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THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed claims that a Senator rigged election on behalf of it.

The opposition party stated this on Sunday, while reacting to the request by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) on Saturday urging it to confess its sins against Nigerians like the lawmaker did.

Former senate president, Ibrahim Mantu, had in an interview on Channels Television, revealed that he rigged elections for the PDP.

In response, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on said Mr Mantu’s reported claims are personal to him and has nothing to do with the PDP.


Ologbondiyan said the party has never directed any of its members to rig election on its behalf at any point since its formation.

“Senator Mantu spoke about his personal activities and tendencies in the elections where he participated. The PDP has never directed or had any pact with him to rig election on its behalf. Never!

“Individuals run their elections on the platform of political parties once they emerge as candidates. In the PDP, candidates are issued with the party’s Code of Conduct containing the basic rules of electioneering engagements.

“There is nowhere in this rules of engagement where candidates or party members are directed to rig elections on behalf of the party. If any member’s conduct transgressed these basic rules of engagement, that individual did not act on behalf of the PDP, and as such the party cannot be vicariously held responsible.

“It will therefore be misplaced for anybody, including the APC, to surmise that Senator Mantu, in the said confession of rigging, acted on behalf of the PDP.

“After all, in 2007, Senator Mantu lost his own senatorial election. What, then, happened to his rigging machinery, if he could not deliver himself.

“We urge the APC to manage its manifest failures in party administration as well as its incompetent, lack-lustre and wobbling governance which has grounded the nation’s economy and brought hunger and starvation to our people,” the statement said.

lalasticlala

OLISA Metuh, former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, has reacted to the inclusion of his name in the recently published list of those who amassed wealth illegally from the nation’s treasury.

The government had in response to the PDP published names of those it said stole from the treasury while it was in power.

Metuh’s name was included in the list.

Mr Metuh in a statement he personally signed on Saturday, described the publication as a media trial threatening to seek redress in court.


The statement reads:“My attention has been drawn to the recent release of names of ‘looters’ by the APC led Federal Government through the Minister of information, Lai Mohammed. By this publication the federal government has breached our constitution by seeking to burden me with two criminal trials on the same charge, one before Justice Okon Abang and the other before the media.

“In response to the scandalous publication, I wish to state as follows :

1) Since my arrest on the 5th day of January 2016 and subsequent arraignment, I have refrained from publicly discussing my persecution and travails by the government because as a lawyer, trained in the finest traditions of the Bar, I know that it is wrong to discuss a matter that is subjudice. However the present action of the government leaves me no option than to defend my name and integrity. I have therefore decided to avail the public of the true state of the contrived case against me.

2) The charge against me is that I received the sum of N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser to carry out duties assigned to me as the then National Publicity Secretary of the PDP by then President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The major crux of the prosecution argument is that I ought to have known that the money was a part of an alleged and yet to be proven unlawful activity of Col Sambo Dasuki(rtd), former NSA to President Jonathan.

3) The charge was brought regardless of the fact that neither President Jonthan who gave me the assignment and directed the release of the funds nor Col Dasuki(rtd), who effected the release of the funds have ever been interrogated nor even interviewed in this regard. As a matter of fact, officers of the office of the National Security Adviser have testified in court that the payment made to me followed all due process usually observed in the establishment.

4) It is of interest to note that the prosecution has not alleged any mens rea or collusion on my part other than the suggestion that I ‘ought to have known’ of the alleged unlawful activity. Also the alleged illegality of the funds has neither been established in law nor in fact.

5) I have NEVER held a government office and/or position and could not therefore have had any access to government funds.
6) In view of the weakness of the case against me, the APC led Federal Government resorted to all kinds of dirty tactics to dehumanise and intimidate me.They have done everything humanly possible to ensure complete persecution starting from bringing me to court in handcuffs( and parading the capture of Nigeria’s most wanted) to media trials and constant interference with my case.

7) I have been reliably informed that the Federal Government has ordered a conviction at all cost to ensure that the PDP is tainted before the elections. The government ‘s determination to achieve this objective is clearly highlighted by the refusal to allow me attend to my deteriorating health notwithstanding several expert medical opinion on the matter.

.By going to the media to name me a looter(without cross-checking the definition and dictionary meaning of the word) the federal government has not only given a body language but has issued a direct intimidation and threat to the judiciary to get a compulsory conviction.

9) It is now clear that the APC led government that thrives in impunity and intimidation of other arms of government will not allow justice to be done in my matter. It is incontrovertible that our country has descended into the worst form of draconian rule where the executive arm directly interferes and seeks to control and determine matters within the purview of the legislature and the judiciary.

10) In view of this unprecedented executive rascality and lawlessness, I have asked my lawyers to review the implications of this latest attack by the government and take appropriate steps for redress.

11) In all, my faith is firm in God that this tyranny will not last forever and that no mortal is omnipotent in my matter.

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FORMER Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has released his own list of corrupt government officials under the All Progressive Congress.

The former minister, fondly called FFK, published the list in an article titled: An Apology For What? on Saturday.

HEADLINE had reported FFK noting that the PDP ought not to have apologized to Nigerians as they have done nothing wrong.

He also said the PDP needed to apologize for allowing the All Progressive Congress (APC) take over power in 2015.


Fani-Kayode is also of the opinion that the All Progressive Congress (APC) in three (3) years indulged in more corrupt practises than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did in its sixteen (16) years in power.

“When, God-willing, we get them out of power and take over we will open the books, expose them for what they are and each and everyone of them will suffer the consequences of their unprecedented graft and monstrous larceny.

“One day Nigerians will discover that Buhari is not an angel but a devil and that his entire government and team is infested with demons and incorrigible rogues,” he said.

Releasing his list, the former minister noted that no list of looters could be complete without the names of President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Also included in the list are serving ministers: Rotimi Amaechi (Transport); Babatunde Raji Fashola (Power, Works and Housing); Abdulrahman Dambazzau (Interior) and Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Abdullahi Adamu, Senator representing Nasarawa West; Mohammed Burutai; Abdulrasheed Maina; Babachir Lawal and all the other APC leaders and Federal Government officials were also included in his list.

The former minister added that: “They are not only thieves but they literally invented the art of corruption and they are experts in it. They are corrupt in body, spirit and soul. They have stolen and misappropriated vast sums of money from the Nigerian state, diverted billions of naira from state government funds for their 2015 presidential campaign and they have snuffed out and destroyed more innocent lives than any other government in the history of Nigeria outside of the civil war.

“One day Nigerians will discover that Buhari is not an angel but a devil and that his entire government and team is infested with demons and incorrigible rogues.

“And if anyone doubts that Buhari and his government are hopelessly corrupt then they should please read the latest Transparancy International report in which they said that corruption in Nigeria is “getting worse under Buhari”.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has released its own version of corrupt elements who are members of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

The federal government had released its own version of PDP members alleged to be corrupt in a bid to justify its earlier claims that members of the opposition party are those behind the crash of the country’s economy.

However, the PDP who threatened to released its own version has done so in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, on Friday.

The party also agreed to return the loots by its members, urging those in the APC it named to report themselves alongside their loot to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“In line with the directive of the ruling APC Government that PDP should return all looted monies for Nigerians to accept our apology, PDP hereby wholeheartedly agrees to abide by this suggestion and will get its members to return the said looted money.

“Accordingly, the following are directed to immediately report to the EFCC with their loots:

“Rotimi Amaechi, Timipre Sylva, Bukola Saraki, Aliyu Wammako, Sullivan Chime, Orji Kalu, Ngige, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abdullahi Adamu, Abubakar Moh’d, Gov. Lalong, Bello Hayatu, Sen. AbdulAzeez Nyako, Sen. Alkali Moh’d, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, Sen. Andy Uba, Sen. Nazif, Sen. Magnus Abe, Engr. Dakuku Peterside, Sen. Silas Zwingima, Sen. Binta Massi, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, Dr. Idi Hong, Adm. Murtala Nyako, Sen. Bello Tukur, Jummai Al-Hassan, Sen. Hunkuyi, Sen. AbdulAzeez Ibrahim, Sen. Adamu Aliero, George Akume, Joshua Dariye.

“Speakers Aminu Masari, Aminu Tambuwal, Yakubu Dogara, Gali Na’abba, Nat Chairmen Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbe, COAS Dambazau, Oserheimen Osunbo, Musliu Obanikoro, Adam Oshiomhole, Jim Nwobodo, Govs Atiku Bagudu, Ganduje, Nasir El-Rufai, Ortom, Ishaku Darius, Rochas Okorocha, Bindo Jibrilla, Abubakar Sani Bello, Ahmed of Kwara, Dakingari, Danjuma Goje, Obanikoro, Sen. Lokobiri and Chinweke Mbadinuju.

“While awaiting the publication of more names, I trust Nigerians will now see our sincerity and accept our apology.”

duni04:
Bros we can go on and one with this. I can post links on the progress of each of those cases in court. The truth is that most of you people who type here are just stupid children that love to rant ignorantly. You don't know anything and always insist on imposing your ignorance on others. There are many more APC members nationwide under trial for corruption. If you had any sense you would spend less time trying to impose your ignorance on others as fact.

duni04:
Orji Uzor Kalu

Bukola Saraki

Musliu Obanikoro

Adebayo Akaka

Muiz Banire

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) needs to apologize for allowing the All Progressive Congress (APC) take over power in 2015.

This was the submission of former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.

Fondly called FFK, the former minister was reacting to remarks by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, that the corruption of the its preceding government destroyed the country’s economy.

However, Fani-kayode noted that the All Progressive Congress (APC) in three (3) years indulged in more corrupt practises than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did in its sixteen (16) years in power.

Citing differences in cash releases to three ministries as example, Mr. Osinbajo said the looting that took place in the last five years of PDP administration cost the nation dear hence, he would continue to talk about corruption in PDP’s administration.

“The corruption of the previous five years destroyed the economy,” he said.

But reacting, FFK, lambasted Osinbajo calling him unprintable names.

He reacted through his Twitter handle @realFFK.

FFK is of the opinion that the PDP ought not to have apologized to Nigerians as they have done nothing wrong.

“What is PDP apologising for?Is it the achievements of OBJ or the strides of GEJ?If PDP must apologise for its 16 year rule then APC leaders must get guns and blow their own brains out or take poison and drop dead for the corruption,hardship,bloodshed and evil they foisted on us.”

He said the only thing the PDP needs to apologized for was allowing the emergence of the APC government.

“The apology that PDP offered was ill-conceived and unecessary. What are we apologising for? I was in OBJ’s govt and his achievements were legion. The only thing PDP needs to apologise for is allowing a bunch of rogues, sociopaths and sadists like the APC to take power in 2015.”

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has ordered Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo to “keep quiet” if he cannot mention names of those he claims looted the treasury while in power.

Mr. Osinbajo, had said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will not stop talking about the corruption in former president Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Giving his reason he said “because we must let our people know that we cannot afford to go this way again.”

Osinbajo stated this at the 10th annual Bola Tinubu Colloquium, organised to commemorate the birthday of the former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu.

“Let me reiterate that from all I have seen in government in the past three years, the corruption of the previous five years is what destroyed the Nigerian economy,” he said at the event.

“Every time we talk about corruption, our opponents say don’t talk about it just do your own. Don’t talk about it. The Yoruba have an adage: ‘when the matter become that of tails, the frog will say let us keep it and don’t talk about it”. We would talk about it. And the reason why we would talk about it is because we must let our people know that we cannot afford to go this way again. Never again should we allow a system where people take the resources and steal the resources of this country, use the resources against the people and at the same time they want to continue in rulership,” he added.

Mr Osinbajo said the ruling APC got into government with the determination to change the prevailing narrative of Nigeria as a corrupt country and the government is bent on seeing that those who stole from the public treasury will be made to face the music.

“When we began this journey in 2014, our party the APC was determined to change the dominant narrative of the country. We were determined to ensure that the notion of a country rich in natural resources and even richer in human capital but being destroyed daily by corruption and impunity in the looting public resources will have to change that narrative.

“We saw a nation where a few impostors have so privatised the commonwealth that while oil prices were at their highest and we were getting growth figures as high as 70 per cent, the majority of the people remained extremely poor.”

He said the government and the ruling party must show that it was different from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was in power for 16 years, by investing more in people and infrastructure instead of enriching a few people.

But reacting, PDP accused Osinbajo of not being bold enough to mention names of those he claimed stole public funds.

The party through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said the vice president was only fond of bandying figures he cannot trace to a personality in the PDP.

While featuring on a programme on Channels Television, Thursday evening, Mr. Ologbondiyan cautioned the vice president to either “keep quiet” or present a list of PDP members who amassed wealth through illegal means.

“We want to caution the Vice-President that he should stop bandying figures. Anytime the Vice-President has the opportunity to face the camera, he begins to announce figures that he cannot support.

“Our advice to him is that as a professor of law, he knows the pathway to follow when you accuse somebody of corruption. We challenge him to stop bandying figures but he should mention names of those who he claimed corrupted themselves. And if he cannot mention their names and he cannot charge them to court and he cannot cause their arrest and he cannot even list these people, he should keep quiet.

“Why can’t they come out and say in the last three years, we have done these, we have done that? All they do is to come back and say the last 10 years of the PDP, last five years of PDP. Is that what Nigerians are asking?

“As far as we are concerned in PDP, until the Vice-President comes out clean and says that your party members by so names corrupted themselves to the tune of so amount, you don’t expect us as a party to begin to respond.”

“Don’t forget, the PDP established all the anti-corruption agencies in the cpuntry. Name it; EFCC, ICPC and whatever agency you think about. They were established by the PDP. PDP remains the only party in our modern democracy that have tried its members for corruption charges.

“Our people challenged the government of which Prof. Osinbajo is Vice-President that the corrupt money they are looking for is what they spent to bring them into government that is the position of PDP.

“If they are searching for corruption money, if they are searching for people who stole money, they should look inwards, that the position of PDP.

“If they are current members of the rebranded and repositioned PDP, declare them so, but if they are hiding under villa protection and you are busy going around villages and towns announcing that PDP stole money, you are being unfair and you are not acting like a man of God. That is the position of PDP,” he said.

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PDP Fires Back, Ask APC To Return Stolen Funds Used To Finance Buhari’s Election
By SAMUEL UBOKULO -March 27, 2018




THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the All Progressive Congress (APC) to return all the stolen funds it used to finance the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The PDP stated this while reacting to earlier attacks launched on it by the federal government and the APC wherein they asked the opposition party to return looted funds they stole while in power.

The PDP had offered an apology to Nigerians over their perceived failure in governance before they lost power in 2015 to APC.

According to the statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, “the APC and its federal government cannot continue to play the saints when state governors, who stole hundreds of billions of naira meant for the development of their states to fund President Buhari in 2015, are still enjoying cover as members of the Buhari kitchen cabinet, despite outrage from Nigerians.”

The PDP also charged the APC and the federal government to end their ”false sanctimony and immediately return all stolen funds used to finance President Buhari’s election in 2015 to the Federation Account”.

Mr Ologbondiyan said no evidence could be brought to the fore that the PDP, as a party looted public funds.

“The APC and President Buhari campaigned for the 2015 presidential election with looted billions of naira meant for the provision of essential amenities for ordinary Nigerians.

”The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, misfired in his outburst that the PDP should return alleged looted funds when the only party known to have used looted funds has always been the APC.”

He urged Mr Mohammed to direct his demand to the presidency.

“Nigerians are aware that prior to the 2015 election, President Buhari had informed that he was insolvent. He, however, took Nigerians by surprise as he enjoyed one of the most expensive presidential campaigns in the history of our Nation while turning a blind eye to reports of massive looting of funds from APC controlled states.

“This is the APC, whose government, has been rated by international bodies including the Transparency International (TI) which latest report shows that corruption and sleaze had escalated under its watch,” the statement said.

The statement also cited the current Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, as a case study in corruption.

Mr Shittu, who is gunning for the governorship slot in Oyo State was recently accused by his former aide of corrupt practices and living beyond his means as a public servant.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has divulged the reason why it apologized to Nigerians.

The opposition party said it apologized to Nigerians so as to earn their trust again thereby giving them another chance as that is the pathway to national healing, renewal of hope and remobilization of the citizenry for the task of rescuing the nation from it current pathetic situation “occasioned by the painful misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

The PDP said that as a responsible party, committed to the good of Nigerians, it is deeply saddened that the people are suffering because “the nation allowed the APC, a movement that has neither structure nor plan, to scheme itself into governance, devastate the country, wreck our once robust economy and plunge our citizens into a situation of hunger, starvation and daily bloodletting.”

The party said it is not unmindful of the fact that lessons have been learnt and that Nigerians across board are now looking up to its repositioned and rebranded platform to pull the country from the brinks and return her to the path of true democracy, national cohesion and economic prosperity, which were the hallmarks of PDP’s 16 years.



The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, said while certain mistakes were made in its internal administration prior to the 2015 general election, its new leadership has already smoothened the rough edges to ensure strict adherence to internal democracy and good governance in all processes.

“It is imperative to further state that our apology has to do more with the fact that we made certain mistakes that allowed an anti-people movement to take over governance in our country.

“Our situation under the APC has become so pathetic that the world is now contemplating on how to help us. Under the APC misrule, the average life span of Nigerians has become abysmally low, purchasing power is eroded, the middle class has been wiped off, security is almost non-existent, all the economic gains of the PDP years have been destroyed, and our nation is now placed on auto-pilot.

“It is painful to note that under the nightmarish rule of APC, Nigerians have become so frustrated that they now consider suicide mission and slavery as options.

“Therefore, our apology is to ask Nigerians, once again, to put their trust in the rebranded PDP, particularly, as our party is the only platform that is committed to the national agenda of peace, unity, justice and prosperous nation,” the statement read.

NIGERIA’S opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday apologized to Nigerians for its misrule while in government.

The party has been in charge of the country since the return to democracy in 1999. But in 2015 Nigerians angrily pushed them out by electing the now ruling All Progressive Congress.

Their apology tendered to Nigerians has gotten the reaction of the Federal Government and the APC on Tuesday.

While the government urged the PDP to return funds looted from the nation’s treasury during its reign, the APC said the apology from the opposition party was not enough urging them to “confess their sins and fully atone for it, before restitution is considered”.

Also, the government said its recommendation if acted upon by the PDP will further show genuine penitence from the party while the APC noted that although acknowledged, the apology was belated as Nigerians still suffer from the PDP’s years of misrule.

Same Tuesday, the PDP has said it apologized said it apologized to Nigerians so as to earn their trust again thereby giving them another chance as that is the pathway to national healing, renewal of hope and remobilization of the citizenry for the task of rescuing the nation from it current pathetic situation “occasioned by the painful misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

So we have chosen to conduct a poll to ascertain what the minds of Nigerians on the issue.

PLEASE ENDEAVOUR TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLL BELOW

THE Federal Government and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has reacted to the apology tendered by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Nigerians pleading to be forgiven for its misrule while in power.

While the government urged the PDP to return funds looted from the nation’s treasury during its reign, the APC said the apology from the opposition party was not enough urging them to “confess their sins and fully atone for it, before restitution is considered”.

The government said its recommendation if acted upon by the PDP will further show genuine penitence from the party while the APC noted that although acknowledged, the apology was belated as Nigerians still suffer from the PDP’s years of misrule.

The PDP on Monday admitted to making mistakes while it was in power and therefore, apologised to Nigerians.



Information Minister, Lai Mohammed spoke for the government while APC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, spoke for the ruling party. The duo made their position known in separate statements.

Mr. Mohammed said “The PDP presided over an unprecedented looting of the public treasury, perhaps the worst of its kind in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. Therefore, the best evidence of penitence for such a party is not just to own up and apologize, but to also return the looted funds. Anything short of that is mere deceit.

“Even with the paucity of funds, this Administration has spent an unprecedented amount of money on infrastructural development and Social Investment Programme, among others.

“Returning looted funds will provide more money for these programmes and make life more meaningful for Nigerians. There is no better apology than that,” it said.

The Minister also reminded the PDP of the quote, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging,” saying it applies to the PDP at this time challenging the opposition party to show the genuineness of its apology through a discernible change of attitude.

“PDP, press the reset button. Stop sabotaging the work of this Administration, which is packing the mess you left behind, through your reckless statements and unfounded allegations. Play responsible opposition politics. Put Nigeria’s interest over and above partisan interest. Temper your desperation to return to power. Spend quality time in the purgatory and you will be forgiven,” he said.

Mr. Abdullahi noted that, “The All Progressives Congress (APC) acknowledges the apologies by the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) for the damage the party has wrought on the country’s democratic fabric during its sixteen-year rule.

“However, despite this belated grovelling apology, PDP will need to come clean, confess to their sins and fully atone for it, before restitution is considered.

“As they say, to err is human but forgiveness is divine. We join PDP in praying to God to forgive them, but Nigerianss are human who are still suffering from the years of PDP’s misrule.

“Therefore, even if Nigerians are gracious enough to forgive, they will not forget in a hurry.”

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2015 Presidential election did not involve in digging into personal information of its opponents as claimed, the former Media Director of Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan Campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode has said.

Fani-Kayode stated this on Sunday when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Programme, Sunday Politics.

He said the PDP had no links with Cambridge Analytica and was not involved in hacking information during 2015 election.

Cambridge Analytica, a UK-based company in a wake of controversies has earlier been accused of obtaining data of Facebook users for election manipulation.

A whistle-blower, who is an ex-employee of Cambridge Analytica had claimed that the firm interfered in Nigeria’s 2015 elections by hiring hackers to dig information about President Muhammadu Buhari who was a candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

The whistle-blower in an interview with Guardian UK did not reveal the identity of the person who paid Cambridge Analytica for its services but described him as a Nigerian businessman who wanted to ensure former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.

This saw the Presidency asking the opposition party to address the concerns raised about their role in the mass data harvesting at the heart of the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, following the revelation that they hacked into Candidate Muhammadu Buhari’s personal data in the run up to the 2015 general elections.

Fani-Kayode who is a former Minister of Aviation said further that President Jonathan enjoyed a lot of goodwill from friends and therefore the name of the billionaire should rather be revealed than allegations thrown at the PDP.

“As far as the presidential campaign organisation is concerned, we have absolutely no links whatsoever with this company or with anybody that seeks to do anything that is illegal or criminal or to undermine any government or anyone that wants to run for an electoral position in this country.

“At no point was the PDP Campaign organisation mentioned or anybody that was the member of the PDP mentioned in this allegation. The report had no evidence to suggest the Jonathan was involved.

“I know former President Jonathan enjoyed a lot of goodwill in a number of places. What the report said was that a billionaire who was Jonathan’s friend and a couple of his agents met them and asked them to find information in an illegal manner.

“I think what should be done is to establish the name of this Nigerian billionaire and pose these questions to them and not to us,” he added.

Revealing how the PDP got information about Buhari’s medical and academic record that the PDP vehemently pointed out during the 2015 election campaigns, Fani-Kayode attribute this to his prowess as a historian and a professional who ask a lot of questions.

He clearly pointed out that the PDP is not in the business of hacking into people’s personal information data or employing others to do so.

EVENTS that has befallen President Muhammadu Buhari’s led Federal Government has kept Nigerians wondering who is actually in charge of the country.

Some are of the opinion that the ‘cabal’ at the seat of power are the ones running the affairs of the nation, this have left the presidency denying the insinuations time without number.

HEADLINE is reviewing major signs suggesting Mr. Buhari may not be in charge.

CONFIRMATION OF THE ACTING CHAIRMAN OF ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC).

Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency as at today has not been confirmed by the Nigerian Senate since he was appointed on November 9, 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Magu has been rejected by the Senate twice over a report tabled before the upper legislative chamber by the Department of State Services (DSS) headed by its Director, Lawal Daura.

When he was first rejected, many thought it was because of the prosecution of some alleged corrupt lawmakers in the Senate. Afterwards a letter from the DSS asked the Senate not to confirm him.

President Buhari who at that time seems to be much fascinated by the showmanship of the anti-corruption agency chief, asked the Attorney-general and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to look into the DSS report and get back to him.

The minister, having taken a cue from Mr President, returned a “not guilty” verdict on Magu, and his name was resubmitted to the Senate for another try, a try that has failed and fell flat on its face with another more damning report from the same DSS.

The constitution empowers the President to appoint heads of the EFCC and the DSS and that he has done, but a Lagos based lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, wonders why two agencies under the President are engaged in a wrestle of who is superior to another with the Nigerian leader refusing to caution them.

Mr. Effiong while featuring in a programme on TVC satellite station blamed Mr Buhari for the shortcomings. Uptil date Magu has not been confirmed, and has been in acting capacity even when it has been legally established that the Senate has the power to confirm or reject him, a position the Presidency has refused to concur with.

EFCC AND DSS FACE-OFF

Another showdown pointing that the president has lost grip of his admibistration was recorded when operatives of the DSS and EFCC were involved in a clash for over 13 hours when the anti-graft officials stormed the home of the immediate past Director General of the DSS, Ekpenyong Ita, to effect his arrest.

Ita, who served as the head of the DSS from 2010 to 2015, had been invited by the EFCC for his alleged role in the arms scam involving a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), and other service chiefs who have since been arraigned.

While other security agencies had cooperated with the EFCC and released their officials for probe, the DSS had refused to hand over its own officials to the anti-graft agency uptil date.

Punch Newspaper reported that Ita’s refusal to honour series of EFCC invitations, led the operatives of the anti-graft agency, armed with an arrest and search warrants, to surrounded Ita’s home at 46 Mamman Nasir Street, Asokoro as early as 4am to prevent him from escaping.

At daybreak, the EFCC operatives approached the premises and presented the warrant to DSS officials securing the building.

However, as the EFCC officials attempted to enter, the heavily armed DSS officials, some of whom were wearing masks, refused to allow the EFCC men inside.

The DSS officials simply said they were acting on “orders from above.”

They also threatened to open fire on the persistent EFCC operatives.

This led Abiodun Olujimi, senator representing Ekiti south, to insinuate that “no one is in charge of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government.”

“There has to be someone we can hold responsible when two brothers are fighting, the person that is supposed to be held responsible is not doing his work.

“This is the first time we will see gross irresponsibility in government whereby there is on one to come in between two agencies. These two agencies report to one person – the presidency and now we find them fighting on the pages of newspapers, it’s a shame.

“We are calling on Mr President to sit up. We rejected Magu as the chairman of the EFCC and up till today nothing has been said.

“The senate is being defiled, nobody has said we need to solve the issues. There are 170 million Nigerians and all of a sudden we are seeing that one person is the only one? Nobody is in charge of this government.”

There has not been any development on this since then.

BREACH OF PRESIDENTIAL ORDER

Deadly killings have been recorded in several states across Nigeria since January 2018 alone, but the government has appeared helpless at identifying and bringing culprits to book.

The 2018 attacks began in Benue State, where about 100 people were murdered across two local government areas on January 1.

Following the January 1 killings in Benue, the president ordered the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to relocate to the state and remain there until the continued killings were stopped.

Mr. Idris brazenly ignored the order as he was later discovered not to have spent upto 24hrs at his duty post and headed for Nassarawa State.

Months after when the president visited the State, he openly admitted that he didn’t know that his appointee had disobeyed him.

On getting back to Abuja, the presidency announced that the IGP had been summoned and queried, but the man came out to say no one queried him and if anyone has evidence to the contrary, they should produce such. This has seen the presidency maintaining a graveyard silence over the issue.

As at press time, investigation by HEADLINE shows no disciplinary action for the disobedience has been meted out to the IGP.

lalasticlala

sarrki:
Mechonu

You are not a patriot

THERE is palpable tension in the once sleepy town of Akunnu-Akoko community of Ondo State over the alleged invasion of suspected herdsmen in the area.

Reports emerged on Monday night that some vigilantes patrolling the town in the night got wind of the development and reported the situation to some community leaders.

The community is located in Akoko North East Local Government Area of the State.

According to Sun Newspaper, the herdsmen were conveyed in four trucks and they arrived their destination on Monday night.

Youths of the town have reportedly being protesting the presence of their visitors, calling on them to relocate as no tangible explanation was given to the community leaders on their mission in the town.

The Chairman, Akunu Akoko Progressive Union, Mr. Tunde Bayode, confirmed the incident.

The herdsmen were said to have left Iseyin in Oyo state for Akunu following an invitation by one of them identified as Doya Bello who lives in the community.

Condemning the invasion, Bayode, said, “This may be an attempt to engage our land in Fulani colony as proposed by the federal government.”

“We are calling on relevant authorities to come to our rescue and chase these Fulanis away. They are known to be arsonists, rapists and killers. We don’t want our land to be used for Fulani colony. This is unaccepted to us and they must leave our community,” he stated.

The chairman, Akoko North East Local Government Area, Mr. Rafiu Eniayewu who said he had moved round the town in the company of security agents urged the people to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands by causing crisis in the town.

The Police Area Commander in charge of the area, Mr. AbdulRauf Abduirazak, said the police are on top of the situation, saying that they are closely monitoring the activities of the Fulani herdsmen in the town.

abes:
So Ortom has decamped from APC and I didn't know. Or insulting APC members equates to working for APC? What do I know sef...

THE National Assembly elections will be conducted first in 2019, the panel of the two legislative conference committee on the amendment of the Electoral Act has endorsed.

The committee also placed the governorship and state assembly elections as the second to hold while the presidential election comes last.

The committee said that the new election sequence would ensure that every candidate is elected on his own merit without riding on another person ’ s popularity .

The House of Representatives had in its amendments to the 2010 Electoral Act included section 25 (1 ) into the Act by re- ordering the sequence of the elections to start with that of the National Assembly .

The order was followed by governorship and state assembly election before the Presidential election as against earlier sequence rolled out by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) last year which put Presidential and National Assembly election first before that of governorship and state assembly elections .