before going into the rerun election as ordered by the court. The legal maxim of expressio unius personae vel, est exclusio alterius which simply means that the express mention of a person or thing is the express exclusion of another as was held by the Supreme Court in the case of Ehuwa v. OSIEC (2006)10 NWRL (pt.1012) 544, can be invoked in this discourse. In that case, Ogbuagu JSC held thus: “it is now firmly established that in the construction of a statutory provision, where a statute mentions specific things or persons, the intention is that those not mentioned are to be excluded...”

Therefore, having mentioned those who ought to have resign their appointment before contesting election under section 66(1)(f) of the Constitution, the constitution did not go further to say what happens in case of rerun election. It is our firm position that the rerun election is merely a corollary of the original process of 23rd February, 2019 elections which Akpabio was eligible to contest. The law is that the whole processes leading to the 23rd February elections are still valid except the completion of the election in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

In conclusion, it is our strong view that Senator God’will Akpabio is eligible to stand for the election without resigning his position as a minister before contesting the rerun election. He has two options as it stands now. He can decide to contest the rerun election if he wins he has the option of going back to the Senate where he came from, or he can relinquish it for his juicy post as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, we urge Senator Akpabio’s legal team to urgently approach the court for legal interpretation of the Constitution and the Electoral Act before the conduct of the rerun election as ordered by the Court of Appeal. In this sense our electoral process will be richly enhanced.


J M Agu, ESQ (CIArb) is a Lawyer, Political Analyst, and Public Commentator. He writes from Enugu State, Nigeria. He can be reached on
08185313113, josephmaduekeagu@gmail.com

By Sylvanus Okpe

The conspicuous absence of the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and a leading contender at the Sepetember 3rd PDP guber primaries, Mr Ndutimi Alaibe at the Wednesday PDP mega rally which heralded the party's governorship campaign ahead of the November 16th guber polls, seems to have settled the lingering speculation that all is not well with the Umbrella family in Bayelsa state.

The absence of the two PDP stakeholders at the rally leaves much to be worried about as curious political analysts had wasted no time in drawing the conclusion that little or no efforts have been made to pacify the many nerves that got frayed following the outcome of the Guber primaries in the state.

The outgoing Governor of the state, Hon. Seriake Dickson who had before now, occupied a special seat in the comity of democrats in Nigeria began to arouse doubts as to his credibility and democratic tendencies when he moved to sway the party delegates into settling for a member of the Bayelsa Restoration Team. The Governor was clear in his resolve to handpick his successor from the 8 members of the restoration team who already counted themselves among the 21 candidates that threw in their hats for the battle to fly the party's flag in the November 16th Bayelsa governorship elections. The Governor who later narrowed his choice of successor to two candidates in the ranks of the restoration team namely, the senator representing Bayelsa Central, Mr Douye Diri and the immediate past Secretary to the state government, Bar Kemela Okara, later settled for the little known Senator Douye Diri who hails from the same Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government council area with a grassroots politician in the party who was also a leading contender in the primaries, the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Ndutimi Alaibe.

The outcome of the primaries which returned Senator Douye Diri as the flagbearer of the party became contentious amongst party faithfuls who felt the state Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson failed to consult with his erstwhile political Godfather and benefactor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan before the last minute gimmicks that paved the way for Diri to emerge as the Flagbearer of the party.

PDP stalwarts and analysts who are in the know as to how Dr Jonathan changed the tides in favour of Hon Dickson who was a member of the house of reps during the PDP guber primaries in 2012 protested the perceived efforts of Dickson in relegating Dr Jonathan to political oblivion in the state. This prompted not a few loyalists and kinsmen of the former President to disassociate themselves from the political dispensation of Hon Dickson. The first person to publicly protest the unfavourable treatment of Dr Goodluck Jonathan was the Former Special Adviser on Power Development to the Governor, Mr Michael Ogiasa who immediately resigned his appointment with the state government.

While the political unrest generated by the primaries raged on, the Governor worsened the situation by orchestrating the appointment of another PDP serving Senator, Mr Lawrence Ewrudjiakpo who represents Bayelsa West Senatorial district at the Nigerian Senate as the PDP deputy Governorship candidate. This further plunged the party into turmoil as many PDP stakeholders viewed the actions of the Governor as a desperate move to pave way for his ascendancy into the Senate at the expiration of his tenure in few weeks to come. This speculation could not be brushed aside as the Governor who hails from Bayelsa West would stand a chance to push his political career back to the National Assembly in the event that INEC conducts a bye election when the outcome of the election favours the PDP.

So many party faithfuls have also questioned the rationale behind the Governor's removal of the only two Senators of the PDP from the Nigerian Senate thereby making their positions susceptible to a possible take over by the waxing opposition should a bye election be conducted. Many stakeholders reasoned that the party ought to have sealed that font and sought for fresh party men to occupy the Governorship and deputy governorship positions of the party.

The discontent in the party is enough to negatively affect the fortunes of the party in the November 16th guber polls. Analysts opined that Jonathan might be gentle but not a political neophyte, insisting that his political block and wide acceptability across every strata of the state will play an inestimable role in who succeds Dickson as the governor of the state.

The rally at Yenogoa yesterday also brought to question, the effectiveness of the Dr Bukola Saraki led reconciliation committee of the party. So many political onlookers who were abreast with the political development in the state, questioned the efficacy of the peace committee.

Nditimi Alaibe's political acceptability in the state would also play a significant role in granting the party victory and his obvious indifference to the party's campaigns has been described by a commentator as injurious to the party's desired electoral success.

The absence of PDP governors particularly of the South-South region at the conference even as Hon Dickson still holds sway as the Chairman of PDP Governors forum has been interpreted by many analysts as a direct protest of the demeaning treatment Dr Jonathan was subjected to by the Governor.

It has torn the party apart albeit supporters of the state governor are unwavered in their belief that the Governor’s popularity and grassroots touch will count in their favour as November 16th draws closer.

Sylvanus Okpe is a columnist and the Political Editor of TheNigerian News. He can be reached on sylvaike479@gmail.com

https://thenigerian.news/jonathans-conspicuous-absence-from-bayelsa-pdp-mega-rally-and-matters-arising/

By Pius Nndere, Makurdi

A group of prominent Benue Youths known as Liberate Benue Coalition (LBC) has commended the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) over what they described as "doing the needful in insisting to prosecute Sen. Gabriel Suswam over corruption charges".

The group also urged the EFCC to imbibe due diligence in the prosecution to ensure that justice is served so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

The group also reminded the EFCC that the entire world is watching to see how the case of someone who they avered, "outrightly diverted proceeds of the sale of shares of investment our forefathers bequeathed to the state would be conducted."

According to the press statement signed by Tivkaa J. Zege and Livinus Awuhe Baver, the conveners of the group and made available to Journalists in Makurdi, the group expressed optimism that with the case being handled by a "no nonsense justice", Okon Abang, justice will be served for the people of Benue state whose Commonwealth they alleged, "was viciously looted to carcass".

Sen. Gabriel Suswam who is also a former Governor of Benue state is standing trial over corruption charges in different courts of competent jurisdiction, including a High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Okon Abang.

Suswam was accused of sundry corrupt activities including conspiring with his then Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Omadachi Oklobia and diverting to their private accounts, not less than N4bn been proceeds for the sale of Benue state government shares in Benue Cement Company (now Dangote Cement) and Julius Berger Plc.

"The level of looting done and president over by Suswam while he was in office as executive governor has terribly depleted the resources of this state. If these monies are not recovered back to the state coffers, the state, then, the state has no future.

"We want justice in this case because, we can clearly see that the incumbent Governor, Samuel Ortom has followed the footsteps of his predecessor. If nothing is done, he too may do more than terrible damage to the general economic soul of the state.

"Investigation has shown that, by liquidating state government shares of investments in these companies, by the Suswam administration, Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) is now a shell company.

"Only recently, the Managing Director of BIPC disclosed during a media interaction that the company that was worth N45bn by 1999 and about N30bn when Suswam took over government in 2007 is now worth only N3bn with a tax liability of N1.7bn.

"With all these and many more devastating acts of grounding this state perpetrated by a vicious cabal, we cannot fold our arms and watch the level our state was plundered under this man.

"When someone keep boasting that he can buy any judge in the country, it means he is indeed hardened in corruption.

"We are therefore assuring the EFCC and other antigraft agencies of our support in anyway they believe they can handle Suswam and his team to refund the loot", In a related development, this group has also uncovered very discreet plans by the former governor to abscond to exile in Houston, Texas, United states of America where a current commissioner in Ortom's government has prepared asylum for him and the governor in the event that things go awry.

By Sylvanus Okpe

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State was, on Friday, thrown into a frenzy after a mammoth crowd mobbed Senator Dino Melaye in Lokoja.

The usual free flow of traffic was impeded in the state’s capital when the former Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District was spotted in a black SUV.

The erstwhile lawmaker, who was seen smiling and waving at the cheering crowd, prompted many residents and market women to abandon their shops in an effort to catch a glimpse.

TheNigerian News had earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) had fixed December 16th as the date for the Kogi West Senatorial District elections involving Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party and Senator Smart Adeyemi of the APC.

The bye-election came on the heels of the nullification of Melaye’s election by the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal which was subsequently upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Kogi Guber: APC panic as Dino Melaye causes gridlock in Lokoja

https://thenigerian.news/?p=108892

The permutations ahead of the 2023 Presidential elections have long begun.

Prospective aspirants under the platform of the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), appears to have passed a subtle vote of no confidence on its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who they accused of making clandestine moves to reserve the party’s 2023 presidential ticket to most recent flagbearer Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

According to an insider in the party who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the political correspondent of TheNigerian News, “Prince Uche Secondus has stepped on many toes and the big hammer is about to land on his head.”

He further revealed that some aspirants have voiced their displeasure with the way Atiku has monopolized the party, stressing that Mr Secondus has literally relocated to Dubai, the residence of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.

They wondered why it’s National Chairman would abandon the Wadata Plaza office to govern from Dubai when the party is in urgent need of re-organisation and redirection to tackle its numerous challenges including the fallout of the both Kogi and Bayelsa states primaries which is threatening the chances of the party at the November 16th governorship polls.

Another source who spoke in favour of Mr Secondus berated party members who are accusing the chairman of relocating to the residence of the former vice president in the oil-rich city, accusing them particularly the governors of starving the party of funds and leaving the role of proving the resources to run its activities to the Turaki of Adamawa.

He justified the National Chairman’s hobnob with Atiku, noting that the party could not afford one minute of survival without Atiku.

Another source, a former governor who spoke to our correspondent on the condition that his name should not be mentioned, disclosed that Secondus has stepped on many big toes including that of those who staked everything to ensure his emergence as the National Chairman.

He recalled how Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State contributed hugely to singlehandedly bankroll Mr Secondus to the National Chairmanship position only for the latter to align with enemies of the party in ensuring that Wike’s candidate, Kingsley Chinda does not emerge as the minority leader of the House of Representatives.

He further decried the poor management of the crises that followed the emergence of Ndudi Elumelu as the Minority Leader of the House of Reps against the wishes of the party.

He added that Governor Wike who is protecting the National Chairman has finally left him making him susceptible to attacks from the prospective aspirants.

Asked who the aspirants who have allegedly ganged up against the National Chairman are, the source disclosed that they are those who wish for a level playing ground at the PDP primary that will produce the party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 elections.

He also reminded our correspondent that Governor Wike himself did not support Atiku at the party’s October 6th Presidential primaries held in Portharcourt.

Our investigation further revealed that some members of the party are not comfortable with the age of the former vice president and prefers to field a younger candidate.

The likes Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State and former governor of Kano, Senator Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso among others have been rumoured.

The major sin of the National Chairman according to them, is his alleged plot to deny the potential aspirants of a level playing and reserve the PDP’s Presidential ticket for Atiku.

He is alleged to have surrendered the party to the ex-number two citizen.

2023: PDP prospective aspirants decry plot to give Atiku automatic ticket, plots Secondus removal as party chairman, https://thenigerian.news/2023-pdp-prospective-aspirants-decry-plot-to-give-atiku-automatic-ticket-plots-secondus-removal-as-party-chairman/

Yahaya Bello to emerge Kogi governor unchallenged as PDP risks missing out of Kogi guber elections

By Sylvanus Okpe

Indications have emerged that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state might go into the November 16th Kogi governorship contest without a major challenger as the main opposition party in the state, the People's Democratic Party, PDP stands the risk of loosing out of the contest following their inability to get an elected candidate from it's botched September 3rd governorship primaries which held at Confluence stadium, Lokoja.

TheNigerian News had earlier reported that the Kogi PDP governorship primaries became inconclusive when armed Thugs invaded the venue, shooting sporadically into the air and dispersed the delegates, bringing the primaries to an abrupt end even as counting of votes was ongoing.

A source who spoke to TheNigerian News from Lokoja, disclosed that PDP might be unable to present a valid candidate in the forthcoming November 16th Kogi governorship election as the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for the final submission of names of candidates by political parties who wishes to participate in the elections remains Thursday, 5th of September 2019 and the PDP might be unable to rouse the rubble out of it's crashed November 3rd primaries to enable it to conduct a fresh and acceptable primaries so as to meet the deadline.

Recall that the Nigerian Supreme Court recently set aside the election of all APC political office holders in Zamfara state citing invalid primaries and the inability of the APC in Zamfara to submit the names of their candidates before the deadline set out by INEC in their 2019 general elections timetable.

Another source, an APC chieftain who spoke to our correspondent from Okenne, the home town of the governor, has argued that even if Kogi PDP manipulates the process to submit the name of a candidate without going through the proper procedures of the primaries and go forward to win the election proper, Yahaya Bello and the APC can easily go to the court to reclaim the mandate on the precedent already esterblished by the apex court in the ruling against Zamfara APC.

Calls placed to the known numbers of the National Publicity secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Alagbondiyon were not answered and the text messages sent to him prodding him to react to the development were fruitless and the PDP at the time of filing this report is yet to make an official statement on the ugly incident that trailed their September 3rd governorship primaries in Lokoja.

Kogi Guber: Yahaya Bello to return unchallenged as PDP risks missing out on poll
https://www.thenigerian.news/kogi-guber-yahaya-bello-to-return-unchallenged-as-pdp-risks-missing-out-on-poll/

Kogi Guber: PDP moves to checkmate Yahaya Bello, reserves Guber ticket for Kogi East

By Sylvanus Okpe

Indications have emerged that the main opposition party in Kogi state have started a subtle political plan to dislodge the ruling APC from the state by fielding a candidate from the Kogi East senatorial district of the state, a zone that houses the Igala tribe which is believed to possess about 70% of the electorates in the state.

TheNigerian News gathered that the recent strategy by the PDP followed the declaration of the incumbent governor of Kogi state as the winner of the Kogi state APC governorship primaries which held on the 29th of August 2019.

A source who pleaded not to be mentioned told the political Correspondent of TheNigerian news that PDP is aware of the political reality in Kogi state and is currently meeting with the aspirants ahead of the September 3rd PDP primaries so they can make concessions, reach a consensus and agree on a popular candidate from Igala tribe, arguing that the PDP will need no campaign to defeat Yahaya Bello if they can field a candidate from Kogi East axis of the state.

The source also disclosed that Yahaya Bello and the ruling APC have irked the Igala nation with the way aspirants from the region were disqualified and disgraced from contesting the August 29th APC primaries. He stressed that Igala people will express their anger through the ballot on November 16th.

Asked whether serious aspirants, the likes of distinguished Senator Dino Melaye will key into the plan, the source replied that, "first the desire of every PDP aspirant is for the party to win the election and we have no doubts that each one of them is prepared to make concessions and sacrifices to ensure that Kogi people are rescued from the bad and directionless government of Yahaya Bello".

When he was asked who the likely candidate will be, the Kogi PDP chieftain declined to answer urging our correspondent to be patient till September 3rd as one of the beauties of party politics and the electoral process is 'supense'.

Source:
Kogi Guber: PDP moves to checkmate Yahaya Bello, reserves Guber ticket for Kogi East,https://www.thenigerian.news/kogi-guber-pdp-moves-to-checkmate-yahaya-bello-reserves-guber-ticket-for-kogi-east/

The birth an emerging Leader

By Sylvanus Okpe

A few decades ago in Ofujor Aboh of Ogbodibo LGA in Benue state, the silence of the night was pierced with the loud cry of a destiny child. While the world slept in the serenity of the night, the land of Otukpa prepared for the grand reception of a great leader, the birth of Hon. Matthew Ochibo.

Human history since the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (a place in Galilee considered to be the most backward in the entire Israel), has been replete with stories of the emergence of great leaders from humble backgrounds. Hon Matthew Ochigbo is not an exception having been born into a humble background with the solemn mandate to liberate his people from the clenched fists of poverty, underdevelopment and backwardness.

As a young man of destiny, he rose above his peers, defying the greatest odd situations by snatching hope from the jaws of hopelessness, success from every failure and progress from most towering backwardness. A child born with shorts now adorning hundreds of his constituents with pairs of long trousers, giving widows course to smile and rousing opportunity for our many young men.

At this young age, Hon Ochigbo has earned himself a well-deserving, prominent position in the long but carefully selected list of hard working and successful young men in not only in Idoma nation but the entire Benue state.

As an emerging leader with a passionate drive to provide his constituents with qualitative and quantitative representation at the state assembly, Hon Ochigbo threw his hart in the ring and courageously contested the last legislative elections in his state.

His greatest passion in politics can only be likened to the political ideologies of the first Indian Prime-minister, Jawarhala Nehru who upon taking over in 1947 as PM after India's independence from the British Raj, declared a pro-youth policy which saw four youths emerge as members of his cabinet.

Hon Matthew Ochigbo, an amiable young man, an intellectual collosus and a new generation politician is a grassroots leader whose love and passion for the aged and the less privileged is undoubtedly unwavering.

This has not also gone unreciprocated, as members of his community caused an umbrage on the social media with the enconiums which were lavishly poured on him during this occaision of his birthday.

While we mourn the demise of his father and the patriarch of Ochigbo dynasty, we also wish to say a hearty birthday to distinguished Hon Matthew Ochigbo whose shoulders are broad enough to add the enormous responsibility of stepping into the big shoes of his great father to the very tedious responibily which humanity has by nature of his humble background, placed on him.

Happy birthday to this rare gem, an uncommon achiever who prides himself by as the locus classicus of wealth from dust. An inspiration to young Nigerians.

By Sylvanus Okpe

Nigeria might not have become what the smallest of its law-abiding citizens expect of her but opinions will not shrug to reach a consensus that it has not condescended to the level of “a joke nation” where Omoyele Sowore, the Presidential Candidate of African Action Congress in the last general elections, who earned himself a well-deserving expulsion from his party by reportedly embezzling over N100 million raised for their presidential campaign, is a huge joke to any genuine pro-democracy campaign or any revolution geared towards a better country.

It is regrettable, unbecoming and a slap on the sensibility of well-meaning Nigerians for somebody like Sowore, whose Sahara Reporters; media outfit has become the locus classicus of junk journalism in Nigeria, a media outfit that has rebuffed all entreaties to embrace professionalism and decorum in its reportage to mount the forefront of the campaigns for a better Nigeria. One would at this point whisper to the Geography graduate, one of the leading principles of law every human is subject to; “Nemo dat quod non-habet”, Sowore cannot give what he scarcely possesses.

His phantom revolution should first be introduced at Sahara where objective reportage and investigative journalism has since been replaced with cheap blackmail, propaganda and kangaroo reportage to extort and swindle honest Nigerians of their hard-earned money. He must come to terms with the fact that any revolution for a better Nigeria will be all-encompassing and not excluding the media sector, starting with his company.

While the need for a protest against the infrastructural decay, the non-inclusion of youths in the governance of this country, the endemic corruption in our various sectors and other sundry issues is long overdue, Nigerians would need an honest person who is imbued with the nitty-gritty, the character and the integrity to command the respect prerequisite to such an all-important national task and not a fraudster whose integrity is under serious scrutiny.

An irritant attention seeker like Sowore whose reputation in swindling unsuspecting Nigerians of humongous amounts of money in the guise of championing a popular course travels like a raging volcano, lacks the gravitas, the fount of knowledge and the democratic credentials to emulate Julius Malema, a Pan-Africanist whose sacrifices for the political growth of South Africa is inestimable.

Sowore’s introduction of Barret for his motley of misguided supporters can not be more worrisome than his recent meeting with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, another expert fraudster who abandoned his fellow comrades to waste in the enclaves of captivity while getting drown in the ecstasy of his conjugal bliss in God-knows-where, at New York.

The union of these two irredentists and fraudulent characters no doubt portends grave danger for this nation and only a swift action from the government would save this country from whatever machinations they brew which might have a negative effect on the generality of Nigerians.

Nigerians should rise above petty and selfish considerations to place Omoyele Sowore, an irritant youth who possesses unlimited resources for mischief where he belongs, in the gutters.

http://www.thenigerian.news/sowores-purported-revolution-and-the-profundity-of-an-irritant-youth/

Sylvanus Okpe is the political Editor of TheNigerian news...he can be reached at sylvaike479@gmail.com

Revealed: Abuja Pastors budget $10m to fund campaign of calumny against Fatoyinbo
By TheNigerian News on July 1, 2019
Rev Biodun Fatoyinbo may have stepped down as Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), however, this decision may not directly translate to guilt. There is more to the rape allegation by Bisola Dakolo, especially as some popular preachers have been fingered in the debacle.

Bisola, the wife of singer Timi Dakolo, caused a stir on Friday when she claimed that Rev Fatoyinbo raped her as a teenager. Nigerians embraced tantrum. While some queued behind the embattled clergyman, others threw rocks. The social media was the battlefield.

However, thorough findings by TheNigerian News showed that some Abuja-based pastors are bent on hijacking the entire fiasco to force their embattled colleague out of Church business.

Popularly known as “Gucci Pastor”, Fatoyinbo’s flamboyant lifestyle is said to have irked his fellow preachers who resolved to bring him down at all cost. The preacher’s excessive spendings on events, tours, clothing, accessories and even cars made him a target.

Known to be stylish, the charismatic preacher had recently rocked labels like Angelo Galasso, Billionaire Couture, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Prada, Gucci, and Christian Louboutin.

Fatoyinbo is famed for his gift of prophecy and innate ability to slice the scripture in the form of teachings. This and his acceptance for the youth made COZA the fastest growing congregation in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

This, however, made the so-called ‘holy’ preachers detest him the more. The general belief is that how come he became so successful in such a short time in Abuja. In the forefront is a popular pastor who just completed a multimillion naira building complex in Abuja.

According to reports, this preacher is hell bent in destroying Fatoyinbo at all cost. It is even being speculated that the preacher has already raised a slush fund, ostensibly set aside to boost the ongoing campaign of calumny against Fatoyinbo with the sole aim of divesting him of his followers.

A clergy who spoke to our correspondent confirmed the development saying, “Yes some men of God who have converted the work of God to a money-making venture are already rallying an anti-COZA group to bring pastor Fatoyinbo down. I don’t know of the set amount but I am aware that they are already making contributions towards a slush fund that will be used in carrying out some negative campaigns against the man of God with the aim of demoralizing his congregation and planting a seed of distrust between him and his followers.”

When our correspondent prodded the man of God to know if our investigations of a target $10 million set aside by the group to fund the negative campaign against the COZA founder was anything to go by, he bluntly refused answering insisting that he only knew of a slush fund being set aside but not in a position to give the amount as he was not part of the group.

Asked how they intend to utilise the money towards achieving their objectives, the clergy added, ” like I said, I am not part of the group but I believe a campaign to tarnish someone’s image and force him out of business can be achieved through many processes, they can pay some persons to bear false testimonies against him or even sponsor some mischievous lies on the social media against him, his family or COZA church.”

The clergy went further to posit that the new generation men of God are always at loggerheads with each other and even descend to as low as employing fetish means to bring their colleagues down and inherit their church members. He stated that so many of them picked interest in pastor Fatoyinbo due to his large congregation and the crowd of followers he commands stating that no amount will be too small for these pastors to invest into this unhealthy campaign so long as the COZA leader is out of the game and his sheep now without a shepherd scamper to their churches for refuge.

Revealed: Abuja Pastors budget $10m to fund campaign of calumny against Fatoyinbo

https://www.thenigerian.news/revealed-abuja-pastors-budget-10m-to-fund-campaign-of-calumny-against-fatoyinbo/

By Sylvanus Okpe
The political rift between the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo state has taken another dimension as the incumbent who wishes to run for a second tenure in 2020 is believed to have started making some desperate moves towards actualising his ambitions.

TheNigerian News reliably learnt that the Governor having realised his slim chances of emerging the flagbearer of the APC decided to ditch the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Edo state PDP chieftain who spoke to our political Correspondent on the condition of anonymity said, “of course you are not unaware of the political standoff between the governor and Oshiomhole. It is obvious the governor cannot be given the ticket of APC.

“He has been meeting with us and we have reached a common ground through some of our party members who nurture the ambition of running for that position were irked by some of our resolutions, we are certain that Everybody will fall into line in due time.”

TheNigerian News also gathered that Obaseki’s defection moves from the APC was inspired by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State prior to the 2019 General Elections when it became clear that Senator George Akume, the leader of the party in the state would not let him fly the ticket of the party. His political associates believe that the only way he could realise his second term agenda was by leaving the APC for another party that had the requisite structure and widespread necessary for winning the governorship election in the state – criteria only the PDP currently possesses.

A close associate of the Governor who pleaded that his name should be off the prints told TheNigerian News that Obaseki is currently meeting with top leaders of the party at both the state and national levels in his quest to fly the ticket of the party come 2020. He further revealed that the governor has met with the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih and another chieftain of the party, Mr Austin Osawaru over his intentions and he has so far received positive responses from the two PDP leaders in the state.

The investigations of the TheNigerian News, however, revealed that it would not be easy for Mr Obaseki as members of the PDP who also aspires to run for the governorship position have constituted a forum to challenge the planned soft landing some leaders are proposing for the governor. We can authoritatively report that members of the forum met at the residence of the former secretary to the government of Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Inyamu who was also the flagbearer of the party in the 2016 Edo governorship race.

The aspirants who attended the closed-door meeting are former majority leader of the state assembly, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekenwen, ex-governorship candidate of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), Chief Solomon Adebisi, a former House of Reps member who contested the 2016 PDP governorship primaries, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma and the chairman of Pacesetters group of schools, Mr Kenneth Imasuagbon, a philanthropist who defected to PDP in 2018 having lost the 2016 APC Guber primaries to the Obasaki. The forum in that secret meeting vowed to constitute themselves into a formidable force and insist on a transparent primary for the PDP so as to wade off the emergence of any consensus candidate.

PDP leaders are currently divided with the majority viewing the imminent defection of the governor as a good development taking cognizance of the fact that his coming into the party will boost their chances at the polls and as well bring resources and unprecedented political fortune to the party.

The battle has taken a fiercer posture as TheNigerian News reliably gathered that the national chairman of APC, Comr Adams Oshiomhole is also making political calculations that will see to the removal of the governor from office before the elections. A move the Governor seems to have foreseen and therefore insisted on the emergence of House of Assembly members loyal to him as principal officers of the 7th assembly.

Edo 2020: Oshiomhole, APC move to oust Obaseki over plot to join PDP

https://www.thenigerian.news/edo-2020-oshiomhole-apc-move-to-oust-obaseki-over-plot-to-join-pdp/

Nigeria in particular and Africa at large have sadly slided into a moralist community where every action irrespective of it's logical and legal background is subjected to morality tests. Not quite many of us are in the know that legal right supersedes any form of moral obligations. I had purposely refrained from making comments on the issue which has generated an umbrage in the media space so as to monitor the development and gather more facts and having done that I have come to the conclusion that the young man who insisted on taking his allotted space on the aircraft which is by the window deserves our accolades instead of the bashing and condemnation on the basis of morality that has neither helped nor brought any developments to the African sub-region.

Soyinka, though a demi god respected and even worshiped by a large number of the population including myself committed an unforgivable blunder by leaving his own allotted seat on the aircraft to occupy that of another without first seeking and obtaining his permission ostensibly on the grounds that because he is Soyinka anybody occupying the position would scamper and yield it to him with no much hassles. I am therefore bemused that well meaning Nigerians including the less privileged, without first soughting and digesting the prons and cons of the issue were blinded by the morality toga to join the Tonye Cole led Bandwagon in an attempt to vilify and condemn the innocent youngman who for reasons best known to him paid for the window seat in the said aircraft and insisted on enjoying the services he had paid for.

Not many of us who went on the media to take up the position of moral instructors and cast aspersions on the young man who deserves our accolades are aware that some persons are allergic to flight and would become plane sick if they do not seat by the window side in the plane. We jettisoned considerations on what his health status might be and only insisted on his lack of good moral upbringing.

It is sad that Prof Wole Soyinka who I join not a small number of the populace to hold in high esteem and even adore as the god of African literature would forget the famous African adage which posits that whoever brings home an ant infested firewood invites the Lizards for a feast. Wole Soyinka invited whatever embarrassment and disrespect he was lashed with on that aircraft. Our highly placed citizens must learn to play by the rules. Enough of bending the rules to suit them always. Until we learn how to stand our ground and begin to insist on a uniform law for the entirety of the citizens irrespective of class and creed, we will continue to wallow in underdevelopment in an unequal society without any hopes of a better Nigeria and indeed Africa.

Let me commend the young man for standing on his right with little regards to the powerful personality involved. By this singular action of his, we have put the powerful men and women in Nigeria and Africa on notice that it is no longer business as usual. We will demand our rights when we foresee any dangers of it being eroded and we will face any human eye ball to eye ball to demand our rightful places in the society. We thank him for alerting the powerful men and women that the days of riding on our rights to get whatever they crave for is long gone. The days of muscling the poor and the less privileged with mighty personalities and profile is dead and buried. We commend him for the courage to resist impunity and insist on the rules of the game (orderliness).

Soyinka’s Disgrace: Time to end impunity in Nigeria; a case for the young man

https://www.thenigerian.news/soyinkas-disgrace-time-to-end-impunity-in-nigeria-a-case-for-the-young-man/

Former governor of Enugu state, Bar Sullivan Chime, has suggested that Nigeria needs an indigenous national language spoken by all apart from the English language if national unity and cohesion must be achieved.

The APC chieftain stated this while receiving a delegation of the Northern Youths Parliament who paid him a courtesy visit in his Independent Layout residence in Enugu.

He strongly viewed the barrier language presents in the attempt at effective communication in the country by the different ethnic denominations as one of the strongest agent of disunity, a misunderstanding which helplessly leads some to resort to mere speculations that often lead to the ethnically charged atmosphere.

Chime maintained that a national language which can be picked from any of the existing languages or devised through any form acceptable to all would go a long way in stemming the tides and reducing the spate of ethnic suspicion and distrust in Nigeria.

He recalled that ethnic and religious rancours were the offshoot of the many coups that bedevilled Nigeria in the 1960s.

On religious conflicts, Mr Chime told the Northern group that neither Christianity nor Islam was an indigenous religion but that both religions were received from outside missionaries during the ugly days of colonialism mainly through missionaries.

He also revealed that Jesus Christ and Mohammed were both brothers from Jerusalem which makes it pointless for anybody to fight on behalf of any religion when the progenitors are kits and kin.

The erstwhile governor also used the opportunity to urge Nigerians irrespective of ethnic configurations to imbibe the spirit of oneness and return Nigeria to those days when a Hausa man was governor of Enugu without anybody going through his religious or ethnic histories.

He prayed that everything is predicated on competence and capacity for the betterment of Nigeria and the benefit of all Nigerians.

The Southeast political juggernaut also used the avenue to correct the many misconceptions across ethnic lines in Nigeria and disclosed to the group that it is high time Nigerians came out of their ethnic enclaves to a national front where the Nigerian interest will be discussed for the national interest of the country.

He berated ethnic bigots who ride on the gullibility of their followers to spread hate speeches against ethnic groups and also fan the embers of division to serve some selfish ends.
A national language needed to foster unity in Nigeria – Chime

https://www.thenigerian.news/a-national-language-needed-to-foster-unity-in-nigeria-chime/

The statement by the ex-Prime Minister of Britain and the erstwhile leader of Labour Party, Rt Hon Harold Wilson in October 1964, few days before his party became victorious that “24 hours in politics is a long time” comes to mind when one preys into the political calculus that played out in Enugu. The intrigues in the trado-political headquarters of the defunct Biafra nation in the 2019 general elections which saw the political comeback of the former governor of the state, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani as Senator after eight years of wallowing in the depth of political wilderness.
Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, the gladiator of Enugu politics who led the famous ‘Ebeano’ government as state governor from 1999-2007 was the bride of the people, his striking feature of intellectual sagacity which reflects in his ability to recollect the names of anybody that had come close to him and call them by their names at the slightest encounter endeared him to the people and bestowed him with a cult-like fellowship especially among the young people in the state. The history of his political sojourn in the Lion Building will not be perfectly rendered without the mention of his mentorship of the younger generation of politicians in the state.
It was his drive to include the youths in the governance of the state that has made it possible for ‘Ebeano boys’ to occupy 90% of the political space in the state. Most of the political office holders today had direct or indirect contact and benefited from his overwhelming benevolence in the past. The current governor of the state, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi attested to this fact when he stated during the reception ceremony held for Dr Chimaroke by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the former governor impacted his life politically and made it possible for him to be governor.
However, the honeymoon between Dr Nnamani and his political godsons did not last long as the cycle of betrayal of predecessors and godfathers which started in the state with the humiliation of his predecessor, Chief James Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, former governor of old Anambra state who played a paramount role in the emergence of Chimaroke. His romance with his successor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime went sour days after he won PDP’s Guber primaries in the state. The rift was speculated to have stemmed from the choice of the deputy candidate of the 2007 PDP Guber train.
Whatever was the cause of that standoff, it led to bitter politics; shuddered the political grip of Dr Nnamani on the state. He was in the National Assembly as the Senator representing Enugu East but he never swam the murky waters of the legislative politics successfully as his successor, sworn to send him into political albatross, unleashed the EFCC against him. It was late President Sukarno of Indonesia that was alleged to have invented the saying that “to force down the political empire of a strong politician, you must first collapse his source of income”. The anti-graft agency became instrumental in that regard rendering Dr Chimaroke a ‘walking shadow’ by impounding all his properties and major companies including the famous Cosmos 105.5 FM, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital, 22 Duplex Buildings in Fidelity estate, uncountable plots of land, Rainbownet Nigeria Limited among others.

He was weakened financially and thus became politically paralysed. I was visibly shaken when I met Dr Chimaroke on one occasion as a student of the prestigious University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC). He looked beggarly and lean. The ‘sheather’ he was wearing could hardly price above N5000 and he looked like he had not eaten for days. I went into a pensive mood immediately. I had seen him, bright and glamorous in the past when he commanded power and affluence in the entire state. Power is really transient. His hoard of supporters and political godsons distanced themselves from him. Nobody goes where he would not have plenty to eat and reserve some for the days to come, this, unfortunately, defines our political alignment and loyalty in this part of the world.
I remember how the politics of goodwill played out in the 2015 Enugu East Senatorial elections where Dr Chimaroke contested under the platform of the People’s Democratic Change (PDC) having been forced out of the ruling PDP by his political protege and successor Chime. It was a fierce contest between Nnamani and another two powerful candidates, Gilbert Nnaji and late Hon Ozonwabueze Okafor popularly called ‘Okpochengene’ by his political associates indicating the infrastructural development he brought to his rural village and other villages in his local government council when he was the council chairman. After the political gimmicks and intrigues, Nnaji of the PDP was declared the winner.
Many students, though, protested across Enugu East, holding obstinately that Chimaroke won the election. He was shown overwhelming support by many including UNEC students who clustered the voting centres to cast sympathy vote for him and his party chiefly in recognition of his long-standing political goodwill. That was the last fight of a dying man, the last kick of a slain horse. All hope was lost. He tactically withdrew from active politics and retired to his Nkanu native home. That was his sorrowful situation, an active kingmaker and political godfather of many now watching from the rare as his boys play the game.
It was so until the unforeseen political event that catapulted him into the mainstream politics of the state played out. The unfortunate, yet eventful defection of Chime from the PDP to APC allegedly to clinch the Senatorial ticket of Enugu West Senatorial zone not feasible as he was from the same zone with the then incumbent Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu. The battle for that ticket between Ekweremadu and Sullivan was so intense that it birthed an intra-party crisis which nearly robbed PDP of the state in 2015. His exit was in total submission to the old saying that ‘two Rams cannot drink off a bucket’.
Some persons speculated that Sullivan left to save himself from an impending corruption trial. However, whatever school of thought one ascribes, it is certain that Dr Chimaroke would see it differently, from an angle of divine intervention to quickly reinvigorate him into political relevance in the state and in the country at large. As it became a political reality in 2019 that for Ugwuanyi to be re-elected as Governor of Enugu state, he needed the political resources (support) of Dr Nnamani to rebuff the opposition Chime’s APC would pull against him at the polls. It was the only viable option if he must retain his seat.
The joy in Chimaroke’s face said it all. It was unbelievable for him. He suddenly became rehabilitated, equipped and handed the Enugu East senatorial ticket of the state through which he made a victorious come back to the National Assembly after wandering despondently in political oblivion for eight gruelling years. Does this vitiate the above quote of Harold Wilson?

I leave you to ponder.

Comrade Sylvanus Okpe is the Political Editor of TheNigerian News. He can be reached via sylvaike479@gmail.com

Permutations that brought Chimaroke back to relevance after 8 years of oblivion

https://www.thenigerian.news/permutations-that-brought-chimaroke-back-to-relevance-after-8-years-of-oblivion/

How Supreme Court Ruling against APC in Zamfara stopped the release of Buhari's Cabinet list on May 29

Many lobbyists in the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were taken aback by the President when he declined to follow the old rule of making a speech after his colourful swearing in ceremony on the 29th of May at the Eagle's square in Abuja.

Politicians who were expectant of a possible unveiling of the cabinet list on the inauguration day were said to have been taken aback by the President's unprecedented action and have since shifted all hope to June 12.

An aide to one of Buhari's former Ministers who spoke to a correspondent of TheNigerian news on the condition that his identity be concealed revealed that his boss and other lobbyists were not prepared for the unusual action of the president at the Eagle square on May 29 and had expected that a list be released as many of them had called together a circle of their close friends and political associates ready for celebration upon the release of the list. "My oga and other politicians who are interested in making the cabinet list were surprised by Mr President. We expected the list to follow the inauguration speech of the president and I can confidently tell you that many politicians had already brought in trusted associates and close relatives to their homes here in Abuja ready to jubilate once the list is called", he said.

Asked if he was sure that there was a "ready" ministerial list given that the 2015 cabinet list had taken the President 6 months to constitute and the fact that the presidency had earlier debunked the rumoured London cabinet list saga, the ministerial aid answered, "Yes i can tell you for sure that the list though not within the purview of many has been constituted and was ready to be released on May 29 as the president had taken steps to save his 2nd tenure of the barrage of outrage that followed the six months delay in forming his cabinet list in 2015 but we later understood some unforseen political developments delayed the unveiling of the list on May 29". The politician who grudgingly gave an answer when our correspondent prodded further to ascertain the 'unforseen occurrence' that must have stopped the president from unveiling the ministerial list on May 29 said, "You journalist will always want to know everything even the one that does not concern you, well, you should have known by now that the highest court of the land sacked the entire 36 APC stalwarts elected into different political offices in Zamfara state. The development was not foreseen, the ruling party and the President are taking steps to accommodate the affected party members and that ugly development just came a day or two to the inauguration day which afforded the President little time to make changes in the list so it had to be put on hold. This is party politics and every interest must be accommodated for the benefit of our party and ofcourse, Nigeria at large".

In reply to the question of when Nigerians should expect the cabinet list, the Ministerial aide half in jest and half seriously answered, "stay glued to your Television come June 12 during the democracy day celebration as we are hoping the president might have wrapped up whatever he was doing with the list and would come up with the names of competent people who will help the administration in realising it's vision of taking Nigeria to the Next Level for the betterment of Nigeria and the benefit of all Nigerians".

Like TheNigerian news page on facebook and visit our site at www.thenigerian.news as we bring you exclusive stories and indebt analyses on the political development in Nigeria and Africa

https://www.thenigerian.news/98153-2/amp/

There is a cold war brewing in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The party chieftains, irked by the way the national chairman is running things, especially the role the former labour leader played in frustrating the bid of some party stalwarts who wanted to have a say in who succeeds them, are making frantic efforts to capitalise on the Supreme Court ruling which sacked all the APC elected candidates in Zamfara State to make a strong case for Adams Oshiomhole’s lack of grit on the party and call for his eventual removal.

Sources within the party told a correspondent of TheNigerian News that anti Oshiomhole forces seem to have been presented with a valid argument against his continued stay in the party hence the powerful forces have made desperate efforts to rally round other decision makers in the party to join forces with some ranking lawmakers of the party who are also disgruntled with the despotic way Oshiomole nominated Sen. Ahmed Lawan as the party’s choice for the presidency of the Senate and end what he described as Oshiomhole’s “tyrannic” rule in the party.

A source who spoke to our correspondence in confidence revealed that the move was initiated by the past Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha who went in search of other members who possibly have political scores to settle with the party chief so as to first form an alliance on common interest. The source went on to reveal that while it took no much persuasion to bring Ibikunle Amosun on-board, it took a lot of intrigues and persuasions for the erstwhile Governor of Ondo state, Gov Rotimi Akeredolu to key into the project. When the three southern governors on the platform of the party reached a common ground, they moved ahead to find other ranking members of the party who will not have reservations about the hatchet plot. The source also disclosed that the ex-Minister of Transport, Hon Rotimi Amaechi could not boldly support the course but promised solemnly never to be an obstacle. The group, however, got the green light of Senator Magnus Abe from Rivers state in Amechi’s place.

In the National Assembly, the group needed no much stress in getting some ranking lawmakers to support their plot as most of the legislators have been in one way or the other flared by the uncompromising nature of the national chairman of the party especially his recent unilateral decision to nominate Sen Ahmed Lawan from Northeast Yobe state as the choice of the party for the 9th Assembly senate presidency position. The group got Senator Kabiru Marafa, the vociferous chairman senate committee on under-water resources to be its conduit. Senator Danjuma Goje is said to be sceptical about making public his resentment of Oshiomhole’s high-handedness in the party owing to his ambition to occupy the position of the presidency of the Senate and thus would not make public his support of the group. According to the source, the group has over 40 members of the national assembly in support with uncountable state assembly members.

The source also revealed that Akereodolu suggested the recruitment of a national executive committee (NEC)’s member possibly of Northern extraction to come public with the fight as part of the group’s sensitization program to gain public acceptance and demystify Oshiomole from within. It was in furtherance of that agenda that the deputy national chairman of the party, North, Sen Lawan Shuaibu was engaged to push the media fight.

Recall that Oshiomhole’s led NEC of the party currently suspended the governors of Imo, Ondo and Ogun states on anti-party activities. Having frustrated the efforts of Gov Okorocha of Imo state in having his son-in-law, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu flies the Guber ticket of the APC in the last governorship election that held in the state thereby swerved support to the Action Alliance (AA). The party under whose platform his son-in-law contested the states Guber elections. The governor of Ogun state who could not also secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress for his prefered candidate, Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade ditched the candidate of the APC to support Akinlade who later secured the Guber ticket to run on the platform of Allied People’s Movement (APM).

The move by the “like-minds” against the fierce Oshiomole is said to have suffered setbacks with the blunt refusal of the Tinubu’s camp to endorse the plan. In fact, the source feared that the faction in the party loyal to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also making efforts to stage a defence for Oshiomhole and frustrate the group’s moves.

The members of the group are however said to be undeterred, insisting that Oshiomhole has done a lot of damage to the party and must be removed in the interest of the unity, peace and progress and the continued existence of the party.

https://www.thenigerian.news/okorocha-amosun-lead-plot-to-remove-oshiomhole-as-apc-chairman/

The Mystery of Suicide and the often unanswered question

There seems to have been an upsurge in the commission of suicide in Nigeria. Many young Nigerians filled with vigour and presented with the ever refreshing hope of a better future have inexplicably chosen to painfully take their own lives in the hope of finding succour and eternal rest from the ups and downs of the living. It was in the famous play "The Women Of Owu", a historic rendition of a war that ravaged one of the greatest Yoruba empires during their earliest days, that one of the dramatis personae, grimmaced with the frustration of an unending war, captivity, rape and torture lamentedly pushed for death as the sole exit from woes and sorrow. In her words "it is better for her to go down there where sorrow will no longer reach her". She figuratively used the six feet below as a distance between sorrow and the dead. Only if that is the case.

Last week, the story of a University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) final year student, Chukwuemeka Akachi whose intelligence radiated the entire institution and who wrote poetry as Christopher Okigbo of blessed memory never did even with his unravelled wealth of experience and fierce academic qualifications. The story of him taking his own life sent the entire den into shock and elicited not a few sympathy and cries from even beyond the university gates. He was industrious and extraordinarilly intelligent. He wrote poem so well that his suicide note left many mouths agape. It was a note that many none lovers of poetry will shrug to comprehend. His soul was lost to curiosity into the unknown. I am tempted to concur with a writer-friend who wrote candidly; "poets in their deep reflection on the mystry of nature and in their deep journey into inquring about the metaphysical often get possessed and commune with the devil". My believe is further strengthened by the last demonic picture, Akachi used as his profile picture on his facebook handle (Chukwuemeka Akachi) before he eventually toed that defeatist path.

It was a sad end for him. Whatever his reasons for such actions are, whatever his fears for living was, death never assuaged him. They multiplied his sorrows, ganged up with the forces of death and followed him to the great beyond. He bowed out unceremoniously, sadly taking with him a generational talent implanted in him for the emancipation of humanity from the orgies of illiteracy and book apathy. His latest posts and writings were quite reflective of a lost soul, his last poem titled "Sixten Notes On How To End A Life" was actually a sordid story of his projected end. He bed his loved ones goodbye in that mystic poem and acknowledged without much worries that his potential act of giving up on life was unforgivable. He wrote his suicide note on that day but died long before then. The poem he quoted to wrap things up and facilitate his transition to the dark world was divertionary abeit mean. He even added "LOL" at the end. He was unapologetically gone with a hardened heart. He left this realm a long time ago.

As his sad end trended the media and evoked sympathetic response from many Nigerians, the case of another young man, a gospel singer who ministered in churches for years but who no church is now willing to admit his membership followed suit, cutting his own life shor, fast-tracked his journey to the hereafter. His story is sketchy and hardly straightforward. Reports on the reasons for that dastardly act have bluntly disagreed to reach a consensus.

The latest story that is raising a fuss on the media is the case of a first year student of the same prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) with the name Nnemelu Shalon. Who is also a locus classicus of beauty and brain, a writer and a romantic poet who on her facebook recently posted thesame demonic picture Akachi used as his profile picture before his tragic death and followed it the following morning with a picture which he wrote this dreadful caption on "Have you ever wondered if death would be sweet" the question she didnt stay long to answer, was her last post on facebook. Her neighnours on reaching her apartment in the morning to ascertain her reasons for the strange posts were unable to see her at home. She was alleged to have left home in the morning, immediately after the post with only an umbrella leaving her phone on the top of her bed in the room.

Efforts to reach her through her known number at 09021124288 were abortive as her phone was switched off all through. The department of English in the institution has also declared an extensive search for her.

One issue that has remained predorminant in this highlighted suicide cases is that the committers had all shown signs of despair, depression and despondency. They nursed the idea many times and pondered on the negative and positive chains of reations that might follow. They wrote about it and expressed deep feelings of not wanting to continue living but we never understood nor took them seriously. Akachi wrote many times berating people that campaigned against suicide and also wrote oftentimes about his intentions to exit this phase of existence through the most abnormal way. Nnemelu Shalon also wrote in January this year, a poem that demonstrates suicide. Her metaphoric reference to death pills in that infamous but literary adorned poem as joy giver says it all.

They all left us with one very pressing question that they hurriedly left without attempting an answer. The question of "WHY".

While we mourn them and pray for their souls to be forgiven and accepted, we will patiently wait to learn from their journeys. The depressed in despair, who is frustrated and hopeless will hopefully see how their sad ends failed to provide the needed solutions to their problems. They might tag along and fight on. Battles are unequal we know but men never live without wars, how we fight and succeed distinguishes our strength and grants us success. The inquisitive writers and crazy thinkers will also gaze ceaselessly into the lonely road, the narrow paths of death in forlorn expecting their return, their return to tell the stories of a life full of roses, a sorrowless life of gleeful happiness in the great beyond but if they are unseen and they never make it back to tell the ferry tales, he might retrace his steps and retract to the supremacy imbued in the wisdom of God in carving an incomprehensive demarcation between here and there and patiently wait for the time when his roaster will be called to join other victors in the other divide.

Comrade Sylvanus Okpe is a writer and an activisit based in Abuja. The assistant political editor of TheNigerian News.
You can reach him via sylvaike479@gmail.com

The creation of four additional emirate councils in Kano by the executive governor of the state, Gov. Ibrahim Ganduje and their elevation to first class chiefs on the excuse of facilitating rural development in the grassroots has been viewd by many as a desperare attempt by the governor to wittle down the influence of the current emir whose loquacious nature has led him into publicly disparaging the governors many economic policies.

The creation of four more emirate councils in Kano is ridden with political undertones with key players outside the Kano political geography. An investigation carried out by TheNigerian news revealed that while Ganduje is on the news and seen playing the politics of cutting Emir Sanusi Lamido to size, the bulk of the decision was signed and sealed in Abuja. Ganduje just acted a script beautifully written and sold to the cabal by an insider in Abuja politics and Ganduje was only appointed on the grounds of common interest to executive the plans.

This claim is further strengthened by the fact that the Kano emirate council whose origin dates back to 1805, a rich cultural heritage cannot be meddled with without an approval by the polical schemers in the capital.

We recall in the 1980s during the administration of Abubakar Rimi in Kano state. The governor who came to power on the platform of the People's Redemption Party (PRP) in 1979, a party that is leading the political radicalism in Kano state. According to the Sawaba declaration of 1959, political radicalism is the conscious effort to bridge the class distinction between the aristocrates and the talakawa. The talakawa (poor majority) favoured the party owing to the history of kano sate politics which is driven by the talakas. When Abubakar Rimi and the then political leader of the state, Mallam Aminu Kano had a face off which caused a division in the PRP, Kano chapter into the "tabbo" and the "santsi" with the court's recognition of the group led by revered Mallam Aminu Kano as the authentic PRP of the state, Rimi took desperate steps to pry into the hearts of the talakas and his first move was to wittle down the aristocratic class. He went against the then Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, created three more emirate councils of Gaya, Rano and Dutse and elevated them into first class emirs. He also elevated some district heads of hedejia, Gumel and Kazaure who were hitherto under the Kano state emirate into first class chiefs. He declared to the chagrin of political onlookers and lovers of our rich traditional heritage in a famous interview he granted in Ibadan that the Emir of Kano is a public officer whose appointment and dethronement is at the pleasure of the governor. The emirs were inaugrated but their reign were shortlived largely due to the disinterest of the National Party of Nigerian (NPN) government led by late shagari at the centre. A violent protest erupted in the state. The state house of Assembly was invaded with many vital documents destroyed, the enraged protesters went against organizations they felt were articulating government propaganda against the emir, Triumph newspaper office in Kano and that of Radio Kano were reduced to ashes and Dr Bala Mohammed, a lecturer in Bayero university, Kano and a veteran journalist who was the political adviser to the governor and believed to be writing the whitepaper for the Emir's removal was murdered. About 34 persons died in that violent protest. The federal government was unperturbed and stood aloof in the face of this as even the judicial commission of enquiry led by Justice E. A. Fernandez reported that the police watched while this rampaging thugs went on causing meyhem and destroying properties in that protest without intervening.

Even the apparent dislike of Emir Ado Bayero by the then Governor of Kano, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso did not lead to the removal of the Emir. Though it is believed that the threat of the Kwankwasiyya govt to create two additional emirate councils in Kano led the late Ado Bayero who immediately developed a heart attack to his death.

The greatest fear of the emirs has always been wittling down their powers and influence, political players have exploited this to cow and bring them to doing their biddings.

The success Ganduje has recorded so far is attributted to the cooperation and support of Abuja allegedly brokered by the minister of interior, A.B Dambazzau. The retired Army senior officer who is of a royal family is believed to be powering the engine house in Abuja so that the governor would be able to conclude the process without any weighty oppositions.

It is shocking that Emir Sanusi Lamido who was the love bird of the APC and whose claims of a missing $#12billion played an invaluable role in the removal of the jonathan administration in 2015 would come under an attack by the same government of APC. This only proves that the Emir might be for everybody and belong to nobody. He speaks for the masses.

The dark forces from Abuja behind Emir Sanusi's travails https://www.thenigerian.news/the-dark-forces-from-abuja-behind-emir-sanusis-travails/amp/

2023: APC jittery of going into an election without Buhari, shops new members to solidify grounds

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is said to have been thrown into an apprehension over it's continued existence at the expiration of the tenure of president Mohammed Buhari in 2023. The party is said to be jittery as to whether they will be able to muster the votes as well as present a credible that will defeat the resurging People's Democratic party (PDP) in the 2023 Presidential elections when President mohammed Buhari will no longer be the party's presidential candidate.

The fear is believed to have stemmed from the fact that the party was built around the famous intergrity of president Mohammed Buhari and was only able to convince Nigerians to bring the sixteen years of PDP's rulership to an unceremonious end while giving the new party the opportunity to form a government at the centre because of the impeccability of Buhari's candidature.

Analysts have also recalled how the APC, a merger of about five opposition parties inclusing some disgruntled elements in the then PDP led by Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje also joined the merger party which later rode to power on the widespread acceptance of then Gen Mohammed Buhari especially in the Northern region of the federation which houses over 60% of the electoral strength of the country. We recall how president Mohammed Buhari's intergrity and the change mantra was constantly brandished by the then opposition party as their most viable political weapon during the heated electioneering periods, it stucked like a leech and became a folklore. Even the February slated for the 2015 elections was christined Febuary by the overwhelming supporters of Mr president. For the first time in Nigeria and indeed Africa's political history, the name of an individual was louder and carried much political force than a political party. APC merely was hiding on the the political goodwill Buhari commands in the Northern region to clinch political power.

The greatest question the APC has continued to grasp breath so as to give a reassuring answer is who will lead the party to such an overwhelming acceptance in 2023? Which individual within the party commands a cult-like fellowership in the North like President Mohammed Buhari does so as to grant the party a seemless victory come 2023?

The party is said to be further cowed by the fact that President Mohammed Buhari even without having a councilor not to talk of a sitting governor on his side in 2007, when he contested presidential elections under the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) garnered whopping 12 million votes. This is a huge number for an individual without both the human and financial resources that are invaluable to such an electoral contest in our clime.

The above facts and the current brewing political tussle that is currently going on behind the scene in the APC has forced the party to swing into the labour market with the necesaary finacial muscle to get as many politician as possible to it's fold. The once boisterious chairman of the ruling party, Adams Oshiomole cowed by the fears of 2023 Presidential elections has even taken to berating APC members in states like Benue where the party lost its control in the 2019 governorship elections. The party chief heaped blaims of the Party's loss of the state's control on a certain selfish politician who he said took control of the state dictatorially and forced Ortom out of the party.

A chieftain of the party who spoke with TheNigerian News also pointed to the fact that APC is said to be seriously in fear of its declining support base which is deduceable from the Party's monumental loss of many states in the 2023 general elections declining from controlling about 24 states prior to the 2019 elections to 20 states with Zamfara still staggering while the PDP rebounced from 11 states to 15 states. The party scribe noticed that it was President Buhari's personality that saved APC at the centre in the 2019 elections as the Nigerian people resolved to vote his party out of power which was reflected in the general elections where only Buhari of the APC was overwhelmingly elected.

TheNigerian News also gathered yeaterday from a reliable source who should be in the know that there is a desperate attempt to woo some governors to the APC, the national leadership of the party is gathered to have started the campaign with the Governor of Benue state, HE Samuel Ortom who left the APC in 2018 to seek reelection under the platform of the PDP making him the first and only politician in Nigerian who switched between parties within four years just few days to election and went on to be returned elected in the both instances. The meeting between the president and the Governor few days ago is understood to have been arranged to water the ground for a smooth political discussion for his possible defection to the APC fold.

While we watch as situation unfolds, we enjoin you to stay tuned by liking TheNigerian News on Facebook and visiting our site at www.thenigerian.news as we bring you fresh and exclusive reports on the political situations as they break.

https://www.thenigerian.news/2023-apc-jittery-of-post-buhari-elections-scouts-new-members-to-solidify-grounds/

Rwanda's ugly genocide and the development strides of Paul Kagame

As i made way to browse through the internet for news this morning, a came across a story by the News Times, a Rwanda's leading daily of how Kagame's government is making spirited efforts to make Rwanda the first African country with %100 pipe water. One question kept banging in my heart. How did Rwanda rise above the devastating genocide that utterly reshaped the country and left in a deplorable condition to becoming the first African country to provide 100% pipe water at a paltry US$40million to all its citizens?

The prime minister of Rwanda, Édouard Ngirente reaffirmed the commitment of the state in providing a universally accessible water supply by the state government to every citizen of Rwanda by 2024 during the inaugration of of the new Nzove Water Treatment Plant and the upgrading of Nzove II in Kigali on Monday. He made it clear at the occaision through that singular act that the government of Rwanda today has demonstrated the willingness to create an enviabel country out of the rubbles of 1994.

Africans and the world are amazed as to how Rwanda rose against the ugly genocide of 1994 which left an ugly scar on the history of that African nation to becoming a bastion of development and an emerging infrastructural hub in Africa today.

The story of the great genocide in Rwanda which reduced the state to a pariah nation was told to me by my friend and mentor, Gen. Alwai Kazir rtd. He was the chief of army staff in Nigeria then and was immediately dispatched by the then Nigeria's head of state, late Gen Sani Abacha to lead the contingent of soldiers whose mandate was to restore normalcy in the disturbed region. He was for the period of six months, the recognised president of Rwanda. He said the country was reduced to cinders and there was no optimism it could be revived again. He shed tears for the African county which laid forlorn and unattended to. Rwamda ever since then has always being associated with that ugly development, like a stubborn scar, it has refused to be erased from the memory of every conscious human who take human lives seriously.

Now the story have changed, Rwanda will no longer be remembered for that great disaster to humanity beacuse it has rejected to be known for that, they have put the ugly past in the past where it belongs, rebuilt their country, rose from the rubrics of failure and damned a history that held it down to a secluded failure and stagnation to becoming a country of infrastructural monument and economic growth.

What are the African leaders to learn from this? It was Kwameh Nkrumah of bleased memory who said in one of his speeches during the pan-african movement aimed at decolonising Africa that no African country is not blessed and that if any African country will put 10% of her natural resources to judicious use, they will have no need to be at the behest of the mindless imperialist. He went on to berate African leaders in that famous speech for being the very causes of the stak poverty and underdevelopment that Africa came to be associated with. In understanding Dr Kwameh Nkrumah, we must go beyond the surface. What accrues to rewanda in a year? What is Rwanda's position in Africa interms of economy and revenue allocation? How is the country able to achieve all these development strides? In answering this question, we must look at the political will to rise against ethnic and religious dictates which has for long militated against Africa's development to change our history by refusing to be continue being the refuse dump of the world. Most African countries are yet to forget the ugly side of their history. Nigeria's civil war which ended in 1970 still to a large extent play a role in the political, social and economic development of the country.

Paul Kagame should organize a lecture for African leaders to share ideas on his many successes in recent times in the development of a once fallen country. We seriously need to learn of how he transformed a country remembered world over for its ugly past into a coutry which now attracts tourists and everyone for its unprecedented infrastructural standing.

https://www.thenigerian.news/rwandas-ugly-genocide-and-the-development-strides-of-paul-kagame/

Exclusive: Yahaya Bello earmarks #200billion for APC governorship ticket.

Following the release of INEC time-table scheduling November 2nd 2019 for Kogi and Bayelsa governorship polls, the attention of political onlookers and analysts have shifted to these two states with the greater focus on Kogi state largely due to the opposition the governor of the state, Yahaya Bello who inherited the mandate of the state's veteran politician and cherished leader, Prince Abubakar Audu, who sadly passed on after a triumphant victory at the polls is facing with the unwillingness of his party kingmakers to avail him the platform of the party to seek another tenure of 4years. The indefatigable and unyielding national chairman of APC, Comr Adams Oshiomole in his blunt refusal to avail Bello the ticket of APC for second tenure said
“How can you be owning your own people salary for 38 months and you still have the audacity to demand for the second term. If APC fields him he, we will lose the election, period”. It is clear from the above remarks that Bello is in for one of the greatest political battles of his career and the Governor have decided to fight like a disturbed cat in other to secure the party's ticket for a start.

The Nigerian News gathered on saturday from an impeachable source that Gov Yahaya Bello bouyed by the partial success of his visit to the national Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu have directed the state's commissioner for finance and economic development, Asiwaju Asiru Idris and the chairman of Kogi state board of internal revenue, Alhaji Yakubu Oseni to urgently source the sum of #200billion slush fund for his intra-party campaign.

The source who is privy to the meeting authoritatively told the political correspondent of The Nigerian News that the governor intends to use this slush fund to penetrate the ranks of the notable arrowheads within the APC including the board of trustees members. The source also hinted of a few lobbyists the governor recently recruited who are demanding billions of naira to make a case for the governor in the presidency. The governor is also said to have made plans to reach out to the office of the first lady in his quest to save his political ambition.

The Kogi APC stalwart made it clear to the Nigerian news that this is a do or die affair for the governor as he is unwilling to be disgraced out of the race. In his words "the governor is a young man and he is not ready to watch his political career be cut short. He has vowed to do all it takes to reassert his authority and force his party to give him the ticket".

All efforts to reach the chief press secretary to the Governor, Onogwu Mohammed as at the time of filing this report for his reaction failed as he did not take the calls placed to his numbers nor reply to our text messages.

It is still sketchy at the moment whether the youngest governor in Nigeria would bestrode the politics of Kogi like a collosus and survive this political hara-kiri by getting the ticket of APC to contest the November 2nd governorship elections in Kogi state but what is most interesting to political observers and analysts is whether the Governor who is an Igbira man, a minority tribe in Kogi state will break the age-long hegemony of Igala political dorminance of the state to win re-election into the most covetted office at the Lugard house.

Stay tuned, like the Nigerian news on Facebook and visit our site at www.thenigerian.new as we bring you interesting stories on the Kogi elections and other interesting political happenings around the country.

https://www.thenigerian.news/exposed-yahaya-bello-earmarks-n200b-for-apc-guber-ticket/

By Ajogwu Jerry Ochada

The perception and description of the term “prostitution” are dependent on who is involved and the sociological definition in vogue. To many, especially participants in the illicit trade, it is a normal way of life in search of survival. It is not a case for or of survival of fittest but a classic selection aligned on the margins of survival of the most vulnerable. Some persons involved are not guilty as accused, though. They were lured or compelled by the ‘bigger girls’ who can be negatively revered as veterans in the profession.

Prostitution can also be rated as a profession. Persons who engage in the ‘business of shame’ for money do not hide their identities even though most societies are against sexual trade in all ramifications. Gone are the days when the premium was placed on virginity whereby premarital sex was strongly criticized. Today, it is widely assumed and perhaps true that the women of easy virtue are quick to ‘settle down’ with the choicest men after retirement from their sedentary lifestyles. Some married women still engage in extramarital sexual affairs and the society is quick to accord it a good rating – adultery – but it should be rated worse

In order not to deviate from the subject matter, recently the Nigeria Police opted to clampdown on the women of easy virtues operating around Nigeria’s capital city and its environs. So many debates hinted the recent decision by the police may be linked to a female stripper who wore ‘hijab’ to display in one of the ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’ lounge attracted the punitive measure. Else, the business is lucrative within the capital city with many single ladies and separated women embracing the trade as a means of survival.

Many critics have kicked against this encroachment at the peak of the recent arrest which was followed swiftly with an allegation of Police officers raping the arrested harlots while in their custody by using empty sachets of water nylon as a condom. While this allegation is yet to be confirmed, it further spells doom for a society that is striving to be sane. On the other hand, however, patronizers of the supposed whores should also be intercepted and penalized. It takes two to tango.

It is no longer business as usual for most of these ladies who are compelled by the new punitive decision to stay at home; it is no longer business as usual but the irony of the whole scenario is that the trade is still trending. Although chased from the streets, they still have contacts of their customers. Home service, if you will.

A visit to a popular red zone, close to Rita Lori on a Friday, revealed something of a desert. Unlike the normal features even on weekdays, the spot was dry as no ‘night bird’ was spotted waiting for customers or running after vehicles to sell their ware. The popular Gimbiya Street, Area 11 was also a shadow of itself as no queen of the night was seen wearing bump short as usual. The popular catchment area, Wuse Zone 4 was not left out as everywhere was deserted. However, some tinted cars were parked at the scene perhaps business was ongoing as usual.

It is unarguably not a good season for these ladies who have invested so much (sleeping with numerous men for money) in this trade but for them all hope is not lost because ‘hustling’ will definitely continue and it is fast becoming survival of the smartest who can overshadow personnel of the Nigerian Police.

These ladies are also not ready to deviate or shun the practice. No one abandons a goldmine except those with metal allergies. The high unemployment rate hasn’t helped. For these prostitutes, though, there are no lessons learned but an ample time to decoy a path for survival in a complex crime.

https://www.facebook.com/1821905524772272/posts/2022652028030953/?app=fbl

Buhari's Return: Lobyists Jittery, Make Desperate Moves To See Ministerial List

Investigation by TheNigerian news reveals that rather than jubilating over the president's return from UK after a ten days private visit especially in view of the apparent insecurity that the nation has been plunged into, top politicians are unsettled and jittery with many unsure of whether the purported ministerial list which the president is believed to have travelled to far away London, where he would be free from undue pressure to compile is in their favour.

TheNigerian News gathered that yesterday night was a very busy one for the many lobyists as they did not spend any hour of it on their beds but were rather making franctic calls, visiting arrowheads of the administration especially the kitchen cabinets of the president and speaking in hush tunes of what would be easily identified as worries over the recent ministerial list.

Our source close to an influential Northern politician, the former leader of the defunct Kaduna Mafia who is also a trusted ally and nephew of the president, Mamman Daura disclosed to our correspondent that the resident of the Buhari's trusted associates was crowded by many politicians in an unsual manner until this morning. He told us in confidence that Mamman Daura was unable to sleep and had to recieve many lobyists who came to cross-check with him on the names contained in the allegedly compiled ministerial list. In his words "there was no sleep in this house as Oga cut his sleep shut to receive many visitors who refused to let him rest. They believe only my boss will have a 100% knowledge of the names on the list beacuse of his closeness to the president. Even some of the persons who never liked him came around. It was also a night of mending political fences." The source added.

A furthee investigation also showed that a little break given to the ADC by the president to rest and resume work this morning became a very busy one as the ADC, Lt col Mohammed Lawal was unable to have a moment of rest due to the many calls and visits that followed his return from London with many of the Lobyists prodding him to ascertain if their names appeared on the list.

TheNigerian News correspondent bumped into a ministerial lobbyist in the course of his investigation and sought to know why they are all up in the night moving as though there had been a military take over. The unanimous ministerial hopeful said "Yes, this is the game, nobody wants to be left out and this is not the right night to sleep as a minute in politics can make years of positive or negative impact. As for me, i want to know my fate whether to keep on hoping for something or to face my business ". Further questions from our correspondent to ascertain whether the lobbyist spent any monies or paid anybody to make a case for him in the presidency was not answered as the politician hurried into his SUV and zoomed off.

The greatest dilema however is how the APC and the president will manage to raise a 42 man cabinet from the over 300 very serious interests without leaving countless feathers unruffled.

Like TheNigerian news as we bring you first hand information on political developments as regards the ministerial lists and visit our site at www.thenigerian.news as we bring you the news as it happen

Buhari's Return: Lobbyists jittery, make desperate moves to see Ministerial list https://www.thenigerian.news/buharis-return-lobbyists-jittery-make-desperate-moves-to-see-ministerial-list/amp/

The All Progressive Congress Party (APC) having overwhelmingly won the majority of seats in the national assembly is expected to put its house in order so as to elect the presiding officers of the both Chambers of the national assembly from it's fold. The party's national chairman in furtherance of this, directed the Law makers elected on the platform of his party to vote for Ahmed Lawan, a highly experienced parliamentarian as the president of the senate while the party also adopted a fine parliamentarian, whose intellectual sagacity is never in doubt, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajiamila as the speaker of the federal House of reps.

The zoning of the national assembly leadership positions have however being rejected by many members with ranking lawmakers elected under the platform of the party declaring interests to contest the top positions of the national assembly against the directives of ths party. Political onlookers have also waded in with speculations of a possible PDP take over of the NASS leadership or at least, a defiant APC law maker just like Saraki and Dogara did in 2015 who will go on to pacify the opposition party members with appointments into juicy committees as chairmen.

The Nigerian News however gathered from a reliable source who is very much abreast with the political development in the country that the power tussle currently bedevelling the ruling party about who gets elected to preside over the both Chambers of the national assembly is beyond the issue of party interests but deals directly with who gathers resources and contacts ahead of 2023 presidential election. The Nigerian News can authoritatively report that top Northern political insiders are working assiduously to ensure that the choices of the party does not materialise come June when the 9th senate is scheduled to be inaugurated so as to Clip Tinubu's wings ahead of 2023 elections as he is believed to have interests which might become unstoppable if the choices of the party which he now remote-control through Oshiomole is allowed to stand. Reuben Abbati, former media aid to ex president Goodluck Jonathan, recently revealed that sources within the presidency are working seriously for Sen Ali Ndume to emerge president of the senate in June against the wishes of the party. This is all in line with the recent data the Nigerian news recently gathered.

A high ranking senator who spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Nigeria News told our correspondent that the North is not prepared to arm Tinubu ahead of 2023 by supporting the choices of the party which Tinubu through Oshiomole now controls. When asked if party's interest is no longer supreme, the veteran lawmaker replied "this is no longer party's interest but a jostle for who gets the party's ticket in 2023. Tinubu shifted it from party interest to individual and regional interest and the North cannot just fold its arms and watch". The juggernaut who also ventilated his grievances at the way the party is going about the national assembly leadership issue, warned that if urgent actions are not taken to get things right and allow democracy to thrive within the party, it might be destroyed before the 2023 elections. When asked if it was not too early to preempt people and fight over another elections when elected politicians are yet to be inaugurated and settled into their offices, the APC chieftain laughed and said "we are teaching the younger generation politics, you don't wait until it is at your door step, you make preparations towards it. 2023 election campaigns started the day after the 2019 elections ended, it requires a long preparation and the North is not ready to be short changed".
He revealed to our correspondent that they have been charged to ensure the party's candidate do not emerge so as not to grant Tinubu an undue leverage ahead of 2023 APC presidential primaries.

Recall that Tinubu's presidential interest has become so widely spoken of even by his footsoldiers and the North has equally reacted negatively urging Tinubu to stand down his ambition as they are not willing to return power to the South in 2023.

Stay glued to www.thenigerian.news and like our page on Facebook as we bring you current political happenings around the country

https://www.thenigerian.news/nass-leadership-why-northern-power-bloc-are-against-lawal-gbajiamila/

https://www.thenigerian.news/can-an-instrument-of-disunity-in-nigeria/amp/

CAN: An instrument of disunity in Nigeria

By Sylvanus Okpe

It is not just disheartening but pitiable that the Christian Association of Nigeria, a body suppossedly saddled with the sacrosanct responsibility of gathering and leading Christians in Nigeria has jettisoned this onerous responsibility, abandoned the flocks of Christ and derided the alter of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace. CAN leaders have turned themselves into political marauders, galivanting the political space with a cheap price tag dangling around their neck at which they will throw away the sacred responsibility they ought to hold dear and dance to the tune of selfish politicians whose ambition and interests remains permanent.

I have great respect for men of God being a proud Christian but i take exception to the recent excesses of CAN and its leadership. They no longer brandish the virtues and core-tenets of Christianity. How would CAN, a body that should be the epicentre of love and peace, condemn the federal government of Nigeria for successfully negotiating the release of Zainab Habib, an innocent Nigerian girl who was billed to be beheaded for allegedly committing a drug related offence for which the anachronistic and inhumane laws of Saudi Arabia prescribeed death sentence? Jesus Christ after whom our progenitor christians were named after many years before in Antioch, preached and stood for peace and love. He related with and tolerated sinners more than the self acclaimed righteous people. In his thirty-three years of existence in human form on Earth, he spent most of his days on earth with unbelievers, spreading love and peace devoid of religious leanings. Even Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church and President of Vatican city, prostrated on the floor and kissed the shoes of the muslim President of South Sudan while pleading with him to preach peace in his country. It was a humbling and breath-taking scene. Now remember that South Sudan is made up of a very significant number of muslims. If Pope Francis were to be a leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, he wouldn't have cared about peace in South Sudan since the christian population there is insignificant and is in the minority but why will CAN, a body of Christians now tow this rather ugly and divergent path of entering and wrestling in the wring of politics of rancour and bitterness by deriding such a great feat of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who through his decisive action saved a soul from being unjustly executed. Why will a human soul be defined on religious grounds? Where is our communality?

Again, CAN's comparism of Zainab's case with that of Leah Sharibu, a virtous young lady whose faith in the lord Jesus Christ challenged our wobbling faith as christians and re-invigorated hope and waned-belief in the one and only true God is greatly flawed and was clearly advanced to trigger religious sentiments and discredit the great efforts of the Buhari administration in saving a Nigerian girl from an unjust execution in a strange land. Femi Fani Kayode, a sworn critic of the government like myself and a great supporter of CAN, in disagreement with their displeasure with the release of Zainab, went on his twitter to say that for the first time in the past four years he was proud to be a Nigerian after pouring encomiums on President Muhammadu Buhari for this great achievement which reassured many Nigerians in the Diaspora of a responsible government that is ready to protect and defend their interests.

Let me educate CAN a little. The case of Leah Sharibu and that of Zainan Habib are like two conspicuous parrallel lines that can never meet and therefore, cannot be compared. While that of Zainab needed only diplomatic manauvering, garnished with some legal jagons, that of Leah, a young christian woman I adore and cherish for her unwavering faith in Christ and whose continous captivity and detention in the hands of the insurgents is unjustifiable, reprehensible and very unfortunate, requires both military action and carrot and stick approach to get freed from her evil and conscienceless captors.

What CAN would have done was to thank the President for the accomplishment and urge him to in the light of the success press for the release of our christian hero, Leah Sharibu. Enough of politics and acting of a poorly written script to embarrass the christian community in Nigeria.

Until CAN wakes up from this seeming dream and trauma induced by the just concluded 2019 general elections in which they were greatly induced to support a none christian, we will discountinue to take them serious and digest whatever they say with a bag of salt.

CAN is supposed to be a bridge-builder between all the faiths in Nigeria, working tirelessly for the peace and unity of our Lord Jesus Christ to bound us together in his everlasting love.

Exclusive: Godfrey Onyeama, Ogbeh, Mansur top list of Ministers not coming back

https://www.thenigerian.news/exclusive-godfrey-onyeama-ogbeh-mansur-top-list-of-ministers-not-coming-back/

Exclusive: Godfrey Onyeama, Ogbeh, Mansur top list of Ministers not coming back

Nigerian house London has become the beehive of political activities with the recent unscheduled traveling of President Mohammed Buhari. Tinubu, Oshiomole, Mamman Daura has been exclusively reported by the NigerianNews to have chased the President to London so as to have an input in the political activities unfolding in that beautiful city.

Recall that the NigerianNews exclusively reported few days ago after speaking with an impeccable source within the presidency, that the main purpose of the President's sudden visit to London is not mainly on medical grounds but to be able to resist pressure from numerous entrenched interests, in the constitution of his cabinet. The NigerianNews also reported yesterday of Oshiomole's sudden travel to London so as to ensure the list of the "Loyal party men" the party conpiled few days ago is conaidered by the President in the formation of his cabinet.

The NigerianNews also gathered yesterday that the list is almost complete as the President and other stakeholders are putting finishing touches before arriving the country on May 5th.

The president according to our source, is not yeilding to any pressures that might inpugn his government or slow down his NEXT LEVEL agenda. He is also very sad with the low performance of APC nationwide in the 2019 governorship race where the party lost many of its states and is not willing to consider party men who through their actions or inaction contributed to the party's defeat in states where they held power before the elections. Our sources also revealed that the president has resolved to fulfil his promise of giving youths the opportunity of occupying prominent positions in his government.

Many ministers are likely not coming back and the list which NigerianNews exclusively obtained from London has it that Geodfrey Onyeama, the Minister of foreign affairs is the first to be dropped from the list for the opposition he played against the recognised APC governorship candidate in his home state of Enugu, leading to the legal impediments that contributed immensely to the party's defeat in Enugu where Sen. Ayogu Eze, its Candidate scored paltry 10,000 votes against Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi's (PDP) over 400,000 votes. Second on the list is the minister of communications, Bar Adebayo Shitu whose defiance and opposition to the APC mainstream in Oyo state left not a few feathers among the kingmakers in the party, unruffled. 3rd in the list is Usani Uguru Usani, the Minister of Niger Delta. The president is said to be worried over the inability of the Minister to hold the region together and swerve support for the President and his party. Sen. Godswill Akpabio who lost re-election to the green chambers to PDP's Chrisopher Ekpeyong is tipped to have the gravitas to represent the region well in the president's cabinet. Another minister on the list is Solomon Dalung, the source said the president is predisposed to getting a younger person to man the youth ministry. The defence minister, Mansur Dan Ali also tops the list of ministers who have not lived up to the president's expectations. For his inability to coordinate the Armed Forces. Though analysts have given a pass mark to the President on his war against Boko Haram, it is still generally believed that not much has been done politically by the Minister to engage the carrot and stick approach. According to one analyst who spoke to TheNigerian news in confidence: “ Military solution alone cannot put out the kind of multi-dimensional crisis that the administration had inherited.” Mohammed Sani Bello, the minister of FCT is also left out of the list. Our sources say that the president is not unhappy with the way the federal capital territory has been turned into a refuse dump under the Minister's watch. "He has failed to leave above board", the source said. Suleiman Adamu Kazaure, the water resources minister is also said not to make the list for failing to deliver on the core mandates of his ministry.

The president is also said to be considering replacing the Agriculture minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh with a younger person who have the regour and the requisite experience to deliver. Besides the minister's old age, his political dexterity has waned leading to the woeful defeat the president and his party suffered from his polling unity upto his local government of Ogbadibo in the 2019 general elections.

Like the Nigeriannews page on facebook and visit our sites at www.thenigerian.new as we bring you stories from the political developments in London

APC Chairman, Oshiomole joins Buhari in london to decide on ministerial list https://www.thenigerian.news/apc-chairman-oshiomole-joins-buhari-in-london-to-decide-on-ministerial-list/amp/

President Muhammadu Buhari who embarked on an 11-day working vacation to London has been joined by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, it has been gathered.
The president left the country on Thursday for the United Kingdom on a private visit.
Buhari, according to his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, is expected to return to the country on May 5.
But sources said that the president may have travelled out ostensibly to avoid pressure from lobbyists who have invaded the seat of power for ministerial and other political appointments.
The sources equally said that the APC chairman and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have also been under intense pressure from lobbyists.
An impeccable source within the presidency, said the president has resolved to source seasoned technocrats as members of his new cabinet, so that they can help him to actualize his agenda for the ‘Next Level,’ saying that part of the reasons he travelled was to avoid distraction by political jobbers, who have been mounting pressure on him.
It is, therefore, believed that the reported journey of Oshiomhole to London was to enable him and the president confer on the ministerial list and other key Federal appointments, devoid of pressure from lobbyists ahead of the inauguration of a new cabinet on May 29.
It was learnt that soon after the conduct of the general elections, Comrade Oshiomhole, has had to contend with lobbyists for Federal appointments.
The politicians seeking ministerial and other federal appointments were said to have invaded Abuja soon after the elections, with many of them banking on their contacts and relationship with the APC national chairman to scale through.
Many of them are said to have secured accommodations at the Federal Capital Territory to avoid paying huge hotel bills.
According to informed sources, these class of appointment seekers are determined to stay in Abuja to pursue their interest until the very end with occasional visits to their home states.
When contacted last night to confirm Oshiomhole’s journey to London, the Chief Press Secretary to the APC national chairman, Mr Simon Ebegbulem, declined comment, and did not deny that his boss was in London.