₦airaland Forum

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, says governors are grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the release of about two trillion naira to the 36 states of the federation.

Bagudu stated this when he addressed State House correspondents at the end of a closed door meeting between President Buhari and governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Tuesday. The governor, therefore, pledged the unflinching support of the governors to Buhari-led administration and all tiers of government to achieve development and economic growth across the country.

“Furthermore, we used the opportunity to thank Mr. President in all he has been doing and all the successes recorded in the areas which he campaigned upon and by extension, our party which are security, economy and accountability. “We are quite happy with his support for states where close to N2 trillion was given to states in form of restructuring of loans, refunds on federal roads, refund for Paris Club, which has helped encouraged economic activities in the states, payment of salaries, payment of pensions, payment of gratuities and overall investment by infrastructural spending.

“We are also appreciative of increased investment in agriculture which has been because of conscious decision to support agriculture as a way out of economic challenges and provide economic growth,’’ he said. On the meeting between the president and the governors, Bagudu said they were in the villa to congratulate the president on the National Assembly elections and to thank him for the confidence he had on the members of the forum.

He added that the governors were pleased with the emergence of an APC leadership at the National Assembly, which he said would help deliver more dividends of democracy to Nigerians. According to him, the governors participated actively in all the processes that led to the emergence of the National Assembly leadership. “Furthermore, we used the opportunity to thank Mr President in all he has been doing and all the successes recorded in the areas which he campaigned upon and by extension our party which are security, economy and accountability.

“We offer to work with Mr President continuously to ensure that we increase economic performance, security of our country and social cohesion. “Well, we as progressive Governors forum will push so that that legislation and cooperation between states and federal government will intensify. “We will be more active in ensuring investments in all areas that can provide employment and incomes. “We will collaborate more to ensure that security is enhanced particularly when it involves state borders,’’ he said. Bagudu said the Governors were pleased with the emergence of an APC leadership at the National Assembly, which he said will help deliver more dividends of democracy to Nigerians. He said the governors expressed delight over the giant strides recorded so far by the President Buhari leadership of the country.(NAN)

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/governors-acknowledge-receipt-of-n2trn-pledge-support-for-buharis-administration/

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has said in spite of pockets of insecurity, the crime rate in the country is declining. He stated this on Monday in his address during the monthly conference of Commissioner of Police and above, held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

He said, “It is noted that while there are still isolated cases of internal security breaches which often attract publicity and national attention, the crime rate in recent times has been on the decline. This is in contrast to the criminal records over the preceding months.” He explained that this is because of the enhancement of the institutional capacity of the Nigeria Police to respond to internal security threats and undertake intelligence-led operations.

He said the successes achieved are linked to ‘Operation Puff Adder’ which has been a very potent anti-crime vehicle of the Nigeria Police. He said “a total of 424 kidnappers were arrested between 10th May 2019, and 14th, June 2019. The highest number of 101 kidnap suspects were arrested in Kaduna state, as 54 suspects were apprehended in Nasarawa state and 32 in Taraba state.” He added that a total of 44 murder suspects were arrested during the period under review, with the highest number of seven in FCT and six in Kano state. He said 276 armed robbery suspects were arrested within the period with the highest number of 38 in Edo state, followed by 25 in Nasarawa state and 23 in FCT.

He said a total of 10,860 ammunitions of various descriptions and calibre were recovered while a total of 301 firearms including a Rocket Launcher, AK47 assault rifles, pistols and locally made gun, were recovered from criminal elements across the country. He said the highest number of 80 from Katsina state, followed by Edo state with 26 and Kaduna state with 25. He said, “176 suspected cultists were arrested across the country while 77 stolen vehicles were recovered by Operation Puff Adder operatives nationwide between 10th May 2019 and 14th June 2019, with the highest number of 29 in FCT.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/igp-lauds-declining-crime-rate-across-nigeria.html

Abuja – The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Nigeria on Saturday said that it knew nothing about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server that was allegedly used to transmit results of the 2019 general elections.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on the EU EOM’s report, the Deputy Chief Observer for the EU, Hannah Roberts said the Mission relied on results that were released by INEC.

Roberts, while fielding questions from newsmen, said the EU Mission in Nigeria was unaware of an INEC server by which results were transmitted during the election. “The EU had to rely on INEC’s explanation in result transmission,” she said.


The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had claimed that an INEC server was used to transmit results of the election. Maria Arena, EU Chief Observer had earlier presented a final report with recommendations for electoral reforms. She said the EU EOM had 91 observers on ground for the Presidential and National Assembly elections across Nigeria. Arena added that 73 observers were deployed for the Governorship and State House of Assembly election while only 20 observers were used for the supplementary elections.

Following its observation mission, she said the EU EOM had 30 recommendations on how to improve future electoral processes in Nigeria.

“The mission concluded that the systemic failings seen in the elections, and the relatively low levels of voter participation, show the need for fundamental electoral reform.” The EU report prioritised seven recommendations of the 30, one of which was that Nigeria to Strengthen INEC procedures for the collation of results to improve integrity and confidence in electoral outcomes.

Another recommendation was that electoral tribunals cover pre-election cases in order to improve access to remedy and to avoid petitions being taken to different courts at the same time. However, Festus Keyamo, Spokesman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, who addressed newsmen afterwards, faulted the EU EOM for not coming to a conclusion in its report. “The result reflects the overall wishes of Nigerians, that was the report by so many observers, if you are an observer you should come to a definitive conclusion, don’t be dodgy about it, don’t run away from that fact because we have 120,000 polling units across the country and in all their report I don’t think they discussed at most 500 polling units.

“If you observed certain anomalie, it could not have been more than 500 or 1000 polling units and if you do observe anomalies in those polling units, how does that substantially affect results coming from 120,000 polling unit? “So it is not enough for you discuss the anomalies, they must discuss the overall results coming from the entire country and whether it did reflect the wishes of the people. This is what we want to know because they have problems in the US elections, there are problems in the EU and even UK elections. “For Christ sake, we need a detailed analysis to come to a definitive conclusion about the overall result of the election,” he said(NAN)

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/eu-observers-say-know-nothing-about-inec-servers/

…Adamu Abdullahi, Kalu, Folarin, Doguwa, Ossai, others in race for majority leader

…South-West, South-East battle for Senate Leader

…APC may zone Chief Whip, Deputy Senate Leader to South-East

…PDP Caucus meets

By Clifford Ndujihe, Levinus Nwabughiogu & Omeiza Ajayi

AFTER the emergence of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker and deputy speaker, the focus has shifted to the 16 principal offices where a rat race of sorts has ensued among lawmakers eyeing the slots.

President Muhammadu Buhari will meet the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Assembly caucus and party leaders to discuss the issue and take a decision.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, House of Representatives caucus was meeting on the issue at press time.

APC may zone majority leader to South-West, deputy to South-East

Barring any last minute change of plans, the ruling APC is set to zone the Senate Leadership to the South-West, even as a contender from the South-East was said to have emerged too.

By the APC arrangement, the party is said to be considering the South-East for the position of Chief Whip and Deputy Senate Leader. Party insiders told Vanguard Wednesday night that a former Senate Leader and third time Senator, Teslim Folarin representing Oyo Central is being considered for another shot at the same job while former Governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia North is being considered for either deputy senate leader or chief whip.

South-West, South-East battle for Senate Leader

As of Wednesday afternoon, there were still various permutations on the zoning of the remaining slots in the ruling party. APC leaders are said to be ‘’careful not to make mistakes, but many of us prefer Teslim (Folarin) because he has been in that same office before and this is his third time in the Senate having been there from 2003-2011″, said a party source.

He however said the ultimate decision lies with President Muhammadu Buhari who is the leader of the party. “I know for a fact that the president will have a ‘chat’ with some party leaders including the new National Assembly leadership tonight (Wednesday). So, anything can come up from there, but the South-East is most likely to get Chief Whip and maybe, North-Central, deputy chief whip. But, like I said, these are just proposals. The president has the final say on this issue,” the source added.

The available slots

Of the 16 slots, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, will fill eight majority positions while the opposition parties, mainly the PDP will produce the balance. Also, both chambers of the National Assembly – Senate and House of Representatives will produce eight positions each The eight positions in each House are Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip. The slots will be filled by the parties’ caucuses in consultation with the leadership of the parties. The question of zoning and ensuring balance in the sharing of offices are expected to play crucial roles in the filling of the offices.

Those eyeing the Senate positions include Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC, Nasarawa, North Central); Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia, South-East); Senator Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu, South-East); Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia, South-East); and Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North-West). In the House of Representatives, the likes of Ado Doguwa from Kano State; Mohammed Bago (Niger); Nkeiru Onyejeocha (Abia); Yakubu Dogara (Bauchi); John Dyegh (Benue); and Ossai Nicholas Ossai among others are considered as front runners. Currently, former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, is being fingered for the Senate majority leader.

Another senator in the pecking order is Orji Uzor Kalu, who dropped his deputy senate presidency aspiration in line with the directives of the APC leadership. Before the inauguration on Tuesday, the APC endorsed Senator Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North) for Senate Presidency, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) for deputy Senate presidency, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos) for the House of Representatives speakership, and Idris Wase (Plateau) for deputy speaker, and they were so elected.

Effective strategies

The permutations and strategies of the ruling APC in the build up to the elections of the presiding officers of Senate and the House of Representatives worked very well. While the emergence of these personalities has been applauded by many Nigerians, it has also received knocks from many quarters for not reflecting the federal character and geographical spread as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

The big hole is traced in the ceding the speakership position to the southwest which has already tucked in the office of the Vice President.

Power sharing

The prognosis of power allocations now show that the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari hails from Katsina State (North-West); Vice President Yemi Osinbajo- Ogun State (South-West); Senate President is from Yobe State (North-East); Deputy Senate President is from Edo State (South-South); House Speaker is from Lagos State (South-West) and Deputy Speaker is from Plateau State (North-Central). The South-East, the sixth geo-political zone is yet to get any legislative slot.

APC candidates for remaining principal offices

The remaining principal offices are not contestable. They are squarely party affairs. It is the political parties that decide who gets what.

Bago interested?

The events of 2015 threw up the present Speaker, Gbajabiamila, as the majority leader immediately after he lost to the immediate past Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Should the situation repeat itself, Mohammed Bago, who contested with Gbajabiamila is likely to assume the position.

But the questions to ask about this are: Is he interested in the job? Would the party support him to occupy the position as was the case in 2015? The answers are not presently handy as the Spokesman of his campaign organization, Hon. Victor Ogene, told Vanguard last night that there was no information on the subject matter yet. “Don’t have any information”, he replied simply to a text message sent to him.

Ossai for Minority Leader

Similarly, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai from Delta State is also tipped for minority leader. Many of his colleagues believe that the lawmaker has the tact and the finesse to project and defend the aspirations of the majority opposition party in the House. He told Vanguard that although his party, the PDP Caucus was going to meet on the matter last night, he was waiting to be installed as the minority leader of the Ninth House.

“I think the party caucus is meeting today (Wednesday) and I have already circulated my profile. We are already on the way. Let’s know what the caucus will say. My mindset is focused. I don’t see any other interest any person wants it make. I think their interest should be geared installing me as the minority leader. I believe in it and I am focused on it”, Ossai said.

Ado Doguwa is the man

Outside Bago, the lot appears to have fallen on Ado Doguwa from Kano State.

Many of his colleagues said that he is the man for the job. Doguwa has since positioned himself for the office. In fact, he sacrificed his speakership ambition for Gbajabiamila. Doguwa is a fifth timer to the House. He has been in the House since 2007. Apart from that, he was first elected as member in 1992 in the botched third republic. He also aspired for speakership in 2015 but later withdrew as directed by the APC. He is a loyal party man and was the Chairman of the North-West caucus in the out-gone Eighth House. Many believe that he is most qualified for the House leadership job. In an interview, he told Vanguard that he has all it takes to lead the Ninth House. “The party said the South-West should produce the speaker.

The deputy speaker was zoned to North-Central. So, on that note, we didn’t have any other option than to support the candidates. Now, that we have won, it is only natural to reward loyalty and good work. I am the only person now vying for that (Majority Leadership) position. Any other person is a joker. “I have all it takes, and all that is required of a leader to qualify as far as parliamentary politics is concerned. I think I am the person to beat as far as the North-West is concerned in the House of Representatives. One, I am the most ranking.

I am now in my fifth term. I have been in the Green Chambers for 29 years. I first started in 1992, during the SDP and NRC transition, the June 12 crisis, even though the dispensation was short-lived by a coup. But since then, I have been in the House till now, though I lost election only once in between. So, as I speak to you, I am the highest ranking member of the House of Reps from the North western part of the country and by extension even from the northern part of the country as a whole. So, this gives me not only the desired experience, not only the intellectual acumen or the necessary exposure, but also what you may call institutional memory. I think I have an edge because by parliamentary conventions, ranking is always an important parameter to determine who becomes what and when.’’

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/9th-nass-apc-may-zone-chief-whip-deputy-senate-leader-to-south-east/

Three activists working under a Yoruba socio- cultural group, Oodua Coalition Against Insurgency and Kidnapping in Yorubaland, have been arrested and detained by men of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) after dispersing the June 12 rally in Ibadan on Wednesday.

Scores of people arrived the venue of the planned rally early morning but were shocked as security operatives chased them, stopping the mass rally.

The group, an amalgamation of all sociocultural and self- determination groups in Yorubaland, had converged to discuss insecurity in the land, an event which they also want to use to celebrate the June 12 in the city.

The security operatives, in about five buses and clad in their black uniform, had arrived around 7am and condoned off the area, to wade off the rally.
Three people including sound system operator contracted to provide services at the event, were whisked away to the DSS office at Alesinloye headquarter of the service.

A public Affairs analyst and state coordinator of Oodua Coalition Against Insurgency and Kidnapping in Yorubaland and another lady activist simply identified as Princess Oyeronke were also arrested.

Confirming the arrests, the National Public Relations Officer of the Odua Peoples Congress (New Era), Comrade Adesina Akinpelu, decried the development he likened to the infamous happenstances during the military junta.

Akinpelu said: “We got all the necessary approval but we were surprised to see men of the DSS arriving much earlier, even before the coalition members, with the intent to stop the rally.”

He alleged further that the officials are still on the lookout for other notable leaders of the coalition for possible arrest and detention.

Akinpelu said the botched rally was tagged “O to Ge’ to commemorate June 12.

“It was called to address the issue of insecurity in the land and safeguard Yoruba people who are becoming endangered in the land through incessant kidnappings and wanton attacks on their farmlands.”

“We don’t want to take laws into our hands and that’s why we called the meeting to drum it to the hearing of Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari that aside declaring June 12 democracy day, he should also tackle the issue of insecurity in our land.”

He said all entreaties by leaders of the Yoruba Summit Group comprising representatives of Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Koya Movement, Yoruba Unity Forum, Oodua Peoples Congress, Atayese and Voice of Reason, among others, fell on deaf ears of the security operatives who claimed to be acting on “orders from above”.

To prevent what could escalate into crisis, leaders of the various rallying groups prevailed on their followers not to overstretch the issue just as they dispersed only to reconvene at another location few hours later where they addressed a press conference on the state of the nation.

https://thenationonlineng.net/dss-arrests-3-activists-stop-june-12-rally-in-ibadan/

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said all the people that went against the Party’s wish in Senate president and Speakership elections will have to answer for their sins.

Speaking on Tuesday after voting had ended in the National Assembly, he said: “We have rules. We expect people to obey the rule and the rules of democracy are clear. When we have taken a position as a party, we expect party members to comply.

“We will look at the constitution and we will see what does it say about people who resort to deviant behavior.

“I am convinced that no system; particularly a voluntary system can be held together if the rule of discipline is not enforced. A system must have the capacity to use the carrot and stick and balance the mix.

“If there is no stick, as they say ‘you spare the rod, you spoil the child.’ I am a believer in discipline. Even when I was in NLC there was discipline. When we say we are going on strike, you don’t go and breach the picket line.

“The elite must understand that if we use the party platform to climb to a position, when there is a debate, not an imposition; we have all discussed, the governors have agreed, leaders of the party have agreed across board; you can’t say you know more than everyone else. Unless you want to do independent candidate then you go and amend the constitution.

“But don’t ask me is my child doesn’t behave well in school, just wait first whether there is any child who will not behave well.

“Today is a day to celebrate God’s blessings. If God has stood by us and gave us victory, what are my bitter about, but of course, bad behavior will not be rewarded.”

He said he will not change overnight because of criticism.

“Particularly, when you go back to the recent sponsored attacks on my person. I am not going to borrow another person’s style. I am not a pretender.

“I don’t seat on the fence. I have strong conviction and I am driven by my conviction, not by the voices in the market and what has happened today shows that those visions are well-pursued consciously with good heart, God bless the outcome.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/nass-leadership-contest-deviants-will-pay-for-their-sins-oshiomhole/

Dr Adegbola Dominic, the Lagos State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has bemoaned the lack of indiscipline in the party, saying it was manifested in the National Assembly elections held today.

Seventeen PDP lawmakers voted for Senate President Ahmed Lawan in disregard of the directive of the PDP leadership that Ali Ndume should be elected as Senate President.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has 62 lawmakers while the opposition PDP has 44 and Young Democratic Party (YDP) has one.

Two senatorial seats of Imo State remain vacant. However, Lawan polled 79 votes while Ndume scored only 28 votes.

Speaking in a chat with INDEPENDENT, Dominic said it is surprising that when the national leadership of the party gave a directive to PDP lawmakers-elect to vote for Senator Ali Ndume, many of them disobeyed and voted for Senator Ahmad Lawan who has been elected Senate President.

He said “Our party gave a directive and arrived at a position that our members should vote for a particular candidate as Senate President. But we could see that they did not follow the directives of our party. That shows there is no discipline in our party”.

“If it is a disciplined party, members should follow the directives of the party at all times. This should teach the national leadership a lesson that it is important for them to maintain discipline in the party”.

“Because all along, they have been encouraging indiscipline in state chapters of the party, that is why that kind of action happened in the chambers of the national assembly.

“Now that they have seen the effect of indiscipline, they should do everything possible to instil discipline and stop acts of insubordination at all levels”.

https://www.independent.ng/nass-elections-our-party-lacks-discipline-pdp-chairman/

The National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress has adopted formally adopts Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the positions of Deputy Senate President and Hon. Muhammed Idris Wase as Deputy Speaker.

This resolve was reached after emergency meetings which held on Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th of June 2019.

According to a statement by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the party’s national publicity secretary, the committee arrived at their decision after wide consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari and party stakeholders, including APC governors.

Recall that the party had earlier announced the duo of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the partys candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of House Representatives respectively.

Mr Issa-Onilu’s communique further stated that all elected APC members of the Senate and House of Representatives are hereby directed to fully mobilise as a united force behind the party’s choice.

It also stated that members who have earlier signified interests in these positions are urged to support the party’s decisions as loyal and committed members of APC by working with other members to ensure the emergence of the adopted candidates.

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/06/10/breaking-apc-national-working-committee-adopts-omo-agege-for-deputy-senate-president/

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State has said that the party is still in support of the aspiration of the incumbent Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to retain his seat when the 9th National Assembly will be proclaimed on Tuesday.

The party said there was a secret agenda, as far as the leadership of the 9th NASS was concerned which it would unleash on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when the parliament is inaugurated.

Youth Leader of the party in Enugu State, Patrick Nwoko, who made this known during a chat with newsmen in Asaba, Delta State, enroute Abuja, said the PDP was monitoring the political calculations of the APC with a view to taking the ruling party unawares.

He said Ekweremadu remained the preferred candidate of the entire South-East for the exalted of Deputy Senate President, describing the incumbent as an illustrious son of Enugu State who will always enjoy the support of his people.

“Categorically, Ekweremadu is in contention for the DSP. We have a secret agenda which we will unleash on the eve of Tuesday because of the incumbent. We are working, the PDP governors are working, and by Monday night, you would have known our decision.

“Ekweremadu is our illustrious son who is a political bulldozer. We are happy to have him in Enugu State, and we are still giving him our support; but as you know, we are in the opposition. So we are very sensitive in calculating the political gimmick of the APC.

“Not that we have relented in being DSP, not at all, we are highly interested, but if you watch carefully the political happenings, you will see that the PDP is so silent in most actions as they affect the leadership of the 9th NASS, because we are watching and calculating.

“In Enugu State, we can never joke with Ekweremadu; he has done so well; he has protected PDP; he has withstood a lot of challenges in the political circle. So we are proud and we are still giving him our support; the only thing is that we are being marginalised as Igbo.

“We are also working with our brothers from the APC to have a substantive position in the leadership of NASS. The Igbo are coming together. There is no way the PDP will support APC candidate but it is all a political game,” Nwoko said.

http://community.thenationonlineng.net/forum/we-re-supporting-ekweremadu-for-dsp-pdp?

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, has offered 60 Peoples Democratic Party’s members-elect positions of chairmen and deputy chairmen of committees if he is elected the Speaker of the Ninth House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The Director-General of the Femi Gbajabiamila /Ahmed Wase Campaign Organisation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Saturday.

Jibrin said the 60 PDP members had accepted the offer and have started working with their colleagues in the ruling All Progressives Congress to ensure that Gbajabiamila, who is the preferred candidate of the party, emerged the winner.

While saying that the PDP already has two factions in the House of Representatives, the lawmaker from Kano State said Gbajabiamila’s camp had sealed a deal with a faction while discussions were still ongoing with the other faction.

He said with the votes of the APC members well secured for Gbajabiamila, the camp was confident of victory.

He said, “Before Femi’s endorsement by the party, the President, the governors and others, majority of us the lawmakers have agreed that he is the Speaker that we want. It was after that decision that other endorsements came.

“As it is today, he has massive supports across party lines. In 2015, the APC was just only guiding its votes because we believed then that we had the number to win the election. We didn’t bother about anything, but the PDP was concentrating on how to poach the APC members and that was how the election was won.

“But this time round, the APC is more comfortable because we have more numbers with our 223. But even at that, our campaign is more aggressive towards poaching the PDP members than the aggression of the PDP members trying to poach our members.

“As it is today, the reality of the matter is that the PDP has been split into two factions. We have been open in negotiating with both factions. We have sealed a deal with one of the factions and we are still talking with the other faction.

“We are only doing that as a safety net. We do not need the whole of the PDP members to win the election. In fact, we may not even need a vote from the PDP because we are guiding our 223 votes religiously.

“But as a safety net, we have already over 60 members of the PDP working with us. There is nothing you can do to change the minds of these PDP members because their support is based on their conviction that Gbajabiamila and Wase are the best to occupy those positions at this time.

“On the aspect of responsibility in the parliament, we are always reluctant mentioning this but it is the reality, sharing of committees and the rest. We have offered 60 positions.

“If not that the party has been broken into two factions, it is what we would have offered to all of them, but since we have concluded with one faction, we have given them that offer and they have accepted it.

“We have 60 of them and they are going to have 60 offices. It means that every one of them will have a particular position to hold in the next House.

https://punchng.com/gbajabiamila-offers-60-pdp-reps-committee-chairmanship-deputy-slots/

Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has endorsed the candidature of Senator Ahmed Lawan as the next Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This was made known in a statement issued on Saturday in Damaturu by the National President of the Association, Khalil Mohammed Bello where he said the endorsement was based on Senator Lawan’s track of records and year’s of serving humanity.

“He (Senator Ahmed Lawan) has a genuine concern for the development of both livestock and arable farming in the country.

“For example in the year 2017, Dr. Ahmed Lawan spent millions of naira in procurement of animal vaccines and freely vaccinated 2 millions head of Cattle in Yobe State and he did same to help arable farmers in Yobe North Senatorial District.

“The free animal vaccination was the first of its kind in Yobe State done by an individual legislator”, the National President explained.

He added that, Senator Lawan has brought many physical developmental projects, such as provision of portable drinking water for both animals and human consumption and in addition to numerous empowerment projects to the people of his district.

According Bello the Association is confident that, as a former renowned Scholar, Senator Ahmed Lawan knew the value of education, hence will help towards formulating and total implementation of beautiful educational policies, that would promote education and bring to an end the intermittent strike in the nation’s Universities and other higher institutions.

“Having come form the Northeast part of the Country, where the esteemed seat of the Senate President is zoned, he knows the security challenges of the area, which are almost the same with that of the Northwest and some parts of the country for which if elected, he would cooperate with the Federal Government to find out immediate solution to it, so that peace and harmony would immediately flourish in our beloved Country.

“We are optimistic, that if he (Senator Lawan) has gotten the seat under reference, he will carry everybody along, so that Nigeria will once again be blessed with having a National Assembly, that will work hard towards solving the problems of security challenges that are hindering the development of our great country”, Bello said.

The President described Senator Ahmed Lawan as a person whose main concern is the development and unity of Nigeria, adding that he would surely create a good working relationship between the two chambers that would accelerate decision making process and execution of those decisions by the Federal Executive Council.

https://dailypost.ng/2019/06/08/9th-senate-fulani-herdsmen-endorse-sen-ahmed-lawan/

Senator-elect Abia North Constituency, Orji Uzor Kalu disclosed that 21 PDP lawmakers have endorsed Senator Ahmed Lawan as candidate for the Senate Presidency.

Speaking in an interview on Friday at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), on his way to Abuja, Kalu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for prevailing on Senator Danjuma Goje to step down for Senator Ahmed Lawan as candidate for the Senate Presidency, adding that such rapprochement was critical to ensuring the party speaks with one voice on such a fundamental matter.

He said: “What they are doing is part of democracy. Democracy must not agree and that is why it is democracy. Democracy is a collection of all opinions. But we have called on Mr. President based on the way he settled the Goje matter, for us to be able to call them. If President occasionally intervenes in this kind of issue, we will not be having problems. In PDP, there are bigger problems but they intervene and settle the matter. Before President will tell you, I don’t want to play politics but he is the chief politician. I think the President has started changing his mind to be able to intervene in cases like that.”

Kalu said his endorsement of Lawan as President of the Senate was driven by deep convictions about Lawan’s capacity to push for robust leadership that will deepen the political and economic space for the prosperity of Nigeria and Nigerians.

He said:” Well for the first time, I will tell the press, I have known Lawan for over 40 years. Lawan was my roommate in the university. We lived in the same room in the University of Maiduguri. So he is qualified for the job. This is what I consistently telling people about him. I am not against him. Ali Ndume is my very good brother and I am not against him. But I am just saying that Lawan has been endorsed by all Senators of the party and by individuals. When I said last week that we had 58 Senators, people thought it was a joke.

“That was excluding PDP. But now, we have 21 PDP that have already signed for Lawan as at last week. Now that Goje is no longer running and I can say it out, we have 21 PDP when we had 58 APC but we kept it in the cooler; it was our last strategy to say it on Monday that we have 21 PDP.

“And we said that any PDP member that would not be willing on Monday to disclose his name should drop. So, this is the issue, we were ready. We don’t want to fight because we have fought so much. We want one Senate, one party after all, what is the difference. The difference is party. I was 8 years PDP governor, I was also 2 years NRC member of House of Representatives; So all these things are colouration of names.

He restated his clamour for the position of Deputy Senate President ceded to the South East Region, saying it was only Godly, moral and in the sense of equity, balance and justice to do that.

Kalu clarified that it was not about self, but ensuring geopolitical balance.

https://thenationonlineng.net/senate-presidency-21-pdp-lawmakers-endorse-lawan/

Following the end of the 8th Senate, Ben Murray-Bruce has revealed that he will return to his roots in entertainment.

Mr Murray-Bruce, who represented Bayelsa State in the Senate, in a statement, on Wednesday, announced the collaborative expansion of Silverbird Group ventures in association with his Dream Magic Studios.

Located in Los Angeles, California, Dream Magic Studios is a production studio complex and full-service pre and post-production house, which he founded in 2013.

The first film slated for production is a Nigerian-based comedic-drama, DNA, with an anticipated worldwide holiday release in 2019.

DNA follows the stories of several Nigerian men seeking to immigrate to the United States with their families by applying through the US Embassy. The path to immigration takes a laughable, yet dramatic turn for several hopefuls, when the outcome of their required paternity tests aren’t quite what they were expecting.

“As Silverbird Group continues to deliver opportunities for cultural and economic development in Nigeria, we are committed to bringing to life the stories of African people on film throughout the world,” explained Mr Murray-Bruce.

“I’ve been thoroughly blessed to serve the people of Nigeria for over 30 years and this collaboration aims to spread our rich and vibrant culture across the globe with innovative, entertaining and diverse programming.”

He also announced that he has assembled a dream team to bridge the gap between the burgeoning entertainment culture of the African Diaspora and Hollywood entertainment.

He added that a veteran Hollywood studio executive, Davina Douthard, will take the helm of the upcoming film slate while. Dream Magic Studios operations will be overseen by his son and company Vice President, Jonathan Murray-Bruce.

Mr Murray-Bruce was elected to represent Bayelsa East Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Senate.

He regularly made contributions, and often took hard-line stance against President Muhammadu Buhari’s policies.

Shortly after taking his seat as a senator, Mr Murray-Bruce launched his ‘common sense’ campaign, distributing video clips in which he could be seen proffering solutions to what he believed were the nation’s most critical challenges.

His frequent use of social media, especially Twitter, also earned him the admiration of many Nigerians.

He often came under vicious attacks from opposition handles who saw him as pushing a populist narrative and lacking legislative competence.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/nollywood/333850-ben-bruce-set-to-return-to-entertainment-expands-silverbird-group-film-ventures.html

Kemi Busari

President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted a proclamation letter terminating the term of the eighth National Assembly.

The proclamation letter was addressed to the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori.

Mr Sani-Omolori confirmed receipt of the letter to journalists Thursday afternoon.

The letter proclaimed termination of the term of the eighth Assembly by midnight of Saturday, June 8, and commencement of the ninth Senate on Tuesday, June 11.

“I just want to confirm that I have received a proclamation from the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mr Sani-Omolori said.

“One on the dissolution of the eighth National Assembly, the other one on the convening of the first session of the ninth National Assembly.

“The proclamation of the dissolution of the eighth National Assembly takes effect from 12 midnight of 8th June.

By implication, from eighth of June by 12 midnight, the eighth National Assembly stands dissolved. Similarly, the ninth National Assembly will be inaugurated and first sitting will be held on Tuesday 11th of June by 10 a.m. in the National Assembly complex.”


Asked about a recent letter of proclamation purportedly from Mr President, the clerk said the one by which he made the confirmation was addressed to him.

“Well, I have just confirmed to you that I have received the proclamation from the president which means that this is addressed to me,” he said.

The confirmation put to rest controversies surrounding a letter of proclamation purportedly from Mr Buhari recently in circulation.

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has threatened to move a motion for the secession of the South West geopolitical zone from the Nigerian federation.

He issued the threat in a tweet via his verified Twitter handle on Wednesday morning.

According to him, the move might become necessary if the perceived ‘Fulanisation and Islamisation agenda’ continues in Nigeria.

Fani-Kayode said such a motion by him will be consistent with the precedent set by his father, Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, who on August 2, 1958, successfully moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule.

He said that the new republic that would emerge would be known as “Oduduwa”.

The former Minister tweeted: “On August 2nd 1958 my father, Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, successfully moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule.

“If the Fulanisation and Islamisation agenda continues I shall move the motion for Oduduwa’s independence from Nigerian colonial rule.”

DAILY POST reports that Fani-Kayode is a close ally of Nnamdi Kanu, who is seeking a Biafra Republic in the South East geopolitical zone.


https://dailypost.ng/2019/06/05/fani-kayode-threatens-move-motion-secession-south-west-nigeria/

.Says, Oyegun’s era, personification of impunity, indiscipline

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA – The ruling All Progressives Congress APC Tuesday in Abuja asked any of its aggrieved members who no longer feel comfortable with its style of operations and political engagements to feel free to exit and join the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

The party was formally reacting to issues raised by its Deputy National Chairman, North, Sen. Lawali Shuaibu particularly as they relate to the fortunes of the party under its National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu in a statement said the next three years are very important as the APC under the leadership of Comrade Oshiomhole will continue to strengthen compliance with the rules, build support structures for democracy, ensures discipline across board, and deliver good governance for the benefits of all Nigerians.


We expect members who have different agenda to join their kind in PDP. We will welcome with open arms, those who share our progressive ideals, so that by 2022, we will have a party whose members are truly progressives”, he advised.

This was as the party berated its immediate National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for also responding to attacks launched against him by some pro-Oshiomhole state chairmen of the party from the south south.

The statement noted that in the aftermath of the recently-conducted 2015 General Elections, the APC has witnessed disputations among some party leaders on account of post-primary issues and some losses recorded in some states — through the ballots or courts.

According to Issa-Onilu, if Oyo, Imo, Bauchi, Adamawa, and Zamfara States were taken one by one, it will be discovered that there were peculiar issues in the respective states that accounted for how the APC lost them rather than the voters preferring the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.

“I would put the painful outcomes broadly under two reasons. One is indiscipline on the part of some members of our party in most of the states. The second reason is that the party leadership did not do much between 2015 and 2018 to move the party from being an amalgam of different political parties to become a truly blended progressive political party”, Issa-Onilu stated.

Oyegun lacked discipline, encouraged impunity

The APC spokesperson also added that “the immediate-past NWC led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as National Chairman lacked the courage required to confront the pockets of political despots who could not operate by the party’s rules”.

The resultant effect, he said, was “widespread indiscipline across party ranks, lack of respect for party supremacy as witnessed in the 8th National Assembly leadership and its overall inability to align the varying interests of the legacy parties that came together to form the APC in 2014″.

“Let me agree that the NWC that led the party into the 2015 elections and continued till June 2018 did nothing different from what you would find in PDP. It was a period the party was seen as a mere vehicle to attain political office. The system accommodated impunity as certain members appeared to be superior to the party. Their interests were far more important than the collective interests of the APC, even when most times such interests are at variance with the ideals the party stand for.

“You would recall that it was under that leadership that some impudent members of APC called the bluff of the party by imposing themselves on the National Assembly as leaders contrary to the position of the party. Where was the party? Where was the discipline when this happened? It would be difficult to calculate what lack of courage to assert the party supremacy cost APC over that period. The consequences of the inaction of the party were unimaginable. We all saw the consequences on governance as the National assembly practically held our government to ransom. The impunity, which President Muhammadu Buhari has rightly described as lack of patriotism, constituted an unfortunate hindrance to the smooth running of government.

“The leadership under Chief Oyegun, with due respect to him, condoned all sorts of acts of indiscipline from certain members. It is not surprising that the current National Working Committee inherited such a huge mess, where the party was struggling to differentiate itself from the delinquent PDP. We all know that PDP was practically dead following the devastating defeat of 2015. The PDP bounced back not because the party has changed its insidious way or did anything different, but because APC did not live up to expectations.

“It goes without saying that when an organisation is unable to enforce its own rules, it would suffer the consequences sooner than later. We should not be ashamed to say that our partys leadership under Chief Oyegun lacked the courage required to confront the pockets of political despots who could not operate by the partys rules,” Issa-Onilu stated.

Shuaibu’s letter in bad faith

The APC spokesperson said Senator Lawali Shuaibu assertions in the letter to the National Chairman portrayed the NWC “as a bunch of cowards looking for a scapegoat to pass on the blame following undesired results in his home Zamfara State”.

He said; “When he [Senator Lawali Shuaibu] alleged that the National Chairman is running the party like a sole administrator, does that mean the rest of us are incompetent? I doubt if he would have many members of the NWC supporting him in this. The ability to face up to the challenges and to take responsibility for mistakes are important qualities of a leader. If the NWC had taken any action that did not produce the desired result, it would be plain cowardice to look for a scapegoat or pass on the blame to another person.

“Since the Comrade Oshiomhole-led NWC came to office, we have been doing our best to institutionalise the best ideals of progressive politics. We understand that we must bring everyone under the fold of the party, where all of us would be subject to our party’s rules and conventions. We understand that impunity can provide temporary advantage and even successes. But ultimately, those successes would be short-lived. PDP is a living example of the inherent calamity of impunity. The PDP era brought calamity to the country and ultimately led to the loss of power. What I read from that letter is a call to continue along that trend. With due respect, that is not what APC stands for,” Issa-Onilu stated.

Enhanced fortunes

He said despite some 2019 election losses recorded in some states, “the APC has improved significantly on the result of 2015 under the leadership of Oshiomhole”, adding that the National Chairman cannot be blamed for the avoidable losses recorded in some states as some stakeholders failed to follow the party’s directives and ensure internal democracy.

Issa-Onilu said: “Since we are comparing 2015 to what has happened now, we should remember that our President was elected in 2015 with over 15 million votes as against the PDPs 13 million plus. There was about 2.5 million votes difference. Under Oshiomhole, we have over 15 million votes as against PDPs 11 million plus. There you have nearly four million votes difference. So for the Presidential election, our party has improved significantly on the result of 2015.

“The situation was expectedly different at the state level. The state players have the foremost responsibility to win elections in their states. What we can do at the national level is to provide the necessary support. The support starts from conducting transparent primaries that ensure the party produces popular candidates. Of course, certain state players in our party expected business as usual where other players are subjugated for them so that their wishes are imposed on other APC members in their states. This we could not do and I dont think we need to apologise for doing the right thing. By now, the states that failed to follow the party’s directives are the ones that may be regretting.

“We have examples of Governors who are true progressives who worked with the NWC to ensure things were done right. Look at Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Kano, Nasarawa, Katsina, Jigawa, Borno, Yobe, etc. The Governors and leaders of APC in these states worked according to the rules in conjunction with the NWC and we all can see that the sweetest victory is the one achieved under a free and fair engagement with the opposition.

“This is what our party wants to showcase. This is the example President Buhari has shown by ensuring that we had a presidential election in this country without seeking to award himself any advantage over his opponents. The President has the instruments to use under him, but he rather subjected himself to the rules of the contest. If the President did not expect the party to manipulate his own election, why should anyone else expect that from the party?

“These people who are looking for who to blame are not talking about Kwara and Gombe. These were PDP states that we won landslide. We won in these two states because the local players adjusted to the change agenda of the party. I am from Kwara, we won 100 percent in such a transparent manner that the PDP had nothing to complain about. Do not forget that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is from Kwara. Kwara presented us the evidence that if we shun impunity and play by the rules, Nigerians would reward us with votes. The same is the situation in Gombe. Do these people want to give Oshiomhole credit for our victories in Kwara and Gombe states? Or they just believe APC must win by all means everywhere?” He queried.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/feel-free-to-join-the-pdp-apc-tells-aggrieved-members/

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a former Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Calistus Obi, to seven years imprisonment for N136 million fraud.

Details shortly…..

https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-court-sentences-ex-nimasa-d-g-to-7-years-imprisonment/

The organised labour has commended the Kogi State government for the payment of December 2018 and January 2019 salaries and pensions to its workers and pensioners.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) gave the comendation in a statement issued in Lokoja on Sunday.

The statement, signed by the state Chairman of the NLC, Mr Onu Edoka and his TUC counterpart, Mr Ranti Ojo,
described the payment of the two month salaries and pensions as a huge relief.

” The payment of the two months salary arrears to workers and pensions would go a long way to reduce the suffering of the workers and pensioners,” the statement said.

The labour leaders applauded government for keeping to its promise to defray the outstanding salary and pensions being owed workers and retirees.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the payment of the two months salaries, the workers are now being owed between six and 37 months salary arrears.

” We appeal to the state government to sustain the current tempo of payment to enable it settle all outstanding salary arrears in due course,” Edoka and Ojo said in the statement.

They, however, called for an improvement in the percentage of salary being paid to teachers and local government workers.

” Any percentage short of what was agreed with Labour will not be acceptable,” the statement added.

The organised labour pledged its unequivocal loyalty to the government, but stressed that its main concern remained the welfare and well- being of workers and pensioners.

Both the state chapters of the NLC and the TUC also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his successful inauguration for a second term in office.

They also appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the release of the N30.8billion balance of the bailout fund to the state government.

” Its quick release will enable the state government to meet its obligations to workers and pensioners in the State,” they said.

The unions directed workers to continue to be law abiding and to support government policies and programmes to the fullest. (NAN)

https://thenationonlineng.net/bello-pays-december-january-salaries-to-kogi-workers/

Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, faulted the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari for attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit a day after he was inaugurated into office for a second term.

DAIY POST had reported that the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, on Saturday berated President Muhammadu Buhari for attending the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit 24 hours after his inauguration.

CAN insisted that Buhari’s attendance at the OIC was unconstitutional and confirmed worries about the alleged Islamisation agenda.

In a statement by his Media Aide, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the CAN President said as Buhari begins his second term in office, he should have a blueprint for the security challenges facing the country as well as avoid lopsided appointments in every facet of the government, “especially in the appointment chief security officers.”

But reacting, Omokri, in a tweet said CAN was wrong for attacking Buhari, adding that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan is a Christians but attended OIC meetings.

He wrote: “It is wrong for CAN to condemn @MBuhari for attending Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meetings.

“Ex-President Jonathan is a Christian, but attended OIC meetings. I don’t like OIC. But I accept that Nigeria is multi-religious #FreeLeahSharibu #RenosDarts”

DAILY POST observed that since Nigeria joined the OIC in 1986, President Buhari has become the third Nigerian leader to attend its conference, after late President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan.

https://dailypost.ng/2019/06/02/islamization-agenda-omokri-backs-buhari-faults-can-says-jonathan-obasanjo-attended-oic-meetings/

By Wale Odunsi

Professor of Law, Itse Sagay (SAN) has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) legal team to apply to the Supreme Court for a review of its judgments on Zamfara and Rivers States.

According to him, the verdicts were a travesty of justice.

While the Supreme Court barred the APC from fielding candidates for the general elections, it nullified APC’s victory and declared Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner.

A statement he issued on Thursday said: “The Zamfara and Rivers State judgments are a national tragedy. We should not allow our legal system to throw up such unimaginable injustice.

“This major judicial disenfranchisement of the Zamfara and Rivers electorate should be reversed. I advise the APC legal team to apply for a review of the two judgments.

“Their Lordships ought to be given an opportunity to reverse this unprecedented tragedy.

“The prefix ‘Justice’ preceding he names of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Judges is significant, for it prescribes what they stand for and what they represent: Justice!

“By this judgment, the landslide APC victories in the governorship, Senate, House of Representative and State House of Assembly are transferred to the PDP.

“If the APC primaries were defective, should the electorate be deprived of their democratic and Constitutional rights to vote? Is the electorate to be punished for the transgressions of party officials?

“Should the Judiciary replace the electorate’s decision and install losers in office? Could the Judiciary not have drawn on the deep recesses of its intellectual capacity, authority and its inexorable commitment to justice, to prevent this undemocratic calamity?

“Can the APC officials not be punished, for their lapses without denying the electorate their democratic rights? Should the Judiciary take over the electoral rights of the electorate? Is this not a clear case of technical law completely overthrowing justice?

“Have the members of the Supreme Court not achieved a level of creativity and authority to provide a solution without burying democracy and taking over from the registered voters as the judicial electorate?

“If this judgment had been an international one, it could have been described as ‘shocking the conscience of humanity’. In this case, it shocks the conscience of Nigerian humanity.”

Sagay said the Supreme Court is specially endowed with the power and authority to do justice and to ignore law when it is technical and would create injustice, and to avoid at all cost a mechanical approach to the interpretation of the law.

“Now, has justice been served in Rivers and Zamfara states? No! In one case innocent electorate in their hundreds of thousands were prevented from voting for their party by judicial order.

“In Zamfara, where voting took place, the verdict of the electorate was taken away from the victorious party and awarded by the Judiciary to the woeful losers.

“In the next four years, Zamfara State will be governed by a party and politicians rejected by the electorate. This indeed shocks the conscience of Nigerian humanity.”

He also referred to Section 140(1) – (3) of the Electoral Act, which prohibits any court from declaring a loser of an election elected even if the person with the highest votes was not validly elected.

“I am not interested in the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010. I am only deeply concerned and interested in the fundamental and peremptory principle of Justice.

“No Judge should announce his judgment until he is satisfied that Justice has been served, no matter how strong the pull of mechanical and technical law,” Sagay added.

https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/30/sagay-explodes-supreme-court-verdicts-zamfara-rivers-tells-apc/

Governor Seyi Makinde has dissolved all local government chairmen in Oyo State with immediate effect.

Makinde, in a statement by his Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, asked them to handover to the head of local government administration or senior directors in their local government areas and councils.


Special Service Announcement!!!

His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde has directed as follows:

1. That all local Government authorities, Local Council Development Authorities be dissolved with immediate effect.

2. That all Local Government Chairmen are to hand over to their Heads of Local Government Administration (HLA) or the most Senior Directors in their local government areas and councils.

3. That all Boards of Parastatals and corporations be dissolved.

4. That embargo be placed on all Local and State Government accounts until further directives.

Signed:

Chief Bisi Ilaka (Chief of Staff to the State Governor)

https://www.independent.ng/just-in-makinde-dissolves-lg-board-chairmen-places-embargo-on-council-state-accounts/

President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Thursday to attend the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

A statement by Garba Shehu, Buhari’s spokesperson, read: “Ahead of the Summit, was a preparatory meeting in Jeddah meant to adopt the draft agenda and work programme for the Summit.

“On the agenda were the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict; combating terrorism and violent extremism; the humanitarian situation in the Muslim world; promotion of scientific cooperation, among others.”

https://www.independent.ng/breaking-buhari-departs-nigeria-again/

There seems to still be a ‘cold war’ between outgoing Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu.

This is as the outgoing governor only gave special thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo without mentioning Tinubu in his farewell message.

The in a farewell broadcast to officially mark the end of his administration message was aired repeatedly on Lagos Television and monitored by our correspondent.


Ambode refused to specifically mention Tinubu but specially thanked his wife and family members.

He also thanked the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary; leadership, elders and members of All Progressives Congress (APC).

He also appreciated the Local Government Councils and community leaders, security agencies, civil society groups, religious leaders, among others for their immense support throughout the tenure of his administration.

Many believed that the Governor left out two peraonalities who were supposed to get a special mention, Lagos Speaker Olatunji Obasa and Tinubu.

Some also wondered why he left out his Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule and other members of his cabinet.

Tinubu is believed to have been the one that helped Ambode to power.

Independent Online reports that the Governor’s ommission may be unconnected with his failure to get a second term ticket.

It will be recalled that the Governor who was deeply bittered had gone on a live television to express his vexation and also alleged the incoming Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of being a “mental patient”.

Though Tinubu said the outgoing governor didn’t perform badly, he said Ambode fell out of his favour and that of the APC leadership in Lagos State for not being a “good party man”.

Ambode, in the farewell broadcast on Tuesday, said all the decisions, plans, programmes and policies of his administration were taken in the best interest of the state and for the common good of all residents.

Ambode said the driving force with respect to programmes executed was to lift more people out of poverty.

“And also to make every part of the state economically viable and livable.

“For this administration, policies, programmes and projects aimed at lifting more of our people out of poverty, were always the priority and the driving force behind all our plans.

“A few of our policies may have been unpopular but these were decisions taken in the best interest of our state in mind.

“With the benefit of hindsight, maybe we could have done some things differently but our intention was always clear for the good of Lagos,” he said.

Ambode commended the residents for their constructive feedbacks to some of the policies of his administration, saying they helped to surmount challenges.

“With a heart full of gratitude, I address you today for the last time as your governor. It has been an honour and a privilege of a lifetime to serve you for four years.

“It has been a remarkable journey which has had a lasting impact in my life and I want to thank all Lagosians for the experience of these last four years.

“As in the beginning when we visited every single corner of this state listening to you and asking for your votes, I have felt the power of your support, your collective energy and the endless goodwill that has propelled us to achieve many things,” he said.

He described Lagos as a place where dreams come true and a home for everyone.

The governor said it was the duty of all residents to continue to ensure that the state remained the true centre of opportunities and growth for all.

“From being just a commercial centre, our state has now become a prime destination for tourism, sports, entertainment and culture.

“And the future is even brighter with more exciting prospects and possibilities. In the near future, with God on our side, Lagos will take its rightful place in the comity of major city-states of the world.

“Fellow Lagosians, it has been a remarkable journey. One in which we have pushed boundaries and moved our state to another level.

“A journey in which we have transformed many aspects of our state and set the ball rolling in other sectors, there is still a lot more to be done.

“But it is a job not for only the government; it is a responsibility for us all. In Lagos everyone counts and we all have a part to play,” he said.
Ambode urged stakeholders to support the incoming administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying such would be in the best interest of all.

“By tomorrow, there will be a change of guard in our state. I will be stepping down and a new governor will be sworn in. We will have a new governor and a new administration with the same objective — achieving a better Lagos.
“Those who have had the privilege of serving our dear state in different capacities, especially as governors owe their successes to your prayers, understanding and support.

“The same courtesy and cooperation that you gave to my predecessors from the first elected governor of the state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande to our national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) to my humble self.

“I urge you to extend the same to the next administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and ensure that he succeeds. It is in our best interest to do so,” he said.

https://www.independent.ng/farewell-broadcast-ambode-shuns-tinubu-gives-special-recognition-to-buhari-osinbajo/

The Nigerian Army has denied media reports that 25 soldiers were killed in an attack coordinated by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, made the denial in a Short Message (SMS) sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Sunday.

Some reports claimed 25 soldiers were killed on Saturday when the insurgents attacked a military convoy evacuating civilians on Damboa-Biu Road.

Musa dismissed the report as “rumour and fake”.

“Contrary to rumour and fake news circulating, there was no attack on any of our troops’ locations at Sabon Gari or any other locations in Borno State.

“I have spoken with the Special Force Commander in Damboa and he confirmed to me that there was nothing of such in Damboa or any of his locations as at Friday) and Saturday,” he said. (NAN)

https://www.independent.ng/nigerian-army-denies-killing-of-25-soldiers-in-borno/

Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar on Saturday said his administration and the loyal All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the state have accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court which nullified the elections of the state APC conducted in 2019.

The Governor said this while addressing a gathering of the APC supporters at the Government House, Gusau, the state capital.

Mallam Ibrahim Dosara, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communication, in a signed statement, said the Governor acknowledged party members and its supporters in the state who had done everything possible to ensure APC did not lose Zamfara state.

“But as Allah wanted, the party lost the state,” the statement said.

He said the APC members have also done their best in ensuring the viability and capability of the party to continue to hold onto power to provide more dividends of democracy to the people of the state, but as Allah wanted it, the Supreme Court judgment went the way it happened.

Gov Yari, therefore, urged all members of the party as well as other citizens of the state to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding.

He also directed security agencies in the state to be more vigilant to ensure adequate protection of lives and property of the people in the state.

He also promised to carry all members along to the next level and urged them to be more united.

https://www.independent.ng/we-accept-supreme-court-verdict-gov-yari/

Governor Seriake Dickson on Friday announced the appointment of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the honorary special adviser to oversee the recently launched Education Development Trust Fund (EDTF) Dickson, who disclosed this during his remarks at the official launching of the education trust fund in Yenagoa, said that the former leader will take charge and supervises the collection of donations for the trust fund.

He said: “Let me commend our leader, the former president for his educational strides during his time as the governor of this state, he laid the solid foundation for our educational system, that is why I have the honour to appoint him as the honorary special adviser to oversee the collection of donations for the education trust fund.“ “With this appointment, he will sit on the board of Bayelsa state education development trust fund, as a former teacher, an educationist, he has enough experience to drive the board to success.“

“The restoration government under my leadership has invested over N80 billion in building and upgrading infrastructures in schools to help mold the future of our children.“ Responding, the former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who commended the state government’s efforts in educational development of the state, promised to do his best to persuade all Bayelsans to support the education trust fund.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/bayelsa-govt-appoints-jonathan-as-honorary-special-adviser.html

Olaleye Aluko, Abuja

The Federal Government says it has acquired an Amplitude Modulation radio broadcast licence to reach herdsmen across various locations in the country as parts of measures to enhance nomadic education.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, stated this in Abuja during an interview with newsmen, adding that the establishment of the radio frequency was to end the perennial farmers-herders crises across the country.

The minister noted that the radio service would operate on frequency of 720KHz, and would air in Fulani language, as the government believes that the radio medium is one of the viable means to reach the herdsmen.

He stated that plans were underway to secure funds for the procurement and installation of requisite transmission equipment for the successful take-off of the radio station.


Adamu said, “The radio service will serve as a vehicle for social mobilisation and education, in addition to interactive radio instruction methodology that will be adopted to reach the very hard-to-reach segment of our target population.

“Additionally, it will enhance our capacity to address crisis between herders and farmers with attendant consequences to loss of lives, destruction of productive assets, nomadic schools, facilities teaching and learning resources.”

The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education, Prof. Bashir Usman, said Hausa broadcasters have been contacted to develop programmes that would add impetus to the commission’s effort towards mass education of the target group.

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, has expressed fears that Nigeria may slide into another recession if measures are not taken to tackle the high rate of unemployment and other economic crisis. Emefiele said this today at the University of Benin, while delivering a lecture titled “Beyond the Global Financial Crisis: Monetary Policy Under Global Uncertainty”.

According to him, Monetary and Fiscal Policy Authority must rise up to the challenge to begin to think of what can be done to tackle the the situation. The CBN governor said: “From some of my concluding remarks, you may have observed whether you like it or not, there is global uncertainty that will unfortunately most certainly, lead to another crisis,”

“The question could be, how are we, as Nigerians, particularly our leaders, I am talking of Monetary and Fiscal Policy Authority, how are we preparing our country for the next set of crisis?” He said “we have luckily exited recession. We have seen recession pending downward to about 18.72 percent in 2017 to about 11. 37 percent today. We see reserve moving up, exchange rate stabilizing but unfortunately, we still have issue and those issues bother on unemployment rate.” He assured that CBN will continue to take proactive approach in mitigating the likely adverse effects that may emanate from external headwinds.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-nigeria-may-slide-to-another-recession-cbn.html

There was a disagreement between soldiers and policemen while Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was inaugurating some projects in Maiduguri, Borno state capital, on Tuesday.

The vice-president visited Borno to inaugurate some of the projects executed by the outgoing administration of Kashim Shettima.

Among the projects were schools, GSM Center and facilities for displaced children in the state.

However, while the vice-president, Kashim Shettima, the governor and Usman Durkwa, the deputy governor, were inaugurating a school along Bukumkutu road in the state capital, security operatives attached to them disagreed in public.

Confusion broke out after Mike Alechenu, garrison commander, operation Lafiya Dole, prevented the vehicles attached to Durkwa to join the convoy of other dignitaries.

As the lead vehicle in the convoy of Durkwa attempted to move, Alechenu used a stick to smash its windscreen.

He also used the stick to hit the driver of the white Hilux van conveying security operatives before ordering his men to deflate the tyres of any of the deputy governor’s vehicles that attempted to “move an inch”.

Soldiers were seen attaching knives to their Ak-47 riffles in order to comply with directives of their commander.

Alechennu also threatened to handcuff the aide-de-camp of Durkwa, an assistant superintendent of police (ASP), who had appealed for calm.

“This is a matter of security, you don’t tell me what to do. I’ll bundle and handcuff you if you move an inch from this place,” he warned.

Consequently, junior police officers blocked the road in protest.

“You are here trying to intimidate us when you are running away from your responsibility of fighting Boko Haram,” an angry police officer said.

It took the intervention of some operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) for the situation to be brought under control.

https://www.thecable.ng/confusion-as-army-commander-attacks-convoy-of-borno-deputy-governor-during-osinbajos-visit

…Says opposition party ‘handicapped by colossal loss’ at 2019 polls

John Ameh, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, met in Saudi Arabia on Monday, where the latter attacked the Peoples Democratic Party.

He also used the meeting to urge the country’s elders to tone down on making inflammatory statements.

A Presidency statement said Buhari and Tinubu met in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, at an Iftar dinner (breaking of Ramadan fast).

Others in attendance were the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Emir of Kazaure, Dr Najib Hussaini-Adamu.

Tinubu attacked the PDP, saying that its leaders made “saucy and distractive statements’’ because of their “colossal defeat” at the general elections.

“Don’t blame them. They are handicapped by the traumatic feelings of the colossal loss of the election.

“You should help them to manage the trauma,” the Presidency statement, which was signed by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, quoted Tinubu as telling Buhari.

Turning from hitting at the PDP, Tinubu called on Nigerians to continue to support the Buhari administration ahead of his May 29 inauguration for a second term and beyond.

“The President worked hard and will continue to do so to ensure peace and stability in the country, which are important for the economy to make progress.

“These are the key pegs of his agenda. Let us all come together to support him,” he was further quoted to have said.

He also praised Buhari for recognising June 12 as Nigeria’s new Democracy Day

The Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Justice Isa Dodo; Malam Mamman Daur; Isma’ila Isa; Mr Wale Tinubu; the Commissioner of Science and Technology in Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Fahm, also joined the President in breaking the Ramadan fast.

https://punchng.com/tinubu-meets-buhari-attacks-pdp/

A former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi has said that Igbo have no chance of taking over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

He said this was simply because the South East voted against Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

According to the Transportation Minister, people like him would have helped to bargain for Igbo Presidency had it been they supported Buhari in the last polls.

Amaechi also told The Sun that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s case against Buhari at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal will amount to nothing.

According to him, “I was the first to do that [promise Igbo Presidency] but I don’t know what the situation is now.

“I don’t know what they will do now for voting against the APC. For refusing to support the APC, they cannot come to the table to demand the presidency slot.

“For people like us in the APC, if the Igbo had come and voted Buhari, they would boldly tell Mr President and the National Chairman of the party that presidency should go the Southeast since the South-south; South-west and North-west have produced president.

“What argument would the Southeast come up with now to convince anybody that they deserve the slot for 2023 president?

On Atiku, he added, “I won’t give him any other advice because everybody wants to crucify me over the one I gave to him previously. I had told him that it was unnecessary to drag President Buhari to court.

“That he should rather allow him do his remaining four years for the interest of the country since 2023 is already here with us. Some persons felt that it was an unnecessary advice and I stopped.”

https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/18/2023-amaechi-explains-igbo-will-not-produce-president-advises-atiku/

Nnamdi Kanu, a leading agitator for a Sovereign State of Biafra and the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has attacked the Government of Nigeria for failing to recognize and honour former Head of State, late Gen. Aguyi Ironsi.

General Aguiyi Ironsi, former Nigerian Head of State, was killed during the coup d’etat prior to the 1966 civil war between Nigeria and old Eastern Region.

Nnamdi Kanu wondered why MKO Abiola, a Yoruba man, who, according to him, was never President or ascended the seat of power would be honoured on June 12 by the President Muhammadu Buhari government while Ironsi who ruled as a military head of state was not remembered either by his people, the Igbo, or the Nigerian Government.

Kanu, in a live broadcast from London, United Kingdom on Thursday, said, “I start this evening by asking each and every one of us to remember the price the class of 67-70 paid for us to be alive today.

“We must remind ourselves about how we got to where we are today. Allow me to introduce a perspective to guide our thoughts this evening.

“Let us consider this: The late Aguiyi Ironsi from Ibeku as myself, was a former head of state in Nigeria, a Biafran and an Igbo man. The first battle tested military general not the generalship of the likes of Buratai earned purely as a result of Fulani quota system and killing unarmed civilian protesters.

“Ironsi was killed by the same Fulani people whilst sitting as a head of state and nobody remembers him today. He was killed alongside a Yoruba man called Fajuyi who it may surprise you to know is still honoured by Yoruba people annually. Another Yoruba man, MKO Abiola was not even a president of Nigeria. He was not sworn in as a president, he never took over power. He was killed by the same killers of Ironsi the Fulani caliphate.

“Yoruba political class with their media hegemony and the ever treacherous Igbo Efulefus pushed and pushed until the FG of Nigeria declared June 12 a remembrance day to honour MKO Abiola while nobody remembers Aguiyi Ironsi a former Head of state because he’s a Biafran of Igbo extraction.

“They passed a bill today to recognise and honour June 12 because of one man, then turn against IPOB for honouring 6 million victims of genocide and those that fought to save those of us who are alive today. They must be mad and insane. Anybody who fails to sit at home on May 30th deserves to be stoned to death.

“Now the same band of God forsaken Fulani slaves in our midst is telling us not to honour over 3.5 million victims of genocide and the brave men that fought to keep us alive. What a bunch of soulless evil men. They are telling us not to honour our own people because an Igbo man or any Biafra for that matter is not worthy to be honoured in Nigeria.

“These are the same people whose politics of acquisance and compromise put us in the mess IPOB is trying to fix today. We must send a clear, unambiguous message to these Fulani slaves in our land that we must honour our brave fathers and mothers that fought for us.

“We are going to sit @ home on 30th may to remember and honour over 3.5m Biafrans killed by Britain through Nigeria.

“Some establishment media houses in Nigeria have so messed up our brains that if not for the timely intervention of Radio Biafra/IPOB our race would have ceased to exist by now. Praise be to Chukwu Okike Abiama Almighty God for his mercies. We must honour them by sitting at home on 30 May 2019.

“Abiola, a Yoruba man that Hausa Fulani killed will be honoured on June 12 but they are telling us not to honour over 3.5m innocent men, women and children killed. We Biafrans are wiser now. Let us honour our own heroes and heroines. Sit-at-home on 30th May let us show them love and remember their sacrifice.

“This same mindset led us to forget the heroic exploits of our mothers in 1929 of which this year is the 100th anniversary. The manipulative Nigerian media and some Efulefus born beside a refuse pile in Lagos made you to also forget the bravery of our mothers and fathers at the coal mines in Enugu. This was the first resistance against colonialism in Nigeria.

“Some of you have been brainwashed by the Efulefu brigade, mostly wayward but educated children of Biafran extraction born outside Biafraland with a deep seated resentment for self. These brigade of educated ignoramuses is the reason why landlocked Kaduna has a port where your containers can be transported to and collected almost free of charge if you are Fulani Arewa or Hausa but Biafran cities located on the deep water shores of the Atlantic ocean have no functioning seaport. Some of these ignorant fellows talk about Aku ruo ulo (think home) or divesting business interests to Biafraland as if you can build a viable economy without seaports, railways and proper international airports. They claim they are wise and educated but fail to grasp simple rudimentary economics.

https://dailypost.ng/2019/05/17/june-12-biafra-agitator-nnamdi-kanu-attacks-buhari-govt-honouring-abiola-instead-gen-aguyi-ironsi/