Chairman of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah yester­day said it was very erro­neous for people to insinu­ate that the organisation was backing the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode.

Ubah said TAN had never shifted in its support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), just as he denied meeting with the Oba of Lagos, with the view to en­dorsing the APC candidate.

He also raised the alarm over the threat to his life, family and businesses in Lagos, owing to his support and investment in the PDP and its governorship can­didate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje. He stated: “My life, my family, and my businesses in La­gos are under severe threat in Lagos State because of the role I am playing in PDP and in my support for Jimi Agbaje,” Ubah said.

“I have no regrets sup­porting President Jonathan and Agbaje. My position and that of TAN’s support for the PDP has also not changed. Some persons have called, others have sent text messages to me saying my life and busi­nesses were no longer safe. Some have queried why I am fighting the APC in La­gos.

“They threaten me for leading the Igbo to work against the APC. I have re­ported the threat to my life and businesses to the Ni­gerian security and I have also alerted the internation­al community.

“It is very important for me to re-affirm clearly that as at today I am a PDP member and will remain so tomorrow. Neither TAN nor myself is supporting the APC and its candidate in Lagos State. We are in­tact as a group and those we have supported.”

According to Ubah, who said he was a detribalised Nigerian, it was important for critics to note that on the PDP platform history was made in Lagos State, as non-indigenes won elec­tions into the House of Representatives. Ubah said this was a feat that should be applauded and not condemned.

“The PDP platform has given non-indigenes in La­gos the opportunity to be at the National Assembly, the first in 16 years under the current democracy. We have to thank the party; Igbo who have contribut­ed to building Lagos now have a voice in Lagos and this is laudable.

We can only be grateful to the PDP for this and it will be wrong for anyone to say we are shifting to another party. There is no­body in TAN who has the capacity to endorse another candidate,” he added.

Mcowubaba:

Is mu'azu a Governor
Believe me- the PDP Governor in Bauchi will likely win...
Dnt mistake Presidential election (between a South nd a North) to a 'local election' (between a North nd a North)...the r influenced by different Variables..

Nothing will be sweeter than PDP taking Lagos, our own Rivers State and Imo.
“Our candidates in these states are first class materials who have fully penetrated the political structures of those states and are set to win.

The race to get political appointments in the forthcoming Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress government has begun, Saturday PUNCH learnt on Friday.

It was learnt in Abuja that although consultations for cabinet and National Assembly positions are still on-going, the manoeuvre among Buhari’s loyalists for political appointments has begun.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that for now, top on the list of appointments expected to be made by the President-elect, include but not limited to the National Security Adviser and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Although the APC leaders are currently seeking to consolidate on last week’s victory in the Presidential and National Assembly elections, they are not oblivious of the task ahead.

The position of NSA is usually considered the exclusive preserve of the President and the appointment of a new NSA by the President-elect, himself a retired Army-General, is expected to be swift.

However, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissed what he called “speculations” about appointments.
He said, “We are focused on the governorship and House of Assembly elections and we will not be distracted.”

Saturday PUNCH however gathered that among those being considered for the positions of NSA are: a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Abdurrahman Dambazau (retd) and former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Commassie.

The former Army Chief is currently the Director in charge of the Security Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
Commassie, on the other hand is currently the Chairman of the northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum.

An APC chieftain, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “Although there are about three people being considered for the post of NSA, Gen. Dambazau, is currently topping the list.

“Commassie, who was Gen. Buhari’s schoolmate and one other retired officer of the SSS whose name I cannot remember now are among those being considered.”

For the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, there are feelers that the APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, is among those being considered.

It was also learnt that a former Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Lagos State, the Anambra State born Ben Akabueze, may also be considered.

Another name said to be under consideration is Ambassador Hakeem Baba Ahmed, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary, who had a stint as the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government under then Col. Hammed Ali (presently Chief of Staff, to the President-elect).

barcanista:

eightsin:
The usual people will get it again and the original owners will look on. #Mugus

Governor Ibrahim Sh­ema of Katsina State yesterday ordered the 34 council areas to commence payment of outstanding debts owed contractors and other creditors.

Shema also ordered the council areas to recruit 500 people each under the Local Government Service, total­ling 17,000 with the state’s 361 wards to benefit from the exercise.

He said part of the exer­cise would see women tak­ing 10 per cent of the entire recruitment process.
To ensure smooth sail, the governor lifted a long-imposed embargo on re­cruitment and promotion, while a committee to verify outstanding debts before payment had been put in place.

Shema disclosed this dur­ing a meeting he held with Peoples Democratic Party, PDP council area chairmen and contestants for the state House of Assembly seats.

The governor said of the 500 persons to be recruited, 10 percent should be gradu­ates, 15 percent OND hold­ers, while 30 percent are secondary school certificate holders.

He also said unskilled hands would take 45 per­cent, but that they would undergo training by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

freshness2020:
...what else but how to allocate the oil wells.
..don't worry Buhari will dissappoint all of you.. God bless GMB, God bless the F.R.N.

The next Senate will be men-dominated. Only eight of the 109-member Chamber of the National Assembly are women, going by the list of elected Senators.

As against the outgoing Senate where four parties have members elected on their platforms, only Senators from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will constitute the next Senate.

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), the APC and PDP have representatives in the outgoing Senate.
Sixty of the Senators have been elected on the APC platform and the PDP has 49 elected on its platform.

Three of the eight women-senators are of the APC. They are: Oluremi Tinubu, who is a ranking member of the Red Chamber from the Lagos Central Senatorial District, the incumbent Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Alhaja Monsurat Sunmonu. She will be representing Oyo Central.

The third is Binta Masi Garba from Adamawa North.
The five others are from the PDP. They will be joining the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly afresh.

Anambra and Ekiti states produced two each and the other is from Cross River State.
From Anambra are: House of Representatives member Uche Ekwunife (Central) and former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah.

The two elected Senators from Ekiti are: Abiodun Olujimi (South), who was Governor Ayodele Fayose’s deputy between 2003 to October 16, 2006, when they were impeached by 24 of the 26-member House of Assembly and Fatima Raji-Rasaki (Central), a House of Representatives member between 2003 and 2007.
Fatima is the wife of former military administrator of Oyo and Lagos states, Brig-Gen. Raji Rasaki (rtd).
The fifth PDP Senator-elect is Rose Okoh, Cross River (North).

Mrs. Okoh has been indisposed since her nomination as the PDP candidate. She did not participate in the campaigns.
The list of Senators-elect

PDP SENATORS
•Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North)
•Theodore Orji (Abia Central)
•Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South)

•Bassey Albert Akpan (A/Ibom North)
•Godswill Akpabio (A/Ibom West)
•Nelson Effiong (A/Ibom South)

•Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central)
•Andy Uba (Anambra South)
•Stella Oduah (Anambra North)

•Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East)
•Emanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central)
•Ogola Foster (Bayelsa West)

•David Mark (Benue South)

•Rose Oko ( Cross River North)
•Gershom Bassey(C/River South)
•John Enoh (Cross River Central)

•Alfred Joseph (Delta Central)
•Peter Nwaboshi (Delta North)
•James Manager (Delta South)

•Ogba Joseph (Ebonyi Central)
•Samuel Egwu (Ebonyi North)
•Sunday Oji (Ebonyi South)

•Clifford Ordia (Edo Central)
•Mathew Urhoghide (Edo South)

•Duro Faseyi (Ekiti North)
•Fatimat Raji-rasaki (Ekiti Central)
•Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South)

•Gilbert Nnaji (Enugu East)
•Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West)
•Utazi Chukwuka (Enugu North)

•Philips Aduda (FCT)

•Joshua Lidani (Gombe South)

•Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East)
•Uzodinma Goodhope (Imo West)
•Achonu Nneji (Imo North)

•Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South)

•Philip Aruwa Gyunka (Nasarawa North)

•Buruji Kashamu (Ogun East)

•Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South)

•Jeremiah Useni (Plareau South)
•Joshua Dariye (Plateau Central)
•Jang Jonah (Plateau North)

•George Sekibo (Rivers East)
•Olaka Nwogu (Rivers S/East)
•Osinakachukwu Ideozu (Rivers West)

•Mohammed Hasan (Yobe South)

•Abubakar Sani Danladi (Taraba North)
•Bashir Marafa (Taraba Central)
•Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South)

APCSENATORS

•Binta Masi Garba (Adamawa North)
•Ahmadu Abubakar (Adamawa South)
•Abdul Aziz Murtala Nyako (Adamawa Central)

•Isah Hamma Misau (Bauchi Central)
•Ali Wakili (Bauchi South)
•Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi North)

•Barnabas Gemade (Benue East)
•Akume George (Benue West)

•Abubakar Kyari (Borno North)
•Ahmad Zannah (Borno Central)
•Ali Ndume (Borno South)

•Francis Alimikhena (Edo North)

•Bayero Nafada (Gombe North)
•Goje Danjuma (Gombe Central)

•Abubakar Gumel (Jigawa N/West)
•Sabo Mohammed (Jigawa S/West)
•Muhammad Shitu (Jigawa N/East)

•Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North)
•Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central)

•Barau Jibrin (Kano North)
•Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano Central)
•Kabiru Gaya (Kano South)

•Mustapha Bukar (Katsina North)
•Abu Ibrahim (Katsina South)
•Umaru Kurfi (Katsina Central)

•Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North)
•Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central)
•Bala Ibn Na’allah (Kebbi South)

•Dino Melaye (Kogi West)
•Abdulsalami Ohiare (Kogi Central)
•Abdulrahman Abubakar (Kogi East)

•Shaába Lafiagi (Kwara North)
•Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central)
•Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South)

•Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central)
•Olugbenga Ashafa (Lagos East)
•Adeola Olamilekan (Lagos West)

•Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West)
•Salihu Hussain Egye (Nasarawa South)

•Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi ( Niger North)
•Mustapha Sani (Niger South)
•David Umaru (Niger East)

•Olanrewaju Tejuoso (Ogun Central)
•Gbolahan Dada (Ogun West)

•Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North)
•Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central)

•Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central)
•Babajide Omoworare (Osun East)
•Isiaka Adeleke (Osun West)

•Monsurat Sunmonu (Oyo Central)
•Buhari Abdulfatai (Oyo North)
•Adesoji Akanbi (Oyo South)

•Ibrahim Gobir (Sokoto East)
•Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto North)
•Ibrahim Abdullahi (Sokoto South)

•Bukar Baba Ibrahim (Yobe East)
•Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North)

•Kabir Garba Marafa (Zamfara Central)
•Tijjani Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara North)
•Ahmed Rufai Sani (Zamfar West)

egift:
[img]http://1.bp..com/-xD3Q3rC7jIc/TWnqzKVJHnI/AAAAAAAAAFY/UvRikkNYnBo/s1600/bode-george.jpg[/img]

A vote for Agbaje is a vote for Bode George.

The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Chief Bode George, says the loss his party suffered in the presidential election has strengthened his resolve to ensure victory for his party in Lagos.

He, therefore, said that he would strategise and lead a massive campaign against the All Progressives Congress, which has been in power in Lagos for the past 16 years.

George told our correspondent during a telephone interview on Wednesday that he would lead the campaign of the PDP governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, like an army general.

He said, “I am here and I will be at the centre of operation. The people of Lagos also want a change and we are going to be here to lead the battle. The battle is on and the people of Lagos want a change and we will ensure that we get it right.

“Lagos people know that this administration has mismanaged their resources. We are not leaving anything undone. We will reach out to the people during the campaigns.”

George said he would never defect to another party. “I will remain a member of the PDP till I leave this world,” he said.
The PDP leader denied reports that he said he would go on exile following the victory of Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential polls.

He said he would rather travel outside the country for a while in order to finish writing his autobiography, saying he had been unable to finish the book because of his busy schedule.

He said, “I have been travelling long before now and now I need a long rest. I am 70 and I need to tidy up my memoirs and if you want to do that, you need a lot of time away from all of the hassles. But it does not mean I will no longer be a Nigerian. I have no personal grudge against Buhari or all the other people.

“We are in two different parties with different ideologies and if he is the President, I have no objection and I wish him the best of luck. The break will give me time. Rather than running up and down to Abuja, I will be there (abroad) writing my memoirs and doing other things for myself. Of course I will come back, my mother is still alive. I am not scampering out of Nigeria.”

OREMUSSANCTUS:
North cum southwest conspiracy=change
I pray d greedy nature of a yorubaman(tinubu) won't affect d "change"
Only time will tell!

helpee:
You guys should stop this joke. What has happened to Sahara reporters that went all out against jonathan even when jonathan was the president. Stop making mockery of us. We can't all support buhari. Fox news in America is hundred percent anti Obama and there is nothing Obama can do about it. AIT will just continue to criticise buhari and become what Sahara reporter was to jonathan

Behind the scene moves for leadership positions in the National Assembly has begun among lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which won majority seats in Saturday’s polls, Daily Trust has gathered.
The APC now has more than 60 senators and over 200 members in the House of Representatives.

Sources in the party told Daily Trust that the APC had in January tentatively zoned the position of the senate president to the North Central and that of the speaker to the North East after its national convention in December.

The decision, sources said, followed the emergence of retired General Muhammadu Buhari, who is from the North West, as the party’s presidential candidate and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, from the South West.

Consequently, Senators George Akume of Benue, Bukola Saraki of Kwara and Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa, are said to be in contention for the number three position.
It was not clear whether the PDP, which is now in the minority, has taken any decision on those to occupy minority positions at both chambers.
Meanwhile, indications have emerged that the North East senate caucus has demanded for the position of senate president.

The APC won 13 senate seats from the region, three from Borno, Adamawa and Bauchi each, while Gombe and Yobe produced two senators each. PDP won all the three senate seats in Taraba State.
Sources told Daily Trust that the North East APC senators would make a case for the position of senate president to be zoned to their region.

“We are the most marginalised region in Nigeria and we deserve to be compensated this time around,” a source said.
“In the outgoing assembly, the region was denied the senate presidency by the PDP in 2011 when David Mark was returned from the North Central zone despite opposition from the North East”, he added.

The APC National Executive Committee (NEC) is expected to take decisions on a power sharing arrangement in the coming weeks.
Top on the list of possible contenders from the North East for the post is Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe. Lawan has been in the National Assembly since 1999 which makes him the top ranking senator from the region.

Closely following Lawan is Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume from Borno, who was elected into the National Assembly in 2003 and was minority leader for four years.

Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje from Gombe and former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Usman Beyero Nafada, who is coming to the senate for the first time, was a presiding officer.

Sources in the National Assembly said Goje had since commenced campaigns after he was declared winner a few days ago.

At the lower chamber, it was gathered that while Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal along with some key lawmakers are gunning for a member from Bauchi State, Rep Yakubu Dogara, to become the new Speaker, others have since commenced moves for the post to be given to current Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, from Lagos.

Thus, based on their calculation, the North Central and North East should produce the senate president and speaker respectively, which is why they are supporting Dogara who is from the North East, with the possibility that the senate president may come from the North Central.

However, it emerged yesterday that a group of APC lawmakers from the North West have begun lobbying for Gbajabiamila to become speaker despite being from the same state with Osinbajo.

Their argument is that they want to compensate the South West for not only supporting Buhari but also ensuring that he won the presidency this time.

They said though Gbajabiamila is from the same region with Osinbajo, that would not change anything as Tambuwal, who is from North West, emerged speaker on June 6, 2011 even when Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo is from the same zone.
One of the lawmakers pushing for Gbajabiamila told our reporter:

“We want to pay them (South West) back. Look at what they did for Buhari. So, to us, one good turn deserves another. We we’ve already commenced mobilising for him.”

Already, some lawmakers have started indicating interest in vying for different positions in the House leadership. It was gathered that Rep Aliyu Sani Madaki from Kano State has indicated interest in the position of House Leader, while others are still keeping their ambitions to their chests to see how the game turns out.

Madaki, who is among the 24 elected APC Reps from Kano, could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report.

boluyongp:
There's no need to be hating, you just wish you could be in his position. Yes, 29 years is under 30 last time I checked.
Good job Debola, as a youth, I am proud of you, some are envious of you but you've rather inspired me. You were doing your thing, you didn't wait for govt to feed you like many of your haters are waiting for right now, you proved yourself and they called you up, you deserve it. More wisdom and grease to your elbow.

Voters in the Ogun east senatorial district, comprising nine local councils have elected Prince Buruji Kashamu, a man wanted in the United States in connection with drug offences, as their senator.

Kashamu was declared the winner today in Abeokuta and was said to have beaten the All Progressives Congress candidate, Prince Adedapo Abiodun. Kashamu’s victory was the most unlikely permutation in the state, facing up to Abiodun, an oil mogul, who ran a well-oiled campaign. Abiodun was expected to win the seat comfortably, but Kashamu defied the odds. He polled 99, 540 votes to defeat Abiodun, who had 84,001 votes.

Kashamu’s emergence was the main surprise in the senatorial election in the district that saw the defeat of two incumbent, Senator Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka.

He came third in the race, winning just 12,972 votes. He contested on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, led by former governor Olusegun Osoba.

Kaka was not only incumbent that failed to win his seat back.
In Ogun central, Senator Gbenga Obadara also of the SDP lost to APC’s Prince Lanre Tejuoso.

Also,the All Progressive Congress,APC candidate in Ogun West, Prince Gbolahan Dada defeated the PDP and SDP candidates to emerge winner in the district. Waliu Taiwo from Ota was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP while Biyi Otegbeye from Ilaro was the SDP candidate.

In the House of Representatives race, the APC won seven seats from the nine federal constituency seats in the State,leaving PDP to clinch the remaining two seats.

The two seats won by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are Ijebu North/Ijebu East/Ogun Waterside and Remo Federal Constituency. Adesegun Adekoya, a.k.a. ‘Attacker’ won in Ijebu North and Ladi Adebutu, won the Remo federal constituency.
APC’s Kehinde Odeneye won in Ijebu Central. Segun Williams, also of the APC won the Abeokuta South constituency. Both were incumbents..

On the whole, the APC has won in 12 of the 19 local councils so far declared. PDP won in seven.
The only local government being expected now is Ipokia.

juwoonn:

Very useless, corrupt and rude...
He just dey pack all our money go invest for kwara state ni...while his senatorial constituency deteriorates..

Above all...he is very rude..

Guseh:

The Director, Media and Publicity, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign, Mr ‎Femi Fani-Kayode, says Nigerians need to remain united irrespective of where the election result swings.

Fani-Kayode, who spoke to newsmen, shortly after his accreditation in his home town in Ile-Ife, said that the election is a crucial determinant of the future of Nigeria in the next four years.

He said Nigerians must ensure that there is no violence either during the collation of results or after the result is declared.

Mr Fani-Kayode stressed that everyone should bear in mind that Nigeria had become the focus of the whole world and it would be a thing of pride when the election is seen to be free and fair.

He further added that the election must not be used to create enmity amongst Nigerian citizens irrespective of political affiliation.

With just one day to the Presidential election, a former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, has urged voters, particularly of the Igbo extraction, not to disappoint President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP chieftain in an interview with The PUNCH said Jonathan remained “the best option” for Ndigbo, considering the numerous gestures of his administration to the race.

He said he did not expect Ndigbo who had remained the main support-base of the President to fail him at the poll, arguing that

” it is better to work with the devil you know than the angel you do not know.”

Ugochukwu, however, expressed faith that Jonathan would sweep the poll considering his laudable achievements in key sectors of the economy.

The 2007 Abia State PDP governorship candidate also appealed to Abia electorates to help deliver all PDP candidates in the state, saying Abia had fared better under the party and “cannot afford to be in the opposition.”

Predicting a peaceful poll, the ex-NDDC boss begged the opposition not to resort to violence in the eventuality of defeat contending that, “it is inevitable that PDP will win.”

He admitted that the use of card readers in the election would significantly check rigging, if properly managed, but expressed fears that as a new technology, experimenting it with crucial elections as the Presidential and National Assembly polls could be risky ......

jaysniggs:
When Yara'dua died it was the Yoruba's who fought for Jonathan against the Yara'dua cabal.
Hence that prompted Sanusi Lamido to name the Yorubas as the problem of this country.
Little did we understand what Sanusi meant.
Where were the Igbos and the so called Ijaw lords then?
Who should have embraced the Yoruba tribe if not Jonathan?
Jonathan is a dirt we Yorubas are trying to dust off our shoulders, and we will successfully dust him off with our votes.

The First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, has advised Nigerian youths not to undermine the importance of education, saying without education, she would not have BECOME the first lady of the country.

Speaking at a rally of the women wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akure, the Ondo State capital Tuesday, the first lady accused the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), of “not carrying the women along” when he was head of state – unlike President Goodluck Jonathan “who has empowered women.”

According to an online news medium, TheCable, Mrs Jonathan added: “Majority of the people of Ondo are educated and I believe you know the importance of education because without education there is no future,” she said.

“Our children are our hope and that’s why Jonathan said the children should be made to be the leaders of today. We should thank God for the administration of Goodluck and the PDP.

“If somebody is talking and you are not educated, can you be there? If Hilary Clinton is talking and you are not educated, can you be there? As Mimiko (governor of Ondo) is there, without education can he be there? As I am standing before you, if I am not educated, will they CHOOSE me?

“That is why the PDP government takes education very seriously.”