₦airaland Forum

Fred Itua, Abuja


The Senate on Thursday, fell short of activating Section 143 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, which sets in motion the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The latest move was in reaction to the alleged violation of Section 80 of the same 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended by Buhari, wherein he withdrew $496 million from the Excess Crude Account to purchase military helicopters without any approval by the National Assembly.

The motion was moved by Senator Matthew Urhoghide and seconded by Senator Chukwuka Utazi.

The matter has been referred to the Senate committee on Judiciary for further legislative advice. The committee is expected to report back next Wednesday.

lalasticlala

FEC okays N64.108b for Lagos-Ibadan road project


THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N64.108 billion for additional work on 43 kilometres’ part of section one of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, who spoke with reporters after about six hours’ FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said it was part of the N68.6 billion approved for roads projects.

He was with Minister of State for Agriculture Heneiken Lokpobiri, Minister of Health Isaac Adewole, Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu.

The new approval, Fashola said, is to accommodate the changing factors occurring on the project and also to modify the bitumen for the road to withstand heavy vehicles.

“This covers Glover leaves, pedestrian bridges, toll plazas for that section so as to accommodate changing nature of that road since conception. So many new structures, religious institutions, factories, universities and increased human activities that have come up along that road.

“The inherited design didn’t provide for all these at all. The second section under RCC about 80 kilometres will come to council to incorporate similar works, including drainage works etc, when we finish procurement,” the minister said.

The minister added that N4.57 billion was approved for Sumaila-Falala-Birni Bako-Bauchi road linking Bauchi and Kano State.

Lokpobiri said FEC approved new 10 rice mills at a cost of N10.7 billion.

The 10 states the mills will be located, he said, included Kebbi, Zamfara, Benue, Kogi, Bayelsa, Anambra, Kaduna, Ogun, Niger and Bauchi.
Each of the mills, he added, will have capacity to produce 100 tonnes of rice per day.

According to him, the private sector will manage the 10 mills.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said N10 billion was approved to fight erosion.

“This is the fourth quarter soil erosion, flood and pollution accelerated intervention projects worth about N10 billion. These are projects that cover the length and breadth of the country,” he said.

He added that $460 million was approved to facilitate usage of new buildings located at main airports in the country, which could not be put to use at the beginning of this administration.

Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu said the FEC approved the two memos his Ministry brought to the council for argumentation of existing projects.

He said N93 million was approved for erosion control in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The other memo, he said, concerns the Azare-Jere project, which is a spill off from the Gurara Dam pipeline water transfer.

He said N1.57 billion was approved to pay the outstanding liabilities to the contractor, SCC Nig. Ltd.

By Clement A. Oloyede



Some Nigerian youths under the Democratic Youth Congress (DYC) have concluded plans to purchase nomination form for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid.

The national chairman of DYC, Kassim Muhammed Kassim, a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, said the group with about four million registered members, had unanimously agreed to mobilize and contribute a thousand naira each to sponsor and buy the form for the president.

He said those criticizing the president’s decision to re-contest in 2019 should rather channel their grievances towards the youths for forcing the president to seek re-election.

He said the group had earlier approached the court to compel the president to seek re-election because of the giant strides of his administration.

Kassim said it was in view of the president’s resolve to seek re-election that the group further approached the court to discontinue the suit because it had already been overtaken by events.

Earlier, DYC’s counsel, Ismail Zubairu, had told the court that the plaintiff had on April 17 filed a notice of discontinuance and no response had been received from the defendants. He therefore applied for the case to be struck out.

The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, accordingly struck out the case.

AnonyNymous:
Most irritating thing about this trending topic is that Buhari never said Nigerian Youths are lazy.

By Andreas Kamasah


In the amazing photos, the first wife did not only organise the feast for both her lover and the rival, but she also joyfully fed her rival.


[img]https://static.pulse.com.gh/img/incoming/origs8292844/072185662-w640-h640/Bride-696x455.png[/img]


Photos of a woman who threw a big party for both her husband and his newly wedded wife is circulating on social media and creating frenzy among social media users.

In the amazing photos, the first wife did not only organise the feast for both her lover and the rival, but she also joyfully fed her rival.

Some people are speculating that either the woman herself had given the husband the green light to get an extra wife or she was left with no other alternative, but to show her support.

What is not clear is whether the show of love by the first wife was genuine or she was compelled to do so.

The photos are making the rounds with the inscription:

”The lady in red is an Iron lady kun san me ake nufi idan akace mace iron lady ce? Toh karshe kenan. Mijinta zai sake aure and she threw an entire event for him. Sources have said that he was in shock. Oga never esperret it.

“She even went ahead and fed the bride at the event. Gaskiya akwai mata yan aljanna. It must be hard knowing your husband the one you shared space with will be sharing your space with someone else but this iron lady put her big girl pants and supported him.

“I honestly don’t think I am that strong but then again bature yace you don’t know how strong you are until you are faced with a situation that brings out the strength in you.

“Allah ya baki abunda kike nema duniya da lahira. Amarya ke kuma ki dukufar da kanki ki mata biyayya kin shigo gidan ta your work is to make sure you respect her ku hada kai kuyi ibada. Allah ya baku zaman lafiya. Ameen
PS: I said I wouldn’t post unti it’s absolutely necessary. This is absolutely necessary.

“Question: Can you throw a party for your co wife to welcome her“


See more photos below:


[img]https://static.pulse.com.gh/img/incoming/origs8292876/2021859811-w640-h640/a2-48.png[/img]


[img]https://static.pulse.com.gh/img/incoming/origs8292877/2921856512-w640-h640/a3-36.png[/img]


[img]https://static.pulse.com.gh/img/incoming/origs8292889/074185477-w640-h640/a4-29.png[/img]


[img]https://static.pulse.com.gh/img/incoming/origs8292892/1991855830-w640-h640/a5-18.png[/img]

lalasticlala

SoNature:
They didn't lose, oga

They took it away to address more important issues

According to them, Buhari withdrawing over $200 million without parliamentary approval is an impeachable offense that deserved more attention than election order

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


A 41-year old man, Mr. Akeem Adisa who was arrested and charged to court for assault after he tore the pant and bra of a 53-year single lady has paid N50,000 as damages in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that this was the outcome of the peace agreement between the lady, Yinka Adebayo and Akeem Adisa as a condition for her to withdraw the matter from court.

Our correspondent confirmed from the defendant, Adisa who said he had already paid the money to her and that she wrote a letter of withdrawal to the court which stated that she was no longer interested on the matter.

Adisa who was married left his family at Ijegun area and went to the victim’s house at Mushin Road in Isolo very late in the night. He knocked on her door and she opened.

As soon as she had opened the door, Adisa started handling her breasts and attempted to have sex with her which she resisted because she was not in the mood.

Adisa who was already in the mood of sleeping with her became angry, reportedly assaulted by tearing her pant and bra into shreds in order to penetrate her.

However, the victim raised alarm and disowned Adisa in the presence of their neighbours who came out to resue her from danger, Adisa was held and handed over to the police.

At the Isolo Police Division where Adisa was detained, the victim told the police that Adisa invaded her house, fondled her breasts and demanded for sex which she resisted.

She also mentioned that Adisa assaulted her, tore her pant and bra and attempted to have his way before she raised alarm which attracted the neighbours before he was apprehended and handed over to the police.

She brought the pant and bra to the police station and court as an exhibits which were handed over to the exhibit keeper.

The suspect was then brought before Isolo Magistrates court for sexual assault and remanded in prison custody after he failed to meet the bail conditions.

The prosecutor, Mr Oje Uagbale who did not object his bail asked the court to give a short time for the trial of the matter in the interest of justice.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Telowu granted Adisa bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

He was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail condition.

However, P.M.EXPRESS confirmed that the parties resolved to settle out of court and Adisa was released from prison custody.

He went to settle with Yinka who gave him the bill of N50, 000 which he paid and the matter was resolved on Monday.

A 32-year-old hairdresser, Mrs Sherifat Ojelabi, on Friday, told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that she contacted s3xual Transmitted Disease (STD) from her husband.

She also told the court that her husband, Bolaji, used to litter their bedroom with condoms he used on his girlfriends.

The petitioner further told the court that her husband, with whom she had a child in their three years of marriage, was also adulterous.

“Bolaji brings home girls of different sizes, shapes and colours and made love to them on our matrimonial bed.

“I used to see used condoms hang on every corner of our bedroom.

“One of the girls he brought home got pregnant and gave birth to a baby.

“Whenever he made love to me, I suffered infection with serious itching on my private parts that I have to use drugs before relief,” she said.

The hairdresser said that Bolaji owned her N620 000, adding that her husband used her Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) card to withdraw the money without her consent.

“My husband borrowed N170,000 from me and took N150,000, my contribution money in our room without telling me.

‘’He also took my ATM card to withdraw N300,000 from my account without my consent.

“When the issue resulted in a fight, his mother singlehandedly paid N350,000 out of the money.

The estranged wife said that Bolaji always threatening to kill and their son.

“My husband is a wife-beater who always disgraces me in public by stripping me naked during the beatings.

“He used to tell me that he was a cult member, that he committed atrocities in school which made him be rusticated, that he could do such atrocities to me.

“Bolaji also threatened to use our son for ritual,” the petitioner told the court.

She described her husband as an irresponsible husband and father, claiming his mother had been playing his role in the house.

The housewife, therefore, begged the court to terminate their marriage, claiming that the love she once had for her husband had faded.

However, Bolaji accepted that he was owning his wife money but said that the money was not up to N620,000.

“Yes, I took her money in the room and also took her ATM without her consent to withdraw only N120,000 when I was in need of money and she refused to give me.

“But all the money together is not up to N620,000 as she claimed but my mother had paid N350,000,” he said.

The 36-year-old public servant denied littering their bedroom with condoms but agreed that his girlfriend got pregnant with him.

The respondent said that he never threatened his wife’s life with the cult.

“I am not a cult member, I left the school willingly because some cult members wanted to force me into their groups,” he said.

According to him, he cherishes his son and cannot use him for the ritual.

He agreed that he beat his wife but denied stripping her naked.

Bolaji urged the court not to grant his wife’s request for the dissolution of marriage, adding that he would change for better as he was still in love with her.

The President of the court, Mr Akin Akinniyi, advised the couple to reconcile, saying that they were too young to be separated.

Akinniyi adjourned the case until May 24 for possible reconciliation.

lalasticlala

Mynd44:
They cannot summon the president. They can only invited him un which case can be turned down

Bantam:
Jesus!!!! TOBI evicted!!!

toseen7:
Nina just shatter the guy heart like that...

toseen7:
Collins tí ẹ bá ẹ!!!!!

By John Owen Nwachukwu



The National Chairman of the United Progressives Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has reminded Ndigbo that President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, never promised to hand over power to them in 2023.

Okorie described the offer being carried about by some South East APC leaders as the ‘worst form of deceit’, stressing that only the unintelligent would fall for it.

The politician, who spoke with Sunday Sun, noted that Buhari would rather handover power to his Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has been loyal to him, to compensate the Southwest region.

Okorie said, “It’s a very unintelligent proposal by mostly Igbo politicians in APC because it’s not an APC agenda. Buhari or his close aides never alluded to anything like that; you always hear of it from Igbo people who do not know what they want from APC.

“They believe that the only way they can get Igbo votes is to make this kind of promise that is not based on logic or any political thinking. It is the worst form of deceit and it’s only the unwary, especially those on the lowest rung of intelligence quotient, that will buy into that kind of story.

“I say this very clearly because President Buhari has a Vice and they have been working very closely together from the observation of many Nigerians. This is a man that held forth when the president was away for over 100 days on sick leave.

“And if for any unfortunate reason Buhari comes back in 2019 (I put it that way because I’m one of those that don’t think he should come back) and decides to run with this same very loyal Vice President, what makes anybody think that after eight years in office, he will not reward him and his political zone, but them and go for the South-East?

“What is the attraction from the South East region that will make Buhari to go in that direction? And what has Buhari ever said or done that will give the people of the South East the impression that he loves them that much? As a matter of fact, he has used every opportunity to tell them that he doesn’t like them.

“Even when Igbo leaders went to see him, he reminded them that he had only 198,000 votes from the South-east in 2015. He hasn’t forgotten the support that the South-east gave to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“So, how he would turn around and reward them with support for presidential position against those who first of all made up the number for him to become president and gave him a loyal vice beats my imagination.

“I see the people who are canvassing it as exceedingly mischievous, dishonest and untrustworthy, because they know what they are doing. I don’t think it’s stupidity; they know that they are trying to mislead the people.

“But the people are too sophisticated to be led by the nose, not in this time and period when some of us are still alive,” Okorie said.

By Hamza Idris, Lami Sadiq, Doyin Adebusuyi, Jeremiah Oke and Shehu



Kayode Fayemi

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi is one of the serving ministers eyeing the governorship seat in Ekiti State. He is the first minister to openly declare, probably because the Ekiti election would hold on July 14, this year.

Fayemi, a former governor of the state, between October 16, 2010 and October 15, 2014, lost his re-election bid to Ayodele Fayose, the then candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He is from Isan Ekiti, in Ekiti North senatorial district of the state. His billboards are erected at strategic places, especially Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

At the declaration, which attracted a large crowd of party supporters and admirers, Fayemi vowed that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), would do everything legally possible to wrest power from the PDP in Ekiti.

The former governor is the 37th aspirant to collect nomination form; hence he will face other contenders during the party’s primary election on May 5 to determine its flag-bearer.

So far, he has toured all the 16 council areas in the state. If crowd is the determinant of popularity of an aspirant for an election, one could confidently say that the former governor is still relevant in the state.

However, the Ekiti State Government is insisting that Fayemi has been banned from seeking any elective post in the state or anywhere in the country by a judicial panel of inquiry that probed financial dealings while he was in office. But the former governor said no panel could bar him from seeking public office in the country.


Adebayo Shittu

Although the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, has not officially declared his intention to run for the apex office in Oyo State, he had, in different fora, signified interest to contest in 2019.

In recent times, it’s said that the legal icon has been holding secret meetings with the leadership of the APC and some traditional leaders in the state.

Recently, he commissioned a campaign office for his governorship ambition and the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari, even before the president declared interest.

Shittu has also been moving from one radio station to another, displaying his credentials.

The former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly in the Second Republic contested for governorship on the platform of the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) in 2011. He lost the primary election to the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi in 2015.

However, the minister’s recent controversial outburst against traditional rulers, the governor and other notable politicians in the state, coupled with his inability to manage his aides, may work against his ambition to succeed Governor Ajimobi.

While some stakeholders in the state said his ambition would not see the light of the day because he lacked credibility and clout, others said he was the face of President Buhari in Oyo State.


Solomon Dalung

Supporters of the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung are making efforts to convince him to join the race to the Government House in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Although the minister has not openly declared interest to run, probably because of his frosty relationship with Governor Simon Bako Lalong, his actions speak volume. He has been donating essential materials to the electorate and securing jobs for many people. He, however, says such gestures were not political.

Dalung had a fierce battle with Lalong for the APC ticket ahead of the 2015 elections.

But it is said that the minister does not trust the Lateb Dabang-led APC in Plateau. He accused Dabang of denying him the party’s ticket in 2014 in favour of the incumbent governor.

During President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state last month, Dalung shocked his supporters when he said in a radio programme that he may no longer be interested in the Government House.

“If anyone is thinking that Solomon Dalung is helping people because he wants to contest election, I am not interested. I am interested in serving my people,” he had said.

It is believed that if the minister contests against the governor in the primary election, he may not win, but he would definitely add colour to the exercise.


Muhammad Dan-Ali

The Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali (retired) is yet to openly declare for the race to Zamfara Government House, but sources said he was interested in the exalted seat.

He is from Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of the state. Dan-Ali joined active politics in 2013, shortly after his retirement from the military, pitching his tent with the ruling APC.

He declared intention to represent his zone, Zamfara North in the Senate, but he was made to step down for the current Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura.

He was also a member of the Buhari Campaign Organisation in 2015 and chairman of the Security Committee of Governor Abdulaziz Yari Campaign Organisation, also in 2015.

After the 2015 general elections, President Buhari appointed him as Nigeria’s Defence minister. His appointment surprised many in the state, considering the fact that his foray into politics was not all that long even though he is a grassroots mobiliser.

Within three years as minister of defence, Dan-Ali influenced the establishment of command science secondary schools in each of the three senatorial zones of his state. Apart from that, he was instrumental to the establishment of different military formations to curb banditry in Zamfara.

Observers believe that such gestures may be connected to his ambition to rule the state. However, many people in the state are not counting him among possible successors of Governor Abdulaziz Yari.


Mama Taraba

Sources close to the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan, popularly known as Mama Taraba, said she had not given up her ambition to rule Taraba State.

In 2015, she was probably the most popular gubernatorial candidate, being a female contender. As the candidate of the then strongest opposition party, the APC, she gave Darius Ishaku, the then PDP candidate a tough time.

Although Ishaku was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mama Taraba was later declared the authentic governor by an election petition tribunal in Abuja. However, the judgement was upturned by the Court of Appeal, also in Abuja.

As a dogged fighter, Mama Taraba moved to the Supreme Court, all in an effort to reclaim what she called her mandate, but she was not lucky.

Her outing in the contest was, however, seen as commendable in a difficult political terrain dominated by men.

As far as the race to Taraba Government House is concerned, analysts believe she has a moral dilemma to contend with. In 2017, she had vowed that she would withdraw her support for President Buhari once he declared for a second term. She reiterated her loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has already defected to the PDP.

Buhari has declared his ambition, even as Mama Taraba is still a minister and has not renounced her membership of the APC.

It is very unlikely for her to defect to the PDP and challenge Ishaku, who is expected to seek re-election.

The Taraba APC is equally divided over the minister’s ambition, with one faction still relating with her while the other is already working to field another candidate for the governorship race.

In the event that she opts for another party, she would have to count on her personal popularity to make any impact, especially considering the fact that for now, it is the PDP and APC that have presence in Taraba.

By Muhammad Sabiu



MINISTER of Sports, Solomon Dalung has said if the President, Muhammad Buhari loses the 2019 election, we will accept the outcome of the election and escort the President to Daura.

“We will tell him this is the time God has decreed that his tenure will be elapsed. We will tell him he has played his part and posterity will judge him.

Speaking at a BBC Hausa programme Dalung who was speaking on the state of the nation, insisted that the President is still the best candidate for the 2019 presidential election.

However, when he was asked whether the President will win the next presidential election, he said, ‘I not God. Only God can decide that.

Nonetheless, he said his likes are still waiting for those who think Buhari should be replaced with a better candidate, saying, we are still waiting to see that person and we will tell that person not to suffer himself.

According to him, those who are opposing the president were not sincere as they were only opposing the President because he has refused to yield to their selfish demands.

“They are after sharing the national cake and because he refused, he (Baba )has failed.

Dalong debunked the insinuation that the President was shielding those in government, noting that, he was always asking the wailers to provide proofs on alleged offences.

“Like the case of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir, he told the allegators to provide proofs and when at the end of the day he was found wanting, he was shown the way out.

The Minister also noted that within the time frame the President has tackled the security challenges bedevilling the country, saying, the pockets of attacks and killings in some states should not be a yardstick to said the president has failed.

“As all over the world people are being killed Nigeria is not an exception. Every country has its own peculiar challenges, he declared.

Taiwo Adisa - Abuja and Saheed Salawu



A grand coalition of opposition political parties, including a chunk of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and influential political stakeholders across the country is being firmed up ahead of the 2019 general election to wrest power from President Muhammadu Buhari’s party.

The new coalition may be unveiled in the next few weeks in a move designed to jolt all political permutations towards the next general election.

In the unfolding coalition are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), certain leaders of the APC, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), about 23 other smaller parties and the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) formed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The coalition is also said to enjoy the backing of other former presidents and retired generals, including General T. Y. Danjuma.

“This is not like the arrangement that produced the APC. We are not considering sending any application for change of name to INEC. There are not less than eight brand new political parties in the pockets of people across the various groups. We are thinking of fusing into one of them as the new platform.

You know, such a new party will give all sides equal opportunity. We will also avoid traps of the APC which is waiting to frustrate any attempt by, especially, the PDP to apply to the INEC for a change of its name,” a key figure in the coalition told Saturday Tribune on Friday.

The coalition is said to enjoy the support of some leaders of the National Assembly, about 19 governors, including some from the APC and about 60 percent of the membership of the legislature across the country.

The last four weeks have seen persons involved in the plan holding strategic meetings at various levels at which, competent sources said, significant concessions were granted by the various groups to accommodate one another and move forward.

“One of such meetings was held in London last month. Two of these governors and some legislators were present,” another source told Saturday Tribune during the week.

National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, on Thursday, confirmed that his party would soon go into a coalition with other like minds to defeat Buhari’s APC next year.

It was learnt that leaders of the PDP moved away from the initial ‘we can do it alone’ posture when they saw the resolve of the APC “to remain in power at all costs” even with the myriad of problems besetting the country.

“The PDP thereafter commenced merger or coalition talks with national political leaders, former officeholders and influential voices across the land. The new rapprochement will soon engineer a broad-based coalition that will give the APC the red card next year,” a PDP source said on Friday.

Members of the National Executive Committee of the PDP were on Thursday briefed on the developments so far by the National Chairman, Secondus, who told the meeting that the party was already working with former presidents, other leaders and like minds to unseat the APC in 2019.

“Consultations with various groups are useful and in coming days, a broader platform will be raised to wrest power from APC. We commend our elder statesmen and other patriotic Nigerians who have spoken up on the urgent need to rid the country of the current APC government and enthrone a government that will serve the people’s needs.

“We, therefore, invite our brothers, sisters, youths and women from other political parties to join us to rescue our country that is in distress socially, politically, economically and security wise.

“Our consultations have taken us to meet with various interest groups who are willing to do business with us and I can report to you that they are very fruitful. We expect, in coming days, to have a broader political family working dedicatedly to rescue this democracy and our beloved country from the hands of APC,” Secondus said.

It, was however, gathered that some state chairmen of the party objected to the likely name change as a source added that the matter could not be resolved at the NEC meeting.

“The matter is only on the table but we are determined to accommodate all interests willing to work with us. The idea of name change is tricky. We are discussing the matter further and we will get to the right decision at the end of the day,” a source in the PDP said .

Some sources however said that rather than dissipate energy on name change, the party “should adopt a more positive outlook towards national development and roll out its plans to oust the APC. One thing is sure, we will not allow the name debate to derail the emerging coalition ahead of 2019.”

Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to end Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria played a large part in his 2015 presidential election victory.

With elections approaching next year and Buhari,75, having declared his intention to seek a second, four-year term, the extent to which he has done that is coming under increasing scrutiny.

But as Africa’s most populous nation gears up for months of hard campaigning before the vote in February 2019, the former military ruler is not just facing questions about Boko Haram.

In recent months there has been a resurgence of clashes between farmers and nomadic herders — and a heavily politicised reaction — which could have an impact on polling.

Ryan Cummings, Africa analyst at the Signal Risk consultancy in South Africa, noted the violence “now accounts for more civilian casualties than the Boko Haram insurgency and may continue to do so in the foreseeable future”.

Elsewhere, criminal violence and kidnappings for ransom in some northern states have increased, while tensions persist from pro-Biafran separatists in the southeast.


– Boko Haram weakened –

In the 12 months before the last election, Boko Haram fighters ran riot across northeast Nigeria, capturing swathes of territory with the military seemingly unable to respond.

Buhari, who headed a military government in the 1980s, was seen as a better bet to end the violence, which has killed at least 20,000 since 2009.

He has achieved that to an extent but persistent attacks have undermined his repeated assertion that the militants have been virtually defeated.

“It is fair to say that President Buhari has failed in delivering on his promise to defeat Boko Haram within his first term,” said Cummings.

The group recently gave a clear indication of the threat it still poses by abducting 112 schoolgirls from Dapchi in Yobe state in almost a carbon copy of the Chibok kidnapping in 2014.

Buhari secured massive support across the mainly Muslim north in 2015. That looks unlikely to change significantly in 2019.

In the north’s biggest city and most populous state, Kano — a key election prize because of its size — people said Buhari had their vote for weakening Boko Haram.

But they warned he needed to take action against security threats elsewhere.

“That is where he is going to face his toughest challenge,” said Abdulhadi Ahmad, a garment trader.


– Herder-farmer violence –

Violence in the decades-old dispute between herders and nomadic farmers in the central states of Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kogi has flared again in the past two years.

Buhari has been criticised for failing to stop the violence, which according to some estimates has killed more than 2,000 since the start of this year.

It will be a key issue in central states, where the Muslim north meets the mainly Christian south, that typically swing between parties.

In Benue, the head of the state’s tribal leaders, Chief Edward Ujege, said Buhari “does not deserve a single vote… because he has failed to give us security”.

The conflict, which is driven by land and resources, has been seen largely through the prism of Nigeria’s ethnic and religious identity politics.

The president of the ethnic Tiv Youths Organisation, Timothy Hembaor, indicated patronage will play a part: people in Benue will back Benue’s APC governor, even if he moves party, he said.

Buhari “shouldn’t even come here to campaign”, he added.


– No political will –

Amaechi Nwokolo, from the Roman Institute of International Studies in Abuja, said Buhari, whose candidacy still needs to be endorsed by his party, had already “most likely lost the vote in Benue”, an APC state.

“He may not win in many of the states that have gone up in flames and many people are going to use that against him around the country,” added the security analyst.

Ndi Kato, a campaigner for indigenous people in the central states, said the attacks put a way of life under threat and the government’s lack of action had caused outrage.

“We feel we cannot have four more years of this,” she said, adding there was “zero political will” to end the violence, which has made tens of thousands people homeless.

“All things being equal the Middle Belt won’t be voting for this government. However, we don’t know who they will be voting for — and that is another problem.”

Posted By: Eric Ikhilae,


The Supreme Court has voided the sack by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited of about 860 Nigerians employed on or before the year 2000 as security officers, but named by the company Supernumerary Police officers (SPY).

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment of five justices, held that it was illogical and without legal backing for Mobil to have employed the Nigerians and sought to off-load them to the Nigeria Police through the back door.

The judgement was on an appeal marked:SC/33/2010 filed by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited against the 2009 Court of Appeal judgment which upheld the Nigerian workers’ claim to being employees of the oil giant.

The Supreme Court, in the lead judgment by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, but read Friday by Justice John Okoro, upheld the earlier Court of Appeal’s decision in the case, which agreed that the Nigerians, led by Okon Johnson, were and are still Mobil’s staff and should be accorded all benefits.

The Court of Appeal also ordered Mobil to pay the Nigerian staff all oustanding allowances and salaries from when they were purportedly variously disengaged.

While summarising the lead judgment, Justice Okoro said: “the summary of the facts is that the 1st to 15 respondents were employed by the appellants as Supernumerary Police officers (SPY) and issued with appointment letters.

“Thereafter, it (appellants) tried to off-load them (the 1st to 15 respondents) to the Nigeria Police, a decision the Nigerian employees rejected.

“The court bellow upheld their argument that they are not police officers, but staff of Mobil Nigeria Unlimited.

“So Mobil appealed to this court. And after we have painstakingly looked at all the exhibits before us, including the appointment letters. And we have also looked at the Police Act as it relates to the mode of appointment of SPYs.

“We agree with the lower court that the respondents were employed by Mobil Nigeria Unlimited as their security staff.

“There is nothing in the Police Act, which gives Mobil the authority to appoint security officers and then, off-load them to the Nigeria Police.

“If the Police Council wanted to appoint SPYs it would have done in accordance with the Police Act, which it failed to do.

“The law is very clear. Whoever wants the services of policemen in its establishment, should apply to the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The IGP would then request for and receive clearance from the President of the country.

“After receiving clearance from the President, the IGP will now authorise the Police Council to direct the Police Service Commission (PSC) to appoint. That is the way the law puts it.

“The PSC will now appoint these officers and then, post them to any establishment that requires them.

“But, in this case, Mobil advertised for recruitment, conducted interview, issued them with appointment letters; and then, gave them that name: Supernumerary Police Officers (SPY).

“Whatever name you give them, the basis is, who appointed them? So, whoever appointed them is their boss, which is Mobil Nigeria Unlimited.

“So, this appeal lacks merit and its is hereby dismissed. The judgment of the lower court is upheld,” Justice Okoro said.

The apex court also dismissed a similar appeal by the IGP, on the ground that it was unnecessary and a waste of public funds.

The Nigerian workers were variously employed in early 1990s by Mobil in its security unit. But for unknown reasons, the company chose to refer to them as: “SPY Police of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited,” a decision that later created confusion over the actual status of the workers.

In 2000 a dispute arose about the status of the security guards, with Mobil claiming to have transferred their employment to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Mobil claimed it engaged them as SPY police personnel, and not actual staff; a claim the affected workers disputed, with some of them refusing to be transferred out of their stations.

They (the Nigerian workers) alleged being victimised, with some sacked unceremoniously for insisting on right to being entitled to be treated as other employees of Mobil.

They further alleged that, aside from being subjected to harsh working condition, they were compelled to sign a document identified as “Mobil Producing Nigeria status agreement for supernumerary police service condition agreement.”

The workers said although some of them succumbed and endorsed the documents, others stood their ground, and later sought the protection of the court by filing a suit at the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, marked: FHC/UY/CS/2004.

In a judgment on January 24, 2006, Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court (now compulsorily retired by the National Judicial Council) ruled in favour of Mobil.

The judge said, among others, that although the Mobil did not fully comply with the requirement under the Police Act, in recruiting SPY policemen, it could be assumed that it complied, having substantially complied with some of the regulations.

The Nigerian workers appealed Justice Olotu’s decision at the Court of Appeal, Calabar, Cross River State, which rendered its judgment on May 21, 2009 a nullity.

A three-man panel of the Appeal Court, in its May 21, 2009 judgment, held among others, that the Nigerian workers were Mobil’s employees and ordered it to assume its responsibilities as they relate to the Nigerian workers. The panel comprised Justice Kumai Akaahs, Jean Omokri and Theresa Orji-Abadua.

Justice Orji-Abadua observed, in the lead judgment, that: “It is clear in exhibits D and E (Mobil’s letters to the Police, requesting training for its security recruit) that the 1st respondent (Mobil) was referring to their own security men as Supernumerary Police recruit, and it wanted them to be trained by the Nigeria Police in respect of which it made application to the Commissioner of Police in charge of Cross River State.”

She noted that: “Section 18(1) & (2) of the Police Act expressly stated the way and manner a supernumerary police officer will be appointed upon the application of the person desiring to take advantage of the services of police for protection of his property. It is clear that any step short of the ones prescribed by the Police Act will be null and void.

“The appellants were not employed by the Nigeria Police Force and then appointed as Supernumerary Police Officers by the Police Service Commission on the directive of the Inspector general of Police for the protection of the 1st respondent’s property as envisaged by Section 18(1) & (2) of the Police Act.

“They were and still are the employees of the 1st respondent since there was no affidavit evidence indicating that the appellants’ employment had been determined by the 1st respondent,” Justice Orji-Abadua said.

Mobil and the IGP appealed the Appeal Court’s judgment separately, the appeals that were dismissed Friday by the Supreme Court for lacking in merit.

Danisa Masuku


A FORBIDDEN fruit loving man (45) was caught having sex with his 16-year-old niece-cum-girlfriend.

It was none other than his wife who caught the two lovers in the act and out of panic, the niece claimed to have been raped.

Before the wife could report the matter to the police, the husband pleaded for mercy and was given a reprieve.

However, a few days later the wife caught them in the same bedroom doing the same thing.

Was it a second rape?

The only way to find out was the wife reporting the matter to the police for investigation, which she did.

A source close to the matter alleged that it was then discovered the two were lovers.

“Upon investigations it was discovered that the pair were in love and the niece admitted to the investigators that they were in love,” said the source.

The only criminal charge that could stick was incest and the two have since appeared before Kezi magistrate Arafat Kozanayi.

In court the teenager told the magistrate that she initially screamed rape because had the affair been exposed it would have tarnished her image.

“I felt the incident was going to tarnish my reputation in the community and my peers were going to poke fun at me. And also I feared my aunt would chuck me out of her homestead,”she said.

The uncle apologised for his abominable act.

The pair will be sentenced on 24 April.

empron:
thanks bro u are still the boss.i cant forget the ebook u sent through email then "Automotive for the Dummies". Then i can not differentiate spark plug and C.O.P.

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE



A lady simply known as Loveline has dislodged a woman who has been barren for eight years and trapped her husband, Chukwuka with pregnancy.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Ailegun Road in Bucknor Estate, Ejigbo, Lagos where they resided.

It was gathered that the husband, Chukwuka has now resolved that since his wife was not able to bear a child, that there was no need to continue to keep her as wife. He therefore threw all her belongings outside, asked her to go and then brought Loveline and the baby to his house.

The ugly incident became an issue in the area as the residents condemned such act and contacted the CDHR, Ejigbo unit who intervened in the matter. The matter was reported to the police at Ejigbo Division and Chukwuka was summoned to explain why he had to treat the wife in such shabby manner.

P.M.EXPRESS scooped that the couple had been married for some years and had been looking for the fruit of the womb to no avail.
They had also embarked on both medical and spiritual solutions but yet they were unable to bear a child. It was learnt that Loveline who resided in the same area and knew about the challenge of the couple then lured Chukwuka, slept with him and became pregnant.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that when Loveline became pregnant, she informed Chukwuka, he accepted the pregnancy and kept it away from his wife. It was gathered that Chukwuka then took the wife to the village in Imo State and returned to Lagos with the promise to send money to her to come back which he never did for several months.

The wife then found her way back to Lagos and the whole secret was exposed. It then that Chukwuka and Loveline mocked her, threw her belongings outside and asked her to go.

When our correspondent visited the CDHR office at Olubisi Close in Ejigbo, the coordinator, Comrade Kabir Obolo confirmed the incident and referred the reporter to Ejigbo Police Division for details.

However, when our correspondent visited Ejigbo Police Divison, it was also confirmed by the police. Police source said that Chukwuka had realised his mistake and pleaded with the wife to return to the house to live with them. He said that she refused insisting that she will never go back to the house where her properties were thrown out and live with Loveline who displaced her.

Police source said that the DPO has referred the matter to the Ministry of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation at Alausa Ikeja to resolve the matter.

lalasticlala

A 25-year-old woman revealed that she is satisfied dating a married man and has no intention of leaving him.

Rachel Siziba said the current relationship she is having is between her and a married man and she sees nothing wrong with it.

“Yes it is true I am dating a married man but I entered into the relationship not to separate him with his wife; he puts his family first and I respect that.

“When he is at home, I don’t call him because I know he will be needing his space and to tell the truth, I have no intentions of leaving him just because he is married.

“He never lied to me when we started dating and I made my decision to be with him a long time ago,” she said.

Though she has had several conflicts with her boyfriend’s wife, Rachel said she is not moved with all the threats that she has been receiving.

“When I started going out with my boyfriend I knew what I was getting myself into and I knew what would come so when his wife started sending me messages shouting at me I wasn’t surprised.

“She insults me over the phone and fabricate news about me on social media but I just take it as it is.

“There are nude pictures circulating on social media and it is his wife who fabricated all those pictures and published them,” she said.

When we started going out he was facing problems with his wife and up to now they still have problems.

“I am not with him because I am taking advantage of their situation but we are together because we love each other.

“I don’t force myself on him, he proposed love to me and gave me assurance that he loved me.

“We have been to a local hotel and my intention is not to get money from him, he puts his family first and I respect that,” she said.