₦airaland Forum

…US Embassy, FG Keep Mum over Trump’s ‘Buhari Lifeless’ Report by Financial Times

BY: Victoria Ojeme

ABUJA – U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, is expected to be summoned by the Federal Government over the comment allegedly made by President Donald Trump about President Muhammadu Buhari in April.

The United States Embassy in Abuja has refused to respond officially to a report in the Financial Times of London, where US President, Donald Trump was alleged to have described Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari as not only being ailing but also lifeless.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs as at the time of filing this report, kept mum over since the news broke.

The FT while reporting the planned meeting between Trump and his Kenya’s counterpart, Uhuru Kenyatta billed for last Monday, claimed that Trump after meeting with Buhari last April, the first with any African leader told his aides, “he never wanted to meet someone so lifeless again”.

The Monday meeting which according to the report is part of efforts by the Trump administration to foster stronger ties with Africa is hoped would end US neglect of the continent.

Already, the White House said Uhuru Kenyatta’s Kenya was one of closest US security and trade partners in Africa.

“Donald Trump will welcome Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta to the White House on Monday for what will be only the second one-on-one meeting the US president has held with a sub-Saharan African leader since he took office last year.

“The first meeting, with Nigeria’s ailing 75-year-old Muhammadu Buhari in April, ended with the US president telling aides he never wanted to meet someone so lifeless again, according to three people familiar with the matter”, part of the report claimed.

However, when contacted, officials of the embassy declined comments on the issue. Calls to the spokesperson at the embassy, Russell Brooks, were not answered and another staff at the embassy who pleaded anonymity refused to also say anything.

On the Kenya’s President visit, the report said advocates of closer US-Africa ties hope the encounter with the much younger Kenyatta, 56, “will breathe fresh life into a relationship with a region that Washington is seen to have neglected as other countries, notably China, develop ever-closer trade and investment ties with the continent”.

Adding that, “Africa has never been high on his radar but if the big guy likes you he’ll find a way to make things work.”

Trump is widely criticised for not having an Africa policy. So it’s in his interest to have something from [meeting Kenyatta] he can present as a win.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/fg-to-summon-u-s-ambassador-over-trumps-alleged-lifeless/

By Vincent Ujumadu

Awka- MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said weekend that it would be better for the Igbo to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election because of favourable indications that he would win.

Addressing reporters in Awhat, Ngige accused Igbo people of suffering from self-inflicted marginalization even when they have opportunity to redeem their predicament.

According to him, only Buhari’s presidency in 2019 could guarantee Igbo presidency in 2023, especially when Buhari is the only northerner that would relinquish power after four years.

He said: “Politics is a game of numbers and if you look at the configuration of the electoral strength in Nigeria, you will see that most of the electoral strength is concentrated in the North West that has seven states of Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kaduna and their voting strength, if anything, has increased from what it was in 2015.

.:If you remember in 2015 election, Kano alone gave two million votes to Buhari and Katsina gave nearly one million. So, all I’m trying to say is that the configuration of the election patterns in 2015 have not changed in terms of strength.

In, the South East we are in the neighborhood of about eight to nine million voters. The South West has about 12 to 13 Million and the last time, they delivered 55 percent of their votes to Buhari while Jonathan got about 50 percent or thereabout.

“So, I am saying in effect that you must do political engineering, in the South East and step up to support a Buhari presidency for 2019/2023 and vote for it with all their strengths. By so doing, they will not be left out n the power sharing that will come thereafter.

By voting for Buhari, Igbo will get strategic positions in government. They will also even get into the kitchen cabinet of the presidency. There is no government that doesn’t have a kitchen cabinet.

“Number two, it will be easy, for an outgoing president to find joy in doing an equitable nomination of somebody from the South East to say, this person or these persons are fit and proper persons to succeed me and he can even canvass, based on equity to say that the South East is the only zone in Nigeria that has not tasted this presidency and people will listen, both on moral grounds and on the basis of equity.

“It is obvious that any other northerner elected in 2019 will go for eight years of the presidency and so, 2023 will not be feasible for any other zone. Do not mind what Atiku Abubakar is saying that he will do only one term. It’s not possible. It’s a political talk.”

Ngige also spoke on the statement credited to Sente President, Bukola Saraki that Bola Tinubu was nursing Presidential ambition in 2023 saying it was a non-issue.

He said further: “As far as I am concerned, Asiwaju has the right to aspire. He is a human being. All of us have our ambitions. He has the right to aspire, after all, he aspired to the post of vice president.

“You can’t kill people’s ambitions. We are in politics to serve and if you feel you can serve in a very high office, you should aspire to go there.

“It is left for those who are politicking with you to also square up and do their own spade work if they feel it is their turn. They should do their own spade work so that they will be more acceptable than yourself. Power is not served alacarte; you must struggle for it.

“So, on moral grounds, on basis of equity, it will be the turn of the South East. South East must step out to say it is our turn with enough punch and convincing reasons.

Part of the reasons and the arguments will be that we are the only people that have not tasted it before and it will then touch people. But if you go into your bedrooms and stay and you are not in the part that makes the masquerade, “

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/2019-igbo-should-better-vote-for-buhari-because-hell-win/

ASABA– THE All Progressives Congress, APC, determined to control at least three of the six states of the South-South geo-political zone from 2019 , has mounted fresh pressure on a former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to dump the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the party.

Vanguard reliably learnt that the high-powered lobby for Uduaghan by APC strategists was led by the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, himself a former governor of Edo state, who had never hidden the ambition for his party to take over Delta state from PDP, steered by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who succeeded Uduaghan.

At present, APC controls only Edo state, which is Oshiomhole’s home state in the South-South, but with the recent successful entry of ex-Senate Minority Leader and former governor of Akwa Ibom state, Obong Godwill Akpabio, to the APC, the party’s strategists believe it was time to go for Uduaghan with equal dexterity.

A source told Vanguard, Thursday: “Comrade Oshiomhole is already discussing with Dr. Uduaghan, never mind the attempts by another former governor of Delta state, Chief James Ibori, Governor Okowa and others to stop Uduaghan from joining APC, he is coming to APC.”

“Even when they were calling and meeting with Uduaghan not to dump PDP, Oshiomhole was briefed on their plans, but he just allowed them to waste their time because he had finalized talks with him and was sure that he would not fall for their gamble,” the source added.

According to the informed source, “Uduaghan is APC’s talisman to take over Delta and Oshiomhole is not going back on him. Uduaghan has played commendable roles in APC and he knows that is where his heart is now.”

Comrade Oshiomhole had already directed the state chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue to reconcile the warring parties in the state and present a harmonized front for the 2019 elections.

The party leadership, it was learnt, had already met with principal figures in the other camp, especially Olorgoun O’tega Emerhor and other leaders in line with the directive of Oshiomhole.

“Already, Senator Akpabio, who installed the current governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel had been given marching orders by Oshiomhole to do all it will take for the APC to take over Akwa Ibom in 2019. He will be given all the required support from the centre and that is why you see that Akpabio has remained in the state to put things in placce.

“With Governor Godwin Obaseki’s performance in Edo state and the fact that Oshiomhole is from there, APC has no problem in Edo.

“The problem is Delta, where Chief Ibori is calling the shots, but APC wants Uduaghan to come over as a prelude to Ibori joining the party if he wishes. But to say that APC will leave Delta in the hands of PDP is a joke. With Uduaghan and others, the party will retool and sack PDP from power. They know that they are in their last days in the state,” he added.

It was gathered that because of the volatile nature of Rivers politics and powerful nature of Governor Nyemson Wike, the APC strategists want Senator Magnus Abe, who is pulling his strength under the new arrangement and Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi to reconcile their differences and join forces to outwit Wike.

Our findings, however, showed that Senator Abe is the main arrowhead of the plan by APC to snatch Rivers from PDP.

Bayelsa state is not in contention in 2019 as Governor Seriake Dickson’s second tenure will expire in 2020, but the party has not yielded Cross River state to PDP, despite that Governor Ben Ayade and his forces think the state is secure for them.

Efforts to reach Uduaghan on phone, Thursday, were abortive, but one of his former aides, said: “Our boss has made up his mind to join APC, our people have been directed to register with APC, he will follow suit shortly.”

Ntufam Hilliard Eta, the National Vice Chairman, South -South, who recently boasted that President Muhammadu Buhari would win South-South in the 2019 elections, could not be reached for comments.

Delta state chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue, told Vanguard, “I am in a meeting” when contacted on phone.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/2019-apc-oshiomhole-target-3-s-south-states-pile-more-pressure-on-uduaghan/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Senate President Bukola Saraki is so selfish with his political ambitions that he "will rather rule in hell than serve in paradise".

Outlining a list of corruption allegations levelled against him, the party urged Nigerians to be wary of Saraki, describing him as a man "whose personal ambition will always supersede the interest of the majority and national interest".

In a statement by Yekini Nabena, its Acting National Publicity Secretary, the APC blamed the Senate President for refusing to reconvene the National Assembly, an action it said could "sabotage INEC’s ability to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2019".

The statement read: "Nigerians should be wary of a man whose personal ambition will always supersede the interest of the majority and national interest as currently displayed in the National Assembly. While Saraki refuses to reconvene the National Assembly, the 2019 election budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is dangerously delayed, an action deliberately taken to sabotage INEC’s ability to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2019.

"While Saraki refuses to step down as Senate President as rightly and severally demanded by the APC-dominated Senate, he is bent on foisting a PDP-minority rule (Senate President and Deputy Senate President) in the Upper Legislative House.

"The only politics that Bukola Saraki plays is self, himself only and only himself. The interest and welfare of the people of Nigeria do not mean anything to him. Now it is the Presidency Saraki wants. And we ask with what antecedents is he doing this? Conspiracy, blackmail, treachery and vaulting ambition which overleaps itself and falls on the other, as rightly captured by William Shakespeare. Bukola Saraki will rather rule in hell than serve in paradise."

Restating its earlier position on its call to anti-graft agencies to "check the use of stolen public funds to finance elections in this country," the party also emphasised that the "Nigerian electorate must have the opportunity to choose from candidates that can pass the integrity and anti-corruption test."

The APC called on Nigerians to exercise their voting rights in the 2019 elections to ensure that they "never again entrust the leadership of this great country to thieves, whose sole aim is treasury looting and returning us to the dark ages where impunity and institutionalised corruption was the order of the day."

http://saharareporters.com/2018/08/20/apc-saraki-will-rather-rule-hell-serve-paradise

The Oyo State Government has explained that the demolition of a private radio located in Ibadan, the state capital, was not based on sentiments.

The radio station owned by the popular artiste, Yinka Ayefele, was demolished in the early hours of Sunday, a situation which led to protest by residents of Ibadan.

The state government said a notice was earlier served to Music House, Fresh FM 105.9, adding that the contravention notices were served to different organisations in the state since June 14, 2017, including all radio stations in the state.

A statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, disclosed that the contravention notices were served after the government observed that property owners were deviating from the originally approved building plans without seeking approvals from the Oyo State Bureau of Physical Planning and Development Control.

“The decision of the state government to demand for the building approved plan was not peculiar to Music House, Fresh FM as several companies and institutions such as University of Ibadan, Kola Daisi University, University College Hospital, banks and radio stations in the state were asked to provide their Planning approval.

“The government recently demolished several banks ATM extension and some local government structures in the state,” the statement read in part.

Arulogun said the Music House building approval submitted to the state government was actually meant for an office complex and not a radio station.

According to him, this contravenes the Oyo State Physical Planning and Development Control laws, sections 30, 31 and 32 of the Oyo State Physical Planning and Urban Development Law of 2012.

The Commissioner said another letter was sent to Music House on June 29, 2018, to submit a fresh building plan application that will reflect the existing structures on site. This, he said, the radio house ignored as the state government received no response end till date.

He said that the deviant posture of the radio station prompted the Bureau to serve a three-day Demolition Notice on August 13, 2018, which expired on the August 15, 2018.

Arulogun said further that the government had received petitions after three fatal accidents occurred around Music House in the last nine months.

According to him, the petitioners urged the government to look at the physical structure of the organisation in relation to the dual carriageway which easily leads to accidents.

https://www.channelstv.com/2018/08/19/fresh-fms-music-house-contravenes-planning-laws-oyo-govt-explains/

The House of Representatives has denied that the Senate and the House Reps plan to reconvene at a joint session to consider the report of the 2019 elections budget and other financial proposals by President Muhammadu Buhari.

There were reports, however, that the purpose of the alleged joint session was to prevent any plot to impeach Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, from succeeding.

But, the Chairman of House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas described the claims as “pure imagination” because a joint session as envisaged could not be sustained by any standing rules of the National Assembly.

He said there were no precedents or rules to make a joint session under the circumstances possible.

Namdas noted that what NASS rules covered was for each chamber to sit separately and consider a report.

Namdas told Punch, “Joint session of the House of Reps and Senate is pure imagination and honestly, we don’t know where this one is coming from. This has never happened before; that the Senate and the House will reconvene and sit together, instead of doing so in their separate chambers.

“We are not aware of this and it’s not a possibility. Recall that even when the two chambers hold a joint session to receive the annual budget presentation by Mr President, it is for the purpose of taking the address only.

“The two chambers revert to their separate ways to work on the budget and consider the report separately. It is only when there are differences between what one chamber has passed and the other one that we set up a conference committee for harmonisation.

“If it was possible to be done in a joint session, what is the need of the conference committee, which is a provision of our rules? There is no rule on joint session in the circumstances envisaged, and therefore, there will be none.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/19/house-reps-denies-planning-hold-joint-session-senate-saraki-ekweremadu/

Short of constitutional amendment, the federal government and state governors have resolved to explore how the operations of the Nigeria police can be decentralised in order to improve the level of policing and security in the country.


This is one of the highlights of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting today where a committee of state governors and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has been set up to ensure the decentralisation.

Members of the Committee include the Governors of Zamfara, Ondo, Plateau, Ebonyi, Katsina, Edo and Borno states, who will work with the IGP, Ibrahim Idris.

At the NEC meeting, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, assured that the intelligence community and security agencies will continue to sustain current efforts to mitigate the security challenges across the country.


Mr Monguno had earlier briefed the council on security matters.

Briefing State House correspondents, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Benson Abounu, commended the efforts of the security agencies at mitigating the spate of insecurity in the state.

He especially thanked the security agencies for the thoroughness of Operation Whirl-Stroke, mounted by the Nigerian Army, in Benue State for their decisive operation which, according to him, has brought relative peace to the state.

Mr Abounu, who spoke to reporters, said, “The security situation in Benue State has improved significantly. Now many Internally Displaced Persons have returned home, the State is relatively calm”.

At the NEC meeting also, presentations were made on Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax by States and MDAs by the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler.

Mr Fowler informed council that the audit of the state MDAs has commenced with respective governors and finance commissioners duly notified. He added that the total outstanding VAT and Withholding debt of states’ MDAs stands at N41 billion for the period 2008 to 2016.

Below are highlights of NEC deliberations:

NEC (8TH IN 2018) 91ST NEC MEETING – THURSDAY, 16TH AUGUST, 2018


A.


SECURITY BRIEFING BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER (NSA)

· The National Security Adviser (NSA), on behalf of the Security Chiefs in the country, briefed Council on the current security challenges across the country, particularly in the North West, North East, Middle Belt, South East and South-South.

· He informed Council on efforts being made by the Federal Government and urged the State Governments to support Federal Government’s efforts in dealing with the challenges in their respective States, particularly those with local perspectives.


· The NSA assured that the Intelligence Community and Security Agencies will continue to sustain current efforts to mitigate the security challenges across the country.

Council Decision

Cases of bandits should be prosecuted and adequately publicised by the states and Attorney-General encouraged to personally lead the prosecution.

Council recommended that a Committee of NEC with representatives from the geopolitical zones, including Zamfara, Ondo, Plateau, Ebonyi, Katsina, Edo and Borno States be set up to meet with the IG of Police, to determined how to ensure the decentralization of the police operations as quickly as possible.

Council also thanked the NSA and the Service Chiefs for their efforts

B.

PRESENTATION ON STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMISING THE CONTRIBUTION OF MSMES TO THE COUNTRY’S TAX REVENUE PROFILE BY THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)

Highlights of the presentation, among others, are:

· The presentation centred on the contribution of MSMEs to GDP, National Export and to Tax collection for 2015 – 2018.

· It also highlighted the challenges impeding the optimization of MSMEs contribution to Tax Revenue.

· MSMEs are classified into: Micro Enterprises, Small Enterprises and Medium Enterprises.

· National Bureau of Statistics, in partnership with the MSMEs, gave the number of MSMEs in Nigeria as 37,067,419.

· When adequately harnessed, MSMEs can have much impact on the profile tax revenue for the country – especially considering their direct correlation with personal Income Tax, VAT and Withholding Taxes.

Challenges Impeding Optimization of MSMEs Contribution to Tax Revenue: among others

· Poor record-keeping and information management.

· Inability to distinguish personal capital from business money.

· Low awareness of Nigerian Tax Laws.

· Little or no business research leading to close of business.

FIRS Strategies and Rates – among others

Actions

Adequate man-power has been deployed to promptly attend to all tax related challenges by MSMEs.

Respective organs of Government saddled with disbursement and utilization of tax revenue should endeavour to be transparent and accountability in order to motivate Voluntary Tax Compliance by the MSMEs.

Government at all levels should endeavour to provide infrastructural facilities and enabling business environment to allow MSMEs Business to thrive.

C.

REPORT ON VALUE ADDED TAX (VAT) AND WITHHOLDING TAX (WHT) BY STATES OF THE FEDERATION, MDAS OF GOVERNMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN, FIRS

Highlights of the report among others are;

It is a report to Council on critical issues on the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT), status report on States Tax Audit exercise, total remittances by the States’ MDAs and contribution to non-import VAT.

Council is informed that the total outstanding debt of States’ MDAs stands at N41,047,661,213.66 for the period 2008 to 2016.

Process of bringing up-to-date status of VAT and WHT remittances by all States and MDAs by the FIRS is on.

For ease of VAT/WHT collection and automatic remittances of deductions to TSA, FIRS has deployed a Software Payment Platform (SPP) to facilitate States, MDAs computerisation and remittances.

The report informed Council that remittances from States (January to July 2018) stands at N40,299,839,092.79.

FIRS has duly notified the Governors and Finance Commissioners of the ongoing audit exercise and requests the cooperation and collaboration of the States for the success and timely conduct and completion of the exercise.

The report noted that the Honourable Minister of Finance has directed the Federal MDAs and States to verify the authenticity of Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) online as presented by contractors before awarding contracts.

Federal and States MDAs are enjoined to send copies of Manual TCCs issues before August 22, 207 to FIRS for verification before awarding and making payments.

Action Points

All States MDAs are encouraged to adopt the use of the Payment platform or a comparative alternative – Governors to ensure compliance.

Action Points

· All States MDAs are encouraged to adopt the use of the Payment platform or a comparative alternative – Governors to ensure compliance.

· States Governors should direct their MDAs to cooperate with FIRS Auditors for timely completion of the States Audit exercise.

D.

FAAC UPDATE:

REPORT ON EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA)

Minister of Finance also reported to the Council that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at August 14, 2018 stands at $2,250,434,918.00.

UPDATE ON STABILIZATION FUND ACCOUNT:

Minister of Finance reported to the Council that the current balance in the Stabilization Account as at August 14, 2018 stands at N21,591,091,564.37.

UPDATE ON NATURAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND

Minister of Finance equally reported to the Council that the current balance in the Natural Resources Development Fund as at August 14, 2018 stands at N143,479,688,711.25.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/280506-nec-resolves-to-decentralise-nigeria-police.html

Senate President Bukola Saraki is considering running against President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Saraki, who had earlier hinted at running for the highest office in the land, told Bloomberg in an interview that he had been consulting widely.

In the last one week, the senate President has visited ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military President Ibrahim Babangida.

Saraki said he would need to win the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to actualise his objective of leading the country.

He defected to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC) two weeks ago.

The senate president accused the APC of not managing its victory well, saying his new party could make a difference.

“I am consulting and actively considering it… I believe I can make the change,” he was quoted to have said.

“The PDP has learnt its lesson from the loss in 2015, and I think unfortunately the APC did not learn from their victory.

“While negotiating with the PDP, we listed a number of issues. We talked about how to sustain and improve the fight against corruption; the issue of providing more powers to the states; inclusion and having a more nationalistic approach on things we do; to continue to improve the environment that will ensure investments. We listed a number of items during the discussions with the PDP, and there is a written agreement to that. We trust that we can hold them to that.

“We would ensure that the party is strong on security. The APC too have not done well on the issue of security. We have the opportunity with the right kind of presidential candidate and president to provide the leadership for the party. The party has a good opportunity to lead the country in the right direction.”

He also spoke of the Department of State Services (DSS) blockade of the national assembly, wondering what would happen during the elections.

“If a government can go and lock up an arm of government — and it’s never happened in our history — we should all be very concerned… we should not be surprised that they would use security agencies for elections,” Saraki said.

“There has been a persistent disregard for due process and a lack of neutrality for some of these issues. For you to have credible elections, you must have safe elections. Security agencies are actively getting involved in the politics.

“The fundamentals of whatever we are going to develop is going to be based on sound democracy, credible elections, freedom of choice of Nigerians. If we don’t have that as a foundation, then everything else cannot happen.”

Saraki also alleged that investors have lost confidence in the Buhari government, criticising the current administration’s handling of fuel subsidy.

“Most of the inflows that have come in are merely hot money, and that is because the oil price has gone up,” he said.

“Investment in the real sector is not seen. The private sector, in my view, has probably taken a position that the confidence is not there in the government. The country requires a government that is truly pro-business, and a president that sees himself as a chief marketing officer.

“If we are going to have a subsidy, we should have a budget for subsidy. Because once we have a budget for it, the private sector can also play a role in the importation of petroleum products. And if the private sector plays a role, definitely the cost of the subsidy will go down and there will be more efficiency in the delivery of products. But in the environment we are in today, where it’s only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that’s doing that, it’s going to be inefficient, it’s not going to be transparent.”

https://www.thecable.ng/believe-can-make-change-saraki-considering-running-buhari/

The National Assembly will no longer reconvene on Tuesday, August 14.

This was revealed to SaharaReporters on Monday by a source at the legislature who asked not to be named.

This lates information runs contrary to the announcement by Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Yusuf Lasun, who said last week the Senate would reconvene on Tuesday to consider the budget for the 2019 polls and other pending issues forwarded to lawmakers by President Muhammadu Buhari in July.

Details later…


http://saharareporters.com/2018/08/13/breaking-national-assembly-calls-tuesday-reconvening

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto state, visited former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Abuja on Sunday night.

Both politicians who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are nursing presidential ambition.

Tambuwal also held a meeting with Gbenga Daniel, director-general of Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation.

The reason for his visit and details of the meetings were not known.

Although Paul Ibe, spokesman of the former vice-president, confirmed Tambuwal’s visit to his principal, he did not go into details.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, ex-governor of Kano, visited Abubakar in June.

He has also been reported to be interested in the presidential ticket of the PDP.

Kwankwaso, who is a serving senator, was also a member of the APC.

https://www.thecable.ng/tambuwal-visits-atiku-abuja/amp?__twitter_impression=true

Tony Okafor, Awka

A Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Mr. Randie Chima, has been found dead in his own room on the Nwakpodulu Avenue, Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Our Correspondent gathered that Chima was last seen on Friday evening “hale and hearty.”

A source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that they were together on Friday evening at a “joint.”

He said, “I’m surprised to hear this story. That Randie is dead? We were together on Friday. He was hale and hearty. A good man is gone. Randie exercised almost regularly at Ekwueme Square.”

Our correspondent gathered that when Chima’s neighbours did not see him throughout the next day, his room was forced open and his dead body found lying on the bed.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the story to our correspondent on Sunday.

He said,”There was a report at B Division, Awka, that one Randie Chima, aged 57 years, of Nwakpodulu Avenue and SSA to Anambra State Governor on Audio Visual Productions, slept the previous night and did not open his door the next day.

“When the door was eventually forced opened after several knocks by his neighbours, his body was found lying on the bed.

“Following the report, Police detectives attached to B Division Awka led by the DCO visited the scene, photographed the victim and rushed him to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital,Awka where he was certified dead by a medical doctor.”

Mohammed said the corpse had been deposited at a morgue for autopsy.

He added,”No marks of violence and no foul play suspected at the moment”.

He said investigation was ongoing to ascertain circumstances surrounding the death.


https://punchng.com/breaking-gov-obianos-aide-found-dead-in-his-room/

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has claimed that Igbo are only interested in pulling down people and do not know how to honour their own.

Okorocha said whenever he comes out to contest for president, he gets support from the South West, South South and even the North; but rejected by his own South East region.

The governor spoke while answering question on Igbo presidency when he met with media chieftains in Owerri, the Imo State capital at the weekend.

Okorocha said that any Igbo indigene aspiring to achieve the feat of being the president of Nigeria cannot rely on Igbos.

The governor said “The Igbo do not know how to honour their own. They rather like to run down any of their rising leaders. The pull-him-down syndrome is high in Igbo land. And it is very unfortunate.

“Anytime I come out to run for the presidency of this country, I will not suffer pull-him-down from the North or from the South West or South South, it is only in Igbo land that I will suffer it.

“And they engage in this pull-him-down practice without knowing the overall implications on the Igbos.

“So, it will be out of place for an Igbo aspirant at any given period to think that the Igbo will make him president because Igbos do not value their own. They don’t value what they have.

“But value outsiders. It is in their character. It is in their nature.

“Read the newspapers and go to the social media, all the insults and attacks you get are all from the Igbo. They go to any length to run you down without caring about your good intentions and all the efforts being made to see that things work out fine for the people of the area.

“It is a problem. It didn’t start today. Go down the memory lane, you would discover that the pull-him-down syndrome in Igboland didn’t start today.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/12/igbos-good-pulling-people-dont-value-okorocha/

The Presidency has blamed recent happenings in the polity on President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

In an article Friday evening by Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Political Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari in the Office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the presidency insinuated that Saraki had been working with retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

In the article, titled: “Fifth columnists in our recent history,” Ojudu alluded to some of the happenings during the military regime, which Buhari led, allegedly committed by some of the former General’s lieutenants, but which they ended up heaping on him as reasons for overthrowing him.

Ojudu wrote: “They hired a band of boys within the security to proceed to the house of the revered leader of the Yorubas, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“In the middle of the night the boys sacked the house, forced their way into his bedroom, ransacked everywhere and broke down his ward robe.

“They claimed they were sent by the then Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari to go look for some confidential documents acquired illegally by the Chief.


“The Yorubas and other sympathizer of Buhari were outraged. That was the end of the romance between the anti corruption duo of Buhari and General Tunde Idiagbon and the people.

“They didn’t stop at that they sent another band of marauders to Kaduna. Destination was the home of the Islamic cleric, Alhaji Gumi. Their goal: embarrass the much respected cleric and set the Muslims against the regime. They succeeded at this as well.

“A couple of months thereafter when they struck and overthrew the regime, these were listed among the offenses committed by General Buhari. The people having been deceived applauded them and Buhari adjudged high handed, brutal and a dictator.”

Ojudu said he was not shocked when Saraki visited Babangida after the invasion and blockade of the National Assembly by the operatives of the DSS, adding that his reading of the situation was that the President of the Senate went to brief Babangida on the development.

He wrote: “When a couple of days ago Senator Bukola Saraki visited the gap tooted General in Minna, I interpreted it as going to ask: ‘Oga I hope I am doing well?'”

The presidential aide further listed the invasion of the houses of some judges by the DSS in the middle of the night, the freezing of the accounts of the Akwa Ibom and Benue States Governments by the EFCC and the invasion of the National Assembly and Benue State House of Assembly by the DSS and police as activities carried out with the knowledge of Saraki.

He wrote: “From the shenanigans at the Benue House of Assembly, to the siege on National Assembly, the attack on judges home in the night, the so called barricade of the Senate President’s house, the laughable kidnap of Boy Dino and ‘his eleven hours on a tree’, the freezing of Benue and Akwa Ibom accounts all are scripted, produced and acted by Oloye (Saraki) Productions.”

Ojudu added: “Soon they may come up with a bullet riddled vehicle and claim that the Executive Producer has survived an assassination attempt. After all some of the Offa sharp shooters are still at large.

“May God save us from these power mongers.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/10/saraki-secret-deal-babangida-dss-efcc-police-presidency/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday declared that Senator Bukola Saraki should not be Nigeria’s Senate President.

This was contained in a statement sent to DAILY POST Thursday afternoon by Yekini Nabena, APC National Publicity Secretary.

He claimed that Saraki has been indicted for corruption and funding of robbers as such should not be holding a sensitive position.


The statement reads: “In every democratic country, the position of the Senate President is one of the highest political offices one can attain. It is a position reserved for the best of the best, experienced and exemplary politicians who by their character and conduct in public offices, the younger generation look up to as role models.

“In terms of exemplary personage, the reverse is the case in respect of the current Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki who has been a dismal failure and has been involved in one controversy or the other – budget padding, filibustering, legislative rascality, sabotage of matters of national interest, among other criminalities too numerous to mention.

“Having suffered under the 16-year misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Saraki will go down in our country’s history as the worst Senate President Nigeria has had the misfortune to have.

“Since his usurpation of the coveted seat, achieved through a wicked conspiracy with members of the opposition PDP, it has been from one controversy to another – the Code of Conduct trial for false declaration of assets; conspiracy with his deputy to fraudulently alter the rules of the Senate and links to the deadly armed robbers who wasted many lives in the Offa robbery attack.

“It is alleged that some of the robbery suspects were his political thugs used to rig elections; a common adage says: “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.

“Dr. Saraki is definitely not our good example for political leadership.

“All over the world, the leadership of the legislature is provided by the political party with majority members. But Dr. Saraki would in the absence of many members of his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), connive and conspire with members of the opposition PDP to emerge Senate President, and in the process tradeoff the Deputy Senate President position to the opposition PDP – a political betrayal and treachery even the devil would be envious of.

“Even at this time he has defected to the opposition PDP, and with APC still in the majority in the Senate, Dr. Saraki still has the impudence to present himself as the Senate President. Political ambition should be made of nobler stuff.

“One is of course not surprised as Dr. Saraki’s greed, selfishness, treachery, disregard for protocol and constituted authority is well-reported. In terms of treachery, Dr. Saraki’s public humiliation of his late father and sister comes readily to mind.

“A traitor will always be a traitor, however the time and place. The Senate must do everything possible to put Dr. Saraki where he rightly belongs – the back seat. He is definitely not a fit and proper person to preside over the country’s upper and revered legislative house.

“A man who betrayed his father, sister (many times), his party PDP in 2014, the APC in 2015 by conspiring with opposition PDP senators to emerge Senate President, APC administration by sabotaging the executive and defecting to the PDP in 2018 has no character, principles, values and integrity. His only interest is Bukola Saraki, Bukola Saraki and Bukola Saraki.

“The question is not IF he will defect again from PDP if Bukola Saraki’s interest is not served, but WHEN he will do so. Such mean men are not interested in the Nigeria of our dreams.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/09/saraki-shouldnt-senate-president-hes-accused-corruption-funding-killers-apc-explodes/

The Saki West chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, on Wednesday, said it has expelled the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. AbduWasiu Musa over what they termed “anti-party activities”.

Chairman and Secretary of Saki Local Government chapter of the ruling party, Mr. Tiamiyu Ayinla and Mr. S.A. Adeniji made this known via a statement made available to DAILY POST in Ibadan, the state capital.

The Deputy Speaker, who represents Saki West state constituency, DAILY POST gathered had been romancing with the newly-formed African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state.

Musa, our correspondent recalled, was among the lawmakers who went to finalise their defection plans from APC and PDP to the ADC with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta last week.

It was gathered that Musa’s expulsion from APC may be as a result of his plans to join the ADC.

The duo, while affirming that the party has expelled the Deputy Speaker, added that his meetings and pictures which have been published in newspapers, confirmed that he is no more in the political party.

The party, in the letter copies of which were also sent to the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Speaker of the House, Hon. Olagunju Ojo and the state APC chairman, Chief Akin Oke, maintained that Musa was expelled from the party because he has failed to represent the interest of those who voted him into power.

The statement reads, “We have observed with keen interest of you anti-party activities which has brought embarrassment to the party…

“Your meetings and photographs as published in the the national dailies have also shown and indicated that you are no longer a party member and member of APC.

“You are hereby expelled from the party; as you no longer represent the interest of those who voted you into power.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/08/apc-expels-oyo-deputy-speaker-musa-anti-party-activities-see-letter/

Senator Godswill Akpabio has formally defected to the national ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at a mega rally held at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium on Wednesday.

No fewer than 30 APC’s senators and members of National Working Committee (NWC) were on hand to receive the ex-senate minority leader, Akpabio.
The senate Majority leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan, who introduced his colleagues spoke on Akpabio whom he described as a nationalist and patriot who believes in Nigeria’s unity.

He said: `This defection surpasses all other defections.

“This is a defection that has shaken the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“They followed Akpabio everywhere to prevent him from defecting but he ignored them.’’

He said Akpabio is a nationalist who believes in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

55-year-old Akpabio, is a lawyer and politician who was also Governor of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria from May 29, 2007 to May 29, 2015.

In 2002, he was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources by the then Governor Obong Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State.

Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a Commissioner in three key ministries: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing.

In 2006, he aspired for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State in a hotly contested primary election and defeated 57 other aspirants to emerge the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

His campaign with the slogan, “let God’s will be done” received mass support and was elected Governor in 2007.

He was re-elected for a second term in office as Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2011.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/akpabio-formally-says-bye-bye-to-pdp/

By Peter Duru

Makurdi – The plot to frustrate Governor Samuel Ortom after his daring move to defect from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took a dramatic turn Tuesday following indication that the state government’s bank accounts have been frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Vanguard gathered that the government accounts were frozen by the anti graft agency on the premise that the Governor’s security vote was being investigated.

More details soon

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/breaking-efcc-freezes-benue-state-govt-accounts/

The Senators loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari are now converging in Sheraton Hotel as the plot to impeach the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu becomes glaring following Tuesday invasion of the Assembly complex by armed security men.


The Department of State Services, DSS, blocked all entry or exit from the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday.

The development is alleged to be part of the plot to effect a change of the Senate leadership.

The Special Adviser to the Senate President on New Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu, told DAILY POST on Tuesday that the APC senators have now moved to Sheraton Hotels to embark on the illegal impeachment of the Senate President and his deputy.

He said, “The Senators loyal to the government are now convening in Sheraton Hotel where the illegal impeachment exercise will be commencing.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/08/07/breaking-pro-buhari-senators-relocate-sheraton-begin-impeachment-process-saraki/

The National Assembly leadership will tomorrow meet over the possible reconvening of the federal legislature to consider some national issues, Daily Trust has learnt.
The National Assembly leadership comprises both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The meeting, it was gathered, is slated for noon tomorrow.

It will be followed by another meeting with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) led by its chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-n-assembly-leadership-meets-tomorrow-264462.html

Having suffered some defections in recent weeks, the ruling Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed pleasure with the decision of Sen. Goodwill Akpabio, the Senate Minority Leader, to join its fold.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said on Sunday: “I welcome it (defection of Akpabio) because all politics is local. All those who have left us did that for purely personal reasons.’’

Newsmen report that there have been rumours making the round about the defection of the Senate Minority Leader from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to APC.

APC Newspaper ‏ @APCNewspaper, tweeted on Sunday: “BREAKING: We can confirm that, HE, Sen (Dr) Godswill Akpabio is a card carrying member of @OfficialAPCNg effective August 4, 2018. @OfficialPDPNig has lost him. Official Reception in days.’’

Akpabio, enator representing Akwa Ibom North West District, is reported to have also visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London, currently in UK for a 10-day vacation.

Also according to a tweet by Bashir Ahmad ‏Verified account @BashirAhmaad
“Today in London, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, Senate Minority Leader visited President Muhammadu Buhari.

He had earlier last week met with the Leader of APC, Alhaji Bola Tinubu.

He also consulted with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Mohammed told newsmen in Lagos that those who left the ruling party did so for personal interests.

“I welcome it (defection of Akpabio) because all politics is local. All those who have left us did that for purely personal reasons.

“Since they say politics is a game of number, of course we welcome gladly the defection of the Minority leader like they say it is one-one goalless draw.

On whether Akpabio was being positioned for the position of the Senate President Mohammed said,” that I don’t know”.

Mohammed said that the recently defection of some governors, state and federal lawmakers to the main opposition party, PDP, was nothing to worry about.

“There have been so much hype about this defection, and to me it’s nothing but a storm in a tea cup. We must appreciate the fact that at the end of the day, all politics is local.

“One should ask, what is the electoral value of these decampees? In order words, today in Sokoto State, what’s the electoral value of those who have decamped?

According to him, the foundation for the defection was laid the moment Dr Bukola Saraki emerged Senate President against the wish of the party which affected the relationship between the executive and legislative arms.

He said that since the day Saraki lobbied the opposition party to become the Senate President, the relationship between the executive and legislature had been turbulent.

“In fact, we could not have suffered more as an executive in the hands of the legislature if a PDP person had been the senate president,” he said.

On allegation of sideline and lopsided appointment Kwarans in Buhari’s administration, Mohammad described it as unfounded.

He said that no fewer than 24 indigenes of Kwara were given federal appointments of which he (Mohammed) only recommended two while the Senate President recommended 20.

On those complaining of not being given juicy appointment, the minister said that people complaining were not ready to serve and turn things around but eyeing what to steal.

“It is not true that a particular part of the country is being favoured against the other.

“I challenge anybody to go to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and take out the list of appointees under this administration, you will be surprise that we have been fair to all.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/just-in-apc-welcomes-akpabio-lai-mohammed/

Troops of operation Lafiya Dole, deployed to fight the insurgency in Northeast, have arrested a Boko Haram suspect, who had been on the wanted list of the Nigerian Army.

The suspect was arrested on Saturday when he infiltrated into the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Maje Lawan at Banki area of Borno State

The Nigerian Army in a statement signed on Sunday by its spokesperson, Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, said the suspect is number 98 on the wanted list.

“Troops of operation Lafiya Dole on 4 August 2018 have arrested a wanted Boko Haram suspect, Maje Lawan, at Banki in Borno State.

“The suspect believed to be number 96 on the wanted list earlier published by the Army was apprehended after he infiltrated into the Internally Displaced Persons camp in the area.

“The suspect is currently undergoing preliminary investigation and will be handed over to the appropriate authority for further action,” the statement read in part.


Chukwu in the statement urged members of the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious person, movements, and activities, to the law enforcement agents for prompt action.

Efforts by the Nigerian military to end the insurgency in the Northeast also recorded success on Friday when the Nigerian Air Force bombarded a hideout of Boko Haram terrorists in Daban Masara area of Borno State.

Director of Air Force Public of Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who attached a video of the operation, said the attack on the insurgents’ camp was conducted by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole.

Two out of the green-roofed buildings that were identified as rendezvous points for the insurgents within Daban Masara were destroyed during the operation.


https://www.channelstv.com/2018/08/05/army-arrests-wanted-boko-haram-suspect-at-borno-idp-camp/amp/?utm_source=TW&utm_medium=ChannelsTV-%20AutoPoster&utm_campaign=SNAP%2Bfrom%2BChannels%20Television

By Gbenga Olarinoye, Osogbo
There appeared to be more trouble for Senator Ademola Adeleke as detectives from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have commenced investigations into the allegations of certificate forgery against the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun state.

Our correspondent gathered in Osogbo Thursday that policemen from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos, on Wednesday, visited Ede Muslim High School I, where the principal of the school, Mr. Khalid Abbas, was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Osogbo before being moved to Lagos.

The men, it was further leant also went to the headoffice of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Osogbo, Osun state capital.

When newsmen visited Ede Muslim High School, Ede yesterday, sources in the school confirmed the arrest and the subsequent transfer of the suspect to Osogbo.

A source in the school, who does not want his name in print told journalists who visited the school yesterday that the arrest of the principal was true.

His words: “It is true that policemen from Lagos came to Ede Muslim High School. I was told by the teachers that the policemen came to investigate the secondary school certificate which Senator Ademola Adeleke submitted to INEC.

“They said the signature on the testimonial is different from the notification of result which he submitted. The principal was taken to the police headquarters in Osogbo and he was eventually taken to Alagbon in Lagos.

However, a competent security source in the state police headquarter, also confirmed the arrest and added that the principal was being detained in Alagbon Lagos.

When contacted, the state Police Commissioner, Fimihan Adeoye, said he did not know about incident, adding that he was in Abuja.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/certificate-police-investigate-adeleke-arrest-principal/amp/

—–Want Senators to call short the vacation to pass 2019 INEC budget
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA – THE All Progressives Congress (APC) and some senators elected on the platform of the party, Wednesday, urged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to resign as Senate President.
The Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan has also appealed to the senators to cut short their annual vacation to consider the supplementary budget forward by the President for the 2019 elections.

APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole and APC senators, led by Senate Leader, Lawan, who met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, told Saraki to vacate the office because the APC has the majority number of Senators.

According to them, Saraki cannot run to another party with the crown of APC.

Oshiomhole said, “Nobody in the APC will be surprised about the development, in fact they have stayed little bit longer than we thought. Last week the Kwara State Governor was alluded to have said he was leaving but he didn’t say when. So, we are not surprised at all.

“But these are what I might call temping moments because I had faced similar situations in my state, when people were leaving. But the beauty of democracy is that whether big or small, it is one man one vote, on election day, no difference between a senator, a president, a journalist and any other person.

“In a sense we have to accept that once a couple for any reason or the other find that they are not compatible, the only honourable thing is to go.

“I was happy for one thing that the senate president as a mark of honour accepted that he is leaving not because the new leadership did not make effort, he admitted that not only did I do everything possible along with the Vice President, along with some governors and we had meeting with the President, but he argued that those efforts came too late. But I couldn’t have started acting before I was born.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/breaking-apc-senators-call-for-sarakis-resignation/

A former minister of works, Tony Anenih, has said he will not be celebrating his 85th birthday with pomp as a result of the poor state of affairs of the nation.


Mr Anenih, a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, said in a statement on Monday that he was putting off the celebration initially scheduled to hold on August 4.

“There is no doubt that attaining a milestone of 85 years on earth is a privilege enjoyed by a few; and, it is, therefore, an occasion worth celebrating with loved ones and friends,” Mr Anenih said.

“On reflections, however, whilst I remain grateful to God for His unfailing love and sustenance that have kept me all through the years, I am, sadly, unable to fulfill this earnest desire to celebrate the milestone because of the unfortunate recent losses that befell my family in quick succession, the condition of my health and the sad state of the nation that has witnessed so much losses, bloodshed and apprehension.


“Nonetheless, I sincerely appreciate the effort being made by government and some influential Nigerians to restore peace.

“I believe that with prayers and faith in God, there is hope for restoration of peace and good neighbourliness in Nigeria soon and in the years ahead


Mr Anenih urged all well-meaning Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora to be united in purpose and join in prayers for God’s intervention in the affairs of our nation.

“Indeed, members of my immediate family have decided to respect my decision and they have already cancelled initial arrangements to celebrate my 85th birthday with pomp,” said Mr Anenih, who is also titled as the Iyasele of Esanland.

“While I pray to the Almighty God to perfect my health and give me the grace to witness many more years on earth, I believe that the future holds a great promise of wonderful times to get together for birthday celebrations and other festivities.”

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/278333-anenih-cancels-85th-birthday-celebration-over-sad-state-of-nigeria-others.html

Buba Galadima, chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), says he would not have been bothered about President Muhammadu Buhari if he was raising cows in Daura, his hometown in Katsina state.

Galadima, a former ally of the president, said this in a chat with The Interview magazine.

He also spoke of the role he played in bringing Buhari and Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), together.

Galadima said he was principally responsible for the alliance between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

He said it was against the wish of Buhari.

Buhari and Tinubu were the leaders of CPC and ACN, two of the five legacy parties that formed the APC in 2014.

“Buhari was the one against the alliance with Tinubu and I don’t want to say anything. Let Buhari deny what I have said. I was for it and I organised it and wrote a memo that even produced a candidate for the vice presidency, this same Osinbajo,” he said.

Galadima gave a hint that Buhari may have, in fact, pencilled in another running mate candidate in the INEC form that was to have been submitted.

Using a slogan, ‘Anybody But Buhari (ABB)’, Galadima said he was planning to write an open letter to Buhari very soon, adding that the President was a “floored candidate” who will lose his deposit if he contests re-election.

“If he was raising cattle in Daura, I wouldn’t bother about him. I’m criticising him because he’s the President of Nigeria and he’s not doing very well,” Galadima said.

He did not spare the Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, whom he described as a latter-day Buharist bent on hijacking the ship.


https://www.thecable.ng/galadima-wouldnt-bother-buhari-rearing-cows-daura/

Festus Keyamo, spokesman of the campaign of the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari, says demographics have shown that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the 2019 presidential poll.

In a statement on Sunday, Keyamo said the exodus that hit the ruling party at the national assembly and Benue state will not affect the chances of Buhari in the election.

Last week, 52 APC federal legislators moved to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, also reigned his membership of the ruling party but Keyamo said this poses no threat to Buhari even if Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, and Abdulfatah Ahmed, governor of Kwara pull out of the APC.

He said Buhari’s record in office will also speak for him in the election.

“The latest defections by some national assembly members and the governor of Benue state WILL NOT harm the re-election of President Buhari in 2019. This would even be so if the much-rumoured two more governors also defect from the APC,” he said.

“The president won with large margins in the past in some states without the support of majority of the politicians from those states who moved recently to join the opposition party. Also, we are all witnessing the significant gains Mr President is making in several places where he lost in the past, notably in the south-south and south-east.

“From the demographics we have now, the historic figures and the present realities that we know, these defections will have little or no impact on the chances of Mr. President’s re-election.

“The following 12 States, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe and Niger, with over 30 million registered voters, are States the President had consistently won with considerable large margins in past elections, especially in 2011 and 2015. This was achieved despite the fact that most of those States were being controlled by political parties other than his own.

“As we can see, any defection within these States would have little or no consequence on President Muhammadu Buhari’s chances as he had always won those States, irrespective of the Party in power in those States. For example in the much-touted Kano, in the 2011 Presidential election, President Buhari scored One Million, Six Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Three (1,624,543) votes as CPC candidate, while in 2015, he had 1,903,999 One Million, Nine Hundred and Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety Nine (1,903,999) votes as APC candidate. The vote difference of about Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand (280,000) votes may be attributed to elements of ANPP, negligible ACN and Senator Kwakwanso, then Governor of the State that came into APC.”
Keyamo also analysed Buhari’s chances in the south-west, saying

“The following nine States, Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Adamawa and Benue, are states the president lost in 2011 but won in 2015.

“The five south-western states have registered voters strength of more than 14 million out of the about 20 million voters in these nine States. Today, those five states are being controlled by the APC. Ekiti will join before the 2019 election after Governor Kayode Fayemi is sworn in for a second term in office. All the political gladiators in those south-western states that helped to tilt the election in favour of the President in 2015 are still solidly with him and more have joined.

“The entire defunct ACN structures that moved into APC are solidly behind the President. In terms of defections in the western states, the Party has gained more than it has lost as the likes of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator (Mrs) Fatima Raji-Rasaki, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Senator Gbenga Kaka, former Governor Adebayo Akala, to mention a few, are now with APC. To underscore the rising profile of the Party in these States, the people of Ondo State and Ekiti State decided to entrust their States in the hands of the APC by voting out the previous PDP governments. Furthermore, these States are well represented in government with a sitting Vice President, important ministerial portfolios and prominent membership of the economic team. So, we can only expect MORE votes, not less, from the west.

“In the remaining four States of Ekiti, Plateau, Taraba and Nassarawa, where the President lost in the 2015 election with a margin of 260,000, all the States had sitting opposition Governors except Nassarawa. Ekiti and Plateau States will have sitting APC Governors in February 2019 to help sell his candidacy and we have also seen defection of some serving and past Senators from Ekiti State to the APC. With this we expect a reduction in the margin or an outright victory.

“Even if there are going to be defections from APC in these four States, we don’t see the margin of loss expanding beyond the 260,000 given that the States had majority opposition Governors at the point the President suffered these loses.”

He added that aggrieved members of the PDP have started reaching out to the APC.

https://www.thecable.ng/keyamo-demographics-show-defection-wont-affect-buhari-2019

Samuel Adegboyega University in Edo has conferred an honorary doctorate degree in Public Administration on Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ben Aigbokhan at a special convocation held on Saturday extolled the qualities of Aregbesola, which he said stood him out for the honorary degree.

Aigbokhan said the good leadership qualities of the governor had placed his state among the top five with lowest unemployment rate in the country.

“Osun is also second in human capital development in Nigeria,’’ he said.

He assured that the university would continue to do its best in promoting healthy tradition, within available resources.

The vice-chancellor said the university was committed to producing globally relevant, competitive and entrepreneurship-minded graduates.

In his remarks, Aregbesola thanked the university for the honour and advised government at all levels to commit resources to funding education even if it would require borrowing.

Also speaking, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo urged Aregbesola to continue his humanitarian work, adding that the award symbolised unity in Nigeria, given that the recipient is a Muslim.

NAN

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/just-in-aregbesola-bags-doctorate-degree/

The Nigeria Police Force has said that it has not received any report about Senator Dino Melaye kidnap but has commenced investigation into the purported kidnap of the senator and wish to implore any of his family members, relatives or friends who witnessed the kidnap or have information about the purported kidnap of the Senator to report the incident at the nearest police Station.

The Police in a statement signed by Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters said ‘the Nigeria Police Force have not received any complaint or report in any of its Police Stations or Divisions throughout the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) or any other State of the Federation of the kidnap of Senator Dino Melaye from any of his family member, friend, associate or staff to indicate that the Senator has been kidnapped.

The Police further said that ‘the attention of the Police was drawn to the report of the purported kidnap of Senator Dino Melaye in some sections of the media. However, the Force has commenced investigation into the purported kidnap of Senator Dino Melaye, and wish to implore any of his family members, relatives or friends who witnessed the kidnap or have information about the purported kidnap of the Senator to report the incident at the nearest police Station to assist the Police in the investigation.

Senator Dino Melaye was reported kidnapped by unknown gunmen on his way to Kogi from Abuja according to Senator, Ben Murray Bruce, in a tweet

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/we-have-not-received-any-report-on-dino-melayes-kidnap-police/

Eniola Akinkuotu and Leke Baiyewu

For the second time, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has written to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in response to his invitation to appear for an interrogation over the allegations made against him by armed robbery suspects who attacked banks in Offa, Kwara State.

The police had in June invited Saraki for questioning over the bank robberies in Offa on April 5, but the Senate President responded to the invitation in writing.

The IG, in a letter dated July 23 and addressed to the Senate President, again asked Saraki to report to the police on Tuesday at 8 am to provide further clarification on his relationship with the five leaders of the robbery gang.

Idris, in his latest letter, insisted that the gang leaders claimed they were political thugs to Saraki, adding that “the Senate President supplies arms and money to the thugs; that everyone in Kwara Central fears them because of their guns and ability to kill anybody without hesitation.”

The Senate President, however, did not honour the invitation. He had escaped the siege laid to his Maitama, Abuja residence by the operatives of the Department of State Services and men of the Nigeria Police.

Asked on Wednesday if Saraki would answer the summons by the police, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, said his boss had responded to the police in writing.

Olaniyonu also said Saraki had answered all the questions raised by the police in his letter to the IG.

He added that Saraki’s letter was written and dispatched to the police on Tuesday, stressing that its receipt was duly acknowledged.

Olaniyonu further stated that after answering all the questions raised by the police in his letter, he did not believe that there was any further need for Saraki to go to the police personally.

“He has written a letter to them and the letter has taken care of the purpose of the invitation. He sent the letter to them yesterday (Tuesday). The letter addressed the issues raised in the invitation letter,” Olaniyonu said.

The police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, could not be reached for comment on Saraki’s letter as he did not respond to several phone calls. He had yet to reply a text message as of the time of filing this report.

Also, it was learnt that the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, had written the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission requesting another date to appear before the commission.

It was learnt that Ekweremadu sent the letter to the EFCC on Wednesday.

A senior EFCC official told our correspondent that the senator noted that he wasn’t given ample time to honour the invitation and would, therefore, need more time.

The EFCC official said, “We received a letter from Senator Ekweremadu requesting another date to appear before us. We will respond to him in due course.”

Officials of the anti-graft agency accompanied by scores of policemen had on Tuesday laid siege to the Deputy Senate President’s home on Jim Nwobodo’s home, Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.

The EFCC operatives had attempted to arrest Ekweremadu barely hours after inviting him.

In a letter signed by the Director of Operations of the EFCC, Mohammed Abba, with a reference number, ‘CR.3000/EFCC/DOPS/Vol.49/40 dated July 24, 2018, the commission asked the Deputy Senate President to immediately make himself available for questioning.

In the letter titled, ‘Case of Conspiracy, Abuse of Office and Money Laundering’, the anti-graft agency said the request was made pursuant to Section 38(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act, 2004.

The letter read in part, “The commission is investigating the above-mentioned case in which your name featured prominently and the need to obtain certain clarifications from you became imperative.

“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to report and interview by the undersigned at 5 Fomela Street off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent Wuse 2, Abuja on Tuesday, July 24, 2018, at 10 am prompt.”

Ekweremadu could not be reached to confirm or deny his response to the EFCC. His Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, was contacted via telephone on Wednesday afternoon but he asked for more time to reach out to his boss. When he was called again at 7:45 pm, he said his boss was not home.

Anichukwu had yet to reply, as of the time of filing this report, to the text message sent to him telling him about the information from the EFCC source.

In a related development, Ekweremadu has given more details on the siege to his Abuja residence by the operatives of the EFCC.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, on Wednesday, quoted Ekweremadu as explaining the situation on Tuesday when the leaders and members of the Senate and the Peoples Democratic Party visited him after the security agents had left.

The Deputy Senate President said the security agents left at about 12:20 pm after spending about six and a half hours.

Ekweremadu said, “We anticipated that a number of our colleagues in the All Progressives Congress would defect and join the Peoples Democratic Party. In anticipation of that, the APC leadership had tried to stop them. When that didn’t happen, the first thing they did was to invite President of the Senate (Bukola Saraki) to come to the police this (Tuesday) morning. They believe that once the President of the Senate goes to the police, I would be the one to preside and probably give effect to the letter of defection.

“In anticipation of that, the police, the EFCC and other security agencies came together — about 200 of them — to stop me from going to the National Assembly. They said I should come to the EFCC to give an explanation over the things I was accused of. I agreed to follow them even though there was no prior invitation, but they were not eager to let me go to answer the invitation.

“The plan was to stop me and the President of the Senate from going to the National Assembly. Unfortunately for them, the President of the Senate was already at the Senate to preside over the plenary session.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Tuesday night separately met with Saraki and Ekweremadu. While he visited the Deputy Senate President at his residence, the governor met with the Senate President at his office.

Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly, Fayose said the defections from the APC were for Nigerians and not the PDP. He said the defectors had taken a “path of honour.”

Two of the 14 senators who dumped the APC on Tuesday had denied joining the PDP. While Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (Oyo-Central) said she defected to the ADC, Senator Lanre Tejuoso (Ogun-Central) said he had yet to join another party.


http://punchng.com/offa-robberies-again-saraki-writes-ig-denies-links-with-suspects/

The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) says it has set up a committee to consider changing its name.


The national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, made this known while briefing journalists at the party’s secretariat on Monday after its emergency 88th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

There have been reports that the party, which recently signed a memorandum of understanding with 37 other political parties including the reformed APC, wants to change its name following demands from the other parties under the coalition.

The spokesperson of the party however did not release the names of the members of this committee, known as the harmonisation committee. He promised it will do so as soon as possible .


“We also considered the issues of our alliances, particularly the one that has to with the grand alliance and our agreement with rAPC and NEC applauded the decision of NWC to work with the grand the alliance members of about 38 political parties,” he said.

“NEC also applauded the infusion of rAPC into the PDP and we have been encouraged as the NWC to continue to seek for those who are sick and tired of the government of the day and are very desirous of liberating our nation from the misrule of the APC led federal government.


“On the issue of change of name, the party has immediately instituted a committee on harmonization and the responsibility of the committee is to commence the process of the possibility of a change of name as part of our efforts to rebrand our party and to reposition it for the 2019 election so we await the outcome or the returns of the committee.We will give you the chairman and members.”


On the time frame for the committee set up, the party said time is not on its side therefore it can take a decision anytime.

“As a matter of fact based on the workings of the PDP, and rAPC and other ministers, governors and members of the political class, who are desirous of rallying with the PDP, the issue is not about time frame, the issue is now and those who are willing to work with the PDP know it as a fact that the issue is not about time frame. We don’t even have time; the time is now so we can wake up tomorrow morning and say this is the time frame. We can wake up on Thursday and say the time is now. Let’s follow the wave as it unfolds.”


On the issue of Ekiti election, the party said the NEC approved the decision of the NWC to go to court as it established a legal committee under the leadership for its legal adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem.

The party also warned those it described as the “APC undertakers” to understand and to know that Nigeria and Nigerians would never accept a repeat of what they did in Ekiti state.

The PDP, which lost the state which it was in control of before the election, insists the election was not fair and that it was rigged in favour of the ruling party whose candidate, Kayode Fayemi, won the election.


“NEC approved the decision of the NWC to go to court over the Ekiti matter and as such a legal committee has been constituted under the national legal adviser to take all issues bordering on the election in Ekiti satte to the court,” he said.

Mr Ologbondiyan revealed that the NEC of the party also approved the audit report of the party, and also considered the timetable ahead of 2019 election which has been approved and released to members.

When asked what the PDP was offering the rAPC in its negotiations, Mr Ologbondiyan said a party structure would be shared.


Explaining that the party has drafted a framework for the distribution of its structure, the party spokesperson said the party would however not impose this frame work on its states chapter as the states and its members will look at it and implement it the best way they can.

“For the PDP this is not the first time we are having infusion. Either members of other political parties or structures and what this NWC has proposed which has gained the approval of the caucus, the BOT and the NEC is just similar to what we have always done in the past.

“We have created a template and framework for the respective state on how to handle the infusion. In states where we have governors who are either returning to the party or they are joining afresh , we have provided a percentage is structure. In states where we have qualitative members of the national assembly and state assembly that are not members of our party, but are coming to our party, we have structured what percentage they can take .

“States where we have senators and members who are just constituency, these are also found in the template. What is important in all these is the fact that the NWC is not enforcing its will on the state structure so in any state where we have such infusion, what will happen is that the stakeholders of such states will take this framework back to their respective states and discuss with other stakeholders on how to implement it . The NWC is not going to implement anything of this framework in the respective states,” he said.

When asked what percentage the structure would be shared, he said the members are already aware of the percentage for every state where they have such situations.

“The legal adviser is a member of the integration committee and all members of the BOT and NEC have been made to understand, that is why we had this meeting . the situations and structures as it affects the grand alliance or the infusion between the PDP and the rAPC, all aspects, we have reached conclusion as a party on how we need to work on the agreement we reached. So it is not a problem,” he said.

Reacting to the statement of the APC chairman in which he said no responsible person who left the PDP would consider returning to the party, he said the party is a serious party and won’t waste its time on what the opposition is saying.

“Well as you know the national chairman of the APC who is a factional chairman of the APC Adams Oshiomole, is talking on both sides of his mouth in one breath. in one breath he saw tired legs, in another breath, he woke up at 2am and nicodemously began to visit people in their respective home and begging them either not to go or they should take offers that they have not been 0ffered before.

“We would not dwell time because we are a serious party. The PDP is the founder of democracy in this nation and as a matter of fact, Mr Adams Oshiomhole benefited greatly from the Performance of the PDP and we challenge him to this for a denial. He became governor by the efforts of the PDP, he cannot deny that.

“So we are not going to waste precious time on whatever he is saying, the most important thing to us as a party, is that today the PDP has become a party of choice for Nigerians and that is what is important to us and as a matter of fact , Adams Oshiomhole must accept the fact and he quickly needs to do that, that he is in APC as an undertaker. He was brought in to bury the party and weeks ahead like we said in our statement will clear his doubt.”

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/277527-pdp-moves-to-change-partys-name.html

…counsels politicians, others to prioritise personal health

By Dirisu Yakubu

National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh has advised politicians at all levels to pay adequate attention to their personal health, regardless of their busy schedule.

The PDP chieftain who is battling a spinal chord ailment stated this while receiving members of Anambra Progressive Union (APU), an umbrella organization of Anambra professionals, who visited him at his Abuja residence on Sunday. Narrating his ordeal, Metuh noted that if he had made out time to undergo a prescribed minor corrective surgery when his spinal chord ailment was first diagnosed at the National Hospital in 2008, he wouldn’t be in the situation he is today.

“No matter how busy you may be in politics or business, you must find time to take adequate care of your health. This is very important. In 2008, I was diagnosed with a minor spinal chord issue for which doctors at the National Hospital recommended that I undergo a laminectomy which is more of a minor corrective surgery. “At that time, I had just been sworn in as National Vice Chairman (South East) of the PDP. I underrated the situation. In fact, I felt that it had to do with the stress of the campaign, so I did not go for the surgery. I was very much engulfed with political activities.

“Later, I started having much pain in my spine and some doctors I met in Dubai recommended a palliative hot water therapy in the absence of a surgery, which I did. I never went back for the operation but continued with the therapy while busy with political activities. “In 2016 when I was arrested and detained, the situation aggravated but worsened after I had a very bad fall in the office, for which I was rushed to the National Hospital where I lost sensation on my lower limbs.

They conducted an MRI scan and found out that my condition has (sic) really deteriorated. “Several times I had fallen into trauma. On one of those occasions, I had to be brought from hospital to court on a stretcher, almost unconscious. As at then, I couldn’t move my lower limbs.

“Later, I was discharged but still attended hospital clinics in a wheelchair. However, the constant physiotherapy with the infrared radiation I just acquired have ameliorated the pains and I now move around better with my crutches and other mobility aids,” he narrated. Earlier, leader of the group, Chief Amaechi Onowu, expressed serious concerns over Metuh’s health, saying they were very unhappy with his condition.

“We are very unhappy over what we have seen here today. Our brother is seriously ill and we are very sad and disturbed over his condition,” Onowu stated. The group offered fervent prayers for his quick recovery while urging the authorities to grant him the opportunity to access the prescribed medical attention to prevent his condition from getting worse.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/how-my-battle-with-spinal-chord-ailment-started-metuh/

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar stood before a cheering crowd in his home state of Adamawa on Saturday, announcing he will seek the Peoples Democratic Party ticket for president next February.


Decrying the large-scale killings that have touched many parts of the country in recent months before thousands packed into Yola town square at the heart of Nigeria’s north-east, Mr Abubakar said President Muhammadu Buhari’s government would be remembered more for its bloodshed than any development it brought to citizens.

“Today, we are witnessing the most insecure atmosphere,” Mr Abubakar said of the killings largely blamed on herdsmen, bandits and militias, before promising to tackle them headlong if elected. “More people died under APC than people killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Mr Abubakar told a crowd chanting “Atiku! Atiku!” shortly after 2:00 p.m. that he would curtail inflation and unemployment rate in the country, saying Mr Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress have displayed a common lack of capacity when it comes to the issues that matter to citizens the most.

“Today, we have the highest unemployment rate in history of this country, more than one million of our youth are unemployed,” Mr Abubakar said, adding that the PDP would secure the country, ensure unity and security of life and property.

He also hit Mr Buhari at one of his most vulnerable areas: “Today, we are more divided than at any other time in Nigeria’s history.”

The president has been accused of packing key federal offices with people from his region, with critics slamming him as flouting the federal character and affirmative action principles enshrined in federal laws as necessary fabrics for holding an ethnically and religiously diverse entity like NIgeria together.

Mr Buhari has often pushed back against the claims, saying instead that his appointments have been balanced where they are not skewed towards the south.


Mr Abubakar is only one of several top political players eyeing the PDP ticket, having other top contenders like Sule Lamido and Ahmed Makarfi. Recently, political analysts expect the race to get even more fluid when the likes of Musa Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal and other elements of the so-called newPDP make their expected formal return to the largest opposition entity.

Yet, Mr Abubakar’s stature as a former vice-president and serial presidential contender with vast political and financial muscle made him a top favourite for the ticket. He has visited most of the southern states for consultations, and his office said he plans to take the tour to all the 36 states before the party’s primaries in a few months’ time.


He also sees himself in a good light, aiming directly at Mr Buhari rather than his party ticket challengers.

But critics are dismissing his campaign as a sideshow that would soon hit the rocks because of Mr Abubakar’s unanswered allegations about corruption.

Still dogging his ambition has been the mystery surrounding his failure to travel to the United States since he was named in a corruption trial in that country the previous decade. He has dismissed all allegations of corruption and challenged his opponents to bring forth any evidence of his culpability in graft practices.


Although Mr Abubakar said the Nigerian Constitution did not require that a citizen must possess American travel credentials to be eligible for presidential election, he also said that he had approached the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria for visa, but was turned down.

One of his close associates told PREMIUM TIMES recently that he may still apply for visa before the 2019 election.

But neither the former vice president nor his aides have agreed to entertain questions about whether they would cooperate with U.S. authorities to release his immigration status to the public. The U.S. border authorities told PREMIUM TIMES in early 2017 that Mr Abubakar’s immigration status could be made public, but only if he gives his legal backing to such disclosure.

With him at today’s rally were Uche Secondus, the party’s chairman, Gbenga Daniel, his campaign director, and Ben Murray-Bruce, a serving senator who also emceed the televised event.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/277290-2019-atiku-declares-presidential-bid-tackles-buhari.html