₦airaland Forum

POWER TO THE PEOPLE..........................................PDP

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, no fewer than 7, 235 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State have dumped the broom and taken shelter under the umbrella of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

The defectors were received by the Plateau PDP Chairman, Hon. Damishi Samgo, during the commissioning of Kanam PDP office, inauguration of Chairmanship Campaign Committee and Appeal fund raising in Dengi, Kanam.

Receiving them, Sango, represented by Vice Chairman, Plateau Central Zone, Hon. Benedict Shiknughul, commended them for taking “the right decision’’ in their political race.

“Today, we welcome you into PDP with open arms to work with you towards our victory at the 2019 general elections at all levels.

“We shall accord you the privileges therein for all members of PDP on the plateau; ensure you are fully registered in your own various wards to participate in all our programmes, ’’ the chairman advised.

Sango urged them to go straight to work and begin to campaign for PDP victory in all elective positions from the ward to national level against 2019.

Responding, Yahaya Angwan-Gero, spokesman of the defectors, said, “ We are here in PDP for stay to work for its victory to take power from APC in 2019’’.

“Some of us are asking for forgiveness for first leaving the party some times back and to give us the opportunity once again to prove our loyalty and commitment to the party once again, ’’Angwan-Gero pleaded.

Earlier, the Kanam council Chairman, Aliyu Ali, advised all aspirants to elective offices not to allow their personal interests to override that of the party or the state.

Dr Edwin Rinkwat, Guest Speaker at the occasion, decried the division along ethnic, religious and cultural differences in Nigerian politics.

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Rinkwat said until politicians had a change of heart, the nation’s polity would be polarised which will jeopardise the growth and development of the country.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/05/15/2019-7000-dump-apc-pdp-plateau/

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

APC will never change its printer

Make Una chop una L in peace. Osinbanjo is incompetent like his boss.

Just like their party , look at one person operating multiple accounts .

Just like their party , look at one person operating multiple accounts .

Deputy Editor, LEON USIGBE, writes on the apparent revival of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as exemplified in the massive turnouts of its supporters in key government strongholds.



Faithful of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are pumping their chests that last Saturday’s mega rally in Osogbo, Osun State, is an affirmation that the party has truly rebounded and poised to relaunch into power having spent most part of the last year touting itself as rebranded and repositioned. Doubters first rook notice from its Jigawa State version of the mega rally in March which must have come to many as a surprise because having lost the sheen of power, pilloried as a hot bed of corruption and often the subject of slander, it was no longer expected to be a major attraction for many especially in states governed by the national ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC).

But if the PDP March 2, 2018 Dutse rally was meant to send a strong message to such doubters, the party must be seen to have achieved that. Jigawa is in the North-West, the stronghold of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari who observers believe must now be wondering what has changed between when he recorded a clean sweep of votes in 2015 and now, when it appears that thousands of people there are turning to the opposition party.

Jigawa is the home of PDP presidential aspirant, Alhaji Sule Lamido. As former governor of the state, perhaps he retains enough aura to be able to galvanise and mobilise the people for himself and for the party and the success of the rally can be attributable to something like that. But what about Katsina State, the home of President Buhari? The last PDP governor in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, harassed with court processes over alleged corrupt acts in office, had maintained a low profile and had consequently been hardly seen in public since leaving office in 2015. While not discountenancing his contribution to the success of the mega rally, it may not be taken that he was the sole factor responsible for the massive mobilisation of Katsina people for that exercise.

Analysts though believe that it was a major coup for the PDP in April to have been able to pull off this north west zonal mega rally in the president’s backward. It set tongues wagging. A party perceived to have died, suddenly waking up, finding its voice and the courage to talk down on the president’s party with thousands of locals, most of who would have voted for the APC in the last general election, cheering. To many people, it is the sign of changing times. Timid PDP politicians who had been perceived to be intimidated and cowed, and still bemoaning their election loss, now appear to be emerging from their hibernation and openly challenging and speaking to power.

The two North-West mega rallies provided the PDP the opportunity to highlight the failure of the ruling party without having to shout itself hoarse. The party simply pointed at the dire situation in the country across board, the enduring poverty, insecurity, corruption, among others, that the people are still contending with despite the assurances that they were given during the electioneering campaign. The party drummed it home that it has become much more difficult for people to feed now as well as to meet up with other basic responsibilities; that killings of the innocent has become a norm, and nothing appears to work in a country that was promised perfection by the APC. The crowds’ reaction and chants to every pronouncement from the speakers were indicative of how they feel about the ruling party. From their chants, they feel cheated that the promises of change have left them rather shortchanged. This has now been replicated in Oshogbo’s south-west zonal rally.

Just like Jigawa and Katsina states, Osun had been considered a stronghold of the APC. But many people now doubt the ability of the ruling party to hold on to it in the forthcoming gubernatorial election given the turnout of Osun people in the last PDP rally in the state capital. They were there in their thousands and passionate about the opposition, and analysts are of the view that their seeming embrace of the PDP at this time is an indication of their frustration with the eight years of the APC which, it appears, has failed to meet their yearnings and aspirations. About 8,000 former APC members including two current members of the state house of assembly, defected to the PDP at that rally.

This should be a worrying sign for the ruling party, observers say. The leaders of the APC defectors, Fatai Diekola and Tijani Oladosu, told the crowd that their investments in the APC had been a waste. They argued that out of the desire for the progress of Osun State and trust for the governor, Rauf Aregbesola, they had done their bit to ensure that APC won the elections in Osun, which according to them had been repaid with dashed hopes and bad governance. They said with the benefit of hindsight, they made a mistake which they now regret.

Prince Uche Secondus, the national chairman, under whose craftsmanship the former ruling party seems to be enjoying a renaissance, presided over the Osogbo rally just like he did in the Jigawa and Katsina versions before it. With him were major stakeholders from across the country including three top contenders for the PDP presidential ticket; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Lamido, former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi as well as serving Governors, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti and Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom; party leaders and PDP politicians from all around the country.

Many of them had something to say about the disappointment and deceit they believe the ruling party has become. Secondus was confident that the mood of the state is for a change in government and therefore stressed the need for the people to obtain their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) with which they can effect the desired change.

The party boss told the mammoth crowd that Nigeria is drifting under APC and needs to be rescued from the incompetent hands of the ruling party, saying that all hands must be on deck to achieve this goal. He cited what he saw as the tyrannical tendencies of the government as witnessed by its perceived attempt to muzzle the National Assembly and the opposition, an attitude, which he said will not save the APC from being unseated from power. Secondus said Nigerians are now fed up with that and are eagerly awaiting election coming up next year to kick out the APC. “No amount of antics and harassment will discourage us because we are doing the desires of Nigerians. APC government has destroyed this country and made life meaningless. we have no alternative than to kick them out,” he told the jubilant supporters. But before this expected defeat of the APC at the national level, he said Osun people must use the September gubernatorial election to make a bold statement that the state belongs to the PDP.

Former vice president Abubakar told the crowd of cheering supporters that now is the time for Nigerians to unite against all forms of divisions threatening the nation, urging all PDP stakeholders across the country to make the required sacrifice and forge a united front to defeat President Buhari and his APC in next year’s election. The former nation’s number two citizen observed that all indicators in the polity are showing that the time is ripe for the opposition to rise on behalf of the Nigerian people and take back their country from the voyage of destruction that the ruling APC is making it to undertake. He was confident that when the PDP returns to government next year, it will reposition the country on a true path of peace and prosperity through restructuring and the strengthening of critical national institutions of government.

Lamido, on his part, also asked party members to close rank and be prepared to send APC packing while Fayose, rendered a Yoruba song to herald the exit of President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. “Buhari a lo! Buhari a lo! Osinbajo a tele!” meaning, ‘Buhari will go and Osinbajo will follow him.”

It is the views of observers that these recent rallies have heartened the PDP hierarchy and its followers in the country and they are increasingly becoming confident that the party has warmed its way back to the hearts of Nigerians and therefore are seeing a silver lining in a cloud which had seemed very dark since 2015.

http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/zonal-rallies-and-pdps-seeming-resurgence-2/

Former leaders of the PDP who defected to the APC in 2013 have written to the national chairman of the ruling party to demand an urgent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari “within seven days”, TheCable can report.

They did not state their next line of action, although TheCable understands that they may pull out of the party which is already bedevilled by crisis following rancorous congresses nationwide last weekend.

The bloc, known then as the new PDP (nPDP), helped in dislodging the PDP from its 16-year rule in the 2015 general election.

They teamed up with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to form APC.

However, in a letter signed by Abubakar Kawu Baraje, former national chairman of nPDP and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, its former national secretary, and presented to John Odigie-Oyegun on Wednesday afternoon, the group listed several grievances and demanded an emergency meeting.

They complained that despite the role they played in bringing APC to power in 2015, they have been neglected in the scheme of things by the administration.

Some of the grievances listed by nPDP are:

No member was appointed into the federal executive council, expect one who did not deliver his state in 2015 (an obvious reference to Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers and minister of transportation)
No “significant patronage” and appointments to executive positions in various government agencies
When members showed interest in running for the offices of senate president and speaker, they were opposed by the APC hierarchy.

TheCable could not confirm when the seven days would start counting but the letter was dated May 7, 2018 — a day before Buhari travelled to the UK for medicals.

It is also not clear if his absence would affect the treatment of the letter.

The president is expected back in the country at the weekend.
TEXT OF THE LETTER

The National Chairman

All Progressives Congress (APC)

National Headquarters

Abuja.

REQUEST FOR REDRESSING OF GRIEVANCES OF THE FORMER NEW PDP BLOCK WITHIN THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC)

We the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who moved over from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to form the APC before the 2015 General Elections in Nigeria are desirous of strengthening our party especially now that new party Congresses have commenced and the Convention and another round of General Elections are imminent. Obviously, this cannot be achieved without addressing fundamental issues which we wish to raise in this letter.

We therefore wish, with due respect, to re-state our expectation then and now that the APC we all laboured to build would be one united, inclusive, cohesive and progressive party devoid of divisions, factions, cleavages and tendencies. We envisioned a political party promoting equal rights for all Nigerians and ensuring rapid and even development across the country. Of course there is no gainsaying the fact that the lofty ideals enumerated above cannot be attained without ensuring justice for party faithfuls and citizens.

2. Kindly indulge us to offer a brief reminder of the history of events that led to the victory of the APC in the 2015 General Elections and the presidential election in particular. It is an undeniable historical fact that the movement of the former New PDP block to form the APC contributed immensely to the victory of the APC in the elections. The former new PDP included five sitting Governors of Sokoto, Kano, Kwara, Adamawa and Rivers States and former Governors of Kebbi, Gombe, Osun, former Vice President of Nigeria, former acting National Chairman of PDP, sitting Speaker of the House of Representatives, many serving members of the National Assembly and many renowned politicians and PDP Elders. It was a watershed moment in Nigeria’s political History.

3. Most of these leaders not only DELIVERED their States to the APC at the elections, some of the Governors were also assigned specific responsibilities to ensure that other States were also delivered to the APC in the 2015 elections. The then Governor of Sokoto took charge of Kebbi and the then Governor of Kano State took responsibility for Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa States just to mention a few examples. There were also unprecedented efforts by many stakeholders such as Senator Bukola Saraki, in concert with others, to DELIVER the entire North Central to the APC.

4. These efforts, contributions and sacrifice were made in spite of the fact that the presidential ticket was taken by the erstwhile Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN) blocks of the party. It is a matter for grave concern that His Excellency, Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has never publicly acknowledged our efforts in the face of clear evidence that the total number of votes scored by the APC in States where leaders and members of the then NEW PDP block held sway made the difference.

5. The stubborn facts are as follows: In Kano State APC scored 1,903,999 in 2015, and in Kwara 302,146. In Sokoto State it scored 671,926, and 374,701 in Adamawa. In Kebbi State, APC had 567,883 votes and 885,988 in Jigawa. It was the same story in Gombe (459,898), Kogi (264,851), and Benue (373,961) votes. These represented significant additions to the APC victory column. Indeed, the influence, activities, momentum and ripple effect generated by the former New PDP block was significant in the victory of APC in the entire elections in the whole country.

6. At this stage we would chronicle a few grievances which if addressed will lead to a harmonious APC where justice, equity, fairness and peace will reign and enable APC avoid rancour, reinvigorate the pace of national development and face the 2019 General Elections as one united party.

7. Our grievances include:

(a) In the constitution of the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) the New PDP block was generally sidelined as virtually no position was conceded to it. The only member of FEC that belonged to former New PDP block comes from a State that contributed virtually no vote to the APC in the 2015 presidential elections.

(b) There has been no significant patronage and appointments to executive positions in various government agencies such as Chief Executives and Executive Directors of government agencies and parastatals as members of our block of the party continue to helplessly watch as these positions are shared by the erstwhile CPC, ACN, ANPP and even APGA blocks of the party and those who have no party at all.

(c) In appointments into boards of various government agencies, very few former New PDP members were patronised. These are however not commensurate with our contributions to the growth and victory of the party.

(d) When members of the former New PDP block showed interest in running for the offices of President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, they were subjected to a vicious and relentless political opposition as if they were not legitimate members of the APC family.

(e) During the party primaries preparatory to the 2015 General Elections, most of the promises made to sitting members of the National Assembly, who belonged to the former new PDP in terms of a level playing field were reneged upon or observed more in breach.

(f) There has been general lack of consultation, non recognition and even persecution of former New PDP members and leaders by the party and government. For example, some of our leaders are denied the security cover necessary to visit their constituencies even though they are elected representatives of the people in a government they sacrificed so much for.

(g) Harassment, intimidation and persecution of former New PDP leaders by the government, is still an ongoing affair. We do not want to overstate the obvious by cataloguing names of former new PDP stalwarts that are targets of this political pogrom.

(h) There is inadequate reflection of programme and policy contributions of members of the former New PDP block in the running of the government.

8. Our belief is that it does not augur well for our party if a section of it feels that it is being treated as outcasts and meddlesome interlopers in the party they rightly belong with the legitimate expectation to be treated with justice both in the running of the party and the government.

9. Arising from the issues outlined above, among others, we request for an urgent meeting with the Leader of the party, and the Party Executive leadership to find lasting solutions to the issues raised so as to prepare the party as a fighting force to deliver more pungently on its manifesto and face the 2019 General Elections with even greater commitment. The meeting will also enable us to work out modalities to ensure a level playing field for all in the Congresses and Convention of the APC.

10. Given the constraining factor of available time and in the interest of our great Party, it is strongly advised that the said urgent meeting be held not later than Seven (7) days from the date of the receipt of this letter.

11. In conclusion, we the members of the former New PDP block of the APC wish to reiterate that this letter is written patriotically with the best of intentions and the good of our party, the APC, and is issued to alert the leadership of the APC and in particular, the leader of our party, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, who only recently indicated his intention to seek a second term as President, of grievances that exist within the party with a view to ensuring justice for all members of the APC family regardless of the blocks they came from prior to the formation of the APC.

For and on behalf of the former New PDP Block of APC:

Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje (CON), former National Chairman (nPDP)

Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former National Secretary (nPDP)

https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-apc-crisis-deepens-npdp-faction-issues-seven-day-ultimatum

Residents of Benue state have been thrown into mourning again, following the invasion of another church by suspected herdsmen.

A source told TheCable that seven persons were killed in the incident which happened two days after two priests and 17 church members were shot dead at a Catholic church in Gwer west local government area of the state.

The fresh attacked took place at a church in Logo local government area of the state on Thursday morning.

Details are still sketchy.

More to follow…

https://www.thecable.ng/breaking-gunmen-invade-another-church-benue-kill-7

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Shettima Yerima, National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign.

According to the youth leader, age and health have limited the performance of the president and there is need for him to give up leadership for a younger person.

Speaking with SaharaTV, Yerima said the Buhari-led government had failed woefully in terms of security and employment, stressing that the country has been bleeding while the president goes about attending parties.

He said, “The situation is really sad and uncalled for. It is a challenging period for the nation, no doubt. Bloodletting everywhere, coupled with poverty and unemployment. If the government was up and doing, the situation would have changed.

“From my observations, I think the killings in the nation is a script people are working on to disunite Nigeria and they are trying to align it to a particular ethnic group or religion. Call them Fulani or whatever, a criminal is always a criminal and should be treated as one.”

Speaking further, the youth leader said lack of proper coordination among security agencies had also contributed to the lingering menace.

He added, “If you look at it critically, the public don’t event have confidence in the system. They have no confidence to challenge the security agencies whenever they fail.

“To an extent, you don’t expect anything good to come out of this.”

On the controversy trailing the presence of the president at a recent wedding in Kano, Yerima said it was uncalled for.

“To me, there’s nothing wrong in attending to a wedding, but it was a wrong time for him to go when the country is boiling. An injury to all is an injury to all. Why going for a wedding with 25 governors while there blood all over the country. I think it is uncalled?”

Asked if the president should be given another chance in 2019, Yerima said it would do him good to honourably bow out.

He voiced his conviction thus, ‘He has done his best. There’s a limit he can do at this age. He’s actually sick. To coordinate even his family activities at this age is challenging, so he needs to rest.

“To me personally, I think the best thing for him to do is bow out and handover to the younger generation.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/03/20/buhari-must-resign-now-arewa-youth-leader-yerima/

A senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia-PDP), has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for constantly denying responsibility when things go wrong.

The senator said Mr. Buhari is always in the habit of saying, “I don’t know.”

Mr. Abaribe said this while contributing to a motion on the recent violence killings in Kogi state by suspected herdsmen.

Atai Aidoko Ali (Kogi-APC) had raised a motion on the activities of armed bandits who he referred to as ‘Fulani herdsmen.’

He said the herdsmen killed 32 people in two local government areas of the state on Wednesday.

Mr. Abaribe, in his reaction, said President Buhari by his attitude had not shown readiness to curb insecurity across the country.

“I agree with the senate leader who said this is a moment where we have to work with the executive. The only thing I don’t agree with is, this executive that you want us to work with, have they accepted that they are the people that have responsibility?

“We have a president that will say I don’t know my IG didn’t even follow my order. A president that says I didn’t even know when this happened. Every little thing he doesn’t know.”

Mr. Abaribe was cut short by the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, who invoked Order 53 (4) to call his colleague to order.

He asked Mr. Abaribe to confine his observation to the subject matter and not digress.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe

Resuming his contribution, Mr. Abaribe continued his attack on the president.

He said that security operatives were incapacitated because the ‘Commander-in-chief is always not knowing.’

“I’m keeping my contribution to security and the Commander-in-chief of Nigeria is in charge of security and when the Commander-in-chief says I don’t know what happened, then we have to worry whether this our security is actually in the right hands.

“Let us bring to the fore another aspect which the senate leader mentioned. He said that the security forces are overstretched, we agree but distinguished senator Marafa has told us here that information was given in the Zamfara case to the same security people and the governor was dancing Arabango somewhere else and left the security. Is that not what you said? So, it is not a question of not having enough people, it is a question of not acting on intelligence and information that you have. And of course I can’t blame them for not acting because the President says I don’t know.

“How will you act on what you don’t know? Mr. President, let us beg this president; please take responsibility for one thing. It’s not everything that you don’t know so that we will be safe in Nigeria.”

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/261897-buhari-never-knows-anything-senator-attacks-president.html

No fewer than 53 policemen, serving in the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, say they have yet to be paid their Risk Caution Allowances since 2015, when they were posted to the Presidency. This was disclosed in an anonymous petition that the policemen filed to President Muhammadu Buhari and which was obtained by our correspondent. It was gathered that apart from the 53, who had allegedly not been paid their allowances at all, there are 127 other policemen who claimed that they had yet to be paid their allowances in full.
by OLALEKAN ADETAYO and OLALEYE ALUKO Mar 11, 2018

No fewer than 53 policemen, serving in the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja, say they have yet to be paid their Risk Caution Allowances since 2015, when they were posted to the Presidency.

This was disclosed in an anonymous petition that the policemen filed to President Muhammadu Buhari and which was obtained by our correspondent.

It was gathered that apart from the 53, who had allegedly not been paid their allowances at all, there are 127 other policemen who claimed that they had yet to be paid their allowances in full.

Policemen thecable.ng

According to the petition, the 53 policemen have been languishing in poverty over the past two years with their allowances being withheld. They urge the President to look into the matter.

One of the affected policemen, who spoke with one of our correspondents and pleaded not to be named, confirmed that the Risk Caution Allowances had not been paid since 2015.

“We have names in the petition to prove to the government that we are not lying. The authorities in the Villa should invite those persons and find out from them. We believe that the President is not aware of this delay. The allowances may have been approved a long time ago and mismanaged by a few powerful officers in the Villa. That is our fear,” the policeman said.

The petition is titled, “President Muhammadu Buhari’s mobile policemen plead over unpaid Risk Caution Allowances from May 2015 to date.

It read in part, “About 127 police officers attached to the Presidency have not been paid the balance of their risk caution allowances and about 53 mobile police officers that started working with the present government since 2015 have not been paid anything.

“The 53 policemen since the past two years have been languishing in poverty. Most of these policemen did the data capture and were given the presidential tags. Those behind this delay are some of the superior officers like the Squadron, the Principal Staff Officer and the leader of the Presidential Vehicle Movement.

“The excuse given by the superior officers was that the affected policemen were boys to the former Squadron leader, one SP Mau’su.

“These superiors have started transferring these affected policemen out of the Villa to some states and replacing them with their own boys, who did not suffer and were not there to bear what the policemen went through. We are pleading with our father and President, Muhammadu Buhari, to look into these sufferings from the beginning of his government till date.”

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, however, said all allowances and salaries of policemen attached to any place were being paid regularly, noting that they had yet to get such complaint from the Villa.

Moshood said, “The emoluments contain the salaries and allowances. Outside that, there is also insurance coverage provided by the Force and the Federal Government.

“This set of people you talk about have not complained to the Force headquarters. We don’t have such complaints. The police are not aware of any risk allowance being owed anyone.”

A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said police authorities should be blamed for the non-payment of the RCA of some of their men posted to the Presidential Villa.

The source explained that the problem was caused by police authorities, who he said kept posting more men into the Presidential Villa than the number that could be catered for.

He, however, said not all policemen fell into the category of those that had not been paid.

http://saharareporters.com/2018/03/11/villa-policemen-protest-unpaid-allowances-2015

Firefire:
Gone so soon...

hahahahhaa

Buhari is gone

Convert the figures to $ to reflect current exchange rate then you'll know this government have achieved nothing

Ignatius Kaigama, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and Archbishop of Jos, on Saturday, February 17, 2018, added his voice to the clamor for a reordering of the sequence of the 2019 general elections, with the presidential elections holding last.

The National Assembly, the Presidency and Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters have been involved in an ongoing tussle over the order of sequence of elections ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Senate and House of Representatives last week amended the 2010 Electoral Act reordering the sequence of the 2019 elections to commence with the National Assembly polls, followed by state assembly and gubernatorial, with the presidential elections coming last.

The lawmakers had argued that reordering the sequence of elections will bring about transparency and foster credible elections, candidates and democracy, without the influence of the presidential elections having impact on the other elections.

The Presidency and Buhari’s staunch supporters believed the reordering of the sequence of elections is targeted at President Buhari.

Kaigama said it was more logical for the elections to be in an ascending order rather than having the presidential elections first.

“If they have to reorder the sequence of elections, what happened to the order where elections were done in an ascending order, namely, local government, state house of assembly, National Assembly, governorship and presidential elections? Why do they have to utter that?” he asked.

The Archbishop stated that “I prefer to see a return to that order of elections which is more logical. No one election will influence the other very seriously.

“That is just what I want to see, let us go back to what it was before, let us go back to the ascending order,” Kaigama added.

Meanwhile, the bishops are also billed to commence their plenary session for the year for the biennial conference in Abuja with the theme, ‘The Church and Entrepreneurship.’

Kaigama said that the problem of youth unemployment in the country has become worrisome and a critical challenge to the Catholic Church, adding that, there was need to look for strategic ways in tackling the problem.

To that end, he said the bishops at the conference would be focusing on entrepreneurship, youth unemployment and recent herdsmen killings and clashes with farmers around the country.

The CBCN President explained that given the high level of unemployment among Nigerian youths, it was incumbent on the church to also look inward in addressing the challenges as opposed to relying solely on government intervention.

He stressed that the Catholic Church was also considering entrepreneurship as a critical component in solving many of the church’s problems, which will give way to over reliance on donations and goodwill.

https://www.thetrentonline.com/catholic-bishops-back-revised-sequence-2019-elections/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Baba have being re-commissioning all project commissioned by the last admin.

youseuph:
To be replaced by who?

someone competent

Unlike the Senate, the House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted the harmonised version of the amended Electoral Act without any dissensions.

The amendments, if eventually signed by the president, will make some changes in Nigeria’s electoral act including reorganising the sequence of the forthcoming 2019 elections.

The federal lawmakers want their election to come up first, followed by that of state lawmakers and governors, and lastly the presidential election.

Earlier on Wednesday, 10 All Progressives Congress, APC, senators kicked against the adoption of the report, accusing the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of influencing it. The APC has a majority in the 109-member Senate. The dissenting view of only 10 senators shows a majority of the party’s lawmakers supported the amendment which was also approved by the Senate.

The report was unanimously adopted by the APC controlled House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives amended Section 25 of the existing law and substituted it with a new section 25 (1) to suit the new order of elections.

It is not clear if President Muhammadu Buhari will sign the new amendment into law. The president is yet to speak on the matter although it is believed to be targeted at him.

However, the electoral commission, INEC, had earlier rolled out an election timetable for 2019. That timetable put the presidential and National Assembly elections first, followed by governorship and state assembly elections.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/258686-2019-unlike-senate-reps-unanimously-adopt-new-election-sequence.html

.

I intend to make this as simple as possible, S.58 of the 1999 Constitution provides for the mode of exercising legislative power in general as follows:

(1) The power of the National Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and, except as otherwise provided by subsection (5) of this section, assented to by the President.

(2) A bill may originate in either the Senate or the House of Representatives and shall not become law unless it has been passed and, except as otherwise provided by this section and section 59 of this Constitution, assented to in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(3) Where a bill has been passed by the House in which it originated, it shall be sent to the other House, and it shall be presented to the President for assent when it has been passed by that other House and agreement has been reached between the two Houses on any amendment made on it.

(4) Where a bill is presented to the President for assent, he shall within thirty days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.

(5) Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.

However Section 9 (1) (2) of the Constitution provided an additional process where it involves Constitutional amendment thus:

(1) The National Assembly may, subject to the provision of this section, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution.

(2) An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an Act to which section 8 of this Constitution applies, shall not be passed in either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States.

The contention here is whether S. 9 (1)and (2) represents a total picture of what is required to pass an amendment to the Constitution or that the power of the President to assent a bill as stipulated under S.58 (1) and (3) is required.

S.9 (2) started with the phrase “ An Act of the National Assembly for the Alteration of this Constitution…shall not be passed…” I am going to stop right there, before looking 6000 miles away to the United States for an interpretation, let us examine the provisions of our laws, the Constitution itself and other relevant laws. What constitute an “Act of the National Assembly?” How does an Act “passed” It will appear that S. 9 (2) is merely an additional requirement for passing an amendment.

In solving this puzzle we will first of all have to look for the definition of “Act of National Assembly and what it take to pass it. That is, the process for “passing”. The process for passing is stipulated by S. 58, this is what must be supported by the States Houses of Assembly along the line.
Chapter VIII of the Constitution at Part IV, that deals with interpretation states at S. 318 (1):

“In this constitution, unless it is otherwise expressly provided or the context otherwise requires-

"Act" or "Act of the National Assembly" means any law made by the National Assembly and includes any law which takes effect under the provisions of this constitution as an Act of the National Assembly;”

I will like to underscore the phrase “any law which takes effect under the provisions of this Constitution” an amendment would appear to me to take effect under the provisions of S.9 (2) as an Act of the National Assembly. That this section is applicable is therefore settled.
Section 318 (4) states as follows:

“The Interpretation Act shall apply for the purpose of interpreting the provision of this Constitution”

Then let us look at the provision of the Interpretation Act Cap 123 of 2004 :

The Act at its preamble described it as : “An Act to provide for the construction and interpretation of Acts of the National Assembly and certain other instruments; and for purposes connected therewith”
There is only one recurrent phrase that undeniably binds these provisions together including S. 9 (2) that deals with amendment to the Constitution and that is “Acts of the National Assembly…”

The Interpretation Act went further at S. 2 (1) to state that “An Act is PASSED when the President assents to the Bill for the Act whether or not the Act then comes into force”

Meaning no Act of National Assembly is PASSED until assented by the President.
So far our law is clear, nothing known or described as an Act of National Assembly in Nigeria is passed without the President’s assent, simple.

Therefore other requirements of S.9 (2) as explained under the Interpretation Act is not met until the President assent’s the Bill.

Now let us consider some matters arising, some people have asked me, what if the President vetoes the bill, since the 2/3 majority required to override veto was the majority required to pass an amendment in the first place.

The question is being asked because of the misconception of the purpose a veto is meant to serve. A veto is a balancing power given to the President to act as a check in the legislative process. A President does not just veto a bill, but will send it back to the House where it originated with his objection. This objection may trigger a rethink by some members who might want to consider the objection when the bill is sent back. Therefore there is no absolute guarantee that the bill will still pass by the same majority after the President must have raised his objection, since a change of mind by some National Assembly members is possible. Getting less than 2/3 vote required to over ride a veto is a possibility.

Then if the 2/3 majority is still inclined to passing the bill, then it becomes a law despite Presidential objection which will now become a part of the records. The 2/3 provision at section 9 (2) therefore neither substitute Presidential assent or veto, nor negate the 2/3 over riding power of the National Assembly, it is rather a process, compared to S. 58 (5) which is an automatic process.


Buhari is gone already

muykem:
Thank God, it will require president accent before it will become a law. President should return the nonsense law by May ending.

if the president refuse to accent to it, the Senators will form quorum and veto it. http://saharareporters.com/2010/11/12/presidential-assent-constitutional-amendment-bills-must

The Benue State Police Command has announced the murder of one of its officers recently kidnapped by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the state.

DAILY POST reports that four policemen were last week kidnapped and a security van burnt down after suspected Fulani herdsmen ambushed security men in Logo LGA of the state.

The officers were said to be returning from a confidence-building mission in remote villages when suspected herdsmen opened fire on them in Tse Akpam village, near Azege town.

Giving update on the incident, the command’s PRO, Moses Yamu told DAILY POST on Monday that the lifeless body of the officer was discovered with both eyes, ears and nose plucked out.

He said, “The Command regrets to announce the death of one of its NCO, who was one of the two remaining missing policemen in the attack of 9/2/2018.

“He was found brutally slaughtered, with eyes and ears as well as nose removed. We pray that God Almighty grants him eternal rest.

“However, the police remain committed to its statutory and daunting obligation of ensuring security as well as protection of lives and property of all, please.”

http://dailypost.ng/2018/02/12/breaking-fulani-herdsmen-murder-kidnapped-policeman-benue-vital-organs-removed/

A mild drama ensued at the the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday as a member of House of Representatives from Kaduna State, Jagaba Adams Jagaba, defected from the All Progressives Congress, APC to the People Democratic Party, PDP.

Jagaba, who came to the House under the ruling APC, had earliar announced in Kaduna that he was dumping the party to the opposition PDP.

In confirmation of his defection on Thursday’s plenary, he introduced himself thus: “I’m Hon Jagaba Adams Jagaba and I’m of the PDP.”

However, The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara immediately said: “No, no, Jagaba. You can’t do this to me.”

Members to the PDP in the house started chanting their party’s name in jubilation, while members of the APC shouted “no, no.”

This lasted for a while before order was restored.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/02/08/drama-hon-jagaba-announces-exit-apc-pdp/

Dogara consequently said, “The truth is that I’m not aware and the House is not aware. As a ranking member, you know what to do. So, as far as we’re concerned, you’re still a member of APC.”

just watch this space , Buhari will visit Benue within the next two weeks

This change is a scam

Some directors in the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) have raised an alarm over recent developments in the agency, particularly the change in leadership. The directors, in a letter to the House of Representatives Committee on Security and National Intelligence, called for an urgent intervention to stop the change in the agency 's leadership from having severe consequences on the country's security apparatus. They are demanding the removal of the newly appointed Director-General of the agency, Mr. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

Dated January 29 and co-signed by EO Olanrewaju, Nelson Obiakor and Ahmed Sarki ( not real names) on behalf of a group named Concerned Directors of NIA, the letter said the appointment of Mr. Abubakar is a threat to cohesion in the agency. According to the letter, Mr. Abubakar is the first head of the agency to be appointed from a rank below that of a director.

Ahmed Rufa'i

"Since its inception 32 years ago , nobody below the rank of a director has been appointed as its head. This explains why we regard the recent appointment of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, a man who is on record to have failed to merit elevation to the rank of director and who has retired from service to come and preside over people who are not only his seniors in rank but who fit into the order of precedence," said the letter.

The disaffected directors argued that Mr Abubakar’s appointment as DG NIA will set a dangerous precedence.

"While we are aware that part of the new DG’s agenda is to retire those of us who are his seniors, as it is more likely that he may not want to work with us, it is evident that he will pursue a vendetta mission, which he has already indicated in his very first address to us.He is at liberty to go ahead with what we know he intends to do, but we wish to point out the underlying dangers in a massive purge of senior officers of the agency, to the effect that, not only will the millions of dollars spent on training and retraining us be lost, we are also custodians of the country’s intelligence dossiers, and may decide to use same for mischief," said the disenchanted directors.

They warned that the country’s already brittle security situation may become worse if they are shabbily treated by the new DG NIA. They also said if Mr. Abubakar is unable to work with those of them still in service and with better credentials, the Presidency should appoint a serving director, who understands the dynamics of the agency in his place.

"Having failed promotion examinations to the directorship rank, which we can attest to and make bold to state that it amounts to administrative suicide to allow a practical misfit take over the agency and later mortgage same to his paymasters, who have ulterior motives," said the directors.

They requested the House to investigate Mr. Abubakar's nationality.

"Since the government, itself admitted that Mr Abubakar was born and bred in Chad, while on the other hand, he claims to have been born in Nigeria; at least going by his the records and his CV, suffice it to point out that there is an obvious contradiction. We call upon this honorable body to thoroughly look into this seeming discrepancy," they requested.

They stated that the agency's rules require that any prospective appointee into such strategic position must be vetted from the cradle.

"It is an incontrovertible fact that Mr. Abubakar’s links with Chad, a country with likely rival interest with Nigeria, makes him suspect as an espionage and not fit to head the country’s elite intelligence agency.

"It is necessary for us to alert that, the issue of likely doubtful loyalty is a serious issue in intelligence corridors. Where a person’s nationality or that of his spouse becomes unclear, a thorough vetting from the cradle become even more demanding.

In this case, it is very dangerous that the vetting process has been compromised, which is an ominous danger to the nation’s security," argued the directors.

The equally requested the House Committee to investigate the activities of the Mr. Babagana Kingibe-led Presidential Review Panel as the relate to Mr. Abubakar's appointment.

"It is very curious that paragraph 4(1) of the recommendations of the Kingibe panel prescribes that a serving director should be picked as the Director-General, only for the same characters that sat in judgement over the need to reorganize the NIA, turning around to violate their own recommendations, by picking one of them to contemptuously assume duty as head of the NIA," the directors said.

They alleged that it was very clear from the start that the Presidential Review Panel was inaugurated purposely to protect the former DG, Mr. Ayo Oke, who has repeatedly threatened to expose beneficiaries of his time in office if there is an attempt to disgrace him. The angry directors further alleged that the motive is to ensure that the remaining $44 million of the NIA intervention fund is kept within the reach of the cabal.

"The failure of the immediate past Acting DG, Muhammed Dauda, to allow them access to the money may be the reason for his removal," they reasoned.

The Concerned Directors also disclosed that the Clandestine Operations Unit of the NIA has been ordered to manufacture and clone documents that could be used to defend Mr. Abubakar against the legitimacy crisis he is facing.
http://saharareporters.com/2018/01/31/nia-directors-demand-removal-new-director-general-ahmed-rufai-abubakar

People show be allowed to defend themselves

At least three people have been confirmed dead while eight others sustained various degrees of injuries in Jebbu Miango of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State in an attack carried out on Thursday night by suspected to be herdsmen.

The Police Public Relation Officer in the state, Matthais Tyopev confirmed to Channels Television that about 20 houses were razed by the attackers.

Those injured from the attack were rushed to a hospital in Bassa for treatment.

The attack has brought to six the number of people killed in the last two days as three people were earlier killed by suspected herdsmen in Josho of Daffo district of Bokkos local government.

https://www.channelstv.com/2018/01/26/suspected-herdsmen-kill-three-in-plateau-attack/?utm_source=TW&utm_medium=ChannelsTV-+AutoPoster&utm_campaign=SNAP%2Bfrom%2BChannels+Television

NIM will be used to reduce the block votes from the south in 2019. If you want buhari out in 2019, ignore this people