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THE Nigeria Police has been described as an organ of the All Progressive Congress (APC) by Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Fayose made the comments while reacting to comments credited to the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, describing Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, as a “drowning man.”

He stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.

Fayose said it was unfortunate, regrettable and a height of irresponsibility for the FPRO to have insulted a governor who represented one of the federating units in Nigeria.

He said the comments credited to the police spokesman was an insult on all the governors in Nigeria.

“It is now clear that the police have become an organ of the All Progressives Congress government, acting as if its only duty is to protect the interests of President Muhammadu Buhari and his allies,” Fayose said.

The governor said the police authorities must retract the comment and tender an unreserved apology to Ortom, the people of Benue State and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Fayose, who also condemned the police for declaring the spokesman for an ex-military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), Mr. Kassim Afegbua, wanted, asked the police whether there was any report by Babangida against Afegbua.

Fayose said, “Rather than trying to gag Nigerians and acting as if it has become law unto itself, the police should go after the killer herdsmen and their collaborators.

“On whose complaints did the police declare Afegbua wanted? Did General Babangida lodge any complain against him? Was there anything in the statement released by him that Nigerians do not know before now? Is it not true that President Buhari has looked the other way while herdsmen were killing Nigerians?”

BENUE State governor, Samuel Ortom, has entreated residents of the state to defend themselves should suspected Fulani herdsmen come back to attack them again.

Mr. Ortom who enjoined the residents to no longer wait or rely on security operatives for their security urged them to adopt the defence lawfully.

The governor on Tuesday stated this on a radio programme titled, ‘Issue of the moment.’

“I think the people should have the right to defend themselves and not to make themselves easy preys to be killed in their homes.

“So any lawful means you can adopt to defend yourself, just go ahead in Benue State. We are not going to wait for the Inspector-General of Police to do it,” he was reported to have said.

He reiterated his call for the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police.

Ortom noted that in spite of the presence of policemen in the state, killings were still going on in two local government areas.

“It is unfortunate, the people are dying and the Inspector-General of Police is playing politics with the issue. The man should resign because he has failed woefully. He doesn’t have the capacity.

“There are many good police officers who can take over that job and perform creditably by turning around the security architecture of this country, making things work and protecting lives and property. That man has no business being the IGP,” Ortom said.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday warned Nigerians not to revenge attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Buhari, stated this while commissioning Comprehensive Special School, Lafia, Nasarawa State.

While condemning the attacks on Nigerians by herdsmen, Mr. Buhari noted that his administration would not tolerate the barbaric acts.

He added that the federal government was working hard to ensure that peace and stability returned to the North Central region which is mostly the recipient of the deadly attacks.

“I also want to assure the people of the north central and indeed all Nigerians that the federal government is working day night to ensure peace and stability returns.

“We have deployed additional resources to all the affected areas to maintain law and order.

“The attacks by suspected herdsmen and other bandits will not be tolerated.

“I appeal to all Nigerians to refrain from reprisal attacks. The security agencies have standing order to arrest and prosecute any and all persons found with illegal arms

“I will once again express my condolences and sympathy to all the affected victims of these barbaric acts,” he added.

THE end to the cold war brewing between the Sun Newspaper and the presidential spokesman, Garbage Shehu, may not be insight anytime soonest.

This is as the print news medium rejected being the purveyor of hate speech reversing the title to the presidential spokesman.

The Newspaper had published an interview granted to it by a statesman of the Fulani extraction warning that there might be more violence if decisive action was not immediately dispatched to quell the farmers and herders clashes across the country.

It also published an opinion piece on the same subject, calling on the authorities and leadership of the country to rise to the challenge of protecting life and property or they would vicariously have to be held liable for their actions and inactions.

The newspaper said it was merely drawing attention of the authorities to the possibility of a likely more violence, going by the utterances of one of the key parties to the conflict.

As at press time, HEADLINE gathered that the authors of the published articles has not denied making the statement attributed to them.

These publications didn’t go down well with Mr. Shehu who lashed out at the management of the newspaper, warning them to further desist from their conduct.

He said they were propagating hate speech adding that “What prevailed in Rwanda before the genocide of the early 90s, was as a result of consistent hate speech spewing from that country’s media.”

He also urged the media to show more decorum and professionalism in the reportage of security and humanitarian situations in the country.

Responding, the Sun said, “We reject in its entirety Garba Shehu’s hate speech against The Sun as well as tag of promoter of ‘hate speeches,’ which he, maliciously and unfairly, laboured to foist on our newspaper without any scintilla of evidence. We hope this is not a calculated ploy to give a dog a bad name in a bid to hang it.”

It said the emerging absurdities in the journalism profession in Nigeria is the penchant of erstwhile professionals, who, on becoming government officials, mount the high horse and holler pontifications on rules and ethics, which they hardly practised while they were in practice.

The paper went ahead to state that the presidential spokesman hold a distinguished medal as a purveyor of hate speeches.

“The man, who accused this newspaper of propagating hate speeches, himself holds a distinguished medal as purveyor of hate speeches. In case he has forgotten, here is what he said about his principal, as spokesman of Atiku Abubakar, in the run up to the primaries: “I don’t even think Buhari is the best candidate, because Buhari as military head of state has the worst human rights record in the country. I will prefer a neutral candidate. I don’t mind, but I will prefer a neutral candidate, because we would, if Buhari becomes the president, even get back to a worse situation than we are going through now. There are many top contenders for the alliance presidential ticket who are really truly democratic, and who we can always support to emerge.”

When this news portal enquired from the presidential spokesman about his response to the paper’s allegation, he purposely ended his call after this reporter introduced himself.

Subsequent redials to him ranged unanswered.

THE absconded former chairman of the presidential taskforce on pension reform, Abdulrasheed Maina, has sued Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside the anti-graft agency over defamation of character.

The suit dated January 15 was filed on his behalf by his counsel, Mr. James Onyilo, before a High Court of Justice, Lafia.

Maina accused Magu of granting media interview, which were slanderous, untrue and malicious.

In the writ of summons, Maina’s counsel asked the court for a declaration that the interview granted by Magu on November 30 and December 14, 2017 were defamatory, injurious and intended to lower the reputation and integrity of the plaintiff in the estimation of right-thinking members of the society and brought him to public ridicule, odium, contempt and derision.

“The 1st defendant (Magu), who has a personal score and vendetta to settle with the plaintiff using the instrumentality of the 2nd defendant (EFCC), maliciously embarked on a campaign of calumny against the plaintiff,” it partly read.

He also asked for an order directing the defendants to pay jointly and severally N10billion as damages for the publications alongside an order to the defendants to retract and publish an apology to the plaintiff in at least three daily newspapers within seven days from the day of the judgment.

Maina also urged the court to restrain the EFCC boss from making comments considered defamatory to him.

Meanwhile, in a related development HEADLINE learnt that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has allegedly ordered the arrest of Afegbu over the statement he issued on behalf of the former president.

FORMER Military president, Ibrahim Babangida has denied calling for the removal of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.

IBB as he is fondly called made this known in a statement he issued on Sunday.

A statement which surfaced online earlier on Sunday and published by several news medium had called on Nigerians to oust Mr. Buhari.

Reacting, the former Nigerian leader said, “Let me categorically state that as a former President and Statesman, I have unfettered access and channel of communication with the highest authorities in the country without necessary going public with a sensational statement. Therefore, the views expressed in the alleged statement are not mine but that of the writer.”

Details later…

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NIGERIA will not be restructured before and after the 2019 general election.

Those were the words of a Senator belonging to the All Progressive Congress (APC), Shehu Sani.

Sani was reacting to the report on restructuring submitted by Kaduna Governor, Nasir El Rufai-led committee.

El-rufai who headed the party’s committee on restructuring tendered it report to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Thursday.

The major recommendations of the report includes; devolution of power to states, establishment of state police, independent candidacy among others.

Sani who described the report as a ‘political gimmick‘ said said the report was aimed at diverting people’s attention from a letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“El-Rufai APC restructuring committee is self-serving, political gimmick aimed at diverting attention away from Obasanjo’s letter. It’s also a campaign document for 2019. It’s not a report worthy of the paper it was written,” he was quoted by Premium Times to have said.

The lawmaker also said the report on reaching the country’s upper legislative chamber will be used as ‘toilet paper.’

“El-Rufai is anti-restructuring. There will be no restructuring before and after 2019.The President had repeatedly made it clear that the problem is process so what are we talking about.

“El-Rufai simply want to eat his cake and have it; orally calling supporters of restructuring as opportunists and on the other hand submitting a report in support of it.

“When eventually the El-Rufai restructuring committee reaches the senate, it will be photocopied to 109 pieces and shared to the senators to use as Toilet paper. If there are extra copies, it will be shared to Suya and Akara hawkers outside the National Assembly to use it to wrap their products.

“El-Rufai restructuring report will be shredded and modify to serve as a good toilet paper for senators. If there’s seriousness in restructuring it could have started in 2015.”

Meanwhile, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed the motive behind the recent clamour of restructuring the country by the ruling All Progressive Congress.

THE opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed the motive behind the recent clamour of restructuring the country by the ruling All Progressive Congress.

The opposition party said the ruling party was doing so to hoodwink Nigerians into returning it to power as it does not believe in it.

The PDP through its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said it amounts to outright depravity that the same APC leaders who at assumption of office, rejected restructuring will now suddenly turn around to pose as fathers of a restructured Nigeria simply because the 2019 general elections beckon.

HEADLINE reports that notable bigwigs in the APC including President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his 2018 new year address, rejected the idea of restructuring, by declaring that “When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.”

Describing the recently submitted report on restructuring by the APC as deceptive, the PDP said “it is instructive to note that the APC refused to rally its members in the National Assembly to support or vote for any amendment that dwelt on restructuring when the federal legislature voted on sections of the constitution where amendments have been proposed in the direction of restructuring.

“If anything, APC leaders have consistently criticized any amendment that spoke or have a semblance of restructuring or true federalism.

“It is therefore deceptive that in the wake of their rejection by the people, the discredited APC and its dysfunctional government have suddenly woken up to parade as champions of a restructured Nigeria. This is a callous and wicked attempt to once again take Nigerians on a trip to the land of fantasy.

“We therefore urge Nigerians to reject the new ploy by the APC to deceive them for their votes in 2019.”

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been urged not to seek for a second term and allow the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to fly the ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential poll.

This is coming from the Head and Spiritual Leader of INRI Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele.

The Cleric said Saraki has what it takes to continue with the good job he has done and drive it to a logical and more successful end.

“The President as good-hearted leader should step down for Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki as presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to face whoever would emerge as opposition in the 2019 general election,” Vanguard Newspaper quoted Ayodele as saying.

He said even though the president would win if he decides to contest, it was better to allow the top lawmaker to take over the mantle of leadership to avoid unpredictable problem.

“Buhari should step down for Saraki so that his second term will not come with more dangerous challenges for Nigeria. Bukola Saraki has all that it takes to turn Nigeria around from where Buhari will stop. That is what I have seen and the Lord does not lie.

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has said the Senate has the power reject Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr. Magu was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari twice. In both times, the Senate rejected the nomination.

It based it stance on incriminating report from the State Security Service (SSS) against Magu.

Though the chairman of the Senate committee on media and public affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, briefed journalists in Abuja on Thursday on the ruling, HEADLINE gathered that the verdict of the court was made two weeks ago.

The Senate’s spokesperson said, “We are pleased with this judgment and we want to salute Nigeria’s judiciary for always rising up to the occasion to protect our democracy and deepen our democratic processes.”

While delivering judgement, Justice John Tsoho ruled that the EFCC was wrong in its assumption that the Senate was only there to confirm any choice made by the executive.

Tsoho further held that any impression that the Senate is a rubber stamp of Presidential appointees is misconceived and running contrary to Section 2(3) of the EFCC Act.

The judge said the Senate has the powers to ensure that only suitable persons are appointed to the position of chairperson for the anti-corruption agency.

THE Peoples Democratic Party has said the recent endorsement of state governors to President Muhammadu Buhari for second term ahead of 2019 general election is because of “fear of job loss.”

The party also described the visit of the governors as self-serving.

HEADLINE had reported that seven state governors had endorsed Mr. Buhari for a second term in office though the president is yet to officially declared wether to run or not.

The seven governors are, Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna, Abubakar Bello of Niger; Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Jibrilla Bindo of Adamawa and Simon Lalong of Plateau.

According to them, they were supporting the president because they want him to continue.

Reacting, the PDP said the endorsement has to do with the “looming disgrace” awaiting the governors at the 2019 polls.

The party reacted through its verified Twitter handle, @OfficialPDPNig.

Meanwhile, human rights activist and senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has advised the president to forget his ambition of running for a second term next year and address the enormous challenges in the country today.

Sani said the President and his second term campaigners have no basis to seek for the votes of Nigerians when Fulani herdsmen and kidnappers have waged unrelenting war against many communities in the country, with scores killed and properties destroyed.

“It is wrong to be talking of the re-election of Buhari as President when hundreds of lives are being lost and people are being massacred in different parts of the country.

“In time of bloodshed like this, the issue should be how to come together and address the problem. But those marketing the President at a time of this bloodshed are like people dancing on the graves of Nigerians.

“Campaigning for Buhari for next year’s election when people are being killed, when orphans and widows are being produced as a result of the tragedy of these circumstances and people are being kidnapped, I think amounts to political sacrilege.

“It is an insult on the conscience of Nigerians and it is an insult on the moral integrity of Nigerians for anybody to ignore what is happening and simply walk to the President and tell him that what is important at this material time is his re-election campaign for next year’s election.”

He lamented the level of attacks and killings by armed Fulani herdsmen in Benue, saying: “If we allow this trend to continue, it would threaten the peace and unity of this country.

“I advise people advising the President and strategising for him to contest the elections to spare him some time, advise him well and provide a solid strategy to end the carnage and atrocities that is going on in the country today.

“Human life is more important than politics, because you cannot preside over dead people. The images we see in both social and traditional media is heart-rending and despicable.

“I can tell you that over a year ago, the President was in Zamfara State in military fatigue to address the problem of banditry and mass killing. The President should be seen in any part of the country where such violence occurs.

“The President must visit Southern Kaduna, Birnin Gwari, Taraba, Benue, Rivers and Adamawa states. It gives people some hope that their Commander-in-Chief is determined and committed to defend and protect them.”

THE leader of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shettima has advised politicians across the country who are above the age of sixty (60) with political ambition for the 2019 general election to go home and rest Peacefully.

Shettima was reacting to why President Muhammadu Buhari should not be re-elected in 2019.

Asked why his organization (AYCF) is having a slightly different position with the Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) on the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said the youths no longer need the president insisting that the time has come for the youths to take up the leadership mantle across the nation in an interview conducted by Sun Newspaper.

“My position is that we really do not need people like Buhari in 2019. It is now clear that the youth would no longer be allowed to be used by any politician any more.

“Anybody above 60 should go and rest peacefully or go back to the farm or do something differently for himself,” he said

“Of course, it is obvious that this government cannot do anything from now till the next one year. Already two years down the line, we have not seen anything. I do not see the government doing any magic or performing any miracle in the next one year. It is not possible because the politics of 2019 has already started. Some of us have been patient enough to see if we can see something different from what has been happening.

“Of all they said about the change mantra, we have seen that there is nothing different and the situation is even worse than what we used to have. So, to that extent, the battle line is drawn. Come 2019, we would no longer waste our time on any old politician.

“The old politician both in the Senate, presidential seat and all that should go back home and rest. They cannot use their yesterday and use our today. They cannot waste their own generation and continue to waste our own. The party is over and it is about a new dawn. Whether you are from the North, South or wherever, we must work together to get it right this time around.

“In 2019, I will campaign that any youth is encouraged to get his PVC. That is their power. Through electoral processes, we would ensure that we render those old men jobless. There is no going back about that. So, my own position is that whether they perform or not which is even impossible, they should go.

“My position is very clear that anybody above 60 years should go and rest. We cannot continue to manage all these old politicians. We cannot continue to be ‘sit down and look’ people. Our ‘mumu is ok for now’. We have younger men who are very competent and would take the country to the next level.

“Anybody above 60 who is against our generation is committing suicide because our generation has come of age and we must stand the challenges. Power is not given by anybody, it is taken and a time has come for our generation to sit down together. No matter our differences, we have to ensure that we move the country forward so that our country can become what it should be and we can build the nation of our dreams,” he added.

When asked if the youths have the wherewithal to dislodge the many very rich in the conservative political class in the country, he said with God there was nothing impossible.

“Do you agree with me that with God all things are possible? That is the answer. I believe in God and I believe that with God all things are possible. Nobody would have imagined that despite all odds, and all the enemies around Buhari, he later in 2015 emerged as the president. Nothing is impossible. If that happened to him, it means that it could happen to anybody. We only need to have faith in the nation and to be very determined.”

The president is yet to officially declare his intention to contest for the 2019 election.

Already, seven governors had already endorsed the President should he seek re-elecrion.

Last year, a bid to secure an automatic ticket for him from his party failed.

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AYODELE Fayose, incumbent governor of Ekiti State has said he is praying that the All Progressive Congress (APC) should pick the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, John Olukayode Fayemi, as it candidate for the July 14 governorship election in the state.

He was reacting to the rumored governorship ambition of the Minister who happens to also be the immediate past governor of the state.

Fayose made the comments during an interactive session with teachers in public primary and secondary schools at the government house in Ado Ekiti on Friday.

“I am waiting for him (Fayemi) and praying that APC picks him. I want to see how the teachers and other people of Ekiti would vote him, we are waiting,” he said.

Fayose said he would repeat a resounding victory against Fayemi, if the latter is picked as the candidate of the APC, maintaining that he is not threatened by his rumoured ambition.

The governor also said that he has not withdrawn from the 2019 presidential race in spite of the fact that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had zoned the ticket to the north.

“I am still in the presidential race I am only waiting for the time Ekiti governorship election will hold so I can have the time.

“Though, I am making contacts, I am reaching out to the people that matter across the country,” he added.

Commencement date of Campaigns for Ekiti Governorship election is April 15, 2018.

Yesterday, campaign posters of the Minister vying for the state governorship election flooded strategic locations across the state capital.

The minister is yet to officially declare his intention wether to run or not.

He has also not reacted to the campaign posters which flooded the city.

He sought been re-elected in the 2014 governorship poll but lost to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

A lady has tied the nuptials knots with a man she met on Facebook after reply to a post made on the social media’s platform.
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Chidimma Amedu had put up a post on 30 December, asking any woman interested in being his wife to reply.

He was engaged to a woman last year and the wedding was scheduled for December, but the relationship fell apart in March leaving him dejected.

As December approached, the disappointment of not being able to fulfil his dream of getting married made him put up the post.

“Am of age and I am ready to say I do and am wasting no time.

“Send in your applications – the most qualified will be married on January 6, 2018. Application closes 12 midnight, 31/12/2017.”

“Am serious about this oh and don’t say you did not see it on time. Good luck,” Amedu posted.

He received a couple of responses, but one from a certain Sophy Ijeoma was the one which caught his attention.

“Am interested, just DM me…lols,” her post read.

At first, she thought it was a joke and she simply replied to keep the thread flowing.

A direct message from him to her inbox, followed by a Facebook call, would change her life’s trajectory.

Two days after their first conversation, he travelled some 500km (300 miles) from his home in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, to Enugu in the east where she lived.

She had been waiting for him outside a retail store and in true fairy-tale style, “it was love at first sight”, she recalled.

“He is the most handsome man I’ve ever met and I liked him instantly.”

After two hours of “awkward” conversation, he asked her to go to meet his uncle, who incidentally is also resident in Enugu.

At this point in their day-old relationship, it was beginning to dawn on Sophy that this fellow was not playing, but how do you commit to marrying someone you only just met?

“When I saw him for the first time, I definitely found him attractive, but what I didn’t know was how serious he was about marrying me.

“It was after we met the uncle and his wife, that I realised that this could actually happen and I wanted it,” Ijeoma told BBC.

“I had the desire to get married, I had a date in mind, but no bride, so I decided to place an advert as a joke, but I was open and up for it,” Chidimma told the news medium.

Asked whether they had even shared as much as a kiss at that point, she declined comments but maintained that she was captivated by how focused and determined her new fiancé was.

They both went to their families and got approvals.

They got married on 6 January in a traditional Igbo ceremony, and posted photos of their wedding day on Facebook of course – to the amusement of the social media community.

Chidimma put up a post saying people may have thought he had been joking but he clearly wasn’t.

As can be expected, there were mixed reactions, but mainly a lot of support for the couple.

They hope to have a church wedding in April and perhaps a honeymoon somewhere nice, he said.

SEVEN State governors has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.

They said they were supporting the president because they want him to continue.

The governors are, Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna, Abubakar Bello of Niger; Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Jibrilla Bindo of Adamawa and Simon Lalong of Plateau.

Their spokesman, El-rufai rising from a meeting with the President on Friday, said their meeting was apolitical.

“We are politicians and those of us you see here want the president to contest the 2019 election, we have no apologies for that.

“We believe in Mr President, we want him to continue running the country in the right direction. People can speculate about 2019, we have no apologies.

“Whether they are right or wrong is beside the point. Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion but as governors, and most of us here with the exception of Yobe Governor, are first term governors.

“We are interested in continuity and stability and we want the president to continue with that.

“Like our leader, the governor of Kano said, we just happen to be here by coincidence and we went to pray and decided to felicitate with the president and we feel satisfied that anytime we see him, he is getting better and better,” he told State House Correspondents.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 16 2019, while governorship and State Assembly elections will be conducted on March 2.