₦airaland Forum

Vanessa Obioha writes that by deploying
desperado tactics against likely opponents in the race for the All Progressives Congress governorship ticket, Governor Yahaya Bello may be afraid that Kogi State is slowly slipping out of his grip.

By now, the growing concerns over the pathetic plight of Kogi State, should have alerted the sitting Governor, Yahaya Bello that he is no longer the anointed ruler of the state. Whatever anointment he enjoyed in the past four years has certainly dried up. But like the recalcitrant biblical Egyptian ruler Pharaoh, Bello’s mind is hardened. He simply will not let the people of Kogi go. He is adamant in achieving his re-election bid. Responding to the various pillory against him by his detractors, Bello evinced a Draconian spirit, stating that he would win his re-election bid either directly or indirectly.

This has been his attitude since President Muhammadu Buhari was reelected. His victory has somehow enlarged Bello’s ego. He walks around with a chip on his shoulders, his pockets filled with golden coins. Of course, in a state where most of the indigenes live in fear and squalor, mouths will always drool for his coins and Bello is very aware of that. What he is however ignorant of is that not all souls are impoverished. This is the stark reality that Bello is gradually waking up to. Recently, the youths of Kogi displayed their disapproval of his government in a loud protest at the Unity Fountain arena in Abuja. In very candid terms, they rejected the governor from Okene, pleading with the ruling party All Progressives Congress to “change Bello.”

It is not the first time that Bello would display his cruelty. Who can forget in a hurry how he arrested Mohammed Audu, one of the sons of the late Prince Abubakar Audu, whose votes he inherited after Audu’s untimely death. Thinking the younger Audu was a threat to his miraculous emergence as the new governor of Kogi state, Bello dumped all manner of criminal allegations on him, confident that he would lock him away for life. The prosecuting officer at the time Gabriel Otowu charged the accused with criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt, mischief, armed robbery and attempted culpable homicide, contrary to sections 97(1), 248, 327, 298 and 229 of the Penal Code.

But Providence had a better plan. While Bello and his police lapdogs were building a case against Audu, the people were revolting against the inhumane act, calling for Audu’s immediate release. Bello was left with no choice than to abandon his seemingly perfect plan. Audu would later be released on a N100,000 bail.

That experience didn’t deter Bello from alleging last year that Audu was complicit in the gun-running allegations levelled against Senator Dino Melaye. Once again, Audu had to launder his image from the dirty tricks of Bello.

One may be forced to wonder why Bello’s desperado tactics targets Audu. Is he afraid that Kogi is slowly slipping away from his grip? From all indications, this must be a trying period for Bello. With just a few weeks to the APC primary, he must be fidgeting if the will of the people will stand. There should really be no other resolution. Kogites are tired. Tired of being the butt of jokes as outstanding salaries and pensions keep piling up, infrastructure development nonexistent while their governor squander their collective wealth in his loyalty campaign at Aso Rock.

Kogi state deserves to be a pride of the nation. Its unique location at the central region of the country is a good pointer to the abounding wealth it possesses. Its peculiarities go beyond being a Confluence State, it is the only state in Nigeria that shares a boundary with 10 other states. It shares a boundary with FCT and Niger state in the north, Nasarawa in the Northeast, Anambra in the south, Enugu in the southeast, Edo in the southwest, Benue to the east, and Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara to the west. Kogi is also notable for connecting the nation’s capital to 22 southern states, serving as a national and international gateway for both road and air travellers.

With the unique opportunities it offers, it is unthinkable that in the almost four years Bello has been in office, he did not initiate a blueprint that will harness the potentials of the road networks to generate and increase revenue for the state. Instead, he allowed the people to wallow in abject poverty, unabashedly punishing them for putting their fate in his hands.

However, as much as the clamour for Bello’s removal is reaching the highest heavens, Kogites must not make the mistake of appointing another thorn in their flesh. The main goal should not end in ousting Bello from power, rather it must be about electing a true visionary, someone whose political mind is not only for dirty games and greed but for the people. A leader whose priority is the welfare of the people, keen on making Kogi the wealth of the nation. For that particular search, Kogites need not look far.

The family of His Royal Highness, the late Alhaji Audu Oyidi, the Orego Attah of Ogbonicha has chosen to support Muhammed Abubakar Audu as a governorship candidate in the forthcoming Kogi State November 16, 2019 gubernatorial election. Intestingly, three of the late former Governor Audu have indicated interest in the top office. They are Yahaya Audu, Muhammed Audu and Mona Mustapha Audu.

Mona first flagged off his political campaign with the launch of his political party of interest, YPP, in Lokoja. He subsequently indicated interest in chasing his ambition on the platform of the APC.
Yahaya Audu on the other hand first ran for the Kogi East senatorial seat before he decided to fulfill his political ambition via gubernatorial contest.

The family, comprising His Royal Highness, Alhaji Tijani Audu; Alhaji Ibrahim Audu; Hajia Hawawo (Aya); Hajia Ramatu Audu; Hajia Nana Audu; Hajia Teina; and other members, in its resolution also reached out to Yahaya Audu to drop his ambition in favour of Muhammed Audu who is the preferred candidate.

“This is a new dawn in Audu’s family, as the support is premised on the family’s desire to present a more politically mature member to carry on the sterling personality, legacy and grand social standing the Audu’s family is known for.

“Muhammed Audu, a grassroots politician has been an active member of the APC right from when Prince Abubakar Audu was alive, and has contributed immensely to the development of the party. He is also the rallying point of contact known to the political friends and allies of the late Prince Abubakar Audu. It is therefore uncharitable to allow Muhammed to lose all the goodwill and supports that are the necessary condiments in any successful political outing,” they said.

Mona Mustapha Audu and Yahaya Audu have by this resolution, lost the total support and goodwill of the family. They are therefore enjoined by the family to support Muhammed Audu for the sake of love, unity, progress and synergy.

The information obtained from a very close member of the family reveals that the family believes in Muhammed more than in anyone else, and that Muhammed is more capable of and trusted in delivering the dividends of democracy.

It was noted that Prince Abubakar Audu projected the family well to the world. The family therefore cannot afford to have anything less than what Prince Abubakar Audu planted.
Muhammed, it is believed, is the perfect scion of Abubakar Audu that has the clout capable of ensuring a successful political contest.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senatorial candidate for Kaduna Central in the February 2019 elections, Lawal Adamu Usman allegedly escaped lynching by thugs suspected to have been sent by his opponents on Saturday.

Recall that at the last sitting of the Kaduna State Senatorial Elections Petitions Tribunal, Ustaz Yunus Usman SAN, lead counsel to Lawal Adamu Usman in the petition challenging the result of the election, alerted the judges that he was questioned by security agents who claimed to have been petitioned by the state government on how he obtained certain documentary evidence.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria asserted that he had been invited by the security and later granted bail but had been trailed ever since by security operatives.


The tribunal cautioned the security against further attempts at harassing the petitioner, Lawal Adamu Usman or any of his counsel pending the determination of a subsisting motion.

At the resumed hearing on Saturday, June 29, at which the petitioner, Lawal Adamu Usman was personally present, suspicious faces were noticed within the premises of the Kaduna State High Court venue of the tribunal.

This was brought to the notice of the open court by the petitioner’s lawyer and the alarmed Tribunal Chairman after getting confirmation acted swiftly by calling the attention of the Directorate of State Security.

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The DSS operatives drafted to the tribunal also confirmed the suspicious presence of unfriendly persons around the premises and said they were in control of the situation.

At the close of the hearing, the thugs who turned out to be dangerously armed, pounced on the petitioner as he was leaving the courtroom. It took the concerted effort of the security and the petitioner’s supporters to save him from imminent lynching.

Remarking on the incident after he was saved, Lawal Adamu Usman said his life was currently under threat but said he will not be intimidated to dump his struggle to reclaim the people’s mandate through legal means.

Confirming the incident, Barrister Yunus, SAN, recounted that he received an anonymous phone call at 5am that Saturday warning him not to attend the Tribunal unless he would rather be dead.

“I replied that by reminding the caller that my life was in God’s hands and that I was not afraid to die in the discharge of my lawful duty,” Yunus said and vowed not to succumb to any form of intimidation.

Saturday’s aborted siege on the petitioner might not be unconnected with the rendering in evidence of series of damning documents by the petitioner that purports to prove that the first respondent, Uba Sani did not resign his appointment with the office of the Kaduna State Governor before going into the elections as required by extant laws.

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja



Fresh crisis seems to be brewing in the camp of the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the choice of House of Representatives Leader following the zoning of leadership positions among the six geographical zones in the country,

It was gathered that while the entire members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has settled for Ado Doguwa based on his pedigree as a fifth termer and staunch supporter of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, the party’s National chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has opted for Aminu Sulaiman, third termer, who was Kano state secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

A source at the top echelon of the party, who spoke in confidence, said governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is already warming up for a showdown with Oshiomhole over the choice of Sulaiman.

The source disclosed that Ganduje would storm the National Secretariat of the party today with no fewer than 21 of the 24 House of Representatives members from the state in solidarity with Doguwa.

“This chairman can be so erratic and self-centred. He is imposing Sulaiman on the House because they worked together before in the NLC as comrades. There is a difference between the NLC and party politics. This position was zoned to Kano and the stakeholders in Kano have made up their minds on who they want to occupy the position.

“Doguwa is not new to the Gbajabiamila camp. They were together in the struggle in 2015 and in 2019 Assemblies. He has paid his dues. He remains the most experienced lawmaker best suited for the job as far as we are concerned,” the source noted.

Confirming the development, yesterday, a top political appointee in Kano State, who craved anonymity, faulted Oshiomole for imposing “his stooge.”

He said the National Working Committee had allocated principal positions to various zones and as such the legislators from the zone alongside other stakeholders of the party collectively nominated candidates for the principal positions.

“Out of the 24 members from Kano state, 21 have vehemently rejected the purported choice of Sulaiman.

“He is being tipped by Oshiomole for selfish reasons. At this point, the APC must put forward people who not only have the political dexterity but the goodwill among their colleagues and the people.

OLUFEMI ATOYEBI



The health sector may be thrown into a fresh crisis that may paralyse activities in government hospitals nationwide as the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals has indicated its readiness to oppose the appointment of medical doctors as the minister and the minister of state for health in the ministry .
President of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, Dr Obinna Ogbonna, who gave the hint in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH , also accused the Federal Ministry of Health of ignoring 15 court judgements delivered in favour of medical laboratory scientists ’ autonomy .

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to name his new ministers next month after his inauguration in office for a second term . This will , however, be subject to their confirmation by the National Assembly .
But Ogbonna, who faulted the old arrangement of restricting the appointment of both the minister of health and the minister of state for health to medical doctors , said it was unfair to continue to shut out other health professionals from the ministerial jobs relating to the sector .

He said, “ This crisis is coming again because both ministers in the ministry ( in the last cabinet ) are medical doctors , so they had the biases towards taking sides with their professional constituency . Even the permanent secretary in the ministry was a medical doctor until we protested and the Federal Government removed her and replaced her with someone else . ”
He accused principal officers in the health ministry , including the ministers , of disrespecting 15 court orders relating to the autonomy of laboratory scientists .
Ogbonna said the judgements were delivered in suits filed by laboratory scientists on encroachment into their professional activities by medical professionals.
The NUAHP president specifically accused medical doctors and pathologists of doing short courses to practise as medical scientists , putting the jobs of trained medical scientists at risk .

A document obtained by our correspondent on Saturday indicated that between October 23 , 2013 and January 26 , 2018 , a total of 13 court judgements were secured in Asaba , Jos , Ile -Ife , Uyo , Abakaliki , Enugu , Lokoja, Benin , Urrua , Sagamu and Kaduna.

It was learnt that four of the judgements had been appealed while others were subsisting.
Ogbonna added , “ The judgements revolve around the issue of autonomy for medical laboratory scientists. In the hospitals , we have medical laboratory scientists who get samples from patients , doing the tests and getting the results.

“ There is also a group of medical practitioners called pathologists . This group is encroaching into the activities and the work of medical laboratory scientists . They are trying to render them redundant . Doctors now want to specialise also in laboratory medicine .

That is not what they were trained for in the universities and medical schools . What they do now is to engage in three or four -month courses to dominate laboratory medicine .

“ The medical laboratory scientists approached a court and the court ruled that only medical laboratory scientists are trained to man laboratories and roll out results. Presently, we have secured 15 judgements in that regard but none of them is being respected by the Federal Ministry of Health.

“ To end the present crisis in the health sector , we are again calling on President Muhammadu Buhari not to appoint the two ministers for health from among doctors alone. We have others who are eminently qualified to be appointed as ministers from other allied professions in the sector . ”

Daniel Kanu



Since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office for his second term, on May 29, 2019, Nigerians have looked forward to his transmission of names of his ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation to enable him hit the ground running immediately.

That has not happened yet, but Nigerians are expectant that it would not take long as was in his first tenure.

There are serious concerns that the continued delay in constituting a new cabinet of competent men and women of integrity by Mr President could spell doom for the nation.

Politically speaking, most Nigerians do not seem to be happy that a president, who ought to know, having had time to see the country, could not quickly pick the right people that would begin the implementation of solutions to multifarious problems starring the country in the face.

The expected cabinet will consist of ministers appointed to take responsibility for each of the government ministries following his 2019 election victory.

Recall that after his inauguration on May 29, 2015, it took almost six months for President Buhari to constitute his cabinet. That singular action dampened the spirit of most of his admirers then who felt disappointed at what they saw as a false start.

When finally the list was made public in September 2015, there was a public outcry as Buhari was seen to have come up with people some saw as square pegs in round holes.

The long delay in producing the ministerial list before the inauguration on November 11, earned him the nickname, ‘Baba go slow’.

Then the President was criticized for taking so long to name his ministers at a time when the economy was severely hit by the fall in global oil prices, which ultimately contributed to the recession that hit the nation shortly after he took over the mantle of leadership.

After the inauguration of the cabinet, the country managed to survive the recession, but since then, the economy is believed by some economic experts to have been wobbling as many Nigerians have been grappling with difficult living conditions.



Defending the reason for the delay in the appointment of ministers, presidential spokespersons were unanimous on their justification that it was partly due to the manner in which Buhari took over power from former President Goodluck Jonathan and the need to reorganize the government structures by his administration.

The country was believed to be rudderless during the period it operated without a Federal Executive Council in place, the reason political watchers are worried on the situation at hand, just as they want Buhari to learn from past experience and not repeat it following its bitter implication.

Some commentators who spoke with Sunday Sun noted that the delay in appointing ministers in 2015 created negative feelings about the credibility of the Buhari administration in his first term, adding that such impression must not be allowed to resonate in his second tenure with the continued delay.

They are of the view that in this second term, the president has no excuse not to appoint his ministers and other cabinet members in good time for seamless governance.

In their evaluation, if Buhari delays as he did in his first tenure, it will give a wrong impression about his seriousness as a leader, as well as give the international community the signal that things are not likely going to change because they are looking for new ways of doing things with the country through economic and security management.

It is obvious that the international community will expect that the leadership should be concerned about the development of the country and thus needs to put in place competent people that will help the president to drive growth through management of the various sectors. So, if it is not done in good time, it will amount to un-seriousness, which will have repercussions in the way the international community will perceive the country, they argued.

A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State, Chief John Okon, said that the delay in appointing ministers contributed to the economic problem the country had to contend with in the first quarter of 2016.

The politician said that delay should be an avoidable option, stressing that it’s an error that needed to be corrected to avoid the ugly incident of the first tenure.



He, nonetheless, believes that after working with some cabinet members in the last three and a half years, the president should have had a fair idea of how to avoid such mistakes in his second term.

“One was that the non-existence of ministers showed a lot of instability and lack of focus of the administration because only permanent secretaries were working without direction from ministers.

“Again, even after the list was presented to the Senate for screening, a lot of Nigerians were not satisfied with it after such a long wait. They wondered why it took so long when those on the list were known Nigerians, some of whom were his allies,” Okon said.

He noted that the length of time taken to do the appointment and the calibre of persons the President eventually presented gave a general feeling that it was not going to be a successful tenure.

“I would believe now that after working with his ministers and having identified some other persons and the impact on the economy and his administration, he should be able to assemble a team immediately after he had made a proclamation to the National Assembly. It is something he should do within two weeks after the proclamation,” he said.

Head of Department, Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University, Prof Sheriff Folarin, said that it is a matter of urgency for Buhari to appoint his ministers to take care of the general social and economic sphere, just as he said the country needed to be properly fixed with the assistance of competent ministers.

According to Folarin, “there is the urgent need for President Buhari to appoint his ministers and one does not expect any further delay given the fact that there is much to do. The country is facing lots of challenges so he needs to appoint them, competent ones so that we may begin to witness action because what we have now is not encouraging.

“I know this may be a piece of wasted advice, it doesn’t have to be appointments based on party affiliation, the best persons must be considered. A lot of job needs to be done so this is no time to waste. The cabinet needs to be complete by now and without further delay”.



Some political observers say that it will not be tidy if the country does not have a cabinet in place in good time because it means giving powers that do not belong to the civil servants to the permanent secretary to begin to initiate projects that most of them are not competent enough to undertake.

Sunday Sun investigation reveals that there is so much underground politics surrounding the list in Aso Rock as all the stakeholders that contributed to the re-election of the president want to be accommodated.

While the party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, is said to be ensuring that the list takes care of members of the party first, there are insinuations in some quarters that a particular team which are described as the “cabal in power” want to have their way by ensuring that their preferred candidates are accommodated first.

A source that pleaded not to be mentioned told Sunday Sun that “there is a lot of underground political current going on there (Aso Rock), one can say, it is crude too because some individuals who see themselves as the cabal are trying to hijack the list to ensure their preferred candidates are accommodated first.

“We are watching every movement, but we think President Buhari should be wary now having learned from what happened in the first tenure. With what I am seeing the promise of an inclusive government is not given any attention”.

The revelation may not be unconnected with the recent protest by Concerned APC National Stakeholders (CANS) who called on Buhari to sack some of his trusted allies they described as “cabal”, although Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu has described what happened as a “sponsored protest”.

Reports had it that the stakeholders under the aegis of APC concerned national stakeholders forum defied the rain and gathered at the Defence headquarters recently where they displayed placards with various inscriptions to make their demands known.

Part of their demands is that the president should ensure that he appoints people who worked for him in various capacities during the 2019 general elections as he forms his cabinet.

They also requested Buhari not to appoint people who have stayed in government for over 40 years, stressing that the nation is in dire need of fresh ideas.

“By now, we expect that a real cabinet and primary appointment independently formed by the president based on merit and constitutional criteria would have been made public.

“This is the time for compensation, but now it has gone back to the old ways where a few people take the compensation to themselves and their cronies,” Symeon Chilagorom, who led the protesters, had said.

The group also decried the delay in Buhari’s appointment of his new cabinet, alleging that the delay could give some political influencers undue opportunity to handpick their allies for the appointment, leaving behind those who risked their necks to ensure the president’s victory at the 2019 elections.

However, the cheering news from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, was that Buhari would form his cabinet faster than he did in 2015.

Adesina had said recently that the circumstances today were different and that Nigerians would not have to wait too long as before for the president’s ministers.

Given the timetable of the National Assembly, the Senate is billed to go for recess from the first week of July that may last for two months and now that the list is not yet transmitted to them, there are fears that it won’t still be early as Adesina may want Nigerians to believe.

Sunday Sun reliably gathered that the delay in release of the ministerial list by the president may not be unconnected to Buhari shopping for fresh hands as only a few of the ministers in his first tenure are likely to return.

By ADEBIYI ADEDAPO


The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed a suit seeking to annul the primaries, which led to the election of the only female Senator from the northern part of the country, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani).
Binani won the Senatorial election for Adamawa Central District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But an aspirant, Abubakar Waziri, who was defeated by Senator Binani at the party’s primary election, filed a petition to disqualify the latter.
He lost the case at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal and subsequently approached the Supreme Court.

According to the result of the primary election, Waziri secured four votes while Senator Aisha Binani garnered 1,375 votes.

Waziri was however dissatisfied and he asked the Supreme Court to annul the results of the primaries, which produced Binani.

Represented by Barr. Muritala Abdul-Rasheed, the appellant averred that the party did not give the mandatory 30-day notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before conducting the primary election.

But INEC insisted that there was substantial compliance by APC which enabled it to monitor primary election exercise.

The electoral umpire said the primary election was fair and transparent, leading to the emergence of Senator Binani as APC candidate for the Adamawa Central senatorial election.

Waziri’s grounds of appeal were: “Whether, having regard to the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the relevant provisions of the 1st Defendant’s (APC) Constitution and Guidelines; and the Regulations , Sen. Aishatu was qualified as a candidate.

The Court ought to restrain the defendants (APC and INEC) from relying on or using the purported results of the 1st Defendant‘s purported Adamawa Central Senatorial District primary election held on the 7th day of October, 2018 in Adamawa Central Senatorial District for the purpose of nominating the 1st Defendant’s Senatorial candidate for Adamawa Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming general election scheduled to hold on 16th day of February, 2019 or any other date as may be announced by the 2 Defendant.”

He also sought some reliefs including: “A declaration that the 1st Defendant’s Adamawa Central Senatorial District primary election purportedly held on the 7th day of October 2018 In Adamawa State in flagrant violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the 1st Defendant, the 1st Defendant‘s Guidelines for the nomination of candidates for the 2019 General Elections and the Regulation for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries of the Independent National Electoral Commission is unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void.

“A declaration that it is ultra vires for the 1st Defendant to hold and organize the Adamawa Central Senatorial District primary election held in Adamawa Central Senatorial District on the 7th day of October, 2018 without having given a prior 21-day notice of its primaries to the Independent National Electoral Commission (the 2nd Defendant) indicating that an indirect method of primary election shall be used and without the democratic election of members of the Electoral college.”

But when the hearing of the matter came up at the Supreme Court yesterday, the Appellant (Waziri) could not convince the five-man Panel of Justices including Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun; Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammed; Justice Chima Nweze; and Justice Mary Odili who was the head of the panel.

The appellant couldn’t present his case before the court on what will be his benefit if the primaries won by Senator Binani was annulled.

Counsel to the defendant (Senator Binani), Mr. Sam Ologunorisa (SAN), faulted the appellant for wasting the time of the court.

After dilly-dallying, the appellant later opted to withdraw the case against the lawmaker.
While describing his application before the Supreme Court as a mere academic exercise, Justice Mary Odili, who presided over the hearing of the petition, ruled as follows: “Appeal having been withdrawn is hereby dismissed.”

By Omeiza Ajayi


ABUJA: The recent wave of political protests and counter-protests within the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja has again revealed the battle for supremacy within the president’s kitchen cabinet which Nigerians often refer to as the cabal.

What began as a discussion in hushed tones among party faithful soon became a matter for protests when self-styled Concerned National Stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC filed out on Monday against what it described as the suffocating influences of some powerful individuals on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, urging the president to be mindful of the fact that Nigerians voted for him and not the so-called ‘presidency cabals’.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the crisis of confidence is between forces allegedly led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha on one hand and those led by the President’s Chief of Staff COS, Abba Kyari, Mamman Daura and Ismaila Funtua. To this latter group, the president’s wife, Aisha Buhari is said to belong. The first lady has never hidden her disdain for the alleged roles played by the SGF in her home state, Adamawa, regarding the last governorship election which the ruling party lost to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP. Aisha’s brother was a front line contender for the APC ticket during the governorship primaries in the state.


We voted for Buhari, not Daura, Kyari

Defying the early morning downpour, there was no better place to stage the protest than the Defence Guest House in the highbrow Maitama District, a building allegedly serving as residences of some members of the so-called cabal.

The APC group accused a nephew of the president, Mamman Daura, the president’s Chief of Staff COS, Abba Kyari and Chairman of Bulet International Construction Company, Ismaila Isa Funtua who is also an in-law of the president of having undue influence on the president especially with regards to appointments and other policy choices.

Addressing journalists during the protest, National Convener of the group, Dr. Symeon Chilagorom, said “in this Next Level”, the Nigerian people will not accept a repeat of some features of President Buhari’s first term.

“Our demand is a simple one, the people of this country elected Muhammadu Buhari as their President, not Mamman Daura, not Ismaila Funtua, and definitely not Abba Kyari. Only President Buhari has our mandate to govern over the affairs of this nation. In the light of that, we are simply asking that President Buhari should take back control of his Government and begin to walk his talk during the campaigns by delivering on the promises made.

“These promises can only be achieved if the President is in the driver’s seat not passenger’s seat and if he is surrounded by patriotic men and women of goodwill who assisted him during the campaign in the eyes of the world, traveled the nooks and crannies of this country to sell the ideology of the change mantra to the generality of Nigerians and not those who hide away when the going gets tough only to re-emerge when the tough work is done and the battle is won.


Delayed Cabinet

“The Nigerian people will not accept the repeat of the first term, as the slogan of the 2019 campaign dictates, this is the next level and we dare ask, have we not arrived at the Next Level? If indeed we have arrived at the Next Level, then why is it feeling like we are one step forward and ten steps backward?

“By now, we expect that a new cabinet independently formed by the President based on merit and other constitutional criteria is made public at the very least, not a situation where few members of the cabal are hiding in shadows trying to handpick their allies and cronies who have contributed to neither the growth of the country nor assist the Party and the Presidential campaign in the run up to the 2019 General Elections”, the group added.

The protesters who came in hundreds with various placards said the protest was the first step to inform the presidency on the need to do away with some persons around the President Buhari.

Also speaking, Head, Social Media of the Buhari Presidential Campaign, Ayo Oyalowo, decried a situation whereby loyal members of the party who worked for the victory of President Buhari would be abandoned after the elections.

He called on leaders of thought in the ruling party not to repeat the mistakes of abandoning the real stakeholders for those who campaigned against the president when its time to make appointments.


Pro-Kyari groups launch counter-offensive

As if pre-planned, the Kyari group immediately launched a counter-protest the following day using the Muhammadu Buhari-Osinbajo Dynamic Support Group MBO-DSG platform.

The pro-Kyari protesters who were at the National Secretariat of the party on Tuesday dismissed insinuations about the existence of a cabal in the presidency.

Led by their National Coordinator, Usman Ibrahim, the protesters acknowledged the exclusive right of the president to appoint his personal aides, advisers and ministers.

According to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari rode on the public trust in 2015 to emerge as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces and has never deviated from his commitment and covenant to the Nigerian project.

“The cabal ideology was introduced into the Nigerian political lexicon from time immemorial and every administration that existed before now have been accused to be under the influence of a perceived cabal; this we view as a familiar song and we felt if our brothers are genuine in their agitations, they would have made their points and register their grouse without sinking into error of language.”


Anti-Kyari protesters, sponsored by
‘Coordinator of Govt Affairs’

Indications of a serious power-play within the nation’s seat of power, Aso Villa became even more pronounced Wednesday in Abuja following a massive protest in support of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and two others by a coalition of support groups within the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.

The pro-Kyari protesters who were also in their hundreds, asked the president to ignore some people they described as ‘blackmailers’ who are being sponsored from within the administration.


Enemy within

Although, the protesters fell short of unveiling the identity of the reported sponsor of the anti-Kyari protests, the support groups who walked from the Unity Fountain to the main entrance of the Presidential Villa laid the blame at the steps of Nigeria’s “Coordinator of Government Affairs”.

In the protest letter submitted to the Villa and read to journalists, the convener of the rally, Dr. Paul Dowells Essen, said “the sabotage within the corridors of power is becoming more alarming with the recent sponsored campaign against Mr. President under the guise of Mamman Daura, Ismaila Funtua and Abba Kyari”.

While calling on the president to ignore those who earlier protested against the trio, the group said if Buhari “is not on the driver’s seat, we would not have enjoyed the N-power , the Conditional Cash Transfer, the Market money”.

“Sir, your Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari is doing well. He is discharging his duty diligently, of course, those who want his office are not ghosts, they are neither PDP members, they are of the APC.

“While it is the right of every individual to aspire, it should be done with every sense of respect for the Office of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Mr. President Sir, you are on the driver’s seat, not on the passenger’s seat as speculated by few members of our Party acting the script of a man who claims to be your supporter, your coordinator, and even the Coordinator of Government Affairs. This shows that, the enemies are within, you must be careful of such persons around you, Sir”, they charged.

President Buhari had relieved most of his appointees especially Cabinet Ministers of their duties on May 28, leaving only presidential aides including Mr Kyari and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha.

Among the current appointees still working in the administration, only Mr Mustapha has the duty of coordinating government affairs or bureaucracy. Usually regarded as “The Presidency”, the Office of the Government of the Federation OSGF is the clearing house of all government policies, ensuring the smooth operation and functioning of government on a daily basis.

Some of his duties as shown on the website of the Office of the SGF include; Coordinating policy design and formulation by Ministries, Departments and Agencies for approval by Government; Serving as Secretary to the Council of State, the Federal Executive Council and other Constitutional Councils, which are chaired by the President; Coordinating the activities of Ministries and Government Agencies on the implementation of Government decisions, policies and programmes and Coordinating the appointments to Headship of Statutory Bodies, Commissions and Agencies by the President among other state duties on behalf of the president.

The group listed other achievements of the administration, saying its intention was to defend and sustain democracy.

“We are members of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC. We are Pro-democracy, we are Pro-Buhari, we believe in your leadership qualities and strength of Governance as you continue to sail the affairs of this entity called Nigeria.

“As a people, we agreed to stand and defend democracy, which we did for sixteen years before clinching power. The sacrifice of every individual is commendable, before, during and after the elections. Some are towards sustainable development, political or economical, the overall interest is Nigeria.

“Sir, we observed that, the two persons mentioned in a protest against you, Mamman Daura and Ismaila Funtua are not government appointees. They are patriotic Nigerians and must not be related with the Governance of the Country as Mr. President is fully in charge of the Government.

“The infrastructural architecture of Nigeria is reviving with massive road construction across the country, the anchor borrowers programme which has not only increased local production of rice, but has ended the importation of expired rice into the country. Your government is rapidly eradicating poverty, empowering women etc.

“Your Excellency Sir, because you are in charge of your Government, we have defeated Boko Haram and have suppressed other insurrection. The implementation of the Niger Delta Amnesty Program, engaging kidnapping and banditry in a fierce battle and we are winning the war; the arrest of Evans in Lagos, and multitude of kidnappers along Kaduna road and Zamfara State to mention but few.

“Your Excellency Sir, our democracy must be sustained, somebody is trying to paint your image in a bad light after achieving so much in the last four years. We cannot fold our arms and allow few individuals ruin the Country by blackmailing Mr. President in a view to box him to the corner”.

It remains to be seen who will blink first since the president in his usual manner is not likely to intervene promptly to rein in his men.

By Emmanuel Onani


The Police Service Commission (PSC) has shortlisted 210,150 applicants for screening exercise for the ongoing recruitment into the Police Force.

This comes after months of silence – beyond the opening of recruitment portal – on the presidential directive for the recruitment of 10,000 police personnel, to boost the manpower need of the police, which has remained grossly inadequate.

The commission, in a statement by its Head, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, said the exercise will hold between July 1 and 28.
A breakdown of the number showed that 182,926 applicants are males, while 27,224 others are females.

“The screening of shortlisted applicants for recruitment into the Constable Cadre of the Nigeria Police Force, by the PSC, will hold from Monday, July 1, to July 28th, 2019 in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The commission has the approval of Mr. President to recruit 10,000 Nigerians into the Nigeria Police Force.

“210,150 successful applicants have been shortlisted for the screening exercise and letters of invitation stating venue, date and requirements for the screening, sent to the email addresses of the applicants at the time of submitting their applications. “The commission received 315,032 applications at the close of its recruitment portal on Friday, January 11, 2019,” the PSC said.

The commission noted that Niger State has the highest number of applicants, with Lagos being the state with the lowest entries.
“Niger State has the highest number of applicants – 2,247 shortlisted for screening while Lagos State has the least with, 1,305. Kano State has the second highest applicants with, 11,717; Katsina State, third with 11,651; Benue State, fourth, with 10,567; Adamawa State, fifth, with 10,361 and Bauchi State, sixth, with 10,232 applicants.

“Bayelsa State, with 1,414 shortlisted for the screening exercise, is second from the rear after Lagos State. Anambra State is third with 1,415, Ebonyi State fourth with 1,679, and Abia State fifth with 1,880 applicants.

“Out of the 210,150 applicants shortlisted for screening, 182,926 are males while 27,224 others are females,” the commission added.

By Iniabasi Umo, Uyo


Two persons have died while three others have been injured following a clash between Ikot Osute and Ikot Ukpong villages in Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom state over a love affair gone sour. It was gathered that one Ms Ime Etuo who had settled in her father’s compound in Ikot Osute after her divorce from her husband, reunited with her husband and lived with him in her father’s compound.

However, she was said to be involved in a love affair with another man from Ikot Ukpong village against the wish of her husband, and later, chased her husband away. It was learnt that this infuriated youths in her community, and led by one Udeme, the youths beat up the new lover popularly known as ‘chop I chop’ until he died.

A witness, Mr Idongesit Jacob, said in reaction, the Village Head of Ikot Osute, Chief O. Tana, mobilized some youths who seized Udeme and waited for the Police to arrest him Jacob said Udeme however tricked his captors with the claim that he should be released as he was hungry and needed to eat.

But upon his release, Udeme escaped into the bush. “As we were waiting for the Police to arrive from Oruk Anam Police station, the culprit ran away. Efforts by the youths to search for him proved abortive,” he said. It was gathered that when the youths of Ikot Ukpong village learnt that their son had been killed, they left for Ikot Osute village for a reprisal attack.


A fight was said to have ensured between the youths of both villages, and one Idongesit Bassey was shot dead, while two others who sustained varying degrees of bullet wounds were rushed to the Immanuel General Hospital for treatment. Jacob said one Promise Unanaowo later died after being taken away from the hospital by his relatives to a native doctor, in a bid to get the bullet extracted from him.

He said the two communities have been deserted as people have abandoned the villages for refuge in neighbouring communities. He said, “They removed Promise from Immanuel Hospital for the native extraction of bullets and the young man died after the bullets were removed because he could not stool or urinate.”

When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Supol Odiko Macdon, confirmed the casualties, saying the police has mounted surveillance in the area to forestall further hostilities. “The police has mounted surveillance in the area to forestall further hostilities but would arrest suspects for investigations and bring the culprits to book,” he noted.

By Taiwo Amodu


The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, is far from surviving the plot to ease him out of office, Sunday Tribune can authoritatively reveal.

There is a fresh move to kick him out of the party’s national secretariat coming on the eve of his one year in office as party’s chairman.

A party source told Sunday Tribune that APC governors tabled a demand for a change in the party’s leadership while meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari during the week.

Kebbi State governor and chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, led his colleagues to the meeting.

It was gathered that the APC governors, at the meeting with President Buhari, expressed concern over the ongoing power tussle at the party’s national secretariat and pleaded for his intervention.

The source revealed that a meeting of its statutory organs, the national caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) might be convened to discuss the cold war between Oshiomhole and his deputy.

Prodded for the name of likely replacement if the governors succeeded in their putsch against the former Edo State governor, the source disclosed that “the governors are shopping for a replacement behind the president.


“They are restricting their choice to the South- South zone. They aren’t looking in the direction of the South- West and they don’t trust the South- East with the number one position in the party.”

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, could not be reached for comments last night.

His deputy, Yekeen Nabena, however, told Sunday Tribune on phone that he was not aware of any plan for a NEC meeting.

He said: “I am not aware of any plan to hold meeting of NEC. Only the chairman or secretary can call for the meeting.

“We don’t even have a substantive national secretary now. The person we have is acting. So, the power to call the NEC meeting resides with our chairman. The governors can’t force him to call NEC meeting,” he said.


Oshiomhole has been having a running battle with one of his deputies, Senator Lawan Shuaibu, who blamed the party’s poor performance in the general election on Oshiomhole.

Senator Shuaibu, who is the deputy national chairman (North) had, in a recent letter, accused Oshiomhole of excluding other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in the running of the party.

Senator Shuaibu, in the letter dated May 27, 2019, entitled, “APC: its Fortunes VS Misfortunes: Time to Act,” demanded Oshiomhole’s resignation to save the party from what he called imminent collapse.

Shuiabu had since declined invitation to a five-man disciplinary committee set up by Oshiomhole with the deputy national chairman (South), Chief Niyi Adebayo, as chairman.

Senator Shuaibu, who incidentally is from Zamfara State, has since been suspended by a factional executive of the party in the state.

Factional Publicity Secretary, Zamfara State chapter, Mohammed Bakyasuwa, led other officials of the party to the APC national secretariat last week to submit the report which accused both former governor, Abdulazeez Yari and Senator Lawan of breaching Article 21(a) 2014 of the APC constitution.

By Sunday Isuwa, Kauthar Anumba-Khaleel and Solomon Ayado, Abuja and Yusuf Babalola, Lagos



A head of the 2nd July, 2019 resumption date of the two chambers of the National Assembly, President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila are under intense pressure on how to share ‘juicy’ committees to their colleagues, especially those who campaigned for them.
LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that the two chambers of the National Assembly embarked on a three-week recess and will resume on Tuesday, 2nd July, 2019.

But sources said that both Lawan and Femi, who were the preferred choices of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to head the legislative arms before the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly, are now faced with serious dilemma as their colleagues from different political parties scramble for committee chairmanship.

In the Senate, it was gathered that it is not only about the scramble for committees, the battle also is about who emerges as the Senate leader with Abdullahi Adamu, Rochas Okorocha, Orji Uzo Kalu and host of others being considered.
Unlike in the House of Representatives, the Senate under Lawan only constituted home and welfare committee that will arrange for their sitting arrangement and offices.

The 12-member committee, which is to submit it report this week, is chaired by Senator Abba Kyari (Borno North) and is liaising with the management of the National Assembly for the chamber’s sitting arrangement and provision of offices.
LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that despite the scramble for ‘juicy’ committees, the selection committee has not been set up.

“There is a process. A selection committee must be on ground and I can tell you that the committee will be set up immediately the Senate returns from recess,” a source said.

“Well, this will not be an issue. The Senate president has done some appointments recently and these staffers will help him in discharging his duties. There is no cause for alarm. Every interest would be taken care of,” another source close to the Senate president, who is familiar with the present scramble for juicy committees, told our correspondent.

According to him, the Senate president is considering competence for every office, and that sharing of committees will not reflect political platforms lawmakers belongs to.
“I can’t say anything about the issue of who becomes the next leader of the Senate because it will be a collective decision of the ruling party and the senators,” the source added.

The Special Assistant to the President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Mohammed Isa could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives are also intensely jostling for chairmanship of ‘juicy’ standing committees of the House.

Members, especially those who supported Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila during his campaign, are reportedly reaching out to him to consider them for specific committees.

It would be recalled that the speaker had urged all members who are interested in specific Standing Committees in which they have competence to submit their resume for consideration during the inauguration of three ad-hoc committees.

The resume will the basis upon which chairmanship and membership of committees will be constituted.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the lawmakers, who are mostly returning for another term, have been lobbying the speaker and his deputy, Ahmed Wase, to consider them for headship of some select committees.

A member hinted that while the speaker is giving them audience, he is also making efforts to ensure that those grounded in the workings of respective committees head them.

The lawmaker, who was at the forefront of the speaker’s campaign, also noted that the speaker was poised to make committees very vibrant and active, hence his insistence on lawmakers’ resume.

“Members are lobbying and meeting the speaker to be chairmen but he has made us understand that it won’t be business as usual. The speaker wants those who are qualified in different sectors to be chairmen.

“And I want to tell you that he has also assured that unlike past practices where members get to be chairmen just because of their personal relationship with the speaker or deputy speaker, competence will be the major factor to appointing chairmen. As someone who has been in the House, the speaker said he wants round pegs in round holes as that is one way to make sure we carry out our oversight functions effectively”, he stated.

Another lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that lobbying might not necessarily work this time as the speaker is looking to work with all members across party lines, adding that “he wants to move away from the norm”.

On the position of the party’s national chairman on chairmanship positions, the lawmaker stated that elections were over and it was time for the House to work as an institution to move the country forward.

“Yes, our chairman said that only members of the APC will chair committees, but like I’m sure you’ve heard and know, it doesn’t work like that and the speaker has reiterated that the 9th House will be all-inclusive. Every party will be represented. It is okay for members to lobby but, like I said, I doubt if it will work under Gbajabiamila.”

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that the speaker had stated that committees would be unfolded in the coming weeks and that he intended to carry the opposition along.

Gbajabiamila said, “You heard my inaugural speech; we are going to be doing things differently. We are going to build on whatever the achievements are of the 8th Assembly”.

It was also gathered that some lawmakers have employed underground measures to achieve their aims with some resorting to using the Presidency to intervene on their behalf while others, especially those who worked to ensure the emergence of the Speaker, are appealing for juicy committees as a way of compensation.

At the moment, it is very difficult to name those who may be appointed, but a very critical lawmaker that would be appointed into a juicy committee is the director general of Gbajabiamila/Wase campaign organisation, Abdulmumin Jibril.

According to sources, all lawmakers who were part of the Gbajabiamila speakership campaign would be appointed into ‘juicy committees.’

The Selection Committee is chaired by the Speaker, Gbajabiamila, why the adhoc committees on Welfare and Media are headed by Wale Raji (APC-Lagos) and Khadijat Abbah-Ibrahim (APC-Yobe).

Meanwhile, the battle for who becomes the minority Leader in the House of Representatives has caused serious division among the lawmakers elected under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Already, many lawmakers in the House of Representatives are jostling for the principal officer’s job and are employing all political strategies to undo another. The lawmakers who are all experienced in the legislative business have formed varied camps.

Findings revealed that electing a minority leader must be based on ranking and the wealth of experience of the lawmaker. The position of minority leader is said to have been zoned to South-South.

According to LEADERSHIP Sunday findings, in order of ranking, Hon Nicholas Mutu (PDP Delta), who has been in the House since 1999, has not shown interest in the job.

Other lawmakers who are in the race are Leo Ogor and Essien Ayi who were elected in 2003, and Ndudi Elumelu (2007), Kingsley Chinda (2011), Nicholas Ossai (2011) respectively.

A usually authoritative source in the House of Representatives has reliably informed LEADERSHIP Sunday that over 80 members of the minority parties in the chamber have endorsed their preferred principal officers and will soon unveil them to the House leadership.

It was gathered that a third term member from a state in the South South has been endorsed by over 80 members of PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Other minority parties that gave their endorsement also included the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

A fourth term member from Kaduna State has also been endorsed as deputy minority leader while another fourth term member from the South East has been tipped for the position of minority whip .

Since the two slots to the South are occupied by Christians, a Muslim from South West was endorsed for Deputy Minority Whip for balance.
The resolution of the caucus is to be presented for affirmation and communicated to the leadership of all the minority parties in the House .

“This development has clearly shown that the selection of the minority principal officers is not a preserve right of one political party.

“The Southwest slot is likely to be occupied by a ranking legislator from a state where PDP is not performing well so that the legislator can be rallying point and raise the party in the state,” the source said yesterday.

However, investigation further revealed that most of the opposition members who were picked for the minority principal offices openly supported the emergence of Hon. Gbajabiamila as speaker.

by Dare Odufowokan,




PLAN by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to probe its members for voting the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the recent election of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President as well as the House of Representatives Speaker and Deputy Speaker is now causing ripples in the opposition party.

Although the PDP directed its members to back Alhaji Ali Ndume for Senate President and Umar Bago for House of Reps Speaker, the result of the elections showed that many of the lawmakers ignored their party’s directive.

Spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologondiyan, told reporters at the end of the 86th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party that a committee would soon be set up to unravel the roles played by PDP legislators in the election of the leadership of the National Assembly.

Ologbondiyan’s announcement is now causing disquiet within the party with members taking different positions.

Earlier during the meeting, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, had condemned what he called the disloyal attitude of PDP senators and Reps members who defied the directives of the opposition party and voted for Senator Ahmed Lawan and Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Shortly after Lawan and Gbajabiamila emerged winners the PDP had first said it would not sanction its senators and members of the House of Representatives for not heeding the directive of the party on the candidates to vote for during the election.

The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, said, “There is nothing new in what happened and it is not unexpected… There is no reason to sanction anyone and come to think of it, it was an open secret balloting which does not leave room for identifying who voted for or against the party’s directive.”

Hours to the NASS leadership elections, the PDP had adopted Senator Ali Ndume and Hon. Umar Bago as its choices for Senate President and Speaker respectively. It thereafter directed its members in the upper and lower chambers to vote accordingly. However, many Senators and Reps elected on the platform of the party defied the directives and voted for other candidates.

In the contest, Senator Lawan garnered 79 votes to beat PDP backed Ndume, who scored 28 votes. Also, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC defeated Senator Ike Ekweramadu of the PDP in the election of the Deputy Senate President, scoring 68 votes to his opponent’s 37 votes. Gbajabiamila floored PDP’s choice, Bago. The results confirmed that many PDP lawmakers gave their votes to the APC backed candidates contrary to PDP’s directives.

“This is easy to establish because both Ndume and Ekweremadu did not secure the entire 44 votes of the PDP senators. Bago’s total vote scored also fell extremely short of the numbers of members we have in the House of Representatives,” a party source told our correspondent while justifying the decision of the party to investigate the voting pattern of its members, and possibly punish erring members at the end of the investigations.

He expressed displeasure at what it called the embarrassed by the roles played by some PDP members in the National Assembly during the election. “Their personal interest clashed with party interest, and they failed to do what is expected of them by allowing personal interests to drown that of the party. The party is indeed embarrassed and our leaders have decided to ensure that henceforth, party discipline is taken seriously,” he added.

Sources told The Nation that many chieftains of the party are opposed to moves to probe the matter.

According to very reliable party sources, Secondus’ decision to announce a committee that will probe the voting pattern of the lawmakers is at best a “personal opinion backed by a few aggrieved party leaders who suffered personal losses due to the outcome of the elections.”

A party leader from the southeastern part of the country confided in our correspondent that some PDP governors have expressed their dissatisfaction with the announcement ,and urged the party leadership to put the development behind it and concentrate on providing quality opposition to the ruling APC.

It was also learnt that many PDP Senators and Reps members have vowed not to appear before the committee if ever constituted.

“Take for example, the governor of my state who openly endorsed Gbajabiamila when the later visited him; will he allow federal lawmakers from his state to be ridiculed by the committee? A ranking Senator from a South-South state went round with Senator Lawan during the campaign for Senate Presidency, what will the party do about that? The senator has even vowed not to appear before the committee.

“Aside governors and Senators, many party chieftains were taken by surprise to hear the announcement by Secondus.

“He didn’t consult widely before saying what he said. Don’t also forget that when he was asked a few days after the election of Lawan and Gbajabiamila if the PDP would punish its members who voted for the duo, he said the party would not do anything of such. That is exactly his personal opinion.

“We have it on good authority that the new decision to probe and punish is the idea of one of our governors in the South-south who felt personally insulted by the outcome of the elections. This governor, had also without consulting others, influenced the last minute directive given by Secondus to our legislators to vote Ndume and Bago. They think they own PDP. More shocks await them.”

The Nation gathered that some PDP governors, senators and other chieftains have formally protested to the National Chairman, expressing their objection to the decision to probe the outcome of the NASS leadership election. It was gathered that many of them warned the national leadership of the party to avoid any action capable of throwing the party into a fresh crisis while urging it to rescind its decision to investigate ‘a dead issue that is of no significance to the growth of the party.’

By Cajetan Mmuta, Johnchuks Onuanyim and Ojieva Ehiosun



The political rivalry between the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his predecessor in office, who doubles as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has taken a new dimension and now taking a toll on the political harmony in the state. The political hostility, aimed at determining who is in control of the state, had hitherto been in the realm of speculation, until now as the supporters and traducers of the godfather and the godson recently took the ‘war’ to the state House of Assembly. The cold war took a new dimension last Monday following the purported swearing- in of nine members of the state House of Assembly, out of the 24 lawmakers elected to make laws for the state

In a carefully orchestrated plan, the assembly was inaugurated on Monday night and only the nine members said to be loyal to Obaseki, were available when the Clerk of Assembly, Alhaji Audu Omogbai, inaugurated the House. The factional nine thereby elected Mr. Frank Okiye from Esan North East I as Speaker, and Yekini Idiaye of Akoko-Edo I as Deputy Speaker, and immediately adjourned till July 17. The ‘Oshiomhole group of 15’ however kicked, insisting that the election was a nullity and went ahead to elect their own speaker, even as the governor has shown open support for the minority group by publicly congratulating the group of nine. ‘


Oshiomhole 15’ runs to Abuja, wooed with cash, cars

The situation has now led to a full blown division within the APC as checks by Saturday Telegraph last night revealed that the ‘Oshiomhole 15’ have relocated to Abuja to avoid being attacked by hoodlums allegedly sponsored by the state, just as our correspondents gathered that there are intense consultations and lobby from the state government to bring the 15 into the fold under the leadership of Okiye. Sources close to the ‘Oshiomhole 15’ informed Saturday Telegraph that the group was already being wooed by the government while negotiations are ongoing to give them between N5m and N10m with a Pajero SUV each. One of the lawmakers who confirmed the imformation, said that the battle is not being orchestrated by Oshiomhole but they are fighting a just cause.

He said: “Some of us still have integrity, Oshiomhole has no hands in this crisis. We are only fighting for the children yet unborn and this fight must stand.

“They are begging us with N5m for those of us they believe have less influence and N10m for others that are strong. We have relocated to Abuja because they want to kill us; they sent thugs after us,” he said. The source also informed that there is pressure on Okiye by some key stakeholders in the APC to ensure that the Clerk carries out another inauguration ceremony for the group of 15 on Monday. Both sides are now trading blames as the crisis continues to rage. While a section blame Oshiomhole for not speaking out since the imbroglio began, the group loyal to Obaseki insists the governor must be allowed to go for a second term The situation has led to a sharp division among the political class in the state and they are now giving different reactions and interpretations to the situation. While some call the assembly crisis a comedy, satire, melodrama, others say it is a political quagmire and a show of political power by the incumbent governor who wants to tell his former boss that he has come of age and now charge of affairs in the state.

We have no reason to induce anyone, says govt The state government however denied the allegation, saying that there is no need to induce the lawmakers either in cash or kind. Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, the Special Adviser (Media) to governor, Crusoe Osagie, said It was a blatant lie. “Why do we need to induce anyone? The EDHA has already been inaugurated and the main principal officials have been elected. All these were done independently and that is all that is important to us as the executive arm. “These are two independent arms of government and as the executive arm, we do not meddle with the affairs of the other arms of government. We are happy that the House has been inaugurated and a substantive speaker and deputy speaker have been elected meaning that legislative functions are actively being carried out in the House. “All other discussions will take place only among the members and executives of the EDHA. The governor and the executive arm have absolutely nothing to do with their internal affairs in the legislature”, he said.


I’m ashamed of Obaseki – Oshiomhole

Speaking last night when he received APC memberselect of the Bauchi Assembly, Oshiomhole said: “Unfortunately, the situation in Bauchi is also similar to the one that is happening in Edo State. I am ashamed to talk about it but there is nothing to hide. “We have a similar situation in Edo where in our own case we have 24/24 all of them APC but somebody wants a particular person as a Speaker, 19 out of 24 are opposed to this person.” We have a similar situation in Edo where in our own case we have 24/24 all of them APC but somebody wants a particular person as a Speaker, 19 out of 24 are opposed to this person.

They them decide to carry 6 members into the house who were willing why they invited the other ones as if for dinner only to arrive and be bundled into a vehicle, some of them in their nickers to be innauguared at 9.30pm. ”I have briefed the President in full having met with you earlier in the day when you shared with me the details. I have had conversations with the governor so I have all the facts. We members of the NWC have met with the IGP after deliberating on the issues. ”We will prevail on him to ensure that the police do not provide security for an illegal act, because the worst form of robbery is political robbery, it is worse than robbing people of their property.

“If you rob people of their right to govern, the people of Bauchi in their wisdom have chosen to entrust the leadership of the Bauchi State House of Assembly in the hands of the APC by voting for 21 of you while they allow PDP Only 10. That is that APC should control the legislature. There is nothing anybody can do in a democracy to change the fact.”


It’s a descent into anarchy, say Oshiomhole supporters

Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, one of the supporters of Oshiomhole, Mr. Henry Idahagbon, said the purported swearing in and inauguration of nine members was “nothing but Wake and See”, a popular slogan for Obaseki’s kind of politics. He said: “It signals a descent to anarchy in our dear state, and it shows the hypocritical disposition of the governor. He has ceded his authority and power to the deputy who is now the defacto governor. The inauguration cannot stand; it was done by the minority members and outside the sitting hours of the Assembly. It is a charade, the minorities have their say, and the majority will have their way in no distant time. “It also shows the how myopic those people are politically. In this democratic era, things are done according to the constitution of the land, no governor or president is bigger than the constitution, those of them there are just buying time. “I am a lawyer, I know what the law says, Edo people are peace-loving people, we do not want anything that will derail our democracy, and the right thing should be done so that the legislative arm of government will hit the ground running”, Idahagbon said.

In the same vein, an APC chieftain, Tony Adun (aka kabaka), said those in support of Oshiomhole were not worried but waiting for the appropriate time to change the government. “We are worried about what is happening in our state. What we know is that Obaseki has failed the people, most especially those who worked tirelessly to ensure that he became governor. We are very loyal to our National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and on him we stand. Whoever the party brings out for 2020 governorship election is the person we will give our support to”, Kabaka asserted.

Also, a party chieftain from Edo North, who refused to be named, said what happened in Benin on Monday night was nothing but a foolish display of power by Obaseki. “When comrade was the governor of the state, things were not done this way, he did not divide the party that brought into power. And you cannot fight your master and succeed. No matter what people say about Oshiomhole, he is one governor that Edo people will not forget. Oshiomhole made so many people and brought democratic dividends to the door step of Edo people. “Obaseki has just invited more trouble for himself. How can you inaugurate just nine assembly members out of 24? What it means is that we do not want the problem to be resolved. Oshiomhole is a leader as far as APC is concerned in Nigeria. The files starts and ends on his table, he is a strategist and I know that when the time comes for the 2020 election, we will know where to belong”, he said.


Obaseki in order, says commissioner, factional speaker, others

But the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Paul Ohonbanmu, disagree with those in Oshiomhole’s camp, insisting that the governor has done the right thing, while justifying the inauguration of the Assembly. “Those castigating our governor are pure enemies of development. Our governor did not impose any leadership on the House; he was only aligning with the party’s position. Our governor is working, and for him to deliver the dividends of democracy to the good people of Edo State, he needs the legislative arm of government to get on board.

“We cannot afford a repetition of what happened in the past, a situation where there were four speakers in the House within four years. The lawmakers are happy with the newly elected Speaker of the House. We are very comfortable with the arrangement. A speaker has been elected for Edo Assembly and I appeal to all Edo people to support Mr. Governor to enable him to deliver the goods”, he said. In the same vein, the factional speaker, Hon. Frank Okiye, said he and his group were ready to take up the challenges and prepared to deal with the complexity associated with the current situation. “We are set to commence work immediately. As legislators, we are ready to collaborate with the executives for easy delivery that will lead to greater Edo through motions and bills. There is no course for alarm; we are equal to the task.

Toeing the speaker’s line, one of the newly elected lawmakers, Hon. Washington Osifo, said Obaseki is working and should be supported at all levels of governance. “You will agree with me that the tenure of the 6th Assembly members expired on June 7th 2019, so by the virtue of Section 105 (3) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, requires the governor to immediately issue a letter of proclamation for the inauguration of the new Assembly to avoid vacuum. “So what the state governor has done is in order. My advice to my colleagues is for them to join hands with us so that we can move this state forward”, Osifo said.


APC condemns inauguration

The APC national leadership has however condemned the inauguration and election of the speaker describing it as a charade, while calling on the state governor to issue a proper letter of proclamation to the clerks for proper inauguration. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement, said: “The APC condemns the charade being presented as the inauguration of new houses of assembly in Edo and Bauchi states. “We viewed this illegality with shock and disappointment. As a party that has made a commitment to change, we strongly reject any attempt to take recourse to brigandage of the past, when democratic practices were defined by the inordinate whims of people in power.

“Democracy must be governed by the rule of law. A situation where 11 lawmakers in the 31-member Bauchi State House of Assembly and nine lawmakers in the 24-member Edo State House of Assembly were ecretly ‘inaugurated’ and purportedly ‘elect’ principal officers behind closed doors is a joke and an embarrassment. “It is an unfortunate reminder of PDP’s queer brand of democracy. Practices like this are unacceptable under APC-led administration.

As a party that is committed to higher ideals, we would use all democratic means necessary to ensure the right thing is done.” Issa-Onilu also referred to the recent inauguration and election of Principal Officers of the 9th National Assembly as a standard, as he said, “Perhaps the actors in the inauguration sham in Edo and Bauchi need to be reminded of the recent and widely-commended election of presiding officers in the newly-inaugurated 9th National Assembly. Our party has set new standards in party politics by upstaging the rule of force, while upholding the rule of law. “It needs restating that every elected lawmaker has a legitimate right to participate unhindered in the inauguration of the legislative arm in which he/she belongs.

The plot to arm-twist the majority in favour of the minority in the legislative arm died with the defeat of the PDP in 2015.” Advising the governors, the party called on Obaseki and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed to urgently do the needful by issuing a proper letter of proclamation to allow for the lawful inauguration of their respective states House of Assembly and subsequent election of presiding officers in a transparent manner.”


‘Obaseki 9’ says no to APC

But in a swift reaction, the leadership of the Edo Assembly faulted the stance of the APC, noting that the party lacked the powers to adjudicate on the election of house leadership. In a statement issued last night, the factional speaker, Okiye, said, “the APC lacks the powers to adjudicate on constitutional functions of the legislature.

“We have read with disappointment the flip-flop of the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, on the issue of the election of the leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly. We recall very clearly that, he said that the APC has a structure, noting that the state chapter of the party was in the best position to intervene in the issue.”

Okiye quoted the APC publicity secretary as saying in a newspaper publication: “It is not every issue that the national leadership responds to. That is why we have structure; you can relate to the APC in the state. I can’t respond to that; we have structure. It has not gotten to what the media was trying to make it look like. “In about 48 hours, his stance has dramatically changed. He declared that the national leadership of the party is disappointed with the emergence of rt. Hon. Frank Okiye as Speaker of the 7th Edo State House of Assembly, calling it ‘a charade’ and an ‘illegality.’ “This sudden u-turn leaves us wondering if it was the same Mallam Issa- Onilu with his faculties intact speaking or if it is somebody else with vested interests that is speaking through him.”


‘Oshiomhole 15’ reacts

In the same vein, the spokesman of the group of 15, Mr. Washington Osifo last night challenged the APC to speak out more forcefully over the matter, now that there is a ceasefire between both sides. He said the members elect were fighting a cause they believe in, pointing out that “whatever we do must be borne out of good conscience. On the collection of Code of Conduct form and other relevant documents as pointed out by Okiye, Osifo stated that his group were among those that first collected, filled and submitted the forms even before the speaker. He maintained that what the government is attempting, is to exclude the majority “in order to ensure that the minority continues to rule and that we will not accept. “If there are things to be said, the party should speak. I am more interested in the process than the outcome; it is about the issue of credibility. You cannot promote minority over the majority.

We resolve in favour of those we represent. The truth is that we will not accept the situation where the minority will rule over the majority. We have collected the form even before Okiye collected with date and time even before the kangaroo thing they did and that is not an issue; this things are there for people to see,” Osifo added.

By Adamu Abuh,



The Presidency may have acceded to the alleged request of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) to only pick ministers with leanings to the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to investigation.It was gathered yesterday that the decision may have been informed by the need to avert the 2015 incident where President Muhammadu Buhari picked his cabinet without recourse to the political party.

A chieftain, who craved anonymity, yesterday said: “Rest assured that the mistake of 2015 where the real party men were sidelined would not happen again. We have learnt our lessons. The party is deeply involved in the selection process. “I won’t tell you the criteria we are using but all I know is that virtually all of them would not be strange faces to us. Those who worked for the victory of the party would not suffer in vain this time around.”

Efforts to reach the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, for comments were futile.This comes as the party’s youths under the aegis of Conference by APC Stakeholders yesterday faulted Senate President Ahmed Law over the appointment of his personal aides.

Spokesperson of the group, Mr. Abu Andrew, described his choices as heartbreaking and disappointing, alleging that those who made the list were known “antagonists and acerbic critics of President Muhammadu Buhari and Lawan himself.”

He urged the number three citizen to retrace his steps by appointing those who worked assiduously not only for his emergence but also for the success of the APC at the last polls.

The youths maintained: “No doubt, the appointments are glaring reward for people who have not only insulted the person of President Muhammadu Buhari but also severally maligned the integrity of the office he occupies.“Even for supporting Senator Lawan to be Senate President, these new appointees did not spare the President. Now that Senator Lawan has achieved his ambition, it is disheartening to see that the very people he puts forward as beneficiaries of his new position are those who condemned and vilified those who supported him to attain the position in the first place.

“The appointments made by Senate President Lawan so far have made every rational youth of APC who championed the campaign for his Senate presidency to question their choice.” It added: “When the Senate President we all supported with our hearts and worked for wholeheartedly begins to compensate enemies of the government, those of the party and indeed those of the same President Buhari who endured insults for backing him for the position, then the devil himself must be celebrated for doing a good job in turning a Senate President we brought in against us so soon and so fast.”

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja



Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of promoting illegality by allowing his 100 aides to remain in office despite the expiration of their tenure.

He noted that the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustafa; his media aides, Garba Shehu and Fem Adesina; and others had continued with their official duties without being re-appointed.

Falana said this in a message he sent to our correspondent on Thursday.

The activist said, “Like ministers, special advisers and other political appointees were appointed by President Buhari for a four-year term of office in 2015. Consequently, the tenure of all the political appointees expired on May 29, 2019 by effluxion of time. Hence, the federal cabinet was dissolved while all ministers were relieved of their appointments at the end of the four-year tenure.

“In the same vein, all other political appointees ought to have been asked to relinquish their positions. Since President has not sacked them or renewed their appointments there has arisen the urgent need to avoid a constitutional crisis whereby the actions of such persons who have continued to occupy offices illegally may be questioned or declared illegal by a court of law.”

Falana urged the President to do needful by immediately sacking the aides he no longer needs or re-appoint them so that they can remain in office as dictated by the constitution.

Another human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had a few weeks ago threatened to approach a Federal High Court for interpretation and enforcement of Section 151 and 171 of the 1999 Constitution following continued stay in office of Buhari’s 100 aides without being re-appointed.

By Justice Iyasere



WARRI – The seat of Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, seemed threatened on Thursday as a witness called by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to testify in the ongoing National Assembly election tribunal sitting in Asaba, agreed that there was a court order and judgment restraining the party from submitting names of candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 general elections.

It would be recalled that a Federal State High Court, in Asaba, had in a judgment on October 17, 2018 ordered the APC in the state not to submit list of candidates to the electoral agency.

APC was sued as third respondent, while INEC and Omo-Agege Ovie Augustine were sued as first and second respondents, respectively, in a petition filed by Oboro Evelyn Omavowan, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the election tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State.

Justice Toyin Adegoke of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, in a ruling on October 17, 2018, ordered the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, INEC, Prophet Jones Erue and the plaintiff, Chief Cyril Ogodo, to maintain status quo and desist from submitting any list of candidates from Delta State from the two factions to INEC till the substantive suit filed was heard.

In what was seen as a total disobedience to a subsisting valid court order, the Prophet Jones Erue’s faction of the APC went ahead to submit list of candidates to INEC on October 18, 2018.

But, during cross-examination by Usman O. Sule, lead counsel to the petitioners (PDP and Hon. Evelyn Omavowan Oboro) on Tuesday, the APC witness Mr. Adehor Ochuko Albert admitted that there was a restraining court order for APC in Delta State not to submit list of candidates to INEC.

Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri


https://sunnewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_20190620_165012.jpg


A female corps member kidnapped early this year by the Boko Haram has been released from the insurgents’ captivity.

Halima Umar, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member was abducted around Gwoza in the south eastern part of Borno early in January by Boko Haram, the military said.

She was rescued after days of military operation and synergy with some partners, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, Brig Gen Abdulmalik Bulama Biu disclosed.

by Oluseyi Awojulugbe



Mele Kyari was named group general manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Thursday by President Muhammadu Buhari.

His appointment will take effect from July 8 when Maikanti Baru, the current GMD will retire.
Kyari comes on board as the 19th GMD of the national oil company.

Before his appointment as GMD, he was the group general manager, crude oil marketing division of the NNPC.


Trained Geologist

Born on January 8, 1965, in Maiduguri, Borno state, he attended Government Community Secondary School, Biu between 1977 and 1982.
He graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology.

He had his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) with the Directorate of Foods, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) between 1987 and 1988 as a well site geologist.


He is not related to Abba Kyari

Although he shares a surname with Abba Kyari, he is not related to the president’s chief of staff.
The new NNPC GMD is of the Kanuri tribe while Abba Kyari is of the Shuwa tribe.


The comrade

Amongst other unionists, Kyari is popularly called ‘Grand Chairman’.

Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) often refer to him as a comrade after he was group chairman of NNPC PENGASSAN.


27 years and counting

He joined the NNPC in 1991 as a processing geophysicist with Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL). In 1998, he was deployed to National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and worked as an exploration geophysicist.

Since then, he has occupied various positions until the most recent as the group general manager, crude oil marketing division


PIB advocate

Kyari led various teams in developing the petroleum industry bill (PIB) that redefined the government’s take in production sharing contracts with oil companies.

He was the secretary of the FG inter-agency team that coordinated the creation of the current basis of the fiscal and regulatory framework of the PIB.

The bill, which is expected to reform the country’s petroleum industry, has been split into four by the 8th assembly. However, none of the bills has been signed into law.

President Buhari declined assent to the petroleum industry governance bill (PIGB), a section of the bill, for constitutional and legal reasons.


‘Mr Transparency’

He was one of the major people that came up with the NNPC’s commodity trading initiative. This initiative makes it possible for the government to know those who are buying the country’s crude and at what prices, and how much has been made.

He created systems to ensure maximum transparency and accountability of crude oil and gas sales in the industry.

Kyari also led the team that proposed and managed the direct sales and direct purchase (DSDP) arrangement of petroleum products from 2016 till date replacing the crude swap arrangement.


The peacemaker

In 2007, he was appointed to head production sharing contracts management in the crude oil marketing division (COMD).

He helped resolve disputes with international oil companies (IOCs) arising from the various interpretation issues with the PSCs.

He was a member of the team that carried out a review of the 1993 PSC process.

He was a member of the team that reconciled the alleged loss of $48 billion and established the actual status of transactions involving NNPC in 2014.

He led the team that determined the tenure of the Amenam/Kpono carry arrangement.
The Borno-indigene also revised and initiated the process for the redetermination of the applicable fiscal regime for the Addax PSC.

As an acting manager, he ensured the reversion of the tax incentives given to the Akpo PSC.

by IBRAHIM SHA'BAN


While congratulatory messages continued to pour in from well-meaning individuals for veteran journalist, Festus Adedayo, who was appointed as spokesperson to the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, prominent members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s kitchen Cabinet and high-ranking APC officials are not pleased with the new appointment, DAILY NIGERIAN has reliably gathered.

A credible source in the Presidency, who will not disclose his name for obvious reasons, affirmed that Mr Adedayo possesses the requisite experience and knowledge to head the media team of Senate President, being a journalist and consummate writer of international standing.

However, they claim he (Festus Adedayo), woefully fail the integrity test of the APC-led central government.

The source told DAILY NIGERIAN that: “Though, many people applauded the Senate President for appointing a media icon and celebrated journalist as his spokesperson, his selection was a sore thumb for some of us in the Presidency as well as the APC party machinery for many reasons. Adedayo cannot be trusted because of his acerbic criticism of the Buhari administration in the recent past and he is not a card-carrying member of APC.

“He is not known to all of us in this campaign team and we wonder why he should be appointed to come and chop the meal after we had fought hard as cooks in preparing the sumptuous meals.”

The source added that barring any unforeseen development and intervention, those pushing for the replacement of the newly appointed Senate President’s spokesperson may have their way.

DAILY NIGERIAN further learnt that other appointments made by the Senate President included Betty Okoroh, Special Assistant on Administration; Mohammed Isa, Special Assistant Media and Publicity; Olu Onemola, Special Assistant on New Media; Tope Brown Olowoyeye, Senior Legislative Aide on Media and Publicity Photography and; Ogechukwu E. Nwankwoh, Legislative Aide on Schedules and Events.

Meanwhile, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has congratulated Festus Adedayo on his appointment as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, and urged him to demonstrate loyalty and integrity on the job.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and secretary, Cassidy Madueke, BMO said Mr Adedayo’s appointment was surprising given his antecedents and his undisguised contempt for the All Progressives Congress, APC, and President Muhammadu Buhari.

“In fact, we’re surprised that Adedayo would consider, let alone accept, an appointment under the APC after all he had done to denigrate and diminish the party before, during and after the February elections.

“This was a man who railed unceasingly at the APC and its Presidential candidate. This is the prophet of doom who predicted the imminent disintegration of Nigeria and that Buhari might be the last President of Nigeria”, the group said.

BMO recalled that the new SA Media to the Senate President had served two People Democratic Party, PDP, governors in the South-west and South-east and wondered when he became a “born-again progressive”.

“We hereby advice the new media aide to demonstrate his loyalty and commitment to the ruling party by immediately going to his Ward to register with the APC and become a card-carrying member of the party.

The group also urged him “to use his office to ensure that the bond between his new boss and President Buhari remains unbroken. We know for a fact that the Senate President has avowed his love and loyalty to President Buhari and has pledged a harmonious working relationship between the National Assembly and the President.

“Nothing must happen to strain or put that relationship in jeopardy”, the group added.



A seasoned journalist and public commentator with an acerbic pen and disdain for injustice and social disorder, Mr Adedayo graduated from University of Lagos with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy; Master’s degree in Political Science and PhD in Political Communication, University of Ibadan all with distinctions.

He had served as spokesperson to Governors of Enugu, Ondo and Oyo States under the platform of PDP and APC respectively.

By Michael Abimboye


Wednesday 19, 2019 was another nail-biting day for Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio at the ongoing National Assembly Tribunal holding at court 5 Metro Road, Uyo.

The senator was all nerves, sitting uncomfortably on plastic sit watching as his witnesses – one after the other – inadvertently admitted to irregularities during the National Assembly election in Ekpenyong wards 1 and 2.

The first witness for the day (W8), Arc. Ubokutom Nyah, fumbled through cross examination. He claimed on oath to be an APC polling agent in Ekpenyong-2, Essien Udim Local Government Area however during cross examination by the lead counsel to PDP, Mr. Solomon Umoh SAN, his attention was drawn to the fact that his party did not submit his name to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as APC polling agent, his shoulder sagged.

Nyah stuttered as his claims fell like a pack cards. While struggling to explain this irregularity, Nyah was confronted with names of accredited party agents by INEC from his unit, but his name was missing. At this point he stood tongue tie not knowing what further explanations to give.

Seconds later, the voters’ register of his unit was presented to him, where he identified his name but insisted that the register before him was not genuine. Consequently, lead counsel to PDP, Solomon Umoh SAN declared before the tribunal that W8 was not a ward agent for APC at 2019 elction.

It was now the turn of Counsel to Senator Chris Ekpenyong, Kanu Agabi, SAN, to cross examine the witness. It was the same story all over again; the witness’ name was conspicuously absent from the voter register submitted to INEC as an agent of the party.

In his feeble defense W8 noted “I was not privy to see the names submitted to INEC but I was given a ward agent tag.”

Asked whether elections held in his ward, Nyah, answered in affirmative that there was accreditation and election in all the units in his ward, however he admitted that he did not witnessed the exercise in all the polling units but only got the reports and results from what he was told by the unit agents.

Next in the witness stand was the ninth witness (W9) for petitioner, Hon Cletus Udo Akpan of Oruk Obong, Ekpenyong Atai ward 1.

During cross examination by Counsel to the PDP, Solomon Umoh, SAN , W9 crumbled as he was unable to locate his name on the INEC voters register. He also could not produce a voter’s card, prompting Umoh to infer that his inability to produce a valid voter’s card means he was not even a registered voter and never voted during election at the said unit contrary to his witness statement.

“My Lord, I put it to him that he is not a registered voter, that is why he did not attach his voter’s card to his witness statement”, Umoh declared.

To make his situation more alarming, Udo Akpan who informed the tribunal that he did not witness announcement of results in the 15 polling units of his ward, confessed that he based his witness statement on oral reports he received from polling unit agents via telephone.

The witness further contradicted himself when he told the tribunal that accreditation took place in all polling units within his ward but from INEC exhibits presented to him, there are no records of accredit action.

After a 30-minute recess, the petitioner called the tenth witness (W10), Raphael Udoma.

Udoma claimed under cross examination that exhibits presented to him which included voter’s register and result sheets from INEC were at variance with the ones actually used at pollling units in his ward during the National Assembly election.

He however admitted that he did not witnessed accreditation and election in all polling units but relied on hearsay and oral reports from his informants.

“I chose to believe my informants who told me that there were elections in their units, I don’t believe the reports contained in the Exhibits from INEC that elections were cancelled. It is shocking”, Raphael Udoma exclaimed.

In response, Counsel to PDP admonished him: “Witness, it is shocking because your informants did not tell you the truth. My Lord, he chose to believe his informants who he only heard from, instead of those INEC certified documents he has seen with his eyes”.

After cross examining W10, the tribunal adjourned the session to sit again on Thursday, June 20, when the petitioner is expected to submit its last set of witnesses.

By Henry Umoru



ABUJA – STRONG Indications have emerged that the National Working Committee, NWC of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is mounting serious pressure on the immediate past Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to be the Minority Leader in the 9th National Assembly.

Vanguard gathered that the delay in producing the list of Principal Officers from the House of Representatives is due to the fact that the former Speaker from Bauchi, North East is refusing the officer, against the backdrop that he wants to be a floor member now.

According to a source, the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus and members of the NWC will today meet with PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives where the list would be finalised and a letter written to the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila to read when the House reconvenes July 2nd.

A source told Vanguard that if Dogara finally accepts to be the Minority Leader, he will replacing Leo Ogor who was the Minority Leader in the 8th House of Representatives.

According to the Source, Chuchu Onyeama may retain his former position of Deputy Minority Leader, same as Yakubu Barde who will retain his position as Minority Whip.

The party will have to look for who becomes the deputy Minority Leader because Binta Bello who occupied that position in the 8th National Assembly, did not make it back.

Recall that the PDP NWC and Senators on the platform of the party, had last week, elected Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abia South as the Minority Leader.

Also elected were Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Taraba South who retained his position as the Deputy Minority Leader, same position he held in the just concluded 8th Senate.

Senator Philip Aduda, FCT also retained his position as Chief Whip, a position he occupied in the 8th Senate.

Senator Clifford Ordia, Edo Central was elected the Deputy Minority Whip.

Senator Emmanuel Paulker, Bayelsa Central was the Deputy Whip in the 8th Senate following the elevation of Senator Biodun Olujimi, Ekiti from deputy whip to Minority Leader when Senator Godswill Akpabio left, having dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC

The human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, has accused the state governments, especially those being controlled by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), of insincerity in the fight against corruption in the country.

He said that was why none of them (except Kano State) out of the 20 states being controlled by the party, constituted a formal structure to fight corruption.

Falana stated this, on Tuesday, in Kano, while delivering a keynote paper at a two-day stakeholders’ dialogue on corruption in Nigeria.

The programme, organised by the ActionAid Nigeria, with the theme: “Enhancing Citizens’ Effective Participation in the Fight Against Corruption,” has representatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission(ICPC), National Orientation Agency and so forth, as discussants.

According to Falana, only Kano State among all the 20 APC controlled states and indeed in the entire country that has been able to establish Anti- Corruption Commission as an agency to fight corruption at the state level.

“But if we are to fight corruption effectively as a country, the job shouldn’t be only that of the Federal Government, ” he said. “Even at the federal level too, Federal Government has too much control over EFCC and ICPC such that they are selective in their probes.”

Falana however, believes that even at that, what government would need to be more concerned about is wealth creation rather than pursuing corruption here and there.

He also asked Federal Government to give at least N1 billion each from the N606 billion recovered through the whistleblowing policy and other looted funds to every local government council for development purposes.

He said Nigeria real problem started with the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme by the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida in 1986 when public assets were sold to wealthy individuals who he said had no interest of the masses at hearts.

He, however, urged citizens to start demanding for their rights as enshrined in the constitution from public office holders rather than folding their hands watching, saying that is the only way to cause real development in the country.

Earlier, the Chairman, Kano State Public Complaint and anti- Corruption Commission, Malam Magaji Rimingado, on a sideline, said, his led agency is only awaiting the police findings on the recent case of Gorila swallowed N6.8 million and that of robbery incident at the state zoological garden.

He said once the police concluded their investigations on a case of robbery at the place, the agency would find out why such huge amount of money should be kept in the zoo when it is not a bank and ensured it gets to the root of the matter.

On why his led commission spared the state governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje , from investigation and possible prosecution over an alleged bribery collection from state contractors, he said apart from the fact that governor had immunity covering him from such action, the commission was not carried along by the journalists who investigated the governor.

On her part, country’s director, ActionAid, Nigeria, Mrs Ene Obi, said the issue of corruption in government circle and also in private sector was not only disturbing but increasingly killing us to death as a country.

She said corruption had distorted competition and trade, reduced investments and slowed development, widened economic and social inequalities, heightened injustice and insecurity and that it was high time for citizens to rise up and demanded accountability, especially from the public office holders across tiers of government.

By Ismail Mudashir


As Nigerians await the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari, tagged ‘Next Level’ to take shape, his wife, Aisha, seems to have overtaken him by unveiling her new official title to suit the new level, Daily Trust on Sunday reports. The change of her official title from wife of the president to the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria punctured the president’s 2014 pledge to Nigerians.

Daily Trust on Sunday recalls that Buhari had in 2014 before he was elected for a first term, said he wanted to scrap the office of the first lady. Hinging his decision on the country’s constitution, Buhari said he would not have an office for first lady if elected. He went ahead to say that there was no official role for presidents’ wives in the constitution.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that to fulfil his pledge when he assumed office in 2015, his wife’ was given the title: Wife of the President, against the usual First Lady.

Throughout the first tenure, the title was maintained and wives of governors followed suit across the country. Aisha Buhari who announced the change of her official title during an award night and dinner organised in honour of governors’ wives at the State House, said, “When my husband was elected newly, I personally chose to be called the Wife of the President.

“But, I have realised that it causes confusion from the states as to whether the wives of state governors are to be addressed as the first ladies or wives of the governors.”

Daily Trust on Sunday reports in the last three weeks, Aisha Buhari, who’s the 14th first lady so far produced in the country, has always been in the news for various reasons. Buhari and Obasanjo have had two different first ladies during their military and civilian eras.Under the late Shehu Shagari, there was none.


Uproar over N.7m attire

Before the change of her official title, Aisha Buhari was in the news over the N.7m attire she wore on Tuesday during the Democracy Day dinner/gala night at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. She stole the show with her Oscar De La Renta silk-crepe cape-back caftan. The event was attended by foreign leaders, governors, diplomats, security chiefs, among others.

Hours after her outing, the cost of the attire became the topic of discussion in the social media. The attire, according to an online store, goes for $2,145, equivalent of N772,200, at N360 per dollar. The initial price of the attire was $4,290 (N1,544,400.)


First Lady’s lamentation on banditry

Ten days earlier, the president’s wife was in the news when she raised alarm over the deteriorating security in the country. In the home state of the President, Aisha, who hails from Adamawa State, said it would be unfortunate for people who voted wholeheartedly for her husband to be allowed to be killed unnecessarily by bandits.

She said people must speak out as the killings were worrisome and that if not tackled they could end up consuming everyone. “When the Katsina SSG spoke out, I sent it to all security outfits in the country. I told them it’s either they go and help out or allow us all to be killed. It is a must for people to come out and speak.

Anything that is not right; people should say it, no matter what,” she said. Her lamentation came at a time the Magajin Garin Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, is languishing in the custody of kidnappers. Alhaji Uba, a senior counsellor in Daura Emirate, has spent over 46 days with his abductors. He is an in-law of the Presidnet.


Attack on Buhari’s SIP

Four days to the swearing in of her husband for a second, the first lady faulted the implementation of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme (SIP). At an interactive programme for women at the State House, Abuja, she said the programme which had gulped N470.8bn had failed in the North.

The SIPs are the N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer, National Home-Grown School Feeding and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programmes (GEEP). Annually, the Federal Government budgets N500bn for social investment. However, in 2016 only N79.98bn was released, 2017 N140bn and in 2018, N250.4bn was released.

Aisha said, “Concerning the N500bn voted for SIP, that was part of 2015 campaigns where they promised to give out N10,000, feed pupils in primary schools and give N5,000 to the poorest of the poorer. “The SSA to the President on Social Investment is a lady from Kano, and I’m sure that my husband decided to put somebody from Kano because of the population and political impact it made. I have never asked how the money is being used or is being given out.

I met barrister (one of the President’s aides on SIP) once and he promised me that for my state (Adamawa) we should get 30,000 women to be given N10,000. Up till now I haven’t heard from him. “I don’t want to raise alarm that my state does not benefit from it, where the SGF came from, I kept quiet because I don’t want people to say that I talk too much. “Recently, I saw a 74-year-old man selling petty things in Kano, I asked him how much his capital was, he told me between N3,000 and N4,000. Don’t forget that we have campaigned to give the poorest of the poor N5,000 every month.

“So I don’t know where the social investment is. Maybe, It worked out in some states. In my own state, only a local government benefited out of the 22.

I didn’t ask what happened and I don’t want to know, but for it to fail woefully in Kano, it’s not a good sign and it’s not a good thing. We have a lot of women that do business locally due to cultural things in the North. They are at home doing their businesses.

Some are millionaires, some have thousands of naira, they need the assistance, but they do not get it. Most northern women do not belong to any market association. “I was expecting that N500bn to be utilised in different methods in the North for the aim to be achieved.

I don’t know the method they used, but most of the northern states did not get it. My state did not get it.” Previously, she attacked her husband’s administration. She drew worldwide attention when she criticised him in an October, 2016, interview with the BBC, saying she feared his administration was veering from its mandate to the people.

She also expressed doubt that of whether she would support him if he sought re-election unless he implemented immediate changes in personnel and policies. But on the eve of this year, she constituted a campaign team for him despite her threat. The team, with about 700 members drawn from across the country, was inaugurated by President Buhari and it played key role in his re-election.

Adelani Adepegba , Abuja



About three weeks after leaving office, former governors, ministers and lawmakers have yet to return their diplomatic passports .

According to the law , holders of such passports are required to return them to the Nigeria Immigration Service at the expiration of their tenure .

But findings by Saturday PUNCH on Friday indicated that most of the holders of the diplomatic passports were illegally holding on to them .

A diplomatic passport holder has free access to diplomatic lounges and consul licence number plate , among other privileges.

Our correspondent also learnt that ex -commissioners , top Federal Civil Service officials and council bosses were among those yet to surrender their diplomatic passports .

It was learnt that only former presidents , vice -presidents and heads of states are qualified to hold on to their diplomatic passports for life .

Other political appointees or officials of government cease to hold the document as soon as they are out of office.

The Comptroller - General of Immigration , Muhammad Babandede , had earlier told our correspondent in an interview that former lawmakers who did not return their diplomatic passports would not receive their severance packages.

He said he had written to the National Assembly to tie payment of such ex -lawmakers ’ terminal benefits to the return of the diplomatic passports issued to them .

Babandede added that the passports would be seized at the airport from all ineligible persons.
He said, “ For the incoming National Assembly members , we have written to the Clerk ( of the National Assembly ) that they should tie their benefits to the return of their diplomatic passports .

“ Any member of the Senate or House of Representatives leaving office must return their diplomatic passport before getting their severance benefits . The clerk has accepted the condition .”

When asked about the level of compliance to the directive by ineligible holders of the diplomatic and official passports , spokesman for the NIS , Sunday James , said, “ Our lawmakers and officials are responsible Nigerians and we believe that they will return the travel documents as soon as possible . ”

By Chris Ebong


Lagos – One of the delegates to the just-concluded African Insurance Organisation (AIO) conference and Deputy Director General (DDG) of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mrs Uju Ndubuisi Chukwu, was on Thursday found dead in her hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa, the third death recorded in one week in the Insurance sector.

Mrs Chukwu, who lodged at Emperor Palace Hotel, was at the closing dinner night event on Wednesday.

She was full of life before she retired to bed after the dinner.

The late DDG was scheduled to travel back to Nigeria on Thursday but she died before the journey.

CIIN President Eddie Efekoha confirmed the report and said the institute was waiting for the doctor’s report to determine the cause of her death.

Report has it that she returned to her hotel room after the dinner alongside a senior female colleague before they separated and went into their different rooms.

It was also learnt that the colleague knocked on Mrs Chukwu’s hotel room door the following morning, calling her out for breakfast but she did not answer.

The colleague reportedly left, thinking she was still sleeping.

After the breakfast, her colleague again knocked on her door but without getting a response.
When it was time to go to the airport to catch their flight, Mrs Chukwu’s colleague again knocked and called her on her phone, yet there was no response.

The colleague felt Mrs Chukwu had gone to the airport to check in early.

When she got to the airport and did not find her, she hurried back to the hotel, called her number and found that the phone was ringing in her room.

The colleague then raised the alarm and called the attention of the hotel management.

The door to her hotel room was forced open and Mrs Chukwu was found dead on the bed.

Her body was said to be at the mortuary when our correspondent made inquiries about her last night.

Recall that the past one week has been a sad moment for the institute particularly and the entire insurance industry following the death of
Chief Ladipo Bailey, past president of the CIIN and former Commissioner for Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and Prof Olorunfunmi Adeyemi, former Director General of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA).

Oyetunji Abioye , Eniola Akinkuotu , Tunji Bosun , Justin Tyopuusu , Hindi Livinus , Peter Dada and Abiodun Nejo


There are strong indications that the immediate past governors of Lagos , Adamawa and Bauchi states, Akinwunmi Ambode , Mohammed Bindow and Mohammed Abubakar , may be part of President Muhammadu Buhari’ s next cabinet.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress had resolved that all the APC governors who lost their re -election bids would “ automatically ’ become the ministerial nominees for their states.

Ambode , Bindow and Abubakar failed in their re - election bids in the last general elections.
The APC Organising Secretary , Adamawa State chapter , Ahmed Lawan , confirmed the development.

Lawan , who said the leadership of the party had yet to call for any list from the state chapter, however , said Bindow might be “ automatically ” nominated for the state, following the directive from the national leadership of the party .
Bindow lost his second - term bid to Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party in a rerun .

Lawan , who is also aspiring for the office of the National Secretary of the APC , said, “ That is the directive from the national leadership and there ’s no nomination outside of Bindow . They never asked us to make any nomination . That is the arrangement ; any state where the governor lost , the governor will be given a ministerial slot .”

Following the development, Ambode who lost in a controversial primary election to Mr Babajide Sanwo -Olu may represent Lagos State in the ministerial list while Abubakar who lost to Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party is expected to clinch the Bauchi State slot .
Presidency sources said Ambode enjoyed the favour of Buhari and his men and that there were strong indications he would make the list .


Tinubu men begin moves to stop Ambode ’ s nomination, may petition EFCC

It has , however , been gathered that party men loyal to the National Leader of the ruling party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu , may have begun moves to scuttle plan to appoint Ambode as a minister .
Top party chiefs in the Mandate Group alleged that the immediate past governor of Lagos State frustrated many party members in Lagos State during his tenure and there was therefore the need “ to teach him a lesson . ”

Consequently , the aggrieved party men were said to be making moves to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over Ambode ’s alleged financial misappropriation and corruption .

Ambode , who has been out of the country since he left office in May , returned from France a few days ago . He was said to be favoured by Buhari’s kitchen cabinet.

Sources within the Lagos APC told
Saturday PUNCH that Ambode was not a loyal party man as he offended some party members and any move to reward him would be opposed vehemently by the party.

One of the sources said, “ Ambode tried to destroy the party in his first term . Apart from not being accessible, he revoked contracts belonging to party members and brought in his own companies . He tried to destroy our chances by trying to undermine Sanwo - Olu at every turn .

“ He did not campaign for us. Rather, he was following Buhari all over the place . He should not expect to represent Lagos in any capacity . We will not allow him have any appointment .”
Another source alleged that Ambode was not an indigene of Lagos State.

The source said, “ Ambode is from Ondo State and he cannot deny it . Yes, he was governor in Lagos State but the constitution allows that . However, the constitution states clearly that only an indigene of a state can represent that state as far as ministerial appointments are concerned .

“ We will ensure that the three senators from Lagos State block his nomination in the event that he is nominated by the President . There must be party discipline .”

The source said a probe of Ambode ’s administration would soon commence where the cases of alleged fraud and abuse of office would be exposed .

A source close to Ambode , however , said the former governor was prepared for the battle ahead .

He said Ambode ’s gentle mien should not be mistaken for weakness .

The former aide said , “ Ambode is already prepared for the worst since they have already humiliated him . Buhari even appealed to them to let Ambode return as governor but they refused .

They then tried to impeach him but they failed.
“ They should remember that Ambode was a permanent secretary and accountant- general of the state before becoming a governor .

“ He knows the secrets of all those making threats. Anybody who is on a mission of revenge could be digging his own grave in the process. I won ’ t say more than that. ”

Attempts to speak with Tinubu ’s aide , Tunde Rahman , proved abortive as he neither picked calls nor responded to a text message on Friday .
President in charge, not APC , says Issa -Onilu
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC , Lanre Issa -Onilu , however, said on Friday that the President was the one to determine the method of selection of ministerial nominees .
He said it was not for the party to choose for the President even if he called for inputs .

Issa -Onilu was reacting to Saturday PUNCH’ s enquiries over the directive by the national leadership of the party to state chapters that governors who lost re -election would be considered for ministerial slots .

“ I’ m not aware of any such instruction from the President . The President will determine his method of selection, ” he said.

Similarly , the Enugu State Chairman , Dr Ben Nwoye , said there was no rigid selection method of ministerial nominees.
“ There is no method to it , it is about people lobbying by making various claims; there is no real method .”

When asked the role of states in the process, he said , “ The state has no specific role in determining who becomes the minister , it is within the prerogative of the President . ”


Anxiety mounts in states

Meanwhile, anxiety has heightened among APC members in the 36 states of the federation .
Findings by Saturday PUNCH indicate that although the President and the APC leadership have yet to request any list of nominees from the state chapters of the party , there has been scrambling among chieftains of the party in the states.


Ogun : Osoba , Amosun lock horns

In Ogun State , there seems to be a contest between the camps of two former governors of the state who are chieftains of the APC , Ibikunle Amosun and Segun Osoba .

Unconfirmed sources said while Amosun had positioned the former Secretary to the State Government during his administration , Taiwo Adeoluwa , for the ticket, hoping to take advantage of his cordial relationship with the Presidency , Osoba was said to be banking on his grip on the party structure in the state .

It was further gathered that the party might consider two former deputy governors and a former senator in Ogun - Central for the position .
The party in the state is under the leadership of a three - man caretaker committee loyal to Osoba while the other faction loyal to Amosun seems to have been overwhelmed by the emergence of Dapo Abiodun as the governor of the state .


Osun : Adewale, Aregbesola, Omisore in contention

In Osun State , findings showed that four camps within the party were working for the emergence of their various principals as the minister to represent the state .

A camp is said to be working for the return of a former minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole , while another camp that has many bigwigs of the party in its fold wants ex -governor , Mr Rauf Aregbesola , to be appointed .

Another camp is said to be lobbying for the ex -Senate Chief Whip, Prof . Sola Adeyeye .

Also said to be in the race is a former deputy governor of the state , Otunba Iyiola Omisore , who was said to be relying on the role he played during the September 27 governorship election to ensure victory for the APC in the poll , to negotiate for a ministerial slot .

The immediate past lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial zone in the Senate , Senator Babajide Omoworare , is also said to be in the race.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the APC in the state , Barrister Kunle Oyatomi , said the party had not received any directive from the national secretariat to draw up a list .


Ondo : Akeredolu ’ s aides in close contest

In Ondo State, it was learnt that four members of the party in the state were top contenders .

These are the Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Public Utilities , Mr Tunji Ariyomo ; Special Adviser to the governor on Public and Inter- Governmental Relations , Mrs Bunmi Ademosu ; Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Development and Investment, Mr Boye Oyewumi ; and the Executive Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, Mr Ife Oyedele .

Asked for his comment , the Chairman of the APC in the state , Mr Ade Adetimehin , said, “ The issue of the list of ministerial nominees from Ondo State is an internal affair of our party , we can ’ t discuss with the press for now ; when the list is out , the whole world will be informed . ”


Ekiti : Aluko, Adelabu others show interest

In Ekiti State , the Deputy state Chairman of the APC , Mr Sola Elesin , said, “ The President will not rush to nominate candidates, he will ask us to present candidates . We have yet to decide but that will be very soon because the Federal Executive Council will take off very soon . ”

But feelers from some quarters in the APC have shown that a former senator , Gbenga Aluko ; a former deputy governor , Prof Modupe Adelabu ; a former governorship aspirant , Kayode Ojo ; and a former vice -chancellor of Federal University , Oye Ekiti, Prof . Bolaji Aluko, are likely to be considered .


Taraba State

In Taraba State , the President of the Trade Union Congress, Bobboi Kaigama; a former acting governor of Taraba State , Sani Danladi , and other chieftains of the APC were said to be in the race for the state ’s ministerial slots .

A chieftain of the party in the state , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said other candidates were Ambassador Hassan Ardo and Prof . Sani Yahaya , a governorship aspirant in the last general elections in the state .

But the spokesperson for the party in the state , Mr Aaron Arthimas , said , “ The national chairman of our great party has directed state chairmen to send names and other party chieftains too have submitted their CVs and are lobbying for appointment , but the good thing is that the President knows the people he wants to work with and he will choose whoever he wants . ”


Benue : Between Akume and Ogbe

In Benue State, there are indications that a former governor of the state , Senator George Akume , or the immediate past minister of agriculture , Audu Ogbe, will make the list .

The state Chairman of the party, Abba Yaro , said the party in the state had not been contacted on ministerial list but confirmed that the appointment hovered around Akume and Ogbe.


Katsina : Ex - senator tipped

Credible sources in the state chapter of the APC said the immediate past senator representing Funtua zone ( Katsina South ) , Senator Abu Ibrahim , might emerge one of the ministers or given a federal appointment .


Sokoto : Between two ex-ministers

In Sokoto State , the likely nominees have been narrowed down to two , Yusuf Suleiman , who is a former minister of Sports and Transportation , and Hajiya Aisha Abubakar , the immediate past minister of state for Trade and Investment.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Sambo Danchadi , however, said, “ The issue of ministerial appointment is an issue to be decided by Mr President and the leadership of the party at the federal level .”

In Zamfara State , there are indications that the former minister of defence, Alhaji Mansur Dan Ali, might retain his position , while others pointed at the immediate past governor , Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari , as a strong contender .


Bayelsa : Sylva may be favoured

In Bayelsa State , indications are rife that a former governor of the state , Chief Timi Sylva, may clinch the ministerial slot from the state .
Though none of the officials of the state chapter of the party was ready to talk on the issue , sources said Sylva might have shelved his plan to re -contest the governorship poll .

Additional reports by Olaide Oyelude , Adeniyi Olugbemi , Samuel Nkemakolem , Maiharaji Altine , Armstrong Bakam and Bola Bamigbola

Gyang Bere, Jos



Former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and Plateau State governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd) has said June 12 presidential election was more credible that the 2019 presidential polls.

He noted that the adoption of June 12 as Democracy Day was long overdue, adding that it wasn’t an APC affair.

Useni stated this on Friday after hearing on his governorship petition at the tribunal sitting in Jos, Plateau State.

“To me, the June 12 election was more credible than the 2019 presidential election. We should have being celebrating June 12 long time ago as our democracy day.I am in PDP and I don’t want people to take June 12 as an APC affair, everybody knows what happened.”

Gen. Useni noted that he was one of the class associates of Chief MKO Abiola whom he defended in several quarters when argument on if he (Abiola) became president, he was going to pay himself all the debt that government was owing him.

“Abiola was my good friend; I defended him in one of our meeting when some people said if they gave him the presidency, he would first take all the money the Federal government was owing him, and I said why not? It was government that gave him the contracts and why was he not paid? If he paid himself, there would be nothing wrong with that.”

Useni said it was better to have deprived Chief MKO Abiola from contesting the June 12 presidential election than annulling it, saying the situation drew the country backward.

“some of us were not happy when the election was cancelled. Why did they allow him to contest the election if he was not ineligible? Why was he allowed to contest in the first place if proper screening was not done,” he asked.

He described democracy as a good system of governance but lamented that some of the actors in the democratic practice are very bad.
Useni noted that civilian administrators should take the courage of creating state and local government areas in the country to make democracy closer to the grassroots.

By Rotimi Ojomoyela



Ado-Ekiti-A randy lecturer at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, has been caught pants down while allegedly attempting to have carnal knowledge of one his students.

In a 29-second video clip which has gone viral on social media, the lecturer who is in the Accounting Department, was seen nude.

Some female students of the varsity who were believed to have laid siege to the residence of the female student were seen dragging the embattled lecturer out of a room.

Investigations, revealed that the lady’s boy friend and his friends were said to have informed the lady to play along with the lecturer when he made overtures to her in exchange for marks.
Judging by the the claim of a voice in the video, the scene of the incident was the state capital, Ado Ekiti.

According to the video, an audible voice chatted: “This is a lecturer of EKSU. He wants to have S*x with a student. The voice said a lot of unprintable things laying bare the escapades of the randy lecturer.

While making mockery and torturing the lecturer, one of the boys was seen pressing a powered electronic device to on his body to shock.

The lecturer was screaming and begging the students for mercy.

He was not spared as he was beaten black and blue by the students when he was trying to resist being pulled out from the room naked.

Meanwhile, the female student was the one who uploaded the video clip on her Whatsap status, captioning it “I am not sending oh, he wants to f**k fresh pu**y.

Some students of the institution who spoke with Vanguard confirmed the identity of the lecturer in the video as a popular person, though expressed their reservations about act.

They, however, revealed that the lecturer was not alone in the game of intimidating female students to have rump with them.

They said most lecturers in the institution were in the habit of abusing and taking undue advantage of ladies hence the need for investigation into the matter and sanction the lecturer.

They said there are several cases of such in the school but most victims were not bold enough to expose the act.

Efforts to contact the lecturer was unsuccessful as his line was switched off.

However, the EKSU authorities and police had said they were not aware of the incident.